The attention of the vast majority of ninjas in the beer hall was attracted by the commotion here.
"So good... if only I could get an Akatsuki Blue Card and join Akatsuki."
".....Maybe even a ninja like me has a chance to become a high-level official in Akatsuki Village."
Several pure passersby revealed expressions of incomparable longing in their eyes.
Who doesn't want to stand out and one day be on equal footing with those high and mighty descendants of ninja clans?
"Ha, stop dreaming! Those who can stand out in Akatsuki Village are absolute geniuses, key training targets even in our village. With our little strength, going to Akatsuki Village would just mean being at the bottom. Our days would probably be even less comfortable than in our original village."
"There's no need to be a second-class ninja in Akatsuki Village, enduring humiliation for ten years..."
"That's true. After all, we are just a group of ordinary ninjas; we'll probably be Genin for our whole lives."
Whispers came from the crowd again.
Perhaps Fujimaru's tone stung them, or perhaps subconsciously they dared not face the gap.
They knew very well that they were just mediocre people. Going to a big ninja village like Akatsuki Village would only mean becoming the lowest-level cannon fodder, second-class ninjas, unable to even keep their dignity.
Rather than suffering that, it was better to stick to their current small territory and live peacefully.
So, these words quickly resonated with many.
"Hey you... do you think Lord Hikarikage hasn't considered us ninjas with mediocre abilities?"
"Let me tell you, even if I'm not a formally established ninja of Akatsuki Village, my life in Akatsuki Village is more comfortable than yours.... Take the most basic ninja missions for example... damage to our ninja tools can be reimbursed... and even if we get injured, Akatsuki Village won't ignore us!"
"Akatsuki Village's medical system is very complete. Not only are there officially established hospitals, but there are also special ninja subsidies for medical treatment and medicine. Minor illnesses don't cost much at all. Even if you get a serious illness and can no longer execute ninja missions, there are plenty of places in the village to settle disabled ninjas, whether it's filming movies, working in factories, or being dispatched to companies....."
"And the money earned isn't much different from doing ninja missions."
"Unlike you guys, once something goes wrong with your body, you still have to drag your sick body to execute missions to earn money. You probably enter the 'kill zone' (death threshold) directly, right? The village higher-ups won't care about your life or death!"
Fujimaru revealed a fanatical and pious expression, his tone becoming increasingly high-pitched.
Although he wasn't a formal Akatsuki Village ninja yet, his horizons had been broadened, and he had seen a world he had never imagined. Just this point was enough for him to risk his life for Akatsuki Village.
This is the ideal ninja village!
Not to mention he really had a chance to become an Akatsuki Village ninja.
Such a sharp rebuttal made the foreign ninjas present look at each other, involuntarily lowering their heads.
The average lifespan of ninjas wasn't high. Besides being directly related to cruel wars, it was because there was no safety net mechanism.
Small ninja forces were constantly in internal friction and war. Ninjas lived precarious lives; they might be raising a glass today and become a corpse tomorrow. Under such survival pressure, they had neither the time nor the energy to develop the medical industry.
Large ninja villages were a bit better, but still lacked the resources and ability to establish a systematic medical ninja corps and medical security.
Most of the time, when ninjas were injured and left with hidden ailments, they just relied on their bodies to endure.
But once they couldn't endure... coupled with the deeply ingrained "ninja tool theory" in the ninja world, if they didn't want to wait for death at home, they could only continue executing missions with injuries to earn money. Ultimately, bottom-level ninjas would only die silently in some unknown corner of the ninja world.
.....
Fujimaru was very satisfied with the reaction of the people around him. His back straightened a bit more, and he immediately used a triumphant tone: "We bottom-level ninjas are also human. Only Akatsuki Village truly considers us ninjas. What's wrong with being a second-class ninja here?"
"I'm contributing to Akatsuki Village now. Not only do I have the chance to become an Akatsuki Village ninja, but when my child is born, they will be an Akatsuki Village villager!"
"And you guys... ninjas like you will not only never have a chance to stand out in the village in this lifetime, but the village's middle and high-level officials won't care about your life or death either. Your children are also destined to be village consumables!!"
"First Jōnin bring along later Jōnin... please, they also have children. No matter how you calculate, the opportunity won't fall to you... By that time, the grass on your grave will probably be three feet high, and your children will be mocked by their children for our generation not working hard..."
