"My Lord, we are willing to bear your children..."
The women replied quite tactfully.
They knew all too well that if Uchiha Raizen didn't want them, they would instantly become worthless, likely dying at the hands of those two cruel killers. Their home, the Grass Village, was no paradise; it was a place filled with constant slaughter. For women like them, the opportunity to join one of the Five Great Nations was a dream come true.
At the very least, there was no war in the Hidden Leaf Village right now. By joining the Land of Fire, they could finally live a stable life. Thus, they felt only gratitude toward Raizen, without a hint of resentment.
"Actually, if you are truly unwilling to have children, I won't force you. I am not a villain. However, while I'm not a villain, I'm not a saint either," Raizen stated calmly.
"I am kind to those who are kind to me. To those who harbor hostility, I will eliminate them without mercy."
"If you choose to follow me, I expect you to have no ulterior motives or stir up trouble. Otherwise, things will become very difficult for me. I don't want to see the day I have to destroy what I've saved."
Raizen's gaze was sharp as he scanned the group.
"Rest assured, My Lord. We will be obedient. Thank you for saving us from those two monsters," said the woman who appeared to be the leader, bowing low.
"Thank you for saving our lives!" the rest of the women echoed, bowing in unison.
Seeing how sensible they were, Raizen nodded. "As long as you understand. Let's go. I'll hire some carriages to take you back to the village."
Eighteen people required four carriages. Once they were secured, Raizen led the convoy back to Konoha without further delay.
After nearly an hour of travel, the convoy finally reached the main gates of the Hidden Leaf. Seeing four carriages approaching at once, the two "gatekeepers," Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, stepped forward to intercept them.
"Please open the curtains for inspection."
Usually, they just gave individuals a quick glance. However, four carriages were unusual and could potentially hide a large number of enemies, so a thorough check was required.
Raizen stepped down from the lead carriage.
Recognizing him, the two were slightly stunned. Izumo nodded and asked, "Raizen, what have you got in there?"
"Open the curtains and let them see," Raizen called out to the carriages.
As the curtains were pulled back, a row of stunning faces was revealed. Izumo and Kotetsu's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
"So... so many beauties," Kotetsu stammered, swallowing hard.
"Raizen, who are they?" Izumo asked, his voice shaking.
"They are here to bear children for the Uchiha," Raizen said with a smile.
"Bear children for the Uchiha?" Kotetsu stared, utterly incredulous.
Aside from Raizen, the only Uchiha left was the brat Sasuke, who probably didn't even know how children were made yet. That meant all these gorgeous women were... Raizen's?
"Holy—!"
Izumo counted at least eighteen. It was enough to drive any man to madness with envy. Here they were, single dogs guarding a gate, while Raizen's household was turning into a bustling marketplace of beauties.
Their gaze toward Raizen was a mix of intense envy and sheer awe.
"Tough work guarding the gate. We'll be off now," Raizen smiled at them and gestured for the drivers to move on.
As the carriages pulled away, the two gatekeepers let out long, depressed sighs.
"Kotetsu... I really want to fall in love," Izumo lamented.
"Me too!" Kotetsu cried. "Waaaah! We're just pathetic single dogs! Waaaah!"
Raizen didn't take the women directly to the Uchiha compound. Instead, he brought them to a hot spring inn for women that he owned.
"Raizen-sama, you've arrived!"
Upon seeing him, Uzumaki Keiko immediately came forward with a respectful greeting.
"Keiko, how have you been? Are you settling into the work well?" Raizen asked warmly.
"I am doing very well. Thank you for giving me this job so I can survive. Thank you, Raizen-sama," Keiko said, bowing deeply.
Raizen said, "I've brought some people. Please arrange staff dormitory space for them."
Keiko paused. "Are they new employees, Raizen-sama?"
Raizen shook his head. "Not employees. They are from the Grass Village; you might even recognize some of them."
"The Grass Village?" Keiko's eyes widened. "Did you go there on business and save more people?"
"I paid a high price to rescue them," Raizen explained. "It's mainly for my 'Seeking Heirs' mission. Someone brought them to exchange for the reward."
Hearing this, Keiko understood everything. Her face turned a deep shade of red as she lowered her head and whispered, "Raizen-sama... about the revitalization of the Uchiha clan... if you don't find it beneath you, Keiko could actually help as well."
"What? You help? Help with what?"
Raizen hadn't quite caught her initial mumble; he only heard the word "help."
Keiko's face was crimson as she kept her head down. "Actually, if Raizen-sama doesn't mind, Keiko can also help by bearing your children."
She then looked up, her gaze firm and determined. "Keiko is willing to give her strength to revive the Uchiha clan as a way to repay you for saving my life."
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Raizen stared at her, his eyes wide. "Keiko, you... you..."
He had never expected her to make such a proposal.
"Keiko, you really don't have to do this. I saved you on a whim; you don't need to pay such a high price to repay me. You just need to manage this inn well for me."
"Raizen-sama... do you despise me?"
"Is it because Keiko has already had a child?"
Her voice trembled with sadness, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Keiko, I don't despise you at all. It's just... this is so sudden, I haven't processed it yet. Let me think about it."
When Raizen saved Keiko, he did it simply because he didn't want to see her and Karin become "human blood bags" for the Grass Village. He certainly wasn't lusting after her body. It was the memory of the Grass Village's cruelty in the original series that made him feel zero sympathy for their current plight. A village that selfish deserved what it got.