Chapter 56 Plans (2)
Konoha Hospital.
In a certain room on the second floor, Tsunade was examining Minato's body.
"How do you feel now?" Tsunade used her fingers to press on Minato's arm that was exposed.
"I feel like my muscles are very stiff, and I can't move them flexibly."
Minato's face was somewhat pale. Since waking up, he had felt that his body was in a stiff state, making physical movement inconvenient.
"This is normal, don't worry. I didn't detect any abnormalities in your body. I'll prescribe some medication for you, and you should recover in about half a month."
Tsunade nodded, her assessment was quite accurate.
Although Minato had been revived from a state of death, his body would be in a weakened state for a while. With the right medication and rest, he would return to normal soon.
"How about your chest?" Tsunade asked again.
The fatal injury Minato had sustained had entered through his chest.
Minato touched his chest and said, "I can't feel any pain anymore."
However, when he recalled that night, he still felt a chilling sensation, as if cold water had been poured over him.
That man truly wanted to kill him.
He dreaded his Space-Time Ninjutsu - the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"By the way, Lady Tsunade, how's Kushina doing?" Minato asked with concern.
"Don't worry, it's more stable over there than here. The seal has been successfully repaired. And Sarutobi-sensei is dispatching ANBU to investigate discreetly."
"I see."
Considering the magnitude of this incident, it was crucial to conduct a thorough investigation, especially regarding Kushina's Jinchuriki status.
Before this incident, only high-ranking officials and ANBU members responsible for her protection knew that Kushina was the host of the Nine-Tails.
However, Shioshi and Rui had accurately located Kushina, released a portion of the Nine-Tails' power within her, and even broke the Uzumaki clan's sealing jutsu.
This matter was of grave seriousness.
"Lady Tsunade."
Shizune pushed a cart into the room. On the top layer were medicines prepared for Minato's consumption, while the lower layer contained lunch and diluted, nutrient-rich food.
"Here we are, Shizune."
"Yes, these are the medicines that Minato-senpai is supposed to take regularly, as well as lunch."
Shizune pushed the cart to the side of Minato's bed and went to pour hot water.
Tsunade picked up the medicines from the cart and checked them. She asked Shizune, "These aren't medications developed by Konoha, are they?"
Shizune turned her head and smiled, "These are Vitality Elixir pills produced by the Purple Orchid Company. They will help Minato-senpai recover as quickly as possible."
"Have they been checked thoroughly?"
Tsunade inquired.
She poured a few pills from the bottle and smelled them. It wasn't that she didn't trust, but given Minato's critical condition, she couldn't afford any mistakes or poison in the medication.
"Yes, I've checked them repeatedly, and there are no issues," Shizune assured.
Tsunade nodded, finally feeling at ease, and put the pill bottle back.
"Minato, you should rest here for now. I'll go to the Intelligence Division to check on the situation."
"Alright, please go ahead, Lady Tsunade," Minato agreed, feeling somewhat indebted to Tsunade for her constant presence by his side.
Shizune followed Tsunade out of the room, walking down the second-floor corridor.
"What's wrong? You seemed like you wanted to say something earlier," Tsunade said, glancing at Shizune.
"Well... Tsunade-sama, is it true that Shiroshi-senpai has really betrayed the village?"
"You're asking about that too? That girl named Rin, who was here earlier, asked the same question multiple times. Although it's hard to accept, it seems that everything that person did in Konoha was a pretense."
"But... there were no signs of it before... Why would Shiroshi-senpai betray the village?"
Shizune's eyes were filled with sadness. She couldn't fathom how her impression of her senior, who had always been gentle and courteous, could turn into such a monstrous enemy to the village and even show no mercy to his comrades.
"Well... who knows," Tsunade said, her gaze flickering briefly.
"Please go back for now. I'm going to the Intelligence Division."
Tsunade's tone became somewhat evasive, and she walked away, leaving Shizune behind, deep in thought.
"Mm."
Shizune absentmindedly nodded and walked home alone.
It wasn't until Shizune's figure disappeared around the corner that Tsunade turned and headed down another path.
The Intelligence Division was located in a quiet and somewhat remote corner of the village, not far from Konoha's library. There were several Konoha ninja on duty guarding the entrance.
Inside, there were mostly clerical workers, and it gathered a variety of knowledgeable individuals in different fields. Their analytical skills, in particular, were outstanding, making them excellent ninja.
"Lady Tsunade, may I assist you with something?" a female ninja approached.
"There were some previous requests," Tsunade replied.
