Naruto followed Serie into the main street of the city, both sides filled with all kinds of shops.
There were many people on the street, and the sounds of talking, footsteps, and the clanging of hammer strikes from who knows where were mixed together.
But he gradually noticed one thing.
Walking from the bridgehead until now, not a single person gave him a second glance.
No adults pulled their children away to walk around him upon seeing him.
No one lowered their voices behind his back or treated him coldly.
None of those things happened here at all.
The people on the street simply walked past him; some were hurrying on their way, some were shopping, and some were chatting and laughing with their companions.
He felt just like an ordinary child shopping behind an adult, nothing special at all.
As Naruto walked, his steps slowed down.
So this was what it felt like not to have to avoid other people’s gazes.
So this was the taste of the air when walking down the street without being pointed at.
There was no Konoha here.
The people here did not know who he was.
Nor did the people here care who he was.
Naruto stood in the middle of the road, lowering his head, as a thought suddenly popped into his mind…
Stay here.
Staying here would mean not having to return to that empty house.
Staying here would mean not having to pretend not to hear those words.
Master Serie said he was some kind of genius.
Wouldn’t it be nice to stay here and learn magic too?
In the future, he could become a powerful Mage, the kind even greater than the Hokage.
As soon as this thought popped up, Naruto startled himself.
No!
How could he think like that?
He was the man who was going to become the Hokage.
Grandpa Hokage said that the Hokage is someone recognized by everyone in the village, someone who protects Konoha Village.
His dream since childhood had been to be the Hokage; how could he want to stay just because no one here despised him?
But…
But did anyone in Konoha really recognize him?
Naruto froze for a moment and bit his lower lip hard.
“What’s wrong?” Serie’s voice came from ahead.
He raised his head and found that his master’s bright, sharp eyes were staring right at him.
“N—Nothing.” Naruto quickly grinned, hurried over, and asked, “Master, where are we going next?”
Serie looked at him for a few seconds without pressing further, then reached out and ruffled his hair.
“First, I’ll take you to customize a staff.”
“A staff?” Naruto’s eyes lit up.
“What is that?”
Serie withdrew her hand and continued walking.
“It’s a tool used by a Mage to cast spells.”
“Almost all Mages must use a staff to precisely control their magic power.”
“Almost all of them?” Naruto tilted his head.
“Then what about you, Master?
When you demonstrated magic earlier, it seemed you didn’t use a staff.”
Serie didn’t stop walking, but the corners of her mouth curled up, and a trace of smug light flashed in her eyes.
“What kind of person do you take me for?”
As she spoke, she raised her right hand, and a small ball of white light lit up at her fingertips.
“I’m a great Mage who has lived for over a thousand years; of course I don’t need something like a staff.”
“Is it the same principle as whether or not one needs to weave hand signs to release Ninjutsu?” Naruto stared sparklingly at that ball of light.
“Pretty much.” Serie withdrew the light from her fingertips and gently tapped him on the forehead.
“Let’s go, it’s right up ahead.”
Naruto covered his forehead and followed.
Hanging at the door of the magic shop was a wooden sign carved with incomprehensible text.
Pushing open the door, the inside was much larger than it appeared from the outside.
Shelves were set up against all four walls, and the shelves were filled with all sorts of weird things.
Naruto stood at the doorway with his mouth slightly open, his head turning from left to right and then back again.
“So many things…” Naruto couldn’t help walking over, standing on tiptoe to look at a silvery-white small box placed high up.
The lid was open, and a bottle of potion was inside.
“Don’t touch random things.” Serie’s voice came from behind.
“That potion can dissolve your clothes.”
Naruto quickly pulled back his hand and stood up straight.
At this moment, footsteps came from inside the shop, and a middle-aged man walked out from behind the counter.
He wore a gray robe, round glasses, and his hair was slightly messy.
When he saw Serie, his steps paused for a moment, his gaze lingering on her pointed ears for two seconds, and then he politely lowered his head slightly.
“Respected Mage, what do you need?”
“I want to customize a staff.” Serie turned her head to glance at Naruto.
He was staring at a hat in the corner of the wall that could move on its own, completely unaware of the conversation here.
The boss looked in the direction of her gaze at Naruto, sizing him up from head to toe.
The child looked to be around twelve years old, thin, and wearing clothes somewhat different in style from this world, but he was full of spirit, and his pair of blue eyes were extremely bright.
“Is this custom-made for this child?” The boss pushed up his glasses.
“I think we could use the wood of the Silverlight Tree as material…”
“No.” Serie directly interrupted him.
“Use a metal magic artifact.”
The boss was stunned.
“Metal?”
“In the future, he might be a Mage who excels in close-quarters combat,” Serie said.
Hearing this, the boss glanced at Naruto again.
The child was squatting in the corner staring at that moving hat, supporting his knees with both hands, looking completely focused.
Indeed, that physique looked sturdier than ordinary children, and his posture was somewhat like a warrior’s.
“I see.” The boss nodded.
“Then do you have any specific requirements for the shape, length, and materials?”
Serie did not answer immediately.
She raised her hand, a white light flashed in her palm, and a cloth bag appeared in her hand.
“Bang!”
When it landed on the table, it emitted a dull thud.
“The staff used by my disciple naturally has to use the best materials.” Serie pushed the cloth bag in front of the boss.
The boss opened the bag’s mouth to take a look inside, and his expression changed immediately.
He closed the bag, and when he looked up at Serie, his expression became much more serious, even carrying a hint of excitement.
“Please rest assured.” The boss’s voice was more respectful than before.
“Our shop will definitely use the best materials to craft a staff most suitable for your apprentice.”
Serie nodded with satisfaction.
“The length should take into account his height after adulthood, and the shape should be customized according to the most popular styles.”
After all, those Ninjas often used those thrown Kunai and shuriken.
But none of these could be made into the appearance of a staff.
The boss nodded seriously.
“I understand.
Please come pick it up in a week.”
“Good.”
Serie turned around and walked toward Naruto, reaching out to grab him by the back collar, lifting the person still squatting on the ground up.
“Let’s go.”
“Eh?
Master, I haven’t finished looking yet…”
Dragged toward the door, Naruto still turned his head back to look at that hat.
“In a week, you’ll have a whole day to look.” Serie pushed open the door and only then let go of her hand.