Shinobi World No. 1.
Autumn, Year 43 of Konoha.
Konoha, the Southern Army's temporary camp.
The war was over. At least, the fighting in the South had come to a temporary halt. Sunagakure had retreated to the Land of Wind's border, the Jashin Cult's Faithful Legion had withdrawn to the Land of Rain, and the remnants of the Southern Army had pulled back their defensive lines under Danzo's orders to lick their wounds.
But the real suffering had only just begun.
The Konoha Ninja splashed when the Apostle of Pain blew himself up-roughly three hundred of them-were isolated in a separate area at the edge of camp. They were forbidden from entering the main camp or coming into contact with other ninja. Even their food and water were delivered to the edge of the isolation zone by designated personnel.
The reason was-"to prevent the curse from spreading."
Inside the isolation zone, the air was foul, filled with that nauseating stench of rotting corpses. It was no ordinary stink. It was thick, clinging to their skin and seeping into their pores. Water could wash away the dark red liquid, but not the smell. Soap, alkaline water, even chakra purification-they had tried everything. Nothing worked. The stench seemed to have fused with their bodies, becoming part of them.
"Damn it!"
A young Chunin punched a tent pole, his eyes filled with anger and resentment.
"The First Hokage got splashed too! Why isn't he being discriminated against?"
His companion-a Jonin with dark red marks still on his face-gave a bitter laugh and shook his head.
"Don't you get it yet? Anything the First does can prove he has the Will of Fire. Because he's the one who came up with the Will of Fire!"
"When he gets splashed with foul water, it's 'leading