That said, besides this "Land of This," there's also a "Land of That" Kishimoto really knows how to name things.
After entering the city with the crowd, Furina found it differed somewhat from her expectations. Or perhaps because she had been in Konoha all along, she was a bit influenced thinking other places, even if not as good as Konoha, wouldn't be too far off.
But in reality, this was the normal standard for the ninja world. The prosperity of the Land of Fire was actually the exception.
Furina didn't care much about that, though. Compared to the modern cities she had lived in during her previous life, whether the Land of Fire or this current place, the difference wasn't huge.
It was like the gap between 100 and 1 or 2.
"Hm?"
While looking for an inn, Furina sensed someone watching them from the shadows. Glancing casually in that direction, she saw a few people dressed as samurai.
Though they tried hard to hide, with the huge gap in strength, their spying was as obvious as dancing right in front of Furina hiding or not made little difference.
But even after spotting them, Furina didn't call them out. If nothing unexpected happened, they were probably this country's guards. It was normal to be extra cautious around unstable elements like ninja.
Though she felt they were paying a bit too much attention to her.
After thinking it over, Furina reached up, removed the headband from her neck, and tucked it into her pouch.
Earlier, she had figured her strength was enough to wander the ninja world freely without dying recklessly, so she hadn't bothered hiding her identity. What was the big deal if people knew she was a Konoha ninja?
But now... hmm, better to keep a low profile. It wasn't that she was afraid of trouble, but why invite it when things could be easier?
"Is it because of them?"
Uchiha Hikari naturally noticed Furina's action. She assumed the ninja headband had drawn enemies, which was why Furina did that so her glance toward those samurai turned somewhat dangerous.
These people's strength was far below hers and the masked man's from before. If it came to it, she could handle them with the output her current body could endure...
After sensing the trailing samurai might be enemies, Uchiha Hikari subconsciously began thinking about possible upcoming fights. This wasn't because she was warlike it was a habit left from the endless slaughter before her sealing.
"Hey, hey, no no, they're probably not enemies. They're likely just wary because they saw I'm a ninja."
Noticing the change in Uchiha Hikari, and based on her understanding of the other, Furina roughly guessed her thoughts. She quickly waved her hands and leaned close to whisper in her ear.
"I-I got it." Seeing Furina's face draw near, Uchiha Hikari's cheeks flushed slightly, and she instinctively turned her head away.
"Good. Come on the inn up ahead looks decent. Let's get two rooms, rest a bit, then continue on our way."
...
"That headband no doubt about it. They must be Konoha ninja. Wonder why they still dare come here."
Watching Furina and Uchiha Hikari enter the inn, the secretly trailing samurai stopped hiding and began talking among themselves.
"Lord Tachi said that if we encounter ninja especially Konoha ninja we must report to him first. Let's not do anything extra for now."
Seeing her companion who spoke first seem a bit agitated, another samurai nearby chimed in to calm things down, then changed the subject.
"By the way, did any of you feel your hair stand on end just now? Like the next second you'd be dead? Even sparring alone with Lord Tachi doesn't give that feeling."
"Hey, don't tell me you felt it too? But how? It couldn't possibly be those two young girls causing it, right? They're so young how could they be stronger than Lord Tachi?"
"You felt it too? I thought it was just me. I was even embarrassed to say it."
Hearing this, the other samurai chimed in agreement one after another. But the one who first raised the topic showed no joy instead, his brows furrowed tightly.
Now, an ominous feeling was faintly rising in his heart.
"Alright, let's head back to Lord Tachi first."
Seeing his companions still joking around, the one who started the topic had to urge them again. He didn't want impulsiveness to cause something bad.
Fortunately, the others listened this time. Without saying more, they followed him back to report leaving only two steadier ones to stay and keep watch.
...
The next day
"Since you've come all this way, why not come out and meet? Or do you think you've hidden so well that no one can detect you?"
In a fairly famous local restaurant, after finishing her meal with Uchiha Hikari, Furina turned toward the entrance and spoke softly.
Since she didn't deliberately lower her voice, the surrounding diners naturally heard and subconsciously followed her gaze.
But to their surprise, there was clearly no one there. Could it really be as she said that the person was hidden so well they couldn't see?
Their confusion didn't last long, as confirmation soon came.
A tall figure slowly walked in from the entrance a stern-faced middle-aged man. The scar over his left eye made him look even more imposing, and the samurai sword at his waist let Furina roughly guess his identity.
Probably with those samurai from yesterday. But from his aura, he was clearly far stronger than them likely some kind of leader.
"You should be a ninja from Konoha, right? I wonder what business brings you here again."
"Again?"
Though the samurai opposite showed no emotion, Furina faintly sensed a hint of gunpowder in his tone. Combined with his not-mistaken choice of words...
Had some Konoha ninja caused trouble here before?
"I think there might be some misunderstanding. We're just here to rest and recover nothing more."
With a vague guess forming in her mind, Furina quickly explained. As always she wasn't afraid of trouble, but she also didn't want to take the blame for someone else's mess.