Mizukuma looked completely defeated as he watched Hanzō of the Salamander walk away, slumping down at the table like a withered eggplant.
"Kohei, don't get discouraged. Chakra attributes… well, they can be trained. It's really not that big of a deal."
Seeing Mizukuma force a bitter smile while clumsily trying to comfort himself, Reiji felt a bit moved. He wiped his nose and casually stuffed the chakra test paper into his ninja pouch. A blue light flashed.
Inside the pouch, unseen by anyone, the chakra paper drifted down and then clung tightly to the only kunai inside, like a magnet.
"Magnetism"—the ability to imbue objects with magnetic force and attract metal.
Reiji understood exactly what had just happened, but on the surface, he kept up his usual stubborn act.
"Tch, I'm not upset. My dream has always been to eat, sleep, and slack off!"
Seeing Reiji still putting on a brave face, Mizukuma fell silent.
Some time passed before Reiji's door swung open again. Kandachi stood proudly in the doorway, looking down on the room.
"Oh, right, one more thing. Shuku Kohei, your place has been requisitioned. Here's your new address."
He threw down a slip of paper with an address on it, sneering as he looked toward Mizukuma, whose eyes were gradually burning with anger.
"And you, Mizukuma, your next assignment is to continue teaching the Daimyō's son. You don't need to worry about Shuku Kohei anymore."
With that, he let out a snort, shook his head, and slammed the door shut, his mocking voice echoing down the hallway.
"Trash is still trash. Totally useless!"
Inside the room, Mizukuma shot upright, his eyes gleaming as he stared at Reiji.
"Kohei! Don't listen to them. What matters is staying true to your beliefs!"
"Life's simple. Just find your goal and charge toward it!"
"Snap out of it!"
Reiji still looked half-dead, but Mizukuma suddenly seemed to remember something—his eyes lit up.
"Come with me! I'll help you find your resolve!"
He dashed over, grabbed Reiji by the hand, and pulled him out the door.
In the rain-soaked, tower-filled village of Amegakure, Mizukuma led Reiji along the lower streets.
Thanks to the constant rain and looming buildings, the narrow roads below were especially dim. Still, the warm orange glow from the lanterns lining the street gave the place a strange charm.
They rounded a corner, and Mizukuma guided Reiji into a narrow alley.
At a glance, the alley looked endless. The walls on both sides were packed with colorful signs.
Red lanterns and signs stood out the most. The street was bustling with passersby, most of them smiling happily. At the open doors on either side, cheerful young women were waving to the crowd.
With all the cooing voices and laughter, the alley exuded an almost seductive atmosphere.
In this gloomy world, it felt like this faint light hidden beneath the surface was the only warmth left to hold onto.
Reiji looked up with a strange expression and slowly read the sign at the alley's entrance.
"Kabukicho Ichiban-gai?"
"Sensei… this place isn't what you meant by 'find your resolve,' is it?"
Mizukuma's eyes sparkled as he ogled the hostesses calling out from the doors, drooling slightly.
"Don't you feel all your troubles melting away here?"
He wiped his mouth and suddenly raised his fist with a straight face.
"As shinobi, we must purge all distractions from our minds in this glorious red-light district! See into our true selves, grasp our innermost desires, and strengthen our resolve!"
Reiji placed a hand on his forehead.
You damn pervert. If you're going to be one, just admit it! Don't try to dress it up like something noble!
I really thought you were a serious guy... Turns out you're just some sleazy creep.
From his moral high ground, Reiji spent ten full seconds scolding Mizukuma, then suddenly grabbed his sleeve with a solemn expression.
"Sensei, do they allow kids in?"
With a cocky eyebrow raise, his expression slowly twisted into something much more lecherous.
Hearing this bizarre question, Mizukuma frowned and hesitated.
"Uh… I really don't know. Never tried bringing a brat here before."
"Wanna try?" Reiji asked, eyes gleaming.
"Let's try!" Mizukuma nodded emphatically.
And so, the sleazy duo—one big, one small—threw their arms around each other's shoulders and swaggered into the mysterious alley.
