[Yuri hesitates a moment, thinking about it.] I... suppose it's because fighting changed. People found better ways to kill each other, quicker ways that didn't involve specialization. Before, you had to train in some kind of fighting in order to actually fight and kill people--and if you wanted an assassination, you had to find someone even more specialized. I guess that's where people like ninja would come in, though I don't think all countries used them.

But as technology moved on, it grew to the point nearly anyone could pick up a weapon without training and kill efficiently with it. Specialized fighters weren't needed as much, and eventually fell out of use all together. [Yuri trails off, looking a little embarrassed for talking as much as she did.] ...At least, that's what I'd think. Something like that, maybe...

[Sorry Naruto, but Yuri looks rather skeptical at that, pursing her lips before looking away to watch their climbing progress.] People always say that. [AKA "so that doesn't mean anything to hear."] I guess we'll find out when we reach the top.

[Yuri listens again, finding it all so fascinating. It's an exciting-sounding world, in a different way than her's is (because she has no doubt some people would find 'suicide mountains and ghost hauntings' rather exciting too), so he holds her attention utterly.] Ah, like-- [Yuri cuts herself off, hesitating again. 'Like Lee-san,' she almost says, but she's not sure exactly how well-known that information is. Probably enough, she imagines it'd be hard to hide that information in a world where being a ninja relies on it, but still. If it IS a secret, she's not about to go blabbing about it even if he and Naruto are friends.

Instead she amends slowly:] I've heard of that, too...