Konoha Year 57
Ninja Academy Classroom
In the empty classroom, Sakura sat quietly by herself, writing an exam paper about the Will of Fire.
As always, seated before her were Iruka and Mizuki, the two Ninja Academy instructors.
Iruka watched the little girl writing furiously before him with relief, yet he could not help feeling a little wistful as he recalled what she had been like when she first entered the Ninja Academy.
She had been quiet and well-behaved, always staying silently by Ino's side.
She had seemed rather timid. Who would have thought that only two years later, she would already be taking her graduation exam?
Although she still fell somewhat short of Konoha's other genius, Hatake Kakashi, she was already outstanding.
After all, graduating at five, becoming a Chunin at six, and reaching Jonin at twelve—
That sort of record was simply absurd.
In contrast, he had witnessed Haruno Sakura's efforts firsthand. He knew better than anyone just how hard this child worked.
"Teacher Iruka, I'm finished."
Now eight years old, Haruno Sakura handed her test paper to Iruka.
"Oh, good. This paper will be graded before the afternoon exam."
"Sakura, you can rest for a while. Don't worry, the graduation exam won't include physical testing like the promotion exams do."
"It will only test the Three Body Techniques."
Iruka put away the paper and spoke gently.
He had only mentioned it casually. He knew Sakura's abilities better than anyone; the Three Body Techniques posed no difficulty for her at all.
"Yes, I understand, Teacher Iruka."
Watching the pink-haired girl leave the classroom, Iruka did not read the contents of her paper. Instead, he quickly sent it to the Hokage Building.
This was a paper the Hokage had personally requested to grade. There could be no carelessness.
--
What was the Will of Fire?
Where leaves danced, fire burned eternal.
Its light would continue to illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout.
That was Hiruzen Sarutobi's understanding.
But when he frowned at Haruno Sakura's graduation paper in his hands, he felt that Haruno Sakura's Will of Fire was somewhat dangerous.
"Haruno Sakura's Will of Fire"
Fire was the origin of civilization.
Will was the indomitable spirit of mankind.
In the past, First Hokage Hashirama Senju gathered the various ninja clans in the Land of Fire and founded Konoha, seeking to create a village where children would no longer have to go to war.
This was the First Hokage's Will of Fire.
Second Hokage Tobirama Senju used every means at his disposal to protect Konoha, seeking a peaceful and prosperous age for it. Yet the Land of Fire lay at the crossroads of four great powers and possessed abundant water, grasslands, and resources. After the First Hokage's death, war and chaos erupted, and the Second Hokage sacrificed himself for this cause.
Lord Tobirama sacrificed himself to protect Konoha. His death had been worthwhile.
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi took up Konoha's great mantle in a moment of crisis. He ended the Second Shinobi World War, brought peace after the Third Shinobi World War, and during the Nine-Tails' Rampage, he dragged his aged body onward to forcibly extend Konoha's life.
Countless talents had emerged under the Third Hokage, only to fall, leave the village, or defect for various reasons.
Now, the shinobi world had been at peace for nearly ten years. The wounds of war were gradually healing, but a new war could arrive at any time.
Yet Konoha stood at the crossroads of four great powers and would bear the brunt of it.
Worry before Konoha worries; rejoice only after Konoha rejoices.
One must remember to remain vigilant in times of peace.
Plans were made by people, and success was achieved by people.
Make use of the Land of Fire's abundant water, fertile soil, and rich resources.
Most regions of the Land of Wind, Land of Earth, and Land of Lightning consisted of vast deserts, rocky cliffs, and towering mountains.
The three countries lacked food and largely depended on imports from the Land of Birds, Land of Rivers, Land of Grass, and Land of Fire.
Raise grain prices, use merchants to drive down the prices of ironware, medicine, and minerals, and secretly purchase them.
When grain prices soared while iron, medicine, and minerals slumped, the profit-seekers in the three countries would inevitably scramble to buy grain and sell off ironware, medicine, and minerals. Konoha could purchase them then and make preparations.
Within five years, domestic prices in the Land of Wind, Land of Lightning, and Land of Earth would fall into chaos, and they would inevitably turn their spears toward the Land of Fire.
At that time, use a portion of resources to win over one of the three countries and join forces to pressure and suppress the remaining two. (It is recommended to ally with the Land of Earth.)
The Land of Water lay overseas and remained closed off from the outside world. Without information, it would not be discussed for now. Furthermore, deploying troops required crossing the vast sea, which would inevitably be enormously costly. During the Second Shinobi World War, the Land of Water did not participate.
At that time, use resources to win over the Land of Earth. Since the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire formed a pincer position, once the larger situation was established, the Land of Wind and Land of Lightning could be cut off from each other and defeated one by one.
During this period, swiftly win over all the surrounding small countries. Those who refused could be subdued by force.
There would inevitably be wise strategists in the three countries who saw through this plan, but by then it would be too late to change anything.
At that time, the Land of Earth would certainly not tolerate Konoha becoming the sole dominant power and would be highly likely to stab it in the back. Negotiate with the Tsuchikage: join forces to conquer the Land of Wind, with Konoha taking nothing, in exchange for helping Konoha conquer the Land of Lightning.
Promise immense benefits, spread the word widely, and stir up public sentiment. Even if the Tsuchikage wished to betray Konoha, it would receive the news immediately and cut off resource supplies at once. The Land of Earth's military and civilian morale would inevitably descend into chaos, weakening its combat strength.
The Tsuchikage would inevitably sue for peace.
Then join forces with the Land of Earth to conquer the Land of Lightning.
The grand course of the world would all belong to Konoha. The remaining countries could be destroyed with a flick of the hand.
Lacking resources, the Land of Earth could only become the blade beneath the Land of Fire.
Konoha could negotiate with the Land of Earth to use Kannabi Bridge in the Land of Grass as the border and sign a non-aggression treaty.
The world would be divided in two, ruled from opposite sides of the river.
Within a few years, as resources grew increasingly scarce, the Land of Earth could only bow its head and submit.
This was boiling a frog in warm water.
Even if the Land of Earth fought desperately, it could still be easily suppressed.
When one was strong enough, the entire world would become one's friend.
The Will of Fire was about making the whole world into friends, so that Konoha could continue to develop forever.
Make Konoha the strongest existence, and every person of Konoha could be protected.
Graduation Examinee: Haruno Sakura
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Haruno Sakura's graduation paper before him, and even his fingers began to tremble slightly.
Was this really the fucking Will of Fire?
This was clearly a strategic deployment plan from an ambitious schemer brimming with ambition!!!
What kind of decent person's Will of Fire looked like this?!
Was this the Will of Fire of that little pink-haired girl?
Was she black inside if you cut her open?
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed continuously on his cigarette as smoke filled the Hokage's Office.
Haruno Sakura's "Will of Fire" differed from Danzo constantly shouting, "I do it for Konoha." She had produced a solid, practical plan.
She intended to exploit the Land of Fire's abundant resources, beginning with grain prices to suppress the Land of Wind, Land of Earth, and Land of Lightning.
The move was subtle and inconspicuous.
At the very least, when Hiruzen Sarutobi had overseen the Second Shinobi World War and Third Shinobi World War, he had never once considered that war could be fought this way.
This little girl had even thought through how to handle the aftermath if the Land of Earth turned on them...
Using nothing but Konoha's existing records of past wars, she had devised such a complete strategic direction.
At least in Hiruzen Sarutobi's view, he could not find any flaw in it for the time being.
If there were no figures like Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara, this strategic plan had a great chance of success!
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his heart beating a little too fast. As an old man, he was having trouble withstanding the ideas of the young.
Before you continue