One of the five constants of the ninja world, the land country where Iwakuin Ninja Village is located, most of the country is desolate rock walls. The terrain is rugged and the valleys are criss-crossed, like a labyrinth carved by nature, isolating the land country from other continental countries in terms of the environment.

The geographical environment that is easy to defend and difficult to attack makes the first generation of Tsuchikage full of confidence in the Iwakushi Ninja Village established here.

With the blessing of the location, it should have been a paradise away from war. It's a pity that such a geographical advantage has little effect in this ninja world!

In the first ninja war, the fog hidden fleet that sailed from the far sea used a surprise attack to catch the earth country Iwakuin Village by surprise. It was also after that that the Earth Country Iwakuin Ninja Village began to pay attention to the attraction and control of the surrounding small countries.

Attracting the surrounding small countries and becoming the external barrier of the land country is the fundamental national policy that the land country has implemented since the three generations of Tokage and the two scales Onoki came to power.

For this reason, after the rise of the small border country of Rain, the third generation of Iwakure, Tsuchikage Onoki, is the key figure in uniting the ninja villages of the two countries of Wind and Fire to encircle and suppress the demigods of Rain Hide.

Without Onoki taking the lead, the three generations of Hokage, who are known for their compromises, and the three generations of Kazekage, who are busy with ninja village equality activities, would not have been able to expend national strength to prevent the rise of a small country.

Big Brother is Big Brother after all, how can it be possible to let a new little brother who has just taken the position play upside down? It's good not to take advantage of the situation to collect some tuition.

However, Onoki, who is concerned about his vital interests, does not want Hanzo's tuition. The rise of the Land of Rain touched his fundamental national policy of maintaining the development and growth of Iwakuin Ninja Village. Onoki, the hawkish earth shadow, resisted the power of thunder, and united Konoha and Sand Hidden Ninja Village with one force, talking about the pros and cons, and analyzing the pros and cons inside. The Second Ninja World War, which led to the concerted efforts of the Three Kingdoms to block the path to the rise of the Land of Rain.

Since the rise of the Land of Rain, the small ninja villages have seen the status quo clearly. Heaven is too far away, and the Five Constants are too close, and since then it has become the status quo of the ninja world.

In the world of many countries, it has become a joke that they once developed peacefully and never interfered in the internal affairs of other countries.

Once the superstructure is formed, it will spontaneously form a solid barrier to protect its own rights and interests. Is there something wrong? It's just that you're slow! It's wrong that you didn't have a character like the first shadow of the five constants in your ninja village!

In such a helpless reality, if it were not for the deterrence of the daimyos, if it were not for the false peace that could be enjoyed temporarily. Whether it's boiled frogs in warm water or not, at least they can barely make ends meet.

Otherwise, this ninja world would have already returned, the era of chaotic conquest of the Warring States. The only difference will be that in the Warring States Period, countries and ethnic groups fought for themselves, but now it is a big melee between the five major powers and many small countries.

And under such a pattern, the collapse of the Divine Court of the Water Country has made the warm water in this pot rise by a fierce temperature.

Anyone who has a little insight has already seen the direction of the future.

Once the daimyo protector shrine is destroyed, the daimyo who has always maintained the false peace of the ninja world will gradually become an existence that is hollowed out by the ninja village without the deterrence of force.

Well, the real great power of the prosperous age. No! It is the prosperity of the five empires, and it will really come.

At that time, when it comes to the next ninja war, for small countries, it is not just a matter of admitting defeat and surrendering!

At that time, it will be the norm for the ninja world to be completely annexed by the great powers. In the absence of the daimyos, they tightly pulled the Wuchang dog chain behind their backs to keep them from biting indiscriminately. What kind of horror will this ninja world become?

And this is also the shocking news of the collapse of the divine court in the land of water. The daimyo tried their best to increase the bounty amount on Zhou Suke, the person who had missed his identity; The clerics are doing their best to investigate specific forces; The shadow of the small country ninja village, with the elite in the possession to try to complete the bounty. And as the shadows of the Wuchang Ninja Village, they show very ambiguous reasons.

This is also the key for Onoki and Raksha to let go of their past prejudices and choose to secretly unite with the mysterious forces of the Rain Country.

