CH - 58 Left Foot? Sorry

"We are currently hiring! We are currently hiring!" A young boy with red hair stood outside the recruitment venue, using a loudspeaker to address the crowd. "Feeling lost in life? Worried about survival? Troubled by your family suffering from hunger? Join us! Let's work together for a better life!"

As Nagato noticed that people weren't paying much attention, he decided to share life-changing success stories, even if they were fabricated. His teacher had told him they are effective for people who are still hesitant. "Once upon a time, there was a single mother who endured the hardships of war. In a moment of despair, someone introduced her to a job opportunity. After hesitating for a moment and thinking about her child, she courageously embarked on a journey of work. From that point on, she lived a happy and fulfilling life."

As expected, many people in the crowd, after listening to him, decided to give the recruitment a try. Nagato continued to tell stories, "There was once an orphan, without parents, enduring the cold and hunger alone. Suddenly, one day, someone appeared and introduced him to a place where there was enough food, warmth, and no war. He didn't believe such a place existed, but with courage, he joined us. In the end, he found a new family and started a happy life."

Seeing some people still considering, he urged them, "What are you waiting for? To follow beggars and beg for food? To follow the Land of Rain and starve? Or to join us where a better tomorrow awaits you! The sun always shines after the storm."

"Trust us! Take a step forward without spending a penny, and let us bring you a happy life!" Nagato's broadcast continued, and more and more people walked in with hesitation, witnessing the first person walk out of the recruitment gate with a smile. "Hurry up, limited positions! Once they're gone, they're gone! We're only here for a week! We're not lying! It's the final week, the last week! Truly just one week! We'll be leaving after one week!"

Despite wearing a smile on his face, Nagato couldn't help but feel conflicted deep inside. "If I had known I would have to do this, I wouldn't have come with Akihiko-sensei in the first place!"

A few days ago, distributing flyers didn't bother him much, but now he was tasked with carrying a loudspeaker and shouting everywhere. It felt embarrassing, especially with everyone's eyes on him. The shame of it all weighed heavily on him.

He had the strong urge to leave and never come back. Teacher Akihiko was nice, but sometimes really annoying! These advertising words were just too embarrassing to speak!

…

Meanwhile, Inside the recruitment camp, interviews were in progress. Akihiko, with a slightly rugged appearance, directed his attention towards a man and began asking questions. "Could you please provide me with your name?"

"I am Shiba, a wandering ninja! Hurry up and register me! You should consider yourself lucky that I am even considering joining you!" The man spoke with an air of pride, as if bestowing them with an honorable opportunity.

"...Thank you for your consideration! Are you open to voluntary overtime?" Akihiko's lips twitched slightly as he listened to Shiba's arrogant words, but he responded with a faint smile.

"What?" Shiba replied, puzzled by Akihiko's question.

While observing Shiba's persistent arrogance, Akihiko silently concluded that he wasn't the right fit. Instead of outright rejecting him, he decided to playfully tease him for a moment. Adopting a serious expression, he inquired, "No, I mean, which foot did you step in with first?"

"The left foot. Why? Why are you still asking so many questions?" Shiba responded, irritation seeping into his voice.

"My apologies! You don't align with our company's culture. We believe in starting off on the right foot!" Akihiko maintained a composed expression as he pointed towards the door, subtly signaling that Shiba should just leave.

"Are you joking?" Shiba's expression changed, and he glared at Akihiko with anger, as if warning him to choose his next words carefully.

Without flinching, Akihiko calmly met Shiba's gaze, his face impassive as he replied, "Yes."

"I'll kill you!" Shiba's anger overwhelmed him, and he attempted to attack Akihiko. However, in the blink of an eye, a pile of papers materialized, tightly trapping him.

Akihiko cast a glance towards the outside and called out loudly, "Yahiko! Yahiko! Take him away and find a suitable place to dispose of him. Honestly! You guys allowed all sorts of trash in. Remember, we are a legitimate company!"

Once the interview hall was restored to order, Akihiko wore a smile as he addressed the next interviewee, who appeared visibly shaken by the previous incident, their face drained of color. "Next!"

Before Akihiko could utter a word, the person trembled slightly but summoned their courage to speak up first. "I-I... Sir! My name is Tana. I'm 31 years old, and my family consists of four members, including myself and two children. I willingly accept overtime, and I stepped in with my right foot just now!"

