C5

"It's really desolate during the war." Kain muttered to himself as he took in the empty, war-torn landscape around him. He had just arrived in the world of Naruto via a trading system that allowed him to travel between dimensions, but he hadn't been able to choose his exact landing location. Now, he needed to find a suitable trading partner quickly. Only then could he place the trading tokens required to keep him in this world.

"I've only got two days," Kain thought, "and every time I shuttle back and forth, I have to appear within fifty miles of the transaction mark. The mark is tied to the trading partner, too. What a ridiculous rule." He grimaced at the thought. "I need to find someone who'll stick around for a long time, but I only get this one chance. If I mess it up, I can't come back."

Kain was anxious. If he didn't find a trading partner within the allotted time, the world would be lost to him, and the trading system would reset, sending him off to a new, unfamiliar world. Finding a person who was both willing to trade and had a long lifespan seemed like an impossible task, especially given the war-torn state of the world. On top of that, once the trading token was bound to this world, Kain would be stuck for at least two years before he could replace it with a new one.

"Why does this system have to be so complicated? And this weather…" Kain glanced up at the sky, raindrops falling steadily on his face. "It's been raining ever since I got here."

He was grateful that he had packed a full set of daily necessities, including umbrellas and rain gear, but after two hours of trudging through the wilderness, he was getting frustrated. He had yet to encounter another soul, let alone someone who might make for a viable trading partner. He had no clue where he was, and the idea of missing out on the shinobi plane made his stomach churn.

As a wealthy man with time to spare, Kain wasn't out of shape. He had trained in martial arts and firearms, so the physical act of walking for hours wasn't a problem for him. The real issue was not knowing how long it would take to find someone, and whether that person would be a suitable trading partner. If things went south, he could always retreat to the Marvel world he knew and give up on the shinobi world.

"Am I really going to be this unlucky with my first trade? The Pent family has believed in God for generations, and yet here I am, the only heir, wandering around in the rain in some war-torn world. Where's the divine protection?"

He walked for another hour before he finally came across something—a ruined building in the distance. It wasn't much, but it offered temporary shelter from the rain. Kain noticed the remnants of battles, scorched earth, and debris littering the ground. The war had left its mark on this place.

He didn't know which direction would lead him to a village, or even a battlefield where he might find someone to trade with. Still, he reasoned that if he found himself in real danger, he'd return to the Marvel universe as soon as possible. There was no point risking his life for a failed transaction.

"Anyone there?" Kain called out, keeping his hand close to his gun, his voice echoing through the ruins. After waiting a few minutes with no response, he decided to release a drone to scout the area for potential threats. Once the drone confirmed the coast was clear, Kain sat down to rest.

He was running low on energy. If he wasn't so close to a potential battlefield, he would've treated himself to a steak, but for now, he could only snack on some chocolate, jerky, and energy drinks. As he ate, Kain monitored the drone's feed, but it didn't reveal anything useful.

"Four hours down, forty-four to go," he said to himself, glancing at his watch.

Suddenly, a soft noise caught his attention. Kain immediately dropped the energy drink, grabbed his gun, and pointed it in the direction of the sound. "Who's there?" he shouted.

For a tense few seconds, there was no response. Kain fired a few warning shots into the ground, the bullets making sharp, loud sounds as they struck the earth.

"I'll say it one more time. Come out, or I won't hesitate to shoot."

"Don't shoot! I'll come out!" A small, frightened voice called out from behind a large boulder. Slowly, a boy with orange hair emerged. He couldn't have been older than ten, with a stubborn but scared expression on his face.

Kain didn't lower his guard, keeping the gun trained on the boy. "Are you alone? What are you doing here? I scanned this area earlier, and there was no one around."

"I was just looking for something to eat," the boy replied nervously. "I'm homeless. I was too hungry, so I came here to see if I could find any food."

Kain eyed the boy suspiciously. "There aren't any villages nearby. You're out here by yourself looking for food? Sounds like you're not being honest with me…"

Even though the boy was just a kid, Kain knew better than to trust him completely. He kept his distance, ready to return to the Marvel world at a moment's notice if things took a turn for the worse.

The boy, sensing Kain's distrust, raised his hands in a defensive gesture. "I'm telling the truth! I came here because I want to find a ninja and become an apprentice. I'm just trying to learn ninjutsu. I was passing through and saw this place, so I hid from the rain."

"Looking for a ninja apprentice?" Kain raised an eyebrow. He took a closer look at the boy's orange hair and asked, "What's your name?"

"Yahiko. My name is Yahiko."

Kain's eyes widened slightly. Yahiko. That name meant something to him. He quickly deduced that this was the time of the Second Shinobi World War, and Yahiko, along with his two companions, had yet to meet Jiraiya.

"All right, Yahiko. Call your two friends over," Kain said, rummaging through his backpack. He pulled out three pieces of bread and ham, throwing them over to the boy. "I've got food for all of you."

Yahiko's eyes widened in surprise. He glanced at the bread and ham and then back at Kain, realizing that this stranger knew more than he let on. The fact that he had enough food for three people told Yahiko that Kain knew about Konan and Nagato, his companions.

After a brief hesitation, Yahiko called out, "Konan! Nagato! Come out! He's got food; he's a good guy!"

Kain scoffed inwardly at Yahiko's naivety. A good guy? He was a businessman, a capitalist. Goodness wasn't in the job description.

But for now, he had found the trading partners he needed.