19 Chapter 19: The Sorrow of Small Town

Two months later, the three young disciples had shed their initial frailty. They had grown significantly taller, no longer looking thin and weak.

"Alright, your two-month physical training comes to an end."

Over these two months, the progress and performance of the three disciples had satisfied Asahi greatly. Although they didn't show the same excitement they did initially, two months of training had made them much more composed.

However, even though their excitement wasn't visible on their faces, it was still bubbling inside them.

"Master, can we start the next phase of training now?"

The three disciples looked at Asahi with anticipation. They had grown fond of the feeling of gradually becoming stronger.

Thinking about entering the next phase of training soon, they couldn't contain their excitement.

Asahi nodded. "Yes, you're right. Next, you'll begin the next phase of training. However..."

Asahi paused, and the three disciples perked up their ears, eager to hear what he had to say.

"However, our food supply is running low, so we need to go to a nearby town to buy some supplies."

The eyes of the three disciples instantly lit up. "Go to the town to buy supplies? That's great!"

Seeing their enthusiasm, Asahi couldn't help but chuckle. After all, they were just children, and despite two months of rigorous training, they still longed for the bustling world outside.

"So, Master, when are we leaving?"

Konan's eyes were filled with anticipation, while Yahiko and Nagato eagerly watched Asahi.

"We'll leave right away, and we can spend the day in the town," Asahi said with a faint smile.

"Yeah! That's great. Master, wait a moment. I'll take off the weights and then we can go," Yahiko shouted excitedly, making a move to run back to the small wooden house.

But Asahi, quick on his feet, grabbed him by the collar. "Remove the weights? I forgot to tell you all, from now on, unless it's combat, you'll wear weights even in your daily life!"

"Of course, you can take them off when you sleep~"

Asahi chuckled, his eyes squinting in amusement. From the perspective of the three young disciples, it looked like a devilish smile.

Asahi had no intention of making them fight with weights on. After all, being a ninja meant having high offense but low defense, and one small mistake in combat could lead to death. Restricting their own strength with weights and fighting like that would be foolish.

"Master, are you serious? You know those weights are..."

Before the disciples could finish their complaints, Asahi interrupted, "Of course, think of it as part of your regular physical training."

Seeing Asahi's uncompromising attitude, the three disciples reluctantly accepted the fact.

Resisting was impossible and would only make them suffer more. They had learned this lesson, especially with Yahiko's mischievous antics.

As Asahi looked at his disciplined students, he nodded in satisfaction. This was the kind of respect a master deserved.

"Alright, let's set off. We aim to reach the town before noon."

Hearing Asahi's words, the previously subdued three disciples were instantly revitalized. They were easily contented; a scolding followed by a sweet reward was all they needed.

"Hurry, hurry! Master, I want to go to the hot springs. I've never been to one!"

Yahiko, who had been gloomy just moments ago, suddenly appeared excited and dashed off into the distance.

Asahi watched him with a hint of amusement. This guy really knew how to bring joy to their journey.

"Yahiko, hot springs are fine, but you're going the wrong way!"

Creak!

Yahiko's figure came to an abrupt halt in the distance. His posture gave off a slightly embarrassed vibe.

Despite this awkward moment, his strong mental resilience prevented him from feeling embarrassed. Instead, he quickly returned to Asahi's side and urged him to lead the way.

Konan and Nagato on the sidelines couldn't help but laugh.

Asahi, feeling somewhat helpless, said no more and began walking in the direction of the town. In the Rain Country, he might not know everything, but he certainly knew where to find a town.

As Asahi moved, the three disciples quickly followed him, running swiftly through the forest.

After covering some distance, they could see the outline of a city in the distance.

The city, known as Fall City, was one of the few larger cities in the Rain Village.

While it still couldn't compare to the cities of the major nations, it would be enough to meet the needs of Asahi and his disciples.

"Wow, Master, it's been so long since I've been to a city. I wonder how it looks now," exclaimed Yahiko, brimming with excitement even before entering the city.

Konan and Nagato shared his enthusiasm, all eagerly anticipating this trip.

Asahi, however, was unaware of the current situation in the city. But judging from the lack of activity outside, it seemed that the city was not in a good state.

Asahi wasn't particularly surprised; he had expected this. Even before entering the city, he could sense an underlying atmosphere of oppression.

There were very few pedestrians on the streets, and most of them seemed to be in a hurry.

This made the three disciples uncomfortable. They hadn't been in a town for so long, and it didn't match their expectations of a lively city.

However, Asahi wasn't too surprised by this scene. In fact, it was what he had anticipated all along.

The four of them continued walking through the city, and an uneasy silence hung in the air.

Suddenly, a pleading voice reached their ears, breaking the silence.

Turning their heads, they saw a woman with a five or six-year-old child, standing in front of a shop, desperately begging.

Both the woman and the child had pale faces, and their visible emaciation was a stark reminder of their hardship.

The woman, in particular, looked as though she could be blown away by a gust of wind.

"Sir, please, my family has no money left. Look at this child; he hasn't eaten for a day. Can you please help us?"

The woman's desperate plea was met with a response from the middle-aged man facing her.

He appeared equally helpless and explained, "Ma'am, it's not that I don't want to help you. I'm just a small vendor, and my food supplies are already gone. What little we have left is reserved for our own families."

"It's not a matter of whether you have money; even if you had all the money in the world, I still couldn't sell to you!"

The woman's distress deepened as she heard the man's response. She didn't persist but offered a word of gratitude before moving on to the next shop.

The middle-aged man on the other side of the conversation looked somewhat ashamed as he quickly closed the shop's door.

Observing this scene, the three disciples were reminded of their own pasts, when they were equally vulnerable and helpless.

Their emotions overwhelmed them, and their eyes reflected the sadness they felt. Konan even had tears glistening in her eyes.

Taking hold of Asahi's arm, Konan timidly asked, "Master, can you help them?"

<End Chapter>

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