Akihiko raised an eyebrow, but upon seeing the nervous yet hopeful individual standing before him, he eventually nodded with a reassuring smile. "Very well! You meet the requirements! Please gather here in one week. Next!"

Perhaps due to the previous unsettling incident, the rest of the interviews progressed smoothly. Each candidate confidently introduced themselves as soon as Akihiko prompted them.

The interviews carried on, one after another, until Akihiko had recruited the necessary number of employees for this round. Not an excessive amount, just few thousand. Of course, considering those who arrived with their families, the number likely exceeded ten thousand. The Land of Grass was not extensive, and this quantity would suffice for now.

However, the majority of candidates were ordinary individuals. While a few ninjas appeared for the interviews, most were wandering ninjas of little significance. None captured Akihiko's attention.

It made sense upon contemplation. Noble-minded wandering ninjas would be hesitant to leave their homeland during these trying times. Perhaps they still awaited a leader who could restore hope to the Land of Rain!

However, when it came to the leader of the Akatsuki organization, it would be best to avoid delving into that topic. This Land of Rain might be beyond saving.

Akihiko couldn't help but let out an inward sigh, his mind filled with a mix of concern and resignation. He proceeded to meticulously organize all the information he had gathered from the qualified employees. As he glanced at the three tired children standing before him, he smiled and nodded appreciatively. These young helpers had played a crucial role in ensuring that the required number of people was met.

For the sake of mobility and secrecy, Akihiko had only brought these three children along during the recruitment process. It seemed they had gained valuable experience from this endeavor.

"Now that we have achieved our goal, it is time for us to depart," Akihiko announced. The sudden statement caught the three youngsters off guard, but soon a sense of relief washed over them, and involuntary smiles appeared on their fatigued faces. Their thoughts echoed with joy, "Finally, it's over! We are so exhausted!"

However, noticing their relaxed expressions, Akihiko quickly regained his seriousness. "Do not forget, you still have a 6,000-word reflection to write! Do not let the excitement distract you from completing your assignments."

The three children fell silent, feeling a slight resentment towards Akihiko. They inwardly complained, "Who got carried away and had fun?" They cast slightly annoyed glances at their teacher.

In that moment, Akihiko lowered his head and examined the specially prepared map of the Land of Rain. His brows furrowed as he let out a helpless sigh, muttering to himself, "It seems... leaving won't be as straightforward as we had hoped."

Upon hearing his words, the three children also fell into silence. As students, they understood the gravity of the situation Akihiko was referring to. This was not merely about a small group of individuals, but over a thousand people!

Especially during the recent recruitment period, they had made no efforts to conceal their activities. It would be surprising if the Village Hidden in the Rain hadn't taken notice. Even the smaller ninja villages surviving in the shinobi world, though not as influential as the Five Great Shinobi Villages, possessed their own capabilities.

For example, the Village Hidden in the Grass excelled in intelligence gathering, while the Village Hidden in the Rain specialized in assassination. Their respective skills in these areas were renowned throughout the shinobi world. The Village Hidden in the Rain, in particular, had a reputation for its exceptional assassination techniques, while the Village Hidden in the Grass was highly regarded for its intelligence capabilities.

However, currently, there was no demand for information from the Village Hidden in the Grass. Conversely, individuals would often seek out the Village Hidden in the Rain for their assassination services.

Reflecting on this, Akihiko sighed once more. The Village Hidden in the Grass had never enjoyed a favorable reputation within the shinobi world.

Therefore, it was impossible for the Village Hidden in the Rain to remain unaware of the unusual phenomenon of mass recruitment taking place in the Land of Rain. Although the identity of the Village Hidden in the Grass had not been disclosed, the act of recruiting such a large number of ordinary individuals would undoubtedly raise suspicions in the mind of Sanshōuo no Hanzō, the village leader. He might even suspect that there were sinister intentions or plans for human experimentation behind this recruitment drive.

After all, what legitimate nation in the shinobi world would venture to another nation to recruit people on such a scale? Such actions were inconsistent with the conduct expected from a recognized nation.

"Thus, the decision is made!" Akihiko rubbed his chin, a hint of a knowing smile playing on his lips as if he had remembered something crucial. He narrowed his eyes and gestured towards the three young individuals before him. "Tomorrow, we shall return!"

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