Chapter 122 122: I'll Fucking Fight You All!
A certain small town in the Land of Fire, so insignificant that mapmakers hadn't even bothered to name it. Two intersecting streets formed a simple cross, and it took less than ten minutes to walk from one end to the other.
On the outskirts of the town was a river. It was neither wide nor deep, with a gentle current that made the cobblestones at the bottom clearly visible.
The scenery was neither good nor bad. It was just an ordinary small town, the kind that could be seen everywhere in the Land of Fire.
Uchiha Taiga had been in the Land of Fire for over half a month. After leaving the previous town, he arrived here and had stayed for four or five days.
It wasn't because the town was particularly special, but because he had gotten into a stubborn contest with the river just outside it.
On his first day here, he spotted several large fish in this river. They were huge and looked plump and delicious. He figured the fish here couldn't be much smarter than the ones in Konoha and Kumogakure, right?
So he sat down, and he hadn't left since.
He sat there day after day, getting completely skunked every single time.
Yugito Nii kept him company, sitting there from the first day to the fifth. Her initial anticipation had turned into a habit, and that habit had devolved into sheer numbness.
Just like right now. Uchiha Taiga sat on a large rock by the river, holding a fishing rod. His eyes were glazed over, staring blankly at the bobber on the water's surface.
The bobber remained completely motionless, as if nailed to the surface. The water was clear enough to see the bottom, where fish swam back and forth around his hook. Occasionally, they would stop to inspect the bait before leisurely swimming away.
He was already used to it.
Yugito Nii sat on a rock next to him. Seemingly long accustomed to his current state, she minded her own business and trimmed her fingernails.
The faint clicking of the nail clippers sounded exceptionally clear along the quiet riverbank.
After finishing one hand, she blew on her fingertips, glanced at Uchiha Taiga, and then looked at the water.
Most of the day had passed, and the fishing line hadn't twitched once.
Yugito Nii put down the nail clippers and sighed softly.
"So, it's already the fifth day. Just how much longer are you going to wait here? Aren't we going to the Land of Wind?"
Her tone carried a sense of helpless resignation. She had already concluded that Uchiha Taiga might never catch a fish in his entire life, and sitting here was nothing but a waste of time.
But she wouldn't say that out loud, because it would be useless. A fisherman in this state wouldn't listen to reason.
Uchiha Taiga snorted coldly, his eyes still fixed on the bobber without even turning his head.
"Don't rush me. I have a feeling I'm definitely catching something today!"
He raised a hand and slapped his own cheeks to rouse himself. His eyes widened, glaring intensely at the water as if trying to intimidate the fish into biting.
Right at that moment, the fishing line jerked violently.
Uchiha Taiga's expression changed instantly, his mouth splitting into a grin of wild ecstasy.
"See? I told you I'd catch one! Up you go!"
He yanked the fishing rod up hard. The line pulled taut, emitting a humming sound. As he exerted force with his arms, the rod bent into a bow.
Yugito Nii also perked up, leaning over to see just what kind of fish could put up such a fight.
The fishing line was pulled from the water, sending splashes everywhere.
A dark object broke the surface, tracing an arc through the air before landing on the grass in front of them with a wet slap.
It was a tattered shoe.
The upper had several holes, the sole was worn nearly all the way through, and a few strands of waterweed clung to the sides. It was full of water, bubbling as it sat on the grass.
Uchiha Taiga's smile froze on his face.
He stared at the ruined shoe for three seconds before his face contorted, and he let out a loud shout.
"I'll fucking fight you all!"
Uchiha Taiga threw down his fishing rod, jumped to his feet, and charged toward the river.
Yugito Nii's mouth twitched, but she reacted quickly. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back with all her might.
"It's not worth it! Taiga, it's not worth it!"
Uchiha Taiga stumbled backward but continued to struggle forward.
"Let me go! I'm going down there to talk some sense into them!"
He looked absolutely furious, yet also a little wronged.
"I'm using premium bait! Three thousand Ryo a pound! Why the hell won't these things bite?"
Yugito Nii gritted her teeth, clinging desperately to his arm while pressing her other hand against his back, struggling to drag him away from the river.
