CH - 02 Talent Acquisition

'Talent Acquisition' Strategy. This policy holds significant importance within the Grass Land Development plan that was proposed following his assumption of office...

In essence, as the name suggests, it involves the acquisition and recruitment of exceptionally gifted individuals from various sources. The ultimate objective is to secure prodigious talents, individuals possessing extraordinary bloodline limits, those with unique physiques, practitioners of Forbidden or Secret ninjutsu—anything that could prove beneficial to the advancement of the Grass Country.

Naturally, this concept was borrowed from Kumogakure Village, one of the renowned Five Great Nations. It wasn't Kusagakure Village that originated this idea, they simply learned from Kumogakure's expertise.

Despite Kusagakure's reputation for mimicking ninjutsu, selling information, and the lingering doubt regarding their loyalty, it remained a village known for its underlying benevolence, kindness, and tolerance. In comparison to the Five Great Nations, the people of Kusagakure were not inherently wicked. Just take a moment to consider the actions of Kumogakure Village.

Recently, rumors circulated that Kumo ninjas infiltrated Konoha with intentions of abducting Jinchūriki. Additionally, there were even instances of Kumo ninjas attempting to steal the Hyuga bloodline in the original future timeline, although both attempts ended in failure. These both incidents leave no doubt that they indeed made the effort over the years and will made effort even in the future hence the Hyuga incident in the original timeline.

Furthermore, Akihiko suspects that in the original future during the Fourth Ninja World War, a cloud ninja capable of employing Magnetic Style emerged. It's quite possible that this individual hails from Sunagakure, a bloodline from the Land of Sand. After all, it is common knowledge that Magnetic Style is a specialty of Sunagakure Village. In the realm of talent acquisition, Kumogakure Village undoubtedly holds a prominent position within the ninja world.

Perhaps it is due to these very actions that, following the Fourth World War in the original future, they realized their overall village power ought to have surpassed Konoha, the supposedly strongest ninja village. Konoha's claim to fame was sustained largely due to the contributions of two remarkable individuals. Without them, the title of strongest ninja village would have undoubtedly been seized by the Hidden Cloud Village.

Naturally, in the context of national development, one cannot label this as mere thievery. It is more aptly described as a form of mutually beneficial growth.

"Yes, mutual development," Akihiko silently reiterated to himself, his expression brimming with a sense of self-righteousness.

As Akihiko listened to Mubuki's nefarious plan, he found himself reluctantly nodding in agreement. Mubuki was indeed cunning. However, Akihiko couldn't help but recall that it was his intervention that prevented Mubuki from taking his plan even further. During the Current Second World war, Mubuki had intended to divulge the situation in Konoha to the upper echelons of Iwagakure, prompting them to join the war and declare hostilities against Konoha . The Grass Ninja Village would then sit back, reaping the benefits from all three factions involved. Unsurprisingly, the other Grass ninjas readily approved of this scheme.

Little did they consider the repercussions. If Iwagakure were to discover the truth, they would be pleased at first. Under the guise of taking care of their junior village, they would persuade the Grass Ninja Village to join them in declaring war on Konoha by suggesting, "Let's make our fortune together." , thrusting the Land of Grass to the forefront. These individuals failed to contemplate the consequences of such an action.

Therefore, it was imperative to avoid excessive trickery. They needed to remember that the Grass Country had suffered destruction in the past due to their overzealous cunning during the First Great Ninja War.

After wiping away the imaginary sweat from his brow, Akihiko declared that he would send Mubuki to negotiate with Konoha and the Land of Rain. They also discussed the plans for Grass Land development. Education undoubtedly played a crucial role. The ethics and morals of the people needed correction.

Furthermore, they had to rebuild the confidence of the inhabitants of the Land of Grass, ensuring they did not perceive weakness as a given. They needed to strive for strength and not solely rely on opportunism and guidance to survive amidst the turmoil caused by the larger nations.

