That biting declaration, edged with a common villager's fearlessness, drew an even louder, more fervent roar of approval from the crowd.
These troublesome Konoha villagers were growing bolder by the minute. They clearly knew how to gang up on someone, and Tobirama Senju, sitting among them disguised as an ordinary villager, was so furious he ground his teeth.
Before Tobirama could find a way to drag the conversation back on course, another villager swaggered out of the crowd.
The man looked positively animated, like a regular who spent his spare time talking nonsense at the pub. Grinning, he clapped his hands and called to everyone around him. "Hold on, folks! Don't start sighing yet!"
"Listening to you all reminded me of a good joke I heard at a tea stall on West Street a couple of days ago. It's brilliant!"
At the promise of a joke, the villagers and young ninja in the long queue craned their necks. Even the hands reaching for books at the counter slowed as people shouted, "Let's hear it! Don't keep us waiting!"
The villager cleared his throat and launched into an imitation of a professional storyteller. "A while back, an honest Konoha villager was walking beside the little river at the edge of the village early one morning.
"He slipped, fell, and went splash straight into the fastest part of the river. In the freezing water, he thrashed desperately, throwing up sprays of water as he yelled, 'Help! Somebody help! I can't swim!'"
"But there was only one person nearby: an Anbu ninja on a mission. Wearing a fox mask, the Anbu merely folded his arms, gave the man a cold glance, and turned to continue his patrol without lifting a finger."
"The Konoha villager had water up to his chin. He'd swallowed several