Chapter 9: Whispers in the Tea Fields
"I hope that by changing the mission parameters, she won't be put in harm's way... As for Kiba and Kurenai... they should be fine."
Under Trump's guidance, the team settled into his sprawling mansion. Its sheer size was a testament to his commercial success.
A prepared meal awaited them upon arrival, and Ryouma, who hadn't eaten a proper meal in days, finally filled his stomach.
When it came to room assignments, Trump insisted they take the rooms adjacent to his own to prevent any unforeseen incidents. Kurenai thought it over before agreeing, and Ryouma and the others had no objections.
The final arrangement had Kurenai and Hinata sharing one room, while Ryouma bunked with Kiba. In Kurenai's eyes, this was the most logical and secure setup. With her and Hinata together, protection and defense weren't an issue. On Ryouma's side, he had his inexplicable speed, and Kiba was skilled at tracking and vigilance. She couldn't find fault with it.
The night deepened, but sleep eluded Ryouma. In his old world, he'd scroll through his phone until he drifted off. Here, there was no phone.
Consequently, he'd been suffering from a kind of insomnia, a disorienting jet lag that was incredibly uncomfortable.
To pass the time, Ryouma focused his consciousness on the great sphere of light in his mind, gazing at the dazzling array of items and their mysterious, alluring glows, almost drooling with want. But for now, he could only look. After exchanging for the Instant Eye, he was once again penniless.
"Hey, system," he muttered to himself. "Do you have the ninjutsu from the Naruto world?"
The system didn't respond with words, but the sphere of light shimmered and then differentiated, projecting a radiant list before him.
Ryouma was stunned, then looked over the list. It was a catalog of ninjutsu from the Naruto world.
[Available within Current Permissions:]
S-Rank Ninjutsu:
Wind Release: Rasen Shuriken - 150 Almighty Points
Chidori - 130 Almighty Points
Flying Thunder God Technique - 100 Almighty Points
Kirin - 170 Almighty Points
Tailed Beast Bomb - 300 Almighty Points
...etc.
A-Rank Ninjutsu:
Rasengan - 30 Almighty Points
Great Fireball Technique - 30 Almighty Points
Odama Rasengan - 50 Almighty Points
Sand Shower Technique - 50 Almighty Points
Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique - 30 Almighty Points
...etc.
B-Rank Ninjutsu:
Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique - 15 Almighty Points
Fire Style: Ash Pile Burning - 15 Almighty Points
Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu - 15 Almighty Points
Hidden Shadow Snake Hands - 15 Almighty Points
...etc.
C-Rank Ninjutsu:
Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu - 10 Almighty Points
Wind Style: Gale Palm - 10 Almighty Points
Wind Style: Great Breakthrough - 10 Almighty Points
Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu - 10 Almighty Points
...etc.
...Note: Unlike the standard Naruto world, all ninjutsu listed above can be used directly without hand seals.
"No way!" Ryouma's eyes widened in disbelief. These techniques were so cheap?!
If he completed his current system mission, he'd get 300 Almighty Points. That meant this single mission could net him two S-rank ninjutsu—and the kind that required no seals and could be used instantly!
Though, upon reflection, the power of other skills in the exchange at similar price points was probably on par with these ninjutsu, and some were even more visually spectacular.
Ryouma started fantasizing, getting carried away even before he'd completed the mission.
Because selecting the highest quality tea leaves was crucial, Trump summoned the team before dawn, asking them to escort him to the fields so he could inspect the crop personally.
"I'm terribly sorry to wake you all so early," Trump apologized, "but this tea ceremony is of the utmost importance to me. I must see to this myself to be certain."
"You are too kind. This is our duty," Kurenai replied with a professional smile.
Ryouma's face was dark with sleep deprivation, but the moment he saw Hinata, his heart did a little flip, and his grumpiness instantly evaporated.
"Hinata, did you sleep well last night?" Ryouma greeted her with a warm smile.
"Y-yes, I slept well. And you, Ryouma-nii?"
"Well... it was okay," he said, a playful glint in his eye. "Though the soundproofing in the rooms isn't the best. I could have sworn I heard someone talking in their sleep... muttering a name... Naruto, I think it was! Yes, definitely Naruto!" he teased.
"Ah... h-how could that be...?" Hinata's face flushed a brilliant scarlet. She thought carefully; she didn't talk in her sleep... and besides, she hadn't dreamed of Naruto in a long time... How could Ryouma-nii have heard...?
As she processed this, she saw the mischievous look on Ryouma's face. Her cheeks burned even hotter. She lowered her head, burying her face in the collar of her jacket, too embarrassed to look at him.
Ryouma chuckled, though he felt a twinge of bitterness in his heart. He cursed the system internally. Why couldn't I have been transported here when Hinata was younger?
But then, a thought struck him. *With my 21st-century mindset, shouldn't I be better at chasing girls than some kid who's still hung up on someone else?*
Suddenly, Ryouma felt a surge of confidence, boldness, and high spirits.
"The soundproofing isn't good? I wasn't aware of that," Trump remarked, turning back to look at Ryouma with an amused smile.
"Ha... haha..." Ryouma laughed dryly and scratched the back of his head.
"My apologies for his behavior," Kurenai said to Trump with a diplomatic smile, then shot Ryouma a warning glance. She hadn't expected a sixteen-year-old to be so adept at teasing girls.
Upon arriving at the tea fields, Trump began his meticulous inspection. He would frequently crouch down to smell the leaves, examine their veins, and so on. When he found a satisfactory one, he would carefully pluck it and place it in the pouch he carried.
"Feel free to look around as well," Trump offered. "If you find any particularly good leaves, I'll see that you're rewarded."
"Really? Great!" Ryouma's eyes lit up at the mention of extra money, and he immediately threw himself into the task of searching for premium tea leaves.
Kurenai smiled and shook her head at his enthusiasm, while Kiba snorted disdainfully before turning away to start his own search.
Ryouma had enjoyed tea in his past life, but he'd never been a connoisseur. After searching for a while, he was completely lost.
Just as he was growing frustrated, a soft voice spoke near his ear. "Ryouma-nii... look at this leaf... do you think Mr. Trump would give us a reward for it...?"
Ryouma turned in surprise to find Hinata crouched down, her knees held tightly together, looking up at him with an expression of indescribable cuteness.