Chapter 3

At the same time, he felt quite embarrassed by the fact that he had been scared when they approached him. He hadn't even considered why such a crowd would come to him without making any presence. Just as disappointing was the realization that his dumb brain had expected the stereotypical entrance of ninja in black attire surrounding him, ready for action.

Rubbing his head, he motioned for them to rise, wanting them to understand that they could speak freely unless he called on them. He admired their silence, a quality he found attractive in shinobi. They raised their heads, maintaining eye contact without a hint of emotional imbalance, showing how patient and attentive they were. For a moment, he struggled to keep their gaze, but he refused to show any sign of weakness.

It became clear to him why shinobi were called Farmer Samurai. By day, they were ordinary people, but when the situation demanded it, they transformed into covert warriors. That was the truly both fascinating and terrifying—how could anyone tell if the person next to them was just a commoner or a deadly expert?

Yet one thought nagged at him: he needed to know their skill ranks. But asking outright felt wrong. It could be seen as disrespectful; rank and status were deeply tied to their honor. Questioning their abilities might undermine their pride. Yet, his curiosity was hard to ignore. He hoped at least a few were chunin rank.

He cleared his throat, trying to shake off his earlier embarrassment. "So, uh, welcome," he began awkwardly, glancing at the impassive faces. "I need to, um, get straight to the point."

Taking a breath, he said, "I need half of you to gather information about the mountain tribes within a week. The rest... um, will stay with me for protection." He hoped he sounded authoritative, but doubt crept in as he spoke.

After he finished, he waved a hand, signaling them to leave. To his surprise, half of them bowed in unison and then vanished into the forest without making a sound. He stood there for a moment, stunned by their speed.

The remaining shinobi formed a protective circle around him, their discipline evident. It hit him then: these weren't just chunin. They were likely elite jonin. The realization made him gulp, feeling both a sense of awe and anxiety.

"Um, can you lead me to the nearest village?" he asked, unsure if he sounded commanding or uncertain. "We need to find a way to, you know, blend into society." His voice trailed off slightly, but they nodded and began to lead him. 

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1 week later,

he sat by the river valley, holding a fishing rod given to him by one of his men, trying to dispel the boredom that clung to him like a fog. He stared blankly at the water, unsure of what to think. "What am I even doing here?" he thought. "Is this really how I'm supposed to live now?" From the moment he opened his eyes in this world, he had hoped every day would be a dream, but that hope had faded. "I should have known better than to expect anything different."

He tried to get along, but everything here felt irritating. "No internet, no electricity, no running water... No fast food," he lamented silently, missing the convenience of his former life. Everything that had made his life easy now seemed lost to him, like a distant dream. "I can't believe I'm stuck in this place. I've got nothing left to ask from God. What have I done to deserve this sh*t?"

It had been a week since he'd slept soundly, and the fatigue was starting to weigh on him. He glanced at the other fishermen around him, preparing their boats to draw nets from the water. "Look at how they are," he thought, watching the ease in their movements. Then he noticed the familiar faces among them—the shinobi—acting like genuinely happy people enjoying daily life. "No one would doubt them," he mused. "Even I wouldn't have if I didn't know who they really are.".

For a while, he was supposed to be a deaf young man cared for by his family—that was his cover identity. "But what about the other half of the shinobi?" he wondered, they were running errands for him, gathering information about the mountain tribes. "They're running around these mountains without proper breaks, all because of my stupidity. My dumb brain didn't even consider how difficult it would be to gather information on a dozen tribes scattered across the Vale."

Even though he had given them over two months to complete their task, the guilt troubled him. "Dumba**!" He massaged his temple, trying to relieve the pressure building in his head.

Last night, he had received a dozen parchments from the spies he had sent out. To his horror, every single one was written in Japanese. "How am I supposed to read this?" he thought, anxious settling in. The messages were jumbled, and he needed to arrange them to decipher their meaning. "Not only is it in a language I don't even know, but they've gone and encrypted it too," he grumbled internally. The complexity seemed unnecessary; who in Westeros even spoke Japanese to begin with? "Unless it's some distant land like Yi Ti.".

Still, the more he learned about the shinobi, the more he admired their skills. Thanks to their efforts, he had uncovered a couple of tribes that existed in the Vale, but it wasn't nearly enough. "I need to know more about them—how strong are these tribes?" he pondered, frustration building again. He glanced at the pond, noticing the stillness; there hadn't been any movement in a while. "Great, just what I need—a lesson in patience," he thought, sighing as he shifted his position. It seemed even fishing was not on his side today.

Then he noticed a young woman washing clothes by the riverbank, surrounded by other girls from the village. She was pretty enough to catch the eye of every young man around, including the sleazy Lord of Heart's Home. "It won't be long before that je*k makes his move," he thought, frowning as he thought about Lyonel's reputation for chasing after beautiful girls. A smirk crept onto his face. "Should I just take him out?" he mused...

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Hey fam! How's the start of my fiction going? Drop your thoughts! It's time to show some love with those Power Stones, don't you think? I'm setting a goal of 100 Power Stones before I drop the next chapter. As you know, there's a ton of research that goes into this story since it's all about warfare tactics and battles. So, I'd really appreciate the support! 💪✨

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