An abandoned temple on the border of the Land of Earth.
A solemn statue watched over everything within the hall, unchanged through the ages.
There were many temple-like shrines like this throughout the Five Great Nations. The history of ninja was only a thousand years long, yet this world had existed for an exceedingly long time. Before ninja appeared among mankind, worship of deities had been widespread across the world.
As a result, ruins of all kinds of shrines could now be found everywhere.
At the center of this shrine, before a portrait of a celestial being, a boy who looked to be only around thirteen sat cross-legged. His face was filled with fervor, and his hands continuously came together in changing seals, accompanied by an eerie chewing sound.
"Good. A new work of art is about to be born. This time, I'll definitely make them appreciate true art, hmm!" The boy muttered something under his breath, the excitement in his eyes growing even stronger.
Just then, he suddenly sensed something and jerked his head up. Beneath the sunlight, three figures slowly stepped into the shrine. Their black cloaks patterned with red clouds were unforgettable at a glance.
"Who are you people?" The boy narrowed his eyes, obvious hostility appearing on his face. Don't tell me they're pursuers sent by that old man? But that shouldn't be possible, he thought.
Kisame casually looked around. Taking in the still relatively intact main hall, he suddenly said, "Well now, this place looks pretty decent. Seems like someone used to live here. Hey, kid, don't tell me you stole this place?"
"Bastard!" Kisame's words immediately provoked the boy. He snapped, "Are you here to pick a fight? If you want to fight, I'll oblige."
Kisame sighed. "Young people these days really do have