Second version of that hidden village building/management fan fiction I have in my old folders. I prefer this one honestly since it's more episodic and easier to write in.
EDIT 1: Added research tab, modified tabs and alignment.
Chapter 1:
"... with the unification of all families and clans under the banner of friendship, we hereby announce the birth of Hirugakure! As the sun graces our skies, even when its light does not touch our village, we remain veiled, nurturing our dreams and ambitions. In the quiet embrace of night, as some find peace in rest, others among us stand as guardians, ensuring our nighttime is secured, deterring those who challenge our people and future. We are the Village Hidden in the Day! Our unity outshines the sun, and the night echoes with the strength of our resolve in these uncertain times!"
The gathered villagers erupted in applause and cheers as the assembly of family heads, elders, and distinguished individuals made their proclamation, solidifying their alliance and, consequently, marking the establishment of a new hidden village: Hirugakure, the Village Hidden in the Day.
[The foundation of {Hirugakure} is complete, consolidating all resources from the participating parties]
The proud symbol of Hirugakure fluttered atop a flagpole.
A symbol featuring two circles separated by a line extending outward in opposite directions from the center of each circle. The circles, not touching, and the line running through them resembled a basic magnifying glass with its handle stretching to both sides. It's an emblem borrowed from an alchemical symbol denoting units of time representing day and night.
As the applause gradually subsided, the council's decision resonated through the gathered crowd.
"The Village Head has been chosen; the council has elected Masamichi Chioka!"
Applause and numerous respectful nods rippled through the assembly. A man in his late thirties, Masamichi Chioka, with his reddish-brown hair cut short and hazel-colored eyes, stepped forward, acknowledging the honor with a humble bow.
[{Masamichi Chioka} has assumed the role of {Village Head}]
"And as our Deputy Head, we have appointed Daiki Kensu!"
Daiki, a man around the same age as Masamichi, with his saddle-tan hair tied back into a small ponytail and brown eyes, stepped forward, offering a subtle nod indicating his acceptance of the responsibility. The title of Deputy Head bestowed upon him was met with a murmur of approval from the assembly.
[{Daiki Kensu} has been appointed as the {Deputy Head}]
While the spokesperson continued listing positions and assigning them to capable individuals, I stood next to the leadership council, tuning out the ceremonial announcement and the notification pings. I'm actually part of the leadership here. In truth, I'm one of the founders of this new hidden village, responsible for devising its name, motto, and symbol. Still, I'm the odd one out among this group, and to be honest, I wish I weren't up here. I stand as the youngest among them; most are considered elders by today's standards—mostly in their forties and fifties—while I'm just in my teens.
You might also have guessed from this virtual reality-like system notification that only I can see, I'm not from this world.
"For the Head of Medicines, we've chosen Ritsuko Wakata!"
A woman in her fifties with greying dark brown hair and light-yellow eyes hobbled forward with a cane, her face withered and scarred. She gave everyone a kind smile and a small bow.
[{Ritsuko Wakata} has been appointed as the {Head of Medicines}]
"And lastly, for the Head of Census... Eric Lian!"
[You have been appointed as the {Head of Census}]
'I'm sorry, whaaaat?!' I snapped back to reality and blinked. 'Daaaamn iiiiiit! I knew it! I knew you guys were planning something for me!' I forced a genuine smile to hide my frustration and took a step forward to bow.
I wasn't even aware they planned or created someone to handle the census, much less assigned me to that position.
I'm exhausted from dealing with the chaos in this crazy world, where there's drama blasting around like nukes stuck inside superhumans and this never-ending First Shinobi World War. Honestly, I'm starting to regret diving so deep into creating this hidden village. I should've kept some of my abilities under wraps. But today's a big day, and I don't want to spoil it for everyone else. So, even though I'm not thrilled about it, I'll roll with this appointment and handle the council stuff later.
But before all of that, let's rewind things a bit.
/-/
I found myself floating in space, surrounded by the swirling and dancing lights of colorful auroras in the vast black void. I couldn't feel any part of my body. Blinking, screaming, or moving was beyond my capacity, yet strangely, I wasn't suffocating. I didn't know how long I stayed like that, unsure if time even existed in this place, observing the mesmerizing light show until a red-glowing screen suddenly materialized in front of me.