"Well, we've done most of it, but because many of the intel pieces were scattered and there were no previous abnormalities, there might be some errors in the intelligence deductions," the female ninja replied hesitantly. She then led Tsunade into her office and retrieved a document from a nearby bookshelf, placing it in front of Tsunade.
After brewing a cup of tea for Tsunade, the female ninja went to work, leaving Tsunade alone to read the document.
Tsunade opened the intelligence file.
Konoha ninja, Chiba Shiroshi's file.
This file was significantly different from the previous one.
The previous file contained standard information for a Chunin-level ninja. Apart from having one noteworthy medical ninjutsu, the rest of Shioshi's abilities were quite typical for a Chunin-level ninja.
In the Konoha ninja community, he was an unremarkable type.
"Controls Earth Golem, Giant Water Serpent, and Black Beast-type Familiars..."
The Earth Golem possessed stealth abilities that were hard for sensory ninja to detect. It was virtually immortal, surviving even dismemberment or being blown up by explosive tags.
The Giant Water Serpent could parasitize and was immune to ninjutsu, converting it into chakra that could be absorbed and then released as Water Release attacks, creating favorable combat environments. It had astonishing offensive and defensive capabilities, while taijutsu was effective against it.
The Black Beast could control Lightning Release.
However, on that night of the battle, the Shrine Maiden also summoned something, which could suggest that the Shrine Maiden might be a humanoid non-human species.
Or... perhaps Shiroshi's summoning jutsu was of a unique level.
Additionally, Shiroshi seemed to be able to use a Shadow Jutsu similar to the Nara Clan's Shadow Imitation Jutsu, or Yin Release Secret Technique: Shadow, as it was called.
The shadows had a tangible presence, attacked swiftly, and even experienced jonin wouldn't recommend close combat with them. The safe distance was more than five meters. Furthermore, he could mark a 'target' on a person, indirectly using tangible shadows for assassination, but this decreased the chakra in the shadows, reducing their attachment time and weakening their lethality; they had to hit a vital point to be lethal.
Is this his complete power? It remained to be seen.
"Where did that brat find all of these things?"
After reading the information, Tsunade's brows furrowed deeply.
Based on this intelligence and what the ANBU had observed that night, even she alone wouldn't be able to handle these specially skilled Familiars.
Just the large Water Serpent alone would pose a significant problem.
Especially its ability to absorb chakra and continue fighting; this was troublesome for most ninja.
As for the following analysis, it involved personality, overall ability index, and the reasons for defection.
However, these analyses were just data analysis. To ascertain the actual facts, more information was needed for analysis.
In Tsunade's opinion, the Information Division had done their best up to this point.
Apart from the battle that night, the other side hadn't left behind any valuable information, and what they found at his residence were mostly worthless items.
After reading this information, Tsunade sat for a while before leaving the Intelligence Division to meet with her teacher, Sarutobi Hiruzen, at the Hokage's Tower.
"Hiruzen-sensei, I'd like to request a leave of absence."
"A leave of absence?" Hiruzen paused his busy work.
"I plan to leave the village for a while."
"Where are you going?"
Hiruzen inquired.
"The Shikkotsu Forest."
"The Slug's residence?"
Hiruzen contemplated for a moment. Initially, he was worried that Tsunade was planning to investigate Shiroshi's case, but if it was for this reason, then there wouldn't be an issue.
After all, the existence of that person was too dangerous.
The intelligence from the Information Division wasn't comprehensive, and deeper information had been classified.
"Yes, I have some matters I want to discuss with the Slug."
While the matter of Minato's resurrection had been resolved, many questions still lingered, and Tsunade believed that the Slug living in the Shikkotsu Forest might hold some answers.
"During my absence, please find someone else to substitute for my duties at the academy."
…
Land of Demons.
In the forest, a Miko clad in ceremonial attire formed hand seals, gathering chakra.
Wind Release: Thousand-Faced Wind!
Countless faintly gleaming wind blades cut across the forest from all directions.
Accompanied by the clean sound of slicing, trees on both sides fell one after another, causing the ground to tremble in the forest and raising clouds of dust.
And it wasn't over yet. The small wind blades continued to spin, scraping away branches and bark from the fallen trees, leaving only their solid cores.
In less than a minute, one person completed a task that would normally take a lumberjack team half a day to accomplish.
The surrounding Land of Demons ninja cheered as they effortlessly lifted the trees using natural energy and placed them on transport carts to be taken back.
On the other side, Raimei Maru, who had transformed into lightning, moved swiftly through the forest, causing trees to fall one after another, eliciting joyful cheers.
