The Land of Fire.
Konoha Village.
Yuzuru stepped out of the Kamui space as if walking into an unmanned territory.
It was daytime, yet the streets of Konoha were nearly empty. Most shops along the road were shuttered tight.
The atmosphere felt bleak.
Watching patrol ninja dart across rooftops now and then, Yuzuru walked toward the Uchiha district.
His powerful sensory perception kept him from being detected by anyone.
Before long, he arrived at what used to be the Uchiha compound.
Now, the place no longer resembled its former self at all. A massive gate stood at the perimeter, carved with two large characters: "Shimura."
Yuzuru snorted coldly at the sight.
So this was what it had come to.
Even the abandoned ruins of the compound had been seized. Just how deep did Shimura Danzō's obsession with the Uchiha run?
At that moment, two ninja reeking of alcohol staggered toward him.
Seeing Yuzuru standing in the street, one of them slurred, "Who're you? What're you doing near our compound?"
"Lord's in a good mood today. Hand over some drinking money and get lost. Otherwise we'll drag you into the Police Force—won't kill you, but you'll wish you were dead."
As he spoke, he stretched out a hand, reaching to search Yuzuru.
A second later, he glanced down at his chest in disbelief.
A kunai hilt protruded from it—the blade already buried deep.
"You…"
His eyes widened before he collapsed with a thud.
Seeing this, his companion sobered instantly.
He opened his mouth to shout, but before a sound escaped, a chill brushed across his throat.
A line of blood sprayed out. His breathing grew sharp and frantic.
His chest rose and fell violently, suffocation quickly overwhelming him.
He tried desperately to call for help, but only a rasping "hhh—hhh—hhh—" came out.
Yuzuru left the bodies where they fell and continued toward the village center.
Soon, tucked inside a narrow alley, he spotted a lively tavern—strangely out of place amid the cold, empty surroundings.
He stepped inside. Someone immediately approached him. "Sir, what would you like to eat?"
"Anything."
He placed some ryō on the table and quietly surveyed the room.
Even in broad daylight, the tavern was completely packed.
Ninja, villagers, merchants…
When the food arrived, Yuzuru pricked his ears to listen.
A merchant sighed. "It keeps getting worse… Bandits in the Land of Fire are out of control, and hiring ninja costs more every month. After working for months, I barely break even."
At those words, several people immediately agreed.
"That's right. A lot of folks have already gone to the Land of Lightning. Heard the merchants over there are making a fortune."
At the mention of the Land of Lightning, the room grew animated.
A short, plump man downed a cup of liquor and grinned. "I'm telling you, Lightning Country is full of gold! Anyone who goes there can make money."
"You know what it's like over there?"
"I just came from the Land of Lightning." His face was flushed from drink, puffed up with pride. "They're building everywhere—materials, laborers, everything's in short supply."
"As long as you can move your arms and legs, you can earn a mountain of money. Get injured? They compensate workers. Fall sick? They pay for your medical insurance. Retire? You can collect a pension every month…"
"And you wouldn't believe their roads. Smooth and wide—paved with something called asphalt."
"Their wagons have these rubber tires. And their coal-powered trains can haul over ten thousand tons of cargo day and night without stopping."
"In the Land of Lightning, even the most remote places don't have bandits. It's the safest place I've ever seen."
The tavern fell silent for a moment.
Then someone asked incredulously, "Is all of that true? Then why'd you come back?"
The plump man drank again and grinned. "I got a few travel permits. I'm heading back to bring my family over—let them see the world."
A Konoha ninja snorted. "You're making Lightning Country sound like paradise. I don't buy it. If ordinary people really enjoy all that… how much does it cost them each year?"
The plump merchant almost argued back, but when he saw the speaker was a ninja, he wisely shut his mouth.
Ordinary merchants like him could no longer afford to offend ninja—not in times like these.
He stayed silent, but the rest of the tavern heated up again.
Especially Konoha's common villagers—their faces were full of longing.
Work compensation, medical insurance, pensions…
If the Land of Lightning truly offered all these benefits, how blessed must the people living there be?
In the Land of Fire, life for ordinary people was growing worse by the day.
Rationing, nightly curfews…
Unemployment everywhere, while prices rose nonstop.
People froze to death or starved on the streets. Worst of all, in recent years many simply vanished after stepping outside—disappearing from the world without a trace.
Even those who still had jobs and some savings felt a creeping dread.
In times like these, who knew whose turn it would be next?
No matter what they felt, they could only muddle through their days.
After all, the last time people protested in the streets, ninja massacred every one of them.
Konoha was no longer the Konoha of old. A ninja in a bad mood really would kill you.
The tavern grew somber. Someone murmured, "I wish the Uchiha hadn't left back then…"
Instantly, the room buzzed with agreement.
Even many ninja nodded.
Whether they liked it or not, everyone shared one belief: Konoha's decline began the moment the Uchiha clan left.
Back when the Uchiha were still here, Konoha had exceptional public order. Whether civilian or shinobi, everyone obeyed the law.
Anyone who abused power was immediately dragged to the Police Force's cells.
Mission requests came in steadily. Villagers lived in peace. Everyone had hope for the future.
But after the Uchiha departed, the village fell apart.
Military defeat, economic collapse, powerful ninja defecting, order crumbling…
Now most people lived in misery, never knowing if tomorrow would come.
Those with privilege didn't even bother pretending anymore. Offend them, and you'd face brutal retaliation.
Meanwhile, the Land of Lightning—where the Uchiha resettled—had grown into a great power, rapidly expanding its territory.
People there had stable lives, steady food, secure homes, and welfare benefits that sounded like dreams.
The thieves of the Land of Lightning…
…had stolen the happy lives that should have been theirs.