Aoki let out a slow sigh, then spoke in a sharper tone.
"Just tell me how much!"
"NO! I HAVE NEVER KILLED ANYONE!" The man finally shouted, his voice filled with panic. "I have hurt someone before, but kill?! No! In the three months I've lived in this village, I haven't killed anyone! I swear! I only tried to kill you today—only today did I attempt to kill you!"
The man was now truly terrified. His eyes pleaded, his lips trembled, and his body slightly hunched, as if hoping Aoki would believe him.
"Because I'm a new resident, I had to take this risk!" the man continued in a hoarse voice. "I didn't want to, but I was FORCED! They threatened me!"
Aoki remained silent, staring at the man with an unreadable expression.
"But your abilities last night..." Aoki spoke slowly, his eyes still sharp. "That wasn't the technique of an ordinary person. You reacted too quickly. When I blocked your attack, you immediately released the knife from your right hand, then grabbed a knife with your left hand and tried to stab me again without hesitation. That's not a move of someone untrained."
The man lowered his head even further.
"That...," he seemed hesitant, but eventually spoke. "My father."
Aoki raised an eyebrow slightly, waiting for the man to continue his explanation.
"My father once tried to be a ninja... But he was nothing more than an ordinary fighter." The man spoke bitterly. "My father couldn't even use a single ninjutsu. However, he was very skilled with kunai and other throwing weapons. He taught me how to hold a knife properly, how to throw kunai, and how to fight if I didn't have jutsu. That was it."
Aoki fell silent for a moment, then asked.
"So... where is your father now?"
The man sighed, as if the question no longer held any emotional impact.
"He's dead."
The answer came out so flat, as if death had become a commonplace occurrence in life.
Aoki looked at the man with an unreadable gaze.
"... Why didn't you try to join a mercenary group or become a bounty hunter?" Aoki asked, his tone slightly softer but still serious. "At least that could earn you some money. Although risky, it's far better than staying in a place like this. And how have you managed to survive for three months in this village?"
The man smiled bitterly.
"I'm afraid... I'm afraid of dying." He said, taking a deep breath before continuing. "During these three months, some outsiders have come to the village. The residents who manage to rob them will get food, and that food is distributed according to each person's contribution. I survived only on a small food ration."
The man stared blankly at the floor.
"But I wasn't satisfied with what I got. I wanted to get more... So, I decided to contribute more to this group. But I didn't expect..."
His voice grew quieter.
"... I ended up being the one who had to take the biggest risk. I was forced to go out and rob outsiders this time. And in the end..." The man took a long breath, his voice trembling. "I failed. You are much stronger than we expected."
Aoki remained silent. His eyes no longer looked at the man but gazed out the slightly open window. A cold wind blew in, rustling the tattered curtain that was almost torn.
Outside, the sky was overcast without a ray of sunshine. Like the fate of this world, which held no hope.
Aoki let out a quiet sigh.
After all, this is the world of ninjas. A world where the weak have only two choices—survive by any means, or die just like that.
------------------------------
[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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