"Please... haven't we suffered enough in this life? Is it really that we don't work hard? We don't even have the chance to cultivate high-level ninjutsu!"
"How can we work hard! But... Akatsuki Village is different. High-quality education, a precise and clear training system, and a huge ninjutsu library are enough to give us ninjas from ordinary backgrounds a chance... Let alone formally joining Akatsuki Village, just coming here and seeing these unimaginable things makes me much better than you!"
Fujimaru was like a microcosm, deeply reflecting the endless bitterness of these ninjas with neither strength nor family background.
Moreover, sometimes, it really wasn't that they didn't work hard, but the actual situation didn't allow it.
After all, ninja growth really consumes a lot of resources.
Chakra is the product of the combination of physical and spiritual energy, which first requires ensuring sufficient nutrition.
An orphan like Uzumaki Naruto, who went hungry since childhood, had to catch fish in the wild, and even mooch off Uncle Teuchi's ramen to barely fill his stomach, could grow up to possess such huge chakra and vitality completely because he was the protagonist. Not only was the Nine-Tails sealed in his body, but he also carried Asura's chakra and had the blessing of the Uzumaki bloodline.
Just this one point screens out many people in the ninja world.
Subsequent ninja growth also requires corresponding secret cultivation medicines to prevent hidden injuries, suitable ninjutsu, guidance from excellent teachers... Missing any link makes a world of difference in ninja strength.
And these are often destined by birth.
If you have it at birth, you have it for life; if you don't have it at birth, you will never have it. (Of course, I'm talking about the ninja world.)
Fathers are like this, and their children won't be much better off.... The Hokage's child is still a Hokage, and the scapegoat's child is still a scapegoat.
"I dare not imagine my days if I hadn't come to Akatsuki Village. Staying in the ninja world for one more day would probably be suffering."
"Only in Akatsuki Village did I feel what respect is, what freedom is, what civilization is!"
It had to be said.
Fujimaru singing the praises of Akatsuki Village so fanatically made the foreign ninjas present involuntarily start to reflect.
Before this, Akatsuki Village's external image was a symbol of strength. Through "New Ninja," they learned about Akatsuki Village's prosperity. They actually already had a stereotype of Akatsuki Village being powerful and prosperous.
Now with Fujimaru's personal account.
The image of Akatsuki Village, already powerful and prosperous in the minds of foreign ninjas, became even taller, like a lighthouse dispelling the darkness in their hearts.
They had to admit that Akatsuki Village and their villages were no longer in the same dimension. This was no longer a simple matter of who was strong and who was weak, but a generational gap between a backward system and an advanced system.
The ninja world actually has such an advanced, civilized, and free ninja village!
Soon, after Fujimaru's propaganda, the hearts of the people in the beer hall became restless.
There was no helping it.
Ninjas were also living people; they weren't fools. They all knew the principle that water flows downwards and people strive upwards.
No matter how powerful the brainwashing of the ninja tool theory was, it couldn't dispel their yearning for a better life. For the vast majority of ninjas, as long as there was a chance for promotion, their family assets could grow day by day, and their children could become more and more successful, that was the greatest pursuit in their lives.
Whoever could achieve these, the ninjas would follow him wholeheartedly!
—They also wanted to join Akatsuki Village!
As for loyalty?
Original ninja village or whatever... irrelevant!
Isn't swearing allegiance to Lord Hikarikage loyalty?
Akatsuki Village has always been progressing. What about your original ninja village? You can't stop me from running towards a better ninja village, can you?
Now ninjas from small ninja forces were already considering how to run to Akatsuki Village. Anyway, Akatsuki Village was a premier large ninja village in the ninja world. Changing allegiance to Akatsuki Village, once they got a formal visa, would the leaders in their village still have the guts to demand people from Akatsuki Village?
As for ninjas from large ninja villages, they considered more.
Compared to small ninja villages, large ninja villages managed the ninjas in the village much more strictly. Defecting at will would really lead to being hunted down.
Akatsuki Village might not necessarily withstand the pressure of large ninja villages for them.
Being in a favorable position, knowing an acquaintance, Matsumoto Takahashi had already started his own action.
