As they journeyed along scenic roads, the bus finally slowed down after exiting the highway. The natural colors of Napa's landscape, shades of green and yellow, became more prominent on both sides.
The bus took winding mountain paths, dipping down from bridges overhead. At last, Napa's unique beauty began to unfold, and as the two-hour journey neared its end, some students awoke, initially gasping at the view outside before eagerly pointing and commenting on the scenery.
The buses formed a broken line on the meandering road, as black and white overpasses connected in a complex yet orderly route.
Logan looked down from a slope, catching sight of a river quietly flowing through a mountain valley. A solitary car passed by on an adjacent road, the contrast of man-made elements woven into the mountainous terrain creating an unusual beauty.
While everyone was immersed in the scenery, David also woke up amid the noise. He suddenly realized that his hands were empty, "Hey! Where's my chips?" He yelled, breaking the peaceful ambiance
The outburst caused a few girls in the front seats to giggle, while Logan, unfazed, replied nonchalantly: "I ate them, Fatty."
This generous and almost shameless admission made David glare in disbelief, "I wasn't done with those!"
"Hey, at least I admitted it." Logan tried to divert the impending scolding, "Don't be angry, I will give you chocolates."
Stare…
Now, it is the turn of the female classmate at the front to stare at Logan with incredulous look...
As they neared the destination, the bus returned to its earlier noise and bustle. Twenty minutes later, the convoy finally entered Napa. The guide began reciting facts about the area, and the homeroom teacher followed with the usual safety reminders.
Soon the bus's engine was off, and restless students quickly filed out for the first sightseeing stop.
Student field trips, whether in spring or autumn, were all about diving straight into the main attractions. With the day's itinerary packed from morning till afternoon, Logan could anticipate endless descriptions of famous sites, transport changes, and perhaps a mountain's history or the origin of a water source.
Not to mention the typical cafeteria meal in between. These are usually filler moments that most writers wouldn't dare to drag out.
Dusk cast a dim light that hung between the horizon and the clouds.
Napa truly lives up to its reputation, boasting more 4A-rated attractions than anyone could easily count. Logan spent almost the entire day moving with the student group, from climbing mountains to rafting, blending in with the uniformed classmates around him.
The experience was something he could never have in his former life, having been thrust into the Naruto World halfway through school only to end up on the battlefield.
David's antics, whether he was munching snacks or pointing out pretty girls, made Logan temporarily forget his Napa assignment and the weight of his other identity. Even though he knew this brief glimpse into youth was illusory, it was a refreshingly real escape.
After hiking the snowy peaks, with many students collapsed from exhaustion, Logan remained with the small group of athletic boys who weren't out of breath.
Later, when rafting across a river, they hit a sudden rapid that set off shrieks of excitement from the seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds. Logan, scowling as David splashed water his way, discreetly extended his hand into the river to calm the current.
The elderly boatman sighed in relief as the waves settled, despite the disappointed murmurs of the students. As Logan looked over the now-quiet water, he felt that this fleeting moment of normalcy fulfilled some of his lost memories from a time long past.
"Ah, I'm totally beat," David grumbled, sprawled across the bus seat like an exhausted 200-pound marshmallow, the day's activities finally winding down.
"Move over, Fatty," Logan said, eyeing David's outstretched legs blocking his way into the seat.
"Nope, I'm done for." David shook his head exaggeratedly, as if drained of every last ounce of energy, "Climbing that mountain today really took everything out of me, and by the time we got to the river, my legs were already rebelling."
'And yet you were the one splashing water all over during the river crossing.' Logan thought. Seeing there was no point in arguing, he leaned over and practically flopped onto David, who immediately let out a tortured yelp.
But then David seemed to have an epiphany and snapped out of his theatrical agony, "Logan, it seems that your exercise has given you great result. Look at that unfazed expression. Next time, take me with you for a workout."
Logan merely let out a dismissive chuckle, 'Forget about working out, Fatty, like you could stick to any kind of routine at all.'
"We're heading to dinner next, right?" Logan checked the time. It was just past five, which is still relatively early.
"Yeah." David nodded, too lazy to even lift a finger, "We're eating at the hot spring inn where we're staying tonight."
"And after that?" Logan asked casually as the bus lurched forward again. He had a rather theatrical letter stashed in his pocket, marked with all the pseudo-dramatic flair of a gang mission.
The Blue Gang had requested his help a few times before, but it was nothing too complicated, and this was likely no different, just some muscle work. He certainly wasn't going to bother with shadow clones for such a task.
"Nothing else," David mumbled as he took a sip from his water bottle, "Apart from soaking in the hot springs at night, there's no other organized activity planned tonight."
Logan then started calculating, 'It will be around six o'clock after the dinner. They started putting students in the inn after six o'clock? It did seem like an odd amount of downtime for a school trip. But I doubt the teachers would be sadistic enough to enforce evening self-study in the inn.'
Not that it concerned him. He planned to use the evening to scope out the Blue Gang's local branch, cross-reference it with the information he'd gotten from Damian, and maybe get a closer look at his target.
After spending half the day buried in scenic excursions, his familiarity with the city was still limited to what he saw from the bus.
This wasn't his first time moonlighting as hired muscle, and experience had taught him that the 'One-Punch Man' approach was usually all he needed.
If all went well tonight, he'd wrap things up swiftly, otherwise, he'd finish before the school group left Napa the next day.
As Logan mulled over the best way to deliver the Blue Gang's letter to their rivals, he considered his options, 'Maybe he'd go for the 'Long Aotian Ascends to the Heavens' style or the low-key 'Unsung Hero' approach... both had potential.'
Meanwhile, the students, worn out from the day's excitement, perked up at the thought of soaking in the hot springs. Discussions drifted toward the allure of the onsen experience, real or not, as just the idea of a hot spring was enough to impress them!
"But it's free time, so they won't let us go outside. A few hours of being cooped up like that is going to be a total drag."
One of the guys sighed. Even if the inn was large enough to host hundreds and had its own hot spring, there were only so many places to explore, and some students were already dreading the long night ahead.
"Are you kidding? I'm already exhausted… who'd even want to go outside?" David said, massaging his sore legs before turning to Logan, "Besides, we're here to make the most of the hot springs, right?"
David threw Logan a mischievous look, giving him a knowing nudge. "Am I right, Logan?"
David quietly looked away, choosing not to dignify that with a response.