"Boss! A pot of your best sake! And a tempura platter, grilled eel, and... two of these hot spring eggs!"
Hozuki Umitsuki silently looked at the menu, then pointed to a dish on it and said to the boss, "One salt-grilled saury."
Gen only asked for a pot of hot tea, then quietly listened to the conversations of the diners around him.
This tavern was one of the largest intelligence hubs in the Land of Hot Water.
Most of the people coming and going were merchants who traveled extensively and well-informed travelers.
Here, one could often hear strange stories about the various countries in the ninja world that were not available through official channels.
"Hey, have you heard? Konoha is really something recently!"
A fat man who looked like a traveling merchant took a sip of wine, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously to the people at his table.
"Oh? How so?"
"I just came back from the Land of Fire last month. You guys didn't see it! Konoha now, it's flourishing!"
The fat merchant slapped his thigh and bragged with spit flying, "They built a new road called Hokage Avenue. It's wide and flat, lined with new shops! Barbecue restaurants, dessert shops, breakfast shops... Let me tell you, the fried dough sticks sold at that shop called Sarutobi Breakfast, oh my, they smell so good!"
"Really? Didn't Konoha just finish fighting a war? How did they develop so fast?"
"Fast? More than just fast!"
Another tall and thin man who looked like a ninja tool merchant also joined the discussion. "I heard from a friend doing business in Konoha that it's all thanks to their Third Hokage! That guy named Sarutobi Hiruzen!"
"First, he had that iron-blooded elder named Shimura Danzo lead a bunch of ninja to form some Konoha Construction Team and renovated the entire village. Then he had the famous White Fang of Konoha, Hatake Sakumo, set up some farm!"
"Really? Konoha really knows how to play!"
The merchants' discussions reached the ears of Hozuki Shio and the others word for word.
Hozuki Shio listened with wide eyes. She had been focused on researching ninjutsu usually and didn't expect Konoha to come up with such interesting things.
She subconsciously glanced at her brother.
Hozuki Umitsuki still wore that expressionless face, but Hozuki Shio could see a glint of light flashing in his eyes hidden under his bangs.
As the next clan head of the Hozuki clan, he was also shocked the moment he learned about this not long ago.
Powerful infrastructure capabilities meant efficient wartime mobilization and material transportation.
A self-sufficient agricultural system meant indestructible logistical support.
This Sarutobi Hiruzen had an endless stream of methods for governing the village...
Gen calmly held his teacup.
A light flickered in his cloudy eyes.
Konoha...
This village established jointly by Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara was developing at an incomprehensible and unimaginable speed in the hands of the Third Hokage.
Therefore, this only strengthened his determination to seize the sealing jutsu of the Land of Whirlpools.
After eating and drinking his fill, Gen drank the sake in his cup in one gulp and stood up.
"Let's go."
"Huh? Leaving already? I'm not full yet!" Hozuki Shio protested dissatisfiedly.
"Foodie."
Hozuki Umitsuki gave her a speechless glance and also stood up.
The group walked out of the tavern.
Shortly after they left.
In the corner of the tavern, two figures who had been silently drinking tea also stood up.
They were a man and a woman, both dressed in the most ordinary civilian clothes, with plain appearances, the type that would be impossible to find once thrown into a crowd.
They exchanged a glance, both seeing gravity in the other's eyes.
"Ninja."
The woman spoke in a code language specially trained so only the two of them could hear.
"Mm..."
"Unfamiliar faces."
With that, the figures of the two disappeared silently at the entrance of the tavern, as if melting into the air.
They were the most elite Root agents under Danzo's command.
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