reincarnated in the world of naruto

While walking through the village, my gaze stopped at the price signs for the hot springs. As soon as I saw them, I felt like my soul was leaving my body. They were absurdly high.

I sighed resignedly and kept walking, noticing how some people were glancing at me out of the corner of their eyes. I didn't pay them any mind and continued my search. After a few minutes of wandering the streets, I finally found a hot spring business whose price I could afford with the ryū I had on me. However, I soon discovered the catch: it was mixed-gender.

I hesitated for a moment, but in the end, I decided to go in.

"Good morning," I greeted the receptionist, a middle-aged man with a friendly face.

He looked at me and replied naturally:

"Good morning, young man. Are you here to relax? We have a sauna, massages with different techniques like acupuncture and cupping, as well as the hot springs."

I nodded, feeling a bit uncomfortable with so many options.

"Yes… well, I just want a hot spring bath."

The receptionist checked a logbook and after a few seconds looked up.

"Let's see… Most of them are full. There's only one bath available, but there are already two people inside."

I frowned slightly. It wasn't ideal, but I didn't want to keep looking for another place.

"That's fine."

"Perfect. Leave the deposit, and I'll give you a key with a number to store your clothes. Don't lose it; that's how I keep track of how many people are in each bath without having to go in. I'll also give you some towels."

I handed him the money, and he passed me the key along with the towels. Then I headed to the locker room, stored my belongings, and made my way to the hot spring bath I'd been assigned.

As I entered, the steam clouded my vision for a moment. When my eyes adjusted, I saw the two people sharing the bath with me: a very beautiful woman in her thirties and a girl who, at first glance, was barely seventeen.

It took my brain a second to process it, and a shiver ran down my spine.

"Oh no… Please, don't let the reincarnation police think the wrong thing."

Not wanting to seem suspicious, I took a deep breath and greeted them calmly:

"Good morning, ladies."

The younger girl glanced at me, visibly uncomfortable, and quickly looked away. The older woman, however, smiled naturally.

"Oh, good morning, young man."

I nodded respectfully and, without further ado, submerged myself in the hot water, feeling the tension slowly dissolve in the steam.

I closed my eyes, enjoying the warmth that eased the tension in my muscles. Suddenly, a feminine voice interrupted my moment of peace.

"Are you new around here, or just passing through the village?" the woman asked curiously.

To break the ice, I replied calmly:

"I'm just passing through, miss."

The woman tilted her head slightly, analyzing me with a hint of mischief.

"Hmm… And where are you from?"

"From Konoha," I replied without giving it much thought.

Her eyes widened with a flash of surprise.

"Oh, really? I've never been able to visit Konoha. What's it like?"

I scratched my head, thinking about how to describe it without sounding too idealistic.

"It's very nice. There are good food stalls and… well, as much as possible, it's pretty safe."

Safe… I thought with irony. Sure, most of the conflicts in the anime come from Konoha.

The woman nodded with interest.

"Then it must be a great place…"

The girl, who had been quiet until then, suddenly spoke:

"Hey… are you a ninja?"

I gave her a curious look.

"No. Why?"

She blushed slightly and looked away.

"It's just… you have a really fit physique."

The woman burst out laughing.

"Oh, daughter, you're so direct."

The girl sank deeper into the water, embarrassed.

"Are you mother and daughter?" I asked, surprised.

The woman smiled proudly.

"Of course, don't you see the resemblance? We're beautiful, don't you think?"

She expected her comment to make me nervous, but I just laughed. I'd been through similar things in my past life, so stuff like this didn't intimidate me anymore.

"You are," I replied naturally. "Especially you, miss."

The woman laughed amusedly while her daughter covered herself more with the towel, visibly embarrassed.

"You're the first young guy who doesn't get nervous around me or my daughter," Melina commented playfully.

Impossible to get nervous over something like that, I thought. And especially not with the other kid… that's a sure way to end up in jail.

"There's no reason to tense up around a lady in a hot spring," I said, shrugging. "After all, hot springs are for relaxing."

Melina looked at me with interest, as if analyzing every one of my reactions. Meanwhile, her daughter, Yuina, seemed torn between embarrassment and discomfort.

"What's your name?" she suddenly asked, though she immediately covered herself more with the towel, regretting having spoken.

"Arata," I replied calmly.

She nodded, and her mother interjected with a mild reproach.

"Daughter, it's rude not to give your name first."

Then she turned to me with a charming smile.

"Arata, my name is Melina."

"My name is Yuina," the girl added in a softer voice.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I said politely, "but I'll close my eyes and rest for a bit."

Melina squinted skeptically and blinked a couple of times. She observed her daughter and noticed that she didn't seem as nervous anymore. Then, she turned her gaze to Arata and began analyzing him silently.

"Hmm… what a strange young man. He's way too relaxed for this situation. Have I gotten old?" she thought with a mental laugh. "No, I don't think so… he's different from boys his age. I'd say he's about twelve or thirteen. His face is cute, with that black hair… Could he be from that clan?"

Meanwhile, Yuina frowned, feeling her own mind racing faster than usual.

"How on earth can this guy be so calm? We're practically naked and… Mom! Why does she always act like this?"

She shook her head slightly, feeling strange.

"It's weird… Since when do I say things so directly? Hmm, I wonder if I can pull off that technique Mom showed me…"

Silence stretched for a few seconds, filled with unspoken thoughts, as each of them tried to make sense of the situation in their own way.

Until Melina got a slightly daring idea.

While they were talking in low voices, I simply immersed myself in relaxation, enjoying the warmth of the water. But when I opened my eyes, I noticed that Melina was way too close.

"What are you doing?" I asked calmly.

Yuina, who was a bit further back, crossed her arms with an annoyed expression.

"Mom, why do you always do that? There are other ways to have fun, like training."

Melina turned to her daughter with a mischievous smile.

"Oh, daughter, you're so innocent… You'll understand me in the future."

Then she turned her attention back to me.

"Arata, tell me, how do I look?"

She smiled with that mischief I'd noticed earlier. But instead of getting nervous, I simply replied with elegance:

"As I said before, you're beautiful. And you have… a good front."

Melina burst out laughing.

"Oh, come on, now I'm even more curious… but alright, I won't bother you anymore, straightforward little man."

Yuina, red with embarrassment, covered her face with both hands.

"Mom, come here right now! Stop bothering Arata!"

Melina walked away laughing and sat down next to her daughter. As for me, I went back to relaxing.

After a while enjoying the warmth of the water, I got up and left the hot spring.

"Well, ladies, I should get going."

Yuina looked down, still embarrassed.

"I'm sorry about my mom…"

Melina smiled amusedly.

"Oh, come on, Yuina, he doesn't mind, right, Arata?"

I gave her a slight smile.

"I hope things go well for you."

As I walked away, I heard Melina's mischievous laughter.

"Yuina, did you notice?"

"Notice what, Mom?"

"It's not small."

Yuina screamed in fury and embarrassment:

"MOM!!!!"

I smiled slightly as I left the place, enjoying the fresh air. It was definitely an… interesting experience.

I grabbed the keys and dried off quickly before opening the locker. I put on my clothes with automatic movements, feeling the weight of exhaustion in every gesture. I didn't want to waste any more time.

On my way out, I headed to the reception. The receptionist looked at me with his usual expression, that mix of professionalism and friendly indifference.

"Thank you very much for your help," I said with a slight nod.

He gave me a thumbs-up, no words needed. It was his way of saying "you're welcome" or maybe "take care."

I didn't stop any longer. I walked through the door and felt the fresh air of the street. I had to get back to base as soon as possible. I didn't want to worry poor Sakumo.