Chapter 303: The Captives Choose Survival
The air at the Konoha construction site was thick with dust and the resentment of two thousand subjugated shinobi. The former Sunagakure captives, stripped of their headbands and honor, were forced to toil on the new infrastructure of the nation that had destroyed them.
Just as the unrest was about to escalate—as the furious, desperate words of a leading captive threatened to incite a riot—a chilling gaze locked onto him.
The Uchiha Jōnin in charge of this sector had been observing everything from a high platform with a cold, professional eye.
No words were needed.
A Uchiha Chūnin standing beside him instantly understood the silent command. This was the moment.
Swish!
The movement was too fast to track. The Sunagakure shinobi who was causing trouble only felt a sudden, sharp chill at his neck.
The inciting words were stuck in his throat, choked, unable to be fully uttered.
He instinctively reached out, touching his neck.
His hand met a warm stickiness.
Pfft!
A clean, violent jet of blood burst from his carotid artery!
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, to scream, but could only emit a desperate, gurgling 'ho ho' sound of air escaping.
Life force, and his rebellion, were rapidly draining away. He collapsed.
Following this single, brutal execution, the entire construction site instantly fell into a dead, absolute silence.
He just... died?
The Uchiha Chūnin who had made the move slowly retracted his blood-stained kunai, shaking off the crimson drops with a flick of his wrist.
His gaze, cold as ice, swept over the Sand Hidden Captives present.
"Is there anyone else..."
His voice was quiet, but it carried the weight of the Hokage's absolute authority.
"...who wants to die for the sake of a pointless argument?"
Boundless, paralyzing fear instantly seized everyone's hearts! They had been given a demonstration.
Thump!
A Sunagakure shinobi, a heavy-set Chūnin, unable to withstand the immense psychological pressure and the sudden, brutal reality, his legs gave out. He collapsed to his knees in the dust.
His action was like knocking over the first domino.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
One after another, the sound of bodies hitting the dirt echoed throughout the entire construction site.
In just a few short, agonizing seconds...
All the Sand Hidden Captives present—over two thousand defeated shinobi—had fallen to their knees, their heads bowed, their spirits broken.
"Have mercy, my lord!"
"We were wrong! We won't dare to do it again!"
The pleas for mercy merged into a single, desperate, unified chorus.
No one dared to mention "unfairness" again. No one dared to harbor the slightest thought of resistance or rebellion. The lesson was learned.
The Uchiha Jōnin, watching the thousands of broken figures before him, let out a cold snort.
"A bunch of... useless idiots."
His heart was utterly calm. Everything that had happened before his eyes was planned.
Everything that happened here was foreseen by the Hokage-sama.
For these defeated Sunagakure, mere brutal suppression would only provoke deeper, clandestine resistance, while constant appeasement would make them take an inch for a mile.
The best method, the most efficient form of control, was to first use the cruelest reality—the execution of their comrades—to completely shatter all their illusions and dignity.
Thinking of this, the Uchiha Jōnin's lips curved into a thin, calculating smirk. He instantly appeared on a high, temporary platform in the center.
"Look up."
The Uchiha Jōnin's voice, amplified by chakra, clearly reached everyone's ears.
The captives dared not disobey. Trembling, they slowly raised their heads, their eyes glazed with fear and defeat.
"Look at yourselves now," the Uchiha Jōnin's gaze swept over the crowd like a sharp blade.
"You are defeated. You are prisoners. You are failures."
"Do you truly think you have any right to clamor about fairness here? To argue over food? Your lives, from the moment you were captured, no longer belong to you. To be alive and working here... is already an extraordinary act of mercy from Hokage-sama!"
These words, delivered with cold authority, were like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the last glimmer of hope in their hearts.
Then... the Uchiha Jōnin changed the subject. The hook was thrown.
"Of course, among you, there are also some intelligent people."
His gaze subtly swept over the group of former Sunagakure shinobi who were supervising the work—those who had adapted quickly.
Now, they had shed their captive status. They had become members of Konoha's lower ranks, responsible for managing their "former compatriots."
"They have proven their worth through their actions and become a part of Konoha."