The second plan involved establishing a robust medical system in Kusagakure. Some time ago, rumors circulated about Princess Tsunade proposing to enhance and develop the medical system in Konohagakure. It seemed that the war had yielded positive results, significantly reducing the casualty rate in Konohagakure. This would provide a momentary respite for Konohagakure, which had been under immense pressure due to the ongoing conflict.

As for the Village Hidden in the Grass, Akihiko glanced at Kana, who stood by his side. Sensing his gaze, Kana responded with a gentle smile. Even during the onset of the Third Great Ninja War, they had relied on Kana and Karin's unique abilities. However, the Grass ninjas were treated as mere tools, and Akihiko couldn't help but feel an urge to reprimand them. Civilized education, without a doubt, needed careful attention.

Certainly, the Grass Ninja Village had its own medical ninjas, but their skills were limited, and they showed little interest in improvement. On the other hand, the Ryūzu clan possessed numerous medical ninjas, whose proficiency might not have matched that of the five great ninja villages, but they possessed their own forbidden Jutsu.

One such technique was the "Dragon Life Reincarnation Jutsu," which allowed one to share their life force at the cost of their own. Comparatively speaking, it was on par with the "Life Reincarnation" created by the advisor Chiyo of the Sand Hidden Ninja Village.

The subsequent discussion focused on the defense, infrastructure, and the welfare of the people in the Land of Grass. Akihiko, with a serious expression, spoke, "I can sense that the Second Great Ninja War is nearing its end! We will undoubtedly enter a period of lasting peace. However, we must remain vigilant, as war can erupt again at any moment!"

He gazed at everyone, emphasizing, "To prevent the devastation of our country once more, we must swiftly grow stronger! Remember, true power lies within ninjutsu, and honor resides in the bladeless weapon."

"Within the next five years, we must stand firm and establish a solid foundation for everything! If you require financial support, come to me. No matter the amount, I will provide it. Your task is to excel in your respective responsibilities!"

Upon concluding his speech, everyone nodded in agreement. Despite their questionable morals, they too desired the growth and strength of the Grass Ninja Village. Perhaps... if the village attained sufficient power, such shameless acts would no longer be necessary. After clarifying all the details, Akihiko exited the conference room accompanied by Kana, who appeared hesitant to voice something.

...….

Once they had distanced themselves, Kana hesitated for a moment before leaning in towards Akihiko and whispering in his ear, her left hand covering one side of her mouth to ensure privacy. "Akihiko-sama," she began softly, "we're running out of money."

Being an assistant, Kana was well aware of the financial situation in the Grass Country. However, Akihiko had already made a promise, and it would be embarrassing for him if she were to reveal it in front of everyone.

As her words reached his ears, Akihiko raised his eyebrows slightly, realizing that indeed the Land of Grass was facing financial difficulties. Being a small country, even after its recent reconstruction, there were limited requests and tasks available, resulting in an imbalance between income and expenses.

Previously, they had relied on covertly gathering intelligence from the three major countries to generate some income for the ninja village. Despite their precarious situation, the Grass Country's ninjas displayed remarkable abilities. Even amidst the sieges by two powerful nations, they managed to acquire secret information and, at times, had the audacity to sell it to ninjas from enemy villages. Considering the near annihilation they had faced, such actions were not entirely surprising, albeit self-destructive.

"Forget it! I'll figure out the financial situation," Akihiko sighed and waved his hand, realizing that boasting about providing money had been a mistake. If he had known the reality sooner, he would have approached the matter differently. He should have simply conveyed, "The Land of Grass is currently undergoing a challenging period, but our ultimate goal remains unchanged. I believe that together, we can overcome these difficulties, find solutions, and uphold the spirit of the Land of Grass – fearlessness in the face of hardship and poverty."

Encountering obstacles in the early stages of establishing a country was to be expected. However, Kana hesitated before asking, "Akihiko-sama, is there anything I can do to help?"

