Night fell, and an Akimichi-run BBQ restaurant was already packed to the brim.
As a way to get everyone acquainted and show her appreciation, Kushina treated Tsume Inuzuka and Saiki's team to a meal.
In Konoha, the Akimichi clan's BBQ business was legendary; Saiki and the others almost couldn't find a seat when they arrived.
The Akimichi secret techniques required the consumption of vast amounts of body fat to function. To meet the demands of those techniques, they had to eat enormous quantities of meat. Rather than eating elsewhere, it was safer and more satisfying to run their own restaurants.
As their own demand grew, so did their mastery of the grill.
They didn't just eat the food themselves; it became a core family business, and Akimichi restaurants became the top choice for shinobi.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio were practically inseparable; the Nara clan handled the livestock, with deer farming being one of their primary economic pillars.
Almost every part of a deer is valuable; antlers and venison have high medicinal value, while the meat and offal were supplied directly to the Akimichi BBQ shops.
This was the clear divide between commoner ninja and clan ninja: clan ninja had family businesses to supplement their mission pay, while commoners had to grind for every ryo to afford new jutsu.
Looking at the venison sizzling with oil on the grill, Saiki swallowed hard and smiled at Kushina. "It's crowded tonight! We almost didn't get a table. Sensei Kushina, you're really splurging. Once I'm rich, next time is on me!"
Kushina rolled her eyes and snapped back with a huff, "So if I don't treat you, you won't treat me? Is that it?"
Though she was clearly pleased by Saiki's gratitude, her tsundere nature made her act tough; Saiki felt helpless and laughed. "Ah! How could that be? It's just that I'm poor right now! Once I have the money, whenever you want to eat, I'm paying—anytime, anywhere."
"You think I'm the type to take advantage of people? It's cooked, start eating! Go home early and sleep; you have to head out first thing in the morning!" Even though Kushina looked like she was constantly on the verge of losing her temper, a small smile finally touched her lips.
After spending a few days together, Kushina—influenced by the village's "Will of Fire" rhetoric—had worried Saiki didn't like her because of his detached attitude toward "bonds."
But now, it seemed they had successfully established an emotional connection.
Seeing Saiki pick up his chopsticks, Shizune and Genhai also chimed in, "Thank you, Sensei Kushina!"
Kushina waved them off dismissively, though she was still smiling. "Eat up! Eat up! Don't let that bastard Saiki eat it all!"
Watching the children dig in, Kushina turned to Tsume Inuzuka. "Tsume-senpai, you should eat too!"
"Kushina, thanks for the treat."
"Senpai, don't mention it. I'm the one troubling you!"
With that, the two adults began to eat as well.
The prohibition on alcohol in the world of shinobi was quite strict; you couldn't drink until you were an adult. This made the BBQ feel a bit incomplete to Saiki. In his past life, he had started tasting alcohol at a young age; back home, a grown man who couldn't drink was often mocked.
This meal was more of a tasting than a feast. Saiki's appetite was so massive that if he actually ate his fill, Kushina would go bankrupt.
As the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Konoha didn't provide her with much of a subsidy. When the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed, she hadn't inherited much of a fortune; she was lucky just to be alive.
The dinner was necessary, nonetheless. Everyone got to know each other a bit better. Since there was a mission tomorrow, they didn't stay too long. After confirming the meeting time and location, they disbanded.
After parting ways, Saiki and Shizune returned home to prepare their ninja tools.
Saiki packed the essentials: smoke bombs, kunai, and shuriken.
Even though it was a standard mission, anything could happen in these turbulent times, so Saiki packed bandages and medicinal ointments just in case.
And of course, his combat katana was indispensable.
After packing, Saiki went downstairs to wash up, and Shizune soon joined him.
"Saiki, are you all ready?"
"Mm." Saiki nodded and smiled. "I've prepared everything we might need. What about you?"
Shizune gave a sweet smile. "Me too!"
Looking at Shizune—knowing Tsunade was out on another mission—Saiki could tell she was nervous. He reached out and stroked her head comfortingly. "Don't worry, I've got your back. Get some rest after you wash up."
"Mm!" Shizune's face flushed slightly as she nodded obediently.
After Shizune went to wash, Saiki returned to his room. Watching the moonlight spill through the window, he sat cross-legged on the bed, palms up, and began his morning and evening cultivation routine.
As he breathed, strands of lunar essence and natural energy from the air were drawn toward him, entering his body through his skin and lungs.
After one full circuit, he checked his Dantian. There was still no sign of a breakthrough.
With a mission outside the village coming up, Saiki wanted to see if he could trigger a change in that mass of energy within his Qi Sea.
He wasn't weak by any means; relying on his fruit powers, he could assassinate a Chunin who didn't have prior intel on him, and he could hold his own against a Jonin. Still, he wanted more "hidden cards" up his sleeve.
But Saiki wasn't in a rush; rushing wouldn't help. He pulled back the covers and lay down; he had to be up early.
The next morning, at dawn!
Saiki and Shizune each carried a small backpack, with a tachi strapped to Saiki's waist. They arrived at the Konoha gates early to wait.
