chsdbacks Chapter 210 The New Ninja Concept, The Snow Country's Conspiracy
Chapter 210 The New Ninja Concept, The Snow Country's Conspiracy
Chapter 211 The New Ninja Concept, The Snow Country's Conspiracy
Sunlight pierced through the chilly air, melting the snow that had fallen in Star City the previous night.
The Star Ninja Academy's brand-new teaching building reflected a soft glow in the sunlight, and the shouts of children training echoed across the playground, full of vitality.
Kushina Uzumaki, wrapped in an elegant cloak, stood by the window of the wide corridor in the teaching building.
On her ashen face, the cracks characteristic of Edo Tensei seemed to have faded slightly in the sunlight, and her eyes, with their strange gray glow...
Through the glass window, they curiously gazed at a classroom with its door open.
Inside, Menma appeared as a boy, wearing his signature black robe with red trim, and sporting a head of unruly black spiky hair, standing on the podium.
He had just written two powerful characters on the blackboard with chalk: "Ninja".
He turned around and his gaze swept over the dozens of innocent and curious little faces below.
These are the children who enrolled this year. They come from schools all over the Star Kingdom, as well as orphans that Kado has collected from the outside world.
Their eyes held a mixture of bewilderment, anticipation, and traces of their past.
"For today's first lesson," Menma's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly echoed throughout the classroom, "we'll talk about, 'What is a ninja?'"
He paused, then posed the core question: "In your minds, or rather, in your past understanding, what kind of person qualifies as a 'ninja'?"
After a brief silence, the classroom atmosphere became lively.
A boy with dark skin and a stubborn look in his eyes suddenly raised his hand and shouted, "Ninjas are people with great power! Like Lord Shura, they can defeat all enemies and protect us!"
His words were filled with worship and longing for power.
A little girl with pigtails next to her, who looked somewhat timid, instinctively shrank back and whispered cowardly, "I...I've seen ninjas—they...they killed so many people...it was so scary—"
She seemed to recall some bloody scenes, and her face turned slightly pale.
The atmosphere in the classroom became somewhat tense because of her words.
A bespectacled, seemingly quiet boy pushed up his glasses and said thoughtfully, "Ninjas have to carry out missions to protect the village..."
Menma listened quietly without immediately making a judgment.
He waited until the children's voices subsided before slowly speaking: "What you said is all right, and all wrong. That was a ninja in the traditional sense."
He walked to the blackboard and pointed to the word "ninja": "These ninjas in the traditional sense were indeed a group of humans who possessed special powers, namely chakra. They had physiques, speed, and destructive power far exceeding those of ordinary people."
His gaze deepened, sweeping across the youthful faces: "However, for a thousand years, this powerful force has been excessively, even pathologically, focused on slaughter. Ninja clans, ninja villages, nations—for resources, for hatred, for so-called 'protection'—have turned ninjas into tools of war. The mutual annihilation is endless."
He paused, and the classroom fell silent. Even the boy who had just been yearning for power was listening intently.
"This singular pursuit of power, this tradition of knowing only destruction and not construction," Menma's voice carried a profound insight: "is the root of the ninja world's thousand-year-long cycle of chaos and tragedy. It's like a disease that has seeped into the marrow, distorting the essence of ninjas and hindering the development of human society as a whole."
He changed the subject, his tone infused with a new hope: "And what we, the ninjas of the Star Kingdom, must do is break this cycle."
We must become the new ninjas.
"A new ninja?" the children repeated in unison, their eyes filled with curiosity.
"Yes, new ninjas," Menma affirmed. "The training of Star Ninjas is no longer simply about becoming killing machines. We emphasize virtue..."
All-round development in intelligence, physical fitness, and aesthetics!
He held up one finger: "Virtue is understanding why we fight. It's not for some narrow clan or ninja village, but to end the chaos and strife of the entire ninja world and create a peaceful and tranquil world for all humanity. Protecting this hard-won peace is our highest mission."
Next is the second finger: "Wisdom is learning cultural knowledge and understanding the laws governing the world. Besides ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu..."
We also need to study history, geography, mathematics, physics, and so on. Knowledge is the foundation of power, but more importantly, it is the wisdom to use power.
The third finger: "Body, forged through hard work and skillful combat. Strength itself is neither good nor evil, but great strength is an indispensable foundation for protecting what we cherish."
Finally, the fourth finger: "Beauty is cultivating the perception and pursuit of beautiful things. Life shouldn't just be about fighting and missions; art, music, and appreciation of nature can help us maintain balance and warmth in this cruel world."
