"What's going on in Kirigakure? Why haven't they made any moves?"
This question lingered in the minds of the ninjas stationed at both the Konoha and Kumogakure outposts.
Although they were aware that the Land of Water was a relatively isolated nation and Kirigakure a relatively closed-off village, after several days of observation, they couldn't help but marvel at the extent of its isolation.
Perhaps due to transportation limitations, the number of people entering and exiting the Land of Water's borders was significantly lower compared to other major nations.
The Konoha Special Jonin leading the team, Raidō Namiashi, couldn't help but recall the arguments he had overheard from Advisor Gojo during a meeting he had the privilege of attending at the Hokage Tower-
[Kirigakure, compared to our villages located on the mainland, possesses a natural maritime defense line.]
[Although as ninjas, we can adhere chakra to our feet for sea-crossing combat, it ultimately consumes chakra. And due to our lack of swimming proficiency, we're vulnerable to ambushes at sea.]
[Their unique geographical advantage provides Kirigakure with ample room for development. Moreover, I believe that in the absence of a "God of Shinobi," Kirigakure will eventually become Konoha's primary adversary in the shinobi world.]
[They can leverage their economic and ninja prowess to keep the major villages on the mainland in check and vying for power, preventing any single village from dominating the land-based shinobi world. Essentially, Kirigakure can manipulate the balance of power among the mainland villages.]
[Furthermore, by establishing ninja outposts and Kirigakure's forward operating bases in the Land of Hot Water, Land of Bears, Land of Iron, Land of Artisans… these smaller coastal nations, they can create a chain of islands to impose a maritime blockade on Konoha and other villages, making them virtually invincible.]
[Explosive tags wouldn't even reach Kirigakure's mainland. They can effortlessly maintain their dominance through a "Shinobi World Balance of Power" policy.]
[However, unfortunately, two consecutive generations of Mizukage have been shortsighted and foolish ninjas, plunging Kirigakure into prolonged chaos. And I, Gojo Kaigetsu, will not give them the chance to wait for a miraculous leader to emerge… We must seize any opportunity to strike decisively and eliminate all possibilities of Kirigakure's rise!]
Every time Raidō Namiashi recalled Advisor Gojo's speech at the Hokage Tower's military seminar, his heart surged with excitement.
Apart from the "Shadow Guard" position promised to him privately by Advisor Gojo, this was one of the reasons he eagerly volunteered for the Kirigakure Freedom Operation.
"So, Kirigakure is the potentially strongest enemy Konoha might face in the future."
Raidō Namiashi was filled with emotion. Just then, the Byakugan-wielding ninja responsible for forward observation suddenly shouted excitedly, "They're… they're here!"
"They're really here! So many ships!"
From the perspective of a landlocked ninja, it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime sight to witness so many ships at once.
On the horizon, countless black dots appeared on the sea's surface.
Ferry boats and merchant ships of various sizes were seemingly fleeing for their lives, desperately heading towards the Land of Hot Water.
As they drew closer, the expressions of terror on the faces of these refugees became visible, as if something dreadful was chasing them.
"Go and receive them!"
Raidō Namiashi didn't even need to give the order. Most of the ninjas present were Konoha Chunin and Genin, and they were all eager to get started. The mission reward was linked to the number of people rescued, meaning… the more people they brought in, the greater the reward.
This kind of mission, with minimal combat risk and a generous reward, was a dream come true for these Chunin and Genin.
Ninja run! It's the ninja run!
One by one, the Konoha ninjas dashed across the water, swiftly completing the rescue mission.
As the first rescued Kirigakure villager regained their composure, they recounted the events with lingering fear in response to the Konoha ninja's inquiries:
"The village… the nation is in chaos, complete chaos."
"The Mizukage was also assassinated and is missing."
More and more refugees from the Land of Water arrived, each contributing fragments of information that gradually formed a complete picture.
After a while, Raidō Namiashi pieced together what had happened.
As described in the intelligence reports, Kirigakure had indeed erupted in civil war!
The dissenting voices that had been suppressed for a long time since the implementation of the Bloody Mist policy finally erupted like a volcano. Moreover, this opposition force was backed by several powerful nobles in the Land of Water who opposed the Daimyo.
Not only were the ninjas in turmoil, but the samurai had also risen in revolt. The entire nation and village were plunged into scary internal strife.
