Chapter 83: Ninja Academy Reform
The state monopoly on tobacco had little impact on everyday life, and as for the small matter of casinos being banned, it was even less worth mentioning.
If anything, banning casinos and entertainment venues of all sizes might actually be a good thing.
After all, places like that were always tied to the gray side of society.
To make money, many venues even involved vile acts like human trafficking and kidnapping.
Now that they were banned in one sweep, public security improved noticeably compared to before.
That was also why there was almost no opposition.
In just one month, the power of the state run tobacco and casino industries began to show.
"It's actually this profitable?"
Looking at the financial reports handed to them, everyone present wore expressions of shock.
Before they began, they had believed it would make money, but they had never imagined it would be this profitable.
Now, with only one month of profit laid out, the room was stunned into silence.
It was just a single month's report, yet the earnings were nearly half of Konoha's monthly mission revenue.
In other words, it was as if the village had gained nearly half as much income again, out of thin air.
That was an enormous figure.
Most importantly, to obtain this income, they had not even needed to do much.
They simply issued a few orders declaring other tobacco and casinos illegal.
The venues and their workers were even acquired directly. It took almost no effort.
Among everyone present, only Kei was not surprised.
This was the entire Konoha apparatus entering the market, equivalent to a dominant military force doing business.
If the military did business legally, how could it not make money?
In the end, the title of legal ruler itself was profitable.
Once a decree was issued, others obeyed, or they broke the law.
With a monopoly position like that, as long as one had even a little intelligence, it was impossible not to profit.
Even though Konoha was not the legal ruler of the Land of Fire, it was, in practice, the strongest warlord within it.
From that position, making money was truly easy.
"In my name, send someone to deliver a letter to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire."
Kei spoke.
"Show him this financial report, and then tell him we are willing to give him twenty percent of the annual profits."
Twenty percent?
Several people immediately felt displeased.
Even if twenty percent was not a small number, this was Konoha's own revenue. Why should they share it with the Daimyo?
"Have him cooperate with us in issuing decrees."
Kei continued, calm and steady.
"From now on, throughout the entire Land of Fire, all tobacco and all casinos that are not sold or operated by Konoha will be illegal."
"Konoha Tobacco and Konoha Entertainment are limited to the village right now. The scale is still too small."
"Given our situation, we can directly take over the entire Land of Fire market."
Take over the entire Land of Fire market?
Just imagining it made everyone's breathing quicken.
If monopolizing a market of only a few hundred thousand inside Konoha could bring in profits like this, then what would happen if they legally monopolized the entire Land of Fire?
By then, tobacco and casinos alone would generate income far beyond mission commissions.
Thinking of that, the room grew restless with excitement.
"Will the Daimyo agree?"
The Nara clan head spoke with hesitation.
"The Daimyo isn't a fool. If he learns how much we're earning, will he really hand such a huge market to us?"
"He will."
Danzo spoke indifferently, a hint of ruthlessness in his tone.
"If he's unwilling, I'll make him willing."
To shinobi, the Daimyo was never someone they could not oppose.
With the power Konoha controlled, as long as Konoha decided, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire had no choice but to accept.
Ordinary shinobi might hesitate to offend the Daimyo.
Danzo would not.
With his nature, if the Daimyo dared block his path, removing him would not be difficult.
"That is also why I am sending someone on this extra trip."
Kei's voice remained soft.
"The Daimyo will agree."
"By agreeing, he can at least receive a large sum every year. If he refuses, he won't get a single coin in the future."
"He has no choice."
Ordinary people believed that as ruler of the Land of Fire, the Daimyo held absolute authority over the entire country.
Kei did not see it that way.
In reality, the Land of Fire was a country in name, but within it were many nobles and lords. The Daimyo was only a nominal ruler, and the territory he truly governed was limited.
That was also why the Daimyo had to rely on Konoha.
To maintain his rule and suppress the lords on every side, he needed Konoha's endorsement and support.
In that situation, the Daimyo was not irreplaceable.
He was simply the best partner to cooperate with.
In this cooperation, the truly irreplaceable force was Konoha's military strength.
Across the entire shinobi world, Konoha's power was not unique.
There were other villages that could fight it.
But within the Land of Fire, Konoha was the sole power.
It nearly monopolized the Land of Fire's military might.
Under those circumstances, Kei's choice to share benefits with the Daimyo in exchange for his obedience was already generous.
To put it bluntly, even if Kei bypassed the Daimyo and carried this out purely under Konoha's name, the Daimyo would have no way to stop it.
Kei was certain the current Daimyo would be obedient.
"Since the tobacco and casino monopoly works so well, should we expand state run business even further?"
Koharu asked.
This attempt had given Konoha a taste of success.
It turned out they did not have to rely only on mission commissions and Daimyo funding.
Simply using Konoha's dominant position to build a monopoly could produce profit on this scale.
If monopolizing tobacco and casinos worked, would it not be even better to expand further?
That thought was now in everyone's mind.
Among them, Danzo's ideas were the most radical.
He advocated bringing all profitable industries under Konoha's control, operating them through Konoha's own enterprises.
If Konoha monopolized the entire Land of Fire market, the benefits would be enormous.
To be fair, at this moment, his idea even gained support from many people present.
As shinobi, they had never witnessed the hidden harm of heavy state monopolies.
They only saw the benefits and the massive profit.
But Kei did not intend to make that mistake.
"Bringing most industries under Konoha's control is not advisable. However, it is necessary to expand appropriately."
He thought for a moment, then spoke, adding two industries into the scope of state monopoly.
Water.
And electricity.
Yes, the shinobi world already had electricity.
Not only electricity, but even some simple electrical appliances had already appeared.
However, due to the limitations of the era, these new technologies were still clumsy, and development was slow.
But Kei understood the potential of this field.
So at this time, he established Konoha Electricity, preparing for future development.
Using chakra as an energy source was convenient, but it relied too heavily on individual refinement.
If there were no other path, that would be one thing.
But since another option existed, it had to be seized.
Moving forward on both fronts was better than choosing only one.
The advisors present were puzzled by Kei's choice, but none of them voiced objections.
This was the prestige earned through the success of the tobacco and casino monopoly.
Even if they held doubts for the moment, they would not argue. They would simply carry out the orders.
"In addition, the Ninja Academy system must also be changed."
Kei continued.
"Lady Mito and I have discussed it for a long time. Our current system in Konoha is still too crude. It must be reformed."
"Starting today, the Ninja Academy will be renamed the Junior Ninja Academy, and a Middle Ninja Academy will be added on this basis."
"In the future, those who pass the Junior Ninja Academy examination and obtain the rank of genin may enter the Middle Ninja Academy for three years of study."
"As long as they pass the Middle Ninja Academy examination, they will be granted the rank of chunin."
"Middle Ninja Academy?"
Kagami was stunned.
"Can the rank of chunin be granted just by passing the academy examination? Then what about the Chunin Exams?"
"They will proceed as usual."
Yuu explained.
"Genin who do not pass the Middle Ninja Academy examination can still register for the public Chunin Exams. Once they pass, they will be granted the rank of chunin."
"The purpose of this system is mainly to protect Konoha's children, and to provide a platform for further study for shinobi with potential."
"In the previous war, to win, we dispatched many genin to the battlefield. That caused huge casualties, yet produced relatively little result."
On a shinobi battlefield, the combat value a genin could provide was extremely limited.
Because most genin did not possess impressive abilities.
At best, they had a few basic techniques, some taijutsu, and perhaps a bit of shurikenjutsu.
In later generations, someone like Sasuke, who could already use ninjutsu at the genin stage, was enough to shock many people.
.....
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