Menma walked to the window, pointing to the vibrant city skyline under the sunlight and the faintly visible construction sites in the distance: "Do you know where those huge dams, newly reclaimed farmland, and roads that were covered in snow and then cleared clean came from?"
The children all shook their heads.
"That's the masterpiece of Earth Release and Water Release ninjas!" Menma's voice carried a hint of pride: "They no longer use brute force to kill, destroy, or wreak havoc, but instead transform the terrain, build water conservancy projects, stop floods from raging, and turn barren or unusable land into granaries capable of feeding millions!"
He continued with examples: "Fire Release is not just for burning enemy weapons. In the cold winter, it can quickly melt snow, clear transportation routes, and ensure the flow of supplies and personnel; when reclaiming wasteland, it can efficiently burn the land to clear obstacles."
"Lightning Path," his fingers seemed to dance across the lightning, "holds unimaginable potential in the field of precision machining and in the exploration of new energy sources! And Wind Path can aid in transportation and clean the environment."
"There are also applications of Yin Dun in psychological counseling and psychotherapy, and Yang Dun in the fields of life, medicine, agriculture, and materials."
"Every type of chakra and ninjutsu can find a way to serve human survival and prosperity!"
Menma's gaze swept across the classroom of these children who represented the future of the Land of Stars: "Chakra and ninjutsu, they are neither good nor evil in themselves. The key lies in what the person who wields them does with them. The path of the new ninja is to transform this power from a tool of killing..."
Let it become the cornerstone of construction, the shield of protection, and the engine of development! Serving all of humankind!
The children seemed to understand, but their eyes were bright and sparkling.
The image Menma depicted was completely different from the image of ninjas they had heard of before.
It is no longer just a cold task or a bloody battle, but is full of possibilities for creation, protection and hope.
A brand new concept, like a seed, quietly fell into the soil of these young hearts.
Outside the window, Kushina watched all of this quietly.
Mianma's words struck her long-forgotten memories like heavy hammer blows.
She recalled her time at the Konoha Ninja Academy.
What kind of lessons were taught to those children?
Shūriki throwing, the Three Body Technique, chakra refining, and hand seal sequences for various ninjutsu, diagrams of human vital points, tracking and counter-tracking techniques...
There is only one core principle: how to fight more effectively, how to infiltrate more covertly, and how to kill the enemy more accurately.
Even the so-called "Will of Fire" ultimately focused on the specific and exclusive goal of "protecting Konoha".
Menma's concept of "new ninja" transcends the narrow confines of a single country or village.
His gaze was fixed on the well-being of humanity throughout the ninja world, on the root cause of ending chaos.
Chakra is no longer a symbol of killing, but a power to build homes and create the future.
This vision, this redefinition of the essence of power, deeply shocked Kushina, even making her feel a little inferior.
"Alright, that's enough for today, get out of class dismissed." Menma's voice interrupted Kushina's thoughts.
The children stood up in unison, bowed, and walked out of the classroom one after another with expressions of excitement and contemplation.
Mianma was tidying up the lesson plans on the podium.
Just then, a figure appeared at the classroom door.
Vanilla Uzumaki was dressed in a smart ninja outfit, her red hair neatly pinned up at the back of her head.
She wore her usual gentle smile, but a hint of seriousness lingered between her brows.
When she inadvertently glanced at Kushina by the window, she paused noticeably, a hint of surprise and inquiry flashing in her eyes.
This unfamiliar red-haired woman had a unique air about her, with strange markings on her face, but for some reason, she always gave the author a feeling of warmth.
"Lord Shura." Xiangcao composed herself, quickly entered the classroom, and bowed respectfully.
"Vanilla, what's wrong?" Menma put down his lesson plan, keenly noticing her unusual behavior.
Whirlpool Vanilla took a deep breath and spoke slightly quickly: "My lord, there's a problem with the agricultural cooperation project with the Land of Swamps and the Land of Darkness."
Her voice carried a hint of suppressed anger: "According to the previous cooperation agreement, we dispatched our most skilled ninja team, proficient in Earth Release and Water Release, and spent a great deal of time and chakra to transform the vast floodplains and swamps that flow through the two countries in the lower reaches of the Youhe River. The project is progressing smoothly, and nearly 100,000 acres of arable land have been initially cleared. According to the plan, this land will be used to build large-scale cooperative farms to resettle refugees and poor farmers. We will provide the technology and some seeds, and the output will be distributed proportionally."
She paused, her tone turning icy: "But! Just as the initial transformation was completed and the soil fertility test report was released, those noble lords of the Swamp Kingdom and the Dark Kingdom tore up the agreement!"
