"The threat from the Hidden Stone Village has been temporarily eliminated."
"Rasa is leading forces to assist in the front line battle against Konoha, which will temporarily stabilize the situation on that side."
"The Hidden Mist Village has been harassing Konoha, but their actions toward us remain relatively restrained. Most of what they are doing is exploratory in nature, and the coastal battle zone is undoubtedly the least pressured of our active fronts.
Unless something unexpected occurs, the Hidden Mist Village is most likely waiting for the Hidden Cloud Village to launch an attack against us before committing to any large-scale offensive of their own."
"But with our medicinal resources going to the Hidden Stone Village, they will almost certainly send a large army into the Land of Lightning. Furthermore, given our geographical position, the difficulty of the Hidden Cloud Village sending forces against us far exceeds what the Hidden Stone Village and Konoha face in reaching us.
Therefore, even if the Hidden Cloud Village wants revenge, executing that plan in the short term is extremely difficult."
"The Hidden Cloud Village will prioritize resolving its own immediate problems. Konoha will almost certainly take the opportunity to add insult to injury."
"During this period of chaotic ninja war, our village will enjoy a relatively brief window of peace. While other villages are locked in combat with each other, we, on the other hand..."
"Will also be fighting, but with enough surplus energy to quietly develop ourselves from within."
Upon returning to the Sand Village, he immediately convened a meeting. Those attending were not only the senior officials but also some of the village's more capable individuals across various fields.
These so-called elites were not defined purely by combat strength. They were people with outstanding abilities in planning, management, and administration, those capable of leveraging their particular talents for the village's benefit.
They were the kind of people who could stand out and make a genuine contribution even in an environment where resources were limited. What the village needed was not simply more fighters, but people who could help him disseminate and implement policies effectively.
Status and strength were not prerequisites. Everyone was equal in this room, and everyone had an opportunity for advancement.
"First. The village intends to establish a system of free elderly care and free medical treatment. Subsidies and benefits within the village should not be limited to ninja but extended to every resident."
"Second. The village must build more public facilities and improve the living conditions of all villagers, elevating the general standard of wellbeing across the entire population."
"The level of quality of life must address the outdated buildings, architecture, and roads throughout the village and move toward genuine modernization."
"Third. We must significantly increase investment in education, particularly in the ninja academy and specialized ninja training programs. These two institutions are foundational."
"Fourth. A dedicated fund must be established to cultivate exceptional talents and enable ordinary people to acquire specialized skills, particularly in the crafting professions. Given the unique environment and climate of the Sand Village, we are in desperate need of such individuals."
"Fifth. The village will begin actively recruiting talent and settling new residents within the Land of Wind. Regardless of whether they are individuals or families, as long as their background is acceptable and they are confirmed citizens of the Land of Wind, they can settle in the village and receive free housing and various benefits, including employment support and free education for their children, with benefits distributed on a per-person basis.
For particularly exceptional new recruits, the village can even provide salary subsidies."
He continued with additional points, his tone becoming increasingly calm and methodical as he spoke.
In the room, the crowd could not help but begin to break into a quiet sweat.
Chiyo and Ebizo were growing visibly restless. Their mouths kept opening and closing. The things he was describing all sounded straightforward, but every single item on the list required enormous amounts of money.
Although the village had already generated considerable profit from medicinal resources and had just negotiated a major deal with the Hidden Stone Village that would bring in a substantial sum quickly, the number of reform projects being outlined was simply overwhelming.
The expense of any single department on the list was considerable on its own, and taken together it felt impossible. With their current resources, how could they possibly afford all of this simultaneously?
"Wait a moment," Chiyo raised her hand, unable to stay silent any longer. "The village's finances are currently limited. I think we should first focus on building more pharmaceutical factories and increasing production capacity, so that we can generate more profit and accumulate more financial resources.
The reform question should be set aside for now, or at most we begin with one or two initiatives. Implementing a comprehensive reform immediately is simply not feasible given our current economic situation."
"Do not worry," Yuji said. "We need a comprehensive reform, and we move forward with full commitment. Our village's disparity compared to the other great villages is still very apparent, and unless one takes decisive risks or applies concentrated effort over a short span of years, making the village truly flourish from within is fundamentally impossible through incremental steps alone."
"My intention is not to say that every project must be completed immediately. What I am saying is that we must prioritize getting the framework established first. Regulations are like bones. With bones in place, the flesh and blood can grow gradually over time. But the bones must be constructed with the greatest possible speed and strength."
"No matter how difficult it is, we must push through it."
"The old village system must be replaced."
His tone was resolute in a way that left no room for further argument.
"As for the financial issue, do not worry. Very soon, the Daimyo's Mansion will be providing the village with a substantial sum of money."
Chiyo was confused.
She was well aware of the situation in the Land of Wind. The Daimyo had left the Sand Village in a fury only days ago, threatening to cut off all financial support. Under those circumstances, how could he possibly still be expected to provide money to the Sand Village?
"Regarding the advancement of the medical field, we also have specific arrangements," Yuji continued without addressing her confusion yet. "Thanks to the village's improved treatment system, we prioritize training people to provide basic medical care and support, ideally ensuring that all villagers develop a certain level of medical knowledge along with basic nursing and first aid skills.
Although they will not be able to treat serious illnesses or severe injuries, basic treatment can certainly be accomplished at this level."
Chiyo was puzzled. Speaking of ninja medical care, the Sand Village's hospital was already handling more patients than comfortable. At least the hospital had no shortage of work. Why bother training this many ordinary medical personnel? It sounded like an expensive use of resources without a clear return.
"We sell them to other villages."
The statement was so unexpected it was almost unbelievable. Everyone at the table widened their eyes simultaneously.
"Not literally sell them," Yuji clarified with a slight chuckle. "It is about assigning these trained medical personnel to small ninja villages and nations under the Sand Village's name, helping them establish basic medical systems, and receiving compensation in return."
"Many small villages and countries have incomplete medical infrastructure. Ordinary citizens, even when dealing with minor illnesses, cannot receive prompt treatment. Therefore, for them, capable medical professionals are genuinely essential, people who can help their populations maintain their livelihoods and basic health."
"Of course, this also connects to our shared interests in pharmaceutical resources. I believe the arrangement will be straightforward to negotiate."
He waved his hand lightly.
"Do not worry about finding buyers. In other words, the village will train these medical personnel and the initial investment will be recouped later through ongoing arrangements, making these villages and countries pay us over time.
On one hand, this enhances the Sand Village's standing and influence throughout the ninja world, further demonstrating the strength of our medical system. On the other hand, it gives our own villagers a sense of meaningful contribution and a reliable source of income, integrating them fully into the village's new framework."
The meeting room went completely silent.
A quiet gasp escaped one of the people seated around the table. The sheer scope of what was being described clearly astonished them.
This was an angle none of them had ever considered. Medical assistance as an export product? Medical influence as a form of diplomatic and economic leverage?
"I would also add," Yuji said, "that for the nobility specifically, having a qualified medical team available at any time is something they would pay very well for."
He let that sit for a moment.
"Now, regarding the money from the Daimyo's Mansion," Chiyo pressed, returning to the point she could not let go. "How exactly is that supposed to happen? You said it yourself, the Daimyo left here furious. Under these circumstances, how could he possibly still provide financial support to the Sand Village?"
"Our Daimyo cares deeply about his own wellbeing," Yuji said with a slight smirk. "I believe he will not refuse an arrangement that benefits him directly, and he certainly will not allow a personal disagreement between us to implicate the entire Land of Wind or his own position within it."
Chiyo stared at him.
...
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