They boarded a ship at the Fire Country's port, heading for the Land of Water.
If the changes in the Fire Country had given Konan the feeling of stepping beyond the Rain Country and into a broader world—surprising her with its differences and widening her perspective—then what she now saw was on a whole different level.
Just from standing on the deck and gazing into the distance, the developed port city that loomed ahead was already starting to shake the foundation of her worldview.
As the ship entered the harbor and cruised down the waterway, the sights and sounds that met her senses made Konan feel like she had entered another world entirely.
The steady rumble of ships lifting anchors and starting their engines echoed in her ears without pause.
Cranes lined the port's outer edge, lifting and lowering with mechanical precision under the operation of port workers.
Sailors, captains, deckhands, and even ninja wearing Kirigakure forehead protectors bustled about, shouting orders and heaving crates in a coordinated frenzy.
The intense sensory overload—both visual and auditory—hit Konan all at once.
A Kirigakure ninja, familiar with her stunned expression, commented with a knowing smile,
"Everyone who visits Kirigakure these days has that same look. Back when Konoha was still at war, it was even busier here."
As relations with Konoha soured and Kirigakure achieved self-sufficiency in agriculture, official exchanges between the two villages dwindled significantly.
Kumogakure, on the other hand, still seemed to have the ambition to keep pushing forward and thus maintained ties with Kirigakure.
Nowadays, most of the cargo flowing through this western port of the Land of Water came from independent merchants rather than government channels.
As the official presence lessened, the private sector stepped up to fill the void—and grew stronger in both presence and volume.
Kirigakure and the government of the Land of Water had merely taken the lead in setting things in motion. Now, they were stepping back and letting the capable hands of the people take over.
...
And the port was just the beginning.
After disembarking, a Kirigakure ninja led Konan to the passenger transport station connected to the waterway transit system nearby.
They took an elevator up to the elevated terminal. The walls of the elevator were made of glass, offering a breathtaking view of a cascading waterfall just outside.
Once they stepped out, they entered the station.
The first floor housed the ticketing area and plaza, the second was for arrivals and departures, and the third was a rest zone.
After buying two tickets, the Kirigakure ninja returned with a frustrated sigh.
"Damn. We just missed the last ferry."
Konan shook her head. She actually didn't mind the wait—it gave her a moment to take it all in.
"That's okay."
They had gotten more comfortable around each other during the journey.
The Kirigakure ninja grinned. "We've got about twenty minutes to kill. Want to head up to the third floor and wait there, Konan?"
"Sure."
They rode another elevator to the top level.
As the doors slid open, the view that greeted them was spectacular.
From this indoor vantage point, the sky stretched out endlessly beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass walls.
Konan couldn't help but walk up to the railing, leaning forward slightly as she took in the scenery.
The fog that was said to constantly shroud the Land of Water was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the sky was a brilliant blue, dotted with soft white clouds, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Below, what drew her attention next was the waterway—just as vast and seemingly infinite as the sky above.
Though manmade, the waterway blended harmoniously with the natural world, its white stone surface complementing the surrounding scenery.
In the distance, she could see small passenger ferries gliding along the channel, each no bigger than a delicately carved fruit pit from this high up.
On the ground beneath the elevated waterway, white specks dotted the green grasslands—flocks of sheep, grazing or running in groups.
Konan murmured, "It's like something out of a fairy tale."
The Kirigakure ninja stepped forward with a small chuckle.
"Fairy tale, huh? After the war ended, we got a lot of tourists from other countries. Some called this place paradise, even heaven. But I think you're the first one to call it a fairy tale."
Konan blushed. "Does that sound childish?"
"That's not what I meant."
The ninja quickly changed the subject and resumed his unofficial tour guide duties.
"The passenger waterway only opened less than a year ago. Since the war just ended not long ago, there aren't many international travelers yet, so traffic is still light."
He pointed to the left. "See that direction? That's the freight waterway. It's been running for two or three years now."
Konan followed his gaze.
The freight canal was wider, deeper, and clearly built to handle large cargo vessels, not the smaller passenger boats.
"These canals lead straight to our village—Kirigakure. During the war, everything we sold to Konoha and Kumogakure was shipped through here, from the village straight to the port, and then sent out from there."
"Technically, they're all ships, but their propulsion systems are totally different from those used at sea. These waterways are too shallow, and the vessels too heavy. They'd run aground."
"They used coal for power at first, but that changed in the second year. They said the emissions were polluting the air."
"Now the ships run on electricity, magnetism—and chakra."
Konan blinked. "Chakra?"
"Yep. The transportation 'companies' hire Kirigakure shinobi to supply chakra as an energy source."
"You've heard of the Uzumaki clan, right? They're famous for having massive chakra reserves. One of your friends looks like she might be from the Uzumaki—bright red hair, stands out a lot."
"They're often hired for this kind of work."
So… they were basically being used as human batteries?
She couldn't help but wonder—what would Nagato think if he heard about this?
...
Twenty minutes later, the next passenger ferry arrived.
The Kirigakure ninja boarded with Konan.
Unlike the massive freight ships, this boat was compact—meant for people, not cargo. There was no need for anything larger.
Each vessel could carry around forty passengers, though it wasn't full this time.
Designed like a sightseeing bus, the ferry had an open roof with transparent safety walls and guardrails to prevent accidents.
Konan leaned out slightly to peer at the waterway. The ferry floated steadily atop the canal, and though it appeared to hover somewhat, its movement relied on electromagnetic propulsion.
The sleek white vessel gave a light jolt as it aligned with the canal, then began its journey.
It wasn't fast—not even close to a ninja's running speed. Konan was sure she could outrun it effortlessly.
"Mommy, it's moving! It's moving!"
A young girl's gleeful shout snapped Konan out of her thoughts.
She glanced at the civilians around her and decided against asking any half-formed questions.
A gentle breeze blew past, calming her spirit. Konan allowed herself to relax in this setting so starkly different from the Rain Country.
Truly, it felt like a different world.
In the Rain Country, her surroundings had always been shrouded in gloom—damp, gray, and oppressive.
Endless rain seasons, people in raincoats and straw hats, their expressions numb. Tangled webs of underground forces lurking beneath the surface.
Rusty drainage systems built ages ago to handle the rain, now leaking that metallic scent of rust and copper into the air.
No sunlight. Sometimes, she couldn't even tell if the pipes were actually rusted or just looked that way.
And yet here, in the Land of Water—could this really be the same world under the same sky?
A quiet sting crept into the corners of her eyes.
"It's winter… is the breeze too cold for you?"
Konan turned her head away. "No. I'm fine."
"Get some rest," the ninja said softly.
He smiled, knowing that girls were often more emotionally attuned.
"It takes a few days to reach the village. We'll have stops along the way—when we do, let's grab some food. My treat, so don't be shy~"
"Okay. Thanks."
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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