[Unauthorized access detected]
[Initiating quarantine procedures to isolate external intrusion from the system...]
'Unauthorized access? System? Am I in a virtual reality?' I hadn't worn any headsets or even had access to one to begin with.
[External intrusion persists due to critical resources being contained and corrupted. Analyzing signature...]
Something seemed to be scanning me, attempting to figure out what I was. It didn't feel like a sophisticated medical device probing my mind, a messed-up VR experience, or even a dream. In fact, I couldn't recall what I was doing before finding myself here.
[Redirecting external intrusion to the nearest non-critical directory]
[External entity registered and anchored]
Suddenly, I felt my very existence being condensed and pieced together, countless strands of light weaving together to form my body and clothes. Glancing at my hands, still clad in insulated gloves and winter clothes worn during the cold, I flexed my fingers and turned my attention to moving my limbs while being carried off by streams of light.
"Right... This is a weird dream."
The stream of light began to grow brighter every second, and before I could shield my eyes, my vision became overwhelmingly bright.
The next moment, I found myself lying on the grass, gazing up at the sunny sky, surrounded by a few trees. The scent of wood and flowers filled the air, and the sounds of animals echoed throughout the area.
I sat up, feeling confused and somewhat detached from my surroundings and body much like the sensation I experienced during those bouts of headaches or when I had the flu. Scratch that, this feeling... it was like I could sense everything around me way beyond my line of sight. Is this how people feel when they're drunk or taking medications with powerful side effects?
"I hope I'm not sick. This dream is..." I pulled myself up, the sensation feeling surreal, unable to register the expected warmth or coolness against my skin. Everything felt unsettling. "Yeah... a fever dream."
Eric Lian
Type: [Aberrant] [Human]
Status: [-Dazed-]
{Attributes}
Constitution (Con): ERROR
Tenacity (Ten): ERROR
Strength (Str): ERROR
Dexterity (Dex): ERROR
Agility (Agi): ERROR
Endurance (End): ERROR
Will (Will): ERROR
Focus (Foc): ERROR
{Skills} {Traits} {Equipment}
I stared blankly at the digital blue screen that rudely popped in front of my sight, struggling to read through it due to feeling 'dazed' according to the status affecting me. It seems I've indulged in too many light novels, fan fictions, and video games, even though I haven't played any video games for years now, not since starting college.
"... Why am I listed as an aberrant?" I voiced my thoughts out loud. Unless I've been transformed, I am 100% certain that I am human and human only.
After standing there like a confused idiot for a moment, I decided to see what this profile window of mine had. When I thought about the Traits tab, the window flickered to showcase its content.
{Traits}
[Preternatural]
Your preternatural physiology leads you to experience, interact, and perceive the world differently or inconsistently, allowing you to interfere with the natural workings of this world and passively intimidate and/or inflict fear on others. While you can conceal this trait, individuals with heightened perception are likely to notice your preternatural nature.
With a trait description like this, I couldn't help but wonder if my appearance had somehow changed into some sort of monstrosity.
"Don't tell me I've been transformed into some sort of eldritch abomination." I sighed and walked over to a small stream to take a look at my reflection.
To my relief, I wasn't met with a nightmarish sight. Just a pale Asian boy with very dark brown hair and eyes, dressed in winter clothes in a place that looked like spring or early summer. Not quite a pop star model in appearance, but certainly above average, enough to fit into clothing photo shoots often seen in store windows.
No eldritch horrors, just the curious reality of my surroundings.
'Experiencing, interacting, and perceiving the world differently or inconsistently... what the hell does that mean?' I gazed ahead, fixating on one of the many trees in this forest.
[Katsura Tree]
{Resources}
Hardwood and katsura tree leaves. Has a small chance to contain random materials and items.
"Oh."
It seems this is what perceiving the world differently means—seeing everything as some sort of virtual reality game, each objects having its own little profile window. It's a bit annoying, like ad popups, but I think I've got it under control somehow. I conducted a few tests, sweeping my gaze across the forest.
That is, until I spotted something that made me do a double take.
Out of all the trees around me, there's one particular tree that displays a status window, revealing it to be some kind of plant demon.
[Jubokko]
Type: [Plant] [Demon]
Status: [-Intimidated-]
{Health}
Life: 100%
Chakra: 87%
Injury:
None
Ailment:
None
{Attributes} {Skills} {Traits}
'... Are my eyes playing tricks on me?'
