Chapter 74: Setting Out, The Fire Capital
Early morning the next day, Uchiha Tonan rose and methodically packed his gear for the journey ahead. Before leaving, he approached the small family altar adorned with wooden ancestral tablets and incense holders. Lighting three incense sticks, he murmured quietly,
"I'm leaving. There's much to be done this time. If you miss me, please come visit me in my dreams."
He bowed deeply three times to the lifelike carvings of his ancestors, friends, and loved ones, then carefully placed the incense sticks in the holder.
Three hours later, Tonan stood silently beneath a sprawling tree at the village entrance, his figure still and contemplative. At the busy intersection, Sarutobi Shinnosuke and Sarutobi Asuma finally appeared, clearly running late.
Shinnosuke ruffled Asuma's hair and teased, "Asuma, if you keep lazing around in bed like that, I won't take you anywhere next time."
Asuma swatted Shinnosuke's hand away impatiently, grumbling, "Alright, alright, I get it. I was just too hyped up yesterday to sleep."
When they reached Tonan, Shinnosuke offered a sincere apology, "Sorry for keeping you waiting."
Tonan adjusted his glasses calmly and shook his head, "It's fine, I just arrived myself."
Shinnosuke smiled and tugged at Asuma's sleeve. "Asuma, Tonan's your classmate—why don't you greet him properly?"
"Humph!" Asuma grunted without sparing Tonan a glance, as if harboring some silent grudge. Tonan narrowed his eyes but smiled faintly; he wasn't offended. He already suspected the reason behind Asuma's coldness.
What surprised Tonan was that Asuma was also headed for the Fire Capital. If things went smoothly, he might settle two matters in one trip.
Shinnosuke scratched the back of his head and said, "Let's get going. If you have any questions, ask me on the way."
They finished the official departure procedures at the Village Registration Office and stepped outside Konoha's protective barrier, embarking toward the Capital.
Just beyond the barrier, Tonan slowed, glanced back, and spotted a fleeting shadow vanish at the street's end. He turned his head quietly, waved once, then resumed walking forward without hesitation.
…
Several days later, the trio finally arrived at the Fire Capital. Nestled in a vast plain, the Capital was surrounded by smaller villages scattered across the outskirts.
In earlier times, these outlying villages hadn't existed. Land inside the Capital was prohibitively expensive, reserved mostly for ninja families and high-ranking officials. As a result, many chose to reside in the satellite villages and only entered the city for work or official business.
The three approached the Capital's southern gate, where a guard stepped forward and requested to see their entry permits. Shinnosuke produced his identification and handed it over. The guard bowed deeply and said, "Welcome back, Shinnosuke-sama. Please enter."
Shinnosuke turned to Tonan, "Let's head first to the Five Guard Residence so you can begin your assignment."
They moved into the city together, passing streets lined with bustling market stalls. Vendors shouted cheerfully, offering wares with bright smiles.
Asuma, who had lived his whole life in Konoha, looked around wide-eyed. "Wow, the Fire Capital is huge," he muttered, clearly impressed.
Shinnosuke glanced at the unphased Tonan, then at Asuma, pondering the stark contrast in their demeanors despite their similar age.
"The Fire Capital is the largest and most prosperous city in the ninja world. After living here a while, you won't be so easily impressed."
Tonan asked with interest, "Shinnosuke-senpai, I heard you're one of the legendary Twelve Guardian Ninja."
Shinnosuke nodded with modest pride. "That's right. The Twelve Guardian Ninja are tasked with protecting the Daimyo. We usually don't all serve at once. Typically, four are on guard duty with the Daimyo, one protects the First Highness, and another watches over the Second Highness."
Tonan's brow furrowed. "First Highness and Second Highness?"
Shinnosuke smiled knowingly. "Yes. I'm relatively weaker compared to the others, so I'm assigned to guard the First Highness at night."
Asuma immediately muttered under his breath, "Sounds like you're the useless one."
Shinnosuke flushed with embarrassment. He hadn't expected his younger brother to embarrass him in front of strangers. "You don't understand. The Daimyo plans to abdicate soon, and the First Highness will inherit the position. The current First Highness embodies the future of the Land of Fire. Do you think anyone else could do this?"
Tonan's eyes flickered thoughtfully. "Why wouldn't the Second Highness inherit the position instead?"
Shinnosuke paused briefly before answering carefully, "Normally, the eldest son inherits the title. There are several signs that the Daimyo intends this to be the case."
Tonan nodded thoughtfully and dropped the topic. Asuma, however, had become more talkative, asking, "Who's higher, the Daimyo or the Hokage?"
Shinnosuke responded seriously, "The Daimyo, of course. But their ranks aren't worlds apart. The ninja world follows a one-country, one-hidden-village system. If there's a hidden village, there must be a country. But a country can exist without a hidden village. The village relies on the country's economy, but the country also depends on the village's military strength."
Asuma then asked, "Then why can't the Hokage become the Daimyo?"
Quickly, Shinnosuke clamped his hand over Asuma's mouth and warned, "Quiet! Don't say things like that aloud. You'll get yourself into trouble."
…
Half an hour later, they arrived at the Five Guard Residence's operations hall. The staff immediately recognized Shinnosuke, stood, and bowed respectfully, "Shinnosuke-sama."
Shinnosuke nodded and gestured to Tonan. "This is your new captain, Konoha's chunin, Uchiha Tonan. Here's his mission dossier."
The official took the mission sheet, checked it carefully, then registered Tonan's details. Bowing, he said, "Welcome, Tonan-sama."
Tonan smiled warmly, "I look forward to working with everyone."
Shinnosuke turned to Tonan and began, "I'll take Asuma out for a walk. I live east of the Daimyo Residence. If you need anything, you can…"
Before he could finish, Asuma tugged at Shinnosuke's sleeve, eager to go explore.
Tonan watched the two leave, the smile fading slowly from his face. A flash of unreadable meaning flickered in his eyes.
Noticing Tonan's silence, a staff member approached cautiously. "Tonan-sama, shall I escort you to your residence now?"
Tonan turned back, his usual gentle expression restored. "That would be appreciated. Thank you."