While they are in the Port Town, Zoro greets some people he knows while waiting for the others to adjust with the cold weather here.
The ninjas are fine because they can use their chakra to warm themselves. But the representative and his servants are normal people and they need time to adapt with the cold.
They finally can go to the next town the next day after getting some coachmen and a pair of carriages that are willing to send them to Iron Capital.
Thanks to Zoro's connection, they get nice carriages and professional coachmen at a bargain price.
"Aren't you quite famous here? I saw many people greet you happily and you even got a nice deal with the carriages." Yugito is really impressed at Zoro now.
"Well, I was one of the best mercenaries in this country back then and I took jobs that let me visit a lot of places, so I got to know a lot of people. Most of those people were my clients and mercenaries. A lot of mercenaries often challenge me for sparring in our free times and I was undefeated among mercenaries, that's why many people got to know me. Though it's hard to remember all of them, especially the ones who didn't leave big impressions."
"So the mercenaries often spar with each other even if they aren't acquaintances?"
"Yeah, they have training facilities where swordsmen use to exchange pointers. Though sparring between mercenaries has become more popular since I joined. I always challenge people every day when I don't have any job. Probably losing to a kid made them more motivated to get stronger, so they started training seriously."
"Hehe, Zoro-san has changed the whole Iron Country Mercenary Association." The coachman that listens to Yugito and Zoro suddenly joins in the conversation.
"Huh? What do you mean? I don't think I've done that greatly to even affect the Association." Even Zoro doesn't know what the coachman means.
"Well, as you say, the mercenaries have become a lot more motivated now since someone as young as you got the highest rank among Mercenaries and even won the tournament against Official Samurais a few years ago. It made the mercenaries think that it's possible to be as strong or even stronger than Official Samurais, thanks to you. They always have an inferiority complex to Official Samurais before, so they didn't work hard. But thanks to your great achievements, they become much more motivated to get stronger and trained seriously. Now, the overall power of Mercenaries has increased so much and they are taking their jobs a lot more seriously. All of that because they don't want to lose to a child."
"Are you serious now?" Zoro still can't believe that he alone changed the whole Association.
"If you don't believe me, you can visit any Mercenary Association branches to ask about it. I'm sure the officers there will treat you like a noble." The coachman smiles widely while saying that.
"..... That sounds tiresome, so I'll just believe you."
Being treated like a noble is something that Zoro doesn't like because it feels suffocating. He has been treated like that for a while when he stayed in the Iron Daimyo's place for a while after winning the yearly tournament and he absolutely hated being pampered like a Young Master there.
It's not that their treatments were bad. But he was used to being independent, so it felt so strange that he didn't need to do a lot of things himself. It felt suffocating.
Raikage and the representative who heard what the coachman said become even more sure that it's a good decision to hire Zoro for this job.
Even the good treatments and discounts they get when people know they are Zoro's "friends" have already proved that it's really worth hiring him.
In the next towns they visit on their way to Iron Capital, they are also treated nicely. Zoro's former clients are usually big figures because of his high rank as a mercenary. So they can expect such nice treatments anywhere they go with Zoro.
It takes 3 days for them to reach the Iron Capital and they aren't attacked even once since stepping foot on the Land of Iron. Not even bandits come out to attack them, which is good because they don't need to waste their energy.
Thanks to that, they arrive in Iron Capital 2 days before the 1 week negotiation schedule. So they can rest and prepare for the negotiation more thoroughly now.
In the Capital, they don't need to use Zoro's connections to get good accomodations. The country has prepared places for other countries' representatives that come to join the negotiation.
Zoro takes Yugito, Samui, and B to sightsee around the Capital. They don't have anything to do for 2 days, so B asks Zoro to take him sightseeing and the 2 girls decide to join after receiving Raikage's permission.
Compared to the other places, Zoro has more acquaintances here because he has lived in Iron Capital longer than anywhere else so far.
So he is greeted by a lot of people who seem surprised to see him back after a few months. But they all look happy and some old people even give him food or offer him to marry their granddaughters.
"You are even more popular here."
"Yeah, especially among old people."
Yugito and Samui comment while looking at the heavy luggage they carry now. They haven't even bought anything, yet the 4 of them are already carrying a lot of stuff.
Zoro can only sigh. Those old folks have always been like that since he lived here. After all, he always ran around the Capital to train and he always talked with them during his run, making him quite close with them.
Those old folks also often gave him food which he never refused because he could save up money. But he also always helped them even with menial tasks to repay their kindness which made them get even closer.
"Seems like you don't need to worry about being unable to get married too. You have already got 11 candidates so far." Samui says such a joke while still wearing her cold expression, which makes it sound even funnier.
As they joke around while walking, the group suddenly meets an unexpected group. They meet a group of Iwa ninjas who are also here for the negotiation.
"Well, well, well. Who do we have here? Ninjas from Kumogakure. Heh, it seems you are having fun and take this matter lightly seeing how you sent 3 brats for this kind of important mission."
"Hey, hey, what do you mean by a mission? I'm sure they are jusy here for vacation. Look, their sensei is guiding them to look around, HAHAHA!"
The Iwa ninjas laugh while looking at Zoro's group that looks like an average ninja team composed of a jonin and 3 genins because Zoro, Samui, and Yugito are still too young.
Samui doesn't say anything and still has her cold face. Yugito just sighs seeing how these ninjas behave. B rubs his chin, not sure how to handle this situation because they are in a foreign country now.
"Wow, I never thought I would hear such an average villain speech. Hmm, wait! It's not a villain's speech, it's a 3rd rate thug's speech. I never thought old people like you would use something like that. It's more suitable to be used by young inexperienced thugs, you know."
The Kumo ninjas try to hold their laughter after hearing Zoro's mockery. Even the usually stoic Samui wants to laugh now.
As for the Iwa ninjas, they are obviously angered by Zoro's mockery. There's no way they won't be angry when a kid looks down on them even though Zoro doesn't say something too offensive.
But the way he talks and looks down on them are too annoying. Furthermore, he calls them old when they are just in their early 20's. Sure their faces look old, but they aren't that old yet. They even think that B looks older than them, so they can't accept that insult.
"Seems like we need to teach you a lesson, kid."
The Iwa ninjas are furious and want to beat up Zoro now, but Zoro just grins.
"You sure?"
Zoro only asks that, but the Iwa ninjas suddenly chicken out. They see some Official Samurais walking from afar for a patrol and make them remember where they are now.
"Tch! Consider yourselves lucky."
Unable to start a fight with the Samurais there, the Iwa ninjas leave the scene with frustrated faces.
"Heh, idiots."
Zoro's group also returns to their inn because it's almost dark. Though Zoro regrets it a bit that they can't have a little fun just now.
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Chapter 74. Bad Situations
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