Aoki's stomach churned softly, making him swallow hard. Behind him, Tetsu sniffed loudly, his nostrils flaring like a hungry dog.
"Really? What's the name of the inn, Auntie?" Aoki asked again quickly, his voice quicker, his eyes sparkling behind his black bangs that fell halfway over his eyebrows.
"It's called Golden Axe Inn." The old woman grinned, her fingers skillfully flipping several skewers over the red-hot coals. Sparks flew, sticking to his already-holey sleeves.
"What? Golden Axe Inn?" Aoki repeated softly, his eyebrows furrowed. The corners of his lips turned up slightly, a mix of surprise and amusement.
Behind Aoki, Mei held back a smile as she stared at the skewers in the old woman's hands, as if afraid that if she laughed, the skewers would disappear.
Tetsu lowered his head slowly, cleared his throat, and covered his laughter with the back of his giant hand. Ajisai blinked a few times, her fingers pinching the hem of Mei's sleeve. Her lips parted slightly, confused.
The old woman chuckled, her laughter echoing off the ceiling of the small wooden shop by the pier.
"The innkeeper used to be a stubborn fisherman," she said, gazing out to sea as if recounting an old memory. "He always carried a golden axe. He said that when a storm came, he would use it to cut through the waves. Strange, isn't it?"
The old woman paused for a moment, turning to Aoki. The smoke from the satay hung around her wrinkled face, giving her eyes an almost mystical look. "One day, he nearly died. His boat capsized in a storm. His axe was almost swept away by the sea. From then on, he stopped. He married. He built an inn in the center of this village. It's said that the axe hangs next to his bed, but I don't know why, I've never seen it."
Aoki listened with his mouth slightly open. Tetsu chuckled, gently patting Aoki's shoulder, signaling that the story was completely beyond their expectations. Ajisai lowered her head and whispered to Mei, "Sister Mei, is it true that man sleeps with an axe?"
Mei patted the top of Ajisai's head gently, suppressing laughter as her hair swayed in the breeze from the dock. "I don't know. The important thing is that the mattress is soft."
"Okay! Here! Spicy grilled intestine satay!" The old woman interrupted with a bright voice. Her hands deftly lifted eight skewers onto the rattan tray, the smoke billowing, hitting their nostrils with a sweet and spicy aroma.
Aoki approached and grabbed the first two skewers, feeling the warmth penetrate his palms. He handed two to Mei, who took them with both hands, nodding slightly and whispering a thank you.
Aoki handed two more skewers to Tetsu, who nibbled on the ends before they even left his hands. Aoki held out the last two to Ajisai, who slowly reached for the satay, bowing almost in a curtsy.
"How much is it, auntie?" Aoki asked again, one hand still busy adjusting the leather pouch at his waist to prevent the money from flying onto the wooden walkway.
The old woman snapped her fingers in the air, as she quickly calculated in her head.
"It all comes to... yes, this much," she said, holding up four gnarled fingers, chuckling as she watched Aoki fumble with her pockets.
"Okay, here's your money, auntie!" Aoki quickly pulled out a few silver coins, their metallic gleam glinting in the slanting midday sun.
Aoki handed them over with both hands. The old woman accepted them as if holding a small treasure, clutching the money tightly to her chest.
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[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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