"Obito, you must be careful on the road. Stay close to Minato-sensei and let him protect you, understand?" Kushina said tenderly, adjusting Obito's collar.
Obito grumbled slightly, "Kushina-nee, don't worry. It's not like this is our first long-distance mission. When I get back, I'll be a great hero of Konoha!"
Minato stood by, smiling. "Alright, Kushina, I'll look after them. It's getting late; we should head out."
Kushina nodded, still looking uneasy. "If there's real danger, don't take unnecessary risks!"
"I'm a shinobi! How can I be so cowardly?" Obito raised his chin proudly.
"When you all return together, I'll cook something delicious for you," Kushina finally laughed, reaching out to ruffle Obito's hair.
Soon, Minato's team assembled at Konoha's main gate. The four of them set off quickly toward Kannabi Bridge.
Meanwhile, in the capital of the Land of Earth, Daimyo Castle.
Oddly enough, the capitals of the Five Great Nations were all simply referred to as the "Daimyo Castle." The only way to distinguish them was by their prefixes, like "Land of Earth" or "Land of Fire."
At this moment, three individuals were strolling through the capital of the Land of Earth.
While the front lines were embroiled in fierce combat and the hidden villages were in turmoil, the true national capital remained exceptionally prosperous. It was as if the war on the borders had nothing to do with them. In fact, due to the war, the people here were making a fortune. Walking from the towering city gates, one could see massive merchant caravans transporting wagons of goods toward Iwagakure.
"All this makes me doubt if the Third Shinobi World War is even happening," Diarmuid remarked, walking down the street with a pipe in hand.
Diarmuid's attire had shifted styles again. Since arriving in this world, he hadn't cut his hair. His once medium-short hair now had a long, flowing quality to it. He had tied it into a casual ponytail behind his head, giving him an air of unrestrained freedom.
His clothing had also changed to fit the local culture: a loose, silver-gray haori and hakama. The fabric was embroidered with a fierce "Tiger Descending the Mountain" pattern, and up close it looked aggressive, but from a distance, it had the ethereal quality of a landscape painting. Hanging at his waist was the Cursed Blade, Kokorowatari. At a glance, he looked like a handsome, dashing samurai; but with the jade-inlaid ivory pipe in his hand, he also resembled a high-ranking noble.
This outfit didn't look out of place in the capital, where "nobles" were a dime a dozen.
Behind him followed Kakuzu and Hiruko. These two had no sense of fashion or aesthetics, which was ironic, considering Sasori constantly touted himself as an artist. Now, walking down the street, they looked like a young noble lord followed by two retainers.
"What does the life or death of those on the front lines have to do with these nobles and wealthy merchants? Even the commoners living here don't feel much," Kakuzu said indifferently.
Sasori glanced at the Daimyo's estate in the distance—a castle within a city. Samurai patrolled the perimeter, and shinobi with the character for "Earth" (土) on their wristbands moved in and out. These were likely the Daimyo's private armed forces.
"Infiltration or direct assault?" Sasori asked.
"I say, this is my first time in one of the capitals of the Five Great Nations. Can't we wander around for a few days first?" Diarmuid asked, somewhat annoyed. After all, once they pulled off this job, their faces would likely be plastered on "Wanted" posters at every city gate. Any future visits would have to be in secret.
Kakuzu spoke up immediately: "I have the same intention. Why don't we disband for now?"
"What are you going to do?" Diarmuid asked.
"The gambling dens," Kakuzu replied flatly.
Diarmuid: "???"
You gamble? He always thought a miser like Kakuzu wouldn't touch the "Three Vices" (gambling, drinking, and women). He'd never seen Kakuzu have any bad habits.
"You're going to place some bets?" Diarmuid asked, surprised.
Kakuzu frowned. "I never gamble with my own money. It's just that after this mission, I won't be able to enter the capital for a long time. I haven't collected on two high-interest loans I gave to the house managers here. I'm going to settle the accounts before we start."
