Chương 107: Page 107

Walking along the relatively secluded streets, Bitz inquired about the situation of the ninja academy students.

"What do those kids usually do before they go to ninja school at age 12?"

"Before school? Of course, it's time to play, what else can we do?"

Yugito had been finding it strange since earlier, and hearing Bitz ask such a question only deepened his confusion, making him even more resentful of Bitz.

Can someone with considerable strength but no understanding of the ninja world really manage Kumogakure and lead them forward?

What she didn't know was that Bitches was even more speechless than she was when she heard the agreement.

What the hell?! Children are at their most vulnerable during their early years, and you've let them play around until they're 12!

This is the complete opposite of the Naruto world I know.

I humbly beg all my esteemed readers to give me more flowers and monthly tickets, and I desperately request that you urge me to update more frequently and provide rewards. I would be eternally grateful.

Chapter 122 Sarutobi and Danzo, an old duo arguing!

Even Liang Bing couldn't help but complain when she heard this answer:

"No way, I mean, the average lifespan of people in this world is only 3 or 40 years old. You'd rather let them waste 7 or 8 years of their lives on entertainment."

"You're unwilling to educate them earlier so they have a higher survival rate on the battlefield. What are you thinking?"

"this..."

Yugito had never thought about this question, because she and all the other ninjas had gone through the same thing when they were young.

If I had to give a reason... Yugito, drawing on his many years of experience as a ninja, offered a barely plausible explanation.

"It's probably due to population and funding issues."

Since the brutal Warring States period, the population of all states has decreased significantly.

To ensure a continuous domestic population, countries tacitly agree not to send their children to war.

As for why we don't let children receive an education from a young age, the main reason is that the village's annual budget doesn't support us doing so.

The cost of raising a child from age 5 or 6 to adulthood is simply too high.

Perhaps some large ninja clans can afford the training expenses for their children from childhood to adulthood.

However, generally speaking, children from ordinary families only receive formal training after entering ninja academies at the age of 12.

After she explained, the two nodded and roughly understood the situation.

However, while he understood the situation, Bitz did not approve of this approach.

"Money is a minor issue, but education is of paramount importance."

Which ninja has a higher survival rate and more solid knowledge: one who trains for 6 years before going to the battlefield, or one who trains for 12 years before going to the battlefield? I don't need to say more, you can probably figure it out yourself.

Starting tomorrow, I will allocate an additional sum of money to the Ministry of Education to establish preschool classes.

It is also a six-year program, mainly teaching students to read, refine chakra, and practice basic ninjutsu.

At the same time, ninja schools should also be reformed, distinguishing different subjects such as ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, medical ninjutsu, and sensory ninjutsu.

Students are grouped into classes based on their strengths, with a focus on developing their individual talents.

These ideas were only the most basic to Biji and Ryoubi, but to Yukito they were significant reforms of profound importance.

In an instant, the way she looked at Bits changed, her gaze now filled with approval and respect.

If Beetz can achieve what he promised, then he will be the most accomplished Raikage besides the First Raikage.

"But, Lord Raikage, do we really have that much funding?"

"Yes, when the Cloud Village runs out of money, they take it from the treasury of the Land of Lightning, and when the treasury runs out of money, they ask the various noble families for it."

The nobles won't give it to me, so I'll just take care of them all and use the money I find on them to raise the next generation and improve the treatment of the ninja clans.

Bitz clenched his fist and spoke with a resolute tone, which made Yugito freeze in place.

"But, but they are nobles. How can we ninjas lay a hand on nobles?"

Bitz glanced at her calmly, his expression unchanging, and said indifferently:

"Besides being the Raikage, I am also the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning. Ninjas are not allowed to attack nobles, but ninjas with the Daimyo's orders can."

"This..." Yukito opened his mouth, his mind in turmoil.

Then came a long silence.

Finally, under Bits' scrutinizing gaze and Liang Bing's mocking expression, Yukito resolutely knelt at his feet and solemnly said:

"I swear to serve His Highness the Great Ming to the death!"

Leaving aside the Land of Lightning, whose future is uncertain due to Bits's intervention.

Meanwhile, in Konoha, the Hidden Leaf Village of the Land of Fire, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was also fretting over the upcoming Chunin Exams.

Originally, the Chunin Exams were just a test between Konoha and its ally Sunagakure, with the main purpose of understanding each other's current strength and war potential.

This was originally just an ordinary joint examination that everyone tacitly agreed upon and was used to.

But the newly appointed daimyo and Raikage of the Land of Lightning, instead of thinking about how to stabilize the situation in the Land of Lightning and the Hidden Cloud Village, insisted on interfering when the foundation was unstable.

Could it be that a very talented new generation has emerged from Kumogakure and wants to use this exam to make a name for themselves?

This was the only reason that the three generations of old men could come up with.

Completely clueless, he puffed on his pipe one puff after another, and soon the entire office was filled with smoke.

Just as he picked up his pen to reply to Yunyin, his office door was suddenly pushed open forcefully without warning.

He didn't even need to think to guess who the guy was who dared to come in without his permission or knocking.

Sure enough, the next second a rude voice rang out.

"Sarutobi, we have news about the Land of Lightning you requested."

"Hmm?" The Third Hokage suddenly perked up and said to the newcomer:

"Danzo, quickly tell me what the situation is like in the Land of Lightning right now."

That's right, the person who came was none other than Shimura Danzo, the Hokage's assistant who had many titles such as the Darkness of the Ninja World, the Professional Scapegoat, the First Hokage, and the Fifth and a Half Hokage!

Danzo did not answer his question immediately, but instead frowned and scanned the environment of the Hokage's office.

