Changes

Kumogakure had grown increasingly prosperous over the past few years. Rows upon rows of shops lined the streets, and with the village built against the mountains, many places were shrouded in clouds and mist. The ninjas also leaped about instead of properly walking, making Dada feel as though he had entered some cultivation sect.

Dada and Hirohiko strolled leisurely through the streets of Kumogakure.

"By the way, you're only attending the Ninja Academy for one year, right? I was wondering whether I should apply to graduate early too, so we could go together."

Dada froze for a moment before saying awkwardly, "Actually, I previously suggested to the village that Ninja Academy students shouldn't be allowed to graduate early..."

Hirohiko said, "...Why are we the same age, yet I feel like we aren't even from the same world? Still, there really isn't much left for me to learn at the Ninja Academy. It feels like my progress has slowed..."

Dada patted Uzumaki Hirohiko on the back. "I heard that an Advanced School for ninjas will be established soon. It'll be a level above the Ninja Academy, aimed specifically at outstanding Academy students and graduated ninjas under twenty. The program lasts three years, and it allows students to work while studying."

Hirohiko's face turned green. "I don't want to spend another three years in school. I want to start taking missions early and help support the family."

"Don't worry. I heard the Advanced School will have a scholarship system. Outstanding students can receive generous rewards—more than enough to cover the tuition."

Hirohiko swallowed. That sounded promising.

After coming to Kumogakure four years ago, Hirohiko's family had seen a tremendous improvement in their living conditions compared to their days in the Land of Grass. Even so, the pressure remained immense. Only his father earned money to support the household, and a family with two children still had to accept the village's assistance from time to time. That was why Hirohiko had always wanted to graduate early and start earning money.

Now that he had heard the new Advanced School offered scholarships and allowed students to work while studying, how could he possibly resist the temptation?

The reforms Kumogakure had made to the Ninja Academy system over the past few years showed that the village still wanted to focus on peaceful development. The Fire Stealing Plan and what they had obtained from Konohagakure three years ago were enough to let Kumogakure develop steadily for quite some time. In the original story, even Konohagakure, with its deep foundations, had possessed that confidence. Unfortunately, whenever such a period came around, the other ninja villages would gang up on it.

But if Kumogakure wanted to continue developing peacefully, it had to ensure it would not be dragged passively into the coming wars. If it joined one, it had to be at the right moment.

Over the past few years, the Special Strategy Department led by Dada had shouldered increasingly heavy responsibilities, and its authority had also continued to grow.

It was not as though no one had raised objections. After all, Dada's age was right there for everyone to see. But with each excellent answer sheet he handed in, each prediction successfully proven true, and the Yotsuki Clan's full support, Dada's secret position as an "advisor" gradually became firmly established.

"Want to come to my house for dinner?" Hirohiko invited him.

"I haven't visited Auntie in a long time. I've been missing her cooking. I'll let Mother know first."

There was nothing else to do today anyway. He could not spend all his time buried in work.

As Dada spoke, he formed several hand seals and slapped his palm against the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"

A small emerald-green snake appeared amid a puff of smoke.

Dada first handed the little snake a written note and had it coil its tail around it. Then he took out an egg he always carried in his pocket. Under the snake's expectant gaze, he cracked it open and poured the yolk and egg white into its mouth.

"Go. Deliver it to Mother."

The little emerald snake smacked its lips several times in satisfaction, then vanished into the white mist.

Dada had left summoning formations at his home, the Raikage Building, and other locations to facilitate the delivery of messages.

Yes, Dada had already signed Ryuchi Cave's Summoning Contract.

After Kumogakure and Konohagakure had fought three years ago, the compensation list had included Summoning Contracts from the Three Great Sage Lands, and they had been extremely valuable.

Shikkotsu Forest, however, was tied to the First Hokage, so it was naturally impossible to obtain. Konohagakure would never agree to it.

As for Jiraiya and Orochimaru, they had encountered their own opportunities and successfully formed their contracts.