A fawning and ingratiating expression instantly appeared on his face.
"Fujimaru, tell us more about the Akatsuki Village visa and Blue Card system... I really want to progress too much!"
"Hmph, didn't you just look down on me for being a second-class Akatsuki Village ninja?"
"How could that be... Even being a second-class ninja in Akatsuki Village is better than someone like me. You are a big person, don't hold grudges against a small person... Take me along."
"I'll pay for your consumption today!"
"That sounds like human language. In the future, I can be considered a true-blue Akatsuki ninja!"
The corners of Fujimaru's mouth curled up involuntarily, a smile appeared on his face, and he couldn't help but hum lightly.
Sure enough... no one can resist Akatsuki Village.
Thanks to Akatsuki Village, thanks to Lord Hikarikage's grace, I can be considered a master in front of this group of people!
"It doesn't hurt to reveal more news to you; you are lucky."
"Akatsuki Village is quite short of manpower recently. If it's a ninja, even the most ordinary Genin, as long as they pass Akatsuki Village's basic assessment and verify their identity information, they can get an Akatsuki Village visa. Of course, because of the shortage of manpower, it will be very hard during this time..."
"Also, I almost forgot..."
Fujimaru talked eloquently with a smile on his face. Matsumoto Takahashi listened very seriously on the side, not wanting to miss a single detail.
Actually, it wasn't just Matsumoto Takahashi...
Ninjas have always had sharp ears and eyes. Several tables of foreign ninjas next door were eavesdropping on Fujimaru's introduction.
"Then about the Blue Card.... That takes ten years. I remember there are ways to speed up and reduce the time, right?"
"Anyway, ten years is simply too long."
"See, impatient again!"
Fujimaru smiled, took a big gulp of beer, and then continued speaking unhurriedly.
"Ten years is indeed a long time, but it's not without solutions. For example, executing enough missions in Akatsuki Village to obtain corresponding honor certificates... or having a special skill, inventing or mastering special secret techniques and handing them over to Akatsuki Village... also participating in important missions and getting injured in the line of duty..."
"Almost forgot, there is another very important way to have a chance to directly obtain an Akatsuki Blue Card, but this has nothing to do with us."
"What do you mean?"
"This is a policy specifically for female ninjas. As long as a female ninja can marry a male ninja of Akatsuki Village, she can directly obtain an Akatsuki Blue Card."
Ninja wars have always been tragic, especially for a profession like ninja, which usually bears huge pressure, so it is usually dominated by men.
This leads to a very scarce number of female ninjas.
And any woman who can adapt to a ninja career and become a female ninja usually has outstanding strength and talent.
Uchiha Makoto was very happy to give these excellent women some special treatment, such as allowing them to join Akatsuki Village directly through marriage.
"That's really a pity." Matsumoto Takahashi showed a face full of regret.
"But there must be female ninjas in your village too. If they successfully join Akatsuki Village because of your reminder.... they might remember your kindness."
"That is a good idea."
Not just Matsumoto Takahashi.... the surrounding foreign ninjas couldn't help but let their imaginations run wild. There were actually female ninjas in their villages, and some were even their relatives and friends..... Joining Akatsuki Village first, then bringing others to join Akatsuki Village later.
This is also a good method!
.......
The ninja world version of the Kitchen Debate spread at an extremely short speed.
One passed to ten, ten passed to a hundred.
The ninja circle wasn't big to begin with, plus Akatsuki Village's prosperity was right before their eyes, making some ninjas who were originally still watching decide to start taking practical action one after another.
Just on the second day, the flow of people at the Akatsuki Village Visa Office surged.
Male ninjas, hindered by their current identities, couldn't directly betray their village in front of their leaders.
After all, such blatant defection behavior wouldn't be accepted even by Akatsuki Village.
They planned to figure out the situation here first, then secretly escape after returning to the village. Once the limelight passed, they would apply for an Akatsuki Village visa as free agents.
This was also the mainstream channel for run-nin (fleeing ninjas) to join Akatsuki Village.
Akatsuki Village had always turned a blind eye to this.
—Where did so many run-nin come from in the ninja world?
But the female ninjas were much bolder. They directly targeted male ninjas wearing Akatsuki forehead protectors.
Due to the huge impact, this even alarmed Uchiha Makoto at one point.