Diarmuid's eyelid twitched. Of course. You lent high-interest money to the house managers of a gambling den? But on second thought, that was quintessential Kakuzu.
"Fine, let's disband. We meet in three days at the signal," Diarmuid said. Kakuzu nodded and left immediately; he clearly knew his way around.
After Kakuzu left, Diarmuid looked at Sasori. "And you?"
"In that case, I'll check the markets. Since it's the capital, there might be some rare materials..." Sasori thought for a moment, gave a nod, and departed.
Diarmuid smirked. Once both figures disappeared into the crowd, he grabbed a middle-aged man walking past who looked like a local. The man was plump, wearing extravagant clothes with a jade pendant and a gold-inlaid emerald Buddha around his neck—clearly a man of means.
"What do you want?" the man asked, annoyed.
Diarmuid, however, looked very much the "noble" himself. His ivory pipe alone was worth over 1.2 million ryo. His silk haori was a masterpiece he'd picked up from the Land of Bears Exchange Point.
"Brother, I just arrived from the Land of Fire today. I've never been to your capital. Recommend some fun places," Diarmuid said with a grin, sliding a white jade ring into the man's hand.
To a wealthy man or a noble, cash was vulgar; a small, high-quality trinket worked wonders. The man felt the quality of the ring and immediately beamed. "Oh, no need to be so formal! We people of the Land of Earth are very hospitable. Just ask away!"
The man leaned in and whispered, "What kind of fun are you looking for?"
"You know," Diarmuid winked, flashing a "gentleman's" grin.
"Hehehe, then you've asked the right person," the "Old Pro" laughed wickedly.
It had been over a year since Diarmuid left the world of One Piece. He was feeling a bit restless. In the past, he was always accompanied by Hina, Gion, or even Stussy. Now, with only Kakuzu and Sasori for company, his quality of life had plummeted.
Besides, places like the Pleasure District were hubs of information.
The "Old Pro" whispered, "Outsiders usually don't know this, but the Pleasure District is just southeast of here. Don't go to the biggest place, White Gallery. Go to Flower's Whisper. The girls there are talented and refined. As long as you're willing to spend, you'll never want to leave."
The man smacked his lips. "Actually, now that you mention it, I'm in the mood myself. Shall we go together?"
Diarmuid's eyes lit up. "No problem! With you leading the way, I won't get lost."
See? Having an "old pro" to guide you makes everything easier.
Soon, the two were chatting as they walked toward the Pleasure District. Along the way, Diarmuid heard plenty of stage names for the top courtesans.
"Speaking of which, an Oiran arrived from the Land of Water a few days ago. But she only sells her art, not her body. They say she's a peerless beauty looking for a man of talent. Tsk... if only I weren't so uncultured, I'd have tried my luck," the man said, patting his chest.
Diarmuid looked at him with newfound respect. Men of his status rarely admitted their flaws, especially something like being "uncultured," which sounded quite undignified. But this man spoke freely and broadly; he had a certain genuine, bold character.
Indeed, the guys who become veterans in these places are always this boisterous... all you're missing is a Cadillac.
"Is that so? I'm not much, but I've got a bit of culture in me. Maybe I'll give it a shot," Diarmuid said with a chuckle.
"If you actually succeed, you've got to tell me all about it!" the man said, winking excitedly.
Under his lead, Diarmuid entered the Pleasure District of Daimyo Castle. It was currently dusk, and the unique atmosphere of twilight was especially prominent here.
Flower houses of all sizes were beginning to hang their lanterns. The streets were filled mostly with men peering left and right. On the second floors of many houses, windows were opened. In the dimming light of the evening, everything felt hazy and ethereal. The women were laughing brilliantly, tossing flirtatious glances at the wealthy-looking men below, showcasing their charms.
At the same time, various melodies drifted from the pavilions, and the scent of wine permeated the air. For a moment, it felt as though every breath was thick with the fragrance of powder.
Ah, the Pleasure District... it's been a while.