During the subsequent transfer of compensation, Kumogakure secretly influenced Konohagakure's representatives' judgment under Dada's instructions. Then, taking advantage of the fact that Orochimaru had only recently signed his contract—he might not even have met the White Snake Sage himself—and that Hiruzen Sarutobi had not paid it much attention, they finally secured one contract slot during the final stage of compensation.

Konohagakure's ninja clans had also contributed greatly. Many clans believed that the trouble caused by the Hokage faction should naturally be borne by the Hokage faction. Using Orochimaru's or Jiraiya's Summoning Contract to offset part of the compensation, sparing the village—the ninja clans—from losses, was only reasonable.

Originally, Dada had not intended to try it himself. At the time, he did not even possess Chakra under normal circumstances and could not use the Summoning Jutsu at all. He had hoped his father, the Third Raikage, or Yotsuki Ki could attempt the contract instead. Yet neither his father nor Yotsuki Ki succeeded. More accurately, everyone present tried, and none of them succeeded. They had all stood around the Contract Scroll, staring at it in a daze.

Orochimaru, who had delivered the Contract Scroll, said there was nothing he could do. Ryuchi Cave had its own rules. Failure simply meant that Ryuchi Cave had rejected the person's contract.

There was more than a little mockery in his attitude.

With no other choice, Dada ate two Soldier Pills and used the duration of their effects to attempt the contract. To everyone's surprise, he succeeded immediately and wrote his name onto the Contract Scroll.

Once his name had been written, even Orochimaru could not erase Dada's name.

Afterward, Orochimaru returned to Konohagakure with the Contract Scroll and the final prisoner, Shimura Danzō, marking the complete end of the conflict between the Lands of Lightning-Fire and Fire. All compensation had been delivered in full.

For Dada, however, he had only begun using the Summoning Jutsu within the past month. Previously, he had no Chakra under normal circumstances. He could hardly eat Soldier Pills every day.

He had tried several times to use Reverse Summoning to visit Ryuchi Cave, but all of them had failed. The message brought by the little snakes was, "The time has not yet come." Thus, Dada had never been there. And because he had not visited Ryuchi Cave, he could not form special contracts with the more powerful snakes. He could only summon small ones to deliver messages and run errands.

Still, these little snakes, whose intelligence was equivalent to that of four- or five-year-old human children, were quite adorable. Dada often carried eggs and pigeon eggs with him to reward them, treating them like pets.

He could never bring himself to release the little snakes and send them to fight enemies.

When they arrived at Uzumaki Hirohiko's home, Dada greeted Hirohiko's mother. She welcomed him warmly. On a personal level, Dada was Hirohiko's best friend; on a broader level, he was also the Raikage's son. Of course she was enthusiastic.

Dada and Hirohiko diligently entered the kitchen to help. Hirohiko had some cooking skills and could assist his mother, while Dada could not cook. However, with his extraordinary bodily control, he chopped vegetables with astonishing speed and precision.

Dinner gradually came together. Hirohiko's father would be working late, so only Uzumaki Kagari was missing.

When Uzumaki Kagari returned, she clearly had not expected to see Dada at home. Standing in the entryway with a bruised and swollen face, she did not know whether to move forward or retreat.

"Kagari, what happened to you?" Hirohiko's mother hurriedly asked.

"Um... I fell on the way home... Why is Brother Dada here? Oh, Brother, why didn't you tell me earlier? I barely dressed up today, and I came back late too. Isn't this wasting such a rare chance to spend time with Brother Dada?" Kagari said in a fluster.

Hirohiko stared at his sister with dead-fish eyes. "We're ninjas. Do you think we can't tell whether you fell or not...? You were beaten up, weren't you?"

"Ahaha... ahahaha..." Kagari grew even more embarrassed.

"You didn't go and take part in some kind of duel again—"

Before Hirohiko could finish, Kagari cut him off, and the two began wrestling into a tangled heap.

Dada smiled from the side, hoping Kumogakure's peaceful days could last a little longer.

That was also why he kept himself so busy.