Chapter 32: Setting Out for the Land of Rice
As soon as he reached the gate, Tenchi used a basic medical ninjutsu to heal the swelling on his face.
*'Wow, Tsunade must have eaten gunpowder for breakfast,'* he thought, shaking his head at the memory of her angry expression.
"Mr. Ninja, are we ready to go?" Tōka asked impatiently the moment he saw Tenchi.
"Soon. They should be here any second." No sooner had Tenchi spoken than Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru arrived.
"Brother Tenchi! Why did you run off so fast? You could have waited for us!" Jiraiya complained, slightly out of breath.
Tenchi wisely ignored him and turned to introduce Tōka. "This is our client, Tōka. Our mission is to escort him safely back to the Land of Rice."
Tōka looked at the three young genin, his face full of doubt. "These ninja... they're so young. Are they really capable?"
"Young? I'm plenty capable! I could handle an escort mission like this by myself! Don't look down on us!" Jiraiya retorted loudly, offended.
"That's right. Please don't underestimate a ninja's power," Tsunade and Orochimaru added firmly.
"Don't let their size fool you," Tenchi said, backing up his team. "They are plenty strong. More than strong enough to protect you."
"I hope so," Tōka replied, deciding not to press the issue further.
"Yo shi! (Alright!)" Tenchi announced. "Let's move out! Destination: the Land of Rice!"
And so, the group set off. At their full ninja speed, the journey would take about a week. But with Tōka, an ordinary person, in tow, they had to slow down to a walking pace.
"You know, walking slowly and taking in the scenery isn't so bad," Tenchi mused. He was used to rushing to a location at top speed, completing the mission, and rushing back. This leisurely pace was a new experience for him.
Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru looked around with wide, curious eyes. They had never traveled this far from Konoha before, and the world outside filled them with endless wonder and excitement.
"Brother Tenchi, you go out on missions all the time. What's the outside world like?" Jiraiya asked.
"It's... just like this. There are mountains, rivers, and other ninja," Tenchi said, unimpressed. He wasn't curious about the outside world. He'd much rather stay in the comfort of Konoha than travel around.
"Brother Tenchi, that's so敷衍! Aren't there fun places to eat and play outside? You've been out so many times, you must know!" Tsunade said, rolling her eyes.
"No matter how fun it is out there, it can't compare to Konoha. After all, Konoha is our home."
Seeing the serious look on Tenchi's face, the three genin felt a swell of pride and belonging. He was right. Konoha was home. Just as they were feeling this wave of patriotism, Tenchi took a sharp turn.
"Besides," he continued, a sly grin spreading across his face, "the stuff outside isn't as good as Konoha's. The food in Konoha is better, it's more fun, and the girls in Konoha are not only prettier, but they're also nicer to talk to. How can the outside world compare to that?" He finished with a distinctly lecherous expression.
"Right, Jiraiya?" Tenchi said, looking for agreement.
"Right!" Jiraiya nodded vigorously.
*SMACK!* Their hands met in a triumphant high-five.
*'Well, it seems Tenchi has grown up and started noticing women,'* Tsunade thought with mild disgust.
"Brother Tenchi, do you have to be as perverted as Jiraiya? Why can't you be more like Orochimaru?" Tsunade scolded, giving both of them a dirty look.
Tenchi glanced at the quiet, serious Orochimaru and shuddered. The thought of being like him was horrifying. *'If I can't enjoy the company of women, what's the point of life?'*
"What Tsunade says is true," Tenchi said, deftly changing the subject. "If you don't believe me, just ask Tōka."
"Konoha is indeed the best place I have ever seen," Tōka confirmed. "Everyone has a happy smile. There's no war. There's really no comparing the outside to Konoha." He didn't add the thought on his mind: *'I only wish my own country could be like this.'*
"See? I told you," Tenchi said proudly. "You're all lucky to have been born in Konoha."
Tsunade ignored Tenchi and turned to Tōka. "Uncle Tōka, is life outside really that difficult?"
Tōka thought for a moment, his expression grim. "It's not just difficult. It's harsh. Places under the protection of a great ninja village are okay. But areas without that protection are filled with war. Rogue ninja are everywhere. Ordinary people struggle to afford food and clothes. You could be walking down the road one day and get cut down by a stray ninja for no reason. Life is cheap out there."
Hearing this, Jiraiya and Orochimaru fell into a thoughtful silence.
"I had no idea it was so hard outside. It's hard to imagine, living safely in Konoha," Tsunade said, her voice soft with empathy.
"I'm going to become a powerful ninja!" Jiraiya declared, his voice filled with sudden determination. "I'll bring peace to the whole ninja world! I'll spread peace to every corner!"
"Count me in," Orochimaru agreed quietly. It was a rare show of solidarity. At this point in his life, before the darkness took hold, his heart was still filled with a sense of justice.
"I believe that one day, all people will be able to understand one another!" Jiraiya proclaimed, uttering what would become one of his classic lines.
Hearing this, Tenchi was taken aback for a moment. Then, he decided to bring them back to reality. "Where there are people, there will be conflict. And where there is conflict, there will be war. True understanding is impossible. The most we can do is try our best to prevent fights and stop wars from starting."
"Brother Tenchi! I finally said something profound, and you have to pour cold water on it?" Jiraiya complained.
"I'm not pouring cold water. I'm just being realistic." *'Hm!'* Just as he finished speaking, Tenchi's senses picked up two ninja chakra signatures hiding up ahead.
*'An ambush. Finally, they show themselves.'* On the surface, Tenchi kept talking to Jiraiya, not letting his awareness show.
"You'll understand what I mean one day, Jiraiya. And you too, Tsunade, Orochimaru. Don't be too naive. Where there is light, there must be darkness. Some things are hidden where you can't see them with the naked eye." He was subtly warning them, hoping they would catch on.
Hearing Tenchi's sudden, serious tone and noticing his eyes flicker toward the grass ahead, Tsunade and Orochimaru immediately understood. There was an enemy. Tsunade subtly moved to position herself protectively near Tōka. Orochimaru tensed, ready to strike. Only Jiraiya was still focused on the argument.
"Brother Tenchi, I think you're wrong! I believe the ninja world will know peace one day! People *will* understand each other!" Jiraiya insisted passionately.
At that exact moment, two ninja burst from the bushes, hurling shuriken directly at Tenchi. The throwing stars hit their mark with a *thud*, and Tenchi cried out, collapsing to the ground.
Jiraiya stared in horror, frozen in place. The man he was just talking to had been struck down right in front of him.
The two ambushers then lunged at the stunned Jiraiya, who was still too shocked to move.
"Jiraiya! Look out!" Orochimaru yelled.
"This idiot!" Orochimaru's hands shot forward, his arms elongating and transforming into two large snakes that wrapped around the attacking ninja, binding them tightly.