I glanced at the neighboring trees, all of them defined as regular trees, then back to this one particular tree that looked no different from any other trees nearby, narrowing my eyes in the process.
I didn't know what to make of this demon tree called a jubokko. The word 'demon' usually means bad things, and I wasn't sure if I should run or stand my ground. Since this is a dream, maybe I have a chance, or this fever dream scenario turns into something silly like all my nightmares. So, I tensed my body a bit and scowled to make myself scarier, feeling a bit stupid staring down a tree.
My attempt to intimidate it caused the demon tree to tremble, and leaves rustled. Its status in its profile window changed from 'Intimidated' to 'Terrified.'
[Jubokko]
Type: [Nature] [Demon]
Status: [-Terrified-]
{Health} {Attributes} {Skills} {Traits}
'Wait, it's scared of me?' I scratched my head, then remembered my Preternatural trait. 'This is weird. Well, a dream is a dream… How convenient... I guess I won't be attacked by wild animals and monsters now?'
I decided to leave the jubokko alone and explore this place. There's no point in picking a fight with man-eating trees, or whatever they are. Taking a few steps back, I turned around, still hearing the jubokko trembling across the stream.
And my early adventure from there on out... Oh boy, it took me a while to realize that I wasn't dreaming.
/-/
"I wasn't aware there were plans for a Head of Census, Mr. Chioka," Eric said, sitting in front of Masamichi Chioka's desk, looking annoyed at the now Village Head of Hirugakure. "Did I happen to miss a meeting, or was I daydreaming during one?"
Masamichi smiled and shook his head, eyes crinkling to hide his hazel-colored eyes. "Oh, no. It was a unanimous and brief decision from the entire village council. Think of it as a reward for your contributions. We all know you would serve the position faithfully, as you always have, even before we settled down to build this village."
"You know how I feel about being put in the spotlight, in public," Eric pointed out, resting his head on his hand. "I can continue to keep track of everything without needing to be named Head of Census." He sighed and massaged his eyebrows. "And by census, that also includes agriculture?"
"Yes, that's correct," Daiki Kensu, now the Deputy Head of Hirugakure, nodded apologetically to the teen. "As well as other resources that might be asked of."
"That means I'll be working closely with the other heads and the people."
"Something you've been doing well despite others instinctual avoidance of you," Masamichi said bluntly and cheerfully.
"Terrific…"
"We understand this may be burdensome, but please bear with it until we can further develop our infrastructure."
It was hard to believe that the enigmatic individual known as Eric would be the one responsible for the events that eventually led to the establishment of Hirugakure.
Daiki vividly recalls the day the Kensu clan was forced to flee from the Land of Birds during the Shinobi World War among the Five Great Shinobi Countries. They were a minor shinobi clan known for utilizing birds of prey as fighting companions and messengers. However, when the war erupted, various factions acting as proxies for the warring nations pushed them out, forcing their migration further west into the Land of Demons.
As they ventured into the Land of Demons, they quickly understood why the country bore its ominous name. The wilderness was rife with encounters with demonic creatures that terrorized the land. Even their most skilled ninjas faced tremendous challenges in fending off these creatures while safeguarding their vulnerable clan members and allies.
Their encounter with Eric in the heart of the forest changed everything.
In exchange for traveling with them, he warded off the demons that plagued the lands, providing them safe passage.
This unexpected alliance marked a turning point for the Kensu clan as they journeyed onward, with Eric guiding and advising them. Along the way, they encountered another traveling shinobi clan, the Chioka clan, known for their specialization in medical ninjutsu, particularly focusing on blood techniques. Following Eric's counsel, what began as a simple exchange saw the Kensu clan utilizing their birds of prey and scouts to find materials for medicines in exchange for the Chioka clan's invaluable medical assistance.
From that point on, the Chioka and Kensu clan became close friends, settling down in the Land of Demons while reaching out to gather more friends and allies, even as the Shinobi World War continued to brew in the east.
Before long, in a span of over a year and a half, their settlement grew into a village and eventually evolved into a hidden village.
