With only three days left until the Joint Chunin Exams, the port of the Land of Water was already bustling with activity.
The first to arrive was the Iwagakure team. Onoki floated in the air, with Akatsuchi and Kitsuchi guarding him on his left and right. Behind him followed over a hundred Iwa ninjas, dressed in uniform earth-yellow ninja outfits, their steps neat and firm.
The team had sharp gazes, constantly observing the buildings and pedestrians at the Land of Water's port, clearly gathering intel in secret.
"Hmph, the Land of Water has developed quite well these past few years."
Ōnoki narrowed his eyes, looking at the towering skyscrapers by the port, his tone carrying a hint of imperceptible surprise. "When I came here back then, it was all wooden houses. Now there are so many strange tall buildings."
Akatsuchi responded in a low voice, "Tsuchikage-sama, according to previously collected intel, the Land of Water has made rapid progress in technology in recent years. They even have 'cell phones' that can transmit information over long distances, and 'computers' that can store large amounts of data. The 'cars' and 'motorcycles' running on the streets don't even need Chakra to operate."
Ōnoki raised an eyebrow, saying no more, but the scrutiny in his eyes deepened.
Following closely behind was the Kumogakure team.
A wore a dark blue Raikage robe, his muscles faintly visible beneath the clothing, surrounded by a faint Lightning Chakra, his aura imposing.
Atsui, Nurui, and other young ninjas followed him, while Karui and Omoi walked side by side, curiously observing their surroundings. It was their first time in the Land of Water, and everything here felt new to them.
"Darui-sama, look over there!"
Atsui pointed to a huge electronic screen not far away, which was playing commercials for the Land of Water's products. The screen constantly flashed with the latest cell phones, computers, and roaring cars, with clear price tags.
"What is that? Are the numbers below the prices?"
Darui followed his gaze, his brows slightly furrowed. "It should be new technology from the Land of Water. It seems the rumors are true, their technology is indeed far ahead of ours."
He raised his hand, signaling the team to speed up, his voice low. "Everyone, stay sharp. During the exams, not only must we show Kumogakure's strength, but we must also pay close attention to the situation in the Land of Water. We cannot let them steal all the limelight."
The Sunagakure team, on the other hand, carried a strong desert aura.
Rasa wore a sand-colored robe, with a hint of indifference on his face.
Gaara followed beside him, still with his cold expression, but his eyes were a bit softer than three years ago.
Kankuro carried his puppet, his gaze drawn to a black car driving by on the street. Its metallic shell gleamed, and its four black tires rotated smoothly and quickly, moving more agilely than his Chakra-driven puppet. A red motorcycle roared past him, its engine sound making him involuntarily clench his fists.
Shura, Komaza, and others followed behind, while the two young girls, Shari and Sana, quietly discussed the shops along the roadside, their eyes full of curiosity.
"Father, the people of the Land of Water seem very wealthy."
Gaara looked at the pedestrians on the roadside, carrying exquisitely packaged bags in their hands, and said softly, "Their clothing and demeanor are different from our Sunagakure civilians."
Rasa looked at the Suna ninjas behind him, his tone grave. "The intel we received earlier stated that an ordinary person in the Land of Water earns over 200,000 ryo a month. This is no small sum. All of you, remember not to spend easily in the Land of Water. Understand the situation clearly first."
As soon as they reached the commercial street, Kankuro tugged at Rasa's sleeve.
His eyes gleamed with astonishing brightness, and he excitedly said, "Father, look at the cars and motorcycles over there. That black car looks like it can carry a lot of things, and the motorcycle runs fast. If we buy them, it will definitely be convenient for missions in the future."
He pointed to a car dealership not far away. Various vehicles were displayed in the glass showroom, and the price tags read: "Cars 300,000 - 2,000,000 ryo... Motorcycles 30,000 - 150,000 ryo," making him itch with desire.
Rasa glanced in the direction he pointed, his face instantly sinking. "You want to buy these?"
Kankuro thought his father was tempted and quickly added, "Yes. Look at that motorcycle, it's much faster than our sandboards, and cars can shelter us from wind and rain. In the future, when we take puppets on missions, we won't have to fear sandstorms."
"Nonsense."
Rasa reprimanded him in a low voice, his tone carrying an undeniable sternness. "The Land of Wind is full of sand. Wheels will get stuck in the sand and won't move at all, and motorcycle engines will be clogged by dust. What's the point of buying these things back? It's just a waste of money."
He looked at the prices at the car dealership and frowned even more. "That motorcycle you're looking at costs 120,000 ryo. Do you think money grows on trees?"
Kankuro was scolded into lowering his head, his fingers picking at the corner of his ninja uniform, his heart full of grievance.
He genuinely thought these vehicles were very practical, but his father was also right. The sandy terrain of the Land of Wind was indeed not suitable for these vehicles.