Inside, Mizukuma expertly navigated the twists and turns, leading Reiji straight to a small side door tucked in the corner.
A battered red lantern hung above it, and the sign read: "Ame Free Information Center." In this lively alley, it stood out for being oddly quiet.
Reiji gave Mizukuma a sideways glance, then pointed to the flashy red-lit building across the street, where a hostess holding a flyer stood at the door.
"Sensei, why don't we go to that Hanamichi First District? It looks—"
Before Reiji could finish, Mizukuma clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Shh! Keep it down. One visit to that place, and I'll be eating instant noodles for a month."
Reiji muttered to himself—so expensive? What is it, gold-plated?
He pushed Mizukuma's hand away and asked in a low voice, mimicking his tone.
"Is this Hanamichi really that overpriced?"
Mizukuma nodded vigorously.
"Not just overpriced—outrageously overpriced! Only big shots like the Daimyō of the Land of Rain or Hanzō-sama can afford to go there regularly.
I heard the owner of this Red-light district came from the Land of Hot Water. There's a full-scale Hanamichi First District in Yugakure."
"The Land of Hot Water, huh!" Reiji let out a sigh, his mind instantly wandering into wild fantasies.
Soaking in a hot spring with a girl in his arms—that kind of life sounded like heaven. Damn these shinobi, they really knew how to enjoy themselves!
Reiji couldn't help but think of Kawabata Yasunari's Snow Country, which he'd read in his previous life.
That book was practically a classy softcore novel. The scene he remembered best was when the heroine in a yukata told the male lead, "You keep touching one side, now it's bigger than the other."
Just the thought made his nose warm.
Still, there was no chance they'd be going in. Mizukuma's wallet definitely couldn't handle both of them splurging there.
Seeing Reiji still gazing longingly across the street, Mizukuma gritted his teeth, trembled, and reached for Reiji's hand, clearly steeling himself to head over.
"Don't!" Reiji instinctively pulled Mizukuma back with such force that the man nearly stumbled.
"Let's just go here. If you run out of money, we'll both end up stuck washing dishes!"
With that, he dragged the teary-eyed Mizukuma into the quieter-looking "Ame Free Information Center" in front of them.
Truthfully, as a Special Jōnin tasked with teaching the Daimyō's son, Mizukuma's salary was pretty solid.
Unfortunately, Hanamichi First District was a notorious money pit—one visit could wipe out a month's pay. On the other hand, Ame across the street was much more budget-friendly.
Mizukuma would come here every so often and even managed to save up a little for future marriage prospects.
Pushing open the creaky double doors, Mizukuma strode in proudly, without the slightest shame in bringing a kid to a brothel.
"Welcome!"
"Well, if it isn't Mizukuma-sama! What took you so long? The girls have been dying to see you~"
The sultry voice was soft and bewitching—you could tell just from the sound that it belonged to a mature woman oozing charm.
Sure enough, as Reiji followed Mizukuma inside, he saw her—a gorgeous woman with a curvy, seductive figure.
Reiji's first thought was: huge!
Not just big—cow-sized!
Instinctively, three words popped into his head: land of milk and honey.
Compared to other women, she was like a village of milk and honey—sweet, but a whole tier lower on the beauty scale.
The enchanting woman had eyes like shimmering pools, as if she could see right through him. Her dainty, well-shaped nose was perfectly proportioned, and her soft, rosy lips practically begged to be tasted.
Damn, this woman's a demon!
Reiji mentally flagged her as a high-level threat.
If beauty equals danger, then she was easily on par with a nuclear bomb.
When she spotted Reiji, her eyes sparkled as though she'd found something rare. Covering her red lips, she crouched down with a bounce in her chest that made Reiji's head spin.
He instinctively pulled his head back, dizzy and full of concern for the structural integrity of her kimono.
Seriously—what kind of fabric can even hold all that?
Even with all his "research" in his past life, Reiji had only encountered a handful of women this monstrous.
The alluring woman crouched in front of him with a pure smile, her curves on full display. She reached out a slender hand and pinched Reiji's cheek.
