The convoy finally stopped before the designated dock warehouse. Sea breeze carrying briny air rushed toward them. The harbor's unique clamor—sailors' chants, cargo ships' whistles, metal grinding sounds from hoisting cargo—wove into a cacophonous background. Workers began unloading. Hiroyama Makoto busied himself with handovers, face piling on smiles of surviving disaster.
Shuji found relatively secluded stone steps near the warehouse where he could observe both dock and main street movements before sitting. Anko crossed her arms, dark purple windbreaker hood casually draped, eyes sharply scanning passing pedestrians. Itachi sat quietly on Shuji's other side.
"The Land of Tea's management of the two mainland territories proves quite loose actually. As long as taxes get paid and incidents don't occur, they don't mind who manages," Shuji continued explaining circumstances to both. "Therefore, that bandit group probably obtained management rights from the Land of Tea's daimyo, becoming Tea Country officials."
However, mere road bandits gaining legitimacy, even with two or three hundred people, would not occur without other reasons. Still that same point—if changing worlds, consider them numerous with excessive strength forcing acceptance. In the shinobi world, soldiers fundamentally could not form formations before shinobi techniques. Much less a mountain bandit group. Given ordinary genin some time, using Transformation Technique alone could destroy Tea Mountain Gang's structure, causing self-collapse.
Combining misaligned perceptions from both Konoha and Hiroyama Makoto's sides, Shuji already held some thoughts.
Hiroyama Makoto's side apparently finally negotiated preliminary matters. He wiped forehead sweat before jogging over, face carrying nearly fawning gratitude plus poorly concealed anxiety. "Captain Shuji! Honored sirs! You've worked hard! Truly worked hard! The Seafront Pavilion Inn by the docks proves fairly clean. Rooms are already reserved! Please honor us by staying so this humble one can properly host you several days to express gratitude! All expenses on me!"
This was the surface explanation. Actually, cargo handover required several more days. However, having entered Degarashi Port, Squad Five could technically complete their mission, especially after just helping resolve the entrance tax problem. But Hiroyama Makoto truly worried guards would cause trouble after discovering Shuji and others departed. So now he could only cling to Shuji's group, asking them to remain.
Who told him when initially posting the mission, he never considered that after entering the city, cargo loss risks might still exist?
"Acceptable," Shuji answered after brief contemplation.
Hiroyama Makoto thanked them repeatedly, personally guiding the three toward the inn.
Seafront Pavilion Inn sat on a somewhat quiet street at the dock district's edge. A three-story wooden building with plain but fairly tidy appearance. The owner was a taciturn middle-aged man. Seeing Hiroyama Makoto bring three forehead protector-wearing shinobi inside, his gaze held more awe. He efficiently arranged three top-floor rooms with the best views.
Shuji's room was on the outermost side. Opening the window revealed most of the dock district and the distant azure sea. Anko and Itachi each returned to their rooms for brief rest. Shuji stood by the window, gaze calmly surveying the busy harbor below and somewhat chaotic lanes. Tea Mountain Gang ruffians who had changed into guard leather armor still wandered nearby in groups of three to five, unfriendly gazes scanning Seafront Pavilion's direction, yet none dared approach.
Before long, Anko changed into light dark-colored fitted clothing and came over, hair casually tied up, face carrying some impatience. "Captain, several sneaky guys are watching downstairs. Should I go clean them up?"
After learning these people's true colors, Anko lost her reservations.
Itachi also finished organizing belongings and entered Shuji's room.
Just then, slight commotion came from downstairs, followed by the owner's somewhat nervous voice. "Lord Wasabi? Why did you personally..."
A gentle yet unquestionably authoritative voice responded. "No matter. Hearing Konoha's honored guests are lodging here, Jirocho came specially to pay respects. Please announce me."
Wasabi. If memory served correctly, Degarashi Port locally actually had two major families—the Wasabi Family and the Wagarashi Family. For a long time, one of these two families handled local management. Tea Mountain Gang's addition necessarily squeezed one family's position, or both suffered impact.
"Anko, let that Lord Wasabi come up."
"Yes~ yes~ Captain Sir."
Moments later, steady footsteps came from the wooden stairs. A middle-aged man wearing dark gray silk kimono followed Anko inside. About forty years old with steady gait and upright bearing, obviously possessing decent taijutsu foundation. Hair combed meticulously. Lean features. Gaze revealing shrewdness tempered by worldly experience beneath gentleness. This was the Wasabi Family's head, Wasabi Jirocho.
His gaze rapidly swept over the three in the room, pausing briefly on Anko's impatient expression and Itachi's calm small face before firmly locking onto Shuji by the window. Though appearing same-aged peers, Shuji carried completely different temperament from Anko. Using such forceful methods at the city gate, yet the real person proved so restrained. Jirocho rapidly judged—such action was absolutely no impulsive deed.
"Pardon the intrusion. Please forgive me," Jirocho's face showed appropriately modest smile, slightly bowing. "This humble one is Wasabi Jirocho. May I ask how to address honored guest?"
"Shuji." Shuji's voice remained steady and calm, pulling out a chair. "Head Wasabi is too polite. Please sit."
Jirocho thanked him and sat before saying, "Shuji-kun's behavior at the city gate proved rather reckless."
"Tch." Anko crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe and releasing an undisguised derisive laugh.
Shuji's expression remained unchanged. His finger lightly tapped the wooden table surface, producing an extremely soft thud. "Oh? I'm all ears." His tone stayed flat as though merely discussing weather.
"Originally your village's Hokage-sama had other words to have me relay to Shuji-kun after entering the city."
These words made constantly observing Itachi involuntarily turn toward Jirocho, a trace of imperceptible contemplation crossing his childish face.
Shuji still sat upright, face showing no surprise as though having anticipated this. "I'm all ears," he repeated, gaze calm as still water.
Jirocho said, "Our Wasabi Family and Wagarashi Family have always competed for Degarashi Port's management rights. Both families proved evenly matched until half a month ago when the Wagarashi Family suddenly absorbed that batch of bandits outside the city. The Wasabi Family lost the town's management rights."
"If merely this, for the harbor's stability, we could temporarily endure. However, to buy these wolf-hearted people, the Wagarashi Family indulges their wanton behavior! Creating pretexts, adding heavy taxes, exploiting passing merchants! Continuing this way, the town will fall into decline!"
"Therefore, this one requested help from Hokage-sama."