Chapter 202: Chapter 202
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In the Dragon Hidden Village, the Dragon Shadow Tower:
Kyomu personally came down to welcome the defecting Konoha ninjas, creating files for them, issuing them new headbands and standard uniforms.
"Lord Kyomu, I'm sorry for hesitating back then…"
"I'm sorry, Lord Kyomu. Only now do I understand you were truly thinking of our future, not yourself."
"Lord Kyomu, you are the beacon for all ninjas, especially for us common ninjas."
"Lord Kyomu, thank you for personally welcoming us…"
Listening to the Konoha ninjas' words, Kyomu waved his hand with a smile.
"Everyone, it's said that the true nature of a horse is known through a long journey, and a person's heart through time. It wasn't your fault for being deceived at first; it was your hearts being poisoned by those with ulterior motives.
Now that you understand, there's no need for guilt or self-reproach. For the Dragon Nation, for the Dragon Hidden Village, and for the future of ninjas, let's encourage each other!"
"Long live Lord Kyomu!"
The defecting Konoha ninjas cheered, discarding their old Konoha headbands and putting on the Dragon Hidden Village headbands Kyomu handed out.
Like Kyomu's own act, they left their Konoha headbands unmarked, showing they were not traitors—Konoha had betrayed them.
Kyomu watched this and nodded slightly. His earlier actions might have been misunderstood by some, but when small actions accumulate, they create a powerful reaction.
In summary: "Don't avoid doing good even if it's small; don't do evil even if it's insignificant."
These were the dying words of famous man, reflecting his lifetime of wisdom and character.
While Kyomu didn't compare himself to historical sages, he applied their wisdom, which was key to his success.
"Sometimes you have to let go of something to gain more," Kyomu mused as he returned to his office, feeling quite satisfied. "Yugito, how many Konoha ninjas have defected to us so far?"
"Over three hundred, not including their families," Yugito replied after checking some files. "Most of them are at the chunin level, with only a few special jonin."
"That's good enough for me," Kyomu said, genuinely content. "Chunin are the backbone of any ninja village. Without them, a village will face a gap in generational talent, and its revenue from missions will shrink significantly."
Kyomu's statement was accurate. In both war and peace, chunin formed the core of a village's workforce. Losing them would mean losing the village's future.
"Keep increasing our outreach," Kyomu said with a sly smile. "This kind of good news should be known to ninjas everywhere, especially those in Konoha.
The Senju sacrificed their clan to pave the way for common ninjas, and now, our Dragon Hidden Village is building a broad avenue for them. Those who understand will see where their future lies and where their true home is."
Yugito nodded, then expressed a concern, "Kyomu, by accepting so many outsiders, our counter-intelligence work will become very difficult."
Kyomu shook his head, finding the concern shallow. "Why counter-intelligence? Are we afraid they'll leak our jutsus? After so many wars, A, B, and C-level jutsus are already widely known. Have you ever seen a common ninja using high-level jutsus? No, right? Even if they infiltrate, they won't get anything new. Plus, if common ninjas can't find a better life here, that would be a real problem."
Kyomu continued, "Announce a new policy: Any ninja who admits to being a spy will still be accepted after a probation period if they prove themselves."
"Can that work?" Yugito asked, uncertain.
"Of course," Kyomu said confidently. "My word is my bond. Over time, my promises have become my greatest asset. People trust my word because I've never gone back on it. It's an invaluable reputation."
Yugito nodded, recording Kyomu's directive. "I'll deliver your orders."
"Go ahead," Kyomu said, watching her leave. As the door closed, he leaned back, feeling very satisfied. His efforts were finally bearing fruit.
"Do you understand the value of rallying people with a call to arms?" Kyomu murmured, closing his eyes in contentment. "Trust is the wisdom of our ancestors. How will you compete with me? I'm standing on the shoulders of giants!"
---
In Konoha, Minato had run out of ideas. The village's chunin, the backbone, were considering defecting to the Dragon Hidden Village, seeing it as the true successor to Konoha's ideals.
"Shikaku, what should I do?" Minato asked, looking to Shikaku for guidance.
The Nara clan's intellect was well-respected, and they were loyal to the Hokage, no matter who held the position. This political neutrality had kept the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans in power for generations.
"Fourth Hokage, to solve this, we must align with the Dragon Hidden Village," Shikaku advised.
"But the clans…" Minato frowned. "Their opposition is strong. Forcing this change could destabilize the village."
This was the difference between new and old regimes. The old guard resisted change, while the new leader had the freedom to innovate. Kyomu's Dragon Nation and Hidden Village were new, ruled solely by him, allowing for bold reforms.
Minato, however, was constrained by the existing power structure, unable to break free.
Shikaku understood this but was still loyal to his clan. His suggestion was a prelude to a more cautious plan.
"Fourth Hokage, we can start by easing restrictions at the ninja academy, teaching some C-level jutsus, and improving the ninja ranking system."
"For example?"
"Chunin can be graded based on contributions and tenure, then rewarded accordingly," Shikaku explained.
His proposal could address Konoha's immediate crisis, and Minato listened intently.
But their discussion was interrupted by a knock.
"Enter," Minato called.
"Hokage-sama, urgent news from the Dragon Hidden Village."
Minato and Shikaku exchanged grim looks. "Report."
"Our spies sent a final message," the Anbu ninja reported.
Minato and Shikaku initially felt a spark of hope—this was part of their plan to infiltrate the defectors. But the final message shattered their hopes.
"I've revealed my identity to Lord Kyomu and been officially accepted as a Dragon Ninja. All is well. Do not contact me again; I fear Lord Kyomu's displeasure."
"Damn it!" Minato and Shikaku cursed silently, realizing these defectors no longer felt loyalty to Konoha.
"All of them?" Minato asked, hoping for some exception.
"All of them."
"Damn it, what charm does Kyomu have that they would abandon everything for him?" Minato finally lost his temper. "Their village, their nation, their families—have they thrown away their will of fire?"
"Hokage-sama, many families are already moving to the Dragon Hidden Village. Should we stop them?" the Anbu asked.
"Let them go…" Minato sighed, weary. "The ninja code doesn't apply to civilians. Unless the daimyo issues an order, we should leave them be."
Just then, a high-ranking official from the Fire Nation entered, delivering a decree from the daimyo that shocked Minato and Shikaku.
The daimyo ordered the execution of all defectors and their families, including those heading to the Dragon Hidden Village.
This would only push more to defect, but from the daimyo's perspective, control was paramount.
Minato wanted to refuse, but Shikaku discreetly signaled him to comply.
Minato reluctantly accepted the order but planned to subvert it. Yet, this decree unwittingly played into Kyomu's hands.
"The Fire Daimyo is young," Kyomu chuckled at the news. "He's handed me a weapon."
"Spread this decree publicly," Kyomu ordered. "Let everyone in the Dragon Nation and Fire Nation know."
Yugito recorded the order and left, while Kyomu patted the summoning snake, which disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Rin, you still think of me," Kyomu murmured. "Endure a bit longer. When this is over, I'll free you from your cage."
Kyomu had planted a firm ally in Konoha. Minato would never suspect it.
(End of Chapter)
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