Once again, Ameyu continued to use Wind Release to strip branches and bark from the fallen trees, which were then transported back by accompanying ninja.
"This is really exhausting work," Raimei Maru sighed as he returned to Ameyu's shoulder, his face covered in sweat. Although the work wasn't physically demanding, the sheer volume of it was overwhelming. To Raimei Maru, it felt more tiring than fighting Konoha ninja.
"Next, we need to deal with the stone mines in the western mountains. Let's go, sister."
Ameyu carried Raimei Maru and flew towards the western mountain range.
In the city of Murasaki, the capital of the Land of Demons, on a road facing the northern part of the city, transport carts filled with various types of stones, wood, and construction materials, including mud and sand, began moving towards that direction.
Residents along the way saw this and knew that construction of some peculiar buildings was continuing in the northern military district of the city.
While they were curious about what was happening in the military district, the residents held a stance of curiosity and observation, without any intention to oppose. The Land of Demons had always been a neutral nation, untouched by war. In the past, the only capable entity within the nation was the priestess, whom they revered.
As long as the priestess was present in the country, it would remain safe from the ravages of war, and the residents of the Land of Demons had firm faith in this.
And the facts had proven them right.
With such a lofty reputation, the sudden establishment of a military territory within the nation did not face opposition from the populace. After all, no matter what happened, the priestess would always protect them.
However, the number of vehicles and various construction materials being transported to the northern military district was so substantial that it led people to believe something significant was taking place there.
Recently, road construction had begun near the city of Murasaki, and now there were plans for new construction.
"Lord Shiroshi, the staff has been assembled."
The administrative officer in charge of logistics reported to Shiroshi.
Shiroshi was currently located in the northernmost part of the northern military district of Murasaki City. Expanding towards this direction was necessary because expanding towards the residential and commercial areas was not feasible. Breaking through the heavy stone walls, which reached dozens of meters in height, with the help of Earth Release ninja from within the organization, had revealed a vast plain.
More than a thousand individuals were involved in this construction, with Shiroshi's team contributing twenty Earth Release specialists, fifty ninja who had enhanced their strength, speed, and taijutsu abilities through natural energy, and the rest being ordinary laborers.
Beforehand, these ninja had been conditioned for construction tasks, so they could quickly transition to their assigned roles. Ninja were highly adaptable.
It wasn't that Shiroshi didn't want to involve all their personnel; it was simply that they had reached their limit. There were many areas that required manpower, and it was not possible to allocate all resources to construction work.
With over a thousand ordinary laborers, along with twenty Earth Release ninja and fifty taijutsu specialists, the original plan was to complete the project within a month.
After all, the area slated for expansion was extensive, especially the ninja training area, which was a crucial military asset for the nation and needed to remain separate from the residential and commercial districts.
In Shiroshi's view, ninja were essentially extraordinary soldiers, and they represented a crucial department that any powerful nation needed to develop. Ensuring confidentiality was a top priority.
The ninja academy fell under the military department's category, and it also had to adhere to stringent confidentiality measures. This was for the safety of the residents.
From the very beginning, Shiroshi had separated the two distinct groups of the military and the civilians.
Those who normally operated in residential and commercial areas were the members of the security department responsible for patrol tasks.
Construction work in this area was proceeding briskly. Shiroshi walked towards another section, as he had been occupied with these matters lately, leaving him with little time for research.
However, the organization had already gathered many talented individuals for research purposes. It wasn't as simple as transplanting knowledge from his previous life; there were significant differences in the developmental history of the two worlds, and the presence of chakra, a unique factor, could lead to misconceptions about certain common knowledge.
Shiroshi had put in a lot of effort to find knowledgeable individuals in this field, recorded all their experiences and knowledge, and passed them down in the form of books.
In Shioshi's view, the knowledge possessed by these individuals was a cultural treasure that deserved to be passed down. Understanding the essence of things, knowing the history, and summarizing experiences and lessons would promote the growth and maturity of the world, rather than being ensnared in the twisted current environment, unable to break free.
Materialism formed the basis of everything, but spiritual and intellectual civilization would elevate society and the world to higher levels, nurturing people's will for freedom and peace.
In the world of ninja, having strength alone led to unresolved issues piling up, erupting one after another in the form of successive shinobi wars. This was the case during the Warring States period and even after the formation of nations. The root problem had not been addressed.
However, there was still growth happening. At least, a nation was finally complete.
