บท 114: Chapter 114: Discussion With The Daimyo
Orochimaru's proposal left the Daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields both excited and cautious.
Without a proper ninja village, the country had been constantly invaded and exploited, often left defenseless against even wandering rogue ninjas. It was one thing to be bullied by the great nations, whose strength was undeniable, but to be terrorized by random mercenaries and rogue shinobi was a humiliation the daimyo could hardly endure.
So, when Orochimaru suggested building a ninja village in his country, the daimyo weighed the pros and cons carefully.
The benefits were obvious. Even though Orochimaru mentioned that his village wouldn't be taking typical commissions, he promised a steady stream of funds to the country and, more importantly, stability something the daimyo desperately craved.
But there was a risk too. Establishing a new ninja village would undoubtedly attract attention from the larger nations. Even if they weren't outright hostile, they would definitely keep a close eye on any new military power that emerged, especially in such a strategically weak country.
Then again, the daimyo thought, if the location of this new village remained secret enough, it could be hidden from the prying eyes of other nations.
With this in mind, the daimyo nodded slightly, deep in thought. "It's not a bad plan… but if you're going to build a village, won't you be on your own? Without other ninjas to support you, it could be challenging."
"Who said I'd be alone?" Orochimaru smiled faintly.
As if on cue, three figures materialized seemingly out of nowhere. They were identical black clothes, black hair, identical height, and identical faces.
"What… what is this?" the daimyo asked, completely bewildered.
At first, he thought they were triplets, but when Orochimaru briefly explained his cloning technology, the daimyo was left even more confused and intrigued.
Clones? Was such a thing really possible?
When Orochimaru demonstrated their combat abilities, the daimyo's astonishment deepened. The clones exhibited strength and skill at a level that rivaled high-ranking jounin.
The daimyo was no fool. He understood the implications of this technology. With the power Orochimaru had at his disposal, and the potential to create even more clones, he could very well raise an army capable of reshaping the ninja world right here in the Land of Rice Fields.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" the daimyo finally asked, unable to contain his newfound ambition.
Orochimaru smiled calmly. "No need for help. Just stay out of my way, and we won't have any problems."
The daimyo swallowed hard and nodded. "Very well. As long as there's no major issue, I won't interfere."
It was a small price to pay for the potential strength Orochimaru could bring to his country. The daimyo was convinced that keeping Orochimaru's activities secret would be key to the rise of the Land of Rice Fields.
As for the fear of Orochimaru seizing power? The daimyo wasn't too concerned. He had seen enough to know that if Orochimaru wanted to, he could easily kill him and replace him with a clone. There was no need for Orochimaru to seek his approval or play political games.
The daimyo understood this very clearly: as long as he didn't provoke Orochimaru, his position would remain safe.
In this regard, the daimyo's thinking was spot on. Orochimaru had no interest in political power or ruling over the country. He was far too focused on his experiments and goals to care about something as trivial as governing.
Thus, the conversation between them ended successfully, and Orochimaru gained the daimyo's approval to begin building his village.
---
"Wood Release: Four-Pillar House Technique!"
With a loud *boom*, houses rose from the ground in a remote forest deep in the Land of Rice Fields. Orochimaru used the abundant chakra in his body with ease, showing no signs of fatigue.
While the technique was originally developed by Yamato, Orochimaru found it incredibly useful for quickly constructing buildings.
It might be a jutsu designed for something as simple as house-building, but Orochimaru had no shame in using it. In fact, he rather enjoyed its convenience.
*Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!*
The clones Orochimaru had created pressed their hands to the ground, summoning sturdy earthen walls that surrounded the newly built houses.
These clones, all possessing the Sharingan, were skilled in the five elemental releases, so using Earth Release techniques was nothing out of the ordinary.
With the combined efforts of Orochimaru and his nineteen clones, a small but functional ninja village was constructed in less than three days. The houses were not for the clones, of course they would simply use the sleeping pods when not working. These houses were for the future recruits and subordinates Orochimaru planned to bring in.
Next on his agenda was mining for minerals. Once the second batch of clones was ready, Orochimaru would begin the process of refining metals and crafting weapons.
But then, an idea struck him.
"Hmm… maybe I don't need to wait for the second batch of clones," Orochimaru mused to himself.
---
A few days later, word began spreading through the towns and villages of the Land of Rice Fields:
"Looking for miners! One thousand ryo per day!"
"What? A thousand ryo a day?"
"Is this for real?"
"It can't be, right? Who pays that much?"
Ordinary citizens couldn't believe what they were hearing. To put things in perspective, a typical genin-level mission might only pay 5,000 ryo, split between three people. The daily wage for a regular laborer rarely exceeded 600 ryo, which was usually just enough to sustain a family of three.
And now, in the middle of a time of war, someone was offering 1,000 ryo a day, plus food and lodging? It sounded too good to be true.
Still, curiosity got the better of them, and many men traveled to the location mentioned in the notice. They were mostly middle-aged men, hoping to provide for their families.
When they arrived, they found a makeshift office, where Orochimaru sat reviewing documents.
One particularly bold man strode up to Orochimaru's desk and slapped the job notice down with a smirk.
"Hey, are you really paying a thousand ryo a day?" he asked, his tone arrogant, as if daring Orochimaru to prove him wrong.
But before he could say another word, a kunai appeared at his throat. He hadn't even seen who drew the blade, but there it was cold steel pressing against his skin.
"Show some respect to Lord Orochimaru, or I'll end you right here," a cold voice warned.
The man turned slowly, beads of sweat forming on his brow. Standing behind him was one of Orochimaru's clones, his black eyes filled with deadly intent.
"L-Lord Orochimaru?" the man stammered, his arrogance evaporating in an instant.
Under the chilling gaze of the clones, the man's attitude changed completely. He wasn't the only one, many of the other workers had come expecting a trap and were ready to flee at the first sign of danger.
But then, Orochimaru's calm smile and his offer of paying a full day's wages in advance changed everything. Slowly, the crowd began to relax. The money was real, and they hadn't been harmed.
By the end of the day, most of the men had decided to stay.
Their task was simple: transport the minerals that Orochimaru's mining machines extracted and deliver them to a designated location. Of course, this location was temporary, Orochimaru's true base of operations remained hidden from them.
One day passed. Two days. By the third day, the workers realized that not only were they being paid as promised, but they were also being treated well. Orochimaru provided ample food and shelter, and no one had been harmed.
By the end of the week, more and more people arrived, eager to join.
---
Half a month passed, and Orochimaru's name had spread like wildfire throughout the Land of Rice Fields.
"Long live Lord Orochimaru!"
"I'll work for him for the rest of my life!"
"Orochimaru-sama is the savior of our family!"
"The savior? Really?"
"You don't understand—before I came here, we hadn't eaten for two days!"
"Is that true? Orochimaru-sama is truly generous!"
Before long, Orochimaru was regarded as a hero, a savior to the common people of the Land of Rice Fields.
And with this, Orochimaru had easily, and quietly, built a loyal following without shedding a drop of blood.
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