Chapter 2 Koizumi Town
Land of Rivers, as Shūji would describe it in his past life, is akin to a demilitarized zone in the ninja world.
It boasts a dignified Daimyo, a functioning bureaucracy, and even employs a group of sword-wielding samurai. However, it lacks a ninja village.
In this world dominated by chakra power, it's akin to walking naked among wolves.
Once trouble exceeds what samurai swords can handle, they can only send a request to Konoha, Sunagakure, or even Amegakure, exchanging money for foreign military strength.
This peculiar political ecosystem has given rise to border towns like Koizumi Town, which are both deformed and vibrant.
The town lacks towering walls and strict checkpoints, with only a dirt road winding through.
Spices from the Land of Wind and mountain delicacies from the Land of Fire converge here, filling the air with a unique scent of exotic goods.
Uchiha Itachi is currently seated in an unassuming restaurant, with a bowl of steaming, aromatic beef stew before him, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
The journey was orderly: they reached the border smoothly, completed the handover with local officials, received a briefing on the bandits, and then visited the local business association as per protocol.
"They're just a bunch of insignificant thieves," remarked the head of the association, a well-maintained, amiable middle-aged man, twirling his neatly trimmed mustache with a nonchalant tone.
"Although they've plundered a few caravans, causing some minor inconveniences to trade." What followed was a lengthy exchange of pleasantries and empty wishes, with the core request being for the Konoha ninja to resolve the issue promptly.
Faced with such a perfunctory attitude, Shūji-senpai's expression remained unperturbed.
He dutifully recorded the information provided, which was no different from what was on the mission scroll, and then naturally shifted the topic: "Koizumi Town gathers products from three countries, so it must have everything?"
"Of course, of course!" The head of the association beamed.
"I've heard the beef from the Land of Rivers has a unique flavor?" Shūji's tone was as casual as discussing the weather.
The head's eyes lit up, enthusiastically recommending, "Ninja-sama has great taste! If you want to try authentic flavors, Saemon's beef stew is the town's specialty, a must-try!"
With that, Shūji-senpai seemed to lose interest in further conversation and politely took his leave. Now, they were seated in this small eatery called "Saemon."
Itachi's gaze fell on the ceramic bowl before him. The amber broth gently swayed, with large chunks of perfectly stewed beef barely visible, its texture tender, revealing distinct fibers with a light touch of the chopsticks.
The reddish-brown meat was soaked in the thick sauce, glistening with an enticing sheen, garnished with green scallions. The rising steam carried the rich aroma of star anise, cinnamon, and other spices, intertwined with the beef's robust scent, enough to awaken one's taste buds.
"Senpai," Itachi finally couldn't resist, speaking in a low voice, "Aren't we going to complete the mission?"
"The mission will be done, of course." Shūji replied nonchalantly, as he steadily picked up a quivering piece of beef and placed it in his mouth.
As the extremely tender and rich meat melted on his tongue, the intense beef flavor, accompanied by a subtle hint of spice, filled his mouth, and he couldn't help but squint in satisfaction.
The tension that had accompanied him since coming to this world seemed to be quietly soothed by this pure taste.
He savored it carefully, capturing the faint aftertaste deep within the meat's juices—a soul mark given to the beef by the unique pastures of the Land of Rivers.
Itachi reluctantly picked up his chopsticks, murmuring, "Itadakimasu."
Seeing this, Shūji's lips curled slightly, and he raised his hand to signal to the busy figure behind the counter, "Boss, another serving, please."
His gaze fell on the lean shopkeeper who was meticulously wiping a ceramic pot, his eyes showing genuine appreciation, "The control of the heat is exquisite, the sauce is just right, neither overpowering nor overshadowing the beef's natural flavor."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper Saemon's bronze face lit up with delight.
He wiped his hands on a well-worn apron, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing out, "You're quite the connoisseur! We use the finest beef delivered fresh from the ranch every morning, slow-cooked for hours to achieve this flavor. Mastering this takes as much effort as perfecting a complex Ninjutsu." He used an analogy that a ninja could understand, noticing the Konoha emblem on the young man's forehead.
"Would you like to try our grilled beef? We have two portions of prime cuts left today." Saemon eagerly suggested.
"Please do," Shūji agreed readily.
A small charcoal grill was soon brought to the table. The shopkeeper personally attended to them, laying slices of meat on the grill, "This is short rib, rich in fat; this is flank steak, tender in texture. Would you like me to grill it for you?"
"Yes, please, thank you." Shūji nodded with a smile, his gaze on the sizzling, fat-dripping slices of meat, casually asking, "I've heard it's been quite unsettled around Koizumi Town lately, with bandits frequently appearing. Is your beef supply still smooth?"
"Bandits, huh..." Saemon expertly flipped the meat on the grill, the fat dripping onto the charcoal with a cheerful sizzle, releasing a fragrant smoke, "That's true, but I've heard most of the trouble is with new, unfamiliar caravans. The suppliers for our beef are old ranches with decades of experience, well-versed in the routes and well-connected, so they haven't been affected. Rest assured,"
"Moreover, caravans are now very cautious, usually gathering enough people before setting out, and rarely stopping along the way."
Itachi's hand holding the chopsticks paused almost imperceptibly—the business association head had never mentioned that the bandits had "selective" targets.
"Please enjoy." Saemon served the perfectly grilled beef to the two of them.
After Shūji leisurely finished the sumptuous meal, they stepped out of the restaurant, with the setting sun casting a warm orange glow over the rooftops of Koizumi Town. The streets were gradually emptying, with distant shouts of caravans unloading their goods. A gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of forest edges, mingling with the comforting aroma of lingering food from the market. Shūji took a deep breath of this unique border town air.
The food was indeed delicious, and the bill was quite hefty, 750 ryō—a sum that, by his memory of currency standards, equated to several days of hard labor for an ordinary person. However, considering the mission reward was 30,000 ryō, this indulgence was within acceptable limits.
"Senpai, should we investigate the attacked caravans next?" Itachi quickly caught up with Shūji as they headed out of town.
"No need." Shūji continued walking, his gaze fixed on the distant lights of Shirakawa Village, "Today, I've discovered two things."
"First, the bandits deliberately avoided caravans with deep local connections, so the local business association, while outwardly cooperative, doesn't truly care about the matter, hence the perfunctory information."
"Second, those bandits initially managed to escape to the Land of Rain, yet they risked returning to the Land of Rivers, where they're wanted, to commit crimes. Such abnormal behavior points to two possibilities—"
Shūji looked towards the city outskirts, where the village's scattered lights twinkled like stars in the deepening night.
"Either they left in too much haste, leaving behind something extremely important that they had to retrieve," his gaze sharpened, piercing through the twilight to the familiar village silhouette, "or the answer is simpler—they are locals. It's not that they're unaware of the danger, but... their home is here."