"So, Kanon-sama, what is the organization's goal?"
Half a month later, inside the newly reconstructed Hoshikage Building in Hoshigakure, Yosei raised his question.
At that moment, he was in the office handling administrative affairs alongside Kanon. Across from them, at another desk, Gato was reviewing the financial reports of Hoshigakure, his expression so foul it looked like he wanted to devour the former 'Third Hoshikage'.
Nearby, on the sofa, Karin was quietly studying the Uzumaki Clan's secret technique scrolls, occasionally pouring her mother a cup of tea.
Reflecting on the changes over the past half-month, Yosei couldn't shake off a strange feeling.
This mysterious and powerful organization, after conquering Hoshigakure, had implemented policies like curfews and travel restrictions but had not imposed harsh rule over the villagers.
On the contrary, Gato's merchant caravans traveled between the capital of Land of Bears and the village, procuring daily necessities for the villagers while purchasing herbs gathered from the forests, hunted game, and local specialties produced by the villagers to sell elsewhere.
The 230 or so Ninjas had also been reorganized.
After evaluations by Hikari and Kakuzu, 45 were ranked as Chunin, five as Special Jonin, and only Akahoshi, Yotaka, Shiso, and Yosei were recognized as full-fledged Jonin.
The remaining 170 or so were ordinary Genin, with some barely capable of performing two or three minor Ninjutsu.
After downsizing, the Anbu only retained 17 Chunin, two Special Jonin, and two Jonin.
Then, the newly appointed Jonin Commander, Hikari and Anbu Commander, Kakuzu, subjected Hoshigakure's Ninjas to rigorous training.
At the same time, Menma also contributed several D-Rank, C-Rank, and even B-Rank Ninjutsu to establish a Ninjutsu archive.
Ninjas who trained diligently and achieved outstanding results could exchange their training points and merits for these techniques.
For the Ninjas of Hoshigakure, most of whom were civilian Ninjas, this temptation was too great!
In just half a month, Hoshigakure had undergone a dramatic transformation.
Ninjas no longer needed to train in the meteorite training room.
This was something Yosei had long wanted to change. He was well aware of the side effects of the meteorite… his own body still carried traces of its residual effects, and many of his peers who had trained with it had long since succumbed to its corrosive influence.
Though they had been conquered-
The Ninjas of Hoshigakure had not lost their drive to pursue strength. Instead, because their trainers were the very same powerful Ninja, who had defeated them that night, they felt both reverence and admiration.
The villagers also began to develop goodwill toward their new rulers due to the improved quality of life.
The entire village had accepted the fact that they were now ruled by a group of inexplicably powerful Ninjas, and many even became supporters.
So, Yosei found it all very strange. They were the conquered party, so why was Shura treating them so well... What was their true objective?
"Goal? To unify the Ninja World." Kanon replied without looking up from the documents she was handling.
"Unify the Ninja World?!!!" The old man was so startled that his pen clattered to the floor.
His Adam's apple bobbed nervously.
Although Hoshigakure has always regarded itself as the 'Ninja Village inferior only to the Five Great Ninja Villages', in fact, all generations of Hoshigamure knew the truth… their small Ninja Village couldn't even begin to compete with the Great Nations. Even other small villages like Kusagakure or Amegakure could easily overpower them.
If it weren't for the natural barrier of Devil's Ravine, and the fact that most of the Land of Bears is covered with forests and has a small population and its role as a buffer zone between the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind-
they would likely have been invaded by other Ninja Villages long ago.
While Hoshigakure was undergoing drastic changes-
In the capital of the Land of Bears, the Daimyo's palace.
"D-Don't kill me! Please, spare me!" A lavishly dressed man crawled backward in a pitiful display of fear.
Outside the house, the blood of more than a dozen Samurai and Ninjas dyed the walls of the Daimyo's estate red.
Menma, wearing a mask, frowned slightly as he observed the trail of liquid dragged across the floor.
With a flick of his wrist, a kunai shot out… ending the daimyo's life instantly. Blood and brain matter seeped into the bedding.
"My lord, what are your next orders?" Outside, six Ninjas wearing Hoshigakure's forehead protectors knelt.
Hikari stood nearby, her gaze occasionally sweeping over the Ninjas and the corpses scattered throughout the estate.
Whenever her eyes landed on the six Hoshigakure's Ninjas, they lowered their heads, not daring to meet her gaze.
These six Hoshigakure's Ninjas were all Chunin who had performed well under Hikari's training, and were also fans of 'Shura-sama', so they had been selected for this mission.
The mission's rewards included the chance to exchange merits for C-Rank or even B-Rank Ninjutsu from the village's archives, which is an irresistible temptation for these civilian Ninja!
"Proceed as planned. Spare the women and children. Kill everyone else." Menma ordered coldly.
"Yes!" The six Ninjas immediately dispersed, moving swiftly across the rooftops of the capital, carrying out a systematic purge of Land of Bears' nobility!
Menma and Hikari leaped to the highest point of the daimyo's palace, overlooking the capital… a city built on plains, bisected by a river.
The entire Land of Bears has a population of only a few million, but the capital's population is as high as 120,000.
Seventy percent of the country's inhabitants were concentrated in the western plains, while the central and eastern forests were sparsely populated by mountain villagers.
This so-called 'Daimyo's palace' was little more than a large compound, with no more than twenty buildings in total.
The six Hoshigakure's Ninjas moved in pairs, following prearranged routes and maps, methodically cleansing the noble households across the capital.
Over the following days, under Menma's command, these Ninjas carried out a bloody purge of the aristocratic class in every major city of the Land of Bears… eradicating the nobility entirely!
Of course, some nobles with good reputations among the common folk were spared… though their families were not so fortunate.
It was undeniable that a few nobles had acted against their class's interests, but they were exceptions. The aristocratic class, as a whole, could never be benevolent.
The upheaval quickly swept through the entire Land of Bears, primarily targeting the nobility while leaving the common populace largely unaffected.
Menma had Gato prepare personnel from his company and Hoshigakure to take over the cities. Meanwhile, after investigating the Land of Bears' bureaucracy, he promoted low-ranking officials of commoner origin… quickly establishing preliminary control over this small nation of less than a million.
But inevitably, rumors began to spread.
At the end of the 54th year of the Konoha Calendar, a seismic shift occurred in the Land of Bears, in the western part of the continent!
It is said that Hoshigakure's Ninjas in the Land of Bears had suddenly revolted. They slaughtered the nobles of the Land of Bears including the Daimyo, effectively seizing control of the Land of Bears.
The news quickly reached the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind.
The Daimyos and nobles of both countries were deeply alarmed by the idea of Ninjas massacring nobility and urgently summoned their respective Kage.
Meanwhile, far away in the Land of Fire, the Third Hokage of Konoha picked up a peculiar mission request, his brow furrowed in deep thought.