The casual conversation came to an end.
Seeing that the atmosphere had been sufficiently warmed up, Uchiha Makoto decided to move straight to the main agenda.
In the present ninja world, heroes were rising everywhere.
The other Four Great Nations had already established their own hidden villages.
On the surface, thanks to Senju Hashirama, the ninja world would enter a rare period of peace.
But that peace would be painfully short—
like a flower that bloomed for a single night.
Once Hashirama and Uchiha Madara fell out, the battle at the Valley of the End would erupt.
One would die, one would survive—and soon after, even Hashirama would pass away from illness.
When the pillar holding up the world collapsed, what followed would be the First Shinobi World War.
No exaggeration—
war was already just around the corner.
Only a few years remained.
Makoto didn't have much time.
He had to seize every moment to strengthen Akatsuki Village.
A weak Akatsuki Village would meet a miserable end.
Located within the Land of Fire, Akatsuki would inevitably become a target for the other great villages.
Makoto had no intention of placing his hopes on Konoha.
Konoha was famous for one thing:
when allies were in trouble, it stood firm and unmoving.
The fate of the Uzumaki Clan was proof enough.
As long as Hashirama lived, the alliance agreements could deter external threats.
But once he died, the Second Hokage would be none other than the "naturally suspicious"Senju Tobirama.
Counting on him for help?
Hah.
Sunny days bring umbrellas—rainy days take them away.
If Tobirama didn't kick Akatsuki while it was down, that alone would be a miracle.
Of course—
Makoto himself was no saint either.
If Konoha stayed strong forever, how was Akatsuki supposed to rise?
They were nothing more than Schrödinger's allies.
The First Decision: Anbu
"To ensure the village's security," Makoto said calmly,
"I will establish a covert assassination and tactical special operations unit."
"They will answer directly to me."
"As for personnel, they will be drawn from the most outstanding members of your clans."
"I hope all clan heads here will support this decision."
"Of course, every shinobi who joins this unit will receive special treatment—
unlimited personal training resources and full logistical support."
Makoto decided to follow Tobirama's example and establish ANBU early.
A personal armed force was essential.
Without a founding clan to rely on, he could only depend on the clans before him.
This step was inherently difficult.
Clan shinobi were private military assets.
Handing them over to the village was, effectively, a loss of power.
Many clan heads showed hesitation.
Fortunately, Makoto had already coordinated in advance with major kekkei genkai clans such as the Kaguya, Yuki, and Kurama clans—
trading benefits behind the scenes.
Money spoke.
With enough funding, loyalty became flexible.
After the major clans agreed, many of the mid- and small-sized clans followed suit and raised their hands.
Makoto scanned the room and nodded.
This outcome was acceptable.
He remembered clearly who supported him—and who didn't.
The Second Decision: Education
The next issue was education.
Makoto lacked a true personal faction.
At present, the only people he fully trusted were Kichiku and Kazuma.
Relying solely on existing clans was not sustainable.
A ninja academy was absolutely essential.
Makoto, flush with cash, decided to invest heavily.
Fifty billion ryō.
Three thousand students—enrolled at once.
"This… isn't that too many?"
"That's three thousand people!"
The room erupted into discussion.
What did three thousand mean?
Konoha used a strict registration system.
Uzumaki Naruto's ninja ID was 012607—which meant that from Konoha's founding until Naruto's era, officially registered ninja numbered just over ten thousand.
Of course, that number was questionable.
Every clan always seemed to produce "extra" ninja from nowhere.
Where did they come from?
Don't ask.
Asking gets you killed.
"Tuition is completely free," Makoto said.
"All expenses will be covered by Akatsuki Village's treasury."
"Kazuma, I'll go over the exact numbers with you later—but you will personally oversee this."
"Every ryō must be spent on the students."
Kazuma immediately acknowledged the order.
The objections vanished.
Why?
It was free.
Every clan had unpromising children—those not worth investing precious clan resources in.
Now they could all be sent to the academy.
After all, Lord Kōkage would pay for everything.
One realization became increasingly clear:
Akatsuki Village was absurdly rich.
And Makoto, spending money without blinking, looked incredibly impressive.
The Third Decision: Medical Infrastructure
The third issue was medical care.
Even by the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha's medical system existed more as an idea than a reality.
Countless shinobi died who could have been saved with timely treatment.
Even Tsunade, the world's greatest medical-nin, had her proposals rejected at the jōnin council.
It wasn't that Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't understand the benefits.
But after Hashirama's death, continuous wars and conflicts kept villages perpetually in debt.
Without emergency funding from daimyō, most villages would have collapsed.
Everyone wanted peace.
No one could afford it.
Now, during this rare lull—and with vast funds available—Makoto intended to build Akatsuki's medical system immediately.
Once the First Shinobi World War began, it would be too late.
No amount of money could compete with wartime expenses.
When the cannons fire, gold flows like water.
A proper war in the ninja era easily cost hundreds of billions of ryō.
"Aqua," Makoto said calmly,
"stop nodding off."
"This task is yours."
"You will be responsible for teaching medical ninjutsu."
All eyes turned to Aqua, who had been half-asleep.
Despite her airheaded appearance, no one objected.
There was an old saying in the ninja world:
Never offend a blacksmith.
Never offend a medical ninja.
The Aftertaste
By this point, the assembled clans had grasped the underlying meaning.
Everything Makoto proposed—
ANBU.
Education.
Medical systems.
All of it was preparation for war.
A chill ran through the room.
They were right to be afraid.
The First Shinobi World War was only a few years away.
The beginning is forgotten.
The middle is forgotten.
The end is forgotten.
In short—
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