"What a cute little brother!"
"Ahem, auntie, please behave!" Reiji coughed and sternly slapped her hand away.
"Hehe~ You naughty boy, I'm not an auntie, I'm a big sister." The enchantress smiled sweetly, her eyes gleaming as she reached out and pinched his cheek again.
Seeing Reiji's flustered look, Mizukuma laughed and clapped his hands.
"Miss Mikiko, could you take us in now?"
The woman—Mikiko—stood up with a smile and nodded.
"Of course, Mizukuma-sama. Please wait here a moment, I'll have the girls prepare."
With that, she swayed her hips gracefully and disappeared into the back room, the soft thud of her wooden clogs echoing behind her.
Taking the chance, Mizukuma crouched beside Reiji and whispered in his ear,
"Kohei, that's Miss Mikiko, the owner of this place.
Don't underestimate her. The folks over at Hanamichi First District offered her big money to work there. She's at the 'jewel' rank—doesn't even need to take clients—and even then, they couldn't get her to cross over."
Reiji wasn't the least bit surprised. A woman like her would be a national disaster no matter where she went.
"So she runs the business herself?" Reiji asked curiously.
"Nope," Mizukuma shook his head. "She only runs the place—doesn't take clients."
As they chatted, the door to the inner room slid open. Mikiko stood gracefully in the doorway and waved at them.
"Mizukuma-sama, the girls are ready. Please, come in~"
"Alright!" Mizukuma nodded enthusiastically, tears of joy already brimming at the corners of his eyes.
Still, to his credit, the guy didn't forget Reiji. He grabbed his comrade by the arm and dragged him in.
The room wasn't large. The lighting was dim and warm, the air dry and comfortable. Directly across from the entrance sat a huge, plush sofa that took up nearly half the space. Two decent-looking women lounged on it, a low table in front of them packed with bottles and glasses.
Mizukuma flopped down in the middle like he owned the place, threw an arm around each girl, and grinned like a pig in mud.
"What are you standing around for? Come sit!"
One woman giggled while pouring him a drink. The other squirmed coquettishly in his arms.
Damn, can you stop squirming? What are you, covered in heat rash? Reiji thought bitterly.
Mizukuma was seriously the worst. Hogging all the attention, acting like the host. Weren't they both here to have fun? What, was Reiji just supposed to sit there and watch him enjoy himself?
Reiji, who hadn't been all that frustrated before, was now officially in a mood.
He sulked over to Mizukuma's side and sat down next to the squirmy girl, silently picking up a glass of weirdly-colored juice.
Honestly, it wasn't all Mizukuma's fault. Reiji carried himself so naturally and maturely that even Mizukuma often forgot he was just seven years old—and sometimes, so did Reiji himself.
Soon, the two women left the sofa and moved across the room. One picked up a koto and began to play, while the other started to dance.
Mizukuma leaned in with a sleazy grin and nudged Reiji with his elbow.
"Well? Not bad, right? Told you this place was the real deal!" He waggled his eyebrows and gestured toward the performers.
Reiji nodded silently.
Mizukuma beamed and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Exactly! So what if you don't have a chakra attribute? Even without one, you can still train in taijutsu!
And here's a secret—the girls in the Red-light district love ninjas who specialize in taijutsu!
Just picture it—you train hard, become a ninja, earn money doing missions, then come back to the Red-light district to reinforce your resolve. That resolve drives more training, more missions, more money… then you come back again for stronger resolve and even prettier girls.
It's a perfect cycle!
Kohei, trust me—one day, you'll be a great ninja like Hanzō-sama!"
Bullshit!
Reiji nearly choked on his drink.
You damn Mizukuma, that's the most twisted logic I've ever heard!
I have every reason to believe you're a Jashin cult spy, sent here to Amegakure to turn every ninja into a soft-legged fool as part of your evil plan to take over the Land of Rain!
Still, Reiji couldn't help but laugh, even as he shook his head.
Because deep down, beneath all the nonsense, he could feel Mizukuma's sincerity.
