Chapter 269: System Reform
Just as the village of Konoha was in an uproar after the great victory in the Land of the River, Sasuke, far away on the front line, finally stopped hiding and undertook a vigorous reform of the ninja system. With the momentum of defeating Suna, and with the tacit approval of Torifune, he implemented drastic reforms in nearly two thousand ninjas, based on the successful experience of his mobile force.
As soon as the news spread, it caused a sensation.
"Have you heard? The Iron Wall Lord wants to extend the mobile support force policy to the entire war zone."
"Low-interest loans to buy ninjutsu. This policy is really great!"
"Also, if it's a legion combination ninjutsu, it only costs half. The merit points for combinations like Water Chaos Wave and Continuous Flame Burning City are very low, almost as if they were giving it away."
"I'm a water-attribute ninja, and I will definitely buy the Water Chaos Wave. I plan to exchange the remaining points for the Water Clone Jutsu and the Water Prison Jutsu."
"Shadow Clone Jutsu? I've heard that many newly promoted special jōnin plan to exchange it for the Shadow Shuriken Jutsu, which is extremely powerful when combined with explosive tags."
The front-line ninjas became more and more enthusiastic, and their respect and admiration for Sasuke reached an almost unmatched level. For the vast majority of ninjas of commoner origin, this new reform was a path to acquiring intermediate and advanced ninjutsu. It saved them the painful process of initial accumulation, preventing them from falling before dawn.
Of course, these policies were not without challenges. Unfortunately for their detractors, Torifune, under the pretext of recovering, handed over all front-line operations to Sasuke. He, now in command, possessed the strength and prestige necessary to silence any voice on the front. He even wrote a letter to Danzō, hoping that his former leader would send a Root team to share the merit. As a result, some members of the ninja clan who had expressed objections behaved wonderfully after being invited for tea by the Root ninjas.
As an aide, Shikaku was extremely cautious in implementing the reform policy, refusing to participate at all costs. Therefore, the responsibility fell to the general secretary, Mikoto. She was deeply concerned about Konoha and strongly supported the reform policy. She was dedicated and responsible in its execution.
While the reforms took time to take effect, the establishment of Konoha's first puppet unit immediately boosted Sasuke's influence. Numerous important battles had resulted in mountains of Suna-style puppets. Three hundred newly recruited puppeteers, carefully selected, became the most dazzling achievement and the beneficiaries of this reform. Many of them were originally simple genin, but thanks to hard work, they not only equipped themselves with the superior captured puppets but also mastered the secret art of manipulation with two pilots.
The establishment of the puppet unit also announced that Sasuke had taken control of another powerful unit. Just like Tsunade's position in the medical unit, no one could replace him.
While the puppet forces on the front were developing at a good pace, Sasuke's mecha puppets were in a difficult situation. During their last battle against Bunpuku, they had almost exhausted all the accumulated energy.
Fortunately, as a sub-commander, he had obtained a new batch of chakra reserves. In a makeshift cell under the camp, the Suna captives were terrified.
"The White-Haired Demon!"
"That demon, he's coming again!"
Since Sasuke single-handedly annihilated two thousand soldiers, his terrifying legend had been deeply etched in their minds. Since their captivity, they had been tortured daily. Seeing him meant that their chakra was drained, and old wounds resurfaced, causing unbearable pain.
"Sand Ninja, what have you thought about today? Just write a short essay and I promise to release you."
"You want me to slander the Daimyō and the Kazekage? Keep dreaming!"
True to the people of the Sand, their willpower was remarkably strong.
Sasuke ignored the curses and brandished Samehada, landing on a ninja. "Samehada: Chakra Eater!"
"White-Haired Demon, kill me if you dare!"
Samehada devoured the chakra with ravenous abandon. Visible streams flowed through the sword's body, pouring into Sasuke's, where he injected it into the storage engines of the nearby mecha puppets.
"That's all for today," he said, retracting Samehada. "The rest is up to you."
"Yes, sir!", Aoi's eyes gleamed with excitement. He knew that these exhausted and terrified captives were the perfect material for his database.
Day after day of torture, the double physical and mental devastation, added to witnessing how others were tortured to the point of collapse, finally began to break the will of some.
"I'll tell you! There's a small crack in the defensive barrier east of the Daimyō's mansion!"
"I surrender! I'm willing to serve Konoha! I'm willing to write a brief essay!"
Fear and torture gradually overwhelmed their will. More and more captives, seeking to escape, raised their voices. And what's more, Aoi always found evidence of their various loots and exterminations. The terrifying power of the intelligence database finally began to reveal itself.
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