My Techniques are a bit off

"Whew..."

Temari let out a long breath, exhausted from over half a month of continuous travel and the effort spent protecting an ordinary person. It was draining work.

Thankfully, it was almost over.

Since their encounter with the group of Land of River ninjas, the war zone had grown eerily quiet and desolate. They often traveled tens of kilometers without seeing a single soul. Most houses were either abandoned or destroyed.

In the two towns they passed, a few lucky survivors who hadn't been killed or couldn't escape still lingered. Most quickly hid upon noticing them. More than half of these survivors were malnourished children—a haven for Orochimaru's sinister activities.

As they neared the capital, the situation didn't improve much. The closer they got, the fewer people there were. The saying "a locust swarm leaves nothing behind" seemed apt. Ordinary civilians couldn't survive in an active war zone.

On their journey, they also encountered a group of unidentified ninjas looting supplies. There was no negotiation—just an immediate clash. Gaara's sand made quick work of them, leaving only a rain of blood behind.

Finally, after nearly a month of struggling through this chaos, the capital came into view.

Though with the fall of the Land of Rivers, it was uncertain whether the new nation would keep the capital here.

"Your Highness," the carriage driver called out as the Daimyō's son stepped out. The driver instinctively slowed the carriage.

"It's alright," the Daimyō's son replied. He looked noticeably thinner, his once pale complexion now slightly sun-kissed. Resting his hand on the repaired carriage frame, he gazed at the distant capital with a complicated expression.

"Jonin Link, your mission ends once I reach the capital, correct?"

"Correct," Link replied from atop the carriage. "Our job is to escort you to the capital. What happens next is no longer our concern."

The Daimyō's son smiled bitterly. "If I were to pay you..."

"How much can you offer?" Link asked, all the while sensing the faint presence of several watching eyes. He began scanning for nearby chakra signatures. "If the opposition is like the ninjas we encountered before, we may be dealing with an entire new nation and its Daimyō. I don't mind taking a private job, but the village might..."

Thirteen chakra signatures, and likely more that weren't actively molding chakra yet.

"I see," the Daimyō's son sighed. "I understand."

He regretted his impulsive decision to come here. If he died, it would all be for nothing. But midway through the journey, the reverent gazes of his samurai had compelled him to press on.

Moreover, the middle-aged ninja's revelation still haunted him—that his entire family had been assassinated by Konoha's ninjas. Even if he escaped the Land of Rivers with his remaining wealth...

Money was important, but not that important.

Link, uninterested in the Daimyō's internal struggles, maintained vigilant surveillance. Even if the ninjas and samurai of this small nation were weak, venturing into their stronghold was dangerous.

Unlike Earth's armies, the military forces of the ninja world often displayed an alarming willingness to fight to the death. Both ninjas and samurai commonly embraced a life-and-death philosophy, unafraid to kill or die.

On the battlefield, coordinated attacks from multiple ninjas could result in devastatingly powerful combined jutsu. Without equivalent defenses, the results could be catastrophic.

Even later in the manga, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, coordinated ninja attacks left a strong visual impact.

Add to that explosive tags, which could easily level the playing field. If one stuck to Link, he'd take significant damage, and he had no desire to test his substitution jutsu's limits in such a situation.

Recognizing the growing number of people nearby, Link's three subordinates also tensed.

As they approached the capital gates, a group emerged to greet them.

The leader, an elderly man, immediately knelt before the carriage. "Your Highness."

The Daimyō's son clearly recognized him. This time, he stepped down from the carriage on his own—no assistance or human step stools needed.

The two conversed quietly. The elderly man soon burst into tears, overwhelmed with guilt and sorrow. The Daimyō's son gently patted his back and offered words of comfort.

Shortly after, the Daimyō's son returned to Link's group with a calmer expression. "The Land of Rivers is no more," he announced. "The rebels and the new Daimyō have decided to rename this nation the Tanigakure."

"The new Daimyō wishes to invite you all to a celebration three days from now."

Having reached the capital, the Daimyō's son felt his life was no longer in immediate danger. To unify the nation quickly, the rebels had absorbed many of the late Daimyō's loyal retainers. As the last surviving heir, they wouldn't dare harm him publicly.

The earlier group of ninjas had likely been the new Daimyō's only remaining move against him.

No matter how much he fought back, power ultimately came from force. Though the rebels had unified this small nation, they couldn't eliminate all threats and were powerless against even a single Special Jonin from Konoha.

Could they afford to openly offend the Land of Fire?

Unlikely.

"We'll pass on the celebration," Link declined the invitation. He turned to his team. "We'll rest here for the night and prepare to return tomorrow."

It wasn't that he didn't want to leave immediately. After weeks of relentless travel, they needed proper rest. Running into Orochimaru on the way back would be dangerous if they were exhausted.

The Daimyō's son didn't press further. Realizing his hopes for restoring his nation were futile, he appeared far more relaxed than before.

The group entered the capital.

Inside, the city appeared remarkably normal. Aside from the occasional groups of patrolling samurai adding a stifling atmosphere, life went on as usual.

Electric poles lined the streets, paved roads stretched out, and the people moved about freely. Shops and vending machines operated as if the war had never touched the city.

The rebels had evidently maintained strict discipline, refraining from harassing civilians.

While the city's layout was a bit chaotic compared to Konoha, the differences were minimal. The Land of Rivers was wealthy and resource-rich, but being a small nation, that wealth often attracted unwanted attention.

After parting ways with the Daimyō's son, Link and his team—shadowed by hidden ninjas—found a random restaurant. The rice dishes, a local specialty, were excellent.

After their meal, they checked into a nearby inn, finally allowing themselves a well-earned rest before the return journey.

~~~

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