Born To Rise In Konoha-Chapter 74

The TV was placed directly across from Kaka’s bed, allowing her to watch comfortably while lying down.

Beside the bed stood a small cabinet adorned with several framed photographs. At first glance, they were all pictures of Saitama and Kaka.

From the photos, one could see the passage of time—Saitama had matured, while Uchiha Kaka had grown older.

The largest frame captured a moment from New Year’s Day. Saitama had come to visit and taken a photo with Kaka. In it, he stood behind her with a gentle smile, his hands resting naturally on her shoulders. Uchiha Kaka wore a kind expression, clearly content in his company.

"Mother-in-law, I’m about to head out on a mission outside the village. I wanted to let you know," Saitama said.

Uchiha Kaka’s pupils narrowed subtly, though her tone remained calm. "Alright, Saitama. Be careful. Don’t worry about this old woman—my body’s sturdier than you think."

"Understood. Please take care of yourself." Saitama nodded. He walked over to the bed, lightly adjusted the quilt, then turned and left.

"Ah..." After the door closed behind him, Uchiha Kaka let out a soft sigh.

Am I the only one who still sees him as a boy under eight years old?

Her thoughts drifted to the past, and she lost interest in the television. The screen before her seemed dull and distant. freewebnoveℓ.com

Turning her head, her eyes settled once again on the photos...

---

"Drip."

A drop of water hit the stone floor, breaking the silence.

"I’ve confirmed the departure time from the village. Awaiting your orders."

"Send someone else. You’re dismissed."

"Yes!"

The chamber returned to silence, gloomy and hollow like an ancient tomb.

Thump.

The sound of a cane striking the ground echoed. Footsteps followed, along with flickering shadows moving through the pipe-laced hallways.

---

In the Hokage’s office, the Third Hokage—Hiruzen Sarutobi—stood at the window, gazing at the sky while exhaling a long stream of smoke from his pipe. The air was thick with the scent of tobacco.

---

Later, at the village’s northern gate, Saitama returned to the rendezvous point near the pub and found the client’s entourage already gathered.

There were nearly a dozen attendants, several servants, and finally, the client himself: Lord Xiahu, a noble from the capital, traveling in early spring.

"Saitama! Ready to go?" Xiahu leaned out from his carriage, waving cheerfully.

"Yeah." Nodding, Saitama leapt up onto the roof of the carriage and sat cross-legged.

"Glad it’s flat," he muttered. "Better than those pointed-roof carriages from old period dramas."

A few servants lagged behind, while the man known as Baji-hu—a mustachioed butler—sat at the front and guided the reins.

After completing registration at Konoha’s checkpoint, the convoy officially departed. The procession was surprisingly grand. Saitama figured it would take at least half a month to reach the capital at this pace.

But there was no way around it—he couldn’t just abandon the servants. With nothing else to do, Saitama sat atop the carriage and practiced micro chakra control in silence.

They departed around noon, heading east. The convoy moved steadily until the sun dipped toward the horizon.

"My lord, shall we camp here for the night?" Baji-hu bent slightly, reaching out to assist Xiahu from the carriage.

"Get your hands off." Xiahu brushed him away casually. "Tell the others to make a fire and start cooking. Set up the tents. There are blankets in my carriage. Take them out—it’s freezing out here."

"Yes, right away!" Baji-hu didn’t seem the least bit offended. He was clearly used to the noble’s blunt manner.

He turned to gather the dark-clad servants and relayed the orders.

"Saitama, coming down to rest?" Xiahu called up to him.

"I’ll scout the area first," Saitama replied, brushing nonexistent dust off his pants. He looked around briefly, then leapt into the trees.

They had entered a forest, far from Konoha. Saitama had underestimated their pace. Despite the convoy’s size, the servants were clearly in excellent shape—true products of a shinobi world. The carriage hadn’t slowed, yet they kept up effortlessly.

Saitama darted silently through the forest, checking the perimeter for any threats.

---

Meanwhile, Baji-hu had completed his duties. He pulled a chair from somewhere and placed it behind Xiahu.

"Sit, my lord."

"Mm." Xiahu nodded, eyes scanning the surrounding trees.

"Bring me something to drink. I’m parched from the ride."

"Of course." Baji-hu disappeared and returned shortly with a ceramic wine jar.

"My lord, this is Konoha sake. I brought it along when we left."

"Hmm, not bad." Xiahu raised an eyebrow in surprise, unsealed the jar, and inhaled deeply before taking a generous sip.

"Konoha’s sake tastes better than the swill in the capital. I’ll have to bring more next time."

Just as Saitama returned from his patrol, he spotted Xiahu already drinking. His brow furrowed slightly.

He really likes drinking, huh? Saitama recalled Xiahu drinking heavily before the journey even began. Though the man didn’t seem the reckless type, Saitama couldn’t help but think:

People who can’t control their impulses usually struggle to achieve anything truly great.

Still, it wasn’t his place to interfere. He stood quietly and watched the others prepare camp and cook.

---

"Saitama, come eat something!" Xiahu called out, holding up a roasted leg of some unknown animal.

"I’m good." Saitama pulled out his own dry rations—compact cakes designed to last through long missions.

Ninjas on extended assignments never trusted outside food. There was always the risk of poison, intentional or not.

"Suit yourself." Xiahu shrugged and tore into the meat. He understood well enough that ninja had their own rules.

Even though the roasted meat looked delicious, Saitama forced his attention back to the dense, chewy ration in his hand, biting into it slowly and deliberately.

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