This ninja in Naruto is unscientific

Chapter 85 The Thief

A small fishing village on the eastern border of the Land of Fire, by the sea.

The salty sea breeze, carrying the stench of rotting fish, was particularly pungent on this gloomy afternoon.

Nishikawa Tetsu adjusted his straw hat. The fastest route to the Land of Hot Springs was by water. Crossing this sea would take you directly to that neutral country known for its hot springs and pleasures.

"The ship to Yu-no-Kuni won't depart for another two hours."

Nishikawa Toru glanced at the dilapidated merchant ship at the dock that was loading and unloading cargo, and decided to find a place in the village to rest and replenish his supplies.

As soon as I entered the village market, a cacophony of cursing and muffled thuds of fists and kicks came from a nearby alley.

"Beat them! Beat them hard!"

"You red-haired freak! How dare you steal my steamed bun!"

"Don't you even know whose territory this is? You want to eat when you have no money?"

A group of fishermen dressed in coarse linen clothes and smelling of fish were gathered in a circle, punching and kicking a lump of "thing" on the ground.

Nishikawa Tetsu didn't want to meddle, so he kept his eyes straight ahead and prepared to walk across the alley.

However, through the gaps in the swaying crowd, a glaring flash of bright red suddenly entered his peripheral vision.

That's the color of my hair.

Even mixed with mud and filth, that red color remained tenacious and conspicuous, like embers about to burn out.

Nishikawa Tetsu stopped in his tracks instantly.

In this ninja world, there aren't many people with this hair color.

Aside from the easily angered Kushina, and Nagato who's currently working as a laborer in the Land of Rain...

"The Uzumaki clan?"

Nishikawa Tetsu's eyes narrowed slightly, and he turned and walked into the alley.

Through the crowd of people beating him, he could see the child on the ground.

It was a girl, who looked two or three years younger than me. She was so thin that she was skin and bones. She was wearing an ill-fitting, tattered gray linen coat, and her exposed hands and feet were covered with chilblains and bruises.

She did not cry out or beg for mercy when she was beaten by several adult men.

She simply curled herself up into a small ball, like a frightened hedgehog, using her thin back to bear the rain of punches and kicks.

In her arms, she tightly protected a white steamed bun covered in mud.

"That reaction..."

Nishikawa Tetsu narrowed his eyes.

Although the girl was being hit, she would use her chakra to protect the affected area whenever a heavy blow landed. Her chakra was weak and disordered, but it was definitely there.

This child should have a low tolerance level, but he is often hungry and has a very poor physical condition.

"These fishermen are just ordinary people. If she wanted to resist, any C-rank ninjutsu would scare them away."

Nishikawa Tetsu thought to himself.

"But she didn't. Was she fleeing from pursuers? Or was she simply enduring it for survival?"

"Bang!"

A burly man, seemingly exhausted from beating her, kicked the girl hard in the waist, right where her kidneys are located.

The girl groaned, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, but she still held the steamed bun in her arms tightly.

"Damn, you've got some tough bones!" The burly man spat, grabbed a wooden stick from the roadside, and said, "I think you've got a death wish!"

The wooden stick was raised high and then slammed down with a whooshing sound.

If that blow lands, the girl probably won't live much longer, since ninjas are a class with high attack and low defense.

Moreover, ninjas are also human beings; humans die when they are killed.

"Smack."

A slender, fair hand firmly grasped the rough wooden stick.

The burly man was stunned. He tried to pull the stick out, but it wouldn't budge.

He turned around angrily: "Which blind fool..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Nishikawa Tetsuya.

The boy was dressed neatly, and although he had a faint smile on his face, his black eyes were icy cold.

Most importantly, the boy had a metal headband with a spiral blade logo tied to his left arm.

That is proof of the Konoha ninja.

"Ninja... Ninja-sama?!"

The burly man's arrogance was instantly dampened, and the wooden stick in his hand clattered to the ground.

The surrounding fishermen were so frightened that they retreated one after another, their arrogance instantly turning into groveling fear.

In this world, ordinary people have a natural awe of ninjas.

"What's going on?"

Nishikawa Tetsu released his grip, took out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped his fingers, and spoke in a flat tone.

"Sir, this freak stole the steamed buns from my stall! They were made of fine flour and cost five ounces!" the burly man stammered, afraid of angering the ninja from Konoha.

Nishikawa Tetsu glanced down at the girl on the ground.

The girl sensed the beating had stopped and cautiously raised her head.

It was a dirty little face, but its eyes were surprisingly large, with a deep sense of vigilance hidden in them.

When she saw Nishikawa Tetsu's headband, her body visibly trembled. She wanted to shrink back, but she couldn't bear to part with the food in her arms.

"So that's how it is."

Nishikawa Tetsu sighed, not blaming the girl, but turning to look at the burly man.

"Sorry, this is my good-for-nothing sister."

Nishikawa Tetsu made up a bunch of nonsense, his face showing a helpless expression of misfortune for his family.

"I have some mental issues and I'm greedy. I ran away from home without warning, causing trouble for everyone."

"Huh? Sister... my little sister?"

The burly man and the surrounding villagers were dumbfounded.

Look at this well-dressed, distinguished Konoha ninja, and then look at the girl on the ground who looks no different from a beggar.

One has black hair, the other has red hair—can they really be siblings? You're kidding me!

But under the intimidation of the ninjas' martial prowess, no one dared to question them.

"Yes, yes, so it's your sister..." The burly man smiled obsequiously, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. "Since it's a misunderstanding, then... then forget it. It's just a steamed bun, it's worthless, worthless."

"That won't do."

Nishikawa Tetsu reached into his pocket, took out a banknote, and handed it over between two fingers.

"Here is one hundred taels. Five taels is for the steamed buns, and the remaining ninety-five taels is compensation for everyone—after all, I can see that your hands and feet were quite sore from the beating."

"This..." The burly man looked at the banknote, somewhat unsure what the ninja master meant.

"Take it, then get out of here."

Nishikawa Tetsu's voice was gentle, but his tone carried an unquestionable command.

"Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"

The burly man snatched the banknotes and ran away with his accomplices, afraid that he would change his mind.

The alleyway has returned to quiet.

Nishikawa Tetsu turned around and squatted down in front of the girl.

The girl stared intently at him, her body tense to the extreme, like a small animal ready to pounce and hurt someone or run away at any moment.