A Brand New Future

Peace was a good thing. It meant people no longer had to fear losing their heads at the slightest provocation. With no wars to fight, supplies were no longer scarce, and people finally had the means to indulge in a little bourgeois leisure.

At least, that was how Konoha's villagers saw it. They were very satisfied with the taste of peace, and every face was filled with smiles.

As residents of a major ninja village, they were undoubtedly fortunate. Though they had been born in troubled times, major ninja villages were still the safest places around. They possessed the world's strongest military power, and even if enemies invaded, the villagers would be the first to be protected.

The streets were crowded with people. After several years, everyone had gradually forgotten the many ninja village wars that had dragged on for so long and brought them endless sorrow. Now that the ninja world had entered true peace, they could finally return to normal lives.

Not only that, Konoha ninja could occasionally be seen on the streets as well. The tension they had carried several years ago was gone. Some were heading out on missions, while others had just returned to the village after completing one. Like ordinary people, they greeted acquaintances or shopped in stores. Everything radiated harmony and vitality.

Of course, this was a sight only major ninja villages could offer. In smaller ninja villages—or ninja organizations that did not even qualify as villages—such scenes were rare. Whether there was a war or not made little difference to them. The polarization of the ninja world was most apparent in this regard: the strong possessed abundant resources and peaceful surroundings, while the weak had to endure constant pressure from both their environment and lack of resources.

At that moment, a young