I was about to head straight toward the stage to greet the puppeteer as he stepped back into view, welcomed by an uproar of whistles and cheers. His voice and absolute control over the puppets were something else entirely. I barely took a step before Kaen suddenly jumped up beside me, nearly making me flinch. "How did those puppets move?" he asked, eyes wide.
He was not allowed to use his Sharingan until the exams started unless absolutely necessary, forced to keep one card hidden, and it clearly showed.
Sena chuckled at his reaction, which only made him blush slightly before he turned to her and asked outright, "Do you know what was going on there?"
She nodded, smiling. "They were puppets. Controlled by chakra threads. A very unique form of control."
Realization spread across his face.
Shisui looked genuinely pleased with the play, though a knowing expression flickered across his features, one that Sena mirrored. They had grasped the message behind the story, just as I had. I simply did not care. The performance itself was enough.
I pushed my way through the crowd until I reached Jin.
"Jin-san, that was incredible," I said, bowing my head slightly. "Without a doubt the best play I have ever seen. The emotions you conveyed through your voice and the movement of the puppets were sublime. I witnessed a true master of the art tonight, and I became wiser for it. Thank you for such an amazing performance."
I extended my hand. He took it, shaking it enthusiastically, surprise clear on his face.
"It is rare for someone so young to grasp the effort behind a play on that level," he said with a laugh. "You are one bright kid."
I wanted to say more, but his adoring fans began pressing in, some of them giving me rather unfriendly looks for taking up too much of his limited attention. I took the hint and stepped aside.
With a quiet sigh, I moved back toward Yura, who was smiling brightly, obviously pleased with our reactions.
"I knew you would love the surprise," she said.
Shisui nodded. "That was something you do not see every day. Well done, Yura."
She beamed at the praise.
Sena spoke next. "Can we visit the markets? I would like to purchase a few things for our stay."
Yura got the idea that we were not well prepared and so decided to escort us to the market. Shisui gave Sena a mental thumbs up for the smooth way she had given Yura the impression that we were unprepared, causing her to underestimate us while also giving us the chance to scout the market and gauge the village's economic situation. We walked behind her as she explained the history and scenery scattered throughout the Hidden Sand village.
The night was in full swing, yet the streets were still busy. The air was cool, the atmosphere energetic, people moving from shop to shop with ease. Apparently, most shopping happened at night to avoid the harsh daytime heat.
Soon, we entered a large clearing packed with merchants loudly advertising their wares. People smiled as they browsed, with surprisingly little haggling going on. It seemed that in the desert, you took what you could get.
"We should split to finish our shopping faster. Do not stray too far, and let us meet here after thirty minutes," Shisui said, wanting to cover as much ground as possible while gathering as much information as we could during the short time we had.
We all nodded.
He then turned to Yura, smiling. "Care to accompany me? I would be lost without someone as perceptive as you."
The Sand kunoichi actually blushed before nodding wordlessly. As they walked off, Shisui winked at us behind her back, signaling that he would keep her distracted long enough to stop her from observing us during that time.
Sena nodded in approval.
Kaen quickly spoke up, trying to sound casual. "Can I come with you, Sena? Just to make sure no one bothers you."
She nodded, smiling, and Kaen's face lit up instantly. He walked beside her, glancing back at me with a snort.
I rolled my eyes and started walking off on my own, excitement bubbling as I set out to see what the Hidden Sand markets had to offer.
The merchant stands were colorful, overflowing with spices and dried herbs, stacks of vividly dyed cloth and layered silks. There were very few vegetables or fruits, and the ones that did exist were outrageously expensive. Apparently, fresh produce did not travel kindly through sand.
I wandered aimlessly through the market, hands clasped behind my head, taking it all in, when an ancient voice rasped beside me.
"Young man… care to see one of my artifacts?"
My ears twitched at the word artifact. That single word alone had ruined me financially more than once in Konoha. I stopped and turned slowly, suspicion already written all over my face.
"It's a scam, isn't it?"
The old merchant before me looked like a pile of bones barely being held together by skin that had forgotten what youth felt like. His back was bent, his eyes sunken, yet sharp in a way that made me hesitate. He looked genuinely offended as he shook his head.
"Young man, you should show respect to your elders," he said stiffly. "I can tell you are the most talented child here, and so I decided to offer you a once-in-a-lifetime chance."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Well, you do have a good eye if you can see that."
