After three days of travel, the vigince of the three genin grew dim. They took turns maintaining watch while the others rested periodically. A simir attitude was ong the Daimyo's guards, but the eight jonin still maintained prince,

  Scouting the route and surroundings before the caravan and then following behind. Shisui occasionally activated his Sharingan, and Jiraiya periodically sed the area with the help of natural energy. The ces of being ambushed were close to none.

  As they passed through various small vilges, Kaida couldn’t help but notice the stark trast between the capital's wealth and the poverty-stri areas they traveled through. It wasn't apparent during the first three days, likely because the vilges he capital were not as poor, perhaps for appearances.

  But as they moved farther away, the vilges became increasingly impoverished. The vilgers looked worn, with tattered clothes and weary faces. Children ran barefoot in the dirt, and the houses were barely holding together.

  “It’s hard to believe these vilges are part of the Fire try,” Kabuto muttered, his sharp eyes the harsh ditions.

  “Most of the vilges in the Land of Fire are like this,” Itachi added, his voice low but ced with .

  “With all the wealth in the capital, it’s a shame these people are fotten,” Kabuto said. The image of the bustling capital and the Daimyo’s pace, which shone like gold, was still vivid in his mind—a stark trast to what they were seeing now.

  Kaida nodded in agreement, his Sharingan briefly activating as he sed the surroundings. He couldn't fathom how the Daimyo, with all his resources, could ighe suffering in his own try. Despite his ability to help, the ruler appeared indifferent. Even now, as they passed through such vilges, her the Daimyo nor his ministers spared a g the vilgers' dition.

  'No matter which world I’m in, corrupt people at the top are everywhere, especially here,' Kaida thought.

  As they traveled further, the reality of the situation became even more apparent. Vilge after vilge showed signs of . The farther they went from the capital, the more they saw vilges ed to the point that the people no longer even looked up with hope—they were too aced to being ignored.

  Kaida’s fists ched. 'How the Daimyo turn a blio this? If this is the state of vilges within the Fire try, I ’t imagine what it’s like iher nations.' The thought simmered in his mind, but he kept silent, knowing that voig his frustration wouldn’t ge anything at this moment.

  The Fire try was the most prosperous among the nations, but ohing puzzled him.

  “The fields are so full of crops, and the weather is good friculture. Then why are these vilges in such poor dition?” Kaida asked.

  “They're oskirts, right in the range where ninja skirmishes are on. These people have to pay heavy taxes for their safety—not only to the Fire Daimyo but also to some ‘rogue’ ninjas from Kumogakure for prote. After paying so much, they’re left with just enough to survive,” Itachi expined.

  “But shouldn’t our vilge elimihue ninjas for them?” Kabuto asked.

  “We ’t. Even if we kill the current ones, new ones will take their pce, aime, they’ll eliminate half the vilgers. We ’t protect them all the time,” Itachi said.

  The group went silent after that, not wanting to discuss it any further.

  The journey tinued like this, and by the end of the fourth day, they had swiftly left the Fire try aered the Land of Lightning. The group, who had thought the vilgers of Konoha were pitiful, now realized what true hardship was.

  The Land of Lightning, already not as well off, ied heavily in its military, especially Kumogakure. As a result, the taxes paid by the vilgers were not only unreasonably high but also deadly during times of war, leading to much worse ditions than normal.

  Uo bear the sight of children drooling as they watched the guards eat jerky, Kaida, Kabuto, and Itachi shared some of the food they had prepared for their journey. Some childrehe food on the spot, while others clutched it in their little hands and ran to share it with their families, even though they were hungry themselves. They hadn’t fotten about their families.

  However, their stash had its limits. After visiting two or three vilges, their ste seals were emptied of food. Shisui, seeing this, gave up his share as well, knowing how difficult it was to witness such ses for the first time.

  People like him and Jiraiya, though not heartless, had grown numb to such sights. No matter how much you try to help, you ’t ge the world. You give food for a day, a week, or a month, but what happens after that? These people would still live in these ditions ohe generosity or money ran out.

  But they uood that it was difficult for someone seeing this for the first time to ignore such things. That’s why her Jiraiya nor Shisui stopped the three. As for the Daimyo and his ministers? They didn’t pay any attention whatsoever.

  …

  After ten days of travel, they finally reached Kumogakure. As they crossed into the Land of Lightning, the t mountains of Kumogakure came into view, their peaks shrouded in clouds. The trast between this nd and the vilges they had passed was striking.

  The rocky terrain was dotted with waterfalls casg down the mountainsides, adding ahereal quality to the vilge hidden among the clouds.

  Kumogakure itself was built into the mountains, its structures blending with the natural roations, making it seem as though the vilge had grown directly out of the earth.

  The tall, imposing buildings stood in harmony with their surroundings, but there was an unmistakable militaristic feel to the vilge. Even from a distance, Kaida, Kabuto, and Itachi could see shinobi patrolling the area, their sharp eyes sing for any sign of trouble.

  As the caravan approached the gates of Kumogakure, they were met by a group of Kumogakure officials and shinobi. One of the officials, a tall man with a stern expression, stepped forward to greet the Fire Daimyo.

  “Wele to Kumogakure, Lord Daimyo,” the official said, bowing respectfully. “We are hoo have you here. The Raikage has prepared a special reception for you and your ente.”

  The Daimyo, still exuding an air of detat, gave a small nod. He dismounted from his grand carriage, followed by his ministers and servants. Jiraiya and Shisui stepped forward, exging a brief gh the officials before turning back to their team.

  The official gestured toward a path leading up the mountain. “Please, follow us. The Raikage awaits you in the vilge.”

  As they began to asd toward the vilge, the group was led to a spacious, well-guarded area where the Daimyo and his ministers would stay. The Daimyo expihat four jonin from Konoha would remain with him for his prote.

  “Lord, sorry to overstep my boundaries, but we are more than capable of providing the best security here. You don’t o keep these four jonin with you. After such a long jourhey may be tired and could use some rest,” one of the ministers, who had a muscur build uhe sy ministers of Konoha, said, carefully phrasing each word.