Chapter 36

The night passed peacefully for us. Even though we were in border areas with heightened security, we couldn't afford to relax. The watches were assigned, and while it was simple enough for our team and Team Twelve—we just drew straws—the situation was slightly different with Team Eleven.

Tenten immediately volunteered to take the first watch, just like I did. However, Lee and Neji decided who would go next by playing rock-paper-scissors. I was a little surprised by this but didn't really paid attention. They can do whatever they want. Maybe Tenten wanted to flirt a little. Honestly, I didn't mind.

As I stood during my watch, absorbed in the serene beauty of the night sky, I suddenly heard light yet confident footsteps. Turning around, I saw Tenten from Team Eleven approaching me with a playful smile, hinting at something unspoken. The moonlight illuminated her figure, reflecting off her hair and giving it a soft silver tint, making her appear almost magical. Her outfit was different—she had chosen something more daring and revealing, which barely covered her graceful form, emphasizing every curve and sparking my interest.

"Hey, Suzuki," her cheerful voice broke the silence. "How's the watch going?"

I smiled back, feeling her sudden appearance bring some life to the otherwise dull task. I already had a suspicion about why she volunteered for the first watch with her team.

"Quiet as usual. It's not the most exciting job I've had, but you know that," I replied, somewhat truthfully.

She chuckled softly.

Tenten stepped closer, her eyes gleaming playfully, as if she was about to suggest something fun—or mischievous.

"I know how to make your watch more interesting," she said, tilting her head slightly.

It sounded a little suggestive. Not that I minded a bit of flirting, but it was unexpected. I wasn't sure if our captains would approve.

"Oh, and what do you suggest?" I asked, playing along with her flirtatious game.

She stepped closer, and I could feel the warmth of her breath.

"How about a contest? Whoever spots a shooting star first win," she proposed with a sly smile.

"Sounds tempting," I replied, keeping my eyes locked on her face, where a faint smirk danced. "What are the rules? Does the winner get a prize?"

"Of course. The winner gets to choose the reward," Tenten said with a wink. The implication was clear.

"Oh-oh," I grinned, feeling excitement rise within me. It was obvious I wouldn't ask for anything too bold—it would be too soon. If I wanted Tenten to genuinely fall for me, rushing things wasn't the smartest move. But then again, did I even want that? That was the real question.

During our watch, Tenten and I settled on the edge of a small hill that offered a magnificent view of the night sky. The sky stretched endlessly above us, dotted with twinkling stars, each one like a small beacon of light in the darkness. A soft breeze playfully tousled our hair, carrying the scents of the surrounding landscape.

We sat in silence, waiting for a star to fall, while remaining vigilant, knowing we were near the border and the risk of danger was high. We couldn't afford to be careless. Captain Kiochi and Captain Might Guy were surely keeping a close eye on us, ready to intervene if we crossed any lines.

"Look!" Tenten suddenly exclaimed, pointing at the sky. I followed her gaze and saw a shooting star. "A shooting star!"

It streaked across the sky, leaving a silvery trail in its wake. Honestly, it was beautiful: the vast sky, the distant stars, and the falling star created a romantic atmosphere. Yeah, I made a wish. It might sound a bit silly, but why not? I know there are forces beyond my understanding. My wish was simple: I wished for all my goals to be achieved.

"I saw it first," she said, sounding pleased with herself.

"I admit it," I agreed. "So, what's your wish?"

"Heh," she smirked. "You don't think I'll tell you right away, do you?"

"And why not?" I shrugged.

"I want you to think about it for a while," she replied. "I'll tell you when we're back in Konoha."

"Oh-ho, so you want to play," I said with a light smirk. "Alright. In the village, then. I'm curious to know your wish, but I'll wait."

After that, we chatted a little more about random topics, but nothing too serious. When our watch ended, we parted ways and handed over the watch to the next shift before heading to our tents.

The morning began with a lively wake-up call, as we had a meeting with the archaeologists ahead.

"Good morning, genins," Captain Kiochi greeted us as we packed our belongings and prepared for the day. We needed to freshen up and have breakfast. "Today is going to be a busy day, so you need to present yourselves in the best way possible to our clients. Understood?"

"Hai," we replied. We understood the importance of the mission since our clients were archaeologists from the capital, working for the state. Essentially, we had been assigned a mission by the government.

"Excellent," he nodded, satisfied. "I'll go talk to our clients, and you wait here."