In Shiroshi's view, this was the true accomplishment worthy of recognition by the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan from back then. They had promoted the completeness of a nation, allowing it to develop its own ninja military force and effectively manage its personnel and wealth.
The work here was being managed by someone else, but Shiroshi needed to stay here at all times.
Next, Shiroshi planned to conduct on-site inspections in various regions of the Land of Demons to see if there were any issues he hadn't noticed.
Shiroshi firmly believed that without actual investigation, one had no right to speak. Such individuals were disastrous as leaders.
"Shiroshi, aren't you planning to go back tonight?" Walking along a small road leading to a rural area of the Land of Demons, Ayane, bored and looking for a topic, asked Shiroshi.
"Well, because the inspection work will take quite some time, I need to identify the problems as soon as possible."
"Can't you delegate this kind of thing to someone else?"
"No, this is very important. I have to personally investigate to feel at ease. Road construction can be completed within half a year because you can use ninjutsu to cheat and expedite the work. But education is different; there's no way to cheat in education, and it's a long-term effort that needs to adapt to the actual situation."
Shiroshi explained.
In the world of ninja, ninja and ordinary people were entirely different groups, and their education differed significantly. You couldn't use the education methods for ordinary people to develop ninja, nor could you use ninja education methods to teach ordinary people. Furthermore, the country's environment and family circumstances each person was in would make the choices complex and variable.
"It always feels like a hassle."
Walking along this remote road, which was not very well-maintained due to its secluded location, Ayane commented. The road construction team had not yet started working here, so it would take some time to extend the road to this point.
Before long, they arrived in a quiet village in the Land of Demons. Because there was no war, even in this impoverished village, the villagers appeared content and lived peacefully. Compared to most places in the ninja world, this place could be considered a paradise on Earth.
"Are you outsiders? It's been a long time since we had outsiders visit our village."
An elderly woman, carrying a heavy package, smiled and asked.
"Yes, ma'am. You look tired; let me help you," Shiroshi offered.
"I'm sorry, young man," the elderly woman hesitated for a moment, then let Shiroshi take the package she had been carrying on her shoulder.
"No problem. But what's inside? It's so heavy."
Shiroshi felt the package was quite heavy and curiously asked.
"It's a local specialty brought over from the neighboring village... Just put it down over there."
"Alright."
Shiroshi, with Ayane, followed the elderly woman into the village.
It was undoubtedly peaceful, but it was not wealthy.
"By the way, are you two a married couple on a vacation?"
The elderly woman asked with a smile.
Before Shiroshi could respond, Ayane proactively approached, pressing her chest against Shiroshi's arm, and said with a happy smile, "Yes, I'm his wife, right, dear?"
Shiroshi gave her a silent sidelong glance; she really knew how to seize an opportunity.
"I can tell that you two have a good relationship."
"Yes, we do, because we're childhood sweethearts. We're planning to get married soon."
Ayane replied in this manner.
Shiroshi felt that Ayane's words were becoming more and more exaggerated. But could this really be considered a lie?
"I see. Well, congratulations to you both."
The elderly woman congratulated them.
Soon, they arrived in front of the elderly woman's house, a single wooden cottage with a fenced courtyard where some vegetables were grown. Life here was simple and modest.
"Please put it down here."
The elderly woman pointed to a spot.
Shiroshi placed the package of local specialties on the ground.
"Thank you for your help. It's getting late now. Are you young newlyweds planning to have dinner here?"
Shiroshi was about to decline, but Ayane, hugging Shiroshi's arm and blushing, said, "Actually, we came on this trip to experience rural life. So, if it's not too much trouble, we'd love to, ma'am."
"No trouble at all. I'll go prepare dinner, and you two can make yourselves at home."
It had been a long time since she had hosted guests for dinner at her home, and the elderly woman seemed to be in a good mood as she went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
"You really shouldn't make decisions on my behalf so casually."
Since there were no chairs, Shiroshi had to sit on the side, helplessly telling Ayane.
"After all, you came to observe the rural environment in the Land of Demons, right? So, consider this one of your on-site inspections. Plus, that old lady looks quite lonely. Staying for dinner will make her happy."
Ayane released Shiroshi's arm and replied.
Hearing Ayane's words, although it deviated slightly from his original plan, the purpose was generally the same.
Originally, he had intended to conduct a general investigation of the village's situation and delve deeper into the people here tomorrow.
"Besides, I suddenly feel very excited about tonight. The countryside seems nice."
Ayane's face lit up with a smile.
…
After six o'clock, the sky darkened significantly, and in the twilight, one could faintly see the distant freezing white sky.
