I'm Inside Naruto Manga

The bus dropped Logan and his group off at a decent-looking hotel a few kilometers away.

After the tour guide handled check-ins and everyone finished a group dinner, the evening was left free of planned activities.

"Wow, this really feels like a tourist group, and everyone here is familiar with each other… this vibe is great." David sighed contentedly, though he couldn't resist lightly critiquing the food, "The meal could've had more of a Japanese touch. Logan, how about we find a chance to try out some nyotaimori?" (T/N: Nyotaimori is serving food on woman's body. Well, you guys can search it yourself. Remember not to do so in public place.)

Logan shot David a disdainful look, not even dignifying him with a response. His gaze drifted downwards, "Fatty, how about you work off that bloated belly of yours first?"

David scowled at Logan. By this time, the group of teachers and students from their school was filing out of the warm restaurant.

Hastily, David threw on his jacket to cover the beginnings of his post-meal belly.

Diane, who was walking nearby, caught sight of his action and giggled behind her hand. She was in the same class as Logan and David, and the three were close enough to naturally hang out together.

Watching Logan and David's playful bickering amused her, as such back-and-forth friendly teasing wasn't something she often saw among the girls.

"By the way…" Diane asked curiously, "What's nyotaimori?"

"..." Both Logan and David instinctively turned away, saying hesitantly, "Well..."

Diane's interest only grew. She stared at them expectantly, her eyes alight.

"I don't know." Logan replied calmly, 'Not my problem, I'm not the one saying it.'

The spotlight shifted to David, who looked uncomfortable, "It's just… a way of serving sushi. Nothing too special."

"Oh..." Drawing out the syllable, Diane seemed intrigued. She pulled out her phone, clearly intending to look it up.

"Anyway, we've got free time now. Let's head outside and explore!" David said loudly, trying to attract Diane's attention, while desperately signaling Logan for backup.

Logan sighed but decided to step in, "We should check out the streets while we're here in Japan… Diane, you want to come?"

When Diane heard this, she stopped searching and smiled, "Sure."

Most of the group had similar plans. Apart from a few who returned to the hotel to rest early, many teachers and students wanted to explore.

Seeing Diane's reaction, David secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Then, the trio began wandering the nearby area.

The location wasn't particularly bustling. The hotel was already outside the main airport zone, and the town reflected Japan's aging population trends.

Beyond the city, the stark contrast between the lively centers and quiet outskirts became apparent at night. Young people were scarce, and the streets Logan and his friends strolled through felt deserted.

A They passed by a couple of convenience stores and a few shops with unfamiliar, quirky names. Nothing much stood out.

After half an hour, travel fatigue began to catch up with them, and the novelty wore off. They decided to head back to the hotel.

After a hot shower, Logan lay on the soft hotel bed while David, fresh from experimenting with the bathroom's automatic bidet toilet, was full of excitement.

"There are so many buttons… I think at least ten! And the water sprays… it's warm, Logan! Warm!"

Logan began to wonder if rooming with David had been a mistake.

Undeterred, David continued to extol the bidet's virtues, speaking with fervor, "Logan, I know it might sound a little embarrassing, but that thing is seriously useful. You have to try it!"

"No thanks." Logan replied, his gaze drifting to the night sky outside the window, his thoughts elsewhere.

"I'm serious! High tech like this… you won't get a chance to experience it back home. Your family isn't buying one of these, right? And I've heard not all Japanese hotels have them. Come on, just try…"

However, Logan just hummed noncommittally, barely listening.

Eventually, David noticed Logan's absentmindedness and fell silent. After a pause, he asked with genuine concern, "You seem out of it. Are you feeling unwell?"

Logan shifted his gaze back to David, his expression softening slightly. A barely perceptible smile crossed his lips, "No, I'm fine."

"You sure? You look like you're worried about something."

"I'm worried you'll steal the toilet seat."

David froze for a moment, then exploded in mock outrage, "Logan, you son of a…!"

The tension dissolved into laughter, bringing back the relaxed atmosphere. After chatting for a while longer, they turned off the lights.

In the darkness, Logan didn't fall asleep right away. He was indeed worried… about a certain shadow clone wandering without a single yen in its pocket.

'Alone, broke, and in a foreign land…'

'That guy should be fine… right?'

…

December 22nd. The morning sunlight filtered through the streets of Shinagawa Ward, adjacent to Ota Ward. The winter sun wasn't much for warmth, but it made for a pleasing sight, brightening the day for early risers.

The good weather created dappled light through the trees, and the mix of joggers and hurried commuters made the streets livelier than usual.

The previous night, Logan's shadow clone, Hattori, had tried squeezing onto the subway hoping to disperse himself in the crush of bodies, but his plan failed. He still relied on the 500 yen he was lucky to get and walked out of Ota Ward.

Hattori emerged from a 24-hour convenience store, rolling his stiff shoulders. Clearly, his rest hadn't been great.

With only 500 yen, he couldn't travel far.

Japan's high cost of living made every yen precious, as just one stop on the Tokyo subway could cost around 200 yen. So, by the time Hattori reached Shinagawa Ward, he'd run out of funds.

Reaching Chiyoda Ward, his destination, would require many more subway stops.

'No, I won't take the subway again.'

Hattori clenched his fists as he surveyed the morning streets, 'I came to Japan for a grand purpose, not to ride the subway.'

With that resolve, he began searching for the gangsters and Yakuza.

Deep down, Hattori had already considered seeking out a hostess club or similar establishment to scrounge for funds.

But fate, or perhaps persistence, was on his side. It was unusual not to find any thugs the night before, but this time, luck didn't abandon him. He quickly spotted his target.

Emerging from an alley while hefting a newly acquired wallet, Hattori felt much better. With funds in hand and having worked out his frustrations, he declared, "Yosh, now this is how things should go!"

Hattori waved his hand comfortably and took a taxi.

Heading north, he sank into the comfortable car seat. As his tension eased, reality hit him… he'd underestimated Japan's costs, particularly for taxis.

Watching the meter jump at an alarming rate, Hattori was incredulous, '700 yen just to start, and 100 yen every 300 meters?! This is daylight robbery! No wonder J-drama's characters are always running. Who can afford this?'

Due to the outrageous cost, Hattori was forced to stop frequently, each time hunting down more thugs for funds.

By the end of his journey, strange urban legends began circulating in the areas between Shinagawa Ward and Minato Ward.

A justice-driven youth was said to travel across towns, spending exorbitant sums on taxi fares solely to combat evil forces.

The taxi was both his vehicle and his partner on this noble journey. From Shinagawa to Minato, the taxis changed, but his fiery heart remained the same.

His name? Well, that's for the storytellers to decide.

Hattori, oblivious to these rumors, finally reached Chiyoda Ward. After locating his target address, he spent two days in careful observation before deciding to take action.