We waited for several hours, spending the time meditating and resting. Eventually, a long caravan approached, led by our sensei. It was large because the archaeologists had brought a lot of personal belongings and other equipment needed for their work. The wagons resembled mobile homes, pulled by animals that looked like oxen but had chakra and strange abilities.

As I learned from the captain, these oxen were called Hummers. They were excellent draft animals, capable of pulling heavy loads. Additionally, they were incredibly enduring and had the ability to emit light from their horns, allowing them to travel at night. On top of that, when a Hummer began moving in a certain direction, its horn would glow yellow, indicating the way forward. It was a strange ability that reminded me of the turn signals on cars from my home world. Naturally, my next question was about the origin of these animals. They couldn't have just appeared out of nowhere.

The caravan with the wagons stopped for a while, but no one emerged or took any action. All the students, assistants, and professors stayed inside, keeping to themselves. Captain Kiochi approached us with a satisfied smile.

"Alright, teams," he began. "Our mission starts now. Take your positions."

"Hai."

All three teams responded in unison and moved to their assigned positions. Since there were more than three genin, the formation was a bit different. To ensure the right layout, we had to account for everyone's unique abilities. For instance, Neji was placed in the center because, thanks to his Byakugan, he could see much farther than anyone else. This way, he would be the first to spot any potential danger—this is the typical role for any Hyuga in most formations.

Akamichi was positioned at the front due to one of his clan's techniques, the Meat Tank. If the caravan was attacked or encountered an obstacle blocking its path, he would use this technique to clear the way. The caravan would then follow, trying to escape the trap. Everyone else rotated positions, switching every hour or two.

I started at the rear of the caravan, as assigned. Everyone else took their designated spots. Once everything was ready, Kiochi-sensei gave the order to move. Captain Tetsuya and Captain Guy also took their stationary positions, although they could quickly adjust them if needed. Guy was stationed in the center, ready to charge forward to confront any threat. Sarutobi was at the front to assist his genin in case anything happened. Captain Kiochi remained at the rear, overseeing the entire situation.

The caravan began to move, slowly picking up speed. Surprisingly, the Hummers could reach quite a high pace for such large animals. Of course, they couldn't match the speed of shinobi or the cars from my world, but their movement was still impressive. We moved in sprints, occasionally jumping onto the roofs of the wagons to rest or recover our strength.

After a few hours, we reached the border. Since we were traveling on a well-known route, there were other travelers besides us. Some were accompanied by shinobi, while others had only personal guards, who probably had abilities of their own.

At the demarcation line, the route was divided by several posts, both on our side and on the side of the Land of Hot Springs. We stopped right at the border, and the leader of the archaeologist group jumped out of the wealthiest wagon. He immediately approached the border guards and presented them with some document. The guards, simple men, quickly scanned the document and nodded, allowing us to pass without delay. On the side of the Land of Hot Springs, we were briefly held up, but not for long. Although no shinobi were visible on either side, I was certain that if necessary, several fully trained teams would appear in an instant, ready to defend.

We moved quickly, which I appreciated. No one planned to stop for lunch. Only as nightfall approached did we make a brief stop to let the Hummers rest and prepare for a long night's journey.

At night, our caravan continued moving, bypassing other travelers' camps without stopping. The other travelers didn't seem particularly pleased with our presence, but they couldn't do anything about it. The shinobi with them, who were not from Konoha, weren't keen on provoking conflict but kept a close eye on us.

By morning, we reached a fork in the road and turned away from the city of Hotto, known for its hot springs—just like the country from which it took its name. The city was also famous for its various entertainment venues.

"Hotto City," sensei remarked as I sat next to him. There was a trace of nostalgia in his voice. "The City of Sins, where you can find any kind of entertainment."

"Have you been there, sensei?" I asked.

"Yes," the jonin nodded. "I've had a few missions there. It's quite a place. But I wouldn't recommend going there unless you're a jonin. They can cheat you, and you wouldn't even notice. Many people go there just to lose their money."

"I see," I said, taking his advice seriously. "What's the most interesting thing there?"

"The casinos," the captain answered immediately. "There are so many of them, you can't even count. And there's all sorts of adult entertainment too."

We circled around the city for more than half a day—it was that large. Occasionally, patrols from the local state guard passed by, but they paid us no mind. Massive caravans like ours didn't interest them.

After passing the city of Hotto, we headed toward Yui, the capital. Yui was also a large city, but it was known for its ancient architecture, which had survived the Shinobi World Wars, and its excellent clinics, frequented by the wealthy and minor officials. There were entertainments in Yui as well, but not nearly as many as in the City of Sins.

