"Alright, you all now have two choices."
Reiji's voice was soft, yet each word sliced through the air like a thin knife.
There were no shouts.
No anger.
But precisely because of that, Reiji's voice resonated like a cold death knell in the ears of thousands.
The usually gentle sea breeze now felt bitter, carrying the echo of Reiji's words sweeping across the vast shoreline of Spiral Island.
The wet sand beneath their feet began to cool.
The sun was high, radiating scorching heat, yet the air on the beach felt cold and oppressive, as if the sunlight was merely light without warmth.
The sound of seagulls—usually loud, cheerful, and echoing along the coastline—had vanished into thin air.
It was as if nature had chosen to remain silent, holding its breath in a creeping awkwardness.
Keito stood a step behind Reiji.
Keito's shoulders were tense, and slowly he turned to the side, stealing glances at the members of the Uzumaki Clan around them.
He could feel the tension evaporating from those bodies, like a thin mist that was nearly invisible yet sharp against the skin.
Some swallowed nervously, their throats dry as if they had just swallowed sand.
Some gripped the handles of their kunai so tightly that their knuckles turned white, even though none of them intended to use them.
The gazes of the people—clan members, even foreign ninjas—were all fixed on Reiji.
Not with respect.
Not with admiration.
But with a strange feeling that had just begun to grow, quickly taking root in the depths of their hearts: fear.
Reiji did not move.
Did not say anything.
Where Reiji simply stood, silent like a monolith in the midst of sand and tension.
Reiji's gaze swept over the entire crowd with a chilling calmness.
Three thousand ninjas.
Some stood frozen, hesitant, as if weighing whether they were alive or merely trapped in an unfinished nightmare.
Others had already slumped down onto the damp sand, gasping for breath, their armor still intact but no longer imposing—covered in dust, and the stench of stale sweat clinging like a shame.
No one spoke.
Because everyone knew, in Reiji's silence, there was something louder than a scream.
And it was far more terrifying.
They came from three great villages—arriving with the belief that they could conquer this small island.
Yet the reality was, they were now just remnants of arrogance that had just been shattered by a single child.
"The first choice," Reiji said, stepping slowly forward, each of his steps sinking into the ground, "is for all of you to leave here, with one condition: you must sign a contract."
Where Reiji stopped.
Reiji's gaze was sharp as a dagger, locking onto the eyes of anyone who dared to look back.
"This contract will be sealed with Fuinjutsu."
"The contents are clear: you must not attack Spiral Island again."
"You must not harm a single member of the Uzumaki Clan."
"Not even harbor the intention in your hearts to do so."
Reiji's tone rose slightly, not out of emotion, but as if he were reading a verdict from fate.
"Break that, and your bodies will begin to feel light, then heavy."
"Your head will throb."
"Your tongue will turn bitter."
"Then nausea."
"Coughing up blood."
"And finally... death."
"Without the possibility of salvation."
Several ninjas immediately sat down.
Some stared at Reiji with pale faces, their eyes wide as if they had just seen the god of death.
Others clutched their chests, as if the symptoms of death had already begun to manifest just from hearing it.
A man from Iwagakure tried to rise, but his knees gave way, and he fell back onto the sand with a soft sound, yet it echoed loudly in the silence.
They knew Reiji was not joking.
They understood what they had just witnessed: a total defeat from a Genjutsu they did not comprehend, and now, a more terrifying choice awaited them.
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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