Inside a barbecue restaurant in the Kumogakure:
"Customer, here is your barbecue."
A waiter humbly served the meat and respectfully left. Shirou nodded indifferently.
"The Land of Lightning has a developed beef industry, combined with its culture and climate. No wonder the ninjas from this country generally have stronger physiques."
As he savored the beef, Shirou, dressed in the austere style of a warrior dedicated to disciplined training, suddenly sensed something. His attention shifted to the conversation of several Kumo ninjas in the private room next door.
In the private room, three Kumo ninjas sat together—two with dark skin and one with pale skin.
The pale-skinned, middle-aged Kumo ninja spoke angrily: "Damn it! The issue of racial division has already seriously affected the village and has even spread throughout the Land of Lightning. When I was on a mission, I even encountered this discrimination in the Daimyo's palace!"
Unable to suppress his frustration, the pale ninja vented while one of his dark-skinned companions tried to console him:
"Daida, I understand your frustration, but the Daimyo and the Third Raikage have already considered this issue. They've also determined that this division originated from Konoha!"
"Damn Konoha!"
The dark-skinned ninja slammed back a glass of liquor in anger. Meanwhile, the dark-skinned kunoichi beside them licked her lips and shook her head as she revealed a secret:
"Let me tell you something—actually, the higher-ups are intentionally letting this discriminatory tension fester. They're waiting for war to break out, at which point they'll direct all that pent-up anger toward Konoha. It's all part of their plan to channel the rage outward."
Outside, Shirou, eating his barbecue, couldn't help but nod secretly as he listened. No wonder the Land of Lightning hadn't reacted to the situation—they were waiting for the perfect moment to unleash their plan.
Although the divisions seemed domestic, once war broke out and a scapegoat was identified, the Kumo would erupt with even greater combat power.
"As expected, politicians are dirty. The greater the anger that's suppressed now, the more terrifying it will be when it finally explodes."
Shirou nodded again, but his expression grew odd the next moment. Through his sensory abilities, he realized that one of the dark-skinned and pale-skinned individuals in the private room seemed to be a couple. However, as the pale-skinned ninja drank heavily, the two dark-skinned companions were already fooling around under the table.
"Well, well, this kind of behavior right in front of the husband... they sure know how to have fun."
Shirou sipped his drink lightly. He was about to stop paying attention when his peripheral vision caught sight of a large table in the distance. Sitting there was a group of students, seemingly celebrating their upcoming enrollment.
"Haha, let's celebrate passing the Ninja Academy exam in three days."
"Cheers!"
Eight girls of various skin tones raised their glasses of juice. However, it was clear that five dark-skinned girls were a clique, led by one who had already donned a ninja forehead protector. The other three girls—two pale-skinned and one with short white hair and slightly darker skin—were being ostracized by the group.
"Hey, you're Mabui, right? My sister told me that your mother was a lowly woman, and you don't even know who your father is. Is that true?"
The loud, arrogant voice of the girl wearing the forehead protector caused Mabui's face to tense up. But she controlled her expression well and lowered her head in silence.
"Mabui!"
The two pale-skinned girls beside her showed concern, but the young Mabui, already displaying a calm demeanor that would define her future, subtly shook her head at her companions.
"Yugito, Samui, I'm fine."
This scene did not escape Shirou's observation, causing him to reveal a meaningful smile.
"So it's these three. Judging by their age, they're the same generation… just two years younger than Kakashi. That means they're at the ideal age to enter the Ninja Academy."
Samui: Future Kumo Jonin, known for her blonde hair, calm personality, and ample knowledge. Skilled in kenjutsu, she carried out tasks with composure and earned the trust of the Fourth Raikage, A.
Mabui: Future secretary to the Fourth Raikage. She excelled at strategy and analysis, was highly efficient, and possessed the rare talent of space-time ninjutsu, specifically the Heavenly Transfer Technique.
Yugito Nii: Future jinchūriki of the Two-Tails. Though arrogant and queen-like in demeanor, she had a compassionate side and possessed a special constitution allowing her to seal-tailed beasts.
