Naruto-Start by eating the golden fruit

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In the twenty years since Konoha's establishment, the entire ninja world has inexplicably avoided starting a war with one major country: Konoha.

Meanwhile, the other great nations—Lightning, Water, Earth, and Wind—are all at war.

Yuya licked his lips, deciding to postpone his original plans to manufacture the first batch of shovels, hoes, and sledges for the Land of Fire. Instead, he ordered the steel factory to pause and shift focus to producing kunai, shurikens, shields, katana, and other ninja tools.

The Land of Whirlpools and Kirigakure Village were embroiled in conflict, and several other nations were also at war. Isn't this the perfect time to make money? he thought excitedly.

Later generations would confirm that, during this period, Konoha earned nearly 8 billion ryō annually from selling weapons. Adjusted for inflation in later generations, the sum would be even greater. This lucrative trade marked Konoha Village's first significant accumulation of wealth.

---

In a remote mountain range within the Land of Fire, a group of weary figures trudged forward on the muddy trail. They were a mix of men, women, and children, holding hands and supporting each other.

"Musashi, Xiu, let's rest. Everyone is exhausted…" a middle-aged woman with tattered clothes, torn by vines, stones, and branches, pleaded with the muscular man leading the group.

The man, Umino Musashi, remained silent for a moment as he glanced back at the group behind him. Half the people were on the verge of collapse.

The woman spoke again. "Aren't we already in the Land of Fire? Hidden Mist ninjas wouldn't pursue us here, right?"

After a moment's hesitation, Umino Musashi nodded and sighed. "Alright, let's rest here for now."

The group immediately scattered to rest wherever they could. The weather was mercifully clear today; if it had rained, many of the older members of the group might not have survived.

---

Umino Musashi was a member of the Umino family, a clan that had once belonged to a small ninja village before being wiped out in a war decades ago. A few survivors went into hiding, living as civilians and working as laborers or farmers. Over time, the family rebuilt in the Land of Rivers and started a modest business transporting hot spring cakes to the Lands of Wind and Fire. However, the humid Land of Rain was not a suitable market for their goods.

Years later, Musashi's older brother, Umino Kenjiro, heard that the Senju and Uchiha clans had reconciled and were planning to create a village together. Seeing this as an opportunity, Kenjiro proposed moving their family to the new village, Konoha.

At the time, only three members of the Umino family agreed to leave. The others, content with their comfortable lives in the Land of Rivers, mocked their decision to go to Konoha.

Three years ago, rumors of Konoha being besieged by other nations began to spread, and a war did indeed break out. Worried for his brother's safety, Musashi sent him a letter. To his surprise, Kenjiro replied, reassuring him that civilians and non-combatant ninjas were safe in Konoha. Over time, their correspondence grew frequent, though each letter took weeks to arrive.

Musashi remained skeptical about Konoha's chances of survival, especially with rumors of Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure all planning to attack. However, Kenjiro expressed unwavering confidence, sharing tales of Konoha's resilience, including a story of a young boy rallying the village to donate supplies.

To Musashi's astonishment, Konoha held its ground. While Iwagakure and Kirigakure turned their attention elsewhere, only Kumogakure continued its assault. Stories from travelers at the hot springs of the Land of Rivers painted Konoha as a prosperous and formidable village.

Musashi's curiosity about Konoha grew, and he resolved to visit the village when the war ended. But before he could act, Sunagakure launched an invasion of the Land of Rivers. Forced to flee, Musashi led his family and other refugees toward Konoha. What began as a small group had grown to over a hundred people, though the journey claimed the lives of many elderly and infants.

---

As the group rested, Musashi's wife turned to him. "Musashi… do you really think Konoha is as good as they say? And… do you think they'll take us in? Will they give us food… or shelter?"

Musashi took a deep breath. "I don't know… but it's all we have left to hope for."

---

Suddenly, the sharp sound of kunai slicing through the air broke the silence.

"Swish, swish—"

Musashi jumped to his feet, weapon in hand. Moments later, three figures appeared before the group. Each bore a headband engraved with the Konoha symbol.

"Ninja?" Musashi muttered, tightening his grip on his weapon.

The leader of the trio frowned, eyeing Musashi's kunai. Realizing their misunderstanding, Musashi immediately dropped his weapon, raising his hands in surrender. "Wait! We mean no harm! We're refugees from the Land of Rivers. I've heard Konoha accepts refugees. If not, we'll leave! Just—don't attack us!"

The three ninjas exchanged glances before one of them clasped his hands and closed his eyes in concentration. A moment later, he opened his eyes and turned to the leader with a grin. "125 people. And 101 of them meet the requirements! Captain, we've hit the jackpot!"

Musashi blinked in confusion. "Requirements? What requirements?"

The captain coughed awkwardly before approaching Musashi with a friendly smile. "Ah, no need to worry. We don't mean any harm. We just have a quick question…"

He glanced over the group. "How many of your people are in their twenties or thirties?"

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