Will Eroded by Time

Land of Rain, Amegakure.

Dark clouds hung over the village year-round, and massive drainage pipes ran throughout it.

Under such gloomy weather, people's hearts inevitably grew heavy as well.

Amid the patter of rain, a ninja wearing an Amegakure forehead protector pushed open the office doors. He respectfully addressed the man before him, who wore a breathing mask. "Lord Hanzo, according to reports from the front lines, another five outposts lost contact today."

"Another five..."

Hanzo, the leader of Amegakure, leaned back in his chair. As he looked at the subordinate who was utterly respectful toward him, his expression was grim.

About half a month ago, a mysterious force had begun striking the outposts Amegakure had established outside the village.

Like an experienced gardener, the enemy kept pruning away the branches Amegakure had extended outward, gradually severing the village's connections with the outside world.

Their ultimate target was probably Amegakure itself...

Hanzo's gaze darkened. So many days had passed, yet he did not even know who his enemy was. He could only take the blows passively.

It was not as though Hanzo had never considered retaliating. Even a clay figurine had its limits, so how could he, the former demigod, allow his enemies to weaken his power at will?

Unfortunately, every Jonin squad he sent out vanished without a trace. Not a single piece of intelligence had made it back.

This plunged the former demigod into an inexplicable fear.

Even Hanzo did not know why he was feeling this way.

As a ninja of the Land of Rain, he had fought since childhood and experienced countless battles large and small. Without a powerful mind and the courage to face death, he could never have earned the illustrious title of demigod in this land surrounded by war.

Yet, at some point,