"Y-Yes, it's like this!"
The other villager swallowed nervously and explained carefully, "This thief is strange. It only steals food. Money, clothes—none of that's been touched."
"Only food?"
Uchiha Retsu raised a brow. He already had a guess.
Most likely, it was a demon.
Human currency meant nothing to demons. Food was the real target.
He had dealt with something similar before. A wealthy merchant's kitchen kept losing supplies. At first, they thought it was a human thief and had servants lie in wait—only to discover a rat demon sneaking in for meals. Retsu had handled it without much effort.
"Take me to the house that was robbed most recently."
"Y-Yes, sir! Please follow us!"
The two men hurried ahead, leading him deeper into the village.
Most of the villagers were working in the fields. Only a few children played by the roadside.
Soon, they arrived at a worn-down wooden house.
Several poorly dressed children stood in the open space in front, staring at Retsu with a mix of curiosity and fear. When he glanced at them, they quickly huddled together.
Retsu ignored them and lifted the straw curtain, stepping inside.
The interior was simple—straw mats on the floor, a broken wooden table, and several clay jars stacked in the corner.
He focused his senses.
Soon, he detected a faint but distinct trace of demonic energy lingering in the corner.
In this world, demonic aura was peculiar.
Weak demons usually couldn't control their energy precisely. Wherever they lingered, residual demonic traces remained—fading over time, but easily detectable.
In contrast, powerful demons who could take human form were far more controlled. Unless they actively used their power, they left almost no trace.
"You don't need to look for a thief anymore," Retsu said after stepping outside.
The two villagers waited anxiously.
"It wasn't a human. It was a demon."
"A—a demon?!"
Their faces turned pale. Their bodies trembled.
In an age where demons roamed freely, ordinary humans rarely survived once entangled with them.
"Sir… if you…" One villager hesitated, eyes full of pleading but fearful of offending him.
Retsu waved dismissively.
"Relax. Since I've encountered it, I'll handle it."
"Thank you, sir! We'll prepare a reward at once!"
"No need," he said calmly. "You don't look like you can afford one anyway."
Without waiting for further thanks, he followed the lingering demonic trail out of the village.
With chakra enhancing his movement, he sped through the forest, soon entering a rugged valley.
He stopped atop a tree at the entrance and sensed carefully.
Inside the valley were multiple faint demonic signatures.
Not just one.
"A whole group?" Retsu muttered in surprise.
Demons that formed clans usually settled somewhere long-term. Food shortages shouldn't be an issue.
And from the pattern—stealing food but not harming people—these didn't seem like bloodthirsty monsters.
"Something unusual going on?"
He didn't dwell on it long.
He was bored anyway.
And the auras were weak—no threat to him.
He leapt down, dispelled his wandering samurai disguise, and revealed his Edo Tensei form.
Without hiding his presence, he walked boldly into the valley, his aura radiating openly.
For weaker demons, it was an unmistakable show of dominance.
The valley was lush with vegetation. A clear river ran through the center. Along the cliff walls were numerous natural caves.
In the open space below, many dog-like demons walked upright, wearing patched-up rags and holding crude tools.
Some washed items by the river. Others dried herbs or carried food.
Strangely, several of them carried large bulging bundles on their backs, oddly shaped.
Because Retsu didn't conceal his aura, the demons quickly noticed him.
Someone shouted first:
"A human exorcist is here! Run! Hide!"
Chaos erupted.
Shrill yelps and frantic scrambling filled the valley.
Within a minute, every demon outside had vanished into the caves.
The once-busy valley fell silent.
Tools lay scattered—smooth stones, half-woven baskets, fallen wild fruit, abandoned sticks.
It was as if the activity from moments ago had been an illusion.
"…"
Retsu stood there, half amused.
He hadn't expected them to be this timid.
"Come out," he called out loudly. "I just want to ask something. I won't kill you."
Only echoes answered him.
He could sense they were still nearby, hiding just inside the cave entrances, watching cautiously.
"Tch. So you want the hard way."
His eyes turned cold as he formed hand seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive fireball several meters wide burst from his mouth, blazing forward with intense heat.
The rocky riverbank scorched instantly. Surface water began to boil, white steam rising into the air.
BOOM—!
The fireball smashed into the distant cliff.
Flames and shattered rock exploded outward. Shrubs and dry grass ignited immediately, firelight painting half the valley red.
"Send someone out who can speak," Retsu said icily, staring at the dark cave mouths.
"Or I'll burn this entire valley to ash."
"A-Please spare us, sir! This little demon is coming out!"
A trembling voice echoed from one of the larger caves nearby.