Chapter 20: Chapter 20: In Times of Chaos, Life is as Cheap as Grass
Konoha, 55th Year, End of the Year.
On a snowy day, Yuto packed his bags and left the Hyuga clan's territory.
Recently, the Land of Fire had experienced heavy snowfall, covering Konoha Village in a thick layer of snow that crunched underfoot.
With the New Year approaching, a festive atmosphere filled Konoha. Even the poorest families prepared a hearty dinner to reward themselves for a year of hard work and to welcome the new year with their loved ones.
However, Yuto didn't care much for these celebrations.
His parents were dead, and cooking in an empty house without anyone to talk to made him feel stifled.
With his bag on his back, Yuto walked out of Konoha Village's gates, as he had done before.
Unexpectedly, a blonde woman was already waiting for him outside the village.
"Yo, my adorable student," Tsunade said energetically, patting Yuto on the shoulder. "Leaving the village for a mission now means you won't make it back in time for the New Year."
"Someone has to carry the burden," Yuto replied seriously. "Sensei, do you have any orders? If there's anything you need me to do, I won't hesitate, even if it means going through fire and water."
The beautiful blonde woman was visibly stunned for a moment before bending down slightly.
Yuto, who hadn't fully grown yet, only reached her chin. Tsunade only needed to rest her hand on her knee for their eyes to meet.
The last princess of the Senju clan reached out and flicked Yuto's forehead protector. "I'm just here to see you off, you silly student."
"…Understood."
"Hey! Safe travels!" Suddenly, a shout came from somewhere in Konoha Village. It was Shizune.
The little girl was hiding behind a utility pole, her big, lively eyes peeking out.
A few days ago, Shizune and Yuto had a small argument—over something trivial like why the fish in his bowl looked tastier than hers. Yuto didn't mind, but the young Shizune held a grudge, vowing never to speak to him again.
Yet, here she was today, seeing him off with Tsunade.
"Thank you, sensei…" Yuto pulled up the collar of his thick coat and turned back. "I'll be careful."
"Go on, Yuto, you're already an excellent Konoha shinobi!"
Yuto waved to Tsunade and the distant Shizune before leaving with his backpack. Once he was out of sight of Konoha Village, he suddenly accelerated to the speed at which shinobi usually travel when on a mission.
Tsunade and Shizune's unexpected appearance left Yuto feeling a bit troubled.
He paused his intense training routine to leave the village for a mission, partly to consolidate the results of three months of training and stabilize his rapidly growing combat power. But more importantly, he needed time to handle his own matters!
According to the timeline of his past life's manga, next year, which would be Konoha's 56th year, the Third Shinobi World War would fully break out. Major shinobi villages and clans would take turns fighting, resulting in countless deaths and injuries.
For civilians and most shinobi, the coming years would be tough. However, for those plotting in the shadows, the Third Shinobi World War was the perfect time to make their moves!
Hanzo of the Salamander and Danzo Shimura conspired to eliminate Yahiko, the dying Madara Uchiha successfully planted the seeds of madness in Obito's heart… The next few years would be a carnival for schemers.
Yuto certainly wouldn't miss this opportunity. War would be the best cover for his actions. Events that would shake the world in times of peace would barely cause a ripple during wartime.
"Starting is always the hardest part; I can't back down now..." Yuto sighed lightly, pursing his lips as he took out the mission scroll while running.
His current mission was an A-rank one.
As Tsunade's student and a member of a major clan in the village, Yuto already had some status. Combined with his sufficient combat power, he aimed to become a Jonin as soon as possible. This would make it easier for him to operate once the Third Shinobi World War began.
Jonin were elite forces in each village, capable of leading teams and taking on students. They were well-paid and could operate independently.
One of the key requirements for becoming a Jonin was to have completed a sufficient number of high-quality missions.
Executing multiple A-rank missions was a prerequisite for becoming a Jonin.
The task Yuto selected was an assassination mission.
He was the only one carrying out the mission. If done cleanly, he would have plenty of time to handle his personal matters.
Therefore, once out of the village, he moved quickly.
The results of his three months of training were immediately apparent. Due to his medical ninjutsu and chakra-enhanced strength, Yuto now had excellent control over his chakra, allowing him to move faster with less chakra. Medical ninjutsu could also alleviate muscle fatigue, enabling him to cover long distances with minimal rest.
Two days later, he successfully crossed the Land of Fire's border and entered the Land of Hot Water.
This small country in the northeast of the Land of Fire was long and narrow, serving as a buffer zone between the major nations of Fire and Lightning. Whenever conflicts erupted between Konoha and Kumogakure, this small country would be the first to suffer.
Of course, it fared better than the Amegakure. The Land of Rain, at the intersection of the Fire, Earth, and Wind nations, had never known peace since its founding.
Yuto had visited the Land of Hot Water several times before on missions, so he was quite familiar with it. He bought a straw hat with a veil from a roadside vendor, which covered his entire face, and then walked along the main road like a leisurely traveler.
The most challenging part of an assassination mission was usually "finding the target." However, for a Byakugan user, this was never a problem. Yuto only needed to enter the city and activate his Byakugan to complete half of the mission. The other half would be driving a kunai into the target's heart.
The winter of Konoha's 55th year was particularly cold. Not only the Land of Fire but also the Land of Hot Water experienced continuous heavy snowfall, even reaching the level of a winter storm.
Despite being affected by the storm, the civilians in the Land of Hot Water were much worse off than those in the Land of Fire. As one of the Five Great Nations, the Land of Fire still had significant economic strength, ensuring that civilians had thick clothes to wear during harsh winters.
But the Land of Hot Water was different. This country was… too poor.
After walking less than ten kilometers, Yuto saw over forty small "refugee camps," where poorly dressed people huddled around fires to keep from freezing to death.
Children with sallow faces sang together, wearing thin straw sandals in the freezing temperatures.
Women with attractive faces smiled at every passerby, offering their company for just sixty ryō—enough to buy a bowl of ramen in Konoha.
Elderly people, gaunt and haggard, were pushed to the outer edges of the fire, praying to the omnipotent Sage of Six Paths for mercy.
This was Konoha's 55th year, less than half a year before the full outbreak of the Third Shinobi World War.
In these turbulent times, even a slight disaster or misfortune could plunge civilians' lives into hell.
In times of chaos, life was as cheap as grass.
(End of Chapter)
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