At these words, all the captives felt a turbulent mix of emotions. Envy. Jealousy. And deep, burning regret.
If only back then... if only they had also adapted...
Just as everyone's emotions were fluctuating wildly, the Uchiha Jōnin continued.
"However."
"Hokage-sama is not an unfeeling man. He is a pragmatic man. And today, Hokage-sama has once again shown his tremendous grace!"
All the Sand Hidden Captives' breathing instantly hitched! Their hearts began to pound uncontrollably!
Grace? From him?
"Hokage-sama has decided to give you captives an opportunity to shed your identity!"
"An opportunity... to become a part of Konoha!"
To become... Konoha villagers? Not slaves? Not disposable laborers?
How could this be?! They weren't dreaming, were they?!
The Uchiha Jōnin was very pleased with the shattered, hopeful expressions on their faces.
"This time, you will be given five hundred slots!"
Five hundred!
Suppressed, heavy breathing filled the air. A collective gasp of pure, desperate hope.
There were over two thousand captives present. Five hundred slots meant that one out of every four people could gain a new life, freedom, and status!
This ratio was shockingly high!
"From today onwards, each of your labor results will be rigorously recorded and evaluated."
"The five hundred people who perform the best, work the hardest, and contribute the most to Konoha will qualify for the final assessment!"
"By passing the assessment, you will officially gain Konoha citizenship and form a unit affiliated with Konoha!"
"The Sunagakure Unit!"
To think... Hokage-sama was even willing to retain the name "Sunagakure"!
An indescribable, dizzying euphoria instantly washed away all the fear and unease in the hearts of many captives!
"Of course." The Uchiha Jōnin's voice rang out again, slightly cooling the fervor, managing expectations.
"Those who don't succeed this time also don't need to worry. As long as you continue to work hard, there will be second and third batches of slots later."
"Hokage-sama's grace is always open to those who know how to cherish it and strive for it!"
"The path has been laid out for you."
"Whether you want to continue being laborers who can never hold your heads high for the rest of your lives... or if you want to once again become respected shinobi, living with your heads held high..."
The Uchiha Jōnin's gaze became incredibly sharp.
"You choose! Your shovel is your voice!"
After speaking, he said no more, merely looking down coldly from the high platform.
The entire construction site fell into a prolonged silence.
But this silence was entirely different from the fear earlier. It was the silence of calculation. The silence of pure, desperate self-interest.
The captives slowly rose from the ground.
The way they looked at their nearest companions—their competition—had completely changed.
"Start working!" the Uchiha Jōnin gave the command coldly.
Whoosh!
Thousands of Sand Hidden Captives rushed to their workstations like madmen!
They picked up their tools and worked frantically, unleashing strength and speed far exceeding their previous, sullen efforts!
Everyone was putting in their full, terrifying effort to prove themselves! They worked with the desperation of men fighting for air.
The weak are prey to the strong, and only the fittest survive. This iron rule of the Shinobi World was, at this moment, perfectly demonstrated by these Sand Hidden Captives.
The Uchiha Jōnin watched this frantic scene, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appearing on his face. Control achieved.
Then, he quietly instructed a Chūnin beside him.
"Send a message to the Hokage Office."
"Yes!"
Inside the Hokage Office.
A dark figure appeared before the desk without warning.
The person, dressed in an Anbu uniform and wearing a cold animal mask, knelt on one knee, presenting a scroll with both hands.
"Hokage-sama."
Uchiha Akira, seated in the Hokage's chair, said nothing, merely extended his hand.
Uchiha Akira unrolled the scroll. He read the brief, coded message: Fish entered the net. Fighting for food commenced.
Everything was under cold, perfect control.
The Sunagakure "chess game" had entered its final, self-regulating phase. No more waves could be stirred.
Therefore, the more important Hidden Mist "chess piece" also needed to be placed in its rightful position.
Uchiha Akira was well aware that although Mei Terumī and her people had outwardly submitted, deep down, there must still be profound doubts and estrangement towards Konoha. This was natural.
To truly integrate them into Konoha, more cooperation and adaptation would be needed.
Subsequently, Uchiha Akira ordered the Anbu to summon Mei Terumī.
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