Haruki continued, "The reason you have no place to live and no food to eat is because of those black-hearted merchants and monopolistic tycoons in Nibi no Utsu who disregard you."
"They use exorbitant prices to drain your savings in a short time, squeezing out your last bit of survival money."
"Then they drive you out of your shelters, attempting to bind your hands and feet with invisible chains and cut off your hope with sky-high food prices. They want you to kneel forever, remain silent forever, and forever be their enslaved cattle."
Haruki surveyed the refugees below the stage.
"Is it fair?"
"Is it reasonable?"
"Can you continue to endure this?"
"Look around you, how many people work from dawn till dusk, yet still go hungry? How many people labor honestly, yet possess nothing?"
"We must change! We must change!"
"These merchants will not show kindness! The only path to change is for us to stand up ourselves, unite, clench our fists, and fight for everything we deserve!"
"Today, in Nibi no Utsu, we will achieve housing for laborers and food for workers! We will break their monopolized granaries and reclaim our right to eat!"
"We will ensure that the fruits of labor are shared by all laborers! Those who work more get more. Those who do not work shall not eat! This is the only righteous justice!"
"What we want to destroy are the old rules and order that devour people without shedding blood. What we want to build is a new Nibi no Utsu where everyone is equal, resources distributed according to labor, without exploitation, and without oppression!"
"One person's strength is weak, but when thousands upon thousands of us suffering people unite, we become an unstoppable iron torrent!"
"Friends! Do not be afraid! Great endeavors always experience difficulties."
"Behind us is justice, is truth. Our goal is to allow every one of us to live with dignity!"
"Stand up! Cast aside fear and hesitation!"
"Join us, for our common future!"
"Those willing to follow me, to break this iron house together and fight for our bright future, please raise your hands and let out your roar!"
"Let us stand together, fight together, and triumph together!"
"Let us personally create a new Nibi no Utsu!"
Haruki's voice echoed throughout Nibi no Utsu.
The refugees stared at him, dumbfounded.
[Ding!]
[System detected Yahiko's Faith value +3000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Nagato's Faith value +3000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Konan's Faith value +3000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Refugee A's Faith value +3000.]
...
The system's notification sounds echoed in Haruki's mind. It was as if he heard celestial music, clearing his ears.
What a beautiful sound!
The refugees looked at the young man on the stage, then at their own hands.
When war erupted in the Land of Grass, every fleeing family brought all three generations' savings.
But when they arrived at Nibi no Utsu, in just five short days, all these savings were plundered by the merchants of Nibi no Utsu through sky-high accommodation and food prices.
The merchants swept them out, leaving them to sleep on the streets, becoming beggars.
Since then, they had to endure hunger and cold. They watched helplessly as their wives, children, husbands, parents, brothers, and sisters died one by one from cold and hunger.
If they didn't want to die, they had to sell their bodies like Masato and his group, becoming slaves to the merchants. But even the chance to become a slave was very slim.
These merchants wanted to drive them to a dead end, extinguish their human will and dignity, and make them into people who wouldn't cry, wouldn't resist, and had no self.
No, could they even be called people then?
The part that made them human had disappeared, making them even less than beasts.
The refugees knew that if things continued this way, there were only two paths ahead of them.
One was a dead end.
The other was a path to survival worse than death. But no one wanted such a path to survival.
Since the outcome was destined to be death, why should they wait to die?
Even if they were to die, they would drag those people to the afterlife with them.
Moreover, someone was already helping them, wasn't he?
Someone was on their side.
The refugees looked at the ninjas around them and at Haruki and his group in front.
"Don't worry!"
"We will protect you!"
"Because we are like-minded companions!"
Yahiko seemed to sense the refugees' hesitation. He stepped forward and said firmly.
In the crowd of refugees, someone raised a hand. Then came the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth... countless hands. Finally, it was everyone.
They gazed silently at Haruki, their eyes gleaming with firm resolve.
The path was almost at its end, so let them burn themselves brightly.
— — —
In the distance.
The shop doors were tightly shut.
Tomita paced back and forth in the room, his neck and face flushed red, veins throbbing.
"Bastards! These pigs! How dare they resist?"
The ninja leaning against the wall acted as if he heard nothing.
"Muramasa, that traitor! He actually went to help those filthy commoners!"
The ninja lifted his eyelids and glanced at Tomita.
"You!"
Tomita suddenly looked up, staring at the ninja. "You quickly rendezvous with the ninjas of the other bosses, and you all go together! Kill them all for me!"
Tomita stopped the ninja, a fierce glint in his eyes. "No! Don't kill them all! Leave them, I want to torture them slowly!"
Tomita clenched his fist and stared at the ninja. "We've provided you with good food and drink. it's time for you to repay us."