Naruto: Starting by Teaching Tsunade Modernization

Metropolis of the Land of Lightning.

Before Haruki and Minato Namikaze arrived with their army, a large group of nobles had already fled the city with their entire households.

But Daimyo Matsuda Ebizo didn't leave.

Not because he possessed any sense of duty to defend his land to the death, but simply because he believed he would survive.

According to past customs, wars between ninja villages were always about resources.

As long as Matsuda Ebizo handed over all the duties and commissions of the Land of Lightning to Konoha Village, everything would remain peaceful.

At least, that's what he—and the major nobles—believed.

Haruki glanced around the grand hall.

Most officials who met his gaze offered him flattering smiles.

The others remained silent.

There was barely any fear.

Haruki couldn't help but feel amused. These people had held power far too long and assumed he, like them, only cared about status and personal gain.

"Shuudian."

He turned to Matsuda Ebizo, who sat at the highest seat in the hall, his expression unreadable.

"We've already subdued the Land of Lightning. What do you think we should do with the daimyo?"

The moment those words left his mouth, Matsuda Ebizo instinctively looked toward Shuudian, his unease flaring.

He knew this young man well.

Just days ago, he had appointed Shuudian—who once served as a household slave—to command the Land of Lightning's army.

He'd hoped this man could change the tides of war, but ultimately, he failed.

Though Matsuda Ebizo was furious—seeing him as just another armchair general—he had at least done Shuudian a favor—raising him from slavery to leadership. No matter what, the man should say something in his defense!

What puzzled him most was why Haruki even asked for his opinion.

Upon hearing the question, Shuudian himself was equally puzzled.

Haruki had spared his life before, clearly valuing him.

Yet this question was no small matter—it directly concerned his own future.

So Shuudian fell silent.

In just a few days, he had come to understand Haruki's nature.

He disliked nobles.

Therefore, he absolutely couldn't side with Matsuda Ebizo.

That was an issue of stance.

Still, Shuudian couldn't fully grasp Haruki's intentions.

After a moment's thought, he answered cautiously, "We can make the daimyo Konoha's puppet."

A wave of shock rippled through the assembled nobles. The atmosphere grew heavy and tense.

Though they had expected something along these lines, for Shuudian to say it outright was unforgivably disrespectful.

Matsuda Ebizo's expression darkened.

Of course, he's just a slave! How dare he speak so disrespectfully!

He bitterly regretted his earlier decision.

But it was too late to take it back now. He could only anxiously watch Haruki, waiting for his response.

Haruki, in fact, found Shuudian quite clever.

Considering his own limitations, Shuudian had suggested something that seemed bold yet was remarkably safe—a move that spared the nobles, save for one exception.

"There are still some people missing," Haruki suddenly changed topics, scanning the nobles hastily gathered before him.

"Some fled the city under cover of night."

Minato oversaw military intelligence. With the Metropolis under strict surveillance, he naturally knew everything.

"Have someone bring them back."

Haruki said offhandedly.

Nobles were wealthy—they couldn't be allowed to flee.

"Understood."

Minato nodded, glancing at the people gathered in the hall. "What should we do with them?"

Matsuda Ebizo and the others felt their hearts constrict. Those with weaker constitutions were already breaking into a cold sweat.

After all, their lives and future fortunes were at stake.

Upon hearing this, Shuudian also lifted his head to look at Haruki. He was usually a master at reading people, but Haruki remained an enigma. That's why he was so curious about what Haruki was thinking.

"Kill them."

Haruki said indifferently.

"What?"

Shuudian was stunned, almost unable to believe his ears.

The rest of the people in the hall were even more shocked.

For a heartbeat, there was only silence.

Then Matsuda Ebizo was the first to rise, his composure shattered as he shouted furiously, "How dare you do something like this?!"

"That's right! You're just a ninja!"

"Without us, you'd have nothing!"

"If you kill us, you'll face opposition from everyone in the Land of Lightning!"

A chorus of voices echoed through the hall.

The room erupted into chaos, like a bustling marketplace.

Faced with death, even the highest nobles would fight for survival like commoners.

Haruki was sure that one more harsh word would send most of them to their knees, pleading.

He smiled faintly, said nothing, and walked out of the hall.

Matsuda Ebizo and the others exchanged confused glances, unsure what his gesture meant.

Only Namikaze Minato, who stayed behind, understood Haruki. He knew Haruki simply didn't want to waste words with the nobles anymore.

Without expression, Minato raised his hand and gave the order: "Kill them."

The Black Armor Army standing beside and behind him hesitated not at all, drawing their blades.

