“You mean, Naoki-sama’s clone brought back three Konoha genin? And they are on their way to the camp?”
“Yes, sir.”
Hearing the respectful report from the ANBU ninja, Juzo couldn’t help but frown. He really couldn’t see how these three genin could impact the future of Kirigakure. He waved his hand dismissively.
“You handle the arrangements.”
Before his cold voice could fade, a gentle voice was heard from outside the door.
“No need to arrange anything special. Once we return to the village, enroll these genin in the ninja academy to learn about loyalty to Kirigakure before they start taking on missions.”
Juzo immediately straightened up, and the ANBU ninja turned around, speaking fervently.
“Mizukage-sama.”
Naoki nodded slightly and addressed Juzo directly.
“Is everything prepared for the withdrawal from the Land of Fire?”
“Of course, the ships and security forces are ready. We will evacuate from the Land of Fire safely and swiftly.”
Naoki sat down casually, picked up a scroll that Juzo had placed on top, and examined the arrangements, nodding in satisfaction.
After flipping through the scroll from top to bottom, his brows furrowed, and he immediately asked.
“What about the wounded?”
“They are also arranged to be sent back to the village.”
“And the psychological state of the disabled wounded?”
“The psychological state?”
Hearing this, Juzo’s expression stiffened, and then he slowly shook his head.
“The psychological state, it’s probably okay, right?”
Sensing something, Naoki sighed.
This is the ninja world, a world where those who lose their usefulness are left to die in some lonely corner.
Who cares about those disabled and wounded?
Even just a short while ago, they were fighting for the future of Kirigakure.
Naoki no longer felt like saying more. He simply asked.
“In the past, how did the village handle these wounded ninjas?”
Juzo thought for a long time and still shook his head in confusion.
“So, they were left to fend for themselves?”
“Their children, their families, without the ninja’s income, can only collect resources through non-normal means, or just rot away at home?”
Juzo’s face also turned grim.
He naturally wouldn’t see any problem with this if it were before.
But as he imagined more based on Naoki’s words, he realized how deep the despair behind this simple principle was.
These Kirigakure ninjas had never considered these things, costing one life after another.
Naoki stood up, his previous arrogance and confidence dimming.
While all of Kirigakure cheered and leapt for him, in the unseen dark corners, his people waited for death in despair.
Perhaps by this world’s standards, they should be abandoned, but he is Naoki, someone who is stubborn in some ways.
Something has to be done.
“Shinichi, is there any hope for your arm?”
“Coming this far, of course not.”
Shinichi opened his eyes, looking at the decayed roof, and replied.
“Even with such injuries, the doctors can’t heal it?”
Shinichi shook his head helplessly, looking at his companion’s inquisitive eyes, he explained.
“The bones are completely shattered, medical ninjutsu can’t heal this kind of injury.”
“So, it’s like me, essentially losing an arm.”
“Pretty much.”
Shinichi pursed his lips and added.
“On the outside, I still look like I have one more arm than you.”
“Shinichi, now is not the time for jokes. We need to seriously think about what to do next.”
“What else can we do?”
Shinichi stood up, looking at the dozens of ninjas in the room, all staring blankly at the roof.
“Us useless people who’ve lost our combat ability, we can’t accept missions. Without missions, what else can we do? Of course, we can only take it one step at a time.”
“Besides killing, do you know any other way to make money?”
Shinichi thought for a long time, then shook his head in despair.
As Kirigakure ninjas, they were only trained to kill from a young age. Besides completing missions, they couldn’t think of any other way to survive.
His companion turned over and spoke with a hint of temptation.
“So, that’s the problem.”
“We can band together, find a place no one knows, and use our strength to rob some caravans.”
“As long as there are no other ninjas, no one will be our match.”
Hearing this, eyes lit up in the room, staring at him intensely.
“I.”
After a moment of hesitation, Shinichi shook his head.
“I’m not going.”
“Why not? Without money, there’s no way to survive in the village. You said it yourself, people like us can’t get ninja missions. Without missions, how do we make money?”
“But that’s no reason to use our remaining strength to recklessly oppress others.”
Facing the burning gazes, Shinichi’s eyes remained resolute, but his companion sighed.
“We are also being oppressed by those in power and with strength. This world is essentially about mutual oppression.”
Shinichi wanted to refute but didn’t know where to start.
Finally, he bowed his head in defeat because he felt those words were all true.
This truth made him uncomfortable.
Seeing Shinichi’s reaction, his companion continued to persuade.
“So, let’s band together, find a way to survive for ourselves.”
“Even if it means oppressing others, so be it. We can’t just let ourselves die.”
“Shinichi, without an arm, there’s no way to survive in the ninja world.”
Shinichi finally raised his head, looking at his companion, hesitating to speak.
The curtain covering the room was suddenly lifted, and light pouring in made everyone in the shadows straighten up, ready to curse the intruder until they saw the figure.
It’s Naoki-sama.
The man who shone throughout Kirigakure.
Even in their hopeless state, their instinct as Kirigakure ninjas made them stand up and shout fervently.
Seeing this, Naoki felt even more troubled.
Understanding these Kirigakure ninjas’ psychology, he knew that even in this situation, they would never blame the village for not getting missions because of their disabilities.
Because, to them, this was natural.
As ninjas, they were only taught to kill from a young age, with no other means of survival. Natural.
Injured fighting for the village, with no treatment. Natural.
Disabled from fighting for the village, unable to survive, with no help from the village. Natural.
But what is natural is not always right.
This world, really…
Naoki suddenly paused.
Wait, this world?
This world may have wrong ideas, but it also has the power to change many things.
Ninjutsu is not just for killing.
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