By the Nanga River, Senju Touka and Uchiha Fire Core's cursing battle continued.
Uchiha Shin'getsu, who had long since memorized their insults and taunts, silently rolled her eyes; she was sick of hearing about these old, stale matters.
She only pitied her empty stomach; even in impoverished Konoha, breakfast might only consist of a small piece of grilled salmon and rice, but as the daughter of an elder and the disciple of the Clan Head, at least eating until full was not an issue.
So hungry, so sad.
Kamitsuki touched her flat stomach and sighed faintly.
If it weren't for transmigration, she would never have associated the word 'poverty' with Konoha. If Konoha was considered a poor village, then what was Hidden Sand Village? The Beggars' Sect? Yet, reality was so cruel; this Konoha Village, established less than six years ago, was truly poor to the point of heartbreak and tears.
First, a question: Is the Uchiha Clan short on money?
Absolutely not.
Among the Uchiha Clan's assets, there were more than ten mines alone, all forcefully seized by the Uchiha Clan from other Ninja clans during the Warring States Period. In terms of quantity and quality, only their old rival, the Senju Clan, could compare. Although these mines were all handed over to Konoha for unified management after the village was founded, the annual dividends alone were quite substantial. Coupled with mission rewards and profits from other industries, this amount of money would even make some small nations envious.
Despite being so wealthy, the Uchiha Clan could only barely manage to feed all its members.
Ninja extract Chakra by drawing energy from cells, and this lost energy must naturally be replenished through food. An excellent Ninja must consume large amounts of meat and stored provisions daily, and regular medicinal meals are also very necessary.
Yet, even Kamitsuki, as the daughter of an elder and the disciple of the Clan Head, couldn't eat well for every meal; she could only say she barely ate her fill. This was also because she had begun Ninja training and needed a large supply of nutrients daily, a benefit given to her by the Uchiha Clan. Ordinary Clan members were worse off than her and ate even less.
And this was the current situation of the Uchiha Clan, one of the two founding clans of the village.
However, once they were compared to other people in Konoha, it was clear they were actually doing quite well; at least no one was starving. The most miserable were those bottom-tier Ninja and ordinary civilians who had no money at all. These people struggled on the poverty line every day, fighting for their next meal.
It's understandable that those without money live miserably, but why are the Uchiha Clan, despite being rich, also living so miserably?
The reason is simple: even with money, they can't buy grain. In the current era, with the Warring States conflict having just ended and even a unified currency not yet appearing, the purchasing power of money is extremely poor. Yet, Konoha's food supply is almost entirely procured from outside.
That's right, all of it!
Who made Ninja not engage in production at all, only surviving by taking on missions? In the initial founding period, when the number of civilians was far less than the number of Ninja, even though they occupied fertile land, there was simply no one to farm and produce grain. Konoha could only procure food from outside.
Kamitsuki had heard from Clan members that the Land of Fire's grain production was not good this year. Thinking this way, grain prices would probably rise again, and Konoha's finances would likely be in deficit again.
Lacking money, lacking food, lacking people, lacking resources—the current Konoha is truly very poor.
Actually, solving this dilemma is quite simple. Since the Land of Fire has no grain, why doesn't Konoha grow its own? With such a superior geographical location and fertile land for thousands of miles, such excellent conditions, Uchiha Shin'getsu, a person from the Flowering Nation who didn't do much farming in her previous life, began to stir. Plus, with Senju Hashirama, a super powerful man who can use Wood Release, not to mention solving Konoha's food shortage, he could solve the food shortages of all Five Great Nations!
However, this is simply impossible.
There's no way. Ninja begin brutal training from a young age, training until they Master killing techniques, and then they dance on the edge of the Shinigami's blade all day. Did they sacrifice all of this just to have more strength for farming?
Realizing this, Kamitsuki couldn't help but shake her head and sigh again. The world of Ninja is truly too twisted.
At this moment, it was already noon, and Senju Touka and Uchiha Fire Core's cursing battle continued. Kamitsuki, who saw that she couldn't even get lunch, rubbed her protesting stomach and couldn't help but miss the delicious food from her previous life.
Only when you lose something do you appreciate it. After completely losing cupcakes, chocolate, cream puffs, and matcha ice cream, Kamitsuki finally realized how bitter her life would be without these soft and sweet desserts!
I really want to drink iced cola...
Just as Kamitsuki was lost in thought, a black figure descended from the sky, like a violent and unrestrained black lightning bolt, swiftly rushing to the front of Senju Touka and Uchiha Fire Core!
Two powerful leg whips mercilessly struck towards their faces. This person moved with immense power; being hit by such an attack would surely result in a fatal blow. But Touka and Fire Core, as top Ninja who had survived countless battles, twisted their bodies at this critical moment, narrowly dodging the dangerous strike.
