The Land of Waves.
It had been a peaceful island nation, with a pleasant climate and a touch of humidity from its proximity to the sea.
In the past, a group of merchants had ruled it, oppressing the country's ordinary people.
Recently, however, everything had changed.
The merchants had been punished, and a group of ninja had taken their place. At first, the people had been deeply wary and afraid of these ninja.
Anyone who had lived through the war years knew full well that ninja from any nation posed an enormous threat to ordinary people.
To these ninja, whose lives were steeped in killing, human lives were like blades of grass, easily cut down.
During the chaos of war, it wasn't just ordinary people who went hungry. Ninja did too. They often committed atrocities, plundering and murdering civilians.
These painful, dark deeds never saw the light of day.
Yet the ordinary people ruling the Land of Waves were different.
"We intend to establish an entirely new ninja village, so we hope to recruit all of you as part of it."
"We'll help everyone build homes and clear fields."
"We'll also open a Ninja Academy, accepting Commoner Ninja, teaching them, and helping them become ninja."
The ninja leading them was a young blond man with a warm, sunny smile. He was very approachable.
The people of the Land of Waves liked him at first sight and felt close to him.
Of course, his words and the policies he laid out pleased the villagers even more.
They would have powerful ninja protecting them, their children's futures would be secured, and seeds would even be provided for the spring planting.
Who would turn down something so wonderful?
And so, the village-building effort began in earnest.
Three months passed in the blink of