After finishing off Caotang, Uchiha Ran casually spun the Zanpakutō in his hand twice before sheathing it. He then lifted his head and looked toward the other battlefield.
There, he saw Inuzuka Tsubaki reverting from her Fang Over Fang state back to normal. At her feet lay the unnamed ninja she had fought—collapsed on the ground, more air going out than coming in.
Seeing this, Ran walked over and looked down at the dying man.
"Uh… honored ninja," Ran said thoughtfully, "the ground's pretty cold. Why don't you get up? Or if you still have the strength to talk, should we help you pick out a burial site?"
The ninja twitched twice, eyes bulging as he weakly raised a hand—
"Looks like that won't be necessary," Ran concluded calmly. "Youth really is wonderful. You can fall asleep anytime."
The hand never finished rising.
The ninja exhaled one last time.
Tsubaki stared at Ran with an expression usually reserved for demons.
"Ran…-san."
"Yes, Tsubaki?"
"I've just realized something," she said seriously. "You actually have a pretty nasty sense of humor."
"Is that so?" Ran replied mildly. "I hadn't noticed myself."
With that, he turned away. The fleeing bandits were already scattering in all directions, and Ran made no move to chase them. Instead, he instructed the caravan guards to bury the bodies properly to avoid contamination.
For ninja, bandits who hadn't taken part in the fighting were generally left alone. Most of these people had little combat ability anyway. Many mountain bandits were simply civilians who couldn't survive otherwise and farmed their own land in the hills. If they hadn't committed serious crimes, ninja wouldn't go out of their way to eradicate them—especially since this wasn't a bandit-clearing mission to begin with.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Applause sounded from behind them.
"Well done, Ran. And you too, Tsubaki," Yuhi Shinku said as he walked over, clapping lightly.
"Most ninja are glass cannons—high offense, low durability," he continued calmly. "When the enemy doesn't understand your abilities, that ignorance itself becomes your greatest advantage. You handled that perfectly."
"Alright. Once things are cleaned up, we'll continue."
—
After witnessing Ran's performance, Maeda grew noticeably more enthusiastic.
"Um… Uchiha-kun," he said mysteriously, riding his horse closer, "have you ever heard of the Yoshiwara District in the Fire Capital?"
"…Huh?" Ran blinked. "Maeda-san, this is my first escort mission to the capital. Forget Yoshiwara—I don't even know what the capital looks like yet."
He wasn't particularly curious. In truth, he'd seen far more than most people ever would.
…Although, strangely enough, some of those memories felt blurred.
Had sealing himself away for too long dulled them?
"Hahaha! Ran-san, once this mission's over, let's have a meal together!" Maeda laughed. "I'll take you to Yoshiwara. For young ninja, balancing work and relaxation is very important!"
"Thank you for the offer," Ran replied politely, "but once the mission is complete, we'll be returning to Konoha with Shinku-sama."
Maeda didn't seem offended at all. Instead, he glanced toward the back where Yuhi Shinku was and leaned in conspiratorially.
"Ran-kun, I can tell at a glance—you've never done this kind of escort before."
"Oh? You could tell that easily?" Ran said, feigning surprise. "Impressive."
"Haha! Let me tell you—on long-distance missions like this, ninja usually stay an extra day or two after completion. A bit of sightseeing, enjoying the local culture—that's normal."
"Really? So that's how it works."
Seeing Ran's surprised expression, Maeda looked extremely satisfied.
"Then there's no problem. Don't worry—I've entertained plenty of ninja in Yoshiwara. So far, not a single one has been dissatisfied."
"So the food is really that good?" Ran asked with interest. "If Shinku-sama allows us enough time, I'll definitely trouble you."
"Food?" Maeda laughed loudly. "Yes—excellent food. I can hardly wait to reach the capital. It's been a long time since I last went to Yoshiwara myself."
"True," Ran nodded. "We've been eating just enough to get by these past few days. My mouth's gone completely bland."
He glanced at the soldier pill in his hand with clear disdain before putting it away.
After the battle, the caravan guards realized that the ninja weren't particularly unapproachable. Their tension eased, and they gradually began chatting with Yuhi Shinku, Inuzuka Tsubaki, and Domu Masano.
Ninja were still human. On long, boring journeys, they liked to talk as much as anyone else. Conversation eased the monotony—and sometimes, merchants who traveled far and wide could provide valuable information. If nothing else, ordinary people were great at providing emotional affirmation.
"So amazing—Shinku-sama's students are all this strong. As a jōnin, you must be terrifyingly powerful!"
"Tsubaki-sama's strength among ninja in Konoha must be near the top, right?"
"Domu-sama hasn't even acted yet—is it because you're the team's hidden trump card?"
"Ran-sama, your fighting was pure art! So this is the famous Uchiha clan? And that was without the Sharingan! If you activated it… it'd be unstoppable!"
So this is how ordinary people see ninja, Ran thought.
No wonder someone like Obito might eventually lose himself in praise like this.
The rest of the journey passed without incident.
—
"Alright," Yuhi Shinku said once they arrived. "The mission is complete, Maeda-san."
"Thank you so much, Jōnin-sama," Maeda said sincerely. "It's already late—why not have a simple meal and stay the night at my home? My old man would love to see a legendary jōnin like you."
After a moment's consideration, Shinku accepted. Night had fallen, and maintaining good relations with clients was important—especially when the invitation came directly from the host. It could mean more missions for Konoha in the future.
In the end, Maeda even asked Shinku to "borrow" Ran, claiming he wanted to treat him to some Fire Country specialty cuisine.
Shinku agreed without hesitation, reminding Ran to build a good relationship with their client before letting him go.
—
7:00 p.m.
Ran and Maeda arrived at a bustling street in the Yoshiwara District.
Maeda's massive figure stood beneath the gate, arms spread wide.
"Ran-san! Welcome to the place I know best! Now—let's go enjoy some Fire Country specialty food!"
Ran lifted his gaze.
Above the entrance hung five large characters:
Chijiya Courtesan House
His pupils trembled violently.
"…Eh?"
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