Chương 2: Koizumi Town

To draw a comparison from Shuji's past life, the Land of Rivers was essentially a demilitarized zone in the shinobi world. It had a Daimyo who ruled the realm, a functioning bureaucracy, and even a standing force of sword-wielding samurai. But it lacked a hidden village of its own. In a world dominated by chakra-wielding shinobi, this was no different from walking naked among a pack of wolves.

Whenever a problem exceeded what a samurai's katana could handle, the state had no choice but to issue request scrolls to Konoha, Sunagakure, or even Amegakure, exchanging money for foreign military might. This strange political ecosystem gave rise to deformed yet lively border settlements like Koizumi Town. The town lacked towering city walls or heavy military checkpoints; there was only a single dirt road running through its center.

Spices from the Land of Wind and mountain food from the Land of Fire met here, leaving a unique blend of exotic aromas perpetually floating in the air. Uchiha Itachi sat quietly inside an unassuming restaurant. Before him rested a steaming, fragrant bowl of beef stew, though a subtle trace of confusion lingered in his eyes.

Their schedule had proceeded strictly by the book: a smooth arrival at the border, a formal handover with local officials to receive the bandit briefing, followed by a customary visit to the local merchant guild.

"They are nothing more than a band of small-time thieves," the head of the merchant guild, a well-dressed, round middle-aged man with a friendly smile, had said, stroking his neatly trimmed mustache with a dismissive tone.

"Though they've robbed a few merchant caravans and caused a slight nuisance to transit trade, it's nothing severe." What followed was a long stream of boring small talk and empty well-wishes, the core request being simply for Konoha's shinobi to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. Faced with such casual indifference, Shuji showed not a single emotion.

He carefully wrote down the provided information, which was virtually identical to what was written in the mission scroll, before naturally shifting the conversation.

"Koizumi Town gathers goods from three nations. It must have everything one could ask for?"

"Naturally, naturally!" the merchant chief smiled broadly.

"I heard the beef in the Land of Rivers has a unique flavor?" Shuji asked, his tone as casual as discussing the weather. The chief's eyes lit up as he offered an enthusiastic recommendation.

"What a fine taste, shinobi-sama! If you want an authentic taste, the stewed beef at Zewemon's shop is our town's signature dish. You must try it!" At that point, Shuji seemed to instantly lose all interest in further conversation and politely left. Now, the two of them sat inside that shop, named Zewemon. Itachi lowered his gaze to the earthenware bowl before him. The amber broth shimmered around tender chunks of beef, which fell apart at the lightest touch of his chopsticks.

The reddish-brown meat glistened in rich gravy, topped with a delicate sprinkle of chopped scallions. Steam carried the warm scent of star anise and cinnamon, mingling with the savory aroma of beef and stirring his appetite. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Senpai," Itachi finally spoke up, keeping his voice low.

"Aren't we going to complete the mission?"

"The mission will be done, of course," Shuji replied casually, lifting a trembling piece of tender beef into his mouth. Itachi helplessly picked up his chopsticks and murmured a quiet, "Thank you for the meal." Shuji smiled faintly and raised his hand toward the busy figure behind the counter.

"Boss, another order over here, please!" His eyes settled on the lean shopkeeper wiping down ceramic jars, expressing genuine admiration.

"Your control over the heat is brilliant. The sauce balances perfectly without overpowering the meat, bringing out the beef's natural flavor to its fullest." Hearing this, Zewemon's bronze face brightened with a proud glow. He wiped his hands on a faded apron, the lines around his eyes smoothing out.

"You really know your stuff, young customer! We use prime beef delivered fresh from the ranch every morning, slow-cooked for hours to reach this texture. Balancing the flavor takes no less effort than mastering a fine ninjutsu." Spotting the forehead protector on the boy's forehead, he thoughtfully used a metaphor a shinobi would understand.

"Would you like to try our grilled beef as well? We still have two prime cuts left today," Zewemon offered warmly.

"We'd love to. Thank you." A small charcoal stove was soon brought to their table. The shopkeeper served them personally, laying raw slices over the wire grill.

"This cut is short rib, rich in fat; this one is chuck flap, exceptionally tender. Shall I grill them for you?"

"Please. Thank you," Shuji nodded with a polite smile. As his gaze rested on the sizzling meat dripping fat into the fire, he asked in a conversational tone, "I heard things haven't been peaceful around Koizumi Town lately, with bandits frequenting the area. Has your beef supply been affected at all?"

"Ah, the bandits..." Zewemon deftly flipped the meat on the grill.

"It's true there's been trouble, but from what I hear, most of those hit are new, unfamiliar merchant squads from out of town. The ranchers who supply my shop have been in business for decades, they know the routes, know the locals, and haven't suffered any losses. So don't worry."

"Besides, merchant caravans are very cautious nowadays. Most only set out once they've gathered a large group, and they rarely linger along the roads." Itachi's hand holding his chopsticks paused for just a moment, almost too slightly to notice. The head of the merchant guild had never mentioned that the bandits were being selective in their raids.

"Please enjoy." Zewemon distributed the perfectly seared beef onto their plates. After Shuji finished the meal, the two left the restaurant. The setting sun bathed Koizumi Town in a warm orange glow. The streets were quieting, while distant merchants unloaded their goods for the night. A gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of wild grass and lingering food aromas. Shuji took a deep breath, savoring the unique atmosphere of the border town. The food was indeed delicious, but it hadn't come cheap.

The bill came out to a heavy 750 ryo, by his memory's standards, roughly equivalent to several days of hard labor for an ordinary person. Still, considering the mission payout was thirty thousand ryo, a luxury meal was hardly a concern.

"Senpai, are we heading off to investigate the raided caravans next?" Itachi quickened his pace to keep up with Shuji as they walked toward the town exit.

"No need," Shuji kept moving, his eyes fixed on the distant outline of Shirakawa Village, where lights were flickering on in the twilight.

"Today's investigation revealed two key facts."

"First, the bandits deliberately avoid caravans with deep local connections. That's why the local merchant guild only pays lip service to the investigation, they don't actually care, so their intel is naturally superficial."

"Second, those bandits originally managed to flee into the Land of Rain, yet they took the huge risk of returning to the Land of Rivers border where they're actively wanted. Such abnormal behavior points to only two possibilities..." Shuji looked beyond the town's edge. The scattered lights of the distant village looked like stars fallen into the deepening dusk.

"Either they fled so hurriedly back then that they left behind something extremely important that they had to retrieve..." His sharp gaze pierced through the twilight, landing on the familiar silhouette of the village.

"... or the answer is even simpler."

"They were locals all along. It's not that they don't know the danger, it's that this is their home."