In just a moment, Asahi saw Hanzo rushing towards him from the Rain Village.
The Rain Village shinobi who had stayed behind as a monitor looked utterly astonished. Who was Hanzo? He was the leader of the Rain Village, a man referred to as a demi-god in the ninja world. It could be said that there were very few people in the entire ninja world stronger than him.
For such a prominent figure to appear so excited due to Asahi's arrival, it left everyone wondering about Asahi's background.
Hanzo immediately greeted Asahi with a bow, "I apologize for not welcoming you properly, Master of the Tazuna Clan."
Although Asahi might not seem very powerful at the moment, Hanzo had learned his lesson from their previous encounter. Last time, Asahi had given him quite a scare, even though he had meant no harm. If not for Asahi's good intentions, Hanzo might not be alive today.
From the moment Hanzo appeared, Asahi had a sense of unease. What was going on with this guy? Did he want to fight again?
That couldn't be it. They had cleared things up last time. So, was he excited? Nervous? Overjoyed?
It seemed that Asahi had made quite an impression on Hanzo last time. Well, that meant he didn't need to come up with various ridiculous reasons to deceive him this time. That was good news, at least.
Asahi pondered all of this silently while maintaining a composed exterior.
Hanzo noticed Asahi's unease and said, "I apologize for the lack of proper welcoming. What trouble brings you here, Master of the Tazuna Clan? Perhaps we should continue our conversation inside the village."
Hanzo's tone held a hint of amusement. Even though he didn't know what trouble Asahi was facing, he was confident that it wasn't related to an enemy threat. Hanzo trusted Asahi's intentions, and if there was something he could help with, it was an opportunity to strengthen their relationship.
Asahi, trying to appear calm, replied, "Well, it's nothing major, but I do have a favor to ask. Shall we discuss it inside the village?"
Hanzo raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Asahi's request for help. It seemed like there was more to this visit than met the eye.
"Of course," Hanzo said with a hint of a smile. "Let's proceed."
With Hanzo leading the way and Asahi following, the two of them walked toward the Rain Village. The clever Rain Village shinobi, who had been monitoring the situation, was discreetly dismissed by Hanzo, leaving Asahi to discuss his matter privately with the village leader.
Even though getting soaked in the rain was uncomfortable, maintaining one's image was essential.
"I am Asahi," he thought to himself, "and I must portray myself as a calm and composed master."
Indeed, when Hanzo saw Asahi's demeanor, his desire to establish a good relationship with him became even stronger.
Despite Asahi's leisurely pace, the two of them quickly arrived at Hanzo's office.
Asahi had initially suggested that he shouldn't go inside because his clothes were wet. However, Hanzo didn't mind his office getting wet. In fact, he explicitly invited Asahi inside to take a look.
Asahi accepted the offer since Hanzo didn't seem to mind. If they were fine with it, why not?
Unlike the Hokage's office in the manga, Hanzo's office was a combination of an office and a banquet hall, giving it a rather luxurious appearance.
Asahi didn't make any particular reactions. After all, he came from a world where luxury was far more extravagant than here. There was no need to be surprised.
"Please have a seat, and feel free to tell me what brings you here. We, the Rain Village, will do our utmost to assist you," Hanzo said, not trying to boast about the luxurious office.
Asahi wasn't seeking anything grand, so he straightforwardly explained, "Here's the deal. I've just taken in three disciples, and I plan to teach them in the Land of Rain for a while. However, I've recently entered this country, my resources are limited. So, I'd like to borrow some supplies from you."
Hanzo immediately understood. There was more to Asahi's visit than just the ordinary business. This was an opportunity to earn Asahi's goodwill, and he was willing to help.
"Don't worry, my friend. Although our Rain Village is not wealthy, providing these items is well within our capabilities," Hanzo assured Asahi.
Hanzo called one of his subordinates and instructed him to prepare training supplies, a few sets of bedding and clothes, some provisions, and have them delivered.
However, Asahi stopped them. "Wait!"
Hearing this, Asahi realized that there was something else he needed, so he stopped one of the Rain Village shinobi who was about to leave to prepare the supplies.
Seeing both Hanzo and the Rain Village shinobi looking at him with curiosity, Asahi adjusted his expression. Then, with a composed demeanor, he said, "By the way, please prepare some seasonings for me as well. I'm quite particular about my food."
Hanzo slapped his forehead in realization, feeling apologetic. "I'm truly sorry; I overlooked that."
Asahi waved his hand dismissively. "No need to blame yourself, Hanzo-sama. After all, I am the one asking for your assistance."
A couple of compliments later, the Rain Village shinobi went downstairs to prepare the requested supplies.
Hanzo and Asahi sat on a bench and engaged in casual conversation. Primarily, Hanzo wanted to indirectly learn more about Asahi's background. Asahi's mysterious aura had piqued Hanzo's curiosity.
"You mentioned that you've only recently entered this country, and you were in private training before. Is that correct?"
"Yes, I've been training with my master since I was young. I only left my private training and began my journey after achieving mastery in my skills. I'm also scouting for the next generation of disciples," Asahi replied confidently, having prepared his backstory.
"It seems you come from a long-standing tradition. Despite the frequent wars in recent decades, you managed to practice in peace," Hanzo remarked.
Asahi nodded in agreement and continued to fabricate his narrative. "Yes, our Tazuna Clan has a long history. My current peace is thanks to the wisdom of the predecessors in our clan."
"Several generations!" Hanzo was astonished. The concept was mind-boggling; it was much longer than the existence of the ninja world itself.
Hanzo had suspected something, but he never imagined the truth would be so staggering. He had no reason to doubt Asahi's words. Why would a powerful individual deceive a weaker one? It wasn't logical.
From this point on, Hanzo knew he needed to pay even closer attention to Asahi. After all, what was most valuable in the ninja world? Ninja techniques! And what were ninja techniques? Knowledge. How much knowledge could an organization that had existed for several generations possess? It was beyond imagination.
At this moment, Hanzo had practically constructed the Tazuna Clan's history in his mind. All that was left was his deepening sense of astonishment.
"Your clan's history is truly... ancient," Hanzo remarked, not knowing what else to say, feeling awed by the history.
Asahi, however, remained unfazed and shook his head slightly. He continued to inspect his "leaks" and address his "shortcomings."
"We're not as prominent as we once were, unfortunately. Over countless ages and in recent centuries, very few members of our Tazuna Clan have appeared."
"As a result, we are on the brink of fading into obscurity. Just after I assumed the role of clan leader, my master pushed me to take on disciples..."
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