Chapter 10: The Calm Before the Storm
"This one?" Ryouma picked up the tea leaf, studying it intently. He glanced at Hinata, who was watching him with rapt attention, and felt a flicker of embarrassment at his own thick-skinned pretense of expertise.
Ahem. "This one... well, it's very good!" He nodded at Hinata with feigned authority.
"Ah, really? That's great!" Hinata's eyes curved into happy crescents as she smiled at him.
"Keep looking. We'll show them all to Mr. Trump later," Ryouma said, returning her smile.
"Okay!"
Hinata turned back to her search, a little thrill of happiness bubbling in her chest. It felt wonderful to be able to help Ryouma...
Watching her busy figure, Ryouma couldn't help but smile softly. He gently touched the leaf Hinata had given him.
"The first tea leaf Hinata ever picked for me... it should be fine to keep it as a memento, right?"
He took a quiet, steadying breath, then carefully placed the tea leaf into a small box he'd been carrying, treating it with utmost reverence. Holding the box, a sense of melancholy washed over him. How long will this peaceful life last?
He calculated the timeline. Soon, the Chūnin Exams would begin, heralding the start of what would be the Third Great Ninja War in this world. While its scale was smaller than the previous world wars, it would undoubtedly bring chaos and turmoil.
A delicate, small hand quietly slipped through the loose fabric of Ryouma's sleeve, gently placing another leaf into his palm. "Ryouma-nii," Hinata's soft voice murmured, "I found another one."
Ryouma looked at the leaf in his hand, then turned his head to see Hinata's soft, lovely features. His heart did that little flip again.
He shook his head vigorously, not daring to look at her any longer. Though Hinata was only twelve, her beauty was already blossoming. Ryouma's resistance to her was practically negative, and the way she shyly called him "Ryouma-nii" in her timid voice was enough to melt his heart completely.
They continued collecting leaves until nearly noon. Trump, looking up at the sun high in the sky, wiped his brow and smiled. "It's been a long time since I've come out to pick tea myself. Ah... this feeling is wonderful. It brings back memories." He spoke to Kurenai, who stood nearby, and she responded with a polite smile.
Trump then looked over at Ryouma's trio, who were still diligently searching. "How are you all doing? It's time to head back for lunch!" he called out.
The three of them heard him and quickly made their way back. The moment Kiba arrived, he proudly produced a box containing six tea leaves. He tapped his nose triumphantly. "Look, Mr. Trump! These are the most fragrant leaves I found in your whole grove. They've got to be the best of the best!"
Trump looked surprised. He took one leaf from the box, examining it carefully, then sniffing it intently. Finally, he held it up to the sunlight, studying the tiny veins. After inspecting each one, he smiled at Kiba. "This is truly impressive. The fragrance is pure. While the texture isn't perfect, it's certainly top-grade. Well... as a reward, I'll give you six hundred ryo when we return."
Kiba listened, then shot a triumphant glance at Ryouma, baring his teeth in a proud grin.
"Mr. Trump, take a look at what Hinata and I found," Ryouma said without missing a beat, presenting his own box.
Trump took it, opened the lid, and his eyes widened. "So many?" he exclaimed. There had to be at least twenty leaves inside.
After inspecting each one meticulously, his surprise grew. "All top quality! I doubt I could find this many even if I worked as a tea picker for ten years."
"So... how much are these worth?" Ryouma asked without a hint of shame. In his previous life, he'd have thrown dignity out the window for money, let alone now, when he could barely afford to eat.
"Two thousand, three hundred ryo! This time—" Trump began, but before he could finish, the bright, sunny sky suddenly unleashed a torrential downpour.
"Rain. How unlucky... Let's go." Trump's face fell slightly. He then seemed to remember something and quickly closed the box, shielding the precious leaves from the raindrops.
"Yes, let's head back," Kurenai agreed. She stretched out a hand, feeling the rain, then frowned as she looked towards the northwest.
Sun showers often occurred when rain from distant dark clouds was blown to another location by strong winds. So, while the local weather seemed clear, it was still raining.
To the northwest, in a mountain forest bordering the Land of Tea...
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
A Kiri-nin, his forehead protector glinting, shouted at the rain-laden dark clouds above, but his eyes darted around, searching for something.
"Where... where are you?! Show yourself!" The Kiri-nin's voice bordered on frantic. At his feet lay the corpses of two comrades and his client. He never thought a seemingly simple mission would involve such a powerful ninja, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of resentment towards his dead employer.
"Looking for me? Hahaha... So what if you see me?" A masked man suddenly materialized within the dark clouds themselves, looking down at the Kiri-nin with mockery. His hands formed a seal. "Needle Rain Thunder Destruction!"
Boom!
The dense clouds seemed to catalyze. Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and the heavy rain intensified. But now, the raindrops were charged with a violent electric current. Where they fell on the trees, the wood was instantly scorched and reduced to ash!
The Kiri-nin had no chance to resist. The moment the electrified rain touched him, he only had time to let out a choked grunt before collapsing powerless to the ground. The relentless, charged downpour continued to assault his body until it was nothing but a charred corpse.
"Haha... So eager to come and die? How arrogant." The masked man laughed. Then, the dark clouds dissipated, revealing the bright sun once more. The masked man seemed to evaporate with them, vanishing into the daylight, leaving behind only a ravaged and silent forest.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the third day—the day of the tea ceremony.
The ceremony was held in the mansion of the Land of Tea's wealthiest merchant, Reizan Ichi. The estate was adorned with banners, and the main hall, used to host distinguished guests, even bore the name of the country itself.
Dawn had just broken, and the mansion's servants were already up and about, preparing the snacks and utensils needed for the ceremony to welcome the guests.
When Ryouma's group arrived with Trump, they found people already streaming into Reizan Ichi's mansion. An old man in a traditional Tang suit stood at the entrance, personally welcoming the guests.
"Old Man Ichi, long time no see!" Trump called out, still some distance from the door, and approached with his hands clasped in a respectful greeting.
Reizan Ichi heard him and, recognizing Trump, laughed heartily. "Long time no see? The last time we met was just last week! Hahahaha!"
"Haha, indeed! Oh? Old Man Ichi, the people beside you..." Trump laughed along, then noticed that the old man had only two servants with him and expressed his confusion.
Reizan Ichi seemed to know what he was thinking. "This old man has one foot already in the coffin and no children to carry on my name. I've long since stopped fearing death. If they want to come for me, then let them come."
Trump smiled in agreement and was personally ushered by Reizan Ichi into the main hall. The aisles outside the hall were lined with many tables, though several remained empty, suggesting many guests had yet to arrive.
"This mission seems unusual," Ryouma murmured, his brow furrowing. He had made a troubling observation: every single merchant present had one or two ninja bodyguards at their side.