Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Water City
Naruto smiled at the lively Ino Yamanaka, and in a daze, he seemed to see Inoichi Yamanaka guarding the door, his entire body engulfed in a thick Chakra flame. That deep resentment distorted the bright blue Chakra flame, turning it a greenish-black, and his eyelids couldn't help but twitch a few times.
"Ino... classmate, see you tomorrow..."
"See you tomorrow~"
Ino Yamanaka waved at Naruto, and only after seeing his back disappear at the end of the street did she hum a tune and happily return home.
"Who was that blonde kid just now?"
Inoichi Yamanaka's face was stern without being angry, and he asked in a deep voice.
Ino Yamanaka replied, "Dad, with your status and position, how could you not know who he is? You're clearly asking the obvious."
"Asking... the obvious..."
Inoichi Yamanaka's expression froze.
As a father, he wasn't even allowed to ask anymore?
"Alright, alright, I'm going to bed, I'm so tired today."
Ino Yamanaka pretended to yawn, and before Inoichi Yamanaka could react, she slipped into her room as if her feet were greased.
"Wait a minute... why do you still smell of alcohol..."
"Ino Yamanaka, come back and explain everything to me clearly! Explain... clearly..."
Inoichi Yamanaka couldn't stop her in time, his hand grasping at the air. Seeing that she had already run far away, he couldn't help but pat his forehead, his originally stern face filled with an expression of "I messed up again."
"Without realizing it, I used an interrogation tone again."
"Sigh, Shikaku, Chōza, why do you two rascals only have sons? I'm the only one with a daughter, and it makes me feel like I have no one to talk to, I don't know how to communicate with my daughter."
...
Naruto returned to his one-room apartment.
"Bang"
Warm-toned light illuminated the small but cozy home.
"Is the aftereffect of rice wine really that strong?"
"Or... did Kurenai-sensei pour her vodka into my glass?"
Naruto shook his slightly groggy head, opened the refrigerator, and the fully stocked cold storage compartment came into view.
In the past, the refrigerator was either empty.
Or filled with expired or nearly expired milk.
Now, thanks to Shadow Clone's management, the refrigerator is full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and drinks.
Naruto occasionally shows off his skills at home, making a few delicious Chinese dishes to share with Hinata at the Ninja Academy.
Hinata, that little glutton, has long had her stomach firmly tied down by Naruto, and she even actively studies Chinese cuisine, hoping to cook for Naruto in the future.
"Honey... honey... found it..."
Naruto's gaze swept over the colorful fruits and vegetables, he took a jar of honey from the refrigerator, and then made himself a glass of honey water using a frog-shaped cup.
While drinking the honey water to sober up, he flipped his hand to take out a bronze key and inserted it into the void.
He rotated his wrist, and the key twisted.
Underground City, open!
"Swish"
As spatial ripples spread, an ink-green swirl quickly formed, spinning and expanding, transforming into a unique oval doorway, the other end emanating a mysterious and ancient aura.
Having entered and exited the Underground City countless times, Naruto was already used to it. He held the frog water cup and stepped into the teleportation swirl, his figure disappearing.
...
Goblin Slayer World, Water Capital.
A hotel very close to the Adventurers' Guild.
Naruto appeared out of thin air in a hotel room.
This was also the location where he last logged out of the Underground City.
After departing from Border Town and traveling to Water Capital with Sword Saintess, he stayed at a hotel near the Adventurers' Guild, then returned to Fire Shadow World to attend the New Seventh Team's izakaya gathering.
After the gathering, he returned to Goblin Slayer World.
Naruto scanned the surroundings; the bed was neatly made, and a letter written with a quill pen was left on the wooden table. The handwriting was elegant, and the general content was that Sword Saintess had gone to the Main Temple of the supreme god for advancement, telling Naruto not to worry.
"This instance will likely encounter more powerful monsters, so I won't bring Sword Saintess along. Let her advance in peace."
Naruto folded the letter and casually tossed it and the frog water cup into his system space.
First, he paid a dozen silver coins at the counter to extend his stay, then walked out of the hotel. A brilliant and dazzling sky light poured down, causing Naruto to squint his eyes involuntarily.
Fire Shadow World had clearly entered night, with stars twinkling, yet Goblin Slayer World was still daytime, with the sun shining brightly. This absurd and bizarre temporal dislocation, no matter how many times he experienced it, still made him sigh.
Naruto's vision recovered, and the prosperity and grandeur of Water Capital came into view.
A jade-like river flows from south to north, from west to east, branching into many tributaries, spreading throughout and traversing the entire city.
It is like the veins and meridians of Water Capital, complex and intricate, and extremely important.
The entire prosperous city is built upon it.
It also established the city's land and water transportation, as well as its name—Water Capital!
Stone bridges are built over the Jade River, and with a push of a gondola boatman's long pole, the gilded bow cuts through the water surface sprinkled with rose petals, startling a flock of water birds.
On both banks are the distinctive medieval buildings of Water Capital, narrow and tall, colorful, and built closely together. Downstairs are streets paved with bluestone slabs, and people come and go ceaselessly.
There are bards singing stories of adventurers heard from afar, including Naruto's "Goblin Slayer" legend.
Merchants wearing feathered hats push gilded food carts, selling ice cream and coffee drinks.
Exotic merchants unfurl velvet bags, inside are precious spices comparable to gold.
Before heading to Great Snow Mountain, Naruto came to the Adventurers' Guild in Water Capital to see if there were any suitable quests he could complete along the way.
After all, he still needed to be promoted to Gold-Grade Adventurer, and accumulating more quest experience was necessary.
The Adventurers' Guild in Water Capital was undoubtedly more lively and prosperous.
It was a magnificent building converted from a monastery, located in the central square at the end of the Jade River channel. Its scale was second only to the Great Cathedral of the supreme god cult, far surpassing the Adventurers' Guild in Border Town. The guild hall alone was several times larger, and there were quite a few high-level adventurers wearing silver tags.
Naruto squeezed in front of the bulletin board, selecting tasks.
Helping a noblewoman find her lost cat, clearing Rats from underground waterways—these low-difficulty tasks were directly skipped.
"It seems no high-level monsters have appeared near Water Capital."
The oak bulletin board was covered with various Order, but after scanning them, Naruto couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
After reaching a high level, eliminating low-level monsters simply doesn't give experience points.
And in Goblin Slayer World, high-level monsters are even rarer than imagined. Each one is basically a boss-level existence, occupying a unique "room" in a maze ruin, or belonging to the Demon God General's forces.
"Anyone for a team? Anyone for a team~"
"The client is a noble, and the reward is quite generous."
"The task is to eradicate the Goblin in Great Snow Mountain, requiring at least a Silver-rank Adventurer. Those interested, come quickly. According to the Commission content, it should be very simple, after all, it's just eliminating Goblin."
At this moment, a long-spear knight in silver light armor shouted in the hall.