For the Wuchang Ninja Village, this is the best opportunity to break free from the cage and confinement, and break free from the dog chain around the neck.

Because...... Xiao organized this group of people and let them see the hope of change! And the hope of this change was firmly in their hands, but it was a pity...... The former Wuchang Chuying had the ability to break the shackles, but they didn't choose to come hard.

I don't know for what reason, those talented and glamorous Wuchang Chukage had the ability to suppress the priests and establish a ninja village to bring peace. But they collectively chose to compromise and turn a blind eye to the power of the priests.

"It's probably the first Hokage of your Konoha that the naïve God of the Ninja World, Thousand Hands Pillars, was infected! Or, I just want to end it as soon as possible, the disorderly conquest of the Warring States Period. ”

Walking on the road formed by the rock wall at the foot of the diaphragm, Zhou Suke, who was wearing a hat and a blood cloud robe with a black background, said casually to Orochimaru, who was walking beside him.

The wind chimes hanging from the hat swayed with the wind and made a crisp sound. Except for the difference in height, the two are generally dressed the same, one big and one small, just like the father and son who have traveled far away. (disgusted face→_→, the description is too much! ）

Zhou Zhu's words came from the fact that he was chatting with Orochimaru about some past events about the priest and the ninja world.

The Land of Rain borders the Land of Earth, and the valley where Zhou is recuperating is even closer to the Land of Earth. This allowed the two to officially enter the territory of the land of earth shortly after they set off.

Although it is winter, heavy snow covers most places, but there are still many places where the original surface is exposed due to the dual influence of wind and landform.

Therefore, Zhou Zhu, who was walking on the rough road, could only use small talk to distract himself. And Orochimaru, unexpectedly Zhou Zhu, was very talkative.

Maybe it's because Orochimaru behaves like this for those who are interested. When he gradually ponders through Zhou Suke, he will be as cold and silent as he is to Jiraiya and Tsunade.

"I don't think so." Orochimaru, with a black line on his face, denied Zhou Zhu's words and said, "The retreat of the Thousand Hands Pillar and the other shadows should be the best choice at that time. ”

"At the beginning of the war, people who have been tormented by war for a long time have been sharpened to a very high level of understanding between people."

"They would not have imagined that under the hotbed of peace that they have pursued all their lives, they will nourish the generation that is present, who will always pursue the interests of the ninja village and themselves, and forget the suffering of war, and will never be able to understand each other."

"The nourishment of power and peace will corrupt many people, including the shadows of the ninja village!"

"For the sake of profit, ignorant people will dance endlessly! It used to be a ninja village built for the sake of the clan and the country, but now it is for the sake of the unity of the clans. It's just that the scale of the war has become larger. The division of forces is more clear! ”

Zhou Zhu looked at Orochimaru unexpectedly, but he didn't expect that this scientific research weirdo who was bent on pursuing immortality actually had the same opinion as him in terms of thinking.

"You can't say that because you've figured it out to me, do you?" Zhou Zhu asked.

With the communication with Orochimaru, Zhou Zhu found out that Orochimaru was unexpectedly very talkative, so he had such a definition of Orochimaru.

This is a man who has a great curiosity about the unknown. When he is interested and doesn't think about you, or has any suspicious thoughts about you, he will be unexpectedly very talkative. Come and gather information from your words to judge you.

And one day, after he thinks through you, or after he doesn't find value in you that he can use. He will put on a cold posture and look at you like an ant and a passerby.

Of course, he is cold to you, and it is possible that after understanding you, he regards you as a recognized companion or subordinate.

However, Zhou Zhu didn't want to really try how to get along with the cold version of Orochimaru. After all, at that time, he himself couldn't be sure whether the snake was choosing an opportunity to devour you, or if he really regarded you as a companion.

Be friends with the taciturn. It's really scary, because humans have a brain that is good at association.

"Oh~ Zhou Zhujun thinks, am I flattering you? Although I have a little understanding of what you are doing behind your back, I am not optimistic about the path you are going to take! Faced with Zhou Suke's question, Orochimaru said.

"It's an organization where people of all colors come together for their own pursuits. There is wealth, there is love, there is peace, there is faith, there is eternity, and so on, and so on......"

