"Please, just kill us!" one of the captured ninjas cried out, his voice filled with despair, tears streaming down his face.
Initially, the Kumogakure ninjas thought revealing their identity would spare them from being killed in anger by the Daping Village villagers. They believed invoking the name of Cloud Village would protect them. But after three grueling hours, they regretted their choice. Now, they longed for death as a release.
Every time they were beaten within an inch of their lives, Reiki, the Konoha medical ninja, would heal them in no time, only for the enraged villagers to beat them again. It felt like a never-ending cycle.
At this moment, Jigu and Hyuga returned from scouting, noticing the unusual behavior of the captives.
"What's going on here?" Jigu asked, puzzled by the scene.
"Not entirely sure," Reiki replied calmly. "They seem desperate to die, but with Konoha's presence, I won't let that happen. This isn't a time of war, so we're still showing restraint and won't execute foreign ninjas."
Jigu nodded approvingly. "Well done. Those three scouts escaped, so things should be secure here for now."
As they talked, an elderly man approached, leaning on a cane. His demeanor was calm and dignified.
"I assume you're here for the mine," he said slowly, looking at Jigu.
"Yes," Jigu replied, nodding politely. "Are you the village chief of Daping Village?"
"Indeed," the old man said, introducing himself as Yuki Uchiichi, the chief of Daping Village. "We know we cannot protect this mine alone, so we would like to entrust it to Konoha. In exchange, we request that the workers in the mine be from our village, and we ask that you pay them according to the highest standards."
Hearing this, Jigu felt a surge of satisfaction. Reiki's approach had succeeded beyond expectation.
"We are all part of the Land of Fire, and we're here to help each other," Jigu replied with a serious nod. "On behalf of Konoha, I accept Daping Village's conditions. You can count on fair wages and a strong partnership."
The chief smiled and gestured for Jigu to follow him. "Then let's sign the agreement without delay."
…
That evening, as the camp settled down, Asuma wandered over to where the Kumogakure ninjas were held and saw Reiki keeping watch.
"What's going to happen to them?" Asuma asked curiously.
"That's not our decision," Reiki replied, smiling. "But what would you do, Asuma?"
"Me?" Asuma thought for a moment. "If I could gain something useful from them, I'd keep them alive. If not… well, they're not worth the trouble."
"That's a reasonable stance," Reiki said with a small nod, returning to his meditation.
Three days later, a squad of Konoha reinforcements arrived, led by two Jonin, with twelve ninjas in total. After briefing them, Jigu prepared to lead his team back to Konoha.
"Where's Reiki?" Jigu asked, noting his absence.
"Reiki mentioned he wanted to consult with the ninjas stationed here," Hyuga said, gesturing toward the camp. "Shall we check on him?"
With a slight frown, Jigu headed over to the camp.
Upon entering, he was surprised to see Reiki treating one of Konoha's medical ninjas. They hadn't engaged in any serious combat—why would anyone need medical attention?
"Jigu, I'd like to borrow Reiki for a while," Aburame Tahi, a Jonin from the Aburame clan, explained. "He noticed some lingering injuries and internal issues in a few of our ninjas and offered to treat them."
Seeing no other choice, Jigu relented, though a flash of irritation passed through his eyes. By noon, the treatments were complete, and after saying a few quick farewells, the four-man team departed for Konoha.
As they moved through the dense forest, Reiki caught up to Hyuga.
"Have you eaten anything unusual?" he asked her quietly.
"Unusual?" Hyuga replied, surprised. "No, just food from Daping Village this morning. While waiting for you, I had some pastries with Jigu. Why?"
"You're poisoned," Reiki murmured, keeping his tone steady. "Don't react, just keep moving. I'll analyze the toxin and slip you an antidote shortly. Take it discreetly when I pass it to you."
Hyuga's eyes widened, but she maintained her composure, nodding slightly. Moments later, Reiki handed her the antidote. After carefully analyzing the toxins in her system, he felt a pang of concern. The poison was far more complex than he had anticipated.
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