Reiji turned his body slightly.
As Reiji walked slowly in front of the crowd, his hands crossed behind his back.
Reiji's gaze was not wild; rather, it was very calm—that was what made them shiver.
"Strange, isn't it? You came here with the intent to kill."
"To steal our Fuinjutsu knowledge."
"To halt our progress."
"But when your lives are at stake..."
Reiji paused, then turned with eyes as sharp as shards of ice. "...you all turn into cowards?"
A sound like someone choking was heard.
Several ninjas who had been whispering fell silent immediately.
No more sounds.
Even the sea breeze seemed to avoid that place.
The faces that had been filled with hatred and false bravery now turned pale.
Their eyes trembled.
Some turned their faces away, unable to look at the boy—the boy who stood alone yet made thousands feel the breath of death in their throats.
"Good," Reiji murmured with a wide smile that felt rather terrifying. "That's much better."
Where Reiji stood still, allowing the atmosphere to hang between them.
Behind Reiji, Keito furrowed his brows.
Where Keito wanted to speak, his tongue felt tied.
Even Keito himself—who knew Reiji better than anyone—felt strange with the expression on that boy's face.
Something had changed.
Something dark.
Whirlpool Island seemed quiet despite being filled with thousands of people.
Small waves crashed against the coral, but no one noticed.
Everyone's focus was solely on Reiji at that moment.
"The second option," Reiji continued, "is to become prisoners of war."
Some ninjas tensed again.
One among them gripped his weapon but did not raise it.
"Yes, I know this is not a war."
"But you attacked us."
"Suddenly."
"Therefore, we will treat you as enemies."
That smile returned to Reiji's lips—a small smile that was too neat to be considered innocent.
"You will work for the Uzumaki Clan for the rest of your lives."
"You will wear the Slave Fuinjutsu around your neck."
"If you betray us... then you will die."
"If you try to escape... then you will also die."
Reiji raised one hand, his movement calm yet full of meaning.
The tips of Reiji's fingers danced in the air, drawing delicate patterns that most people could not comprehend.
In an instant, a faint red light flickered—pulsing once like a heartbeat, then vanished, leaving a mark that felt deeper than what the eyes could see.
What had just happened was not merely an empty gesture.
Reiji had illustrated a visual symbol of Fuinjutsu—a form of contract embedded through Projection Fuinjutsu.
Reinforced by simple Genjutsu so that anyone who saw it could immediately feel its meaning, not just understand it.
And the meaning was very clear: a warning. A threat. A punishment.
Some ninjas sobbed quietly without realizing it.
Breath caught in their throats.
One or two people stepped back, and some closed their eyes for a moment, as if wanting to erase what they had just seen.
Yet they had only seen a glimpse—just a symbol.
But that symbol… was enough to instill a fear that pierced the bones.
"But if your village leader wants to buy your freedom, then the seal will be released... at a suitable price."
"As long as you are here, you will build infrastructure. Research. Work in factories. Or..."
Reiji leaned slightly forward, like someone wanting to share a secret. "...be my test subjects."
A panicked whisper was heard.
Then two.
Then more and more.
That word—test subjects—froze the blood of many.
"I will test my new Fuinjutsu on you."
"Perhaps a seal that makes you unable to hear. Or speak. Or walk."
"It could also be a seal that makes hair grow all over your body like a monster."
"Or a nightmare seal. Or... a seal that makes you defecate every few minutes."
------------------------------
[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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