[T/N: Think of it as cultural chapter. Like how League of Legends has Chinese New Year Beasts Events. Slice of Life Genre]
The clan heads clasped their hands, indicating their understanding, then left the Hokage Building to begin their discussions.
Torifu, however, was very pleased, as the matter of the firecrackers had been resolved.
Without firecrackers, without setting off festive explosions, what kind of New Year would that be?
It was perfect to have these shinobi transform into living firecrackers, adding a touch of festivity to Konoha Village.
And since the monster's reputation had already spread, the projector also needed to be placed in a suitable location.
He wouldn't want any sudden mishaps later, not only making everyone's efforts in vain but also undermining the credibility of Torifu's orders.
After the clan heads left, Nara Anka's face showed some hesitation: "Hokage-sama, is this truly enough? Why not have all the shinobi in the village learn the jutsu you developed?"
Torifu waved his hand after hearing this: "It's fine. Too many people performing it would be detrimental; it might even accidentally set the village ablaze. Family shinobi, organized by their clans, will be uniform and easy to manage."
"I see, then. Alright, is there any work you need your subordinate to do?"
News was spreading rapidly within Konoha Village now; the villagers had already begun discussing it.
However, their anticipation for the Spring Festival wasn't diminished by fear of this unknown monster.
They all wanted to contribute their strength to the village, working together to drive the monster out of Konoha Village.
Besides, the Hokage didn't guarantee that this monster would definitely come to Konoha Village. Frightening themselves like this would only delay the Spring Festival celebration, which wouldn't do.
In any case, the villagers had many theories, but overall, there wasn't any major commotion.
Konoha Village had weathered many storms over the years, witnessing all sorts of attacks, yet the villagers had never suffered any harm.
So, no one was particularly afraid; they believed Torifu could resolve this unknown crisis.
As the villagers chattered excitedly throughout the village, the matter naturally made its way back to Torifu's own home.
In the clan compound's courtyard, Minato and Yahiko were discussing the matter.
"A monster is going to attack Konoha Village, but Big Brother never mentioned it before. Could it be that he discovered something new in the Kumotsuru Clan's ancient texts?"
Yahiko shook his head; he didn't know. When he first heard the news on the street, he found it amusing.
Aside from the grand scale of this year's Spring Festival, the Kumotsuru Clan had always celebrated the holiday in previous years, they just hadn't told outsiders.
Yahiko himself had already experienced five Spring Festivals, yet he had never heard of any monster.
These villagers must have heard some ghost story from who knows where, and through word-of-mouth, it had transformed into a monster.
Yahiko, being young and hot-blooded, had initially wanted to go and argue after hearing such a ridiculous piece of news.
But upon learning that the news had actually come from his Master, Yahiko felt a bit uneasy.
"Now everyone is spreading the rumor that a monster will come to Konoha Village tonight, but people seem quite interested and not at all afraid."
Konan also nodded: "Right, the villagers are all still guessing what this monster looks like, which is making me a little curious too."
Minato shook his head helplessly. Since the news came from Big Brother, it definitely meant Big Brother had discovered something.
If it were just a rumor, the Police Force would have long since arrested those spreading it; how could such news be allowed to spread throughout Konoha Village?
Just then, Torifu returned from outside. The three immediately gathered around him, asking about the monster attack rumors.
Torifu naturally recounted his entire story to them, and to make it sound even more authentic, he added a few more details.
"To make the Spring Festival atmosphere in Konoha Village even more vibrant, I specifically woke up early this morning to consult ancient texts, and that's how I learned of this news."
Torifu shook his head helplessly: "Even hanging couplets and paper-cuts, their original purpose was to ward off this monster; only later did they gradually evolve into symbols of celebration."
The children, having understood the full story, were also shocked that the truth of the matter was such.
And there really was a monster coming to attack Konoha Village!
"Then, Master, should we also participate in driving away the monster?" Konan asked, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Torifu.
But Torifu did not agree: "You should just honestly watch from the sidelines. The monster is dangerous, and your strength is still too weak. If this thing resists strongly or becomes immune to its weaknesses, then I will have to intervene immediately."
"Alright..." Although Konan felt a little disappointed, she wasn't willful and followed Torifu's arrangements.
Meanwhile, Minato, who had been thinking for a long time, asked: "Big Brother, does this monster have a name? The Kumotsuru Clan has fought it for so many years; surely its name would be recorded, right? And does it have offspring or a clan? It can't suddenly be a whole horde of monsters, can it?"
Minato's questions were quite interesting; most people wouldn't focus on such details.
Torifu looked at Minato with appreciation: "The monster's name is Nian. You can also call it the 'Nian Beast.' My ancestors named it. Its lifespan seems incredibly long, and it appears to be the only one of its kind in the world; it has no clan."
This explanation undoubtedly made the three children even more confused and curious.
The true origin of the Kumotsuru Clan's history was now untraceable, but if this monster could appear again...
Wouldn't that mean it had lived for a thousand years!
Could something truly live that long? And for there to be only one such monster in the world, specifically opposing the Kumotsuru Clan, was indeed quite peculiar.
After receiving his answer, Minato once again fell into thought.
Just then, Konan raised her hand: "Master, since this thing is so rare, can we catch it? It could even serve as your mount!"
Her small face was smiling cheerfully, but her words were completely at odds with her expression.
Torifu scratched his head, a little sweaty, and chuckled: "I'm not sure. After all, our ancestors never tried. I imagine this creature might be incredibly powerful, as it was only its weakness that allowed it to be subdued."
Seeing her idea wouldn't work, Konan became a little dejected. Yahiko then spoke up: "So, between this Nian Beast and a Tailed Beast, which is stronger?"
This was an excellent question, but Torifu couldn't give a perfect answer.
If a Nian Beast truly existed in the original world, then a Tailed Beast wouldn't even be fit to compare to it.
But ultimately, this was just a myth, something that didn't exist, and the Nian Beast that night was merely a holographic projection.
It was only meant to scare people; it had no real power and couldn't harm anyone.
So, there was absolutely no comparison. Yet, to maintain the Nian Beast's mystique, Torifu said without batting an eyelid:
"Tailed Beasts? They shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath."