"Understood, Lord Tatsuma."
A Root operative swiftly reached the factory entrance, dragged out the leader Watanabe Tianyi, and publicly beat him senseless.
When Watanabe Tianyi saw the Root ninja arrive, he attempted to flee, but how could he hope to match his opponent?
Root ninja were elite warriors, trained through rigorous, specialized instruction and brutal assessments. There was no way someone like Watanabe Tianyi could stand against them.
They didn't even need to use any ninjutsu—just a few punches sent him sprawling, dazed as if his brain had turned to mush, his face rapidly swelling with bruises.
Seeing this, the other workers who had been shouting for a strike fell silent immediately, scattering in all directions before returning to their posts to continue working.
They had no choice but to return—two Root ninjas blocked the gates, preventing anyone from escaping.
Anyone who dared resist again would be mercilessly beaten.
Watanabe Tianyi never expected that merely proposing reasonable demands would earn him a beating without so much as a discussion from management.
Bruised from head to toe and staring into the cold, merciless eyes of the Root ninja before him, Tianyi shivered involuntarily.
He sensed an icy, unfamiliar aura about these ninja—one he hadn't felt from others before.
Under intimidation and brute force, he temporarily submitted and continued working at Fire's Root Factory.
Though outwardly obedient and diligent, he remained defiant within.
"Curse you, Fire's Root Factory! One day, you'll pay for this!"
True, he was just a commoner—but he wasn't someone to be trampled upon.
He already had a plan—he intended to report the matter to the Third Hokage.
After all, this was Konoha Village, the most prosperous and peaceful village in the ninja world.
He had come here by reputation, never expecting such a bitter fate.
There were bad people even in Konoha.
Watching the workers return to the factory, Aburame Tatsuma's mood lightened.
"These people clearly have it too easy."
"They can't afford to slack off—even a moment of idleness leads to trouble."
Thinking about this, he devised several effective ways to boost work efficiency.
Once implemented, these measures would surely increase production significantly.
Finally, the end-of-day bell rang. Watanabe Tianyi dragged his battered body and hurried toward the Hokage Tower.
He collapsed to his knees at its entrance, sobbing uncontrollably and shouting aloud:
"Hokage-sama! Please, you must stand up for me!"
"The cursed Fire's Root Factory abuses its workers, exploiting them mercilessly! I was beaten just because I resisted!"
As he spoke, he ripped open his clothes, revealing fresh wounds and bruises.
Dark purple marks were clearly visible—he had definitely been beaten badly.
His pitiful cries outside the Hokage Tower quickly drew a crowd.
This was the administrative heart of Konoha—an area where normal civilians couldn't normally cause disturbances.
Several members of Konoha's prominent clans paused in curiosity—such rare drama was not to be missed.
Others might not know much about Fire's Root Factory, but those within the clan families understood perfectly.
Behind the factory stood none other than Danzo Shimura—the Hokage's advisor and leader of Root.
Danzo Shimura was a close friend of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi; their bond was deep and unshakable.
Now this man had come to lodge a formal complaint—wasn't he essentially slapping the entire Hokage legacy in the face?
As tensions escalated, just when the guards were about to drag him away, Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice echoed from inside the office.
"Bring him up."
A master of the Telescope Technique, the Hokage had already noticed the unrest happening at Fire's Root Factory.
After all, it belonged to his old friend. Of course he would check in on it from time to time.
He already had a general idea of what was going on inside.
It was corrupt—more corrupt than usual.
The workers were treated as if they were being milked dry.
Even observing from afar unsettled him. He wanted to act but feared provoking Danzo, his loyal ally.
He operated in the shadows—he had to grant him some leeway.
But now that the matter had escalated, it gave Hiruzen a perfect opportunity to finally speak out.
At the very least, the work conditions and treatment of the workers needed improvement.
This oppressive workload and terrible treatment—Hiruzen had never seen worse working conditions anywhere in Konoha.
Led by the door guard, Watanabe Tianyi entered the Hokage's office nervously.
As soon as he stepped inside, Tianyi immediately saw a middle-aged man with a gentle expression, gazing directly at him.
His face carried the signs of age and wisdom, with a small mustache above his lip. Dressed in the bright red ceremonial Hokage robe, his very presence exuded quiet authority.
"Honored greetings, Third Hokage!"
Seeing such a legendary figure in person, Tianyi bowed deeply.
It was his first time meeting the Third Hokage, and he was immediately struck by the man's warm and approachable aura.
Hiruzen gave a slight nod. "Please explain why you're here."
"Feel free to speak openly," he added. "Here in Konoha, I will ensure justice is served."
Encouraged by the Hokage's words, Tianyi straightened himself and began recounting his experiences.
"Hokage-sama, we workers at Fire's Root are suffering terribly."
"The factory doesn't treat us like humans—we can't eat or sleep properly, and the workload is unbearable."
"I applied because they offered full room and board, but it turns out they only did that so we'd live and work there nonstop, pushing us to our limits."
"And even that wasn't bad enough. Other factories aren't like this—those jobs are easier and pay better too."
Thinking back to what he'd learned from chatting with workers outside, tears streamed down his face.
"I've been trapped in a corrupt factory. It's unforgivable."
"They don't treat people like human beings—they treat us like pack animals."
"Look at me. Once strong and muscular, now I'm just skin and bones."
"My legs tremble when I walk, and my eyes have lost their spark due to endless labor."
"This cursed factory ruins people's lives."
Seeing Tianyi in such a state stirred sorrow in Hiruzen's heart. He said firmly, "Rest assured, since you've come to Konoha, you're one of us. I will definitely help you seek justice."
Inwardly, he muttered, "Danzo… This time, you've gone too far."
Resolved to take action, he decided to reprimand Danzo and warn him not to push things too far.
If everyone behaved like Danzo, who would dare to settle down and build a future in Konoha?
After Watanabe Tianyi left, Hiruzen immediately summoned Danzo to his office and delivered a sharp reprimand.
"Danzo, your factory has gone too far. You're completely disregarding the well-being of your workers. Changes must be made immediately."
Danzo's face darkened as he scoffed coldly, "That man is merely a refugee who fled the Land of Fire. He might even be a spy sent by another Hidden Village, attempting to slander my factory. Let me send Root to arrest and torture him until he talks."
"Once he's in Root's hands, he'll come out 'confessing' to everything."
Fuming at this unknown man who appeared out of nowhere, Danzo was beyond furious.
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