Chapter 177: Reform
That same afternoon, Ōnoki convened a high-level meeting regarding Ishiro's proposal to reform the configuration of Iwagakure's mission squads.
The two elderly advisors also participated in this meeting, but neither spoke a word from beginning to end, merely watching quietly.
After that, the two never participated in high-level meetings again, completely withdrawing from Iwagakure's center of power.
At Ishiro's prompting, Nakata Hajime compiled statistics on ninjas treated by the Medical Department over the years for whom detailed records existed.
The data was astounding. Over seventy percent of patients had their subsequent treatment affected because they didn't receive timely care. Of this seventy percent, a small half died untreated or were left with disabilities, and another small half had their recovery time significantly delayed.
Once these figures were presented, the higher-ups understood what Ishiro intended to do. However, this reform was too extensive, and everyone present at the meeting expressed doubts about whether it could be successfully implemented. But after Ishiro explained the steps of the entire reform plan in detail, the higher-ups fell silent. After a long pause, Ikura broke the quiet.
"Ishiro, according to your plan, the configuration of existing squads will basically remain unchanged. Only newly formed squads in the future will consider assigning one medical ninja per squad?"
Everyone mentally analyzed this and felt that the feasibility of this idea was very high. The fastest graduating class from the Ninja Academy still needed nearly a year to graduate, giving them enough time to train medical ninjas.
As for existing squads learning basic medical knowledge, although there would be resistance, this resistance was within a range the village could accept.
The biggest source of this resistance was still the issue of compensation. Ninjas had limited time. If a squad dispatched one person to learn medical ninjutsu knowledge, the entire squad would be unable to undertake missions.
Many would feel this was a waste of time. After all, time during a ninja's growth process was very precious. Delaying by the time taken for several missions could mean delaying the time to redeem ninjutsu.
However, the money problem was easy to solve. The village had just received a large sum of funds allocated by the Daimyō. After distributing pensions, there was still a substantial surplus.
Finally, the female advisor, Mei, proposed a relatively moderate approach: start with voluntary training, meaning let various ninja squads sign up themselves.
First, train those squads willing to participate. As long as it was well-publicized, it was believed that there would be many willing squads.
By the time this batch of squads finished training, a considerable amount of time would have passed. Then, the results could be communicated to other squads. At that point, some more squads should be willing to accept training.
Once these two batches of people had received training, even if the village didn't force the rest, the impact wouldn't be significant.
Then, whenever a squad experienced a reduction in members and needed to be restructured, the village could specifically form the team according to the new configuration.
Gradually, after a year or half a year, it was estimated that most of Iwagakure's numerous squads would have been thus converted.
Ishiro felt this method was feasible and sound, much more reliable than his idea of achieving it all at once, so he was the first to express his approval.
Ōnoki was very pleased that Ishiro accepted Mei's proposal. Being able to listen to the prudent advice of experienced seniors was also a sign of growth.
Thus, he slammed the table and said, "Alright, this matter will be handled by the Medical Department. The Medical Department will arrange for medical ninjas to train others every day, starting tomorrow."
"As for the training of new students, the Medical Department will prepare teaching materials and add courses to the Ninja Academy's theory classes. Also, arrange for several medical ninjas to serve as temporary teachers at the Ninja Academy to instruct senior students. Ikura, inform the Ninja Academy about this and have them adjust the curriculum."
Finally, Ōnoki looked at Mei and said, "The publicity will be entrusted to Mei. Ensure that every single squad is notified."
"Yes," everyone responded in unison.
After the meeting, a piece of news quickly began to spread among the Iwagakure ninjas. The first half of the message was the report compiled by Nakata Hajime, and the second half was the village's plan for training medical ninjas, along with the registration method.
The result exceeded the higher-ups' expectations. Everyone's enthusiasm for participating in the training was overwhelmingly high. Although there were differing opinions, because registration was voluntary, there were dissenters, but almost no objectors.
The number of ninjas registering immediately filled the schedule from the next day up to six months later.
To avoid delaying everyone's missions as much as possible, Nakata Hajime divided the training into three stages.
The first stage was open to everyone; all they had to do was register. This stage covered the most basic things, with both theory and practice. The course duration was about seven days.
The second stage involved learning relatively advanced content. This stage required passing a test from the first stage to be eligible. The learning duration exceeded twenty days.
The third stage was for ninjas with true medical talent. Their training would not be a quick process; the village would find ways to provide them with long-term training.
The first stage offered two training sessions per day, each lasting half a day. The training covered the most basic professional first aid techniques, including bandaging to stop bleeding, poison treatment, and emergency treatment methods after being hit by various ninjutsu or shuriken.
Ishiro and Ikura, worried that few would sign up, had registered their own squads early on. Both squads were in the first batch to attend the lectures. Moreover, both their squads had all four members register together.
There were many squads like Ishiro's that registered all four members together. Everyone thought that since they couldn't perform missions if one person was missing anyway, it was the same whether one person attended or four people attended.
The village was also happy to see this situation, as the cost of the first stage of training was not high.
Ishiro had some prior knowledge of medical ninjutsu, but it was all very basic theoretical knowledge. Many of the first aid techniques taught in this training course were unknown to Ishiro.
Especially the treatment methods after being hit by various ninjutsu – Ishiro had never even heard of them.
"Indeed, professional matters should be left to professionals."
After the lecture, there was also an answer sheet. According to Nakata Hajime, this test was used to screen whether a ninja had the talent to become a true medical ninja.