The Fourth Mizukage, the village leader, seemed to have been attacked and his whereabouts were unknown.
The Bloody Mist faction and the Reformist faction were locked in a fierce battle, while ordinary ninjas who wanted no part in the conflict and had long suffered under the Bloody Mist's oppression removed their headbands and joined the fleeing masses.
Looking around, just how many people were there?
Raidō Namiashi couldn't even begin to count. A rough estimate suggested that the number gathered near their Konoha outpost alone exceeded a thousand. Among them were ordinary ninjas, wealthy merchants, minor nobles, and commoners of unknown professions…
More ships continued to appear on the horizon.
It was like a massive oil well blowout.
"Everyone, don't panic, don't panic!" The thick-browed and wide-eyed Might Guy shouted amidst the crowd.
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The chaotic scene nearly made even this well-trained Taijutsu master lose his footing.
Since the mission objective was to receive good-natured ninjas and merchants from Kirigakure and the Land of Water…
Might Guy and the other Konoha ninjas had to present their friendliest demeanor, fearing that even a slight release of chakra might scare the refugees away.
"This is not good… this scene is far too chaotic."
Sarutobi Asuma, a cigarette dangling from his lips, struggled to maintain order.
Their plans had been flawless, but there was always a loophole somewhere. Only during implementation did the problem become apparent.
These ninjas might excel at capturing stray cats and dogs for D-rank missions… but managing refugee resettlement was a different beast altogether. Resettlement was easy for one person, but handling hundreds or thousands was a headache, let alone filtering out the right individuals from the masses.
No one present seemed to have any experience in leadership or managing refugee reception.
Only at times like these did one truly understand the difficulties of being a leader, Asuma mused, "The advisor's genius needs no further explanation."
The chaotic resettlement work at the Konoha outpost continued until around two in the afternoon.
The influx of refugees from the Land of Water finally began to slow down.
Raidō Namiashi, sitting inside the commander's tent, rubbed his temples in frustration. Was he cut out for this? He was just an unremarkable Konoha Special Jonin!
"Asuma, are the statistics ready?"
"Yes." Asuma looked exhausted. His lighter had been pilfered by a cunning refugee from the Land of Water during the resettlement process. What a frustrating experience.
"As of now, we have a total of 3,144 refugees from the Land of Water. Over 3,000 are ordinary people whose identities and professions we haven't had time to verify yet, and a few dozen are ninjas from various parts of the Land of Water."
"Most are Genin, with a small number of Chunin."
Asuma added.
The shinobi world was still quite conservative in this regard. Generally, removing one's headband or marking it with a line signified severing ties with one's past ninja identity.
It meant either retiring from the ninja profession and returning to civilian life or becoming a missing-nin.
When Advisor Gojo initially proposed accepting good-natured ninjas from other villages, he faced strong opposition from the conservative faction, led by Elder Mito Kadach.
Asuma had also been part of the conservative faction.
However, after witnessing the state of these ninjas who had removed their headbands, Asuma silently changed his political stance.
While not absolute, in the eyes of these refugee ninjas from the Land of Water, Asuma saw only a desperate desire to survive!
Advisor Gojo had once said that the eyes were the windows to the soul and couldn't lie.
Being a ninja, ultimately, was a profession, a means of supporting oneself and one's family.
Concepts like "hatred" and "glory" were concerns for higher-ranking ninjas. For these ordinary, lower-ranked ninjas caught in the tides of change, things weren't so complicated.
"Sigh, what a mess," Asuma shook his head, hesitating whether to light a cigarette with his fire jutsu. "Namiashi-san, how should we proceed?"
"That question… let's set that aside for now. I've already sent an emergency request for reinforcements to the village. They'll send specialists to handle it."
"Let's talk about the refugees outside. What are their thoughts on joining Konoha?"
"Not good."
"Most of them want to recuperate in the Land of Hot Water for a while and return to their homeland once the civil war in the Land of Water subsides."
…
…
While the Konoha outpost was in disarray, the Kumogakure outpost wasn't much better, perhaps even worse.
The battle-hungry Kumogakure ninjas were like wild beasts, only kept in check by order and the Raikage's iron fist.
