Chapter 336: Blazing Sun Will!
Chapter 336: Blazing Sun Will!
At the border of the River Country, a large group of small figures clad in tattered clothing followed behind a convoy bearing the banner of the 'United Fruit and Produce Chamber'. They moved slowly, gradually reaching this area.
Around the convoy, two small teams of Sand Ninja were present, only halting their steps after the convoy crossed the border.
Two squad leaders simultaneously turned their gaze towards the opposite side of the border, focusing on the female ninja in a backless spandex suit.
Ye Cang!
She had come today specifically to welcome these people.
And this was just the beginning. As long as she confirmed that what she promised was genuine, she could bring in as many people as needed.
Unless the Hidden Sand Village explicitly prohibited it, she could continuously recruit more.
As for the two squad leaders, they were none other than Juan and Makki.
Both were former Sand Ninja geniuses who had faced Dong Ping during the Chuunin Exams.
Now, as Jonin, it was natural for them to lead separate squads, each with their own class of freshly graduated students.
This method was the most effective for nurturing strong ninja, and those graduates without a mentor were better off being honest workhorses.
While there were self-made strong ninja in the ninja world, their numbers were far fewer than a tenth of those nurtured through this team-leading approach.
Most of the current strong ninja in the ninja world had grown through this method.
Otherwise, did they expect everyone to copy the Second Hokage's work?
The reforms of the major ninja villages often imitated the Second Hokage, and the stress caused by this was enough to make the Second Hokage's hair fall out.
As for the Third Hokage?
Sorry, there wasn't much to copy from him. It's not like they could emulate his transformation from a hero to a bear.
"Teacher!"
Juan muttered to herself but showed no intention of approaching for recognition.
As a Jonin and a rare Sealing-Type Talent, her status in the Sand Village was no less than that of the elite Jonin. She was a renowned figure among the Sand Village's younger generation and was aware of the situation.
However, even though she knew her teacher was not at fault, she couldn't call him 'teacher' anymore, nor could she get too close to him.
She was a Sand Ninja, after all. It's true that one's background determines one's actions.
Despite her dissatisfaction with her teacher joining the Heavenly Fortress, she could understand his decision.
There was no way for her teacher to return to the village, given the opposition from his own faction towards Lo Sha.
Even though Juan knew the truth, she kept it to herself, not revealing a word.
Makki, on the other hand, had a complicated expression.
As a core member of Lo Sha's faction, he was more aware of the situation and didn't know what to say.
Their mission was to gather intelligence and monitor Juan, a former teammate, to prevent her from interacting with Ye Cang.
Although they had given up on Ye Cang, it didn't mean the Sand Ninja had abandoned her faction.
Instead, the Sand Village's upper echelons had issued orders to prohibit those individuals from contacting Ye Cang.
While the order wasn't explicitly stated, the message was clear: face suppression on all fronts if they dared to interact with her.
On the other side, Ye Cang withdrew her gaze, not looking at her disciple.
Their bond was deep.
But precisely because of this, she knew she couldn't have any association with him.
He still had family and friends, and she couldn't let him suffer the same fate as herself, not even allowing him to enter the Land of Wind, let alone return to the Hidden Sand Village.
Although the Sand Village's upper echelons hadn't stated this explicitly, they had blocked her when she tried to personally recruit people.
Forcing her way through wasn't difficult, but it would mean a direct confrontation.
So, she had retreated and assigned the task to the United Fruit and Produce Chamber, waiting at the border.
Now, the first batch of recruits had finally arrived.
Upon closer inspection, it was evident that these individuals were all relatively young, around seven to ten years old.
The reason for choosing this age group was no coincidence.
Those noticed by the Sand Ninja had already entered the Ninja Academy, so these recruits either had lesser talent than the academy students, lacked a background, or possessed talents unrelated to Puppet Technique and Wind Style.
Ninjas aren't just about fighting; they also navigate the complexities of human relationships.
