As the sun rose and the storm finally eased, the four of them continued along the border.
By nightfall, after passing through the Lands of Water and Grass, they had already reached the depths of the Land of Rain.
Unlike the Land of Fire, where the village and the capital were separate, Amegakure was both—a shinobi village and a capital city.
It always seemed to rain here. The endless drizzle turned the skies dark and heavy, as though a haze pressed down on the land, dampening even the heart.
Outside the village, a great river surged like the sea itself, flowing outward toward the Lands of Rivers, Grass, Waterfalls, Birds, and Iron—an artery that tied together much of the shinobi world. Trapped on three sides by the great powers of Earth, Wind, and Fire, the Land of Rain felt like a poor little girl being watched by towering men. Even the sky seemed to weep for her.
"There are so many boats…" Hitomi murmured, walking barefoot along the riverbank with the others, wooden clogs clicking faintly as they watched the endless stream of ships.
"With waterways linking three great nations, river trade was bound to thrive," Maki explained.
"They must make a fortune," Hitomi said, her eyes wide at the sight of hundreds of sails dotting the river.
"They do," Maki replied. "Much better than the scraps Konoha earns from its service industry."
"So being a ninja really is worse than being a boatman," Naori said dryly.
"But in this world, who protects them? One storm, and they'll scatter like duckweed."
As she spoke, Maki crouched by the water and shifted a large stone. Something wriggled in the shadows beneath. In the moonlight, a small creature raised its claw, almost like it was flashing a V-sign.
"Lucky~." Maki grinned and snatched it up—a fat river crab.
Konoha had crabs too, but most were either too small or too tough to eat. This one was perfect.
"Is it tasty?" Hitomi asked, poking the crab's shell with a finger.
"You'll know soon enough," Maki said. "This'll be dinner."
"How do we cook it?"
"Steam it."
The crab flailed desperately in her grip.
"There's only one," Naori laughed. "Not exactly enough to go around."
"Byakugan!" Hitomi chirped—and the next second, her eyes rolled white. "Over there!"
"So many!" she squealed, darting off.
When White Fang returned, he found the three of them scurrying happily along the riverbank, piling crabs into a small mountain.
These three… what are they even doing? They look more like kids on a riverside picnic than kunoichi on a mission.
"Hey!" White Fang snapped, exasperated. "At least pretend to be serious. We're less than forty kilometers from Amegakure!"
"This is dinner," Hitomi called back, her backside sticking out as she hauled another crab. "I'm sick of eating bugs—I deserve a change of flavor."
"That's not the point!" White Fang growled. "I told you to stay alert, not mess around!"
"Maybe it'll be our last meal," Naori said with a smile, holding up two wriggling crabs. "Might as well enjoy it."
"…But this is too much!" White Fang groaned, staring at the pile.
"The river's the fastest way into the village," he muttered.
"I've never been on a boat before!" Hitomi cheered, childlike, her eyes sparkling. She didn't look like someone about to risk her life.
How had a high-stakes assassination turned into a picnic?
White Fang buried his face in his hand. Had he missed something? Weren't they afraid at all?
Yet strangely, he wasn't nervous either.
Maki glanced at Naori. Without a word, Naori understood. She weaved a quick seal, and in an instant, the four of them flickered out of sight.
Ten minutes of silent running later, they reappeared at a ferry landing. A small covered sampan rocked quietly against the bank.
"Hey, old man," White Fang said gruffly, striding forward. "Take us to Amegakure. Hurry, don't waste my time."
He was in character, playing the thug perfectly.
"Little one, want something to eat?"
Hitomi's bright voice rang from behind.
White Fang froze. This girl… she was terrible at acting. Or maybe Naori had meant for her to do this? Hard to tell. Women were impossible to read.
He turned—and saw Hitomi kneeling before a tiny girl, no older than two. The child glanced fearfully at the three kunoichi, hesitating.
"Here." Hitomi smiled and pressed a string of crabs into the little girl's hands.