In an instant, information about the three flashed through Shirou's mind, causing the corners of his mouth to curl slightly. A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes.
"Such good timing. I'm glad I accepted the mission. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had this opportunity."
Three individuals with Jonin-level potential, and not just ordinary Jonin potential. If he didn't find a way to recruit them, he'd be the fool.
"So, they're about to enter the Ninja Academy. That makes it even easier. Of course, if I don't get the chance, I'll have to eliminate them before they grow into threats."
Once they entered the Academy, their status would change, and they'd receive special protection. But as long as they hadn't enrolled yet, they were still considered ordinary people.
However, based on the original timeline, there were two versions of Yugito's backstory: one where she became a jinchūriki in childhood, and another where it happened at age two. From the current situation, it seemed her special constitution was discovered only after she entered the Academy, leading to her becoming a jinchūriki.
As Shirou lowered his head, his crimson Sharingan briefly flashed, unnoticed by the students at the other table. A fleeting red glow also reflected in their eyes.
Suddenly, chaos broke out in the barbecue restaurant.
At the table of girls, the five dark-skinned girls, led by the burly dark-skinned kunoichi, scoffed arrogantly.
"Mabui, Yugito, and Samui, you're the ones treating us to this barbecue. We didn't force you."
"Exactly! Two ugly pale-skinned girls and a mixed-blood mutt without a father. Consider yourselves lucky that we are willing to grace you with our presence."
"What are you glaring at? Yugito, are you dissatisfied? Go ahead, try doing something. We'll make sure you regret it once you're in the Academy!"
Bullying incidents among ninja students—how predictable.
The four dark-skinned girls, emboldened by the kunoichi's support, were loud and overbearing. The three ostracized girls could only endure the humiliation.
"Mabui, Samui, don't stop me! We agreed—"
An indignant Yugito glared, ready to act, but Mabui and Samui restrained her. Tears welled up in their eyes as they endured the insults.
"Yugito, don't be impulsive. One of them is already a ninja."
Among the five girls, the burly one with the forehead protector smirked, flaunting her status as a genin. "You dare fight back?"
"Haha! Cowards."
"Big sister is the best."
"Kumo's black supremacy means you pale people are destined to be second-class citizens—or even slaves!"
The restaurant owner and staff seemed unfazed by the commotion as if it had become a common occurrence.
Discrimination among Kumo villagers was intensifying. However, following the plans of the Raikage and the Daimyo, this pressure would eventually be redirected toward Konoha, triggering war and channeling the hatred of the oppressed villagers outward.
"You dare lay a hand on me? My parents are upper-level Kumo ninjas. What about you? Do you even have parents?"
"Haha, she doesn't even dare fight back. Let me show you… Three worthless sluts like you, with faces made for seduction. You don't deserve to be part of the Kumo's ninja ranks."
"Exactly! You don't deserve to be Kumo ninjas..."
Tears of humiliation slid down their faces.
"Owner, these three lowly bottom-dwellers are paying."
The five girls who had bullied them swaggered out, leaving behind three teary-eyed girls.
"Damn it! How are we supposed to get through this month?!"
"It's okay. We'll eat one meal a day and drink more water on our days off. We can get through this."
The girl in the coarse hemp clothes held onto her two companions, comforting them while they scraped together the money for the barbecue meal they had just eaten.
After much effort, the three of them finally managed to gather enough to pay for the meal at the barbecue restaurant.
When the three girls, their stomachs growling with hunger, walked out of the restaurant, Samui clutched her belly and weakly said:
"Damn it! We didn't even eat anything. They said they'd treat us to some simple barbecue, but instead, they ordered so much expensive food. And they promised to teach us ninja knowledge. Our parents also sacrificed their lives for the village. Why is it so unfair?!"
Even before entering ninja school, they had already suffered such bullying. It left a deep wound on their young hearts, filling them with both anger and sorrow.
At their age, when they were just forming their worldview, they encountered something like this.
"Hey, I heard you were saying I bullied you!?"
Suddenly, the leader of the group—already a Genin and as strong as a bear—appeared. Looking at the three weak girls, her face twisted into a sadistic smile of excitement.
