The end of the year, Konohagakure 47.
Amidst swirling snowflakes, Hyuga Yuto packed his bags and left the Hyuga clan compound.
Heavy snowfall blanketed the Land of Fire these days, covering Konoha Village in a thick layer of snow that crunched underfoot.
With the New Year approaching, a joyful atmosphere permeated Konoha. Even the poorest families would prepare a feast to reward themselves for a year of hard work and welcome the new year with their loved ones.
However, Hyuga Yuto felt indifferent to it all.
His parents were gone, and cooking in an empty house with no one to talk to made even Hyuga Yuto feel a sense of emptiness.
Stepping on the snow, backpack in tow, Hyuga Yuto left the village gates as he always did.
However, he did not expect to find the blonde woman waiting for him outside the village.
"Yo, my dear apprentice." Tsunade cheerfully patted Hyuga Yuto's shoulder, "If you leave for a mission now, you won't be back in time for the New Year."
"Someone has to bear the burden," Hyuga Yuto said earnestly, "Sensei, do you have any instructions? Is there anything you need your apprentice to do? I will go through fire and water without hesitation."
The blonde beauty was clearly taken aback, bending down slightly.
Hyuga Yuto's body hadn't fully grown yet, reaching only her chin. Tsunade simply needed to rest her hands on her knees for their eyes to meet.
The last princess of the Senju clan reached out and flicked Hyuga Yuto's forehead protector, "I just came to see you off, my silly apprentice."
"...Hmm."
"Hey! Have a safe journey—!" At that moment, a shout came from somewhere in Konoha Village. It was Shizune.
The little girl hid behind a pole, revealing two lively eyes.
A few days ago, Shizune and Hyuga Yuto had a small disagreement – the reason, Yuto had already forgotten, was probably something like "Why does the fish in your bowl look better than mine?". Hyuga Yuto didn't care, but the young Shizune held a grudge and vowed "Never to be friends with you again".
However, the little girl still came to see him off today, along with Tsunade.
"Thank you, Sensei..." Hyuga Yuto turned around and pulled up the collar of his thick cotton coat, "I'll be careful."
"Go, Yuto, you are already an excellent Konoha ninja!"
Hyuga Yuto waved goodbye to Tsunade and Shizune in the distance, carrying his backpack as he left. He didn't pick up his pace until Konoha Village was out of sight, running at the normal speed of a ninja on a mission.
The sudden appearance of Tsunade and Shizune left Hyuga Yuto feeling somewhat frustrated.
He had paused his intense training and left the village for a mission, firstly to consolidate the results of his three months of training and stabilize his rapidly increasing strength, and secondly, and most importantly, to take time to do his own thing!
Following the timeline of his previous life's manga, next year, Konohagakure 48, would be the year the Third Shinobi World War fully erupted. Major villages and clans would take turns entering the fray, resulting in countless casualties.
For civilians and most ninjas, the next few years would not be easy. However, for the schemers lurking in the shadows, the Third Shinobi World War was the perfect opportunity to make their moves!
Hanzo of the Salamander and Danzo Shimura conspired to eliminate Yahiko; the aging Madara Uchiha successfully planted the seeds of madness in Obito's heart... The next few years would be a carnival for schemers.
Hyuga Yuto naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity. The war would be the best cover for his actions. Events that would shake the heavens and earth in times of peace wouldn't even cause a ripple during war.
"Everything is difficult at the beginning, I can't back down..." Hyuga Yuto sighed softly, pursing his lips as he took out the mission scroll while running.
The mission he accepted this time was A-rank.
Hyuga Yuto was now Tsunade's apprentice and a member of the village's major clan. He had gained some status, and with his own strength, he wanted to be promoted to Jonin as soon as possible to facilitate his actions when the Third Shinobi World War began.
Jonin were the elite force of each village, capable of leading teams and taking on apprentices. They also received a very generous annual salary, and the best among them could act independently.
There were many requirements for promotion to Jonin, the most important of which was "meeting both quantity and quality standards for missions."
Completing multiple A-rank missions was a prerequisite for promotion to Jonin.
The mission Hyuga Yuto chose this time was "assassination."
He was the only one carrying out the mission. As long as he was efficient enough, he would have plenty of time to do his own thing.
Therefore, after leaving the village, he maintained a fast pace.
The results of his three months of training quickly became apparent. Thanks to medical ninjutsu and the Strength of a Hundred Seal, Hyuga Yuto now had excellent chakra control. He could use less chakra to burst out with greater speed, and medical ninjutsu could even alleviate muscle soreness. During long-distance travel, as long as he ate and slept as needed, he felt almost no fatigue.
Two days later, he successfully crossed the border of the Land of Fire and arrived in the Land of Hot Water.
This small country located northeast of the Land of Fire had a narrow, elongated landmass. Similar to the Land of Frost, it was situated between the two major powers, the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning, serving as a buffer zone. Whenever war broke out between Konoha and Kumogakure, these two small countries were the first to suffer.
Of course, they were still better off than Amegakure. The Land of Rain was at the junction of the Land of Fire, Earth, and Wind, and it directly bordered all three. It had never known a day of peace since its founding.
Hyuga Yuto had been to the Land of Hot Water a few times before on missions and was quite familiar with it. He bought a straw hat with gauze from a street vendor, covering his entire face, and then walked along the official road, looking like a casual traveler.
The most taboo thing for dirty work like assassination was being impatient. The most difficult part was often "finding the target". However, for a Byakugan user, finding people was never a problem. Hyuga Yuto only needed to enter the city and activate his Byakugan to complete half of the assassination mission. The remaining half involved driving a kunai into the target's heart.
The winter of Konohagakure 47 was particularly cold. Not only in the Land of Fire, but the Land of Hot Water also experienced heavy snowfall for several days, reaching the level of a snow disaster.
Although both suffered from the disaster, the civilians in the Land of Hot Water were much worse off than those in the Land of Fire. After all, the Land of Fire was one of the Five Great Shinobi Countries. Although it was no longer as powerful as it was during the First Hokage's era, a skinny camel was still bigger than a horse. Its economic strength had always been very strong. In the Land of Fire, civilians at least had thick cotton clothes to wear.
But the Land of Hot Water was different. This country... was too poor.
After traveling less than ten kilometers, Hyuga Yuto saw more than forty small "refugee camps". People in ragged clothes were exposed to the snow, huddled around fires for warmth, fearing they would freeze to death.
Children with sallow faces sang together, wearing only thin straw sandals despite the low temperatures.
Beautiful women smiled ingratiatingly at every passerby. The price for a night with them was only sixty ryo – in Konoha, that was just enough to buy a bowl of ramen.
Withered old people were pushed to the outermost edges of the fire, kneeling in prayer, begging the almighty Sage of Six Paths for mercy.
This was Konohagakure 47, less than half a year before the full outbreak of the Third Shinobi World War.
The situation was turbulent, with constant friction between the major countries. With natural and man-made disasters, the lives of ordinary people could instantly plunge into hell.
In times of turmoil, life is worthless as grass.