"Zenkichi, let's go for a walk together!"
"The Land of Fire is the richest among the Five Great Nations, and Konoha is much better than our Kirigakure."
Before Zenkichi could return to his room and enjoy a cup of afternoon tea, Terumi Mei ran over happily.
"Wandering around Konoha? Sounds like a pretty good idea."
Zenkichi thought for a moment and readily agreed to Terumi Mei's proposal.
To put it simply, the Land of Fire is the most developed of the five great nations.
It may not be entirely accurate to call it a "developed country," but it helps illustrate the gap between it and the others.
The Land of Wind is a vast desert, the Land of Earth is rocky and harsh, the Land of Lightning is mostly mountainous plateaus… only the Land of Fire is located on fertile plains, with lush fields and a favorable environment.
The Land of Water, composed of countless islands, is the weakest among the five. Despite other countries having difficult terrain, they are domestically unified. The Land of Water, however, suffers from poor transportation and scattered territories, making it difficult to fully unite.
Because of this, the economy of the Land of Fire is the most advanced among the Five Great Nations. In terms of development, Kirigakure is like a third- or fourth-tier city, mainly functioning as a military outpost. The village economy is poor, riddled with internal conflict, and not suited for business. There aren't even many shops.
But these things didn't matter much to Zenkichi. Right now, all he wanted was to take a stroll through Konoha.
In terms of combat strength, if ranked in levels, Konoha would be able to tie with the other four nations combined—though not indefinitely. They could fight the world alone for a time, but eventually, they would be worn down.
Without the developed economy of the Land of Fire backing it, Konoha wouldn't be able to maintain such formidable strength.
"Yo! Yagura, heading out too?"
Zenkichi and Terumi Mei walked out of the room and spotted Yagura just about to leave, so they greeted him.
Yagura snorted and turned away coldly.
Zenkichi curled his lips into a mischievous grin and said loudly, "I heard there are a lot of beauties in Konoha's bathhouses. Don't go using your 'size' to sneak in!"
Yagura staggered, his face flushing red. He turned and snapped, "What nonsense are you spouting!?"
Zenkichi blinked innocently. "Huh? You looked like you were in such a hurry, I thought maybe you wanted to pretend to be a kid and peek in the women's bathhouse. Am I wrong?"
Veins popped on Yagura's temple, and dark lines appeared on his face. "I… I wouldn't do something that stupid!"
Zenkichi picked at his ear nonchalantly. "You don't sound too confident about that."
Yagura fumed, "Just wait! When we get back to Kirigakure, you're dead!"
Zenkichi just chuckled and brushed it off. He's just a kid—what could he really do?
---
Konoha Streets
Terumi Mei hesitated, then gently reached out and held onto Zenkichi's arm.
Zenkichi glanced at her, surprised.
Terumi Mei looked away and said, "Konoha really is a lot more prosperous than our village."
Zenkichi sighed internally. His charm lately had been a little too effective. He was attracting beautiful women at a pace that felt… overwhelming.
This was a burden no one his age should have to bear—but it was something he'd have to get used to.
Zenkichi's expression turned serious, radiating a dignified aura. He had a strong sense of righteousness. With the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit (Pika Pika no Mi), he had to maintain his image.
"This looks great!"
Zenkichi's attention was caught by an eyewear store nearby.
He walked in and picked up a pair of brown-tinted sunglasses—classic Kizaru style.
"These are the ones!"
Zenkichi put the sunglasses on, looked in the mirror, and found they suited him perfectly.
Unlike Kizaru's slightly sleazy vibe, he looked sharp—cool even.
Zenkichi stared at himself in the mirror, then curled his lips into a sarcastic smile.
Hmm… very Kizaru.
This smile wasn't hard to learn, but it wasn't for amateurs—it could easily cause misunderstandings.
"I'll take these."
He pointed at the sunglasses and addressed the shop owner.
"Twenty ryō."
The shopkeeper glanced up and gave the price.
"I've got it."
Terumi Mei stepped forward and paid with a smile.
"Isn't that a bit inappropriate?" Zenkichi asked, a little conflicted.
Wouldn't that make him look like he was being kept?
A high-ranking shinobi being treated like a sugar baby? Even Kizaru wouldn't accept that.
"If you feel bad, just treat me to a meal sometime," Mei offered casually.
"That's fair."
Zenkichi nodded. Terumi Mei was being so proactive—it would be harsh to shut her down completely. That might hurt her pride.
He couldn't help it… he was just too kindhearted!
---
Just then, a massive tree materialized behind them. Vines shot out, wrapping around Zenkichi and binding him tightly.
As Zenkichi and Terumi Mei stepped out of the shop, the world suddenly shifted—the street warped around them, and the environment changed in an instant.
"An illusion?"
"The test from Konoha's side already?"
"Interesting."
Zenkichi smiled, clearly entertained.
Back in Kirigakure, Loquat Jūzō had tried all kinds of techniques, including every chakra nature, and none of it worked on him. There had been plenty of onlookers then—perhaps Konoha had acquired some intel.
Even if they hadn't, there was no way they'd try something flashy like elemental attacks in the middle of a crowded street.
An illusion, quiet and subtle, was a smarter move.
"Too bad."
"Genjutsu is useless on me—unless it's something like Tsukuyomi or Kotoamatsukami."
A smirk appeared on Zenkichi's face as he activated his ability—body elementalization.
The simplest way to break out of genjutsu is to disrupt one's chakra flow.
Whether it's disrupting it yourself or getting a teammate's help, that's standard practice.
Zenkichi, thanks to his light-form transformation, naturally disrupted his chakra every time he shifted between flesh and energy.
He was completely immune to basic illusions.
---