"That's too much, young master... I can't accept this..." The middle-aged man hesitated as he took the money from Haruto Saito, glancing at it before attempting to return it.
The Land of Whirlpools had no official ruler and no standardized currency, so the money used here came from only two sources: the official currency of the Land of Fire or the Land of Water.
Haruto had, of course, given him money from the Land of Fire!
A full one hundred ryo!
For an ordinary person, this was no small amount. A common laborer working a regular job wouldn't even earn a hundred ryo in a month!
"Take it. Don't waste time arguing and just go back to your business," Haruto said to the middle-aged man before turning his attention to the young beggar named Kaga. With a light nudge of his foot, he said, "Get up. Stop playing dead."
The little beggar lifted his head, his dull eyes staring blankly at Haruto.
"Come with me. I'll give you food, and I promise you'll never go hungry again," Haruto added before walking past the boy.
The small beggar immediately struggled to his feet, stumbling as he followed Haruto.
"Wait for me at the entrance," Haruto said as he reached the doorway of a noodle shop before stepping inside.
He still had to pay for his meal.
A short while later, Haruto emerged.
As expected, the little beggar was waiting for him at the entrance!
For a beggar, being promised food was reason enough to follow someone anywhere.
Haruto led the boy down a small alley nearby, going deeper and deeper into the narrow passageways.
The beggar trailed behind, staggering with each step. He occasionally coughed—a sign that he was suffering from internal injuries.
"Aren't you afraid I'm a swindler?" Haruto glanced back at him and asked casually.
The little beggar shook his head. What did he have that was worth being deceived over? Nothing.
"Can you speak?" Haruto stopped walking and turned to look at him with some concern.
Could he be mute?
"I... can..." The boy's voice was barely audible, his words slurred, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.
"What's your name?"
"Ka... ga..."
"How old are you?"
"Sev... en..."
"Do you have any family?"
"No..."
"I'll give you food and ensure you never go hungry again. Do you want to come with me?"
"I... do..."
"You're not afraid I'm a human trafficker?"
The boy didn't answer immediately. His eyes dimmed as he fell silent for a moment before murmuring, "Traffickers... don't want me..."
Haruto paused, then understood what the boy meant.
Human traffickers rarely kidnapped children as old as seven. By that age, children had developed independent thought and clear memories, making them difficult to brainwash. No one wanted to buy a child like that. If traffickers intended to sell them into forced labor, seven was still too young...
Perhaps, deep down, Kaga wished he could be taken—at least then, he might end up somewhere with food and shelter.
"One more question!" Haruto looked at him. "Why did you steal from the same place eight times in a single month? That's not how stealing works—you're just making people hate you."
Kaga lowered his head. He knew what he had done was wrong. After a brief hesitation, he murmured, "Uncle Kawai... is a good man... he wouldn't beat me to death..."
Haruto raised an eyebrow, blinking twice.
Uncle Kawai—the middle-aged man who had beaten him earlier—the owner of the pastry shop!
A good man?!
Maybe he really was.
Despite beating Kaga harshly before, he hadn't broken any of the boy's bones. Kaga could still stand and walk. This wasn't because Kaga was particularly strong—it was because Kawai had held back. If a grown man had truly hit him with full force, the boy would have suffered severe fractures.
"So you were just taking advantage of his kindness!" Haruto remarked.
"I was... hungry..." Kaga muttered.
"Alright, come with me!" Haruto said firmly. "You won't have to starve anymore—I promise!"
Kaga suddenly dropped to his knees, bowing his head to the ground. "Th-thank you, benefactor..." He didn't believe Haruto was deceiving him. After all, he had nothing worth deceiving someone over.
At that moment, Haruto noticed something change in Kaga's status.
The relationship indicator had shifted.
It had gone from 'Neutral' to 'Grateful.'
"Let's go!" Haruto turned and continued walking deeper into the alley.
Kaga got up and stumbled after him.
Suddenly, Haruto raised his hands and rested them behind his head, speaking lazily, "Lord White Fang, since you're already here, why are you still hiding?"
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The moment Haruto finished speaking, two figures materialized at his sides—it was White Fang and Kirichi! Both wore masks, their presence shrouded in mystery.
Kaga, startled, took two steps back before quickly lowering his head, afraid to look.
People who could appear out of thin air were undoubtedly ninja. Kaga knew what ninja were—there were many in the village of Yamaryu.
"What are you trying to do?" White Fang glanced at the small beggar, then at Haruto.
"I'm just being kind, doing a good deed, accumulating merit. As the saying goes, 'Good people are—' no, wait, 'Good people are rewarded'—yeah, that one! I feel like I've killed too many people, so I need to balance things out by doing some good deeds. Wouldn't want karma to bite me later..." Haruto rambled.
"Speak plainly!" White Fang said sternly.
"Oh, I think this kid has talent—potential to become a ninja. So I want to send him back to Konoha," Haruto shrugged. Seeing White Fang's skeptical look, he added, "Captain, you should trust my ability to judge people."
"Hmm..." White Fang hummed thoughtfully.
He was well aware of Haruto's ability to assess talent. As the captain of the Anbu, he handled critical intelligence reports. He knew of Haruto's past insights.
"Captain, make the arrangements. I may not be able to take him to Konoha myself," Haruto added.
White Fang glanced at him, then at Kaga. "Kirichi."
"Yes, sir." Kirichi responded respectfully.
"Arrange for a ninja traveling in that direction to take the boy to Konoha," White Fang instructed.
"Understood!" Kirichi acknowledged before vanishing with Kaga in an instant, leaving only a faint afterimage.
The next day, at noon.
Upon receiving urgent news, Haruto hurried back to the underground base beneath the command post. A message had arrived from Konoha!
Taking the scroll from a covert operative, Haruto unrolled it.
It was an official order personally written by Hiruzen Sarutobi!
However, the beginning wasn't an order—it was a string of scoldings! Haruto skimmed over the part where Sarutobi reprimanded him for his recklessness and impulsive behavior, then focused on the real content.
To his surprise, Sarutobi hadn't ordered him to return to Konoha immediately!
Super S-Class Comprehensive War Mission:
From this moment forward, Anbu agent "Akahito" is to take full charge of the operation to eliminate Kirigakure's covert forces within the Land of Whirlpools! Konoha's Anbu and reconnaissance units will provide full support and intelligence assistance!"