Legend of the Monsters

The character arrived at a market town, situated very close to a large lake called Great Marsh Lake. The main road leading to the town was sparsely populated. As he passed by the lake, Uchiha Zhuang felt a sudden palpitation, originating from the lake's depths. He knew something was amiss, but instead of investigating rashly, he remained vigilant and quickly moved away from the lakeside. Finally entering the bustling town, Uchiha Zhuang observed the noisy streets filled with vendors shouting their wares and the small stalls lining the ground. A sense of inexplicable familiarity washed over him, reminding him of Earth's market days. He slowly walked through the commercial street and arrived at an izakaya. After ordering some specialty skewers, he quietly waited. "Did you hear? Oishi, another person was dragged into the lake by a monster by the shore a few days ago!" "No way! Didn't a priest perform a ritual to suppress the lake monster?" "Really! Yesterday, I was chopping wood in the forest and heard a noise. When I ran over, I saw a dark shadow drag someone into the lake! Luckily, I ran fast, I was so scared!" "That's terrifying!" Listening to two middle-aged men nearby discussing the strange happenings, Uchiha Zhuang gradually became interested and decided to check it out that afternoon! He watched as the shopkeeper brought out the specialty Painted Fish Fillet, Lantern Grill, Yakitori, and other dishes, along with the town's unique sparkling fruit juice. Uchiha Zhuang was completely immersed in the delicious food! After enjoying the meal, Uchiha Zhuang paid the bill and asked the owner, "Uncle, your food is truly excellent, especially the Painted Fish Fillet. Are the fish for this dish from Great Marsh Lake?" "Thank you for your praise, samurai. These fish used to be from Great Marsh Lake, but we stopped using them. Since the monster incident where it ate people in Great Marsh Lake, not many people dare to fish there anymore. However, the monster never comes ashore, and we don't go into the lake from the shore, so we've been safe." "Then why are there so many people here? It doesn't seem like there's a problem!" "This place is a major thoroughfare, so people from villages, settlements, and drifters from dozens of miles around come here to do business and trade goods. The streets are always this lively every day. You must have seen the main road into town, right?" "Yes, I came from there. It was strangely empty." The shopkeeper continued, "Indeed, samurai. Since the legend of the monster, few people dare to travel on that road, so it's become increasingly deserted. People now come from several mountain paths behind the town." "I see!" Seeing the young Uchiha Zhuang's eager expression, the uncle advised, "Samurai, please don't go confronting the monster on impulse. In the years since the monster appeared, many samurai and monks have gone to slay it, but they were never seen again. Rumor has it, the monster ate them all! Over time, people stopped daring to disturb the monster. Fortunately, as long as you don't go near Great Marsh Lake, there's no danger." "Thank you very much. Between heaven and earth, humans and monsters are not the same kind. If a powerful monster lives near human settlements without killing anyone, it's suspicious. Either there's a grand conspiracy to kill everyone instantly, or it's recovering from an injury and in hibernation. Once the monster heals, the nearby humans will be in trouble. Therefore, 'Though the mountains are a hundred zhang high, my heart will crush them'!" Looking at Uchiha Zhuang's resolute expression, though young, he even quoted the famous saying of the great swordsman Hayashizaki Shinsuke, showing his firm determination. The shop owner was greatly impressed and refused to accept Uchiha Zhuang's payment for the meal. He also informed Uchiha Zhuang that according to villagers who gathered firewood and hunters, the monster is most active between 3 PM and 5 PM every day, and that's the time to strike. After thanking the shop owner, Uchiha Zhuang first went to the market to purchase all the necessary equipment and supplies.

It must be said that although most ninja tools in the world are military equipment, and private use, theft, imitation, and production are serious crimes, there are still many skilled craftsmen in the civilian sector. Many imitation products are dazzling, and some even have more powerful functions. For example: powerful wrist guards that can shoot steel claws, gloves that can ignite flames with a snap of the fingers, explosive pellets the size of soldier's rations, and high-quality shuriken, kunai, barbed kunai, retractable kunai, blood-grooved kunai, and incendiary kunai that can ignite surface oil and grease mixtures! And so on, they have everything, all sold in a weapon shop called Takada Forge. Other roadside stalls also sell imitation products, but their craftsmanship is at the level of what farmers use for their crops. Uchiha Zhuang went in and bought some commonly used ninja tools, as well as explosive pellets and a few short swords, and a wakizashi. In the previous intense battles, only the Ōdachi Streamer Red Dragon was undamaged; all other weapons and hidden weapons were depleted. After purchasing all the items, he had no intention of befriending the shop owner for now and left Takada Forge, heading towards the distant Great Marsh Lake.

It was one in the afternoon, and the sun was blazing. Uchiha Zhuang walked leisurely along a forest path, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth. Within the Land of Fire, public order was exceptionally good. Such paths were generally free of bandits and robbers. In fact, many elderly people and children would gather firewood and pick mushrooms in the forest. Outside the country, tsk tsk, even three to five men walking on these roads would be captured within minutes and become playthings for a few days before turning into food. The reason for the good public order in the Land of Fire is the long period without war. Secondly, there are numerous guard posts and strongholds along the long border to defend against external unfavorable factors, as well as ninja squads patrolling regularly within the country. Although these squads are usually led by a Jonin with three Genin, or even a seasoned Chunin with three Genin, this force is sufficient to deter and eliminate small groups of bandits and robbers. Finally, there is the inherent security force of the Land of Fire itself. The armies and daily security patrols of the various lords and elders below the Daimyo are responsible for maintaining order in their jurisdictions. If civilians encounter criminals, they can report them to the authorities. The government shows no mercy to bandits and robbers who do not pay taxes, do not produce, and waste the resources of their land, eradicating them completely. Therefore, for a long time, there have been no large groups of bandits in the Land of Fire. The remaining small groups of bandits have to hide and flee, packing up and robbing, and even being robbed by villages with some fighting strength, and finally being handed over to the authorities. It's too difficult to be a bandit in the Land of Fire. Of course, evil has its consequences, and Uchiha Zhuang would never sympathize. Evil is like fire; as long as it encounters combustible material and the right environment, it will surely burn fiercely, consuming everything. Thinking about these random thoughts, his footsteps didn't stop. The sunlight overhead filtered through the layers of green leaves, casting patches of light that made it difficult to open his eyes. As he walked, Uchiha Zhuang suddenly heard a crying sound...