In an instant, the air was thick with the stench of blood.

Shuudian watched the scene unfold in confusion.

Why would Haruki do this?

Wouldn't it be better to leave them alive and control the entire Land of Lightning from behind the scenes?

It would be easier—no need to manage everything personally while still reaping the profits.

Now that the nobles were dead, the upper echelons of the Land of Lightning were completely vacant. How could they manage the ordinary civilians below?

He didn't believe ninja could run a country.

Otherwise, ninja villages wouldn't exist as a system.

Besides, the ninja education system set hard limits on what they could become.

If Haruki had known his thoughts, he would naturally have told him it was because Konoha was different.

Konoha's educational system had now split into two categories: the Ninja Academy and civilian schools.

Built around universities, he had nurtured countless talents over seven years.

After conquering the Land of Fire, Haruki deployed these college graduates across every city to lay the groundwork for a new government.

Of course, adding the Land of Lightning would still leave things lacking.

Time was his biggest shortage.

As Haruki was deep in thought, Minato and Shuudian stepped out from the hall.

He tilted his head slightly, catching the scent of blood in the air.

"Clean this place up," Haruki said casually, waving a hand.

"It's already under control," Minato replied.

"Hmm, bring me the merit logbook from the Black Armor Army."

"Understood."

Minato immediately left and soon returned carrying a large stack of record books.

Haruki picked up the top one and opened it.

The records clearly detailed how many enemies each individual had slain, their battlefield prowess, notable character traits, and fighting styles.

Only the well-trained and disciplined Black Armor Army could produce such thorough documentation.

"I plan to first reappoint officers at every military rank," Haruki mused aloud.

Given the current situation, the Land of Lightning would need to remain largely unchanged for now.

After all, they lacked sufficient manpower for sweeping reforms.

At the very least, they should wait until reforms in the Land of Fire produced noticeable results before addressing the Land of Lightning.

However, changes must be made regarding the army—and it must remain under control.

Haruki had previously promised promotions to those who distinguished themselves in battle, but many of these individuals came from humble backgrounds and lacked formal education.

He wasn't entirely confident about that.

Taking advantage of the period immediately after the war when Konoha's prestige and authority were strongest, he needed to implement focused initiatives.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Haruki softly said, "Minato, based on these records, assign roles based on merit. Once you finalize the list, immediately establish the Konoha Military Academy—mandatory attendance for all."

Minato nodded. This move fit Haruki's usual style—he always prioritized education.

He raised a concern: "Teacher, if we gather everyone into one school, wouldn't that create vacancies across the armies of both countries?"

"Hmm, you've jogged my memory."

Haruki rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Their army had grown to over 300,000 troops—the amalgamated strength of two nations.

Gathering them all in one location would threaten stability.

No, wait. Since they had conquered the Land of Lightning, that nation shouldn't exist anymore.

It was time to choose a new national name.

But this decision couldn't be made unilaterally—it required collective discussion.

Smiling, Haruki said, "Minato, I'll give you another task. I remember you're part of the Executive Department, so why don't you propose this initiative? Divide the Lands of Fire and Lightning into military zones based on population distribution and territorial size. Station two to three army divisions per zone, and establish a military academy there. What do you think?"

Minato blinked in surprise, then his eyes lit up increasingly brighter.

This idea was pure genius.

Compared to the old system where five clans controlled five separate armies, this zoning method cleverly avoided many past issues.

It effectively defined protection zones while preventing any general from accumulating excessive power.

"Alright, I'll draft the relevant proposal," Minato replied.

"Mm, handle the initial preparations first, then submit it promptly and get this done."

Haruki also realized Konoha's existing departments were no longer adequate to govern two nations, but this wasn't the right timing yet. After the war ended, they could reform the system.

Meanwhile, Shuudian listened, looking bewildered.

As someone long residing in the Land of Lightning, he naturally struggled to understand Konoha's system.

Therefore, terms such as "Executive Department" and "proposal" left him puzzled.

However, Haruki's proposed military zoning shocked him greatly.

Such an approach had never crossed anyone's mind before.

So this was why Haruki disliked the current nobility.

Shuudian mused that appointing battle-tested soldiers as officers and educating them through schools was effectively creating a new class of nobles—one far more loyal than the old.

However, the costs and time required for cultivation were relatively high.

He still believed Haruki was of noble birth.

[Shuudian.]

Hearing his name called, he immediately turned to look at Haruki. "Sir, is there anything I can assist you with?"

"If you manage to graduate from the ninja academy, I'll assign you to lead the Army Executive Department."

