Zabuza nodded firmly.
"Alright, I'll head to the Valley of Cloud and Lightning and scout around."
With that, he departed immediately.
As for Haku—there was no need for concern.
So long as she stayed by the God-King's side, no harm would ever come to her.
The Valley of Cloud and Lightning was a well-known landmark; it wouldn't be hard to find.
Haku turned toward Ryosuke.
"So… what should we do now?"
She looked somewhat eager—half-expecting the God-King himself might train her.
Ryosuke chuckled.
"Do? We're going to relax."
He'd never been to the Land of Lightning before, and this was the perfect chance to experience its scenery and culture—a little sightseeing wouldn't hurt.
Haku blinked in surprise, but anything done with the God-King was a joy in itself.
The thought alone filled her with warmth.
Ryosuke and Haku wandered around the coastal port, sampling the local delicacies and enjoying the liveliness.
As the afternoon sun began to set, they came across a hot spring bathhouse.
Instantly, Ryosuke's interest was piqued.
Hot springs—now that was something worthwhile.
They promoted blood circulation, eased fatigue, relaxed muscles, and improved sleep.
Even with his resilient body that could self-heal, soaking in a hot spring would still be beneficial.
As for Haku, she clearly needed it too.
Her taijutsu training, combined with years of hardship and wandering, had left lingering strains on her young body.
A proper soak would help her recover.
Ryosuke glanced at her.
"Want to join me for a bath?"
Haku hesitated only for a moment before nodding eagerly.
Beeathing together meant being near the God-King—something that always brought her an unexplainable sense of calm.
"Lord Ryosuke… may I join you in the hot spring?"
Ryosuke smiled.
"Of course you can."
He couldn't help but notice how clingy Haku had become lately—but he didn't mind.
She was still young; her attachment was innocent.
It wasn't a problem.
They approached the counter, where Ryosuke asked the owner,
"How much to rent out the whole place?"
He wasn't about to let Haku share the bath with other men, not while she was under his care.
The owner was caught off guard.
A customer wanting to rent out the entire bathhouse was rare.
Sure, it might earn more money short-term, but driving away other guests would hurt business overall.
He shook his head.
"Sorry, we don't offer private rentals."
Ryosuke frowned slightly.
That just meant the price wasn't high enough.
He scanned the price board: one adult bath cost 100 ryō—
not cheap, not expensive either.
About fifty to a hundred customers a night, he estimated.
Ryosuke spoke casually,
"I'll pay 10,000 ryō. Private use."
The owner hesitated, shaking his head again.
"That's not possible."
It was about a single night's revenue—not enough to justify closing the place.
Ryosuke raised his brow.
"20,000 ryō."
Now the owner looked tempted.
That was nearly two nights' earnings.
He wavered, uncertain.
Ryosuke could tell from his face and decided not to waste time.
"30,000 ryō. Take it or I'll find another place."
That sealed it.
The owner's hesitation vanished in an instant.
"Deal!"
Serving two people for the profit of three full days—who could refuse that?
He quickly hung up a "Closed for Private Use" sign, then personally guided Ryosuke and Haku to the changing rooms and showed them to a secluded bathing area.
Ryosuke handed over the money—thirty thousand ryō in neat stacks.
The owner's eyes lit up with joy as he accepted it.
Times were tough.
Ever since the Fourth Raikage had provoked a war with Konoha and lost, the village had been forced to pay massive reparations.
Part of the cost came from the Daimyō's treasury, but a large portion fell on the Cloud Village itself—and ultimately, on the civilians.
Taxes went up, trade slowed down, and small businesses like his were barely scraping by.
Ryosuke listened silently but said nothing.
He placed the coins down without hesitation—money meant little to him, especially when most of it had been taken from the Cloud's own coffers.
Soon after, he and Haku changed into white towels and entered the steamy bathhouse.
The warmth and rising mist instantly relaxed his muscles, a rare comfort even for someone of his strength.
He exhaled slowly.
"Ah… this feels surprisingly good."
Wrapped in her own towel, Haku slipped into the water beside him, cheeks faintly red from the heat.
Her body relaxed, tension melting away—but guilt flickered in her eyes.
"Lord Ryosuke," she murmured softly,
"I'm sorry. You had to spend so much… just so I could bathe with you."
Ryosuke chuckled lightly.
"Don't worry about it. Money exists to be spent."
And besides—this particular sum had already come from the Cloud's hidden reserves.
There was no pain in parting with it.
Seeing his relaxed demeanor, Haku's heart eased.
If the organization's funds were plentiful, then she had no reason to feel guilty.
Still, her gaze lingered on him quietly—the steam drifting between them as the water rippled softly around his sculpted frame.
The God-King's presence felt overwhelming even in rest—his strength, calm, and quiet authority filling the air itself.
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