That night, under the cover of darkness, Fu Yamanaka led a squad of Root agents into the factory in the Land of Rain.
Once inside, drawing on his reputation, he quickly rose to become the factory's administrator, taking full control.
His first task was to adjust the employees' work and rest schedules, giving them some free time.
Next, he contacted Sanshouo Hanzo of the Land of Rain for formal talks intended to combat the spread of rumors.
Rumors were weapons Root was all too familiar with.
Although they had not yet driven Sakumo Hatake—the protector of the Land of Wind—to his death, they still employed them with great skill.
By the time the outside world's rumors had mostly faded, a month had passed.
The gates of the Fire's Root Factory creaked open slowly. The workers, who had labored hard for a month, beamed as they carried generous paychecks and walked out.
This scene stunned the crowd of onlookers gathered outside.
"Weren't we told this place was a den of monsters—cannibals who fed on human blood and flesh—tricking Rain Country citizens like us into working for free?"
"That's Beicun—I know him. He used to have nothing to his name, but now he's holding more money than I make in a year!"
"This can't be right! Does Fire's Root Factory actually pay wages? But then why did so many claim there were none?"
A cacophony of voices and opinions filled the air.
After all, the wages held by the workers were worth nearly half a year's earnings for most people.
Such a staggering amount sparked envy—everyone who laid eyes on it felt their hearts burn with jealousy.
Meanwhile, by the roadside, a bystander watching the workers count their money blinked back tears. He had fled during the Akatsuki's infiltration of the factory.
Unable to endure the grueling workload, he had fled alongside a group of Akatsuki members.
"How could this happen? Do they actually hand out wages?"
"So much money—and some of it should've been mine."
To Mori Takashi, Fire's Root Factory had seemed brutal to its workers; those early promises probably weren't real either.
Believing there would be no paycheck to collect, he chose to flee.
But now, watching others count cash, his heart twisted in bitter regret.
He'd worked diligently for over half a month, then ran off—without collecting a single penny.
It hurt badly.
"No way. I'm also an employee of Fire's Root Factory—I deserve my paycheck!"
Motivated by desperation and greed, Mori turned on his heel and marched toward Fire's Root Factory.
As soon as he entered, memories of endless days and sleepless nights came rushing back, sending an involuntary shudder down his spine.
It had truly been exhausting.
Still, precisely because of that, he steeled himself and stepped forward to claim what was rightfully his.
Since everyone else had already received their payments, surely he could get his share too.
Following the crowd inside, Mori arrived at the area where salaries were being distributed.
A line of workers stood waiting. At the very front, atop a wooden table, lay towering stacks of crisp, fresh bills.
Stacked into miniature mountains, the sight created a powerful visual impact.
He joined the line of workers waiting to collect their wages. When his turn finally came, he said carefully, "Sir, I'm Mori Takahashi from Workshop 3, here to receive my salary."
The staff member in charge of paying salaries raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a half-smile, confirming, "Mori Takahashi?"
"Yes."
The manager's face darkened, his tone turning sharp and cold. "Mori Takahashi? You ran away during working hours, yet you still have the nerve to come back asking for your salary?"
Startled by this sudden outburst, Takahashi quickly replied, "I've worked at the factory for such a long time—I deserve my wages. Otherwise, I'll go report this to the Semi-Immortal."
"Report me? Here's the written contract," the manager smirked, pointing at the document. "According to it, not only do you get no salary, but you also owe the factory a huge sum of money."
The contract bearing his signature was placed before Takahashi, causing his whole body to tremble. He collapsed to the ground, stunned.
Never had he imagined that instead of collecting his wage, he'd end up owing money.
As guards began closing in on him, Takahashi blurted out desperately, "Sir! It wasn't my choice to leave! I was kidnapped by Akatsuki criminals!"
"My loyalty to the factory is undeniable—it's the truth!" he swore.
Upon hearing his words, a faint smile appeared on the manager's face. He raised a hand, signaling the guards to stand down.
"Oh, is that so? Then it seems I misunderstood."
"Sir, believe me—I never wanted to leave," Takahashi continued, gaining confidence as he lied more convincingly. "Those Akatsuki thugs threatened me. I had no choice but to obey!"
"What he said sounds reasonable," the manager nodded slightly, eyes narrowing as he gazed at Takahashi. "But based on your word alone, I can't be entirely sure."
"But if you can report this matter directly to the Daimyo of the Land of Rain or spread the truth elsewhere to clear up the misunderstanding, I'll forgive your mistake and pay you all the wages you're owed."
Hearing this meant getting paid without owing anything, Takahashi immediately agreed.
After leaving Fire's Root Factory, he began loudly praising the factory everywhere while spreading all sorts of rumors defaming the Akatsuki.
Since reaching the Daimyo directly was impossible, this was the only option he had left.
Thanks to his status as a veteran employee, many people believed what he said.
With factory workers on holiday, the rumors surrounding Fire's Root Factory were dispelled. Many who saw others enjoying such privileges grew envious of those who had managed to get in.
So much money—you could earn in one month what used to take half a year!
Plus full room and board? That was practically unheard of!
With some clever manipulation from the right hands behind the scenes, Fire's Root Factory regained its reputation, even becoming a highly sought-after opportunity everyone rushed toward eagerly.
Meanwhile, the Akatsuki organization that had attacked Fire's Root Factory gradually became the villainous party in these spreading rumors.
Inside the Akatsuki headquarters:
"This is infuriating! They fled willingly—so why does it sound like *we* drove them away?" Yahiko fumed angrily.
"They used to badmouth Fire's Root Factory too, so how can they just flip sides like this now?"
"Has money really made them forget right from wrong?"
For the first time, Yahiko felt how money could corrupt—and the painful helplessness of being unable to fight back against lies.
If it weren't for all the rumors spreading like wildfire circulating outside saying that Fire's Root Factory was suspicious and like a den of monsters, how could he have possibly led people to storm the place? He was worried about Daibutsu's safety too.
"Yahiko, don't be angry. They've just been taken in by greed, so they can't tell who's good or bad right now," Konan comforted beside him.
"As long as Fire's Root Factory continues to exist, people will eventually uncover its corruption," Nagato added, standing silently nearby.
"The rumors are everywhere now, all targeting our Akatsuki organization. I'm afraid this is some kind of conspiracy against us."
"Many people are fabricating lies, fueling widespread misunderstanding among the public."
"Yahiko, why don't you step forward and clear things up with them?"
Of the three, Yahiko had always been the most carefree and optimistic, so whenever issues arose, it was usually him who stepped forward to handle them.
… …
…
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