"Sarutobi, smoke less. We're not young anymore, we need to take better care of our health."

As he spoke, he first leaned on his cane to go to the window and opened it, before placing the intelligence scroll that the Root had brought on his desk.

Upon hearing this, the Third Hokage felt a surge of warmth in his heart, secretly marveling that Danzo was indeed his longtime friend, still remembering to care about his health.

"Okay, I'll try to be careful. You don't need to stand, sit down and let's talk."

As he spoke, the Third Hokage put down his pipe, picked up the scroll that Danzo had brought, and began to examine it carefully.

After receiving permission, Danzo quietly sat down on the sofa in the office, rested his hands on his cane, and closed his eyes to pretend to doze off.

Every word and action of the two demonstrated the tacit understanding between these long-time partners.

Danzo waited for about ten minutes until he heard the puffing sound of cigarettes again before he opened his eyes.

It was at this moment that Hiruzen Sarutobi finally spoke:

"Danzo, tell me your opinion on this new Raikage."

Danzo had anticipated this question and had reviewed the intelligence beforehand, so he spoke slowly and methodically:

"The daimyo of the Land of Lightning has no children, so the next daimyo will simply be chosen from a few collateral branches."

Bitz is the grandson of the daimyo's younger brother, and compared to other collateral branches, he is the most suitable successor to the daimyo of the Land of Lightning.

As for the Raikage...

Danzo paused here, a hint of envy flashing in his eyes.

"According to the intelligence gathered by the Root ninjas, the other party is a close friend of the Fourth Hokage, A, and a strong supporter of the Kumogakure military expansion plan."

It is said that he is not only powerful, but also a staunch supporter of the Cloud Hidden Army's expansion plan.

It was precisely because he had been constantly demanding supplies and funds from the lord of Yunyin over the years that Yunyin had been able to develop so rapidly in the past few years.

That's why the Fourth Raikage trusted his friend before his death and entrusted the Hidden Cloud Village to him.

Danzo's words were mostly recorded in the scroll, but the Third Daihito did not urge him impatiently. Instead, he frowned, his doubts growing stronger.

After a few seconds of silence, Danzo continued:

"Judging from the intelligence alone, if the two events hadn't been separated by only a few days, there wouldn't be a single flaw to be found."

But things happened too suddenly and too coincidentally.

More importantly, he simultaneously served as both Daimyo and Raikage, which surprisingly drew considerable opposition within the Land of Lightning and the Hidden Cloud Village.

That's the most unreasonable thing!

With a long exhale of smoke, the third generation finally put down his pipe.

He rose from behind his desk, went to the window to look at the bustling, vibrant streets of Konoha, and slowly said with his hands behind his back:

"What you've said is indeed a big point of suspicion. I've even wondered if he was some powerful genjutsu ninja in disguise."

However, it's impossible for anyone to cast an illusion on an entire country, including the Raikage, at the same time.

Secondly, I also wrote to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and a group of nobles who were on good terms with Konoha, and received confirmation from them that the person truly existed.

Danzo frowned as well. He didn't believe that anyone's genjutsu could be this outrageous. Even the Uchiha, who were masters of genjutsu, couldn't do something like this.

So even if this is outrageous, they can only force themselves to believe it is true.

That was a young man who simultaneously inherited the titles of Daimyo and Raikage, possessing both immense luck and considerable strength.

Thinking about it this way, Danzo felt even more bitter.

He has coveted the Hokage position for so many years, but still sees no hope of it.

Ironically, a mere child who had just come of age and was still wet behind the ears had taken up the position he had longed for, and even held the title of daimyo, a position he had never even dreamed of.

Damn it, does all my hard work mean nothing in the face of luck?!

He was so jealous. Why couldn't he have such a background and such good fortune?

If he could become both Daimyo and Hokage at the same time, this world would already belong to the Land of Fire and Konoha!

The three generations, who were enjoying the view, waited for a while but their old friend didn't speak again, so they turned their heads and looked at the sofa in confusion.

Immediately, Danzo was seen with his head down, radiating an invisible low pressure. His left hand, which was not wrapped in bandages, gripped his cane tightly, his knuckles turning white, and the cane made a cracking sound under the strain.

Having known this friend's three generations so well, I could see right through his thoughts at a glance.

With a sigh, the Third Hokage sat back down in his chair, silently picked up his Hokage hat, put it on his head, and advised:

"Danzo, whether it's luck or strength, some things can't be forced."

Instead of clinging to things that don't belong to you, it's better to focus on the present.

For example, last night, the Hidden Cloud Village sent an urgent message saying that their Fifth Raikage would personally participate in the Chunin Exams.

Do you think Konoha should agree to Kumogakure's request?

Danzo glanced at Sarutobi, who was wearing the Hokage hat and acting all high and mighty, and knew perfectly well that he was being warned.

However, if Danzo could be so easily persuaded with a few words, then he wouldn't be Danzo.

Pretending not to understand the Third Hokage's warning, he snorted coldly and stood up, saying:

"Hmph, this is something the Hokage needs to consider, and he also needs to inform Sunagakure separately."

I, a mere assistant to the Hokage, won't bother with that.

Seeing Danzo still stubbornly clinging to his delusions, the Third Hokage's tone became even harsher.

"Danzo, just like you said, we're all getting on in years, and it's time to let go of some of our obsessions."

Just because I didn't say what you did doesn't mean I didn't know.

Danzo's expression remained completely unchanged.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

That's all for now. I still have some things to take care of at the headquarters, so I'll head back now.

After saying that, he turned around and walked out, leaning on his cane.