"I'm a genius who graduated at nine years old. Having you lowly bastards treat me to food is your honor. But didn't you ask me to teach you? Come with me now."
The female Genin's eyes gleamed red as she led the three bullied girls into a distant alley.
In the dimly lit alley, the female ninja arrogantly counted the bills in her hand.
"Two pieces of trash and a bastard—this is all they're worth?!"
Standing in front of her was a merchant from another country. Begrudgingly handing over the money, he became visibly upset when the girl tried to haggle.
"You should know that these three brats aren't worth this much money, and we're taking on some risk here."
"Risk? What risk? These three haven't even officially entered ninja school yet, so they're not considered students. Nobody will investigate. Just mention my parents' names when you leave the village."
Under the influence of the Sharingan's hypnosis, the female ninja revealed her darkest and most violent side. With a cold smirk, she pocketed the money into her ninja tool pouch.
The three girls, witnessing this scene, shed tears of humiliation. Yugito, full of hatred, shouted:
"You're selling your comrades! The village won't let you get away with this!"
"Comrades? Look at your skin color. Do you even deserve to use the word 'comrades'?"
With a voice full of scorn, the female ninja scoffed coldly:
"Not to mention that you're not even students yet. And even if you were, so what?! My parents are loyal to the strongest Third Raikage. We are noble ninjas, while you're nothing but lowly bottom-feeders."
Her mocking tone tore apart any pretense, and the three girls could only watch as their mouths were gagged and they were tied up by the merchant.
They had been sold out by their villagers!
The three girls' pupils widened. At that moment, they realized the darkness of their village. Yugito, the strongest-willed among them, glared with hatred at the female ninja and gritted her teeth:
"One day, I'll become a ninja and kill every last one of you!"
"Mmph!"
Yugito, her mouth now gagged, stared at her captors with hatred, but her captors only responded with a disdainful smirk.
"My parents are the personal guards of the Third Raikage. What are you compared to that?"
With contempt, she dismissed them as insignificant, treating them as less valuable than the coins in her hand. And so, the dirty transaction was completed.
"Don't worry, you three. After all, you were preparing to enter ninja school and have bodies capable of refining chakra. When we bring you to the Land of Fields, you'll fetch a good price."
With a sinister laugh, the dim alley fell silent once more.
Outside the alley, a pair of crimson eyes calmly observed everything until the captives were taken away.
"Who would've thought Danzo did me a big favor?"
Shirou chuckled indifferently. He had originally planned to intervene, but it seemed Shimura Danzo had already propagated the slave trade in the Land of Lightning.
After all, this was the best way to stir up conflict.
"A merchant from the Land of Fields, huh? This works out perfectly. It spares me the risk of exposing myself. Anything that can be bought with money is better than risking exposure."
As for the three girls, he was only interested in the spatial ninjutsu talent of the one in hemp clothing and Yugito's potential as a Jinchuriki. Those two were more worth cultivating.
"Three girls with decent talent. Driven by hatred and willpower, I believe they'll become stronger in the future."
With a calm and confident smile, Shirou thought to himself. No one understood the potential of certain people better than he did.
In ordinary ninja schools, discovering talent and nurturing it might leave only a few surviving to the rank of Special Jonin out of a hundred promising students. That in itself would be considered a success.
Let alone producing elite Jonin.
"But I should go meet Orochimaru."
As a poisonous snake slithered onto his shoulder, Shirou smiled.
Over the past two years of collaborating on ninjutsu research, he and Orochimaru had formed a bond of mutual understanding.
Minato Namikaze may have the support of the Third Hokage, but Orochimaru trusted him more.
With a faint smile, Shirou sent a message to Mikoto through a summoning beast before leaving.
Using the power of the Uchiha clan, he arranged for people to go to the Land of Fields to purchase the three talented girls. He had already remembered the merchant's name.
PS: Guys, I will not be enrolling this school year for 1st year college instead I will devote myself on translation hehe. Also I will replace my potato laptop with pc, I feel like the lagging problem slow down my updates.