Nagato continued down the path as though he had noticed nothing. There was clearly danger ahead, but for the moment, he had no other choice. Wandering aimlessly like this was hardly any better than entering the village.
No one stood guard outside the village, as if it had never faced an invasion. Nagato met no resistance as he entered. To his surprise, crossing the village entrance felt like stepping into another world, one that stood in stark contrast to the place he had just left.
And despite having traveled only a short distance, Nagato could no longer see the old man who had suddenly appeared behind him earlier.
"Come take a look! Fresh seaweed sushi! Cheap prices and generous portions—enough to fill you up!"
"Stop shouting, boss. I've been waiting ages."
"Oh, a regular! Sorry, sorry! Hahaha! My wife is finally pregnant, so I was a little late getting the ingredients ready."
"Mom, I want that roly-poly toy!"
"You look like a roly-poly toy to me."
"..."
The surroundings were incredibly lively. When people noticed the unfamiliar Nagato, they merely gave him a curious glance before returning to their own business.
A few wanted to approach him and ask whether he needed help, but the cold, unapproachable air he gave off kept them away.
Even after passing through the bustling street, Nagato had found nothing wrong with it. Of course, the very absence of anything wrong was itself a problem. Peaceful and prosperous—that was his first impression of this place.
Just then, Nagato caught sight of the old man who had suddenly appeared behind him earlier out of the corner of his eye. The old man held two sweet potatoes and seemed to be looking for something.
"Thank you for looking after my grandson. Please take these as a little