"Oh?" Mianma's brows furrowed instantly, and a cold glint flashed in his azure eyes.
"They not only unilaterally declared those lands their personal property," Vanilla's voice was filled with disdain, "but they also sent their privately-owned warriors and armies to brutally drive away all the displaced people and poor farmers we had organized to cultivate those lands! They even—used force, injuring quite a few people!"
"What's even more outrageous is that they have now mobilized troops and surrounded our temporary outposts within the borders of both countries! They claim that the Star Ninja are interfering in our internal affairs and demand that our people immediately withdraw from their territory!"
Outside the window, Kushina heard it clearly, and anger appeared on her ashen face.
The behavior of those nobles was nothing short of blatant betrayal and oppression!
Menma remained silent for a few seconds, then gently tapped the lesson plan on the podium with her fingers.
The sunlight fell on his young face, but it brought no warmth whatsoever.
He looked out the window at the bustling Star City, and it seemed as if he could see the newly reborn land downstream of the Youhe River, which had been ravaged by greed.
"Understood." Menma's voice was calm yet carried an undisguised killing intent, causing both Vanilla and Kushina to feel a chill. "Maintain the status quo and ensure the safety of our personnel. Avoid direct conflict for now. I will arrange for someone to handle this matter."
Meanwhile, in the far north, in the capital of the Snow Country, which is covered in ice and snow all year round, the atmosphere is completely different.
Inside the magnificent palace, which exuded a cold, metallic feel, the light was somewhat dim.
The daimyo of the Land of Snow, Fuuka Nutō, wore a suit of chakra armor underneath a heavy, fur-trimmed robe and sat on a throne that symbolized power.
He was tall with a cold face and sharp eyes like an eagle. His fingers tapped unconsciously on the handrail, making a dull "tap-tap" sound.
Below, Fei Xue Chui Yan, who had just finished reporting the defeat and loss of one of her men at the border of the Star Kingdom, knelt on one knee with her head bowed.
Her purple twin tails looked a little messy, and there were a few minor scratches on her chakra armor.
Her voice carried a barely perceptible hint of tension and frustration. "The opposing team is led by Natsumi, a Jonin from Hoshigakure. She's incredibly strong and proficient in a powerful purple chakra dragon ninjutsu. Furthermore, they have a Kekkei Genkai ninja in their group who used a bizarre ability to kill Yukino and summon a blood dragon to repel us—I'm incompetent, Your Highness, please punish me!"
After listening, Feng Hua Nu Tao remained expressionless, simply waving his hand and saying in a low voice, "I understand. Go down. This ordeal wasn't solely your fault."
Feixue Chuiyan, as if granted a pardon, bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, Your Highness!"
He then stood up and quickly left the cold hall.
The palace doors closed, leaving only Feng Hua Nu Tao and a middle-aged man with a goatee and shrewd eyes, dressed in a dark blue civil official's robe.
His chief strategist, Matsutsuki Tonosuke.
"Dennosuke," Fuuka Nutsuo turned his gaze to the strategist, his tone inquiring, "What do you know about this Land of Stars and that Star Ninja Village? What is the true extent of their national strength and the power of their ninja villages?"
Matsukatsuki Dennosuke bowed slightly: "Your Highness, based on a comprehensive analysis of the information relayed back by the merchants and travelers I've met on my trade trips to the Star Country, it seems that since its establishment, the Star Country has focused its main efforts on internal affairs and development."
He paused, then added, "Aside from the large-scale military operation last year to annex the Land of Demons, they haven't engaged in any open, large-scale military expansion against other neighboring countries. Therefore, information regarding the specific combat strength ceiling of the Star Ninja Village, especially its high-level combat power, is extremely limited, and the outside world knows very little about it."
"Oh? Internal affairs?" Feng Hua Nu Tao raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the answer: "A force that started as a rogue ninja, instead of expanding, is focusing on internal affairs?"
"Yes, Your Highness." Matsukatsuki Kyonosuke nodded. "Moreover, their methods of handling domestic affairs are quite peculiar. Recently, they have been actively using the influence of the priestess Miroku in the western part of the ninja world to engage in so-called 'agricultural cooperation' with the Land of Swamps and the Land of Darkness in the west."
"Agricultural cooperation? Ninjas going to farm?" A mocking smile appeared on Feng Hua Nu Tao's lips.
