Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Arrival at the Hidden Cloud
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In the central mountains of the Land of Lightning, clouds and mist swirled endlessly.
The rugged mountain path wound upward through the peaks, and a caravan made up of over a dozen wagons was slowly advancing along the road.
The surrounding peaks were sheer and treacherous, the terrain steep, the climate humid, and thick fog blanketed the area year-round. Unless you were familiar with the lay of the land, it was all too easy to get lost.
"Oi, kid, we're almost at the Hidden Cloud Village."
On top of one wagon, the dark-skinned merchant Joe called out, tilting his head back.
His eyes were somewhat vacant as he gazed at the black-haired boy lounging on the roof of the wagon, idly playing with a small fox.
The little fox had a mask over its head, with the number "three" marked on its forehead.
"Thanks, Uncle Joe." Menma put away the Nine-Faced Fox and leaped down from the wagon.
This caravan was a loose coalition of several smaller merchant groups. The Hidden Cloud Village was nestled deep in the central mountains of the Land of Lightning, surrounded by treacherous terrain and perpetual clouds and mist, making it nearly impossible for outsiders to find.
That was why Menma had used the trade routes of Gato Company to link up with a small caravan heading to the Hidden Cloud, then placed its leader under genjutsu control.
Before long, the caravan arrived at the village gates of the Hidden Cloud.
Two Hidden Cloud ninja stood guard here, registering and logging all civilians and ninja entering or leaving the village.
Menma hopped down from the wagon and gazed into the distance at the Hidden Cloud Village shrouded in the clouds.
Amid the swirling mists of the mountain peaks, elliptical platforms had been built into the mountainsides, wrapping around the summits and forming a strikingly unique architectural cluster.
The villagers mostly lived inside these elliptical structures.
Farther off, through the thick fog, he could faintly make out an inverted gourd-shaped building flickering in and out of view among the clouds.
"What's your name? What's your business in the Hidden Cloud Village?" The guard's voice interrupted Menma's observations.
"I'm Danzo. No family name." Menma grinned, adopting a cheerful, outgoing personality like Naruto's.
Pot Shadow wouldn't mind a few more black marks on his ledger anyway.
He jerked a thumb back at the merchant behind him and said, "I'm traveling with Uncle Joe this time to sell goods from the Land of Tea. Along the way, I wanted to thank a certain Hidden Cloud ninja."
"Danzo, huh?" One of the Hidden Cloud ninja quickly sketched Menma's face in a notebook, then logged it in the register.
"What's the name of the ninja you're thanking? Or any distinguishing features? Might even know him myself." The other Hidden Cloud ninja warmed a bit to this kid who kept going on about thanking one of their own.
"Hmm, kinda fierce-looking, dark skin, head wrapped in bandages." Menma thought for a moment before answering.
The response left the gate guards shaking their heads helplessly. "A description like that? Not gonna narrow it down much—plenty of folks in the Hidden Cloud dress like that."
"No worries. I brought some local specialties from home. If I can't find him, I'll just hand 'em out randomly." Menma gestured to the wagons behind him.
The Cloud gate guards didn't probe any further. After logging everything, they waved the caravan through.
Once inside the Hidden Cloud Village, Menma split off from the caravan and headed straight for the Raikage's office building, navigating with ease.
During his years wandering the ninja world in the Limited Tsukuyomi realm, he'd visited many hidden villages. The roads and buildings of the Hidden Cloud matched his memories almost perfectly.
yo~yo~yo~yo~yo~
As he climbed a staircase toward one of the platforms, a burst of music drifted down from above.
No way. This convenient? Menma's expression twitched.
"Been trainin' since the mornin'~ stomach's growlin' loud~"
"This rap-spittin' master's got the flow~"
"Lunch is set: chicken teriyaki chow~"
"yesh! yesh! yesh!"
By the time Menma reached the large platform, he spotted Killer B up on a high stage, gripping a microphone and belting out rap at the top of his lungs.