Within the Rōran tribe's encampment—
A fluffy mop of curls and a gleaming bald head strolled side by side down the only street in the village, which was far from bustling. The curly-haired one curiously looked around at everything.
As he walked, Gin noticed that although the people here lived with few material goods, their faces were full of smiles, and their conversations radiated a love for life. He couldn't help but admire the pure and honest customs of this place.
"Gin-dono, you're truly a great traveler! Your experiences are astonishingly rich!"
Along the way, Gin, who was acting as the wise one, reverse-taught quite a bit about the customs and cultures of other nations to Shamon, who served as his guide. The wide-eyed Shamon was enthralled, clicking his tongue in amazement as his respect for Gin grew deeper.
"Heh, it's nothing really~"
After all, Gin had picked up all this trivia from TV shows and manga, each tidbit having a source—so bragging about it came with no burden.
"When are you planning to leave, Gin-dono? We can arrange an escort for you."
Feigning urgency, Gin made a show of buying supplies like he was preparing to depart, which lowered Shamon's last trace of suspicion. The bald man then asked:
"Shopkeeper, wrap up this little doll for me... Er, once I finish restocking, I'll be on my way. After all…"
Gin pointed at a chubby clay puppet on display, then turned with a thoughtful look, feigning embarrassment as he began to stammer.
"After all what?"
Seeing Gin hesitate, the naïve Shamon pressed for an answer, unaware he was already falling into a trap.
"Sigh~ I wasn't gonna say it, but since you're asking, I'll let you in on it."
Gin paused, putting on a mysterious air and lowering his voice.
"Now don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm looking down on anyone—but as a traveler, I'm only interested in places with hidden legends and secrets."
Seeing Shamon's confused little eyes, Gin suppressed his grin and continued:
"To be honest, your village here doesn't seem like the kind of place that holds any deep secrets. So I don't really have a reason to stay. I think I'll just head back to the Land of Fire and check in with my family..."
"What?! You're looking down on us?!"
Ah, the good old reverse psychology—it never fails against simple-minded locals.
As Gin had hoped, Shamon's shiny head turned red with indignation. He glared at Gin, who still looked sincere, struggling internally before muttering:
"Shamon-dono, don't take it personally. One day, come visit my hometown—I'll show you all the cool things we've got over there."
Patting the bald man's shoulder, Gin offered his most sincere expression, making Shamon's anger fizzle into internal turmoil.
"Well... Actually, Gin-dono, Rōran does have an ancient secret..."
And there it was—the jackpot.
The still-green Shamon couldn't hold it in anymore and spilled the beans to Gin.
"Really? Let's hear it~"
Gin played along with wide-eyed curiosity, greatly satisfying Shamon's pride. The bald man pointed toward the center of the camp and motioned for Gin to follow.
"Long ago, this entire land—the Land of Wind—used to be fertile and lush. Then, one day, a massive tree sprouted in the middle of it all: a divine tree."
As they walked, Shamon recounted a legend passed down for generations.
A divine tree? Could it be... that tree?
This was the first time Gin had heard a local mention the Divine Tree. His brow furrowed—so the dragon vein hidden beneath Rōran really was tied to the Ōtsutsuki clan.
"At first, people thought it was a divine miracle and came to worship it. But as time passed, they noticed something strange—the tree grew more and more, yet the fertile land around it turned barren. This blight spread across the whole land."
Shamon, unaware of Gin's strange expression, continued telling the tale.
"The people who lived near the tree couldn't survive and were forced to leave their homes. But a small group chose to stay and endure the desert."
At that moment, Shamon stopped and pointed ahead. Gin looked up to see a towering black spire surrounded by thick stone walls and patrolled by several muscular guards. Clearly, this was a restricted area in Rōran.
"What's this place?"
Even without activating any special sensory abilities, Gin could feel the deep, mysterious energy radiating from the tower. The surrounding space shimmered from the overflowing power.
"One morning, people awoke to find the Divine Tree had vanished. If not for the massive pit left in its place, they'd have thought it was all a dream."
Shamon brought Gin to the foot of the tower. The guards, upon seeing him, respectfully made way.
"Shamon-dono... your position must be more than just guard captain, huh?"
Gin sensed that these guards weren't weaklings like the ones at the village gate—they were at least jōnin-level. To think this desolate place hid so many elites…
He eyed Shamon with pretend astonishment.
"I had hoped to get along as just a regular guy, but you couldn't help doubting me…"
Shamon's tone grew more dramatic, his smug little eyes lighting up as he led Gin into the black tower, turned dramatically, and raised both arms.
"Alright, I won't pretend anymore! I, Shamon, am the Guardian of Rōran—the Dragon Vein Protector, from the noble lineage sworn to defend this place!"
Dude… you're really deep in character, huh? Tone it down a bit.
Gin mentally rolled his eyes.
"Wow! So Shamon-dono is part of the Dragon Vein Guardians? I'm honored!"
Playing the part, Gin clapped with exaggerated admiration.
"Hmph! Seems even other countries know of our legacy."
Shamon was clearly enjoying the praise, pride almost radiating from the dragon tattoo wrapped around his shiny scalp.
"Uh… not really. First time hearing about it. But the name sounds impressive."
I'm just being honest, bro.
"Pfft! Then why were you clapping?!"
Shamon nearly choked in frustration. Gin quickly defused the moment by changing the subject.
"Hey, we never finished your story. What happened after the Divine Tree vanished?"
"The pit left behind became sacred to us. One day, a strange energy began to flow from it—blue light, nurturing the nearby land and turning the area into a lush oasis. In gratitude, our ancestors built this village above it."
He pointed to a mural within the tower, which depicted the tribe's ancestors thriving under the protection of the mysterious energy. In the center of the painting was a massive dragon, kneeling villagers surrounding it.
"Shamon-dono… What's with that dragon?"
"Oh, we call it the Dragon Vein. That's how the energy often appears—taking the form of a dragon."
So the Dragon Vein was connected to the Divine Tree… but what exactly was it? A product of the tree? Or a force born from the planet itself to resist the tree's invasion?
"To keep the Dragon Vein safe from evil, our ancestors charged their descendants with guarding it forever."
Shamon touched the tattoo on his head with reverence.
"To honor that duty, I tattooed this dragon. Cool, right?"
"Er… it suits you."
Gin wasn't about to judge—everyone has their own aesthetic, after all.
After the tour, the two didn't linger—this was a sacred place, after all, and bringing Gin here was already pushing boundaries.
"So? Not bad, right? Our Rōran secrets are just as good as any other country's!"
Outside the tower, Shamon raised his brow proudly.
"They're truly fascinating. I'll be sure to document everything and help promote Rōran's tourism. When the place blows up, don't forget to give me a cut!"
(End of Chapter)
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