"Reform!?"
Everyone stared at Kin in confusion. What was there to reform? Weren't they just supposed to rebuild the cities, restore the Land of Rain, and reestablish Amegakure? There was nothing to change—just follow the steps as usual.
Even Kakuzu and Hanzo couldn't grasp Kin's intentions. They couldn't think of anything that needed reforming.
"First," Kin raised a finger.
"Abolish the shinobi system."
His words struck like a tidal wave, leaving everyone stunned. They exchanged bewildered glances, their minds momentarily blank.
Abolish the shinobi system? Then what would they do?
Were they supposed to become rogue ninjas?
"You're disbanding us?" Hanzo couldn't help but ask.
To them, this meant dissolving Amegakure. Though the village had vanished in the war, it couldn't just disappear entirely. It was their foundation.
"Let me finish."
Kin's cold gaze silenced him. The narrow-mindedness of these shinobi was unbearable. Even the Kage were trapped in rigid thinking, treated as mere tools.
Hanzo could only reluctantly close his mouth. The one calling the shots now was the young man before them.
"Abolishing the shinobi system doesn't mean expelling you. The Land of Rain will establish a military force, and all of you will join it."
The Rain shinobi looked at each other. Were they preparing for war? After all, armies were only formed during wartime.
But Kin continued calmly.
"The military isn't just for war—it exists to protect the Land of Rain at all times."
"To be precise, we're eliminating the mission and mercenary system. You'll only need to train and prepare for combat. Alternatively, special units can assist with city construction and other tasks."
"But how will we earn money?" someone blurted out.
Their income came from missions. Without them, their livelihood would be cut off.
In all villages, clients hired shinobi, with the village taking the larger share and the shinobi receiving a smaller portion. Small villages like theirs had no shortage of missions.
The Five Great Nations had prestige, but their fees were exorbitant. Smaller villages were cheaper, making them the preferred choice for most clients—only the wealthy went straight to the major villages.
Of course, due to the low pay in small villages, most shinobi barely scraped by. Worse, some small villages even robbed their clients, driving away business and leaving them struggling to survive.
"The Land of Rain will provide for you," Kin explained without anger. "Money, housing—perhaps not as much as a single mission payout, but it'll be a steady monthly income to cover your basic needs."
"Tools and equipment will also be supplied in a different manner."
Beside him, Kakuzu's face darkened. How much would this cost? Even the most reckless spending wasn't this extreme.
"The funds might not be enough," Kakuzu interjected.
If Kin's plan went through, the 500 million ryo would vanish like a drop in the ocean, achieving nothing substantial. Getting paid without working? And the money wouldn't even come from him.
"The Land of Rain will impose taxes on commerce, housing, and travel. Both citizens and outsiders will pay a small portion. With enough people, it won't burden the populace but will generate substantial revenue to sustain the military."
Kakuzu frowned, doing the math. Surprisingly, it seemed feasible. His expression relaxed. As long as money wasn't involved, he had no objections.
Hanzo spoke up again.
"That's the daimyo's duty. Aren't we overstepping?"
"I can be the daimyo."
Kin's serious gaze locked onto Hanzo.
The collective gasp was audible.
This was outright heresy. In this world, daimyo status was tied to bloodline. Shinobi had never dared to entertain such ambitions.
Besides, the Land of Rain's daimyo wasn't even dead yet.
"Just slap the name of a dead noble with inheritance rights onto me."
Hanzo fell into thought. Kin's method was workable.
Though it was indeed rebellious, let's not forget—the daimyo had abandoned them first.
So why should they remain loyal to such a ruler?
But then again...
Hanzo studied Kin silently.
He was forging an unprecedented path.
Just as the First Hokage had founded the shinobi village system, was the world now on the brink of another revolution under Kin's leadership?
Then he remembered Kin's... questionable character.
Never mind.
He must be overthinking. Someone this shameless couldn't possibly achieve such a thing.
"I'll make the arrangements."
They'd never considered this before, but that didn't mean they couldn't do it. Hanzo could devise a method even the daimyo couldn't refute, ensuring Kin's succession.
Again, the daimyo had brought this upon himself by abandoning the Land of Rain.
"Then..." A shinobi raised his hand hesitantly.
"What will we do in the military every day?"
"Train, train, and train some more."
Shinobi in this world typically trained at their own discretion. Villages required them to be on standby but imposed no strict demands.
Kin added, "During service, you'll receive three meals a day and lodging. There will be fixed monthly leave, and unauthorized absences outside of leave periods are prohibited."
"You'll only mobilize for combat under deployment orders."
"Within the military, I'll implement a merit exchange system. Based on monthly performance or combat achievements, you'll earn merits."
"Or, during lighter periods, I'll organize combat drills where you can earn merits based on performance."
"These merits can be exchanged for any jutsu—including those possessed by the Five Great Nations. I can even customize techniques for individuals."
A collective inhale echoed through the room.
Kin's proposal was undeniably tempting.
Forget the jutsu for a moment—just the military structure alone was appealing. Not having to risk their lives while receiving a steady income? For small-village shinobi, this was paradise.
Food, shelter, and expenses covered—not even the daimyo would offer that.
Shinobi from major villages might find the restrictions harsh, as they were already strong and faced fewer dangers on missions. But small-village shinobi risked their lives with every assignment.
As for the latter part... even Hanzo was tempted.
Wasn't their strength limited precisely because they lacked advanced techniques?
And Hanzo didn't think Kin was lying. If he dared to say it, he must have the means to deliver.
"This concludes the reform."
"The rest is up for discussion."
"You have three days. Gather here again after that."
"Dismissed!"
...
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(End of Chapter)