"Shinsuke-kun, have you heard? Something huge is happening in the Ninja World!"
"Something huge? What do you mean?"
"Ever since the Hyuga clan withdrew from the Four Clans conflict, the fighting between the Uchiha, Senju, and Yuyi has escalated. They say a decisive battle is about to erupt…"
Raizen's head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing. Three ninjas were whispering not far ahead. Even though they tried to keep their voices low, Raizen was close enough to hear clearly. And judging by their uniforms, they weren't random villagers—they were proper ninjas. News from them carried weight.
"I heard the Yuyi clan might collapse."
A shadow of excitement crept into one ninja's tone as he glanced at his companion.
"Yes. This time, the Yuyi clan might finally fall. Senju and Uchiha won't let this chance slip. If the Yuyi survive, maybe just barely…"
Another ninja scoffed, his voice laced with sarcasm.
"Don't leave it to chance. With all the chaos the big families bring, one less is actually a blessing for small clans like ours!"
Shinsuke sank into his chair slightly, absorbing the words.
"Yes! These big families always interfere with our missions, hoarding contracts and leaving us scraps. If the Yuyi fall, good riddance!"
A moment of silence fell over the table, and they sipped from small cups of sake to ease the tension. They had no idea their conversation had already been overheard. Nearby diners picked up on their words, and soon the entire tavern buzzed with discussion about the clans' power struggles.
"The damage from the ninja wars is insane. Have you heard? The daimyo of the Fire Country is pressing the three clans to stop fighting. He wants the decisive battle to happen sooner rather than later."
"The Fire Country's luck is good. Only three clans are at war here. Elsewhere, other families are busy recovering. I visited the Wind Country recently—materials were scarce, and the political climate is a mess. Clan wars are just constant."
"Have you heard about Jiezhi? The country next to us? Its puppet clans are growing stronger thanks to the ninja wars, and they might dominate the whole country soon. Meanwhile, small countries around the Fire Country are falling into chaos."
"Fortunately, our Fire Country has better geography and resources, and the daimyo controls politics firmly. Even the ninjas respect him. Otherwise… with so many skilled ninjas here, no country could survive this kind of war!"
A murmur of nervous agreement passed through the tavern.
"If only there were a single ninja in the Fire Country… then maybe there wouldn't be war," one man sighed.
"Ha! Not unless you have the power of a god. Otherwise, which clan in the Warring States could possibly challenge all the others?"
Laughter rang out, though a glimmer of longing shone in their eyes.
"Even if you had godlike power, it wouldn't be enough. The leaders of the big ninja clans are ruthless, tyrannical characters!"
"Exactly. Uchiha Tajima, the Uchiha patriarch, led the clan's elite and wiped out the Yuyi clan patriarchs. That's how strong he is. God or not, no one could resist him!"
"Uchiha Tajima… that guy's insane!"
A mix of awe and fear rippled through the crowd, cementing the Yuyi clan's fall as the talk of the day.