The current gatekeepers were others; the legendary duo Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki were in the same graduating class as Saiki.
Before long, Genhai and Tsume Inuzuka arrived, and even Kushina came to see them off.
Wait, no—she was there to say goodbye.
After waiting a bit longer, a merchant caravan of eight people, carrying heavy loads and two horse-drawn carriages, approached them.
The middle-aged leader, dressed respectably, approached them. "My apologies. It seems we woke up a bit late and kept you waiting."
"No problem, we just arrived ourselves. Mr. Toda, if your people are ready, we can depart," Tsume responded politely.
After registering at the gate's checkpoint, Saiki and the others were finally able to leave the village.
Saiki looked at Kushina and said with a smile, "Sensei Kushina, head back. Next time I return and have some money, I'll take you out for something delicious!"
This time, Kushina didn't act tsundere. She laughed and said, "Alright, I'll be waiting!"
Then she urged, "Be safe on the road. Protect Shizune and the others."
Having sparred with Saiki, Kushina knew he was hiding his true strength, even if she didn't know why. She understood that even Tsume Inuzuka might not be a match for him. On the surface, Tsume was the leader, but Saiki was the team's real trump card.
"Don't worry, Sensei. We'll be fine," Saiki nodded.
Kushina turned to Tsume. "I'm counting on you!"
"Don't you worry. I'll do my best to protect them, but I also believe they have what it takes to finish this mission," Tsume laughed, casting a quick glance at Saiki.
After saying goodbye to Kushina, Saiki and the others left Konoha to the sound of creaking wooden wheels and rhythmic hoofbeats.
In a small town within the Land of Fire:
"We'll rest here for the night!"
Tsume Inuzuka stopped in front of a hot spring inn, patted Kuromaru's head, and spoke to the caravan members.
"Mm, sounds good. Everyone's worked hard; let's get some proper rest tonight," the caravan leader, Toda, nodded. The merchant members, used to sleeping outdoors, all broke into smiles.
Shizune and Genhai were visibly relieved; though a ninja's body is stronger than a civilian's, they were still only nine years old and showed signs of fatigue.
Saiki felt fine physically, but after a week of sleeping in the wild and enduring the elements, his mental state was a bit drained.
If ninja were traveling alone at full speed, the trip from Konoha to Hot Springs Town would only take a day. But at a civilian pace with loaded wagons, it took nearly two weeks.
"Welcome!"
The receptionist at the inn greeted them with a polite bow. Beyond standard business etiquette, they were hosting ninja with Konoha forehead protectors, which demanded respect.
After Tsume coordinated the rooms and the night-watch schedule with Toda, she turned to Saiki. "Saiki, keep an eye on things here. I'm going out to scout the area."
Seeing the exhaustion on Tsume's face, Saiki smiled. "Sensei Tsume, you, Shizune, and Genhai should rest. You've been walking all day and you have the early watch tonight. Let me handle the scouting."
Tsume thought about it for a moment and nodded. "Fair enough. Be careful."
"Boss, let me go with you!" Genhai shouted.
Looking at the boy, whose fatigue was written all over his face, Saiki laughed. "You look like you're about to fall over. Get some sleep. I need you focused tomorrow."
With Saiki putting it that way, Genhai scratched his head awkwardly and nodded. "Alright then."
Saiki went to his room, dropped off his headband, tool pouch, and pack, and headed out with only his katana.
As they drew closer to the border of the Land of Fire, the environment became increasingly unstable. Compared to towns closer to the capital, the streets here were much more desolate.
As a child walking alone, Saiki drew curious glances from passersby, but since he carried a katana, people assumed he was a samurai or a trainee, and no one looked for trouble.
Just as he expected, while wandering the town, Saiki sensed several chakra signatures. They weren't strong—mostly Genin-level.
They were likely just rogue or wandering ninja; Saiki didn't pay them much mind.
Once he confirmed there were no immediate threats, Saiki returned to the inn. He reported back to Tsume, ate dinner, performed his daily cultivation, refined some chakra, and went to bed early.
The next day, Saiki—who had handled the late-night watch—felt completely refreshed after his morning breathing exercise. The group set out once more.
After four more days of travel, they were almost at their destination, but the terrain was becoming more mountainous.
"Once we clear these mountains, Hot Springs Town is just ahead." The leader, Toda, let out a sigh of relief.
Tsume Inuzuka looked toward the dense forest in the distance and didn't relax at all. "We aren't there yet. The road ahead looks difficult. Keep the formation and stay sharp!"
As a professional shinobi, one could not afford any slack until the objective was complete.
Genhai took the point, Saiki covered the left flank, and Shizune covered the right. Tsume, the most experienced, stayed in the rear to keep the entire caravan in her line of sight.
Saiki's position on the flank was specifically chosen so he could protect the side of the wagons while being able to support the front or rear at a moment's notice.
Furthermore, they had the ninken Kuromaru. The Inuzuka, Hyuga, and Aburame clans were specialized in scouting; the large dog circled the group constantly, ready to sound the alarm or strike at any time.