Just as the leader of the Rain Ninjas had predicted, the commoners ultimately only whispered among themselves, then resignedly lowered their heads and remained silent.
"As is customary, if a family has Amegakure member, the protection fee will be reduced by half; if there is a casualty, the protection fee will be reduced for three years!"
Seeing that the crowd had quieted down again, the leader of the Rain Ninjas recited the policy that he had said countless times before. Without caring whether anyone had heard him clearly, he turned around and jumped off the platform, leaving behind only a few Rain Ninjas who looked like extras to collect protection money.
"Those with money can pay now. Remember, the payment booth is only open for ten days. If you haven't paid your protection fee after ten days, you won't be facing us politely, but the disciplinary team from the Central Tower!"
Yu Ren, sporting a mustache, put his hands on his hips, gave a shrill shout to intimidate the people, and then returned to the makeshift toll booth under the awning, waiting for the commoners to make their move.
Some people with cash on hand resigned themselves to going there to avoid unnecessary trouble, while most others shook their heads and sighed as they left the stage, preparing to go home and get their money.
"Shelter money, what is that?"
Obito, who had been watching the whole thing from the alley, shook his head, shaking off the rainwater that had accumulated from Fudō for so long, and asked Kazashiro in a not-so-bright tone.
"It's just like a business tax, only under a different name."
Kazashiro answered Obito. Seeing that the Rain Ninja hadn't noticed this direction, he prepared to lead the group to the next area.
"My son clearly died in battle on the border, why can't he be considered a casualty!"
Just as Kazashiro and the others turned around, they heard a sharp shout from behind them.
Turning around, they saw a middle-aged woman with her hands pressed against the cashier's table, her face flushed, her neck stiff, glaring angrily at Yu Ren, who was sitting in front of her with her legs crossed.
"Ha, sacrifice?"
Leaning back, the rain ninja dodged the woman's spittle with a look of disgust, and arrogantly pointed to a thin piece of paper on the table.
"Look carefully, your son Ryukawa went missing after stepping on Exploding Tag. Do you understand what 'missing' means?"
"How could someone disappear after stepping on Exploding Tag?!"
Hearing the other person describe her son's death in such a nonchalant manner, the woman could no longer bear it. Blinded by anger, she reached out to grab the other person's collar.
"Get out of my way! How dare you attack a ninja?!"
Just as the woman's hand was about to touch her companion's collar, the Rain Ninja, who was standing by watching the commotion, kicked her, sending her flying three meters away.
The woman, stunned by the kick, lay on the ground clutching her stomach, unable to get up due to the pain, and could only let the rain pelt her.
"Who knows if your son used the excuse of stepping on Exploding Tag to defect to the Land of Rain? Lord Hanzo's decision not to pursue your son's status as a rogue ninja is already an immense act of mercy. You are ungrateful and even dare to attack a ninja. It seems you're planning a trip to the disciplinary office!"
Swinging his wrist, the rain-wielding ninja slowly walked towards the woman, a mocking smile on his face, "We encounter many ungrateful scoundrels like you every year. Do you know what their ultimate fate is?"
"My son's body was found; it was brought back by his comrades-in-arms..."
"The body, ah, you mean that leg? How can you prove it's your son's leg?"
He kicked out again, cursing at the woman. Seeing that she stopped arguing, he spat viciously on the ground, then turned and went back to the toll booth.
"That guy!"
Seeing how the other party treated a commoner, Obito, who had never seen such a scene before, clenched his fists and realized for the first time the life of the Shinobi World outside Konoha.
"Calm down."
Reaching out to stop the restless Obito, Kazashiro gave him a warning look. "This is the Land of Rain, not Konoha. Don't forget our mission."
Although his complexion wasn't good either, Kazashiro, who had lived in the Land of Water for a period of time, knew that most countries in the Shinobi World were like this. Such things also happened frequently in the Land of Fire, but no one saw them.
Beneath the glamorous facade of the Shinobi World lies nothing more than a filthy dog-eat-dog world.
Let's go.
Without looking at the woman crying in the rain, Kazashiro and the others avoided the crowd and headed towards their next stop.
Leaving the area of the previous town, Obito, walking through the woods, suddenly spoke up in a muffled voice, "Why can't we change this Shinobi World? The battles of ninjas shouldn't affect civilians."
Obito's words made Kazashiro stop in his tracks.
"This kind of thing should be left to capable people."
After thinking for a long time, Kazashiro finally managed to come up with this answer.
Changing this Shinobi World cannot be accomplished with just passion.
Kazashiro considered himself just an ordinary ninja, enjoying the resources of the Ninja Clan, and the greatest contribution he could make was to risk his life for those resources during wartime.
As for changing the Shinobi World?
Unfortunately, he doesn't have that motivation at the moment.
Or rather, I don't yet have that ability.
Although he said that, Kazashiro's mind still uncontrollably kept replaying the scene from just now.
The woman's weeping, the ninja's arrogance, the drizzling rain, the gloomy sky.
Changing this Shinobi World is very difficult.
Nagato wanted to use pain to intimidate the Shinobi World and thus prevent war.
But this cannot bring happiness to ordinary people.
Ninjas and nobles still held sway over the common people.
Madara Uchiha wanted to use the "Infinite Tsukuyomi" to trap everyone in an illusion, but this was just a false dream that would turn everyone into White Zetsu, handing the Shinobi World over to Kaguya Otsutsuki.
Naruto wanted to achieve peace, but even after he became Hokage, the Land of Rain was still plagued by war, the common people were starving, and the Daimyo still held the highest position.
To change the Shinobi World, one must have the determination to shatter everything and then rebuild it, sending classes like nobles and Ninja Clan into the trash can.
"However, Obito, you're right. The battles between ninjas shouldn't affect civilians."
Seeing that Obito remained silent, Kazashiro tentatively agreed with his idea, but as for action...
Let's finish the task at hand first.
Perhaps spurred by the previous scene, Kazashiro and his group encountered a group of Rain Ninja on their journey. According to their previous mission plan, they should have avoided the enemies in front of them, but in the end, Obito the first move. Kazashiro tacitly accepted the other party's actions and cooperated with Kakashi to deal with these few Genin ninjas.