Chapter 224: Uzumaki Karin
"My lord, are you planning to train all these children into soldiers?"
Asama Sandayū asked with confusion, "But with the original tens of thousands of Land of Snow soldiers, it doesn't seem necessary to spend time and energy sheltering and training these stray children who have lost their parents, does it?"
Although the production of the low-concentration enhancement serum was low, with less than five thousand vials produced in a year, and it was a one-time, permanently effective serum, even if those soldiers didn't practice ninjutsu or secret techniques, their overall comprehensive strength would still be enhanced after their physique was fully augmented.
A conservative estimate was that in two years, they could create at least ten thousand soldiers with the strength of genin or chūnin.
While their individual strength couldn't compare to the ninja of the Five Great Nations, by relying on tactics and being equipped with weapons, defeating a chūnin wouldn't be a problem. As for a jōnin, they could try their luck.
"You can't say that."
Menma shook his head and explained, "The potential of those Land of Snow soldiers is already capped. Even if they wear the new mass-produced chakra armor, and their compatibility with the armor is up to standard, they can only reach the level of Kazahana Dotō."
"Compared to the lower-tier combat power composed of ordinary soldiers, we need a small number of elite troops and key cadres more. And these cadres must be guaranteed to be loyal to the Land of Snow."
Currently, nearly half of the towns in the Land of Snow had implemented the academy enrollment policy.
Of course, the academies in most towns were only responsible for cultivating ordinary talent.
There were about sixty thousand people reorganized from the original Land of Snow army.
But those were just ordinary people who had only received training. They were relatively strong among ordinary people, but there was a huge gap compared to ninja.
Menma wasn't worried about a shortage of low-to-mid-tier combat personnel.
However, high-end combat power and cadres required a large investment of time and energy, as well as top-tier educational resources to cultivate.
There were only a little over sixteen hundred Shadow Guards who had joined "The Net" (Luowang), and about five hundred of them were scattered across the various nations of the ninja world, engaging in intelligence gathering while working in various professions.
Currently, the only militarized management school responsible for training soldiers and the army within the Land of Snow was the one located in the military district of the Snow City.
This academy would teach knowledge of various ninjutsu and secret techniques and would implement absolute secrecy and militarized management.
Menma planned to thoroughly perfect and implement the enrollment policy within the next one to two years, while at the same time establishing a sufficient and complete system of teachers and education.
"Is that so? My vision was too narrow." Asama Sandayū scratched his head and asked tentatively, "Lord Menma, Mr. Murakumo has been telling me recently that more and more merchants are entering the Land of Snow."
"Some of those merchants choose to settle in the Land of Snow, while others choose to return to their own countries. Will this have any impact on our Land of Snow?"
When he first heard Menma's decision to build and improve the roads in various towns, Sandayū had thought that this would only increase the financial pressure on the Land of Snow.
But, as roads were paved one after another and towns were incorporated into the main thoroughfares, more and more foreign merchants came to the Land of Snow to discuss business cooperation.
Not only did they bring a rich variety of goods, but they also invested a large amount of capital into the Land of Snow, driving the economic development of the entire country.
This was all due to the gradually improving roads and the convenient status as a neutral country, which provided a stable and safe platform for commercial activities.
Asama Sandayū had naturally seen the huge changes in the Land of Snow after the road repairs.
While feeling incredible about it, his reverence for Menma, who made the decision, also grew.
However…
Merchants were beginning to bring the situation of the Land of Snow back to their own countries, and some small countries had even begun to discuss whether to learn from and imitate it.
"This is a necessary stage in the development of the Land of Snow, but it's not so simple for other countries to learn from us."
Menma shook his head and chuckled lightly. "Putting aside other problems, let's just talk about the money for road construction. Who is going to pay for this huge sum of money?"
"Will it be the merchants, or will it be the nobles?"
"Of course, it will be the daimyō, uh…"
As if he had thought of something, Sandayū was suddenly stunned.
That's right. Building and improving the roads of an entire country was not something that could be done with just a few words. The material, financial, and human resources involved were incredibly terrifying.
Moreover, there would be no return in the short term. Those profit-seeking merchants would never make this deal.
As for the daimyō and nobles…
Wanting them to take out the money they used for their extravagant lives and willingly spend it on building and improving the country's roads was probably harder than killing them directly.