And it's all thanks to Eric's guidance and uncanny perception that allows him to understand the pulse of their village. From population and food count, albeit with his 'unique' measurements, to detecting incoming threats from afar, it's as if he's the all-seeing and all-knowing guardian of the land itself. However, the teenage boy is an anomaly, completely devoid of chakra. He can disrupt chakra flow in others and around him, giving him an uncanny air that makes others naturally avoid him, especially those with heightened perception.
He was effectively an outcast, but one treated with respect, and Eric didn't seem bothered by that.
"Moving on... We will be meeting with the family that manages the shrine within two days," Masamichi said with a relaxed expression. "A delegation will be sent to the shrine to meet with the head priestess. One day, our shinobis might be tasked with safeguarding the shrine."
"The ones in charge of maintaining Moryo's seal..." Eric hummed, somehow knowing the name of the demon sealed away in the shrine. "They'll need the extra security unless Moryo can be controlled."
Daiki cleared his throat. "Ahem, and most importantly, we will be meeting with the ruler of the Land of Demons soon now that a hidden village has been established in his land."
They would need to pledge their allegiance to him again, now that Hirugakure had been officially declared as a hidden village.
"And you want me to come along as well?"
"No need. You, Daiki, and most of the elders will be staying behind to keep things running."
"When will the meeting take place?"
"When the emissary arrives with a formal invitation."
/-/
Talent acquisition, analytics, management, advising—these are some of the general tasks I've been assisting the village with. Despite the seeming mundanity and simplicity, keeping track of things, especially in logistics, can be challenging. My 'unique perception' provides me with a top-down, detailed view of many aspects, proving invaluable in management.
I don't possess any insane superpowers, aside from the ability to manipulate the natural order and logic to a certain extent—dispelling ninjutsus with a wave of my hand. Essentially, I'm a normal human being with a few special add-ons.
Everything else is efficiently handled by the villagers and clans.
Take, for example, the Kensu clan and their birds, adept at scouting, messaging, aerial attacks, and setting proximity alarms. With a history rooted in swords, bows, and spears, the clansmen make excellent combat instructors, security personnel, and communicators, among other roles.
The Chioka clan excels in the medical field, specializing in blood-related matters, and also possesses expertise in cooking and brewing, be it medicine or food. They primarily manage medical affairs but extend their knowledge to areas like farming, working closely with other villagers in welfare matters.
And that's just scratching the surface of the major clans in the village.
My latest project involves developing some pastime entertainments, and one of them is a game inspired by Club Penguin called Card-Jitsu. After introducing the concept, it has proven to be popular with the villagers. However, we've been aiming to create an 'advanced' version incorporating all Five Basic Natures of elemental chakra: Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, and Water.
This would serve as a highly useful tool for both educational and entertainment purposes. The challenge lies in expanding the rock-paper-scissors dynamic, as the original Card-Jitsu version only features three elements.
And that's just one of the many projects I'm involved in—some purely for fun, although that doesn't entirely alleviate the stress.
Entering my small office, a modest room adorned with a desk, meeting table, chairs, and bookshelves, I found it decorated with various papers stacked on my desk. With a sigh, I settled into my chair and ran a finger through my hair.
"Right... let's check to see how the village is doing."
[Hirugakure]
{Custom General Overview}
Population: 648
Housing: 655
Amenity: 82% [Happy]
Food Growth: +591
Food Consumption: -829
Food Surplus: 2402
Productivity: +998
Maintenance: -327
{Buildings} {Defenses} {Details} {Productions} {Research} {Resources}
{Policy}
[Time of Day]
During the day, settlement productivity is greatly increased in accordance with conditions and activities.
[Time of Night]
During the night, the defenses of the settlement are heightened, with most units benefiting from improved night vision and enhanced sensing abilities.
Things are looking relatively good, except for food growth. Our location near forested mountains, open meadows, and rivers grants us access to resources for building, farming, and more. We even have a small mining team delving into the mountains. The issue primarily revolves around logistics, manpower, experience, and time—especially in farming. That's why we've resorted to trading for food and hunting animals to compensate.
Once we get those aspects under control, we're on a steady path to growth.
"But things are never easy..." I leaned back, arms crossed, staring up at the ceiling.
This is the world of Naruto, in an era of war. Displaced people, banditry, rogue samurais, and ninjas abound, not to mention powerful monsters capable of nuclear destruction. What a headache.
Is it too late to ask for an early retirement?