The first thing Torifū did was to rush to the room housing the old hen, eager to see if the crane eggs had hatched.
Before he could even push the door open, he heard the distinct chirping of baby birds from within. Overjoyed, Torifū burst through the door.
As he expected, two small cranes with soft white down were nestled beneath the hen. They were considerably larger than chicks and appeared very healthy. He regretted missing their hatching, unsure of exactly when they had emerged.
It seemed the old hen was quite adept at caring for her young, as the two little cranes remained tucked securely under her wings.
The hen, seeing Torifū enter, immediately let out a vigilant cry, protecting her charges even more tightly. Witnessing this, Torifū decided not to disturb them further. It was enough to confirm the smooth hatching and health of the young cranes. He planned to sign a contract with them once they were a bit older.
Torifū also considered buying the hen from Aunt Mamiko, as she was, in essence, the 'mother' of the two little cranes.
As evening approached, Torifū opted to stay home. He looked for something simple in the kitchen to prepare for dinner, settling his stomach for the night. Soon after his meal, the sun dipped below the horizon, signaling the day's end.
The next morning, Torifū woke early, even before his system notification. After grabbing a handful of grains from the kitchen to feed the hen, he began pondering new techniques.
While Torifū possessed numerous ninjutsu for both group and individual combat, he lacked many large-scale destructive techniques. The few he had mastered were part of the Cloud Style inheritance, not techniques he had developed himself.
Last night, he had a small burst of inspiration before bed, and he was eager to implement it that morning, which explained his early start.
After an hour or two, Torifū finally stopped, panting heavily. The continuous expenditure of chakra had left him exhausted. Fortunately, his teacher had given everyone a day off today, so they didn't have to gather for training.
With a general idea of his new technique solidified, Torifū paused to rest and eat. High-intensity solo training wasn't always advisable, but he was a disciplined individual.
"Well, I should go find Naori today. I haven't seen her in so many days, so I can tell her about what I've seen along the way."
Naori had been very disappointed that she couldn't participate in the Tailed Beast capture plan. Such an important mission had mobilized almost the entire village. Had she not experienced the clan's internal strife the night before, she would have certainly fought for the right to participate. However, that conflict had made her acutely aware of her own limitations.
During Torifū's mission, Naori had diligently trained under Hashirama's guidance. Her strength had significantly improved, primarily due to her unwavering hard work and ambition.
Hashirama was pleased with her progress but remained a little concerned about Naori's physical well-being. Every couple of days, he would ask Mito to prepare nutritious food to help Naori recover.
It was almost noon when Torifū left home. The timing was perfect for lunch, and he decided to share a meal with Naori at the Akimichi barbecue restaurant.
"Torifū!"
Naori spotted Torifū from a distance and jumped up, waving her arms to get his attention. Seeing her, Torifū ran over and stopped steadily before her. "Long time no see, Naori."
"Yes, counting the time, you've been out for almost a month."
Torifū nodded in agreement. The journey itself had consumed most of the time; the actual capture of the Tailed Beast took less than an hour.
"Tell me quickly! Are the Tailed Beasts powerful? What do they look like? Are they the same as what's said in the books?" Naori's eyes sparkled with intense curiosity as she peppered Torifū with questions.
"Don't worry, Naori, let's go eat first, and we'll talk while we eat."
"That's right, hehe, let's go!"
Seeing Naori's enthusiasm, Torifū felt a wave of relief. He had been concerned that she might be disheartened by her inability to join the mission, but it seemed his worries were unfounded.
"Yo! Isn't this the God of Wealth of our shop! Please have a seat, esteemed customer!" The boss, upon seeing Torifū and Naori enter, immediately rushed forward to greet them, leading them to the best spot in the restaurant.
"You're too polite, boss," Naori said with a slight smile.
"Is it the same as usual today?" the boss asked tentatively.
Torifū thought for a moment, then looked at Naori, and from her eyes, he saw a clear affirmation. "Yes, the same as usual."
The boss then shouted loudly: "Bring all the side dishes from table number one, and then twenty plates of meat!"
The surrounding guests were astonished by the appetite of the patrons at table number one, but Torifū and Naori seemed completely unfazed. They neither questioned nor paid attention to the stares of those around them. They were still growing; what was wrong with eating more?
The other diners, having indulged their curiosity, soon returned to their own meals. The boss, too, hurried back to the kitchen, urging his staff to expedite the orders so as not to keep his "God of Wealth" waiting.
"Torifū, tell me quickly!"
Seeing Naori's continued eagerness, Torifū began recounting everything he had witnessed during his journey. He included details about him and Tobirama entering Kamata Village and their stay at Mifune's home.
"Eh? Samurai? I've never seen one before."
Torifū waved his hand dismissively: "It is said that most of the samurai now are just half-baked and weak."
Naori pouted upon hearing this: "Maybe that Mifune will be able to revive the samurai in the future?"
"You're so optimistic about him?"
"I'm just guessing. From your description, this person's determination is very good, so perhaps?"
Torifū remained silent, simply acknowledging Naori's surprisingly accurate judgment.
"What are we going to do in a while?" Naori asked while grilling meat.
"Let's go see Tsunade. I also have a gift for her."
"Eh? I didn't prepare anything!" Naori immediately panicked. Visiting the master's precious granddaughter empty-handed was truly inappropriate.
"It's okay, I've prepared it for you." Torifū produced a delicate small wooden box from his arms and pushed it across the table to Naori.
Naori picked it up, observed it carefully, and then gently shook it. "What is this? How much does it cost? Can I afford it?"
"You'll know when you open it. It's just a small thing and not worth much, about a thousand ryō."
Naori nodded. A thousand ryō was indeed negligible for her. "What is it, so mysterious."
Naori placed the box on the table and slowly opened the lid. Suddenly, a warm and gentle light green glow emanated from within, illuminating Naori's face. Naori immediately felt her body relax completely, and even the soreness in her hands and feet from her intense training dissolved.
The people around were also drawn by the green light and turned their heads to look. Naori was so startled that she quickly put the lid back on.