A cool breeze gently brushed against their faces. The weather was glorious today, with a vast expanse of blue sky stretched overhead.
Below them, a refreshing natural vista unfolded. Rows of verdant mountains extended as far as the eye could see. At that moment, he was perched atop a colossal green bird, his hands gripping the thick plumage on its back.
He glanced to his left. Megumin and Aqua looked utterly terrified by the altitude. Meanwhile, Darkness still wore a somber expression, preoccupied by the near-death experience she'd just endured. He couldn't really blame her. After all, not everyone considered flirting with death a casual pastime, like he sometimes did. Even so, he wasn't exactly eager to repeat the sensation of dying. He still wasn't sure if shuffling off this mortal coil would mean another respawn or reincarnation.
This was the first time he'd experienced the sensation of flying directly on a bird. Even after being reincarnated into this Magical Fantasy World, he'd never had the opportunity.
From this vantage point, he began to notice a multitude of settlements dotting the landscape. Contrary to his expectations, the houses down there sported strikingly modern designs, far more advanced than the dwellings in his previous world. Not only that, but he also saw many traditional Japanese-style houses arranged neatly in rows.
It felt like stepping back into Japan…
The designs of those homes were practically identical to modern Japanese houses. Especially with the utility poles lining the roads, the resemblance to Japan was uncanny. The only real difference was that the roads were still made of dirt.
"Kazuma!" Megumin called out to him.
"What are those poles lining the road?" Megumin asked curiously, pointing at the objects in question.
"Huh?" Kazuma struggled to understand Megumin's words over the roar of the wind caused by the bird's speed. He couldn't hear her clearly.
Megumin grew slightly irritated. "I said, what are those poles by the side of the road?!" she shouted.
"Oh, those are called utility poles," Kazuma replied casually, waving his hand dismissively.
"Utility poles?" Megumin frowned, wondering to herself, What's that? Some kind of magical artifact?
"I'll explain later. I'm too tired right now," Kazuma responded, letting out a big yawn.
"Okay," Megumin conceded with a nod.
A unique, modern cityscape began to fill their view. It seemed they had arrived at Amegakure. This was further confirmed by the presence of towering skyscrapers that pierced the sky. Moreover, the atmosphere here felt distinctly different from the outside. It was gloomy and bleak, much like Gotham City, rife with criminality.
He surveyed the unusual modern city below. It had been a year since he'd seen a sight like this.
Did they just experience some kind of natural disaster? he mused internally, noticing quite a few ruined buildings and structures from this height.
From up here, he could also see long lines of people waiting to enter Amegakure. He didn't understand why they were willing to queue for so long just to enter this seemingly depressing city. However, one thing was clear: Amegakure was vastly different from its anime depiction.
And also… isn't Amegakure supposed to be a village?! Then why am I looking at a modern city? he mentally exclaimed.
It seemed he couldn't rely on his anime knowledge anymore. This was clearly a different version of the Naruto world, not the one he knew.
But this was also good news. He was sick of living in a place without modern conveniences. At least, even if it wasn't as modern as Japan, he wouldn't have to sleep in that dilapidated mansion filled with nothing but medieval European furniture.
He wouldn't have to eat bland, tasteless food from the Middle Ages anymore. No more hunting monsters or taking on dangerous quests just to earn money. At the very least, he was hoping for a decent job with a stable monthly income – that was his expectation for the job offer Nagato had given him.
One thing was certain: he didn't want to be a shinobi. A shinobi's job wasn't that different from an adventurer's. Therefore, he would choose the job Nagato offered, the one with a steady paycheck every month, he thought with a smug little grin… hehehe.
Finally, they landed in a flat, concrete clearing. He noticed a strikingly tall building on his left.
That building… I recognize it. It's the Akatsuki headquarters! Kazuma stared in amazement at the building with the face carving sticking its tongue out.
"Alright, we're here. Let's get down," Nagato said, instructing his bird to lower itself.
She hopped off, followed by Megumin, Aqua, Darkness, and finally Kazuma.
Megumin gazed in awe at the cityscape, which looked completely foreign to her. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. She had never seen building architecture like this before.
"Kazuma, look! This city is incredible! I've never seen a city with buildings like these!" Megumin exclaimed joyfully, spreading her arms wide.
"Yeah, you're right," Kazuma agreed with a nod. From this moment forward, the turning point in his life would begin.
"Hey, you two! Why are you so excited? Have you forgotten what that guy did to Darkness? Look at her, she's still traumatized!" Aqua snapped at Kazuma and Megumin, her expression one of disappointment and anger.
"Sorry, Aqua. You're right," Megumin apologized. She went over to Darkness and gently touched her shoulder. "Darkness, are you alright?"
Darkness nodded. "I'm okay, Megumin. I just need a little rest to get rid of this pain in my stomach," she said, rubbing her abdomen.