The weather in February was still quite cold, and the Land of Demons was not a wealthy country. In the cities, only a very small number of households could afford a heater, and in the countryside, it was even more unlikely to have heaters. People would simply find a space in their houses, stack firewood, and burn it for warmth.
The villagers of the Land of Demons endured the winter in this way.
In many impoverished small countries, winter nights could sometimes be scarier than the ninjas during times of conflict. Without winter-ready homes and heating tools, it was easy to freeze to death during the night, especially for homeless wanderers in war-torn areas.
Facing the warm hospitality of Hana, Shiroshi and Ayane decided to stay for dinner.
The wooden cottage wasn't particularly attractive, but it was sturdy enough to provide shelter from the wind and rain. When the doors and windows were tightly closed, the only sound they could hear was the howling of the cold wind against the solid wood.
Dinner was very simple, consisting of steamed buns, pickled vegetables, and very thin rice porridge. Shiroshi could tell that this was the best food that Hana could offer. If it weren't for the guests, she probably wouldn't have taken it out to eat.
The ingredients in the house were common vegetables and radishes, and the life of the elderly woman, who lived alone, might be simpler, but it could roughly illustrate that the living conditions in this village barely met the basic needs.
The name of this elderly lady was Hana, and she was currently living alone. Her husband had passed away due to illness a few years ago. She had a son who worked as a sailor in the port town of the Land of Demons, married, and had a family. Every December and January, he would return to this village with his wife and children to celebrate the New Year, and then he would go back to work in the port town.
"Is that a shrine maiden statue?"
During dinner, Shiroshi noticed a clay shrine maiden statue on a shelf in the room.
"Yes, it's Lady Miko."
Hana, the elderly lady, smiled.
"I can see shrine maiden statues in many places. By the way, this country seems quite devout in its reverence for shrine maidens."
Understanding something in theory and experiencing it personally were two different things. The faith in shrine maidens reached even such remote and weak villages, integrating into the daily lives of the people in the Land of Demons.
"Of course, the reason this country is peaceful is all thanks to Lady Miko's efforts. We must express our gratitude to Lady Miko for bringing us peace."
Hana, the elderly lady, placed her palms together and bowed towards the clay shrine maiden.
During dinner, Hana told Shiroshi and Ayane stories of the shrine maiden's feats in exorcising demons and monsters. Twenty-odd years ago, just after the end of the First Great Ninja War, the Land of Demons had suffered a terrifying disaster. A dreadful monster had emerged and spread death across the Land of Demons.
"That was really terrifying, those terracotta warriors..."
Hana reminisced about the past with a sigh in her voice. Given her age, she might have personally experienced that dreadful nightmare.
"Terracotta warriors?"
Shiroshi's voice suddenly became louder, seemingly incredulous at the term.
"What's wrong? Is there something strange about that name?" Ayane asked, puzzled, looking at Shiroshi.
"Oh, no, how should I put it... that name just sounds a bit peculiar. Please continue, Grandma. What happened to those terracotta warriors afterward?"
Shiroshi didn't know where to start with his critique. Terracotta warriors... that name was quite unique.
"Those terracotta warriors are said to be stone demon monsters slumbering in the Land of the Dead. They're three meters tall and wield enormous stone swords. They're an undying demon army called the 'Ghost Army,' controlled by that monster, and they bring death and disaster."
Hana, the elderly lady, didn't pay much attention to Shiroshi's increasingly strange expression and continued to narrate her story.
"Do the surrounding countries have no control over this?"
Shiroshi looked curious.
"I remember there were ninjas who came to deal with it, but it seemed to have little effect. Many people died because it was an undying legion."
Hana, the elderly lady, didn't know the specifics. She had only seen many ninjas trying to stop the Ghost Legion, and many of them died. The road was littered with the bodies of ninjas killed by the Ghost Army.
"So, what happened in the end?"
"In the end? Lady Miko, of course, intervened to quell the demon uprising... But that seems to have happened during the time of the previous shrine maiden. I don't remember many details; I just remember that after sealing that monster, Lady Miko sacrificed herself as well."
Hana, the elderly lady, sighed with regret.
"I see. What was the name of that monster?"
"Moryo. The name of that monster was Moryo."
Hana, the elderly lady, clearly remembered the name of the demon that caused the catastrophe.
After dinner, Hana intended to rest. After all, she was quite old and didn't have the same energy as young people.
Shiroshi didn't disturb her and instead borrowed a room in the woodshed to rest with Ayane for the night.
