"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous!" Seeing the tense refugees before him, an Uzu-nin slowly approached and carefully said, "I'm not here to harm you."
However...
None of the refugees believed him. They still looked at the two ninja with fear and tension, and some even had hatred in their eyes...
After all, the reason they were in this situation was all because of these ninja!!
If not for the ninja, if not for the war...
Perhaps they wouldn't have had to leave their homes, suffering from cold and hunger in this heavy snow!
Seeing the fear and hatred in their eyes, the Uzu-nin sighed. If Uzushiogakure were destroyed, they might end up like this too, or...
Even worse off than them!
Meanwhile, the Konoha-nin's eyes also showed sorrow. These were citizens of the Land of Fire, after all!
Yet now, because of...
"Ah!" The Konoha-nin sighed inwardly. "Ninja only need to follow orders."
Perhaps ninja shouldn't think too much, but seeing this scene, they couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion. This might...
Just be pity for life.
But it was precisely this feeling that kept them from losing themselves.
It reminded them that they were still human, still alive!
War was truly a detestable thing, no matter who you were, because you could never imagine your friends or loved ones...
Gone, just like that.
"N-ninja-sama, what do you want from us?" An elderly man with graying hair tremblingly stepped forward, fearfully asking, "W-we..."
"Don't be nervous, old man," the Uzu-nin said with a smile. "We mean no harm."
"T-then... what do you need us to do?" The elder relaxed slightly, but the fear on his face remained as he cautiously asked, "Ninja-sama..."
"We don't need you to do anything," the Uzu-nin continued smiling. "Trust us, we mean no harm."
"T-then... could you... give us some food?"
"..."
Hunger and cold were the most terrifying things in the world. Perhaps those living in hidden villages didn't know. Perhaps the high and mighty ninja didn't know...
But the commoners at the bottom understood all too well. They had no power to control their own fate. When disaster struck, it could mean utter ruin—whether from natural calamities or...
Man-made ones!!
The Uzu-nin and the Konoha-nin both fell silent.
"No?" The elder murmured in disappointment when the ninja remained silent.
The refugees behind him also lowered their heads in despair...
They hadn't eaten in days.
"No, it's not that we can't," the Uzu-nin suddenly said with a smile.
The refugees' dim eyes lit up with hope again at the ninja's words.
The elder trembled as he asked, "W-what... do you need us to do?"
Whatever it was...
As long as they could do it, as long as they wouldn't starve, they...
Were willing to do anything!
They were afraid, afraid of starvation!!
"We don't need you to do anything," the Uzu-nin shook his head and smiled.
"Then..." The elder asked curiously.
"Right now, Uzushiogakure is recruiting workers. Men, women, old, and young—all can apply," the Uzu-nin said with a smile. "Three meals a day, food and lodging provided."
"T-this..." The refugees stared at the ninja in shock. "Is this true?"
Could such a good thing really exist?
Three meals a day, with food and lodging provided...
Even during peacetime, they had never eaten three meals a day. Three meals was something they couldn't even imagine!!
"Ninja-sama, is this true?" The elder snapped out of his daze and cautiously asked, "Don't deceive us..."
Before he could finish, the elder lowered his head in shame. Right now...
What did they even have that the ninja would want to deceive them for?
"Of course," the Uzu-nin smiled. "See this ninja beside me?"
"Uzushiogakure is Konoha's ally."
"Do you know about Konohagakure? They are envoys of peace in the ninja world!"
"They have always worked to maintain peace in the ninja world."
Now that the Konoha-nin didn't dare cause trouble, perhaps...
This wasn't so bad.
But then...
One of the refugees timidly raised his hand and said, "But our homes were..."
"..."
The scene fell into silence.
Especially the Konoha-nin, whose faces showed shame. These were citizens of the Land of Fire!
Yet they had ended up like this because of the war between Konoha and other villages. But war was unavoidable—Konoha needed to develop, needed to resist invaders. But now that the war was over...
Konoha couldn't do anything for them. In fact, under special circumstances, they might even...
Kill them!!
"..."
You're making this very difficult for me!
The Uzu-nin didn't know what to say. He glanced disdainfully at the ashamed Konoha-nin beside him and thought, "At least they still have some conscience."
Seeing the refugees growing fearful again at the silence, worried they had said something wrong and would now...
The Uzu-nin quickly put on a solemn expression and said in an apologetic and ashamed tone, "I'm sorry. As Konoha's ally, I apologize on their behalf for the suffering you've endured because of us."
"..."
The Konoha-nin stared blankly at the shameless Uzu-nin, filled with emotion. The Uzumaki Clan was no longer the one he knew. They...
Had grown thick-skinned!
Then, his expression changed to seriousness as he said, "Konoha's mistakes don't need you to apologize for us."
He took a step forward, and the refugees, thinking he was about to attack, shrank back in fear.
"I apologize to everyone here on behalf of Konoha!" The Konoha-nin bowed deeply.
"..."
The Uzu-nin chuckled awkwardly and muttered, "Not bad."
He hadn't expected the Konoha-nin to actually apologize!
"Trust us, Uzushiogakure really just wants to recruit workers," the Uzu-nin said, seeing the refugees' stunned and disbelieving expressions. Clearly, they couldn't believe that ninja would apologize to them. He smiled and said, "Given your current situation..."
"Why not come and see?"
"Maybe life will be better there?"
"We..." The refugees looked at each other, unsure what to decide.
Finally, the elder tremblingly stepped forward and said, "Since we're already..."
"We might as well go and see."
Hearing their agreement, the Uzu-nin inwardly sighed in relief...
The mission was finally complete.
And this scene was playing out everywhere the Uzu-nin and Konoha-nin went to recruit...