People came one after another to sign up. It seemed that because they had eaten their fill, they now trusted the Land of Whirlpools. After all, they were just a group of ordinary refugees. If these ninja lords wanted to exploit them, they wouldn't have gone to such wasteful lengths. So now...
They were given food, they were given drink!
It must be because they still had value. As for exactly what that value was...
The refugees didn't care. They only cared about whether they had value or not, rather than being abandoned and left to starve or freeze to death!
Now that someone was willing to take them in, why wouldn't they go?
Uzumaki Jun watched as the refugees formed a line. This shouldn't be a problem anymore. The real worry had been that no one would come. But once one person stepped forward, slowly, everyone else would follow.
As for the Konoha-nin monitoring nearby, Uzumaki Jun simply ignored them. He had the Hokage's official permission to recruit refugees here. If there were any issues, they could take it up with the Hokage. As for the group of masked Konoha-nin hiding in the shadows...
Were they Root or ANBU?
"Name!"
"Yūto."
"Age!"
"25!"
"Gender."
"Male."
"Skills?"
"None."
"..."
"Next!"
"Name!"
"..."
Everything proceeded in an orderly manner until...
"All of you, scram!"
A rogue ninja shoved the refugees aside and pushed to the front of the line, shouting loudly, "This lord goes first!"
Uzumaki Kai narrowed his eyes at the scene. Someone was here...
To cause trouble?
He glanced sideways and saw Jun-sama shaking his head at him. Uzumaki Kai subtly nodded in understanding and turned to the burly, arrogant rogue ninja. "Name!"
"Listen well, this lord is named Hiramatsu Tora." The rogue ninja didn't wait for Uzumaki Kai to prompt him and spoke directly. "Chūnin-level, nicknamed 'Thousand Slayer.' Hurry up and register me, then bring out the good food for this lord!"
This guy might be an idiot...
No, wait!
This was exactly the kind of talent Konoha needed!
Uzumaki Jun and Uzumaki Kai exchanged glances. For a mere chūnin-level to act so arrogantly—even Kabuto, after unlocking Sage Mode, had played it safe and never revealed his true form!
Though the Land of Whirlpools was a small nation, it was clearly stated that they were allies with Konoha. How dare this guy act so brazenly?
Uzumaki Jun admired people like this...
If he didn't send him to Konoha, where else would he send him?
Heh!
"Sir, you are so handsome and dashing, with such an imposing presence. Anyone can tell you're no ordinary person." Uzumaki Jun immediately put on a look of admiration. "You... you're actually a ninja?"
"Hmph!" Hiramatsu Tora, hearing the praise, proudly rested his sword on his shoulder and said arrogantly, "You've got good eyes, kid."
"Ah!" Uzumaki Jun sighed regretfully. "You actually want to sign up for the Land of Whirlpools? What an honor for us!"
"Of course..." Hiramatsu Tora raised his chin. "This is your..."
Before he could finish...
"We absolutely cannot let someone like you be buried in the Land of Whirlpools!" Uzumaki Jun declared righteously. "You deserve a brighter, more glorious future!"
"So..."
"As allies of Konoha, we have both the responsibility and the duty to recommend talent to them."
Uzumaki Jun gazed at him with admiration. "Just one look tells me you're the kind of talent that the leader of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, the beacon of peace in the shinobi world—Konoha—desperately needs!"
"Take this letter. Once you reach Konoha and become one of their ninja, you'll be treated as a VIP. Kage-level teachers will be yours to choose from, forbidden jutsu will be yours to learn!"
"Believe me, you are exactly the kind of person Konoha craves. After all, you're a true talent!"
"Kai, quickly prepare travel expenses for this lord so he won't go hungry on his way to Konoha. Remember, we are Konoha's allies!"
"How can we let Konoha's genius go hungry?"
Konoha's genius?
Uzumaki Kai stared speechlessly at Jun-sama's performance but obediently replied, "Yes!"
"Konoha's genius is the Land of Whirlpools' genius. I'll go prepare it right away!"
"Good!" Uzumaki Jun nodded in satisfaction at Kai's quick cooperation. He turned back to Hiramatsu Tora with a smile. "Please wait a moment."
"Oh, oh! Sure!" Hiramatsu Tora, however, was a little dazed after being showered with compliments. But hearing that someone was recommending him to one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, he nodded in satisfaction. So he was actually Konoha's genius?
He took the recommendation letter from Uzumaki Jun and said, "You're a good kid. Want to learn ninjutsu from me?"
"..."
Damn, this guy might actually be an idiot!
No wonder he was wandering around as a rogue ninja...
Uzumaki Jun smiled. "I'm not qualified enough. I'm sure Tora-sama will find much better disciples."
"True!" Hiramatsu Tora nodded. "You're still lacking!"
"..."
"Tora-sama, these are the travel expenses the Land of Whirlpools has prepared for you. We hope that after you become Konoha's genius, you won't forget about us." By then, Uzumaki Kai had returned with the supplies.
"Of course..."
...
"Shikazo-sama, should we take action?" A Konoha-nin watched the Uzu-nin's shameless tactics with disbelief. What kind of allies were these, sending scum straight to Konoha as if they weren't watching?
And a nearly forty-year-old chūnin, what kind of genius was that?
"..."
Nara Shikazo was equally speechless.
This seven-year-old Kage-level brat kept spouting nonsense about being Konoha's allies and generations of friendship, yet he had no qualms about screwing Konoha over. What kind of allies acted like this?
With a resigned wave of his hand, he said, "Have someone follow him. Find an opportunity to..."
Nara Shikazo made a throat-slitting gesture and sighed. "Also, retrieve that letter."
He wanted to see what the kid had written inside.
Meanwhile, in the shadows...
"Kaisō-sama, should we take action?" A Root ninja stared at Uzumaki Jun with a vicious glare. "They're ruining Konoha's reputation."
"No, none of us are a match for that child yet," Kaisō said, narrowing his eyes. "Now is not the time to strike."
"But..."
"Don't worry. Danzō-sama has already given us orders. When the time comes, everyone here—including..."
"These civilians..."
"None shall be spared."
"And now..."
"First, deal with the Uzu-nin who left earlier, along with those children..."
"Kill them all!"
"Yes!"
...
"Ah!" Uzumaki Jun watched as the so-called "genius" left. The guy was probably actually an idiot if he thought he'd make it to Konoha. Most likely, he'd be intercepted and killed by Konoha-nin halfway there.
"We should recommend more 'talents' to Konoha!" Uzumaki Jun sighed emotionally. "After all, we're allies!"
"..."
Uzumaki Kai, standing beside him, gave his lord a blank look. Jun-sama was determined to screw Konoha over as hard as possible!
Hadn't he noticed the Konoha-nin nearby were practically itching to smash their recruitment booth?
If not for the Hokage's orders, they probably would've attacked already!!