In the woodshed, they found a space, lit some firewood, and dispelled the darkness and cold around them.
"I didn't expect the Land of Demons to have such interesting stories. Battles between demons and ninjas, ultimately quelled by a shrine maiden..."
Ayane clearly regarded what Hana, the elderly lady, said as if it were a story from a book.
"It might not necessarily be false. In the Konoha Library, there are records of similar events that occurred about twenty years ago. The Land of Demons did indeed experience a significant disaster. It was likely caused by the Moryo as mentioned by Hana."
"But wasn't that a demon?"
"The priestess Miroku seemed to be surrounded by a mysterious natural energy, but it appears different from the natural energy we cultivate. It seems to involve something else."
"Something else?"
"I don't know what it is, but it's definitely not the Senjutsu formed by blending chakra. It's another kind of special technique, probably part of the shrine maiden's legacy."
Shiroshi explained.
Shiroshi recalled the peace and goodwill he had felt when he met Miroku. It was probably her influence.
"Besides, the Toad's nest on Mount Myoboku possesses resurrection techniques. So, the shrine maiden's unique abilities might not be that hard to accept."
Shiroshi crossed his arms and explained that although he couldn't fully believe what Hana had said, the Moryo demon might be real.
Unfortunately, he had spent very little time in the Land of Demons, and he didn't understand many things. Moreover, the core secrets related to the undying demon were likely held by the shrine maiden herself. Most people only knew this much.
"Could it be true that Minato Namikaze didn't really die?"
Ayane also found it hard to believe. Resurrecting the dead was quite miraculous. If it were true, the abilities of Mount Myoboku were truly incredible.
"In the Konoha Hospital, I arranged for someone to infiltrate, and afterward, I had someone from Gato's side investigate. Minato, who I fatally wounded, was indeed still alive. Shortly thereafter, an elderly Green Toad came to the Konoha Hospital and took something from Minato."
Shiroshi spoke as if he had witnessed the scene himself.
"That's amazing. If we encounter him in the future, we'll need to be more cautious."
"Don't worry too much. If there really is a way to resurrect the dead, it must be a forbidden jutsu, and the user would have to bear a tremendous risk and cost."
Shiroshi didn't believe that Mount Myoboku's resurrection technique could be used without consequences.
Furthermore, at this stage, he didn't need to worry about being pursued by Konoha. To deal with the Sand Village and the Stone Village, Konoha had almost exhausted all its resources and had no additional strength to chase after him.
The most important thing now was to strengthen his own abilities.
"It's time to rest. Shiroshi, I'm feeling a bit tired now."
Ayane yawned.
"You can go to sleep. I need to think about some things."
"Is that so? Goodnight then."
Ayane naturally rested her head on Shiroshi's lap, closed her eyes, and even had a smile on her face.
"The ground is too cold, so this way, I can keep warm."
Ayane explained even though her eyes were closed.
"I didn't say anything."
"It's because Shiroshi is such a pervert. When I'm asleep, he might peek at my body."
"Don't worry, I won't."
Shiroshi assured her.
"Are you saying you have no thoughts at all?"
"Why do you say that?"
"Just kidding, about using my body. I told you a long time ago, I don't want to leave your side. You can use me however you like."
Ayane said that.
"Don't worry, I won't abandon you."
Shiroshi sighed.
"Scumbag."
Ayane softly uttered those two words.
"Hey!"
Ayane curled up, her breathing became lighter, and she seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep.
Shiroshi looked at the now-peaceful Ayane and sighed.
It wasn't the first time he had thought of making promises to a woman. However, both of these women were irreplaceable to him, and cherishing one would inevitably bring pain to the other. So, when it came to Ayane and Rui, he felt a sense of indebtedness to both.
Sometimes he wondered if he was being too selfish.
…
When he woke up the next day, the weather was still very cold. His body felt a bit stiff when he first got up, but some movement helped.
Ayane helped Hana, the elderly lady, prepare breakfast. After breakfast, their bodies warmed up considerably.
The villagers were also up early, leading a simple life where they worked from sunrise to sunset. Under the protection of the shrine maiden, the tranquility and peace in this country were envied by many.
It wasn't just because of the shrine maiden; the country's strategic location wasn't very important. Unlike the Land of Fire with its fertile land, combined with Konoha's weak diplomatic stance, it would easily get entangled in wars.
Shiroshi began his investigation in this village, which had a total population of about two hundred people. They were mostly elderly, women, and children. There were very few young adults left in the village. According to their conversations, most of the young adults had left the village to work in larger towns to support their families.
