After entering Konoha, the gatekeeper ninja closely watched Konan's every move. As he noticed Konan gazing at the village with a look of awe, her eyes reflecting a longing admiration, even he could sense it.
This filled him with a sense of pride.
This was Konoha.
This was his village.
This was his ho.
Being a Konoha ninja, he felt strongly connected to the village because he had grown up here. Watching Konan admire his ho, her eyes filled with wonder, gave him a deep sense of satisfaction. After all, who wouldn't want their ho to be seen as a beautiful and prosperous place by outsiders?
"Konoha is beautiful, isn't it?" the gatekeeper ninja said with a smile, noticing Konan's cautious curiosity. He wasn't overly concerned about her anymore, as Minato Namikaze had already refused her entry, and that decision ca from Konoha's new Hokage. Once the Hokage made a decision, there was little room for negotiation.
Now, the only thing left for Konan was to eat a bowl of ran.
This was likely her last act of resistance, her final effort. The gatekeeper ninja could tell that Konan didn't necessarily care about the ran. She likely wanted one last glimpse of the village before being forced to leave.
However...
He didn't mind too much. Konan was young, roughly the sa age as a recent graduate from Konoha's Ninja Academy. She wouldn't pose much of a threat even if she were skilled. And considering she was already inside the village, no matter her strength, there wasn't much damage she could cause here.
"It's very beautiful," Konan nodded, sincerely acknowledging his comnt. She truly loved the village. It gave her a feeling she couldn't describe, like a treasure magically unfolding before her.
"I envy you all for being able to live in such a village. Growing up carefree, without worrying about where your next al is coming from or fearing for your life."
Konan's words were heartfelt. It wasn't flattery. Only after arriving here did she truly realize how great Konoha was. She now understood why so many kunoichi from other villages wanted to marry into Konoha. It wasn't just for their own lives but also for the betternt of future generations.
"The ran shop is just up ahead," the gatekeeper ninja pointed to the entrance of a nearby alley, indicating where Ichiraku Ran was. He knew his purpose here was to escort Konan to eat a bowl of ran, and once that was done, he could return to his post. He understood this was a serious matter, not a casual sightseeing tour.
As a gatekeeper ninja, being away from his post like this was already a breach of duty. If soone discovered this, he could face disciplinary action. But he was willing to take this risk out of respect for Jiraiya. After all, letting soone eat a bowl of ran was not a grave issue, especially since she was Jiraiya's disciple.
Even if Minato Namikaze found out, he could explain the situation.
But if he didn't allow it and Jiraiya later questioned him, there would be no way to justify his refusal.
"Okay," Konan nodded without hesitation and began walking toward Ichiraku Ran. She knew exactly what her priority was.
As long as she got into Ichiraku Ran and ate a bowl of ran, she believed that Ōtsutsuki Shiren would know. There was no need to prolong her stay or delay eating.
Konan knew soone like Ōtsutsuki Shiren would likely sense her presence once she entered Ichiraku Ran. She hoped this would be enough to signal her desire to et him.
Once that signal was sent, even if she had to leave afterward, Ōtsutsuki Shiren could find her anyti—just as he had before when he brought her to that strange place.
Konan wasn't planning to linger. She understood that staying too long might make it difficult for Ōtsutsuki Shiren to reveal himself. All she needed to do was eat and leave.
Soon enough, Konan and the gatekeeper ninja arrived at Ichiraku Ran.
"New face?" Teuchi, the ran shop owner, glanced toward the door. It wasn't a busy ti of day, so no other custors were in the shop. Seeing anyone co in naturally caught his attention.
"What would you like to eat?" Teuchi asked, his gaze briefly flicking over the headband on Konan's head, which bore the symbol of Agakure. He didn't say anything, but he understood imdiately—an outsider and a rogue ninja. However, seeing the gatekeeper ninja with her, he realized this wasn't just a random visitor.
Teuchi's eyes then shifted to the gatekeeper ninja accompanying her.
He didn't recognize the ninja but could tell from the subtle way the ninja watched Konan that she was being closely monitored.
What an odd pair, Teuchi thought. But he didn't ask questions. His job was to serve ran.
"One bowl of ran," Konan said plainly, her voice lacking the enthusiasm one might expect from soone who claid they were there just to eat ran. Her words sounded more like part of an exchange, and her eyes subtly scanned the surroundings, sensing any sign of Ōtsutsuki Shiren.
Could the man cooking the ran in front of her be Shiren?
No, Konan shook her head. If it were Ōtsutsuki Shiren, he wouldn't need to disguise himself as a ran cook.
For now, I'll just eat the ran.
With that, Konan sat, preparing to eat the bowl of ran she had ordered.
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