So it really was them.
Hearing Hashirama's question, Rosinante inwardly thought, Just as I expected.
That's right.
These two were none other than the future God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, the man who would one day bring an end to the Warring States Era of the Naruto world...
And the future Asura of the Ninja World, Uchiha Madara.
The moment Rosinante saw them, he had already recognized them.
"My name is Tsubasa," Rosinante said. "Saito Tsubasa."
Since he had already crossed into this world...
He might as well use that name for now.
"Then I'll just call you Tsubasa," Hashirama said in his usual overly familiar way. "You look like you're headed somewhere?"
"I'm going to the Fujimitsu territory up ahead," Rosinante said. "I'm planning to take that old man Fujimitsu's head. You two look like ninja, so how about this: I'll pay you with three meals of grilled fish if you help me kill that old man."
The moment he said it, a thought had suddenly struck him.
"Fujimitsu territory... that old man Fujimitsu?" Madara said calmly. "You mean General Fujimitsu? Your name is Saito? You're from the Saito household?"
"That's right," Rosinante replied. "I'm the General of the Saito household. So? Do you dare come with me?"
"What's there not to dare?" Hashirama said immediately. "But your offer is way too low. At the very least... it should be a hundred meals!"
Hearing that, Rosinante's face darkened.
He really hadn't expected it.
Hashirama's heart was actually this black.
"Ten meals."
"Ninety."
"Eleven."
"Eighty-nine."
"..."
"Fifty meals," Rosinante said at last.
"Deal!"
Hashirama instantly jumped up in joy.
Rosinante and Madara both rolled their eyes at the exact same time.
Rosinante couldn't help thinking to himself...
Why does this Hashirama feel so different from the one I know?
Don't tell me he's also some transmigrator?
"Let's go then!" Hashirama sprang to his feet, full of enthusiasm. "Since the price is settled, let's get moving. There's still some distance left to Fujimitsu territory, so we should hurry!"
"Fujimitsu has a protection contract with the Nara Clan," Madara said. "General Fujimitsu definitely has Nara protecting him. One Nara isn't a big deal. But the Nara have been close with the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans for generations. If Ino-Shika-Cho appears together, it could be troublesome."
"Oh?" Hashirama grinned. "Don't tell me Madara's scared?"
"Who's scared?" Madara snapped. "I'm worried you'll drag us down when the time comes."
"Sorry..." Hashirama instantly deflated, hanging his head in a pitiful slump the moment Madara criticized him.
"You two only need to cover me," Rosinante said. "When the time comes, I have my own way to infiltrate Fujimitsu's estate and take that old man's head. I only asked for your help in case something unexpected happens and I need support."
"That sounds so boring," Hashirama muttered, pouting.
"If you think it's boring," Rosinante said, "then after I take Fujimitsu's head, you two can go cause as much chaos as you want."
"Then forget it," Hashirama said immediately with a grin. "That would count as extra work. Unless you're increasing the payment."
"Let's go," Rosinante said. "Fujimitsu territory isn't somewhere the two of you can just rampage through yet. Just focus on covering me."
As he spoke, Rosinante placed a hand on Hashirama and Madara's shoulders, one each.
And in the next instant—
Hashirama and Madara both discovered that they were floating.
"This is...?"
Madara's eyes widened slightly in shock.
"This is my ability," Rosinante said as he rose into the air. "You can think of it as a bloodline limit, if you want. Though it can't be inherited. It's a power granted by something called a Devil Fruit."
Hearing that, Hashirama and Madara exchanged uncertain looks with each other.
But when they saw Rosinante already flying forward, they quickly copied him and moved after him through the air.
Both of them were geniuses.
Very quickly, they figured out how to move through the sky.
And once they learned—
Their speed in aerial movement actually became even faster than Rosinante's.
Because their bodies were far stronger than his current one.
They could perform many movements in midair that Rosinante still couldn't.
For the first time in their lives, flying through the sky...
The two of them became so excited that they began chasing each other through the air like children.
"So this is Fujimitsu territory?" Hashirama asked, looking at the city ahead.
"Probably," Rosinante said. "It's my first time here too. But if we haven't gone the wrong way, then yes, this should be it."
"This is indeed Taiichi City of the Fujimitsu domain," Madara said with a look of disdain at the two of them. "I passed through here once with my father during a mission."
The contempt in his voice toward the two directionless idiots was almost tangible.
"What a huge city!" Hashirama said, clearly excited. "Tsubasa, is your city this big too?"
"Fujimitsu is just a nouveau riche upstart," Rosinante said calmly. "The main city of the Saito household, Sunset City, is even larger than this. And much more prosperous. When all this is over, I'll invite you two to visit the Saito domain."
Rosinante wasn't exaggerating.
Although the Saito household's military strength was weaker than Fujimitsu's, it had a full hundred years of history behind it.
And on top of that, the Saito family treated its people fairly well.
Because of that, Sunset City was indeed far more prosperous than Fujimitsu's Taiichi City.
"That's great!" Hashirama said excitedly. "Next time I'm definitely visiting your Saito territory!"
"Enough," Rosinante said. "We're entering the city. Once we're inside, can you two wait outside the lord's residence and cover me if needed?"
"Hmph." Madara snorted. "Who do you think we are?"
"He means," Hashirama said helpfully, "that even if you told him to storm into the Fujimitsu estate and kill his way in and out a few times, it'd still be no problem."
"You—!"
Madara turned and glared so fiercely at Hashirama that Hashirama immediately shrank back again.
"Fujimitsu is wealthy," Rosinante said seriously. "Aside from the Nara Clan, he's also recruited a lot of rogue ninja. Your strength is good, but if you get trapped in there, escaping won't be easy. So absolutely do not act recklessly."
"Understood!"
Hashirama nodded so obediently he looked like a well-behaved child.
Madara, meanwhile, turned his head away and clicked his tongue with disdain.