The end of classes had come, which meant I had to follow through on my plan for the day—learn how to throw weapons. It's quite a useful skill, as it doesn't require chakra and can help me better understand an opponent's tactics.
But before starting the training, I needed to find out a few things. Without even leaving the classroom, I rushed to the teacher.
"Sensei, can I have a moment?" I asked as he was about to leave.
The teacher turned to me with slight surprise but nodded, signaling he was listening.
"Where can I buy good ninja equipment?" I continued. "Specifically, I need a pouch to carry weapons."
The teacher thought for a moment, then replied, "There are a few shops in the village, but if you want truly high-quality gear, check out Torida's shop. It's near the main square, next to the forge. They make sturdy pouches that won't rip, even during intense battles."
"Thank you!" I said, running out the door.
"Torida's shop... I hope I have enough money," I thought as I rushed toward the main square. It wasn't far, but I had to ask a few people along the way to make sure I didn't get lost.
When I arrived at the building with the large sign reading "TORIDA'S SHOP," I stopped. The shop looked fairly ordinary from the outside, not drawing much attention except for the massive sign advertising that they sold everything a ninja might need.
"Well, let's see what's inside," I thought, pushing open the door.
As soon as I entered, a sharp smell of metal mixed with a faint scent of leather and wood hit me. The room was spacious but literally packed with shelves, racks, and stands filled with gear. A light dust hung in the air, and the shelves looked slightly worn, as though their contents had been handled often.
Along the walls hung various types of weapons: kunai, shurikens, senbon, and even a few katanas. Further along were protective items—elbow and wrist guards, masks. In one corner, there was a rack with different types of clothing for shinobi: standard vests, camouflage cloaks, and gloves with metal plates.
"The selection is huge..." I thought as I approached to examine the items more closely. I was particularly interested in hidden mechanisms. "I wonder if they sell any here?" I thought while carefully scanning the shelves.
I stopped in front of a display where a kunai was hanging from a cord... or something similar. Looking down, I saw a label that read "Hidden Kunai Mechanism" and a brief description: "This item allows the user to instantly extend and retract kunai from their sleeve using a spring-loaded wire."
Price: 1200 ryo.
"Wow, that's pretty expensive..." I thought, continuing to browse. "I need to see what else they have."
"What's an umbrella doing here?" I thought, glancing at the description below. It said the umbrella could be equipped with several senbon that could be released from spring-loaded mechanisms in the ribs of the umbrella. This mechanism would allow for long-range strikes with high accuracy.
Price: 7200 ryo.
"Why is everything so expensive here?" I wondered, feeling my wallet tighten a little. Though, I had to admit, the idea of releasing senbon so easily sounded very tempting. It would be an amazing tool for long-range combat and would definitely add an element of surprise to any attack. But for now, I needed to stay realistic.
Next to the umbrella was a wrist-mounted senbon thrower. It was a similar device to one Shizune used in her fight against Kabuto. It was a metal plate that attached to the forearm with a mechanism for quickly launching senbon. This gadget cost 6100 ryo. "Cheaper than the umbrella, but its functionality is lower," I thought as I moved to the next display.
Smoke bombs immediately caught my attention. There were several types: smoke grenades that create dense fog in seconds, smoke flashbangs that had a blinding effect, and regular smoke bombs for creating cover or distraction. "Maybe I should get one?" the thought crossed my mind, but seeing the price tag of 800 ryo, I decided I was more interested in something more essential for now.
Continuing on, I noticed a small section with scrolls. Compared to the rest of the store, this corner looked rather modest—only a few scrolls were on the shelf, and the space wasn't fully filled. I walked over and began examining them closely.
The scrolls were different sizes, but their descriptions were the same. All of them were sealing scrolls—used for storing and transporting weapons and other items. The smaller the scroll, the more expensive it was. For example, a small pocket-sized scroll cost a whopping 20,000 ryo. "Is it really worth it?" I wondered. However, the description said that such scrolls could store even large objects without being limited by size, thanks to high-quality sealing technology.
I turned my attention to the larger scrolls—these cost 6,000 ryo. This was a more reasonable price, but the functionality was the same, so I couldn't understand why the small scrolls were so expensive. It seemed like the size and material didn't play a significant role, according to the descriptions.
Thinking about it, I continued to study the inventory. How I would love to get a whole set of throwing weapons! However, my rational mind told me I should focus on picking something essential for my training, rather than just collecting unnecessary items.
Before I knew it, I had spent an hour in the shop, carefully reviewing every corner and weighing what I truly needed. All these mechanisms, weapons, and scrolls—it felt like I was a child discovering a toy store for the first time.
"Kid, are you going to buy anything or not?" shouted the vendor, noticing that I was once again standing by the pouches shelf. He was an elderly man with a rough voice, clearly used to the noise and chaos of the shop.
I snapped back to reality, slightly embarrassed, and replied, "Oh, yes, of course! I think I'll take..." I scanned the shelf and finally picked a couple of weapon pouches. "I won't buy everything that catches my eye," I thought. "I'll take this one, and..." I pointed to a pouch for kunai and small weapons.
The vendor took 500 ryo and handed me the pouch without saying a word. I took it in my hands, checked it a few times, and confirmed that the quality was indeed good—the seams were even, the fabric was thick, and the fastenings were sturdy. It was perfect for carrying a couple of kunai and a few other small items. I needed it to keep my weapons at hand during training, without unnecessary movements.
I glanced around the shop once more. Thoughts ran through my head: "I still have some money at home, maybe I should get a scroll? It would be pretty useful." I did the math in my head: the scroll costs 6,000 ryo. I had that amount, but it would significantly reduce my budget. But in the future, if I start training more seriously, such a scroll would definitely be useful.
"But it's not urgent," I decided. "For now, I need to focus on throwing. I can buy the scroll later if necessary." The decision was made, and I quickly returned to reality.
"Thank you," I said to the vendor as I took the pouch.
"Good luck, kid. Be careful during your training," he replied, as always, with a hint of irony in his voice.
I nodded and headed for the exit. My next goal was the training grounds!