Even in the Leaf Village, this is the case. Otherwise, how did Douhei and the chubby Taka Honda become Jonin teachers?
And it's even more so in the Sand Village, where the Shinzo Clan and the higher-ups are even more corrupt.
It's only because of Chiyada and Eizo that the school has spots for commoners. Otherwise, they wouldn't stand a chance.
So, there are definitely no shortage of talents in the Hidden Sand Village. If they were to seriously cultivate these talents, there's a chance to 'overtake on the bend'.
After all, when talent and potential are relatively equal, the resources of the Heavenly Fortress can make a significant difference.
These resources aren't just material goods; they also include ninjutsu and knowledge.
In the Sand Village, only Wind Style and Puppet Technique talents receive proper cultivation. Other talents in any field are neglected.
But in the Heavenly Fortress, it's a different story.
With the knowledge and foundation gained from Root, the Uchiha, the Rain Ninja, and the Phantom Lantern Clan, they can cultivate talents in various fields.
Talents that couldn't flourish in the Sand Village might find their potential unlocked under their guidance.
"Let's go!"
Ye Cang's gaze swept over the nearly one hundred youths before she turned and left.
Although she came to pick them up, it didn't mean she had to personally handle everything. Her mere presence was enough.
This way, it could be shown that these youths were joining her faction, not the Heavenly Fortress, even if it was a form of self-deception. At least, it gave the Sand Village a face-saving measure.
Even if someone used this to cause trouble, the village's higher-ups would still have a way to refute it.
The carriages that had been waiting quickly loaded the youths who were already at their limits.
And someone handed Ye Cang a record.
Indeed, the assessment had already begun during the journey to bring these youths.
Willpower!
An incredibly important attribute for ninjas.
Chakra is a combination of willpower and cellular energy, giving rise to superhuman strength.
Hence, the concept of 'Ninjutsu Path' exists in the ninja world.
The stronger your Ninjutsu Path, the stronger your willpower or spirit, and consequently, the more powerful you become.
This is the truth behind the saying, 'Turning evil increases strength tenfold, while redemption weakens it by three parts.'
In the ninja world, madness can truly create miracles.
This explains why members of the Uchiha Clan become so powerful after their minds go astray.
Take Obito as an example; he's been on the losing end because his mind is still sound.
If he were to slaughter his village like Madara, he'd surely unlock the Mangekyou Sharingan in no time and become immensely powerful.
With astonishing perseverance, even if one lacks talent in other areas, they can excel in Taijutsu.
And in Taijutsu, perseverance is the most crucial factor.
In other words, with sufficient perseverance, even those with limited talent can become decent ninjas, and there's always Douhei as a backup.
This is a privilege unique to the Heavenly Fortress.
"Hmm?"
Ye Cang's gaze fixed on the record book.
She noticed one person's perseverance far surpassing that of the others.
"Ziluo...?"
After muttering to herself, she said nothing more and continued leading the group towards the Starting Point Orphanage.
Wait!
At this point, the Starting Point Orphanage wasn't just a single building; it had expanded to include several branch campuses.
One of these locations was specifically designated for Ye Cang's use.
After all, these youths were technically 'Sand Ninjas', so they couldn't mix with the locals.
In addition to the location, the Heavenly Fortress also provided dozens of 'teachers'.
Among them were academic teachers, ninjutsu instructors, and even custom-made 'internal textbooks' from the Heavenly Fortress.
There wasn't a single mention of the Will of Fire within those pages.
Instead, it subtly instilled the Blazing Sun Will, and with prolonged exposure and the evidence before their eyes, they would inevitably take on the shape of Douhei.
The Will of Fire is all talk and no action, so the major clans in the Leaf Village don't buy into it.
But the Blazing Sun Will not only talks the talk but walks the walk, making its brainwashing even more effective.
This will has also united the hearts of their faction.
(End of Chapter)
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