Classic Kusagakure, totally shameless! Of course, Tsunade didn't say anything and kept munching handful after handful of popcorn.
At that moment, Shizune whispered again, "They're not hiding it at all, just standing out in the open like this."
Looking at the bold and carefree Tsunade, Shizune felt relieved. Looks like Tsunade won't be gambling today after all.
Although Tsunade knew the Senju clan was powerful and wealthy, she was relieved she wouldn't lose any money today, after all, she had gambled far too much already.
After a brief pause, she muttered, "This must be the person in charge of this strange place."
"No sneaky tricks here, so why should we even care? This isn't Konoha, anyway. Honestly, why are we bothering?" another voice said.
"But... we're still Konoha shinobis! No matter what, we need to be careful when we encounter shinobis from other villages," someone replied.
"No! We're not shinobis anymore! What's the point of being a shinobi now?" Tsunade snapped, waving her hand in frustration as she stared at the large white screen ahead.
"Why exactly did they bring us here? Just to watch this screen?
What's so special about it? If this thing doesn't start soon, I'm smashing the place and demanding a refund!"
Just as she finished speaking,
Click.
The lights suddenly went out. The crowd, which had been buzzing with curiosity, fell completely silent, all eyes glued to the glowing white screen.
Even Tsunade let out a small "huh" and looked up. Soon, words began to appear on the screen:
"Exclusively Presented by the Land of Grass Entertainment."
"Grassywood Certified!"
"Selected Blockbusters!"
As these unfamiliar phrases flashed before them, the audience grew even quieter, completely absorbed by this strange "movie."
Meanwhile, in a darker corner of the theater, two cloaked figures sat watching the screen intently. A flash of red hair caught the faint light. "Nagare, Elder told us to buy supplies, but here we are watching... whatever this is. Is this really okay?" the redhead whispered nervously, glancing around.
"I'll report back to the elder later," Nagare replied seriously. "You're curious too, right? About how the Third Elders are doing? Plus, shinobis can change their mission plans if necessary."
Though the elders had instructed them not to reveal their whereabouts and even to forget the ancient Uzumaki name to protect the clan from being hunted, Nagare still wanted to know how the others were holding up.
When he saw the standee at the entrance, he immediately recognized the red-haired lead actor as a member of the Uzumaki clan.
The group that had fled with Elder Youma openly called themselves "Uzumaki." It seemed like they wanted to draw attention, or maybe send a message to their exiled relatives.
Nagare couldn't help but wonder if Elder Youma's group had gotten into trouble and what their connection to Kusagakure was. After all, his younger brother was among them. His heart tightened with anxiety.
He gripped the popcorn tightly, surprisingly tasty and filling. For just one ryo, the movie ticket came with this popcorn, which was definitely worth it.
He didn't dare eat too much, wanting to save some to share with the elders later. Since the destruction of the Whirlpool Country, the refugees had no steady income, and the Uzumaki clan's appetite was huge.
With so many people in their group, they barely managed to get enough food each day. Food was precious. Nagare forced a bitter smile, thinking about the once-powerful Uzumaki clan, now reduced to this desperate state.
Their country was wiped out, they were still hunted, and forced to keep running and hiding. After the sacrifice of the Fifth Elder, the group had taken refuge in a remote town in the Land of Fire, led now by the Seventh Elder.
But everyone knew this couldn't last. Their relentless, hyena-like enemies would never stop chasing them. Nagare sighed quietly as the screen changed. 'What kind of movie was this?' Curious, he watched as the story unfolded.
Charlie had clearly worked hard to make a strong first impression, tightening the plot and ramping up the tension between the main character and supporting cast. When the betrayal happened, Fire and Leaf turning against their close friend Susumu Uzumaki and destroying his family, those who understood the history, like Tsunade and Nagare, held their breath. Especially Nagare.
Though Konoha wasn't directly responsible for the destruction of the Whirlpool Country, it was hard for him to feel no anger toward them after years of running and hiding. Both he and the other redhead's eyes reddened as they clenched their hands tightly.
As the scenes flashed by, the story reached its climax: Susumu Uzumaki's revenge succeeded, the villains were punished. But then, at the final scene… they both froze, eyes wide, exchanging a quick glance before staring back at the screen.
Susumu Uzumaki had arrived in the Land of Grass and was living a happy life there. That wasn't what shocked them, though. It was the scene that had just passed. They had seen Elder Youma and Eiichi.
One of them sat quietly in a courtyard, watching the snow gently fall, while the other smiled warmly as he taught a classroom full of children. They were finally living the peaceful life they had always dreamed of but thought was out of reach. The smiles on their faces were real and heartfelt.
In that moment, Nagare and his companion felt a deep understanding wash over them. Their eyes grew red, and a spark of excitement shone through their calm expressions. They knew they had to share this news with the elders right away, the Uzumaki clan might finally be free from running.
***
The intel was already out, and Mujie knew The lord would arrive soon. As he stared into the night, a shadow crossed his face, he hadn't expected this.
After tracking down members of the Uzumaki clan, they'd actually run into shinobis sent to eliminate them. Not just some mercenaries hired by merchants like last time in the Land of Hot Water, but true elite shinobi.
Judging by the scale of the operation, whoever was behind this had taken serious notice since the last abduction. That explained the heavy presence of shinobi this time around.
Mujie glanced back at the gaunt, pale Uzumaki clan members behind him and sighed deeply.
Honestly, if it weren't for The lord's orders, he wouldn't have bothered recruiting these wandering shinobis to the Land of Grass, too much trouble, and who knew if spies weren't mixed in among them? But since The lord had commanded it, he had no choice but to comply.
Besides, he'd already told them that he wasn't the one giving the book to Yahiko, Yahiko took it himself! Yet they still blamed him. It felt unfair.
Then they sent him out here, into the freezing cold. If it weren't for that rare signed book from Great author Inevitable, he wouldn't have come at all. But now… it looked like he was done for.
Suddenly, a sharp sound sliced through the quiet. Everyone's faces shifted as they glanced around.
A group of heavily cloaked figures wearing animal masks appeared, closing in on them. "Uzumaki clan… come with us," one said, their identities deliberately hidden.