There were really only two reasons for this whole farce: first, to cheer Reiji up after being unceremoniously tossed aside by Hanzō of the Salamander; and second, after spending half a month together, Mizukuma had realized Reiji didn't really have a clear goal—and he hoped this little detour might help him find one.
After all that talking, Mizukuma was parched. He downed a glass of sake in one go.
"What about you?" Reiji suddenly asked.
"Huh? What about me?" Mizukuma looked confused.
"You. Why are you being so nice to me?"
Mizukuma scratched his head, eyes shifting slightly, before laughing it off.
"Haha, Kohei, don't overthink it! I treat all my students like this! I'm just a gentle guy!"
No sooner had he said that than the two girls dove into his arms, eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Totally! Mizukuma-nii-san is the gentlest~"
"Brother, have another drink! I really admire caring men like you!"
Surrounded by giggling girls, Mizukuma burst out laughing again.
Listening to this sappy exchange, Reiji's expression darkened like burnt toast.
Damn it! Give me my feelings back!
With a scowl, he stood up and quietly pushed the door open, stepping outside.
...
Outside, Mikiko knelt calmly on a tatami mat, her eyes dreamy and unfocused. That seductive aura she wore earlier had faded, leaving behind a soft innocence more like the girl next door.
"What a fickle succubus," Reiji muttered, wandering to the shop entrance. He watched the passing crowd, Mizukuma's words still echoing in his mind.
The logic had gone completely off the rails, but the meaning behind it? That much, Reiji had picked up loud and clear.
So then—how was someone like him, a visitor from another world, supposed to survive in a place like this?
First off, making a name for himself was out of the question. This world was way too dangerous—Shinigamis, the Sage of Six Paths, all sorts of monsters. Even someone like Hashirama Senju, who could wrangle the Nine-Tails like a chicken, still ended up getting played by Madara Uchiha.
So yeah, laying low was the smart play.
And besides, this world ran on bloodlines. If you weren't born into one of the big clans, you were just background noise.
So... what then?
Invest in Konoha real estate?
Open a brothel in the Land of Hot Water?
Or maybe lay low in the Land of Iron and forge swords for a living?
Fighting? Out of the question. Not happening. Not in this lifetime.
...
"What are you thinking about, little brother?" A soft, sweet voice suddenly came from behind him.
Before he could even process the words, Reiji's body reacted on instinct. He leapt forward, putting distance between him and the voice.
Looking back, he saw Mikiko squatting in the exact spot he'd just vacated, gazing up at him with a look of pure innocence.
"Jeez, lady—do you walk without making a sound or what?"
As he spoke, his eyes dropped to her wooden clogs—and the playful little toes peeking out from beneath.
"Hehe~" Mikiko giggled, covering her red lips with her hand like a mischievous schoolgirl.
Reiji's eyes glazed over for a second.
Damn. This woman's got some serious charm. She could probably pull off any persona she wanted.
"Just messing with you," Mikiko said with a teasing smile as she patted imaginary dust from her knees and rose to her feet. "What's the matter? Did Mizukuma-san kick you out?"
"Pretty much. That's just how men are." Reiji replied with exaggerated maturity, walking over to the low table and settling cross-legged onto a cushion.
Mikiko rolled her eyes at him, full of charm, and knelt down across from him.
"You say that like you're not a man yourself. You're telling me you won't be tempted in the future? Please~" she teased.
"Tsk, that's where you're wrong." Reiji waved his hand, then casually picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip.
"To be exact, until I have the power to misbehave, all men are just pigs."
Mikiko's face flushed slightly as she noticed him drinking from the cup she'd just used. "And once you have that power?"
"Then that's a conversation worth having." He sipped again, smacked his lips, and changed the subject. "This tea's pretty good. Where's it from?"
"Oh, quit dodging, you little brat!" Mikiko unfolded her small fan and covered her reddened cheeks, playfully pressing him for an answer.
If it had been anyone else drinking from her cup, she might've drawn a blade. But this little guy—what, seven or eight at most?—was too likable to get mad at.
Besides, he had a sharp tongue, and she found that amusing.