This was the second time Shuudian had heard about the Executive Department.

He remembered what Haruki had told him before regarding Konoha's Executive Department—Minato was merely a member who had to submit proposals for approval before acting.

As its name implied, the Army Executive Department would hold considerable authority.

Drawing a deep breath, Shuudian vowed loudly, "I will definitely graduate with flying colors!"

Minato smiled upon hearing this.

Though he was the current director himself, he bore no resentment.

Life in the army was certainly decent, but he preferred being a ninja.

Moreover, Tsunade's Hokage term still had two years left.

Becoming Hokage had been his dream since childhood.

Of course, he intended to fight for it.

Serving merely in the army wouldn't qualify him to become Hokage.

According to Konoha's current regulations, there were many prerequisites for becoming Hokage.

Among them, three were the most important.

First was legendary status.

After this war, Minato had already achieved peak reputation, fulfilling this condition.

Second was being a Xia Organization member.

He qualified long ago—he was one of the organization's original members.

Third was having an in-depth understanding of how all departments operated.

That was precisely what he lacked at the moment.

This meant that over the next two years, he must immerse himself in various departments for hands-on experience and learning.

Otherwise, there was no way he could meet the requirements or pass the assessments conducted by the Hokage, the Xia Organization, and the Policy Department.

The selection process hadn't been so strict under the First Hokage.

But starting from the Second Hokage, the process had become far more complex.

Minato Namikaze had once observed Tsunade undergo the evaluation.

Without a comprehensive understanding of Konoha, passing such an exam would have been impossible.

There had been contenders for the Second Hokage position, but all failed.

One of the most crucial reasons—they didn't pass the assessment.

"Not bad. Quite spirited," Haruki remarked.

He gave Shuudian's shoulder a firm pat, then took a sniff of the air—there was no sharp smell of bloodstains.

Then he carried the stack of records back into the main hall.

Instantly forming hand seals, he produced over a dozen clones.

Seeing this, Minato did the same, creating three clones of his own.

His chakra reserves were limited.

Besides, the number of clones was already sufficient.

Only Shuudian looked on with envy.

Man, being a ninja really was convenient.

If he were a ninja, using the Shadow Clone Technique to lead an army would surely greatly increase their chances of victory.

Haruki and Minato completed the tasks at an incredibly efficient pace.

Tens of thousands of new appointments were swiftly arranged.

As the entire army underwent major reshuffling, morale remained high across the entire army.

Because this proved Haruki's earlier promise wasn't just empty words.

The new officers were their former teammates, fellow soldiers, which significantly boosted morale.

If Haruki ordered an immediate attack on the Land of Earth at this moment, they'd likely charge in without hesitation, fully ready for battle.

After the new officers took their positions, the Land of Fire and Land of Lightning together established thirty military zones.

Each zone was led independently by divisions of the Black Armor Army, dispatched to different regions.

Their work was anything but easy.

The first task was to eliminate local bandits and wandering ninja, which required help from Konoha.

Fortunately, Konoha currently had an abundance of ninja and more than enough manpower.

The second task involved investigating the nobles. Any found guilty of long-term exploitation of civilians were to be removed immediately—no need for permission.

As for the new administrators…

Haruki couldn't help but feel a slight headache.

College graduates alone weren't enough.

Although Konoha had established various ordinary universities over the past seven years, the combined size of the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning was just too vast.

That was a good problem to have.

In response, he could only prioritize meeting the needs of the Land of Fire first,

while maintaining the status quo in the Land of Lightning with the army.

But ultimately, relying on the military to govern a nation was merely a temporary solution.

Ever since the Five Great Countries and their respective villages were established, the entire ninja world had operated under specific rules.

But Haruki's arrival shattered that peace.

The Land of Lightning had fallen.

When news of its destruction spread, the daimyos of various countries reacted strongly.

The first to speak out was the Water Daimyo, who condemned Haruki's actions and demanded the Land of Lightning be returned to its daimyo.

Then came the Earth Daimyo.

Within a day, the Land of Water and the Land of Earth had formed an alliance.

The speed at which this happened was dizzying.

Soon after came the Lands of Taki, Snow, Grass, Rivers, and others.

Within just two or three days' time, Haruki had already become the enemy of all nations.

Especially after word spread about his mass purge of the noble class in the Land of Lightning.

Even the usually silent Wind Daimyo voiced criticism, calling the act excessively cruel.

By the time the Third Kazekage and Rasa learned of these events, it was already too late.

Both instantly shared the same thought—should they assassinate their own daimyo to apologize to Haruki?