"And you and I are just one of them. We all have different pursuits, so why should I flatter you? ”

Regarding Orochimaru's explanation, Zhou Zhu, who has been calculated by Meiyan in the past, will not believe much.

Zhou Zhu grinned and said, "Heh~ I hope not!" I suspect you're just trying to trick me so you can get to know me better so that you can use me in the future. ”

"It's a joke~ isn't it? Before you really proved in front of me that you still had the strength you had at the beginning. I don't have the slightest idea of you! ”

"I hope so!" Zhou Zhu spoke noncommittally, and then turned to inquire, and the enemy he was going to face this time said: "The topic between the priest and the ninja village, let's stop here." This time, you should have collected the abilities and related information of the Earth Country Priest. Tell me also, when I can save the time, I will still have to carry out troublesome temptations. If you think it's a passive slacking teammate, it's not good! ”

"Oh~ Speaking of this, the Earth Country Priest we are going to face on this trip is really unexpectedly tricky!" When it came to business, Orochimaru said with a straight face: "Even Iida Kaoru, who has been preparing for a long time, has been wiped out by the priests of the Land Country, so he can only wait for support. I don't want to say much about how tricky the other party's ability is, but you should already know it in your heart. ”

"The leader will send six members in a row to try to solve the divine court of the earth country, and it is for this reason." Orochimaru, who rendered the atmosphere very seriously, suddenly asked Zhou Suke when he said this, "Have you heard of the legend?" ”

"The legend?" Zhou Zhu muttered, and then remembered why it sounded so familiar.

Because when he was a child, there was a stream next to the thatched hut where he lived, and Zhou Zhu liked to catch fish in the stream. Therefore, Ibaraki Takumi once told him this terrifying legend.

"According to legend, in the distant past, there were many fish in the moat waterways outside the city, which attracted a large number of residents to fish."

"One day, two farmers who were friends with each other were fishing in Hori (Hori means moat), and they were very lucky enough to catch a full cage of fish. When the sun goes down and they are about to go home, suddenly the terrifying sound of "置いていけ" (stay and leave) comes from Hori. The two of them ran home in great fear, and when they returned home, they looked at the fish cage and saw that all the fish they had caught were gone. ”

If that's the case, it's inconceivable at best, and it's not a horror legend. In fact, the horror of this legend comes from the follow-up of this incident.

One of the two men abandoned his fish cage and fled at the scene. And the fish cage that the two of them saw when they went home was the one who ran away with the fish cage and brought it back. ”

Not only was the fish strangely gone, but the next day, as the two men were passing through the moat, the man who had fled with the fish cage was dragged into the water and drowned in front of the other man by his outstretched hand. There was also a terrifying voice in the water again, '置いてけ堀を食う'. ”

There is an old Japanese proverb: "置いてけ堀を食う" means to abandon one's companions in order to survive, which is the source. (I don't know Japanese, I can't understand it, it's probably what it means, literati don't explain it.) ）

Since then, the name has spread. Whoever has harvested fish in the water, if he hears this sound, must give up the day's harvest or be dragged into the water. ”

"The man who didn't bring back the fish cage in a hurry wasn't better than his companion. He didn't pour the fish back into the water until the next day, when the two of them passed by the moat and dragged away his friend who had taken the fish cage, they spoke to him again. ”

"This time, the condition for letting him go is no longer to return the fish. Instead, let him give up his friends before he could leave. And the man did. ”

After hearing this horror story about Takumi Ibaraki, Zhou Zhu was really worried for a while. Every time he goes into the water to catch a fish, he listens very sensitively to see if there is a sound and asks him to leave something.

But a legend is a legend, a story is a story, and as he hasn't encountered this strange thing, Zhou Zhu has slowly forgotten it.

Actually, after Zhou Zhu thought about it. Takumi Ibaraki told this story, most likely to admonish him. As a ninja, you have to know how to make trade-offs. I want to talk about the choice between the task and the companion. In the fog, this kind of choice to give up his companions is a very normal operation.

However, now I hear Orochimaru mention this again. And maintained,It's the same as when the black and white ghost was said to be a hundred eyes.,The same look.。。

Zhou Zhu also understood something in time, something.

(So, it's true!) ╭(°A°')╮Isn't it Takumi Ibaraki's alternative education story? Just trying to scare me? Please give me back my original impressions! ）