Chiyo and her brother hurried back to the village from the capital without stopping to rest, but the guards had changed, and security was exceptionally tight. Chiyo and Ebizo exchanged a glance, already sensing that something was wrong.
"Lady Chiyo, Lord Ebizo, Lord Kazekage Sha Yi requests your presence." Recognizing the siblings, one of the guards hurried forward.
"All right." Chiyo answered first, then went inside with Ebizo. They were certain something had happened to the village, but fleeing now was not an option. Shamon had stayed behind for the village's future. All they could do now was carry on his will.
So at this moment, they could not leave, no matter what. If they left, they would truly lose their chance. They had to stay and find out what Sha Yi intended to do.
Sha Yi was someone Lord Kazekage had personally selected. He specialized in taijutsu and swordsmanship and belonged to the Pro-Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation faction within the village. Yet, unusually, he had never pocketed any benefits from their trade with the Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation.
He was a decent man, but that was not the issue. Why had Lord Kazekage changed? He had only just resolved to resist the Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation while they were still there. And what had happened? They had been betrayed, Lord Shamon had sacrificed himself, and Lord Kazekage had changed. It was hard not to suspect that betrayal had also occurred within the village.
"That Kazekage actually attacked ordinary people."
"He's not the Kazekage anymore."
"Why doesn't a bastard like that just die? Anyway, can we join the Hundred-Clan Shinobi Nation?"
"That would be difficult. The Land of Wind is a major nation, and its Daimyo cares more about his reputation than money." One of them understood this well. Small nations suffered poor