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If I push him too fast, could it lead this little guy down the wrong path?
As Tsunade gazed at Ronglin's profile, her heart was filled with inner conflict.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Tsunade was struck by a jolt of surprise as she stared at Ronglin's side profile. A ripple of emotion stirred within her, though her expression remained unchanged. Smiling, she asked casually, "By the way, don't you think it's time to trim your hair? If it gets too long, it might interfere with your fighting."
How could this be? Could it be due to genetic inheritance from his family?
Tsunade found it hard to believe. His hair had grown to shoulder-length now, and when viewed from the side, his profile bore an uncanny resemblance to someone—a person from Konoha's past that many would rather not mention.
To ordinary people and the younger generation, this individual was almost entirely unknown. But to the village elders and those from older generations, he was a taboo figure, especially for the Uchiha clan.
"Oh?"
Ronglin had been so focused on training that he hadn't paid much attention to his appearance. Besides, his jet-black hair reminded him of his past life, so he'd simply let it grow naturally. He never expected Tsunade to bring up his hair. Grabbing a strand of it, he blinked curiously and replied, "It might affect my battles, but I kind of like it this way, so I'll keep it."
This kid!
Tsunade clenched her fists, resisting the urge to punch him. Such confidence!
Ronglin didn't seem to care, but Tsunade grew increasingly unsettled. At first, she thought it was just a vague resemblance, but now, looking closely, it was as if they were cut from the same mold—except Ronglin's face still carried a youthful innocence.
If any of the older generation were standing here, they would have immediately noticed: from the side, Ronglin looked like a younger version of Uchiha Madara!
The resemblance became even more striking with his longer hair.
Could it all just be a coincidence?
Such similarities weren't unheard of. Shaking her head, Tsunade quickly dismissed these chaotic thoughts.
Uchiha Madara… yes, Uchiha Madara.
Even after all these years, his influence still loomed large. Thankfully, the younger generation knew little about him.
"Tsunade-sensei!"
Soon, Haruno Yuxi and Shimura Ying returned panting heavily, each carrying an absurd amount of luggage. One glance at their overstuffed bags, and Tsunade froze in disbelief. Ronglin's lips twitched as he turned away to avoid bursting into laughter.
Were they preparing for a mission or going on vacation?
Carrying so much unnecessary stuff—it was ridiculous. Even Tsunade, who was used to luxury in the village, couldn't fathom why anyone would bring such a load on a mission.
"You two!!"
Tsunade's face darkened as she roared, "We're here on a mission, not for you to go sightseeing in the Land of Wind! Right now, immediately throw away all the extra junk! Otherwise, I'll make you carry it all the way there!"
"....."
It was the first time they'd seen Tsunade truly angry. Terrified, the two hastily dumped everything they'd brought, earning snickers and outright laughter from the surrounding villagers. Tsunade felt an inexplicable urge to start punching people.
"Lady Tsunade, thank you for taking on this task."
Fortunately, the caravan leader stepped in to save them. He knew Tsunade had accepted the mission and was inwardly delighted. This was merely a C-rank mission—normally handled by a few competent chunin—but instead, one of the Sannin herself had taken it on. This practically guaranteed the safe delivery of their goods to the Land of Wind without fear of bandits or rogue shinobi along the way.
The Land of Wind was barren, mostly covered in sandy terrain, so food and other supplies were often transported from the Land of Fire. Caravan missions requesting shinobi escorts from Konoha were common, though relations between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire appeared strained on the surface.
"It's no problem. Since we're ready, let's get moving."
With an exasperated glare at the two troublemakers, Tsunade took a deep breath to calm herself.
"On the road ahead, we'll rely on you, Lady Tsunade. Would you like us to prepare anything for your comfort...?"
The caravan members were practically grinning ear to ear. For the price of hiring mid-level chunin, they'd secured a legendary Sannin. Was there anything more thrilling than that?
"No need. We're not here for leisure."
Shaking her head, Tsunade declined their offer. She wasn't someone who couldn't endure hardship; she was simply accustomed to comfort within the village. As the team leader, she needed to set an example for her students.
"It's all your fault! Why didn't you stop me? Now look what happened—I've been scolded by Tsunade-sensei, and she's probably formed a bad impression of me. What do I do, waaah~?"
Once the caravan set off, Ronglin, Haruno Yuxi, and Shimura Ying sat atop one of the cargo wagons. Yuxi whispered accusingly to Ying, who wore an expression torn between frustration and resignation. If he could, he'd have yelled back:
"How is this my fault?! You were the one insisting on bringing all that stuff!"
What a pair of oddballs, how did they even end up together?
Ronglin shook his head and sat cross-legged on the wagon, focusing on refining his chakra. Despite already possessing an immense reserve, he never neglected the fundamentals.
The caravan consisted of over a dozen wagons loaded with food and supplies. Aside from a few civilian guards, the only shinobi escorting them were the four members of Team Tsunade.
Ah… the scarcity of advanced techniques was still his weakness.
Sitting on the swaying wagon, Ronglin didn't feel bored. Instead, he used the downtime to plan his future. Meanwhile, the other two troublemakers continued their idle chatter, speculating excitedly about whether they'd encounter bandits or rogue shinobi along the way, completely oblivious to the disapproving glances from the rest of the caravan. Even Tsunade, their teacher, felt embarrassed. Everyone else wanted the mission to proceed smoothly.
But these two? They were actually discussing the possibility of someone trying to raid the caravan.
The road to the Land of Wind was relatively smooth, yet the caravan's pace remained painfully slow.
Rocking back and forth on the wagon, Ronglin's mind wandered. What if the world of Naruto had cars, airplanes, or even cannons? How would that change things?
Which would be more powerful—nuclear bombs or Shinra Tensei? If they collided, wouldn't that be spectacular?
Anyone stuck on such a tedious mission would inevitably feel bored, and Ronglin was no exception. Still, his thoughts drifted to peculiar ideas, influenced by his past life in a world dominated by technology.
Escort missions had two defining characteristics: they took a long time, and they were incredibly boring.
"Hey, where exactly are we now?"
After enduring the monotony for so long, even Tsunade, who had initially seemed unbothered, began to feel restless. Days of sitting idly on the wagon were starting to wear everyone down.
"Lady Tsunade, we'll enter the Land of Wind after passing through the border town ahead. It should take about seven more days to reach our destination."