Starting with rogue ninjas, building the insect kingdom.

Chapter 70: The Two Kill Orders Against Aburame Shisei

The Hokage, holding the roster, read it aloud with practiced ease:

"Sakumo Hatake, Captain-Commander of the Anbu and Assistant to the Hokage; Orochimaru, tentatively appointed as the Jonin Team Leader; Tsunade, Head of the Medical Department and Director of Konoha Hospital; Jiraiya, Head of the Intelligence Department..."

With each order issued, the process of rewarding merit came to an end.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the assembled Jonin and asked, "So, the next key question I'd like to ask you all is, what aspects of Konoha can be reformed? Please offer your opinions."

Konoha reform?

Hiruzen Sarutobi is indeed preparing to delegate authority.

Is he getting old, or is he planning to step down?

Everyone harbored suspicions.

Subsequently, suggestions were put forward one after another, but after a lot of discussion, they were all rejected.

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent throughout, simply sitting there quietly, watching the numerous Jonin bicker among themselves.

Konoha is still the same Konoha, because they have long been a unified whole. A slight change in one part affects the whole, and even a small improvement will lead to a redistribution of benefits.

How could anyone be willing to give away the power they've acquired, as well as their share of the family's resources?

Just then, Tsunade slammed her hand on the table. Instantly, everyone's eyes were drawn to her.

Tsunade stood up and said, "Colleagues, my suggestion is to formally establish a comprehensive wartime and standby medical ninja system in Konoha. Every standard ninja squad should be equipped with a systematically trained medical ninja. This will greatly reduce casualties during missions and preserve Konoha's manpower."

As soon as he finished speaking, a low murmur arose in the conference room, mostly expressing opposition.

"Lady Tsunade, the idea is good, but training a qualified medical ninja is a long and costly process that requires a lot of resources and teachers."

Although Koharu was also a medical ninja, she had to make plans for Konoha's budget.

Becoming a medical ninja requires a huge initial investment, but the return on investment is quite long. It's much more practical to simply buy medical supplies.

Mitomon Homura chimed in, "Yes, the war just ended, and the village's finances are tight. Where would they find so much money?"

"All squads are equipped with this? Do squads on patrol and reconnaissance D-level missions also need it? That's such a waste."

"Isn't the existing medical teams and hospital system sufficient? Shouldn't we focus on strengthening them?"

……

Subsequently, a series of dissenting voices were raised, but ultimately they all boiled down to one word: money.

Tsunade frowned, her fists clenching slightly under the table. She had anticipated the resistance, but hearing it with her own ears still made her feel powerless and frustrated.

Just then, a gentle voice rang out: "I support Lady Tsunade's proposal."

Everyone looked over and saw Kato Dan.

He turned to Tsunade, a smile playing on his lips, his demeanor gentle and warm: "I was severely injured during a mission, and it was a medical ninja who saved me. I know better than anyone what it means for a team to have a reliable medical partner."

That wasn't a waste; it was the most basic guarantee for the lives of our comrades, and an investment in the future of Konoha. Financial difficulties can be overcome, but human lives, once lost, can never be regained.

His personal experience prompted some of his opponents to reflect on their own actions. Tsunade never imagined that someone would stand against the majority and support her at this critical moment.

She glanced at Kato Dan, who returned her an encouraging smile. Their eyes met briefly in the air, and Tsunade felt her anxiety inexplicably soothed somewhat.

Hiruzen Sarutobi observed everything, then tapped the table and said, "Tsunade's suggestion is well-thought-out. Her words are also heartfelt. However, your concerns are also realistic."

"A full rollout is indeed beyond our current capabilities. How about we take a compromise: first, we'll pilot the deployment of dedicated medical ninjas in elite teams, especially those undertaking high-risk missions. At the same time, we'll expand basic medical ninjutsu education, encouraging more talented children to choose this path. What do you think?"

After a moment's thought, everyone nodded in agreement.

They all knew that this had little to do with the medical system itself; the main reason was that the proposal came from Tsunade, who was part of the Hokage faction.

The third generation has already spoken, and they must be content, especially Xiaochun, who must relinquish a portion of her own interests.

Although Tsunade felt that the steps were too small, she understood that this was the best result she could achieve at the moment, so she could only nod and accept it.

"Very well, since you have no other topics to discuss, then the next issue is the rogue ninja..."

The moment this topic was brought up, everyone fell silent again.

Everyone knows that in the latter half of this war, Konoha experienced a horrifying number of ninja defections.

"Since Shisei Aburame's successful defection two years ago, there have been more than ten other Chunin and Special Jonin attempting to defect. Although most of them have been captured by the Anbu or border guards, the impact has been extremely negative, shaking the foundation of the village."

They must be resolutely dealt with to serve as a warning to others. Regarding the pursuit and annihilation of these rogue ninja, especially… any possible escapees and hidden forces, who do you recommend?

The meeting room fell silent.

Hunting down rogue ninjas, especially those involving dangerous figures like Shisei Aburame, is no easy task; the rewards are great, but the risks are extremely high.

At this moment, a figure stood up. It was Baiyun Mountain. Compared to two years ago, his face had matured a lot, and the naivety of the past was gone; he now looked like a young man.

"Lord Hokage, the defection of Aburame Shisei can be traced back to my dereliction of duty years ago. For the past two years, I have been training day and night, never daring to forget this shame for a single moment. If you trust me, I am willing to accept the order to investigate the matter of the rogue ninja. Just give me a small team skilled in tracking and intelligence analysis, and I will do my utmost to find the hidden threat and bring him to justice to atone for my past sins."

He stood ramrod straight, head bowed. Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't respond immediately, but instead turned his gaze to Orochimaru in the shadows: "Orochimaru, do you know where Jiraiya is?"

When his teacher asked again, Orochimaru didn't hide anything: "Jiraiya? He's still in the Land of Rain, teaching his few interesting orphan disciples."

"What? They're still on enemy territory even after the war ended?"

"Teaching orphans from the Land of Rain? That's incredibly irresponsible."

"What exactly is Jiraiya-sama thinking?"

A murmur of discontent immediately broke out in the conference room.

Most ninjas were shocked by Jiraiya's thought process and couldn't understand his actions of aiding the enemy.

If you really like those orphans, it wouldn't be wrong to bring them back to Konoha and raise them. Why do you have to leave them in another country to teach them?

How is this any different from defection?