Those who genuinely wanted to build had no money, and those with money were unwilling to part with it.
This was like being trapped in an endless, unsolvable loop.
"Thinking about it this way, you have truly changed the entire Land of Snow."
At this thought, Asama Sandayū couldn't help but praise, "The tripartite national system of military, politics, and economy that you established back then has allowed all the decisions we make to be implemented smoothly."
Most of the funds for the Land of Snow's economic development came from "Robin," which could be said to be the important cornerstone of the country's economic growth.
The political aspect of the Land of Snow was managed by ministers led by Asama Sandayū, but important matters such as diplomacy, policy implementation, and personnel changes required the approval of the monarch, Kazahana Koyuki.
The final military power was naturally controlled by Menma, the "Kuninotokotachi" who was gradually stepping into the limelight. However, the Land of Snow currently still held the title of a neutral country, so the so-called military power was only for mobilizing troops to protect the internal stability of the country, and there was no need for external expansion for the time being.
It was precisely because "Robin" provided full financial support, Kazahana Koyuki gave the green light to all policies, and Menma specially permitted soldiers to use ninjutsu to increase productivity that this seemingly impossible miracle was accomplished unimpeded in just a few months.
"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."
Looking at those children, Menma said with emotion, "Actually, these things have been done before."
"Hm?" Asama Sandayū was stunned. "Is there someone else in the ninja world like you?"
"The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama."
Menma said in a calm tone, "Compared to the commendable power of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, I actually prefer the bold ideas and propositions of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama."
The "one country, one village" system was, frankly speaking, just a facade, no different from the situation during the Warring States period where ninja clans ruled their own territories.
It wasn't until Senju Tobirama became Hokage and carried out a series of epoch-making reforms that this deformed and useless system slowly began to change for the better.
Building a ninja academy, establishing the Anbu, dividing and suppressing the ninja clans, raising the status of commoners, creating various secret and ninjutsu…
These were all remarkably similar to what Menma was doing now.
Politics, science, military—all three fields bore the shadow of Senju Tobirama. It was only after he established them that they were imitated by various countries.
Even Menma, who held the "dragon-slaying art," benefited after careful study of these methods.
It was just a pity that due to the outbreak of the First Great Ninja War, even though the Second Hokage still had unfulfilled ambitions and ideals in his heart, he could only entrust the future to the Third Hokage, who was more than capable of maintaining the status quo but lacked the drive for innovation.
"If I have the chance, I would also like to meet such a person."
Shaking his head to get rid of useless thoughts, Menma walked to the classroom door and knocked.
Knock, knock, knock~
Inside the classroom, Uzumaki Ashina, who was teaching, was interrupted. He frowned and looked at the classroom door. "Come in."
As the classroom door was pushed open, Ashina was stunned when he saw the familiar face.
"Lord Menma?"
Menma smiled apologetically at Uzumaki Ashina and said, "Sorry to interrupt your class."
Ashina quickly shook his head and asked, "Not at all, my lord. But, is there something you need?"
As one of the people Menma had rescued from the prison in the Land of Grass, he was naturally very grateful and respectful towards him.
Menma looked at Kazahana Koyuki and smiled kindly. "It's been a while, Koyuki."
"Brother!"
Kazahana Koyuki, who had been pretending to be a good student, also showed a happy expression.
She then got up, walked to Menma, and hugged him affectionately, rubbing against him.
But at this moment, Asama Sandayū also walked in from behind.
Seeing Koyuki like this, he suddenly felt a little jealous.
I'm usually not bad to Princess Koyuki either, so why don't I see her being so affectionate?
At this thought, Sandayū cleared his throat and said righteously, "Princess Koyuki, even if you are excited, it is too impolite to do this in front of your classmates."
Hearing this, Koyuki turned her head and, nestled in Menma's arms, said in a muffled voice, "Brother, you finally came to visit, and look at Sandayū, lecturing me in front of everyone!"
It was all Sandayū's fault for arranging such heavy schoolwork and government affairs for her, leaving her with no time to play!
Brother must make things difficult for him!
To this, Sandayū could only shake his head with a bitter smile.
Although Princess Koyuki had ascended to the throne of the Land of Snow, her innocent and romantic personality had not changed.