He ignored the comment entirely. Instead, he pulled out a piece of ancient-looking cloth, carefully folded. Something was wrapped inside. Slowly, deliberately, he uncovered it.
Nestled in the fabric was a small amber-colored ball, glass or crystal, I could not immediately tell. Color flowed inside it like a waterfall caught in slow motion, mixing in ways that made no physical sense.
The old merchant leaned closer, his voice dropping into a practiced whisper.
"This glass remembers the desert. Hold it while meditating, and it will echo back your chakra intent. It sharpens control and reveals flaws in your flow."
My eyes narrowed. "Does it though?"
Without replying, he extended it toward me.
The night air was cool, carrying a faint bite, but the moment my fingers closed around the crystal ball, it felt warm. Not imagined warmth. Real warmth. My breath caught as the ball reacted, glowing faintly as my chakra brushed against it. The warmth intensified, subtle but undeniable.
My thoughts immediately spiraled.
Is this man actually selling me something real?
I barely had time to process it before the old merchant moved with shocking speed, snatching the crystal back from my hand.
"Do not overuse an unsold artifact," he snapped. "Even you should know the rules."
I scowled, irritation flaring. "Then how much are you selling it for, old man?"
He studied me carefully before answering. "Three thousand ryo is a fair price. This is not for tourists. I normally charge more, but you look like someone who would understand its value and actually use it, not shelve it to brag to useless nobles about owning mythical artifacts."
I nodded thoughtfully, then countered, "One thousand ryo."
He stared at me. "What? I said three thousand."
I raised an eyebrow. "Do you know what I can buy with three thousand ryo? I can feed a family for days."
"Sure," he snapped back. "Sand with salt."
And so the haggling began.
Voices rose. Accusations flew. Insults were exchanged. After a long, exhausting dance, we settled on one thousand four hundred ninety-nine ryo.
Not a single coin more. I refused to round up to fifteen hundred out of pure principle.
The merchant grumbled nonstop as I took the crystal ball, muttering about wasted effort and foolish generosity. I ignored him entirely, smiling to myself as I wrapped my incredible find, already imagining how I would use it later.
I regrouped with my team slightly after the time we had agreed on.
Yura stood nearby, eyes sparkling as she looked at Shisui, who was visibly uncomfortable. Apparently, his attempt at misdirection had backfired badly. I smiled inwardly. Serves you right.
Kaen immediately noticed the cloth in my hands. "What's that?" he asked, squinting suspiciously.
I puffed my chest out proudly and unwrapped it, revealing the softly shimmering crystal ball.
"This," I declared, "is an incredible artifact. When held during meditation, it reflects the desert's will into you, strengthening you while improving chakra control and revealing flaws in your flow."
Kaen's eyes went wide. Hungry. Sena facepalmed instantly. Shisui developed a visible tick in his temple.
Yura was barely holding her laughter. "That's just heat-treated silica with a mild chakra-reactive shimmer," she said, struggling to contain herself. "It responds to ambient chakra and body heat, creating faint visual distortions that feel meaningful but actually do nothing."
Silence.
My mouth fell open.
Kaen started laughing uncontrollably. Sena facepalmed, now using both hands. Shisui looked like he was considering revoking my right to speak in public.
Rage exploded inside me. Chakra flared dangerously, bleeding out before I even realized it, my fists already clenched.
"I will find that old decrepit man," I snarled, "and grind his bones into dust."
I turned sharply and walked straight into someone.
She fell to the ground with a startled cry.
I barely registered it, anger still boiling over, chakra leaking visibly now, eyes burning. I didn't even get the chance to apologize before she screamed.
"The tyrant!"
My eyes widened as I recognized her.
She was a grain merchant from Konoha. I vaguely remembered her. One too many haggling encounters. One too many emotional breakdowns. Then she vanished.
"I ran away from Konoha because of you, demon!" she shrieked. "Why did you follow me here?"
The market went silent.
Every head turned toward me.
she sobbed, scrambling backward across the ground. "Stay away from me! I'll leave the Hidden Sand! Just leave me alone! I will give you everything I have for free, please, I beg you!"
People stared at her. Then, slowly, their gazes shifted to me. They saw the faint glow of the artifact in my hand. They instinctively felt the furious chakra leaking from me. They saw the terror etched across her face, and then the unbound anger burning in mine.
Whispers spread through the market as people began to repeat the moniker in hushed voices, "the tyrant…"
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