The capital was located between two mountain ranges, forming a natural barrier between the two countries. The countries were connected by one major road that ran between these mountains. During the last war, the Land of Lightning managed to cross this range, capturing Yui, Hotto, and even parts of the Land of Fire. It was then that Minato Namikaze, the future Hokage, demonstrated his combat prowess, making everyone fear him like fire. The Yellow Flash of Konoha wiped out a thousand Kumogakure shinobi in a single battle, turning the tide of the war. Konoha's forces pushed Kumogakure out of the Land of Hot Springs and back beyond the mountain ranges. A peace treaty was signed after that, leading to the creation of two buffer countries.

Beyond the city of Yui, our caravan stopped for the night, allowing the Hummers to rest, feed, and drink. The assistants immediately began checking the animals and repairing the worn horseshoes after the long journey.

We, too, got a chance to rest, which pleased everyone, especially the girls, who could finally relax after the exhausting march. The guys from Team Twelve also looked worn out but kept pushing through. Team Eleven was in better shape, though they didn't stand out much either. The only one truly enjoying the forced march was Lee, as Guy had encouraged him to treat it as training. He was running around the caravan like a whirlwind of energy.

Shiko lay on the grass, damp with evening dew, and closed her eyes, trying to forget her fatigue, even if just for a moment. Her breathing was deep and measured, and her hair spread out around her, contrasting with the green of the grass. The air was fresh, filled with the scents of the forest. She turned toward Captain Kiochi, his figure silhouetted against the setting sun. The sun itself was already sinking behind the horizon, leaving the world to the embrace of night.

"A few more days to the border," he began, his voice calm and confident as always. He stood, leaning on a long staff, his gaze fixed on the distant road. "And after that, a few more days to the excavation site. If nothing delays us."

"O-oh," Shiko sighed heavily, her voice full of fatigue. She sat up, resting on her elbows, and gazed at the distant horizon.

"If you have nothing to do during the rest, you could try meditating like Machine over there," Captain Kiochi suggested, nodding toward me. He smiled, but there was a seriousness in his eyes.

"We're not Suzuki, training at that pace," Yamanaka countered, her voice laced with obvious exhaustion and a hint of jealousy.

"Why not?" the captain responded, ignoring the last part of her comment. He looked at Yamanaka, waiting for an answer. "All of you can. Take a cue from Rock Lee, who is constantly training."

"But he can't use chakra properly," Shiko quickly replied, standing up from the grass. She looked worn out but determined.

"A-ah! Is that so?" the captain spoke with a touch of sarcasm. "If he compensates, then why are you, who have no health problems, falling behind him? Huh?"

Shiko stood, staring at the captain, her expression filled with doubt and confusion.

"Well, Captain," she began to whine slightly. "But we, but I—"

"I see, Shiko," sensei interrupted, his tone strict and unwavering. "When we return, you'll be groaning during the training sessions. All of you. I haven't forgotten my promise to make you chunin."

It didn't sound like just a promise but more like a threat—one I was sure the captain would keep. Well, if he really pushes us to train hard, it means I'll be able to grow stronger faster. Honestly, that's not bad. And if such training sharpens Ayama and Shiko's minds a bit, that would be a good outcome too.

I continued meditating, observing the natural chakra but refraining from interacting with it too much. I had a feeling it might be dangerous, not just for me but for those around me as well. If we encounter any rogue ninjas, I might try it out—just weave a microscopic drop into an attack. The effect should be noticeable, though I can't imagine exactly what would happen. For some reason, I'm convinced that the secret to rapid power growth lies in mastering this chakra... at least a little.

Meanwhile, the archaeologists began setting up camp. It was clear they didn't want much to do with us and didn't even bother leaving their wagons. Each mobile home had its own kitchen where their food was being prepared. Occasionally, delicious smells would drift through the chimneys, but we weren't allowed to try their food. We had to make do with our own supplies, which were nothing compared to the 'aristocrats' food. To be involved in archaeology in this world, you needed not only money but also to belong to a powerful clan or a well-known family. In short, we were traveling with some pretty big shots.

I had a feeling that ordinary bandits would avoid us. Only fools live long around here. But the ones we might need to worry about are state-backed bandits. The real concern is encountering someone at the level of a jonin or chunin. That would put us in serious danger. I hope nothing like that happens, but I'm preparing for the worst-case scenario.