"It's alright. It's not a big deal," Akihiko shook his head and replied earnestly, "I will manage. It's just a matter of sacrificing a few more nights of sleep. The shortage of money in Kusagakure won't affect the construction significantly at this stage."

With the conversation coming to a close, Akihiko seemed to no longer wish to dwell on these troublesome matters. He took Kana for a stroll around Kusagakure, observing the ongoing reconstruction efforts. The Land of Grass still appeared barren, and its inhabitants were fully immersed in the task of rebuilding.

As Akihiko reveled in the sight of everyone's diligent efforts for the development of the country, an old man suddenly came running towards him. The guards around him tried to stop the old man, but Akihiko waved his hand, signaling that it was alright.

Just by looking at the old man's age, one could imagine that he had likely experienced the dark times of the Land of Grass, including its destruction and subsequent reconstruction.

It was true that after the devastation of the Grass Country, chaos ensued, with numerous warlords and bandits fighting over small territories. It was quite ridiculous to think that everyone had become a lord of their own small land. Incidentally, Mubuki and others had also been part of that chaotic period.

However, thanks to Akihiko, it all came to an end. As a result, he gained significant fame in the Land of Grass, almost comparable to the fame of the First Hokage when he first established Konohagakure. Although the title of "God of Shinobi" later resounded throughout the Shinobi Continent, at least in Kusagakure, Akihiko was already a well-known figure.

Akihiko smiled at the old man and asked, "What's the matter?" The old man appeared slightly embarrassed, scratching his head. He glanced at the people around him, who were hesitant to approach, and finally mustered his courage. He called out to a middle-aged, rough-looking man who was holding a child not far away and gestured for him to come closer.

With a hint of fear, the rough-looking man approached and spoke in a trembling voice, "Kusano-sama, I... I... my father wants you to give a name to this child." He stuttered through his request and added, "If it's not possible, we'll leave. Sorry for disturbing you." Lowering his head, he seemed ready to depart.

"Wait a minute!" Akihiko interrupted him and looked at the baby in the man's arms, a cute and tender little newborn. "Just born recently?" he inquired.

"Yes, yes, yes!" the man replied excitedly. "He was born on the second day after Kusano-sama returned. I am so grateful to Kusano-sama, and I..."

"No need to explain further, I understand," Akihiko interrupted, smiling. He asked the man, "What's your name?"

"Kainu."

Akihiko looked momentarily speechless. He had almost forgotten that common people in the Land of Grass didn't have surnames and often had unique names. After a brief silence, he glanced at the child and made up his mind.

"The reconstruction of the Land of Grass represents a new country, a new atmosphere! Everything from the past will start anew. The Grass Country will enter a period of rapid development, and your child was born on the second day of the new country. So..."

"Let's call him Kuniyoshi," Akihiko declared decisively. "It signifies 'to establish a nation,' representing the reconstruction of the Grass Country and heralding a new era for us all." As his words sank in, everyone present was stunned and filled with praise. They exclaimed, "What a magnificent name! As expected of our leader!"

The rough-looking man was overjoyed and grateful. He bowed deeply to Akihiko and said, "Thank you very much, Kusano-sama! I will make sure that Kuniyoshi lives up to his name and becomes a proud citizen of the Grass Country."

Akihiko smiled and patted the man's shoulder, "I'm sure he will, and I look forward to seeing him grow up and contribute to the development of our country."

The old man who had brought the man and the baby to Akihiko stepped forward and said, "Kusano-sama, I have been living in this country for a long time, and I have never seen a leader who cares so much about his people like you. Your dedication to the development of the Grass Country is truly admirable."

Akihiko bowed respectfully to the old man, "Thank you for your kind words, but I'm just doing what I can for my country and its people. It's my duty as a leader."

The old man nodded and said, "I know, but not all leaders take their duty as seriously as you do. Your leadership and vision have brought hope and prosperity to the Grass Country, and I have no doubt that it will continue to thrive under your guidance."

Akihiko smiled and said, "Thank you for your faith in me. I will continue to work hard for the Grass Country and its people."