No matter how unwilling Shinji Akagi was, he still ended up traveling with Hidan.
Just as Lord Takigawa claimed, no escorts accompanied them.
At least none in sight.
Shinji didn't believe that for a second.
More likely, someone was watching from the shadows.
"Staring at what?" Hidan snapped.
"Nothing. Let's move."
They headed out.
According to the route, they would cross through the Land of Fire, then take a boat to the Land of Waves.
Not urgent.
No deadline.
They traveled at a steady pace.
Three days later, they had entered deep into the Land of Fire.
That was when Shinji began acting differently.
Not trying to escape.
Not planning to defect.
He felt it.
The cursed treasure map.
The marked location was getting closer.
His heart rate picked up.
This might be his only chance.
If he missed it now, he might never pass through this region again.
He hesitated.
If something went wrong, his greatest secret could be exposed.
But curiosity won.
And greed.
He needed to know what that map hid.
If I find something… I'll say I buried it long ago.
Good enough.
Dusk approached.
Shinji glanced at the sky.
"Getting dark. Map says there's a village nearby. Let's buy food and sleep indoors."
"Annoying," Hidan muttered.
But he didn't refuse.
Dried rations and mosquitoes had worn him down.
Then he smirked.
"Already tired? You're softer than I thought."
"Feel free to keep sleeping with bugs," Shinji replied. "I'll go see if they have pork cutlets."
He turned and walked off.
Hidan froze.
Pork cutlets.
His weakness.
"Tch!"
He chased after Shinji.
"Don't misunderstand! I'm just being generous!"
Shinji didn't bother responding.
They altered course.
North.
An hour of running later, a village finally came into view.
Night had fully fallen.
"This is 'nearby'?" Hidan growled.
Shinji shrugged.
"You leaving?"
Hidan snorted.
"If I don't get pork cutlets tonight, I'm sacrificing this whole village."
He marched straight in.
Shinji sighed.
Keeping Hidan calm came first.
Treasure could wait.
They wandered into the village.
An elderly man approached them cautiously.
"Looking for someone?"
Before Shinji could answer—
"Old man! Hand over food and booze or I burn this place down!"
Shinji instantly covered Hidan's mouth.
"Sorry," Shinji said with a polite smile. "My younger brother has… problems."
"We're just travelers looking for a meal and a place to sleep."
The old man relaxed.
"I see… your brother does seem a little… unwell."
Hidan's eye twitched violently.
The old man thought for a moment.
"Come with me. You can eat at my place and stay the night."
"Thank you. We'll leave in the morning."
The old man nodded.
"Just keep an eye on him. We have a lot of women and children here."
"Don't worry," Shinji said. "He dislikes women and kids. Avoids them, actually."
"Such a waste of a strong body," the old man sighed. "Doesn't know what he's missing."
They followed the old man deeper into the village.
Shinji memorized the surrounding terrain.
The cursed treasure was close.
Very close.