But it was also because of this personality that Princess Koyuki was loved by the people.
"Alright, Koyuki, Sandayū is also doing this for your own good." Menma rubbed Kazahana Koyuki's head, a gentle smile on his face.
"I know, I'm sick of hearing that~"
Koyuki said perfunctorily, then looked at Menma with anticipation. "Brother, did you come here specifically to see me this time?"
Hearing this, Menma's smile froze, and he scratched his head helplessly.
"Ahem, yes… but, I also need to find a child."
With that, Menma looked at the children.
The children were also looking at him with curious eyes, whispering and discussing Menma's identity.
And after learning that he was the "Kuninotokotachi," many of the children showed surprise and anticipation.
Although they had never seen this lord's true face, they often heard his name from the adults.
The reason they could go to school here, escape the life of wandering, and get enough food was all because of this lord's decisions.
So after learning Menma's identity, the children in the classroom all looked at him with adoration.
Is he choosing someone?
If it's this lord, whatever he does is fine…
No one felt that there was anything wrong. All the children looked at Menma eagerly, wishing they would be chosen and taken in by him.
"Lord Menma, are you looking for someone among these children?" Uzumaki Ashina looked at him with some confusion.
Is there anything about these children that would attract Lord Menma's attention?
A thoughtful look appeared on Menma's face, and he finally looked at the girl sitting in the corner.
She was a timid-looking child with red hair and glasses.
"Little Karin, do you remember me?"
Hearing this, the students all started to stir, looking at the timid girl with envy and confusion on their faces.
Why her?
She's just a wallflower. Is there anything noteworthy about her?
"L-Lord..."
Little Karin also stood up in a daze, pointed at her own face, and asked, "You remember my name?"
Menma couldn't help but laugh. "Of course, I remember you. The first child I saved. You bravely stood between me and your mother."
With that, he looked at Uzumaki Ashina at the side. "I'll be taking this child with me for now. I will be teaching her for the next period of time."
This…
Uzumaki Ashina came back to his senses and nodded subconsciously. "Yes, Lord Menma."
He was, in a way, Karin's uncle.
But he never expected Karin to be valued by this lord, who actually planned to take her away for personal instruction.
Could it be that Karin has some kind of talent or aptitude?
Ashina shook his head, suppressing the confusion in his heart.
He was just a retired teacher now. If he couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't think about it. He just needed to follow orders.
At this thought, Ashina beckoned to little Karin. "What are you standing there for? Come here."
"Ah? Oh, oh…"
Little Karin also came back to her senses, shrank her neck, and walked toward the teacher's desk.
Along the way, she naturally received the gazes of many classmates and the envious expressions of many.
"Is Lord Menma… going to take in Karin?"
"I'm so envious. She'll be able to learn so much more in the future, right?"
Kurama Yakumo also stared at Uzumaki Karin with some surprise, thinking to herself, "Mm, Karin is so lucky. I wonder what talent she has to be noticed by the teacher…"
From now on, she should be Teacher Menma's student, just like me.
After little Karin slowly walked over, Ashina patted her on the shoulder and urged, "It seems Lord Menma thinks highly of you. In that case, don't let him down."
Others might only know of Menma's power and status, but Ashina, who had been rescued by Menma, knew his strength very well.
He was definitely a powerful ninja no less than the Five Kage.
To be able to receive guidance from such a strong person was a very rare opportunity.
"Alright, please continue. I won't disturb you any longer."
Under the regretful gazes of the crowd, Menma led the timid-looking, seemingly poor-sighted girl out of the classroom.
Menma took out the contract scroll from his robes and handed it to little Karin.
Karin took the scroll, a look of incomprehension on her face.
"This is…"
"Your teacher should have taught you this. This is the contract scroll for the three great sage regions."
Menma reached out and ruffled Karin's hair affectionately. "I've already looked into it. You have already mastered the basic theory of Sage Art. Next, I will take you to the next stage of training."
"We will go to one of the three great sage regions, Shikkotsu Forest, to practice Sage Mode and learn how to use sage chakra."
(End of Chapter)
---
Read up to 25 Chapters ahead on patreon.com/Fanglin
[Please leave a 5 Star review and power stone for this novel]
*Thank you*