Konoha did not promote tourism, but that did not mean outsiders were forbidden from entering. She put away the forehead protector at her waist and stored her twin blades. In this state, Zaraki Kita looked harmless, like nothing more than a wandering traveler.
"Name."
The shinobi asked. Zaraki Kita pointed at her throat, opened her mouth, then took out paper and pen and wrote.
"You're… a mute?" The Konoha shinobi phrased it politely. Zaraki Kita nodded, her expression tinged with apology, perfectly playing the role of a frail woman.
"What's your purpose here?" another shinobi asked eagerly, showing exceptional courtesy toward someone disabled.
Mission commission.
Once her name was registered and the forms completed, Zaraki Kita was granted entry.
She was now a mute woman born in the Land of Water, who had wandered into Amegakure and opened a small eatery in a border town. She urgently needed to gather fresh spices from the Kusagakure frontier, which was currently plagued by conflict, to prepare her shop's signature dishes and ensure it could continue operating next year. Considering the dangers along the border, she had chosen Konoha, known for both its friendliness and relatively affordable rates, to commission shinobi to escort her to her destination.
The mission was classified as B-rank. Strictly speaking, it should have been C-rank, but because fighting was ongoing near Kusagakure and there was a high risk of being drawn into warfare, the difficulty had been raised by one level.
The mission fee was set at two hundred thousand ryo, equivalent to half a year's expenses for an ordinary civilian. Well, that was about the same as a peripheral Akatsuki member's monthly stipend. According to Konan, full members earned ten times that amount, not counting mission bonuses.
"Why do you insist on going to gather nettles? They're sold on the market as well."
The Third Hokage held his pipe as he looked over the mission requirements, now compiled into a scroll, and asked the question naturally.
Zaraki Kita curved her lips into a gentle smile and replied respectfully.
The ones sold on the market aren't fresh, and they require special processing. The Valley's soil is uniquely fertile, and the nettles grown there are different from those elsewhere.
Her handwriting was delicate yet firm, revealing refined upbringing through the strength of her strokes.
"Forgive this old man's curiosity, but were you injured in the past, Miss, which resulted in the loss of your voice?"
Zaraki Kita nodded.
When I was young, I was kidnapped by bandits and frightened badly. Ever since then, I haven't been able to speak. If it's called an injury, it's only a psychological scar.
External wounds were easy to heal; wounds of the heart were not. That should put an end to the Third Hokage's enthusiasm, she thought.
Indeed, Sarutobi Hiruzen found it difficult to casually promote Konoha's medical services after that.
"That must have been very hard on you. Isn't the mission fee a bit high? Two hundred thousand ryō will likely eat into a large portion of your income for next year."
Huh? Is the Third encouraging me to bargain?
It's fine. I'll just raise my prices slightly next year. It shouldn't affect basic living.
"Is that so?" the Third Hokage said. Amegakure was poor, and running a shop there meant barely scraping by even at the lowest prices. Raising them even a little… hehe…
"In that case, miss, the village is currently short-handed. Would you mind waiting here for a couple of days before departing?"
Zaraki Kita nodded. Her goal had been achieved.
As soon as she left the Hokage's office, she sensed ANBU hidden in the shadows. No more, no less, exactly two of them. Judging by their presence, they were strong.
A lone woman from Amegakure who had paid such a hefty mission fee naturally couldn't afford a high-end inn. Three hundred ryō per night, or five hundred for two nights. The room contained only a bed and a private washroom. There was a shower, but no bathtub.
Once she felt the ANBU settle into their watch outside, Zaraki Kita got up from the bed and decided to stroll around Konoha.
Ramen shops, dessert shops, snack stalls, ice cream vendors. After walking through them all, she had spent over a hundred ryō. Fragments of whispered conversations drifted into her ears.
Someone's husband had been caught secretly meeting his ex and beaten soundly by his current wife.
Someone's child had taken first place in an exam, earning a celebratory feast tonight.
That monster had painted someone's house again.
A monster? That's worth noting.
Listening to neighborhood gossip while sitting on a wooden bench along a busy street, Zaraki Kita learned that scallions had gone up in price today, five ryō more than yesterday. Grain prices had dropped again. The harvest had been poor this year. And lately, there was little work to be found. Even chūnin were unusually idle.
As evening fell, Zaraki Kita prepared to experience the Konoha night market, rumored to be both affordable and high-quality.
Bright lights illuminated the streets, and crowds bustled about, making it far livelier. In Amegakure, markets were mostly indoors, with few street stalls due to the incessant rain. Here, prices were lower than expected, though still higher than in Amegakure, and the variety was impressive.
There were leftover fruits and vegetables from the daytime market, mismatched clothing and shoes, imported trinkets that had already gone out of fashion. Food, clothing, entertainment everything was there.
Zaraki Kita bought a serving of takoyaki that looked promising. Judging by the line, it was popular, and indeed, it tasted quite good.
At a clothing stall she happened to pass, she spotted a rather beautiful yukata.
It was a pale lavender throughout, decorated with soft white flying birds. The moment she saw it, she thought of Konan. That shade of purple would suit her hair perfectly.
How much is it?
Zaraki Kita asked.
"One hundred and thirty-three thousand ryō."
So much for being affordable.I've never worn a yukata that cost more than five thousand ryo in my life.
She thought, then wrote again in her notebook.
Do you have a larger size?
"Sorry, Miss, we don't have your size," the vendor said regretfully. Zaraki Kita was slim, but slightly tall. Not quite 180 cm, but at 179 cm, she was tall enough to be breathing higher-level air among most women.
169 cm, weight 45.3 kg, shoulder width 31 cm.
"Oh, I see."
One hundred and thirty thousand ryō bought a neatly wrapped package. Even with the vendor waiving the loose change, more than half a month's income was gone.
Well, if it makes Konan happy, it's worth it.
After wandering until late, Zaraki Kita returned to the inn. Lights out. Shower. Sleep. Tomorrow, she will go see the Uchiha.
━━━━ ❖ ━━━
Every 100 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter
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