Chapter 339: Ninja Should Focus on War
With these material resources as foundation, plus the large population now joining Konoha Village, the village finally showed some vitality.
But very quickly, this money proved insufficient.
Mizuki arrived with compiled information, reporting to Yasushi.
"Lord Hokage, remaining gold and silver resources will be completely consumed within one month maximum. Village reconstruction will definitely suffer impact then."
"Though surrounding ranches and mines have now been recovered, they were previously plundered by various nations' ninja. Restoring production requires time—short term they cannot supply the village."
"Though Takumi Village and Otogakure brought considerable supplies, according to Lord Hokage's previous instructions, those resources are used for themselves. The village hasn't additionally extracted from them."
"Current situation stands thus: if the village wants maintaining current high-speed reconstruction pace, we must have additional resource investment."
"In summary, we unanimously believe we should rebuild the mission system, allocating some ninja for accepting tasks..."
"What tasks!" Yasushi impatiently waved, interrupting Mizuki's report.
"Ninja are military forces—should focus on war!"
"Constantly accepting tasks everywhere for survival—truly outrageous. From now on, Konoha Village no longer uses the mission system as the village's survival model."
"Huh?" Mizuki froze before hastily explaining: "Lord Hokage, ninja performing tasks aren't merely for survival—also serves daily training purposes."
"Ninja lacking extensive combat experience—when actual war arrives, they'll be completely useless!"
"Additionally, ninja traveling various nations through missions also serves intelligence gathering purposes."
"After completing each mission, ninja must report mission details to the village plus describe intelligence information collected along the way, local customs—even strategic location terrain maps are pieced together this way."
"The village's comprehensive intelligence, thorough knowledge of shinobi world conditions—completely inseparable from the 'mission system'!"
"Hehe..." After hearing Mizuki's words, Yasushi sneered disdainfully. "How can part-timers compare with full-time specialists?"
"People constantly running around for missions—how can their blade techniques and ninjutsu compare with those who daily train relentlessly?"
"Can a hundred ordinary ninja combined possibly contend with one Konoha's White Fang who mastered blade techniques?"
"If worried about lacking combat experience—simple! Occasionally pick a country and wage war against them!"
"Uh..." Mizuki opened his mouth, lips moving wanting to say something. But he couldn't determine whether his Lord Hokage truly intended starting wars.
Because Lord Hokage genuinely could do such things!
After hesitating briefly, Mizuki prudently lowered his head:
"Lord Hokage speaks correctly!"
"Good!" Yasushi nodded satisfactorily before continuing: "However, intelligence matters indeed present problems. Blocked ears and eyes definitely won't work."
"But relying on past mission system intelligence gathering definitely won't work either—efficiency too low."
"After all, ninja missions only go to economically developed or resource-rich locations. Nobody pays hiring people for impoverished remote areas."
"This causes villages to lack intelligence about those remote chaotic regions, creating certain intelligence blind spots throughout the shinobi world."
"Like Kara Organization—existing over a thousand years with countless Inner and Outer members. Yet shinobi world nations had absolutely zero information."
"I've decided establishing a specialized intelligence organization specifically handling intelligence collection, reconnaissance, theft and such work. Let... Yakushi Kabuto handle it!"
"Tell him to freely select talent within the village as the intelligence organization's core backbone. Submit the name list when ready."
"As for funding... have him fully demonstrate an excellent ninja's initiative—self-funding."
"As long as he can obtain money, he may use any methods. If he causes trouble, naturally Konoha Village will cover for him."
"I'm quite optimistic about his abilities!"
"Of course, these methods cannot target our own people. Have him master appropriate limits."
"Yes!" Mizuki hastily wrote furiously, recording Lord Hokage's instructions in detail.
"As for our village's reconstruction funding problem..." Yasushi frowned contemplatively before sighing: "Indeed, must still exploit the wealthy!"
"These days, commoners are all poor. Even if they own several acres of land, they have no savings."
"Plundering their meager possessions, few rice balls—truly meaningless."
"When seeking money, we must target those major landlords, major merchants."
"Uh..." Mizuki had to interrupt his Lord Hokage's wild fantasies. "Lord Hokage, though major merchants and landlords didn't suffer much damage in previous wars, they're also existences village reconstruction needs relying upon."
"Without them transporting various supplies from everywhere to Konoha Village, even if our village has money it's useless!"
"Moreover, once domestic order is destroyed, these fellows will immediately flee abroad with their wealth. Domestic areas will definitely wither entirely—reconstruction becomes difficult!"
"Hmm?" Yasushi slightly froze before suddenly remembering something. His gaze began flashing with murderous light. "Did those guys raise prices on us?"
"Ah, indeed raised several times." Mizuki hastily explained: "Actually this is all quite normal. Scarcity increases value!"
"Previous wars destroyed many farms, ranches, mines and such—causing severely insufficient production everywhere. Prices naturally rise."
"If we don't pay high prices, they'll definitely sell things abroad instead."
"Moreover during war, these major merchants spent massive sums hiring numerous ninja as guards to protect their businesses."
"Now war has ended—naturally they want earning more money compensating losses."
"I specifically investigated. This doesn't target only our Konoha Village—always been this way."
"When old Konoha Village rebuilt previously, same situation."
"Just because it's always been this way—does that make it right?" Yasushi's eyes grew increasingly murderous. "I allow them earning money, but won't allow them treating us like pigs for slaughter!"
"Prices multiplied several times?"
"Hehe..."
"Hmph..."
Yasushi sneered coldly while patting Mizuki's shoulder.
"Mizuki, previous wars even scattered Konoha Village. Yet these fellows suffered no major damage. You think—does this seem reasonable?"