Gaara, standing nearby, glanced at him and said softly, "Don't think about it. The environment of the Land of Wind really can't use these."
Kankuro grumbled a muffled "Hmm," but still couldn't help but look back at the car dealership, the envy in his eyes impossible to hide.
On the other side, Sana couldn't help but tug on Shari's sleeve. "Shari-nee, look at that glowing little box, it looks like so much fun."
Shari quickly pulled her back, whispering, "Don't look around. Kazekage-sama said that prices here must be very expensive, and we don't have enough money to spend."
No sooner had their voices faded than they heard a conversation between two civilians from the Land of Water nearby.
"I got paid today, 250,000 ryo. That's just enough to buy a top-spec computer for 150,000 ryo with some money left over, and then I'll pick out a 30,000 ryo cell phone."
"Yeah, I just bought a new cell phone for 26,000 ryo last week, and it's much easier to use than my old model."
These words instantly made the ninjas of Sunagakure widen their eyes.
A monthly salary of 250,000 ryo? A cell phone for 30,000 ryo? A top-spec computer for 150,000 ryo?
It was important to know that in Sunagakure, a Genin's monthly income was less than 100,000 ryo, and a Chunin's was only around 200,000 ryo. The civilians of the Land of Water could not only easily buy cell phones but also freely combine them with computers. This purchasing power was truly astonishing.
And their Sunagakure civilians, at most, earned 2,000-3,000 ryo a month, not even enough for the change of the cheapest cell phone.
Komaza couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, "The, the difference is too great. Sunagakure Genin's monthly salary is only enough to buy two basic cell phones."
Rasa's face grew even darker. He hadn't expected the prosperity of the Land of Water to exceed intelligence expectations, especially the widespread adoption of electronic devices and transportation tools, which had already become an implicit proof of strength. This made him feel a few more points of vigilance.
The last to arrive was the Land of Akatsuki team.
Deva Path floated in the air, wearing a black Akatsuki robe, his face bearing the unique indifference of the Rinnegan. Konan followed beside him, origami gently fluttering at her fingertips.
Shigure, Tsuyu, and other Akatsuki members followed behind, including Oboro, Kagari, and Mubi.
Shigure respectfully said, "Pain-sama, the technological level of the Land of Water far exceeds our expectations. Their electronic devices, transportation tools, and infrastructure are unmatched by other ninja villages. I just observed that even ordinary vendors are using computers to record accounts, and cell phones are in everyone's hands."
Pain nodded slightly, his Rinnegan scanning the streets below. "Konan, this technology might be useful for our plans. Buy some. Also, have our subordinates collect more relevant intel, especially information about computers, cell phones, and transportation tools."
"I understand." Konan responded, the origami at her fingertips quietly scattering, transforming into tiny paper butterflies that flew to various corners.
Ninjas from various countries walked through the streets of the Land of Water, their shock coming in waves.
They saw the civilians of the Land of Water driving cars, riding motorcycles for pleasure, and making calls casually with their cell phones.
They saw shop assistants quickly processing orders with computers, and children playing with cell phones that could play animations. These were all sights they had never witnessed in their own villages.
But after the initial shock came the heartache.
The prices in the Land of Water were simply too high. A bottle of ordinary drink cost 60 ryo, a simple meal cost 300 ryo, and even a small keychain cost 100 ryo.
Yurui of Kumogakure wanted to buy a drink, but instantly withdrew her hand after seeing the price.
"This is too expensive! In Kumogakure, a bottle of drink is only 20 ryo."
Karui shook her head helplessly. "Who can blame the Land of Water for having so many things we don't have? Look at that high-definition camera cell phone, it's only 30,000 ryo. Although it's a bit expensive, it's really practical."
An Iwa ninjas looked at the computers in the store, his eyes complex. "A good computer is only 20,000 ryo, which is not unreasonable. The key is that it can store a large amount of information and quickly analyze data. If we could bring a few back to Iwagakure, it would definitely help with tactical deployment."
He touched the money pouch at his waist, secretly calculating his savings, wondering if he had enough to buy a basic model.
Oboro of Akatsuki, meanwhile, quietly entered an electronics store when no one was paying attention.
The salesperson enthusiastically introduced, "This latest model cell phone is 60,000 ryo, it can encrypt calls and locate. The basic model next to it is only 15,000 ryo, offering great value."
Oboro weighed his options for a moment and chose the cheapest basic model. Pain had instructed him to understand the device's functions, and although 15,000 ryo was a bit painful, it wasn't a loss compared to the value of the intel.
When paying, he looked at the bill and secretly rejoiced. Fortunately, the price didn't exceed expectations. He wondered if it could be reimbursed.
Konan, the wealthy woman, even entered a luxury shopping mall and started a shopping spree.
360 cell phones... 600 top-spec computers... 200 sets each of new fashion for men and women... 1200 nail polishes...