Seeing that look in Mikiko's eyes, Reiji thought: Well, if I can't show respect the traditional way, I'll just enjoy the view.
"When I've got the power to misbehave," he said, "all the men in the world will fall into one of two categories."
"And what are they?" Mikiko asked.
"Well, most of them will be friends. But if a man marries a beautiful woman like you, then he becomes... my enemy."
At that, Mikiko burst into laughter, shaking with mirth.
In that instant, Reiji felt like flowers had bloomed across the room and sunlight was pouring through the windows.
Goddamn it, this woman—every glance, every smile—oozes charm. I can't handle this!
Acting on the principle of "see no evil," Reiji... Who was he kidding? He was a seven-year-old kid. No one could stop him from admiring a beautiful lady laugh herself silly.
At that moment, he felt like this body of his was the greatest gift ever.
Everyone hated Momonosuke, but deep down? Everyone wanted to be Momonosuke.
...
After a long bout of laughter, Mikiko finally caught her breath—though her chest was still heaving.
"Little brother, you really know how to flatter. Am I really as beautiful as you say?"
"Absolutely!" Reiji nodded without hesitation, thinking to himself, Compared to you, Rola-sensei, Miku-senpai, and Misuzu-chan don't even come close.
Mikiko burst into laughter again, her whole body shaking with delight.
All women love compliments—it's practically in their DNA.
And Mikiko, as the owner of a brothel and a stunningly seductive woman, had heard every kind of flattery imaginable. She was long since immune to the usual lines.
But Reiji kept changing it up, praising her beauty in ways that were fresh and genuinely amusing.
As she laughed, Mikiko suddenly paused. A mischievous smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She leaned forward toward Reiji, putting her breathtaking curves on full display.
"Since I'm so beautiful... when you grow up, would you be willing to marry me?"
Reiji's head started shaking so fast it looked like it might fly off.
"You little brat!"
Seeing him shake his head like mad, Mikiko straightened up, and her face instantly turned cold.
But Reiji acted like he hadn't noticed the shift at all and went on, "I don't want to wait until I grow up. I want to marry you now."
Mikiko blinked, momentarily stunned. Then the icy expression melted from her face like snow in spring. She lifted her fan to hide her blushing cheeks.
"Then it's settled~ My little man, you'd better grow up fast and take responsibility for me~"
Reiji nodded with the composure of an old soul and smirked inwardly.
Heh, only an idiot would take this seriously. You think I can't tell you're just teasing me? If you want to treat me like a kid and mess around, fine—I'll play along. I've got nothing to lose.
"Oh, right. My little man, what's your name?"
"Rei—" The name slipped out instinctively, but he caught himself and quickly corrected, "Shuku Kohei. My name's Shuku Kohei!"
Just as the words left his mouth, the inner door flew open. Mizukuma stumbled out, reeking of booze and covered in lipstick marks, supported by two giggling girls. He was still calling out for another drink.
Reiji gave Mikiko an apologetic smile, stood up, and quickly stepped in to support the swaying Mizukuma.
"Sorry, I'll get him home." With that, he helped Mizukuma out of the Ame Free Information Center.
Mikiko leaned lazily against the doorframe, watching the two of them leave. After a moment, something seemed to cross her mind.
"My little man! Come visit me often, okay~ Your big sister will be waiting right here for you!"
"Do you charge?" Reiji asked without even turning around.
"I do~" came Mikiko's soft, teasing reply.
"Even if I'm your husband, you're still gonna charge?"
"Of course~ A girl's gotta eat," she cooed sweetly, drawing the attention of several passersby.
Reiji stumbled mid-step, glanced back at Mikiko, whose smile bloomed like a peach blossom, and clasped his hands together.
"Farewell. Until we meet again."
Then he tightened his grip on Mizukuma and hurried off, as if something terrifying were chasing him, vanishing into the crowd in an instant.
Mikiko lingered in the doorway, watching his retreating figure until it disappeared from sight. Then she turned, closed the wooden door behind her, and smiled faintly to herself.
"Reiji, huh? Hehe... what an interesting little brat."