Hinata, Stop Pretending

As this undercurrent spread, it seemed to have been noticed by certain people. They began making moves of their own, setting off a chain reaction.

The ninja world grew even more chaotic.

As the forces behind this incident, the evil Dawn Organization, including its leader and core members, arrived at the Artisan Ninja Village without incident after a long journey.

To maintain their mystery and avoid exposing their identities, they generously changed into Dawn's standard attire.

On the surface, they were a team of wandering ninja who had accepted a bounty mission from the Bounty Exchange.

But their true purpose was already obvious.

The Artisan Ninja Village should have been a paradise for the Blacksmith Gate. Yet now, as the true center of this incident, when Hinata and the others set foot in this territory, what they felt was desolation.

Of course, that did not mean the situation in the ninja world had truly reached the point where it could affect the Artisan Ninja Village to such an extent.

What they were seeing now was actually the result of the conflict between the Artisan Ninja Village's conservative faction and the Four Heavenly Phenomena.

This place should have been bustling with activity, hammers flying and passion blazing. But because of the struggle—

The blacksmiths, who should have had no interest in such matters, had been thrown into panic after the conservative faction was suppressed.

Under such circumstances, when they might not even be able to keep their lives, naturally no one could continue opening shop and forging weapons.

Hinata and the others did not deliberately observe anything.

Instead, they went straight to find an inn.

This was the Artisan Ninja Village, where skilled craftsmen were countless. A large portion of the weapons distributed throughout the ninja world came from here.

For