After crossing the bridge, Aoto gazed around with curiosity, appreciating the breathtaking beauty of the Land of Iron. The scenic views made him realize that it would be a tragedy to witness such splendor be marred by destruction – all the more reason to eliminate Danzo.
As they continued their journey, they eventually reached a village. The weather had turned noticeably colder, in line with the Land of Iron's characteristic snowy climate for most of the year. Passing through several villages was becoming quite routine by this point.
The villages in the Land of Fire were abundant in resources, mainly centered around agriculture, with rice fields and other crops adorning their path. Some villages even displayed ingenuity, converting forests into arable land for planting vegetables and fruits. This abundance of natural resources was part of the reason why the Land of Fire and Konoha attracted attention from neighboring villages.
However, as they neared the village bordering the Land of Iron, the sight was different from the previous affluent villages. This particular village seemed impoverished, and it was evident that the people here were struggling to lead ideal lives. Aoto felt a tinge of sadness, understanding that he couldn't change their circumstances at this moment. His long-term goal was to elevate the standard of living worldwide, but it required significant influence and the help of the system, a lofty ambition for the future.
While walking through the village, a group of ragged children of around 4 years old emerged seemingly out of nowhere. Their sunken cheeks and tattered clothing revealed the dire state of malnutrition they were in. One of the children approached Aoto and tugged at his pants. Witnessing their condition, Aoto's eyebrows furrowed, and he took out a banana from his pouch, handing it to the child.
The child's eyes lit up at the sight of food and eagerly devoured the banana. Aoto smiled and reassured, "Calm down. There's more for everyone." Seeing this, the other children gathered with pleading eyes. Aoto couldn't help but sigh, producing a dozen bananas to distribute among them.
The children's joy was palpable, and though the villagers around observed the commotion, they kept their distance. Perhaps Aoto and the others' headbands were a taboo in this region, or maybe the villagers were just content that the children were getting some much-needed food.
Curious about their circumstances, Aoto asked, "Where are your parents?"
"We don't have them. They died in the war," one of the children replied honestly. Aoto was taken aback; he hadn't expected the children here to be orphans. The others in his group remained silent, not interrupting Aoto's interaction with the children.
"Mr. Banana man.. Are you a shinobi?" asked the curious child.
"Banana man? Hey, I have a name – Aoto Yamazaki. And no, I'm not a shinobi," Aoto replied, feeling somewhat irritated by the name the child had given him. John, Kakashi, and Corazon couldn't help but chuckle at the humorous moniker.
"You're lying! You have the Konoha headband. Only shinobi have those headbands," the child insisted.
"Hehe, well, that's true, but what if I bribed them to give me a headband?" Aoto joked.
"Really? You have that much money?" The child was amazed at the thought of someone having enough money to buy a headband and bribe others.
"Maybe I do. What's your name, kid?" Aoto asked.
"Takeshi," the child replied.
"Hmm.. Here's some money so that you can eat for a few days." Aoto took out some ryo from his pocket and extended it towards Takeshi, speaking in a hushed tone to ensure nobody else overheard their conversation. Surprisingly, Takeshi and the other children shook their heads in refusal, leaving Aoto puzzled.
"If you're worried about someone stealing the money, don't be. It's for you," Aoto reassured them.
"We don't want money. We thought you were a shinobi, so we approached you," Takeshi explained.
"Oh, what does being a shinobi have to do with offering help?" Aoto asked, genuinely confused.
"Our friend... Our friend... He fell off a cliff... We don't have anyone here who can help us," Takeshi said, tears streaming down his face. The other children followed suit, their distress evident.
Aoto's tone softened, and with sincerity in his voice, he urged, "Please, tell us what happened. Even though I'm not a shinobi, these people here are. We'll do what we can to help."
Takeshi then recounted how they were playing in the nearby woods, close to a cliff that led down to the river. During their playtime, one of their friends accidentally slipped off the cliff and got stuck on the way down. Although the boy wasn't seriously injured, they lacked anyone brave enough to climb down and bring him back up.
Aoto listened attentively, and his eyes conveyed his willingness to assist. He glanced at Corazon and the others, silently seeking their support. Itachi appeared uncertain, sensing something amiss, but deferred to Kakashi, the captain of the group.
"I think we can take a detour and help them, but we should remain alert," Kakashi said cautiously.
"Thank you," Aoto expressed his gratitude.
Kakashi continued, "Since you're the one who is leading mission, your decision carries weight. However, you'll have to stay behind me during this small side mission we're taking on."
"Don't worry, Corazon here will always protect me," Aoto reassured.
"He's a shinobi?" Kakashi inquired.
"Something like that," Aoto replied with a smile. Corazon also smiled in response to Kakashi's curious gaze, but they understood it wasn't the right time for further explanations. And so, the group prepared to assist the children and embark on this unforeseen side mission. They followed the children and before hey could even reach the cliff, Corazon tugged his back.
Aoto turned around only to see Corazon shaking his head. He already knew what Corazon meant with that shake.
This was an ambush! One of the cliché ambush ever. But Aoto was more furious. Not because the children had betrayed him but because who uses such young children as bait for ambush? He wanted to get to the bottom of it.
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