False Prosperity

Uchiha Yoru slowly opened the door to a suite.

Inside were three rooms, a large bed, a bathroom, and a whirlpool tub. It had everything.

"Our hotel also offers conversation and massage services. If you need anything, just call me!"

Uchiha Yoru spoke with a warm smile.

"You provide the service?"

"That's right. I personally look after distinguished guests like Miss Kurotsuchi!" Uchiha Yoru gave Kurotsuchi a suggestive wink.

Kurotsuchi blushed.

Uchiha Yoru leaned close to her ear. "I know lots of places with great food, too. Once this is over, sneak out with me!"

Ōnoki watched Kurotsuchi and Uchiha Yoru whisper together, their faces nearly touching.

His expression darkened.

"Kurotsuchi, come back!"

"Konoha respects personal freedom. No one can force you to do anything against your will. Don't be afraid, Miss Kurotsuchi!"

"Personal freedom?"

Ōnoki cursed inwardly. Freedom or not, at this rate, the man would steal his granddaughter away.

"See you tonight!"

Uchiha Yoru showed the others their rooms. They were all quite nice, except for Kumogakure's. That was what they got for their attitude. They deserved the shabby rooms.

That was a close call!

A beautiful, mature woman like Mei Terumi had leaned in and murmured into his ear that she wanted a massage service tonight, too.

Who could resist that? She was the Mizukage, no less.

But Uchiha Yoru had firmly refused. He was an upstanding man, probably!

Mei Terumi looked at Uchiha Yoru's business card and chuckled. What an interesting young man!

He wouldn't be bad as a husband, either. I bet he knows just how to make a woman happy!

With an engagement in the air, the festive mood had stirred something in her.

She was nearly thirty, and she didn't even know where her future boyfriend was hiding.

Where on earth are all the good men?

After heading downstairs, Uchiha Yoru ordered, "Keep a close eye on Kumogakure. If they want any amenities or services, charge them for everything!"

"This time, I'm going to take them for all they're worth!"

"Yes!"

"Darui, investigate Konoha. The village has changed far too much!"

"Kurotsuchi, go out and... No, forget it. Akatsuchi, you go have a look around. See what Konoha is really like now."

Once Uchiha Yoru left, the four other shinobi villages sprang into action.

Konoha as it stood made them deeply uneasy. If it kept developing at this pace, uniting the four other nations would be only a matter of time.

In a room elsewhere, Uchiha Yoru sat with his legs crossed, eating fruit as he watched the Three Great Shinobi Villages move about on the monitors. He smiled. "Did they really think they could stroll into Konoha whenever they pleased?"

Before they arrived, Uchiha Yoru had gone over Konoha's surveillance setup. Ninja could certainly spot the cameras—but first, they had to know what those swiveling things were.

"Looks like a few others have arrived, too."

Several Chakra signatures that appeared to be Kage Level showed up on the detector. Uchiha Itachi knew some uninvited guests had arrived.

"Send someone over. Execute the plan."

"Over!"

"So this is Konoha? It's terrifying."

After walking through Konoha, that was Ao's strongest impression.

"The key to judging a village is its people."

"If a village is poorly run and struggling, its people are worn down, rushing from task to task without a spark of life."

Yet everyone Ao questioned said they had volunteered to help Konoha's Hokage, Uchiha Itachi, without asking for any payment. How could that not be alarming?

"Mister, could you spare some money?"

A little girl in ragged clothes stood before Omoi, pleading with him.

"How can there be a beggar here? Is Konoha's prosperity all a show?" Darui felt he was starting to uncover the truth.

If Konoha was really so prosperous, so wonderful, how could beggars like her exist? Shouldn't there be an orphanage to take them in?

Perhaps Konoha's appearance was all a facade, and the village was hollow beneath its impressive exterior.

All these strange new things were just props to conceal its weakness.

They had already heard that Root had been destroyed and Danzo declared a rogue ninja. According to their intelligence, Danzo was a wily old fox.

Even if Uchiha Itachi had driven him out, Konoha must have paid a heavy price.

Kumogakure had sent people to probe the village before, but every last one had been killed.

So they had abandoned the idea.

But judging by what he saw today, things were different.

Darui dropped some change into the girl's hand, crouched down, and asked gently, "Tell me the truth, kid. Has life in Konoha been hard for you?"

The little girl nodded. "Mister, those aunties and uncles don't want to work at all. They're being forced!"

Darui nodded. Just as he'd thought. He couldn't wait to tell Lord Raikage what he'd learned: Konoha was already a shadow of its former self.

Konoha probably never expected a little girl to expose it!

It never occurred to him that the girl might be lying. How could someone so young and adorable tell a lie?

Just as Darui was about to leave, the girl grabbed his trouser leg.

"Mister, can you take me with you?"

The little girl blinked her big eyes and looked up at Darui pitifully.

Darui's heart melted on the spot.

Lord Raikage won't blame me for bringing a girl back, will he?

Just as Darui was about to pick her up, the girl said, "I need to tell an uncle first!"

"An uncle?"

"Yeah! I have to give him all the money I beg for. He hits me a lot, too. He says he's teaching me! Now that I'm leaving, I want to say goodbye!"

"How can someone like that exist?"

Darui could barely contain his anger. How could anyone do that to such an adorable little girl?

Even though she was escaping, she still wanted to say goodbye to him! The man was a bastard.

"Where is this uncle of yours?" Darui asked, holding back his anger. He forced a smile, afraid of frightening her.

"There he is!"

The little girl hurried toward a man approaching with bandages wrapped around his face. "Uncle, I got lots of money today! Look! You won't hit me now, right?"

Zabuza: [・_・?]

Who is this little girl? Do I know her?

"Get lost, brat! I'm looking for someone!"

Zabuza gave her a light shove. The girl promptly fell over, scattering her change everywhere, and burst into loud sobs.

Did I push that hard? Is this kid made of paper? How did she fall over from one touch?

To Darui, the man had just treated a little girl with shocking brutality. There was no doubt he was a bastard.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What the hell do you want?"