Base

Sanitary Liangju Town was the smallest and least developed of the three towns owned by the Hyuga Clan.

Ever since the Hyuga Clan had moved away, the town had grown increasingly desolate. Its population was less than a third of what it had been at its peak, and many houses had been abandoned.

Hizashi Hyuga emerged from the old clan grounds and saw more than a dozen Shadow Clones of Minato Namikaze within his field of vision, along with many farmers.

He now knew that these farmers were from the Autumn Fruit Organization.

It was said that Shadow Clones could assist with training, their memories returning to the original body. Yet Minato was using Shadow Clones for labor.

"Keep it up! Tomorrow, the Bumper Guard General and the New Grand Minister will be coming to inspect the Autumn Fruit Organization!

Build a sanitary Liangju Town, create a healthy and harmonious city!

Hand in hand, eradicate filth and disorder; heart to heart, build a sanitary town!"

At Minato's shouts, the people of the Autumn Fruit Organization worked even harder.

Some had fled Hawk Guard Road with their families, while others had settled their families down before coming alone. At last, they had a place where they could put down roots.

The Bumper Guard General Manor, the Hyuga Clan, and Minato Namikaze had jointly decided to allow the people of the Autumn Fruit Organization to settle in Liangju Town.

Hizashi Hyuga also joined in the work, clearing weeds from the roadside.

He had never worked this hard to welcome even the Hokage when he was in Konoha, yet now he had to prepare to welcome the Bumper Guard General.

Uzumaki Shinmen held up two weeds and asked Minato beside him, "Big Brother Minato, why do we have to respect a noble so much? Can't we assassinate the Bumper Guard General, then have you become a noble instead?"

Minato hurriedly said, "Look at you, Shinmen, spouting nonsense again. If I want to become a noble, I need the daimyo and the other nobles to approve and accept me. I also need land.

Unless there is absolutely no other choice, don't take the extreme path.

Do more work and sweat more. It'll be good for your nerves."

Guangxia came to Minato's side. The relocation had been burning through money far too quickly, and he had worried that the money Lord Minato had provided would not be enough for dozens of people. Seeing Lord Minato these past few days had finally put his mind at ease.

"Guangxia, how are things going with the original residents?"

"Very well. Our arrival has made this town and the surrounding villages lively again. Lord Minato, most of the money you gave us was used to purchase property and land."

"Have all the preparations for welcoming the Bumper Guard General been completed?"

"Everything is ready, Lord Minato."

The next day, as agreed, the Bumper Guard General and his party arrived outside Liangju Town.

Minato had arrived outside the town early and went up to greet them.

"Please, everyone from the General Manor, get out of the carriages. We have specially prepared ox carts to carry you the rest of the way!"

The Bumper Guard General wore formal robes and looked every bit the dignified noble.

Looking at the ox cart before him, he sighed. "What a huge ox!"

Minato said proudly, "These are farm oxen we cultivated using Chakra.

These cattle were modified from ordinary adult water buffalo, and the results have been quite good. Their bodies are now one and a half times their original size.

We also have new breeds that we began cultivating with Chakra from the breeding and embryo stages. By then, they may be two or even three times the size of ordinary water buffalo.

When it comes to farm work, one will be worth several ordinary ones. They are stronger and live longer as well!"

"So remarkable?"

Once the Bumper Guard General got onto the ox cart, it no longer seemed remarkable at all.

The yellow ox was indeed larger, but the height of the wheels was fixed, so...

Seeing the enormous water buffalo beside him, he silently thought that although Minato Namikaze was bizarre, the draft cattle he had produced were truly sturdy.

He asked, "Wouldn't reclaiming wasteland become much easier with water buffalo or yellow oxen like these?"

Fertile land already had owners. Wasteland was unclaimed, but turning it into fertile land required years of fertilizing and cultivation, consuming tremendous manpower and resources. For most farming households, reclaiming wasteland simply was not worth the cost.

As nobles, they all hoped to make use of every inch of land they owned. Ideally, all of it could be cultivated.

"Of course," Minato said. "With this kind of draft cattle, along with the D-Rank agricultural ninjutsu we have developed, reclaiming wasteland is much easier than before."

The Bumper Guard General nodded repeatedly. He was more than happy to see wasteland reclaimed.

The convoy arrived beside the fields.

It was now the autumn harvest season, and the people of the Autumn Fruit Organization put on a demonstration of Wind Style harvesting ninjutsu for the Bumper Guard General.

"Bumper Guard General, this is a D-Rank ninjutsu I developed: Wind Style: Secret Technique of Making Wheat Fall Like Soft, Flowing Hair in the Wind!"

A farmer formed two hand seals and unleashed a wind blade.

This was a simplified version of the Wind Cutter Technique, creating a wind blade with limited power.

The wind blade could not cut through tree trunks, but it was just enough to sever stalks.

After one D-Rank Ninjutsu, a large patch of wheat fell, saving the effort of harvesting it with sickles.

Bumper Guard General nodded repeatedly. This ninjutsu was quite interesting as well.

After touring Liangju Town, Bumper Guard General was full of praise for the Autumn Fruit Organization and even instructed the original residents of Liangju Town to get along well with the Autumn Fruit Organization.

Bumper Guard General also encouraged the Autumn Fruit Organization to use ninjutsu to reclaim land and harvest crops in other towns.

In the carriage on the way back, Grand Minister Nan Song spoke in a somewhat worried tone:

"Bumper Guard General, ever since Konoha Village was established, most ninjas have been constrained within Konoha Village. The Land of Fire only has a few wandering ninjas left, so it has become stable.

Could this policy of indulging farmers in learning ninjutsu pose hidden dangers?"

Bumper Guard General smiled and said:

"I'm only nine years old now. I have plenty of time to deal with any hidden dangers and accidents that may arise. At least, I have no reason to fear ninjutsu of this level.

A few days ago, Root ninjas came to me and said they were willing to repair our relationship. It seems Konoha is not as united internally as it appears.

The ninja world war only ended a year ago. Under the profound influence of war, Konoha can still maintain its cohesion.

But after many years of peace, once Konoha's people forget the unity and cooperation war requires, they'll start fighting among themselves. Ninja conflicts are far bloodier than the struggles between us nobles.

When that time comes, one Minato Namikaze won't be able to cause much trouble."

Minato stood at the town gate and watched Bumper Guard General's party depart. Bumper Guard General could not possibly stay in a small town.

Host Chakra: 285 units.

As the Host's reforms continued, the Autumn Fruit Organization gained a relatively stable base for development. Over the coming years, the Autumn Fruit Organization would continue spreading its influence.

Reward: 50 units of Host Chakra. The Host's Chakra has become 335 units.

After the Chunin Exams, Minato's Chakra had been 275 units. A month or two had passed, so it had naturally increased by 10 units.

Now that he had found a base for the Autumn Fruit Organization, he had been rewarded another 50 units. Not a bad haul.

The average Chakra level of an elite jonin was 500 units. He had taken another step closer to becoming an elite jonin.

Once he had the strength of an elite jonin, he could begin looking into some S-Rank Ninjutsu.