A perfect score was 100. Those scoring 60 or above had some talent and a chance to become a medical ninja. Those scoring eighty or ninety, according to Nakata Hajime, could proceed to the next round of testing. Passing that test indicated they had a chance to learn advanced medical ninjutsu like the Mystical Palm Technique.
Ishiro didn't know what the next round of testing specifically entailed because no one from his or Ikura's squad scored 80 or above. Among the eight of them, the highest score surprisingly belonged to Matsutani Shinya, with 73 points. The other children mostly scored below sixty. Ishiro and Ikura both scored in the sixties.
Moreover, according to Nakata Hajime, a Jōnin's 60 points was far less valuable than a Genin's 60 points, because a Jōnin's 60 points included many "empty points" derived from rich experience. Therefore, in terms of medical ninjutsu talent, Ishiro and Ikura were inferior to others.
This puzzled Ishiro greatly. After all, Ishiro had always believed his talents in medical ninjutsu and genjutsu were quite good.
Hearing Ishiro's question, Nakata Hajime smiled and said, "Medical ninjutsu talent is divided into two parts. Theoretical talent is one aspect, and the other is chakra talent. Lord Advisor's chakra talent is definitely top-tier. But chakra talent cannot compensate for a lack of theoretical talent."
Ishiro thought about it and found it reasonable, so he didn't dwell on these things anymore.
After leaving the Medical Department, Ishiro's three disciples and Ikura's three disciples gathered together, chatting and walking ahead. Ishiro and Ikura walked behind.
Watching the six still discussing the first aid knowledge they had just heard, Ikura was slightly lost in thought. After turning a corner, Ikura, having regained his composure, said to Ishiro, "Ishiro, perhaps you are more suited to be Tsuchikage than I am."
Ishiro hadn't noticed Ikura's expression earlier; he was still thinking that his medical ninjutsu talent was average, so how high was his genjutsu talent really?
Hearing Ikura's words, Ishiro couldn't help but laugh. "What, are you giving up on your ideal so quickly? I remember when you first entered the Ninja Academy, your dream was also to become Tsuchikage. Speaking of which, my dream back then wasn't to become Tsuchikage."
Ikura also recalled the situation back then, smiled, and then still said, "You are indeed more suited to be Tsuchikage than I am. These reforms you are carrying out can truly bring benefits to Iwagakure."
"Haha, Ikura, oh Ikura, have you gone foolish too? Am I the Tsuchikage now? I am not the Tsuchikage now, but aren't these reforms still proceeding? As long as the Tsuchikage can accept beneficial advice for the village, what difference does it make if the person giving the advice is the Tsuchikage or not?"
"Er~~" Ikura thought about it and found it reasonable. He said, "That seems to be true. In that case, I still have to compete with you for the position of Fourth Tsuchikage in the future."
Ishiro looked at the six little figures in front of him, thought for a moment, and said, "There's nothing much for us two to compete over. How about this: when the time comes, let our three disciples compete. Whoever's disciples win more, that person becomes Tsuchikage. How about it?"
"Huh?" Ikura didn't expect Ishiro to say this and subconsciously looked at the six little ones ahead who were still discussing whether to find a patient to try out their bandaging methods.
After a moment, Ikura said foolishly, "Alright then. What if it's a tie?"
It was normal for ninja matches to end in a tie. If Ishiro were to fight Ikura now, Ishiro could just fly into the sky, and Ikura would be helpless against him. But in a direct confrontation, Ishiro was no match for Ikura, a quasi-Kage with Kage-level combat power.
Without even thinking, Ishiro said directly, "If it's a tie, of course, I win. After all, I still have three more disciples!"
"Haha, good, then it's settled."
Under the setting sun, the six little ones were still discussing animatedly, completely unaware that their teachers had already arranged such an important task for them.
The matter of medical ninja reform no longer required much of Ishiro's attention. After that, Ishiro didn't attend any more lectures.
The next day, Ishiro went to the place where the Tailed Beasts were guarded.
Iwagakure had two Tailed Beasts: the Four-Tails and the Five-Tails.
Ishiro had never encountered the Four-Tails, named Son Gokū, but he had a relatively deep impression of the Five-Tails.
Back when the Second Great Ninja War had just ended and Ishiro was still a child, he had witnessed the then-rampaging Five-Tails. He had also met the previous Jinchūriki at that time, Katsura.
Furthermore, to subdue the rampaging Five-Tails back then, the Barrier Team had used the Five Elements Seal developed by Ishiro.
In this war, the Four-Tails was not sent to the battlefield. It was the Five-Tails that went to war again, and Ishiro had even had some contact with its current Jinchūriki, Han.
So, the first person Ishiro went to see was indeed Han, the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails.
The village's two Tailed Beasts were not kept together, because if one Tailed Beast lost control, it could still be suppressed. If two went berserk together, then Iwagakure could forget about competing for hegemony in the ninja world.
Han lived in a valley about ten kilometers away from the village. Living with Han were also two Anbu squads. These two Anbu squads were less living with Han and more monitoring the Five-Tails.
Ishiro looked around the valley. Hmm, there were traces of a barrier. The files said this was a barrier capable of weakening giant ninja beasts. He didn't know how useful it was; he would take a closer look later.
After Ishiro entered this valley, the person in charge here immediately stood before Ishiro.
This person was named Tajima. Ishiro had also met him a few days ago. He and another person were specifically responsible for accompanying Han, working in two shifts.
Ishiro nodded to Tajima, and they went to Han's door together.
Han had used the Five-Tails' power last time. At that time, the seal had loosened, and the Five-Tails had appeared very agitated. But after the war, the seal had been reinforced by Ōnoki, and the Five-Tails was now very quiet.
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
♧♧♧
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you8