"That's exactly right." Matsukatsuki Kōnosuke explained, "The Star Ninja dispatched a group of ninjas skilled in Earth Release and Water Release to penetrate deep into the vast plains and swamps of the lower reaches of the You River, which flows through the Land of Swamps and the Land of Darkness. Their goal seems to be to transform, dredge, and fill in those barren beaches and dangerous swamps that are prone to flooding and cannot be used, turning them into arable land."
Feng Hua Nu Tao's eyes flickered, as if he had thought of something.
Matsukatsuki Dennosuke continued, "According to the agreement leaked by the nobles of the Land of the Darkness, the nobles and daimyo of both countries originally intended to hand over these 'wastelands,' which they considered worthless, to the Land of the Stars for cooperative reclamation and the establishment of large-scale farms. The Star Ninjas would be responsible for land improvement and providing some technical support, with the output shared. This seemed like a win-win situation."
He then changed the subject, his tone tinged with amusement: "However, just as the land reclamation project began to show results, and those former mudflats and flood-prone areas transformed into fertile land, things changed. The greedy nobles saw the enormous profits and tore up the agreement!"
"Not only did they arrogantly declare these newly acquired lands their personal property, but they also drove away all the refugees and poor farmers that the Star Ninja had organized to cultivate the land, and even used their private armies to suppress them. Now, they have even sent troops to surround the Star Ninja's local encampment, demanding that the Star Ninja withdraw, or else it will be considered an invasion. The conflict between the nobles of the two countries and the Star Ninja has escalated to its peak!"
Feng Hua Nu Tao leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the cold armrests, a shrewd calculation gleaming in his eyes.
After a moment, he slowly spoke: "Kyounosuke, in your opinion, do we have a chance to get involved?"
Matsutsuki Tonosuke seemed to have anticipated his lord's question, and immediately bowed, saying, "Your Highness is wise! This is precisely a golden opportunity for our Snow Country to expand its influence and even gain tangible benefits!"
He analyzed, "Neither the Land of Swamps nor the Land of Darkness have well-organized ninja villages. They only have a few small ninja clans that retain the traditions of the Warring States period, each operating independently with limited and dispersed power. They are simply no match for the Star Ninjas. What they need most right now is strong military support to counter the pressure from the Star Ninjas and protect their 'newly acquired' land."
A sharp glint flashed in Matsukatsuki Tonosuke's eyes: "We can proactively offer military employment to both countries! We, the Snow Ninja, will provide armed protection to help them defend against the 'threat' of the Star Ninja. In this way—"
He held up two fingers: "First, we can legitimately strike at the Star Ninja, test their strengths and weaknesses, and weaken the edge of this emerging force; second, and most importantly, we can take this opportunity to infiltrate our military forces into the Land of Darkness, and even the Land of Swamps."
He lowered his voice, his tone enticing: "Once our Snow Ninjas are stationed here and control the key points, coupled with some 'special operations,' it's entirely possible that at the right time, under the guise of 'protection' or 'maintaining order,' we can gradually incorporate the Land of Darkness, which borders us, into the Land of Snow's territory! Let this perpetually cold land also gain warm and fertile southern soil!"
In Feng Hua Nu Tao's eyes, the fire of ambition burned fiercely, and his deepest desire was to go south and acquire arable land.
Matsutsuki Kōnosuke's plan perfectly aligned with his ambitious blueprint.
"Excellent!" Fuuka Nutō slammed his hand on the armrest and stood up. "Dennosuke, you are in full charge of this matter! I want you to personally go to the Land of Swamps and the Land of Darkness to negotiate military employment matters with their daimyo!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" Matsutsuki Kōnosuke bowed deeply.
"To ensure the smooth progress of the negotiations and to fully demonstrate the strength of our Snow Ninja, Zhenxing Ninja and those wavering nobles," Feng Hua Nutao's gaze turned towards the outside of the hall.
"Have the Wolf Fang Avalanche Jonin and his elite squad accompany you. Tell them that if necessary, they can 'help' our employer 'drive away' those troublesome Star Ninjas. Make a big fuss." The last few words were filled with chilling killing intent.
"Yes!" A glint of light flashed in Matsukatsuki Tonosuke's eyes as he accepted the order and left.
Inside the cold hall, only Feng Hua Nu Tao remained.
He walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, where snowflakes were falling everywhere and an endless snowfield stretched out before him.
The elder brother's geothermal device has yet to find a way to activate, and the whereabouts of Kazeka Koyuki, who may hold the key, are unknown. It will be very difficult for the Snow Country to melt this endless ice and snow.
Now, the actions of the Star Kingdom in annexing the Demon Kingdom have given Fuuka Naoto another possibility.
Head south, annex other countries, and acquire arable land!