*Hidden Grass Village, Main Street*
Eleven-year-old Emi Konishi shivered inside her cardboard box, her legs a mess of infection. She drifted in and out of a feverish haze, each breath feeling like it might be her last.
She was dying. She knew it.
Just like Miss Namie, the previous owner of this very box. Five days ago, she had watched her own life reach its end right before her eyes.
I don't want to die, she thought, the words a desperate mantra. Her parents' last words echoed in her memory: "Survive!"
But she was out of options.
For an orphan like her with no parents, no home, no prospects the choices were bleak, Either become a plaything–concubine–for one of the Kusa shinobi clans, or live and die like a weed by the roadside, left entirely to fate.
Emi refused to be a concubine.
Two years ago, a close friend of hers, another girl she'd relied on to get through their harsh life, couldn't take the bitter cold and hardship anymore and entered an elder's household.
The next morning, she was found skinned and hung up in an alley. Those elders didn't see their concubines as people!
Signing that contract made you their property less valuable than a stray dog afterward. Once she understood that, Emi made a point of avoiding anyone from the shinobi clans.
But even so, disaster has a way of finding you.
Half a month ago, while visiting her parents' grave on the anniversary of their death, she accidentally bumped into an heir from one of the major clans.
Before Emi could even utter an apology, he shoved her into a mud puddle and beat her half to death.
When she finally came to her senses and crawled out of the mud, there wasn't an inch of her body that was unharmed.
Covered in bruises, the bones in her arm and leg were broken.
Gritting her teeth, she'd dragged her battered body back to this little cardboard shelter. The next day, a relentless fever set in. By the third day, her wounds began to fester and rot…
There was nothing left to be done.
In her festering state, she couldn't even manage to go out and beg for food.
With no food, no sustenance—her body could only deteriorate further. Now, Emi had truly reached a critical state, sick beyond cure.
She was even starting to see the flashbacks, the proverbial life flashing before her eyes.
She saw her childhood, when both her parents were still alive, her mother singing lullabies to lull her to sleep.
Without realizing it, tears welled up in Emi's eyes.
She missed her mom and dad. So, so much!
If she died here, maybe… maybe she could go to the heavens and be with them again?
"Hey, there's a child here!"
Just as Emi's consciousness was fading, she heard a voice as pleasant as wind chimes.
"She's still breathing! Thank goodness!"
"She's severely infected. We need to administer aid immediately…"
In her blurry vision, Emi saw a group of men and women dressed in long white coats. The one leading them, with wine-red hair and a gentle expression, softly touched her cheek.
"It's alright now, little one. Trust me, you'll be fine soon."
'Such a tender voice. Such kind words.'
Emi was certain she hadn't heard anything like it since the moment her parents left her.
Everyone in the Grass Village was just… cold.
Not that they were necessarily bad people—the harsh reality of life in the Hidden Grass Village just made it impossible for anyone to afford kindness. These kind people before her… they definitely weren't locals. They must be from the heavens, right?
As her mind wandered, Emi suddenly felt a warm, soothing sensation spread through her body.
"Emergency treatment is done," the medic said with a relieved sigh, her voice soft. "But for a full recovery, she'll probably need another two days."
"Take her back to the Land of Waves with the other children we found," Rina commanded decisively.
"What a wretched place this is," Pakura frowned, looking down at the now sleeping Emi Konishi, her tone cool. "Those clans won't even spare children. They deserve to die."
"Patience. Let's gather the evidence of their crimes first," Rina took a sharp breath, narrowing her eyes. "At the public trial, they will get the punishment they deserve."
*Land of Waves, Council Room*
Yuto sat at the head of the table. Danzo, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Mitokado Homura, A , Yagura , and Ōnoki were seated on either side of him.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy and silent, broken only by Konan, standing impassively behind Yuto, reading aloud from a list of terms.
"Clause Forty-Seven: The Four Great Shinobi Villages must unconditionally accept the promotion of Wave Country's propaganda columns!"
"Enough!" A finally snapped, gritting his teeth. "Hayashi Yuto, isn't this going a bit too far?"
Unconditionally accept propaganda columns? What independent governing power could possibly stomach that? It'd be like plastering "The Will of Fire" all over Kumogakure. Was that even remotely acceptable?
"Don't be hasty, Raikage" Yuto said calmly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You missed the next part. We're talking about game promotion."
"And who's to say your games won't be full of subliminal messaging?" Ōnoki retorted.
"Very well. I will permit you to assign a liaison officer from your respective villages to accompany our promotional teams," Yuto tapped the table, his expression serene. "How does that sound?"
The Kage exchanged glances, then nodded one by one.
"Konoha agrees."
"Kirigakure agrees."
"Iwagakure agrees."
"Tch. Like we have a choice anyway!"
Compared to when he'd first been thrown into the Waves prison, A was noticeably more… compliant these days.
Why the change of heart?
He was scared.
Not of death—death was simple. He was terrified of social and political annihilation.
"Lord Hayashi," Hiruzen Sarutobi began, exhaling the somewhat awkward title, "This payment plan you mentioned earlier for the reparations… is that genuine?"
"Of course," Yuto nodded promptly. "But as I said, there's a time limit. Aside from Kirigakure's two billion ryo debt, each of your other villages must repay six billion ryo to the Land of Waves within five years."
"Wait, hold on!"
"Why does Kirigakure only owe two billion?"
Hiruzen and the others looked baffled.
Weren't they all supposed to be part of the 'Great Five Shinobi Villages'? Was he playing favorites now?
"The Land of Water is relatively impoverished; meeting the full payment deadline would be… challenging for them," Yuto paused. "However, Lord Mizukage has generously agreed to transfer custody of the Three-Tails and Six-Tails Jinchūriki to us and has also signed a… manpower reallocation contract with us."
"Transfer the Three-Tails and Six-Tails…"
"Manpower reallocation contract?"
Hiruzen and the others couldn't help but twitch at the corners of their mouths, glancing at Yagura with a mix of pity and thinly veiled scorn.
Quite the bold move, Mizukage. Handing over your village's Tailed Beasts just like that.One wonders what the previous Mizukages would think!
Then again, when they thought about their own villages' Tailed Beasts…
Well, best not throw stones from a glass houses.
"The contracts are now finalized. You are all free to leave the day after tomorrow," Yuto waved a hand dismissively, his smile widening. "I'll be sending each of you off with a… memorable parting gift. Do remember to keep an eye out for it."
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