And those from the Land of Water, having lived under the oppressive rule of the Bloody Mist in Kirigakure, were extremely sensitive to unfamiliar environments. Friction arose from their initial encounters with the Kumogakure ninjas, as they simply couldn't stand each other.
"Damn it! This is so frustrating!"
A Kumogakure Chunin, fuming with indignation, slammed his fist against a pillar. They were just a bunch of refugees, yet they dared to defy Kumogakure ninjas.
Were they tired of living?!
"If it weren't… if it weren't for the Raikage's orders…"
The Chunin sighed, dejectedly stroking his headband.
Interpretations of the inscription on the headbands varied.
Some believed it was the beginning of the village's decline, while others thought it signified a shift in the higher-ups' priorities.
In short, during this sensitive period, even the beast-like Kumogakure ninjas were suppressing their true nature, trying their best to avoid conflicts with outsiders.
No one knew if they might become the "chicken" made an example of as the political winds shifted.
"Having so many people gathered at the outpost isn't sustainable. The daily consumption of soldier pills and medical scrolls alone is a significant burden."
"Haven't we received any guidance from above?"
Everyone knew trouble was brewing in Kirigakure, but no one anticipated that the rebellion would engulf not only the village's military but the entire Land of Water.
The scale and scope of the unrest were unprecedented since the establishment of the hidden village system.
The Kumogakure Chunin removed his headband to wipe away the sweat. Suddenly, a shout came from his comrade inside the tent. Without putting his headband back on, he placed it on the sink and entered the tent.
At that moment, a few refugees from the Land of Water passed by the sink and saw the inscription on the back of the headband.
Their expressions turned to realization. "I knew it! There's a reason why these Kumogakure gorillas suddenly seem to have changed their ways. There's actually writing on the back of their headbands!"
"Writing on the back of their headbands? What's the big deal?"
"Judging by the message… our good days might be coming! Kumogakure will definitely treat us refugees from the Land of Water well."
The leader of the small refugee group's eyes gleamed with cunning. He clearly had some brains.
Although they were idle, unproductive individuals back in the Land of Water, with little education and barely literate, mostly employed as… well, let's just say they weren't exactly model citizens…
That didn't prevent them from transforming into highly sought-after… good citizens upon fleeing to Kumogakure!
The shrewd refugee seemed to have grasped the deeper meaning behind the inscription.
It was a gesture of goodwill towards good citizens like him from other nations!
"I remember some of our brothers fled to the Konoha outpost, right? Bring them here quickly! Our good days are coming!"
The refugee leader barked orders rapidly. Coincidentally, at that moment, the Kumogakure Chunin's voice, filled with disbelief, came from inside the tent:
"What?!"
"Accepting everyone without exception, offering preferential treatment?!"
"Assigning them to the South District? That's absurd!"
"Why would the Raikage issue such an order? Is he serious?"
"The advisors' suggestion? They had a disagreement? But the order was still passed, wasn't it? If it's passed, then it's the Raikage's responsibility…"
Inside the tent, the Kumogakure Chunin, tasked with relaying the orders, had a completely darkened expression.
He couldn't fathom why the Kumogakure higher-ups would issue such a ludicrous order. The ninjas on the front lines could easily identify the cunning and deceitful refugees from the Land of Water.
Integrating these unproductive individuals into Kumogakure?
Wouldn't that spell disaster?
Kumogakure wasn't particularly large, but it wasn't small either. It was divided into several sections based on the pre-village tribes and clans.
Among them, the South District was where the toughest and most battle-hardened Kumogakure residents lived, and it was also the area that produced the most elite Kumogakure ninjas.
The infamous Gold and Silver Brothers, the most dangerous criminals on Kumogakure's wanted list, hailed from there.
What were those muscle-brained idiot advisors thinking, shoving these refugees into the South District? Did they expect them to create wealth or become elite Kumogakure ninjas?
The Kumogakure Chunin sighed in resignation. A predictable storm was about to engulf their village, and he was powerless to stop it.
He was a bookworm and had read "Iki." Sometimes, he fantasized about whether, if he could become an advisor as a Chunin, he could prevent this disaster.
Unfortunately, there were no ifs, and he could never be Gojo Kaigetsu.
With a resigned wave of his hand, he instructed his Genin subordinates to begin the resettlement process.
'First Raikage, watch over the villagers of the South District.'