"Calm down, just calm down! There's always next time. Let's go get a drink. I heard the alcohol in this town is pretty good!"
Uchiha Taiga stumbled back two steps and finally stopped struggling. His chest heaved as he panted heavily, glaring at the tattered shoe on the grass as if it were his sworn enemy.
"Hmph!"
He spun around and marched toward the town. The fishing rod, bucket, bait, and folding chair were all left behind, carelessly abandoned on the riverbank.
Yugito Nii sighed helplessly and bent down to gather the scattered fishing gear. She reeled in the line, secured the bucket, folded the chair, and packed everything neatly into her bag.
Carrying the bag, she quickly hurried after him.
The town was quiet in the evening. Aside from the lit izakaya, almost all the other shops on the street were closed.
Pedestrians were sparse. Occasionally, one or two would emerge from an alley, only to quickly disappear into the twilight.
Uchiha Taiga walked into an izakaya and casually took a seat at a table by the window. The varnish on the tabletop had worn thin, and there were several deep scratches on the corners.
He slapped the table and raised his voice.
"Boss, bring a pot of sake and two appetizers. For the rest, just serve whatever you have."
When a person was feeling frustrated, eating something good was never a bad idea.
A response echoed from the kitchen, followed by the clattering of pots and pans.
Yugito Nii sat down beside him, placing the bag at her feet and leaning her three ninja swords against the wall.
She occasionally glanced sideways at Uchiha Taiga, as if trying to gauge his mood.
Fortunately, the anger on his face had mostly dissipated, replaced by a sense of calm.
Well, he was probably just dead inside.
The food and drinks gradually arrived.
A pot of sake, two small dishes, and a plate of grilled fish... Wait, the grilled fish the izakaya boss brought out made both of them freeze.
Uchiha Taiga stared at the grilled fish for a few seconds before snorting coldly and pushing the plate in front of Yugito Nii.
Yugito Nii's mouth twitched. She didn't say anything, simply picking up her chopsticks and silently eating the fish.
Right at that moment, someone walked in.
The person wore a pale green robe with a white haori over it. Long blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, and a purple diamond-shaped mark rested on her forehead.
She had a beautiful face, fair skin, and delicate features, looking to be in her early thirties.
No matter how one looked at her, the woman who entered was a rare beauty. Whether in temperament or appearance, she was absolutely stunning.
She walked straight to Uchiha Taiga's table and plopped down in the chair opposite them, making herself right at home.
Uchiha Taiga looked up and saw that exquisite face.
He looked her up and down, his gaze shifting from her face to the necklace around her neck, and then back to her face.
The newcomer was overly familiar. Without even a greeting, she reached out, grabbed the sake bottle from the table, and took a swig straight from the bottle.
A bit of liquor spilled from the corner of her mouth and slid down her chin. She casually wiped it away and set the bottle back on the table with a soft clink.
"Brat, why are you here?" she asked.
The newcomer was none other than Tsunade.
Uchiha Taiga had a strange expression. He looked her up and down again, his gaze uncontrollably lingering on her deep cleavage for two or three seconds before pulling away.
Tsunade simply watched him, a half-smile on her face.
Uchiha Taiga coughed dryly, not at all embarrassed that she had caught him staring. He asked in return, "Princess Tsunade, did you... lose money gambling again? Or did you come specifically looking for me?"
"Hmph, you little brat!"
Tsunade picked up the sake bottle again and took another sip before saying, "I've been here for half a month. You arrived four days ago and haven't left since."
As she spoke, she stared intently at Uchiha Taiga. "So, you stayed here on purpose, didn't you? What for?"
Uchiha Taiga's expression remained odd as he replied bluntly, "Uh, it's not for you."
Obviously, Tsunade didn't buy that excuse.
Uchiha Taiga shrugged. "You might not believe it if I say it, but I'm actually waiting for someone here."
"Waiting for who?"
Uchiha Taiga shook his head. "I don't know, but it's definitely not you. If I were you, I'd leave this place as soon as possible."
Tsunade stared at him. "How can you prove what you're saying is true?"
Uchiha Taiga merely smiled. "Because it won't be long before this place becomes a battlefield."