Education levels were very low, with most adults having limited literacy skills. There were no schools or unified educational institutions in the village.
Shiroshi also asked them indirectly about their thoughts on sending children to school, and most of the adults had a rather indifferent attitude towards it.
These adults didn't have the awareness of the benefits of education, and their economic conditions were modest. They didn't need to read or write for their daily work; they just needed to work hard in agriculture to feed themselves.
The only skills they could teach their children were related to their daily survival.
"It seems like the mindset of these adults is quite outdated," Ayane remarked.
After visiting many villagers with Shiroshi, this was the only thought on her mind.
"This is their most genuine thought. They need jobs to support their families, not literacy or knowledge that they consider irrelevant."
In this low-productivity era, the food and vegetables grown by ordinary farmers were just enough to feed themselves.
Places like schools, in their subconscious, were something found only in cities, and only nobles would go there. Farmers should focus on farming to provide for themselves and their families.
Shiroshi considered this way of thinking to be natural but outdated and ignorant. However, given the village's actual situation, the thoughts of these farmers were indeed practical.
The things from big cities didn't fit their circumstances. Just like ninja training materials, regular people didn't need them, and even if given to them, they wouldn't be able to learn or apply them.
"This is one of the reasons I'm conducting this practical investigation. If we were to establish schools here and distribute standardized materials, the villagers would likely despise and reject them. The materials from big cities don't cover the knowledge they need."
If it doesn't serve their interests and needs, it will naturally be rejected.
"That sounds complicated."
"People have different needs, and an organization's development depends on talents from various fields. The future of the ninja world will undoubtedly be based on talents. What we call talent is the result of natural selection. To have more talents, we must expand the 'base.' The ninja lifestyle isn't something ordinary people can reach."
Therefore, Shiroshi wanted to distinguish between the education of ninja and ordinary people.
Among ordinary people, there were significant differences based on factors such as location, education level, and economic conditions. Schools and educational materials provided would vary significantly.
In impoverished areas, they needed to be taught knowledge that could help them become wealthy and quickly solve their basic needs.
In prosperous areas where basic needs were already met, the probability of producing talent was much higher.
The current world was the era of the ninja, but ignoring the role of ordinary people was a form of arrogance. After all, ninjas were selected from among ordinary people.
Emphasizing the development of ninja abilities while neglecting the common people at the bottom was fundamentally wrong.
Through this village, Shiroshi could get a rough idea of the living conditions in non-urban areas of the Land of Demons. Prosperous villages were likely the minority, and most villages struggled to meet their basic needs.
Next, Shiroshi spent several more days getting a deeper understanding of the village's situation before saying goodbye to Hana, the elderly lady, and heading to other places for further investigation.
Returning to the organization's headquarters took place a month later, in early March, as spring arrived.
During this month, Shiroshi spent time in the cave with Ayane on occasion and other nights lodging with villagers. There were many problems, but the advantage was the absence of chaos; there was stability. The remaining issues could be addressed slowly, and Shiroshi didn't feel any urgency.
When he returned to headquarters, the ninja training area had already been established.
This school could accommodate hundreds of students learning ninja skills, with plenty of space for practical combat training.
The source of students would primarily come from within the Land of Demons, with additional contributions from the Uchiha clan, the Hyuga clan, and the Uzumaki clan, providing children of suitable age.
Lastly, they would search for young orphans within the ninja world and bring them back for training.
Nurturing ninja with natural energy didn't require any specific chakra aptitude. As long as they had no significant physical defects and could develop combat abilities, or at least use Taijutsu, they were beyond the capabilities of ordinary people.
The drawback was the low probability of nurturing top-tier powerful ninja, but the advantage was that they could make up for the quality with quantity, ensuring a sufficient number of combat personnel.
After all, the world was full of homeless ninja orphans. Just pick up a few, and you could bring back hundreds or thousands of orphans.
According to reports, there were more than four hundred orphans collected so far, and they would begin formal ninja training in April of the following month.
The official launch would be approximately nine years later.
"Lord Shiroshi, this is a letter from Konoha."
As Shiroshi was observing the school area, a man dressed in a cloak with an embroidered purple Orchid insignia used Body Flicker to appear and handed a letter to Shiroshi.
Shiroshi opened the letter and quickly scanned its contents.
In the previous year, he had negotiated with Konoha through their contacts, agreeing to a cooperative agreement for training medical ninja. The Purple Orchid Company would provide some medical data, and in return, Konoha would train medical ninja for them.
The official cooperation was set to begin in April, which coincided with the start of Konoha's ninja school.
