"What?"
Hearing Li Anshi's words, the surrounding Uzumaki clan ninjas were instantly stunned.
Konoha had sent an existence like Li Anshi to the Land of Whirlpools, so why were they still unwilling to renew their alliance with Uzushiogakure?
"Everyone, Konoha is not interested in allies who have betrayed us once."
"However, the Uzumaki clan is, after all, a ninja clan with deep ties to our village."
"And you were once on the verge of becoming a part of Konoha."
"So, although you abandoned the alliance, Konoha has not abandoned every member of the Uzumaki clan."
"I am here only to take back the Uzumaki who are willing to join Konoha."
"Your Excellency, Acting Daimyo, please inform your people as quickly as possible. Have those who wish to join Konoha gather here."
"Furthermore, Your Excellency."
"I'm sure you know why the Land of Whirlpools has come under attack by the other four great ninja villages."
"If you don't want to bring trouble upon the Uzumaki clan members who join Konoha, I ask that you have your people make copies of the sealing jutsu documents they take with them and leave them in your archives."
Sakurazuki Uzumaki's expression changed.
He had never imagined that the sealing jutsus the Uzumaki clan relied on for their survival would become the cause of their destruction.
The primary reason the four great ninja villages were attacking the Land of Whirlpools was to obtain their sealing jutsus.
If they didn't get what they wanted from the Land of Whirlpools in this war, then, given their methods, they would inevitably turn their sights on the Uzumaki clan members in Konoha.
Joining Konoha did not mean these clan members would be safe.
Ordinary civilians would be fine; as long as they didn't leave Konoha, they would be safe.
However, the children with ninja talent would inevitably become ninjas when they grew up.
And once they became ninjas, leaving the village for missions was unavoidable.
At that point, the Uzumaki ninjas who left Konoha would once again become a hot commodity in the ninja world. Every village would want to capture them, either coveting their sealing jutsus, their bloodline, or using them directly as reserve Tailed Beast Jinchuriki...
Only by finding the sealing jutsu documents in the Land of Whirlpools would the Uzumaki who joined Konoha be truly safe.
"I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Lord Anshi."
After taking a deep breath, Sakurazuki Uzumaki spoke in a solemn voice.
Only after becoming the Daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools did Sakurazuki truly understand the many decisions Ashina Uzumaki had made.
During the Warring States period, ninja clans were at most related by marriage or were allies.
It was rare for clans like the Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi to be so completely bound together, presenting themselves to the outside world as a single entity.
Back then, alliances between ninja clans were very fragile.
An alliance formed one day could be torn up the next.
But after entering the era of the ninja villages, the existence of the "village" bound previously unrelated clans tightly together, making them "comrades"—a bond that surpassed any so-called "alliance."
An alliance required consideration of various interests, while "comradeship" required considering whether both sides were willing to lay down their lives for the other.
No matter how you looked at it, the relationship between "comrades" far exceeded that of an "alliance."
Before becoming the acting Daimyo, Sakurazuki had only seen Konoha as an ally, still handling their relationship in the manner of the Warring States period.
Only after becoming the acting Daimyo did he understand why Lord Ashina had been so committed to making the Land of Whirlpools "comrades" with Konoha.
Unfortunately, he understood too late.
It was the same sixteen years ago, when they successfully forced Clan Head Ashina to lead everyone away from Konoha and establish the Land of Whirlpools on their ancestral land.
And it was the same sixteen years later, when he personally tore up the alliance between the Land of Whirlpools and Konoha, pushing his country into the abyss.
Without Konoha's protection, the Land of Whirlpools had become like a child carrying gold through a bustling market. The ninja villages coveting the Uzumaki clan's sealing jutsus watched them like tigers, eager to swallow them whole.
Three hours later, more than thirty Uzumaki clan members under the age of twelve were brought before Li Anshi.
Looking at the unease in the eyes of these children, whose faces still held a trace of innocence, Li Anshi sighed.
This was the cruelty of the ninja world.
Although the First Hokage's efforts had transitioned the ninja world from the Warring States period to the era of the ninja villages, the hatred between ninjas had not been eliminated. On the contrary, it had grown even greater.
The hatred of the Warring States period was erased by the destruction of the weaker clans.
The hatred of the ninja village era also needed to be cleansed by the destruction of a village.
It was foreseeable how much hatred these children, who had experienced the cruelty of war, held for the ninja villages that had attacked the Land of Whirlpools.
When they grew up, whether they would seek revenge against the ninjas who destroyed their country and village would depend on whether Konoha or the Land of Whirlpools held more importance in their hearts.
If Konoha was more important, then to avoid bringing powerful enemies to the village, they would bury this hatred deep in their hearts, only to be unearthed when the village decided to go to war with one of the great ninja villages.