"Okay, just hang in there a little longer," Megumin understood. Even though the physical wounds on Darkness's body had been healed by magic, the sensation of pain lingered. This was normal after being healed with magic and would usually disappear within a few hours.
Suddenly, they saw a swarm of origami butterflies fluttering in the air. The origami figures headed towards Nagato's location, startling the other four.
The swarm of origami then coalesced, forming a human body until it was a complete, flesh-and-blood person.
Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness gaped in disbelief at this magical display, while Kazuma watched in admiration.
"T-those pieces of paper turned into a person?" Darkness stammered in shock.
They were stunned as they watched the human figure materialize from the fluttering sheets of paper. The figure descended gracefully, her feet touching down lightly on the concrete. As they looked closer, they realized it was a very beautiful woman. Her lavender-blue hair flowed elegantly, a striking contrast to the red cloud-patterned robe that draped her body with style, matching the orange-haired girl beside her. The mysterious woman exuded a mature aura, suggesting she was likely in her early twenties.
Konan looked coldly at the four people behind Pain's Animal Path. "Nagato, where have you been?" she asked.
"I was just securing the Gedo Mazo," Nagato replied.
Konan's eyelids flickered slightly at this. "Oh, and who are these people?" She looked curiously at the four of them, noticing their strange and eccentric attire, especially the light blue-haired woman.
"No idea. I just found them suddenly appearing in the Amegakure Forest when I went to summon the Gedo Mazo. But one thing's for sure, they can't use ninjutsu or control chakra," he explained, glancing at them with a peculiar look, even though he knew what had actually happened. However, he couldn't tell Konan that.
"Interesting. Can't use ninjutsu or control chakra, yet they suddenly appeared in the Amegakure Forest. Intriguing indeed," Konan mused thoughtfully, her right hand on her chin.
"So, where's your real body?"
"Still in the Amegakure Forest. I'll summon it now." Nagato connected his consciousness to his real body, which was currently sitting on top of the Gedo Statue's head.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
Nagato's real body appeared before Konan and the others. Megumin, Aqua, and Darkness were no longer surprised by the summoning magic used by the orange-haired girl, as they had already learned she was a summoning magic specialist.
He severed his connection with the Animal Path and left it on auto-pilot.
"Return," he commanded.
Without a word, the Animal Path vanished from their sight.
Konan noticed the torn right sleeve and lower leg of Nagato's outfit, as if they had been ripped forcibly. "What happened to you?" Konan asked, concern in her voice.
From the tone of her voice alone, it was clear Konan was worried about him. He felt a surge of happiness inside.
"Ah, this. I'll explain later." He examined his damaged clothing.
"So, what are your plans for them, Nagato?" Konan asked, shifting the topic to the four strangers behind Nagato.
"I'm going to give them jobs. We need a lot of workers to build this kingdom right now," Nagato said, heading towards the Akatsuki building.
"For now, give them a place to stay. I'll take care of the rest later," he called out, waving his right hand without turning back.
"Always like this," Konan muttered softly, so no one could hear her but herself.
She then turned her gaze to the four strangers, observing them one by one. Though curious, she decided not to ask any more questions. Nagato must have his reasons for bringing them here.
"Follow me," Konan said flatly, turning and walking towards the same building Nagato had entered.
Kazuma, Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness exchanged glances before silently following Konan. They were still captivated by the modern cityscape they had never seen before.
The inside of the building was far more magnificent than its gloomy exterior suggested. The walls and floors were predominantly clean white. Bright lights illuminated the space, creating a cool and comfortable atmosphere. This was a stark contrast to the buildings in their world, which tended to be dark and stuffy.
Konan led them down a long hallway until they reached a door. She opened it, gesturing for the four of them to enter. "This will be your room for now. Get some rest."
Kazuma and his three companions stepped inside. The room was spacious enough for four people. They were impressed by the complete set of furniture and amenities inside. There were four beds, wardrobes, a table, chairs, and even a private bathroom.
"If you need anything, you can ask one of the attendants," Konan said before closing the door and leaving.
The four of them were still stunned, taking in their surroundings. This place was definitely much better than the mansion they had owned in their world.
"I can't believe we got such a luxurious room," Megumin said in amazement.
"Seriously, this is like a five-star hotel room," Kazuma agreed. He sat on the edge of a bed, feeling the softness of the mattress and the smooth sheets.
Aqua's eyes lit up. "Look, there's even a bathroom! I can't wait to take a bath." She hurried into the bathroom.
Meanwhile, Darkness chose to lie down. She still needed rest to fully recover. Gradually, her eyelids grew heavy until they finally closed, taking her into the realm of dreams.
Kazuma sighed deeply, collapsing onto his bed. He closed his eyes, trying to process all the unexpected events of the day. It felt like a dream, but this was real.
"I'll explain everything tonight, while we're eating," Kazuma murmured softly.
...
To be continued....