Threats in the Star System

"Everyone has worked hard over the past year."

Nangō Kumoi brought the topic back on track.

"Recovery is only the first step. Next, Konoha must move forward, develop, grow stronger and more prosperous, and let everyone who has contributed to the village live better lives."

He gestured toward the Nara secretary and Hiruzen Sarutobi beside him.

"To that end, the Nara secretary, Adviser Sarutobi, and I have drafted a five-year industrial development plan. We invited everyone here today for two reasons: to inform you, and to discuss it."

The Nara Clan Leader rose to his feet and unfurled a simple chart scroll. In his calm yet clear voice, he began explaining the two core launch projects: the "Bedrock" infrastructure engineering corps and the "Red Leaf" specialty goods venture.

When he mentioned that project profits would include a "Family Contribution Fund," with secondary dividends distributed according to actual participation, and that the specialty goods project would be jointly developed with clans such as the Akimichi and Nara, sharing brand profits, low murmurs rose in the meeting room.

Profit had always been the most direct language.

Sure enough, a clan leader immediately asked:

"Hokage-sama, the plan is good, but how will participation qualifications and profit-sharing ratios be determined?

Will all clans have equal opportunities?"

Even as he spoke, he was already fighting for a place for his own clan.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took over and answered steadily:

"To launch these projects, we need people, expertise, and distribution channels.

Qualifications and shares will be assessed based on the resources each clan can actually provide and the risks it is willing to bear.

The preliminary proposal is still being drafted, with fairness and efficiency ensured.

At present, these two projects need the most direct and reliable partners."

His gaze swept over the three clans of Ino-Shika-Cho, making his meaning obvious: the first partners would be those who had already demonstrated close alliance ties.

The representatives of several clans revealed reluctant or contemplative expressions.

Nangō Kumoi spoke at the right moment, his voice gentle but carrying unquestionable weight:

"Everyone, this Five-Year Plan is only the beginning. The industries Konoha will develop in the future will certainly not be limited to these two.

Medicine, materials, intelligence applications, and even more unexpected fields all hold potential.

Clans not included among the first partners today have not been excluded.

The village needs all kinds of talent and resources.

As long as you have the ability and the willingness, opportunities to participate will naturally arise in suitable future projects.

In the name of the Hokage, I guarantee that Konoha's development will benefit every clan and individual who sincerely contributes to the village."

That "temporary guarantee" soothed most of them.

At least the door had not been completely shut.

Many people began privately calculating what "resources" their own clans could offer.

The Uchiha Clan continued listening in silence. They had little interest in things like "construction projects" and "selling specialty goods," and even looked down on them somewhat.

As long as the Police Force they firmly controlled remained untouched, other clans could fight over such "mundane affairs" as they pleased.

Seeing no major objections to the main direction, Nangō Kumoi announced the final decisions:

"First, the Konoha Engineering Corps will officially be established. Adviser Hiruzen Sarutobi will oversee it, and it will be responsible for undertaking internal and external infrastructure projects. The detailed regulations will be announced after the meeting."

"Second, Root will be established under Shimura Danzō's leadership, focusing on intelligence, handling hidden threats, and special security. It will answer directly to the Hokage."

At the mention of Danzō, many expressions shifted slightly, but no one spoke in opposition.

"Third, the Hokage Office will establish a special coordination team led by Nara Shikato. It will be responsible for liaising with the cooperating clans on specific project terms and ensuring the plan is implemented."

By the time the meeting ended, dusk had arrived.

Everyone left the meeting room with different thoughts on their minds.

The leaders of the three Ino-Shika-Cho clans naturally gathered together and discussed matters in low voices;

Representatives of several mid-sized clans talked as they walked, considering how their own clans might get involved;

The Uchiha group, meanwhile, departed with blank expressions and hurried steps, as if everything just discussed had nothing to do with them.

Nangō Kumoi stood before the window, looking down at Konoha's streets as their lights began to shine.

The annual meeting had gone smoothly enough. The Five-Year Plan had taken its first step from paper into reality, and the necessary threads had been laid.

"Senior Brother Hiruzen."

Hiruzen Sarutobi beside him spoke.

"I'll have to trouble you from here on.

The Engineering Corps needs to quickly assemble a team capable of fighting hard battles and secure its first project."

"Yes."

"As for Senior Brother Danzo..."

Nangō Kumoi pondered for a moment.

"I'll personally discuss Root's framework and its initial mission directives with him.

Some matters in the shadows also need a dedicated place to handle them."

Night fell, and the lights of the Hokage Building shone as brightly as day.

Konoha's New Year quietly approached amid busyness and planning, while one corner of a vast blueprint for the future slowly unfolded.

What roles the various factions would play within it, and how much profit they would gain, time would provide the answer.

At least tonight, many people would fall asleep with countless thoughts about the New Year and the "new projects."

In a dim space beyond the present world, enormous boulders and giant trees floated in the void.

Two pale-skinned figures dressed in white, both possessing Byakugan, stood frowning at an expanse of emptiness.

One had hair as pale as ashes after a fire and was named Ash Style;

The other had faint vine-like markings at the corners of his eyes and was named Vine Style.

"Tch, we lost them."

Ash Style put away a dimming orb of light in his hand, his tone irritated.

"Those two energy signatures from another world completely vanished after entering the turbulent flow.

What a pity. Such pure, high-grade 'active energy specimens.'"

Vine Style shook his head as well, his Byakugan scanning the boundless void.

"Spacetime turbulence is the most troublesome. The coordinates are all scrambled.

All we know now is that they drifted roughly toward this star region. There's no way to determine which Incubator they fell into.

With a sea of stars this vast, how are we supposed to find them?"

The two fell silent for a moment, both somewhat helpless.

Searching for a needle in the ocean like this was simply too inefficient.

Just as they were preparing to set the matter aside temporarily and handle other business first, Vine Style suddenly made a sound of surprise.

A simple compass-like device on his wrist had a needle at its center that had originally been spinning wildly, aimed at Ray and Gaia.

But at its edge, an inconspicuous point of light faintly illuminated. It emitted fluctuations that bore a fundamental similarity to the energy previously recorded by the device, though its outward manifestation was entirely different.

"Ash Style, look at this."

Vine Style showed him the compass and pointed at the speck of light.

"It's not the two we're looking for, but... doesn't the 'texture' of its energy feel somewhat similar?

It's very faint and concealed, as though something is heavily wrapping it up, but it's definitely there."

"Should we go take a look?"

Vine Style asked, "Maybe it's a fragment scattered when those two energies escaped, or... perhaps it's something native to this planet that possesses similar potential?

At the very least, it's a definite target."

"Let's go."

Ash Style made the decision without hesitation, a hint of interest appearing on his face.

"We have no leads on those two primary targets for now anyway. We'll treat this as picking up a stray find while on patrol.

Let's see what this signal is. Maybe it'll have some value."

Having reached an agreement, the two figures gradually faded, like ink dissolving into water. They leisurely headed toward the rough direction of the newly marked weak signal on the compass—Ninja World Planet.

To them, it was more like a mildly curious investigative stroll prompted by an accidental discovery during a break from work.