The routine was simple.

They rose at five in the morning after spending a few hours crammed together with dozens of other strangers - women, the elderly, children; it didn't matter. There were no bathrooms; relieving oneself was done like an animal in one corner of the room. For newcomers, it was uncomfortable to do it in front of strangers who only met their gaze with blank expressions.

Everything they had was taken away. Any pendants or personal items were confiscated. Their clothes were stripped and replaced with dirty, old garments - a pair of pants and a shirt, nothing more. If someone felt cold, they had to endure it.

"You're wasting your time." Naruto opened his eyes when he heard the voice. Turning to his side, he saw an adult man with dark hair and a beard that reached his neck. "He won't survive long," the man stated insensitively, glancing at the old man sleeping on the floor beside the boy. The newcomer had given his shirt to the elderly man to keep him warm in the cold night.

"..." Frowning, Naruto merely looked at the old man. All night, the elderly man had been shaking and coughing, clearly weak and malnourished. "Not if I can help it," he replied firmly, settling against the wall. Sleep wasn't on his mind.

"Stupid." The man didn't bother to continue talking to the boy. Did he think he was a savior? Time would reveal how long this determination lasted.

"..." The Shinobi didn't need to say anything. He glanced around and noticed a boy a few meters away, older than him, who had arrived in the same carriage. "..." Lowering his gaze to his feet, he saw a girl sleeping soundly.

"Hey..." Naruto snapped out of his thoughts, turning his attention to the young man who was gently stroking his younger sister's hair. "Thank you... for showing your face and preventing her from being hurt." The Shinobi felt a pang of empathy when he noticed the whip mark left by the Fire Nation soldier.

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"Taking care of the children... is crucial," Naruto replied, brushing it off.

"You're a boy." Naruto simply smiled. "My name is Miho... what's your name?"

"Naruto..." He doubted that Azula would be so aware of him. Besides, the guards in this place only referred to the slaves by numbers, so the only ones who would know his name were the two of them.

"Everyone move!" The door to the dark cell was roughly opened by several guards armed with spears. "It's time to work!" All the slaves stood up in fear and left in silence.

Torturous seconds passed as everyone was taken out of the dark dungeons. Soon, a large part of the prisoners were gathered under the watchful gaze of hundreds of soldiers stationed everywhere.

"..." Naruto scanned his surroundings; there were at least 589 archers stationed in five towers. They were skilled and would likely aim to kill anyone who attempted anything. As for the guards, they were numerous and hard to count. He had to snap out of his thoughts when someone stood in front of the assembled group.

"The work is divided into only two things! So I hope you have enough brains to understand it!" Commander Hanzuke sneered at the new faces before him, his gaze fixed on the boy who had headbutted him the previous day. "Transporting the coal and burning it in the furnaces. Others will work in the coal mines, something simple that even a child can understand..."

The expressions of the older prisoners only reflected fatigue and weariness, while the newcomers simply listened.

"If someone tries to get clever or fails in these simple jobs, they will be punished with the necessary measures. And if anyone dares to escape, rest assured they will leave this place... along with the escapee." Smirking arrogantly, he signaled to one of his soldiers, who nodded in acknowledgment.

The onlookers watched as a cart was dragged among them, many clenched their fists, averted their gazes, or could only lament silently. Miho covered his younger sister's eyes, and he himself had to look away.

Naruto had to witness the bodies being piled onto the cart, one on top of the other—women, old men, men, and even children. They were malnourished and deteriorated, forced to work until their deaths. "There's no use getting angry and losing my mind…" Yuei's soft words echoed in his mind. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the cart that would carry the bodies out of the fortress, presumably to be discarded somewhere in the forest.

The Uzumaki's fists clenched tightly, turning red. Why were they smiling? That was the only question running through his mind. The commander and several others wore arrogant smiles, seemingly relishing the hopelessness in the eyes of the other prisoners who dared not look up.

"Everyone, get to work!"