If the Land of Whirlpools was more important, they would not care if their actions brought crisis to Konoha…
This, Li Anshi did not know.
However, he could not abandon taking them back to Konoha just because they might pose a future threat.
Firstly, Li Anshi had already made a promise to Tsunade not to let Lady Mito Uzumaki be heartbroken.
Secondly, as Li Anshi had told the Third Hokage, the complete integration of the Uzumaki clan into Konoha would greatly increase the village's potential.
Thirdly, Li Anshi had confidence in himself.
As long as he was around, even if these Uzumaki children killed ninjas from other villages for revenge in the future, those villages would only dare to attribute such actions to the individual ninjas and would not dare to involve Konoha.
"Is this all of them?"
Li Anshi asked Sakurazuki Uzumaki.
In Li Anshi's plan, besides the children, he should also be able to take some of the Uzumaki Chunin and Genin.
From the current state of the Land of Whirlpools, the Uzumaki clan still had six Jonin, over a hundred Chunin, and more than four hundred Genin.
"Yes, this is all."
Sakurazuki Uzumaki nodded.
"These children have not yet become ninjas of Uzushiogakure. It is most appropriate for them to represent the Uzumaki clan in integrating into Konoha."
Since they were not ninjas, all the decisions the Land of Whirlpools had made were unrelated to them.
The villagers of Konoha would only welcome the addition of these children, celebrating the return of the Uzumaki clan.
The ninjas of Konoha would also not lump these children together with the ninjas of Uzushiogakure.
If there were ninjas among them, it would mean this part of the Uzumaki clan still had a direct connection to the Land of Whirlpools and Uzushiogakure.
At that time, if some malicious person exposed the fact that Uzushiogakure had once abandoned the alliance, these children would inevitably face all kinds of discrimination in Konoha.
This would not be conducive to the complete integration of the Uzumaki clan.
Times had changed.
The conflicts of the Warring States period were conflicts between ninja clans.
But in the era of the ninja villages, a single clan could not withstand the attacks of a village formed from the fusion of more than a dozen clans.
What's more, the ones attacking the Land of Whirlpools were not just one or two villages, but an assault led by the four great ninja villages and over a dozen smaller ones.
Instead of letting these children face a difficult future, it was better for the remnants of this era to pave the way for them with their lives!
Trust in Konoha, and trust in our clansmen!
"Alright."
Li Anshi understood Sakurazuki Uzumaki's decision.
Looking at the red-haired children, Li Anshi said in a deep voice, "Children, I'm sure your parents and relatives have already told you some things."
"Since the Warring States period, the Uzumaki clan and the Senju clan have been distant relatives, as well as allies."
"Over a decade ago, the head of the Senju clan, Lord Hashirama Senju, who held the title 'God of Shinobi,' founded Konoha, transitioning the ninja world from the Warring States period to the era of the ninja villages."
"Originally, given the close relationship between the Uzumaki and Senju clans, the Uzumaki were also a part of Konoha."
"But for some special reasons, the Uzumaki clan left Konoha and established the Land of Whirlpools and Uzushiogakure."
"Although Konoha and the Land of Whirlpools became two separate villages, the friendship between the Senju and Uzumaki clans did not change because of this."
"I am a ninja of Konoha. At the request of Lady Mito Uzumaki, the wife of the First Hokage, Lord Hashirama Senju, and the Third Hokage, I have come to the Land of Whirlpools to lead the members of the Uzumaki clan back to Konoha."
"Are you willing to represent the Uzumaki clan and return to Konoha?"
The thirty-odd red-haired children looked at each other.
Children in the ninja world generally matured early.
They were all aware of what their country had been through recently.
Their country and village were about to face a disaster of annihilation. How could they not be terrified?
Before Li Anshi's arrival, their elders had told them that if they were lucky enough to escape, they should hide their identities and live out their lives in obscurity.
Three hours ago, their elders had changed their tune, telling them to follow a certain lord to Konoha, to train hard in the future and restore the glory of the Uzumaki.
Even though these children were young, they could hear the difference in their elders' attitudes between the two sets of instructions.
The first set of instructions had been delivered with great solemnity.
It was as if even they held little hope for the children's survival.
But the second time, their elders' expressions were much more relaxed, their faces even filled with happy smiles.
And the content of the instructions had changed dramatically.
The former was to have them live in hiding.
The latter was to have them train hard and restore the glory of the Uzumaki.
Now, facing Li Anshi's question, the children instinctively wanted to grasp this sliver of hope.
"Sir, we are willing."
Finally, led by a few of the older children, the group replied in a jumble of voices.