The Land of Waves.
It was a small, weak island nation in the shinobi world with no ninja village of its own. Remote and lacking resources, it was rarely considered a strategic target by other countries. Many factions did not even know it existed.
To the island's residents, the Land of Waves was less a country than an oversized fishing village.
Even their everyday supplies had to be brought in from outside by shipping companies, and the exorbitant transport fees often swallowed most of the income they earned through their hard work fishing.
Sometimes, even their entire catch was not enough, and they had to sell their labor in exchange for basic necessities.
The economy was poor, and the people lived in hardship and deprivation.
That was the current state of the Land of Waves.
Bang!
The door was kicked open, and vicious gangsters carrying Samurai swords swaggered straight into the house.
The bald thug at the front surveyed the destitute home. Apart from the insects crawling along the walls, there was only a civilian of the Land of Waves who looked nearly scared out of his wits.
The bald man stepped forward, his tone hostile. "Have you seen..."
"No! No!"
"I haven't even gone outside these past few days!"
Seeing the civilian hastily deny it, the bald man sneered, then suddenly drew his sword and slashed at him.
"Help!"
The trembling civilian of the Land of Pop collapsed to the floor in terror, his eyes rolling back as he nearly fainted.
"You fucking dare interrupt me!"
Yet the blade stopped right in front of him. The bald man spat, and the thugs behind him burst into unrestrained laughter.
"Look at this useless bastard. What a coward. Doubt he'd have the guts to lie."
"There's hardly anyone in this country