"You dodged well. Then, what about this move?"
The black figure suspended in mid-air immediately changed his stance. His well-honed body, refined through countless trials, instantly prepared to unleash power. Formidable strength gathered in his fists, and then, a heavy punch struck—
Boom—
Touka and Fire Core, who had not yet recovered from the previous attack, had no time to dodge. They could only raise their hands and take the full force of the powerful blow!
A huge impact swept through them from the point of attack, sending them flying. Their bodies were like kites with broken strings, swaying and falling under the momentum until they plunged into the cold river water.
At the same time, Kamitsuki, who was tucked under Touka's arm, was also affected and flew out with her parents. However, before she could fall into the river, a large hand wearing a black leather glove grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, like picking up a kitten.
"Kamitsuki."
Hearing that familiar, low, slightly magnetic male voice, Uchiha Shin'getsu silently swallowed. She suddenly remembered that she seemed to have a small training task left unfinished.
What to do now? Is it still too late to beg for mercy?
"Master, good morning—uh, no, good afternoon!"
Kamitsuki squeezed out an innocent, sweet smile, trying to act like a good child. However, Uchiha Madara wasn't fooled. He looked at her with a half-smile, his already handsome face tinged with a hint of dangerous allure, much like a dangerous and captivating large feline.
"Have you completed the training task I assigned you?"
Kamitsuki blinked her innocent big eyes and immediately shifted her gaze away, pretending to know nothing.
Hmm, the river water is so clear today. By the way, what's that floating over there? Oh, it's my parents...
"Uchiha! Shin'getsu!"
A terrifying Chakra aura instantly permeated the entire space. Madara's face immediately darkened. He grabbed Kamitsuki by her collar, dragging her step by step towards the training ground within the Uchiha Clan Land. Immense power gathered beneath his feet; wherever he passed, the river water split apart, and the ground cracked, showing just how angry he was!
"Today's training, double everything!"
Ahhh, help! I don't want double training! I'll die, I really will die!
Hearing this terrifying punishment, Uchiha Shin'getsu rolled her eyes, feeling as if her life was over.
...
In Kamitsuki's short life, the age of four could be considered a watershed.
Before she was four, she was the Uchiha Clan's little princess, getting whatever she wanted, held in everyone's palms as if she might melt. Even Uchiha Madara was compliant with her every whim and granted her every request.
But once she turned four, her good days came to a complete end—Madara began her Ninja training.
More than 8 hours a day of physical exercise and hand-sign training, more than 3 hours of cultural lessons, and this year's newly added more than 1 hour of Chakra extraction training, Uchiha Madara was even more capitalistic than a capitalist from her previous life, showing no mercy when exploiting children. Kamitsuki under him was like a poor child laborer sold into a sweatshop, wishing she could work 24 hours a day for him. How can one describe it other than 'miserable'!
Is this even a human life? I can't live like this anymore!
There was no choice; Uchiha Madara was, after all, a man who had lived through the Warring States Period.
His philosophy of education remained in that era where five or six-year-old children had to go to the battlefield. To improve the children's survival rate, even if it was cruel, he would use any means to enhance their strength, even if it meant exploiting their physical potential and shortening cellular lifespan.
But the problem was, nearly 12 hours a day of Ninja training was completely unbearable for Kamitsuki, a 5-year-old child. Not to mention whether her young body could sustain such a massive amount of exercise and consumption, on the other hand, having lived in a peaceful and prosperous society in her previous life, Kamitsuki had long been accustomed to a leisurely lifestyle and was completely unable to be as cold-blooded and cruel as Ninja living in a world of bloodshed, living like tools.
But what if she couldn't complete the training?
What else? A beating, of course.
The Uchiha Clan's traditional educational philosophy was that strong individuals emerged from the rod. Although Uchiha Fire Core was completely unwilling to hit her, as long as Kamitsuki blinked her big, sorrowful eyes, Fire Core, that foolish father, would automatically surrender to her and put down his stick.
But if Uchiha Fire Core couldn't bring himself to do it, could Uchiha Madara not bring himself to do it?
How could that be!
He not only beat her, but he did it skillfully, making it terribly painful while ensuring no physical harm or visible wounds. Such exquisite technique clearly came from practicing on his younger brothers.
Moreover, Uchiha Madara could always grasp Kamitsuki's limits, in other words, he would absolutely not let Kamitsuki stop training until the last bit of her physical potential was squeezed out.
To her Master, Uchiha Madara, whose educational standards were more exalted than Mount Tai and whose teaching ethics and kindness were nobler than Confucius, Kamitsuki only wanted to say this one thing to him:
Uchiha Madara, you are my real father; you are even more ruthless than my real father!