Since it was now late March, it was indeed time to make arrangements for this matter.
The content of the letter mainly stated that they agreed to allow this side to send between twenty and thirty students with medical ninja talent to Konoha's ninja school. These students would undergo six years of medical ninja training in Konoha, with half of the six-year teaching, accommodation, and other expenses being borne by Konoha, while the other half would be covered by Shiroshi's side. However, the material costs for experiments would not be covered by Konoha and would be paid entirely by Shiroshi's side.
Shiroshi nodded in approval; the terms were reasonable and satisfactory to him.
"How many people are currently studying medical ninja techniques at headquarters?"
Shiroshi inquired.
"There are a total of forty-one."
The man considered for a moment before responding.
"Select twenty-five of them. The day after tomorrow, send people to safely transport them to Konoha. Travel by sea, bypass the Land of Tea, and head to the Land of Fire."
Considering that the Land of Rain, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Rivers might all become war zones, traveling by land would be very dangerous. It would be troublesome if we inadvertently got involved in the war.
"Yes. By the way, Lord Shiroshi, there's been a strange rumor circulating in the ninja world recently."
Remembering something, the man lowered his voice and spoke cautiously.
"A strange rumor?"
"This rumor hasn't been confirmed yet, but it's said that the Third Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village seems to have disappeared."
The man spoke softly because this was a significant matter. A ninja, one of the Five Kage, suddenly disappearing was not a trivial issue.
Upon hearing this news, Shiroshi was immediately surprised.
"The Kazekage has disappeared?"
"Yes, and it seems like it happened at the end of January. The Great Ninja War has been raging for over a month, and the Third Kazekage hasn't shown his face or made any moves. Now, many people are increasingly suspecting the truth of this news."
Upon hearing this, doubt appeared on Shiroshi's face.
The Third Kazekage disappeared at the end of January, but in February, the Hidden Sand Village launched a war against Konoha. So, who was responsible for mobilizing the Hidden Sand forces? Was it the high-ranking officials of the Hidden Sand Village?
Initially, Shiroshi thought that the Kazekage's disappearance was something that happened after the war had started, but now it didn't seem that way.
But... how could the current Kazekage, one of the Five Kage, suddenly disappear?
Could there be a conspiracy within the Hidden Sand Village?
"Lord Shiroshi, should we send someone to investigate this matter?"
Shiroshi shook his head and said, "No need. This has nothing to do with us. Our current role is that of a medicine merchant. We shouldn't get involved in unnecessary matters. Let the ninja handle the fighting, and we'll focus on making money."
Although he was surprised by the Kazekage's disappearance, Shiroshi thought about it carefully and realized that it had nothing to do with him. Regardless of whether the Kazekage was present or not, the Hidden Sand Village would still need to purchase medicine from their side. The cooperation wouldn't be severed just because the Kazekage had disappeared.
Interfering recklessly might only expose their own tracks and raise suspicion from the Hidden Sand Village.
During this war, their job was to make money by selling medicine, and that's all they needed to do.
After the man left, Shiroshi continued to stroll around the school. When he was about to leave, the ground started to bulge, and the Earth General began to take human form.
The Earth General simply handed a note to Shiroshi, who frowned when he read its contents.
"Those strange white creatures are infiltrating Konoha again and entering the Uchiha clan territory, aren't they?"
The Earth General nodded, confirming that it was indeed the case.
"They just don't stop. What could they possibly want?"
Shiroshi was perplexed.
To be honest, he was very wary of the person behind these mysterious white creatures. The pressure from that single Sharingan eye was terrifying, and the memory was still fresh in his mind.
But these people were undoubtedly planning something. Otherwise, they wouldn't repeatedly infiltrate Konoha and investigate the Uchiha clan's territory.
The conspiracy against Konoha... no, against the Uchiha clan seemed even greater.
Who was their target?
All of this was unknown to Shiroshi.
"This time, follow these people and see where they settle," he said.
With that, a snake-like flow of water suddenly appeared from Shiroshi's sleeve, attaching itself to the Earth General's body before disappearing.
"Be cautious. If you sense anything amiss, leave immediately. Just determine their location; there's no need to go deep."
Shiroshi was very concerned that the Earth General's investigation of these mysterious individuals might lead to an encounter with the mastermind behind them, the one with the powerful Sharingan eye. That's why he had the Water Clone accompany the Earth General on this mission to ensure a quick exit in case of danger.
The Earth General nodded and submerged back into the earth to investigate the group of mysterious white creatures.
(Chapter End)
