Under a plastic canopy, Konan used a sealing scroll to summon a large pot and some food supplies.
Yahiko lit a fire and used a water jutsu into the pot.
The refugees immediately understood that these two kind-hearted people were here to serve simple porridge, and they rushed to inform their friends and family. Of course, some people were uneasy about him using a Water Release technique in the cooking pot and couldn't bring themselves to eat it.
He couldn't be bothered with them. His water jutsu was cleaner than purified water, not even a single bacterium in it.
As for those picky people who turned their noses up at the food, let them starve... Some refugees came forward to watch, and then more followed.
Other people in the past, it seemed, would usually add something when distributing food.
He dried some sand and stones on the ground using chakra, grabbed them, and casually sprinkled them into the pot.
Konan was puzzled but didn't ask, Yahiko must have had his reasons. She stirred the porridge with a stick to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
"Aren't you making food for us to eat? Why are you throwing sand in it?"
"Are you looking down on us? Trying to mess with us?"
"I demand you make it again!"
"That's right, let the girl make a new pot!"
In the refugee line, some troublemakers began pointing fingers at Yahiko and Konan.
Some genuinely starving people rolled their eyes at the hecklers and kept their distance.
"You guys! Fine, fine, I'll make another pot just for you!"
Hearing the commotion, Konan became furious and used her paper ninjutsu.
A spear, covered with explosive tags, flew like lightning.
In an instant, it landed right at the feet of the troublemakers, firmly planted in the ground.
They tried to run.
BOOM!
She detonated the tags, sending mud and sand flying.
At the same time, Yahiko quickly formed seals and summoned an earth wall to block the shockwave. It protected the bystanders, and even the troublemakers.
"Konan, remember, Yoake is a village that wins people over with kindness, not force. Forget what I said..." Yahiko cleared his throat and said.
The hecklers were scared speechless, panicking and unsure what to do.
"Get lost. Don't let me see you again."
All they could see was Yahiko's cold profile. After freezing for a second, they stumbled away, trembling.
Water dripped beneath their feet, whether it was rain or something else, no one knew.
"You're too kind, too naive," Konan said. But for some reason, her heart beat a little faster as she looked at his cold expression.
"What's the philosophy of Yoake?" Yahiko asked, using one hand to gently ruffle Konan's light blue hair, while secretly forming seals with the other behind his back.
Ashamed, Konan lowered her head. She wouldn't harm ordinary people, nor would she senselessly slaughter the innocent.
Suddenly, there was a "pop," she was confused, but when she looked closely, nothing seemed to have happened to Yahiko.
Did she mishear?
Yahiko was still as kind as ever. But somehow, she felt she liked the kind, innocent Yahiko more than a cold-blooded, ruthless one.
After all, could he even harbor bad intentions?
Then his tone shifted, "Alright, tell me, where did those explosive tags come from? I clearly remember cutting off all your supply channels."
"I-I made them myself! Yeah, that's right, I made them myself!" Konan replied, looking him in the eye.
In the crowd, perhaps scared by the explosive tags or just too frightened in general, another group quietly left.
The ones who remained, had no complaints. Skinny hands clutched at their empty, flat stomachs, waiting for food.
They had no objections to the sand and stones in the pot, because they knew what real hunger felt like. Facing the power of explosive tags, those who stayed proved they had some courage.
Two small details warmed Yahiko's heart the whole day... and also conveniently filtered out a group of brave, hardworking people. These were exactly the kind of residents he wanted for Yoake.
---
At that moment, in a certain alley...
"Where the hell did that girl get those explosive tags from? Damn it, scared me to death!"
"Yeah, and who even are you? Do we have a blond kid in our group?"
"Who am I? Listen up, the one who beat your asses is none other than Konoha's ninja!"
"Konoha? So Konoha thinks it's okay to attack helpless commoners now?"
At the same time, countless blond kids in the alleys of Ame dragged out the guys who had just fled from Konan.
"You said it yourself."
"Don't say I didn't give you a chance."
Before the fight, the blond kid tossed each of them a metal spike. They picked up the nails, looking at the blond kid with cautious eyes.
"Stop!"
"Please stop!"
A brutal round of street brawling followed, and the blond kid beat the thugs until they had nowhere left to run.
---
The porridge line had become incredibly long.
Yahiko had now earned the nickname "Great Shinobi," which had started among the elders in the line.
It was said that, back in the day, in Taki, a reckless man once threw a blade at the God of Shinobi, Hashirama.
Tobirama was furious and wanted to kill him.
But Hashirama didn't take it to heart, he let the man go and even scolded Tobirama, saying people should be won over with kindness.
What Yahiko did today was just like Hashirama back then.
Actually, he liked Tobirama more.
Using Edo Tensei to mess with people, who wouldn't laugh at that?
"Oh, kind Great Shinobi~"
Konan smiled teasingly, dimples showing, eyes full of amusement.
"All empty titles. I didn't do it for fame, just hope this world can find peace."
Yahiko sighed deeply, and then suddenly blanked out for a second.
His clones had returned.
Some barely alive, others crawling on the ground searching for their lost teeth... How was that even possible?
But still, he really was quite kind-hearted.
After distributing every last drop of porridge, he proposed taking the group of refugees back to his village.
Moved by Yahiko's kindness, every single one of them was willing to go with him to Yoake.
This is the shinobi world, starved for love. A small act of kindness could earn you someone's lifelong loyalty.
But he worried that even the children in his village might get "recruited" by someone else.
A school must be built. The teachers and resources must be the best. And the ideology must come from his past life's most advanced ideas. Sadly, he only had animes and movies as references...
---
Over several days, Yahiko and Konan traveled all over the Land of Rain.
Only when their purchased food supplies were nearly exhausted did they decide to return.
By then, over a thousand people had chosen to follow them back to Yoake.
Yahiko accepted them all, no matter their age or gender.
At the same time, a blond kid claiming to be a chunin from Konoha, Hokamon, and younger brother of Minato, punched his way through the lawless backstreets of the Land of Rain.
He even picked up a few followers.
Some were drawn by his powerful fists; others were convinced by his "talk-no-jutsu."
Worth mentioning, although only thirteen years old, he had almost chunin-level strength.
Funny enough, the boy seemed to be a character Yahiko had once inspired in the original story...
He didn't push his luck with Hanzō too hard though, best to quit while ahead. Although it was true that the strong fear the tough, Hanzō was only down and out, not yet old or gone.
Yahiko moved on with his group.
---
Meanwhile, Hanzō received news of what had happened.
His mouth twitched.
"Fine, fine... I couldn't feed these people anyway. Take them if you want."
In the shinobi world, the most worthless resource was commoners.
After all, even ten civilians couldn't match the productivity of one genin.