It's an Honor, and I Feel the Same

The Third Shinobi World War had just ended, leaving more than a decade before the Fourth Shinobi War.

Lu Zeming decided to use two five-year plans to give his village enough strength to face the Fourth Shinobi War.

It would be difficult, but Lu Zeming had confidence.

Kumi Uzumaki was reading Lu Zeming's first Five-Year Plan.

First, he would rely on the Super Soldier Pill business to complete his initial capital accumulation. The Land of Grass was about to fall into chaos, and the Super Soldier Pill business would only become more profitable. Making his first fortune would be easy;

Second, he would expand his sphere of influence, accept refugees from all over, train Ninja, and increase their strength;

Before the end of the first five-year period, the village would reach a population of ten thousand and possess enough strength to influence the situation within the Land of Grass.

This was only Lu Zeming's initial draft, yet Kumi Uzumaki was already deeply stirred as she read it.

"It can be done! It definitely can! We can absolutely do it!"

Kumi Uzumaki clutched the "Outline of the Five-Year Development Plan" tightly and spun around excitedly, wishing she could implement its policies immediately.

Lu Zeming smiled and reassured her, "There's no rush, no rush. Meals have to be eaten one bite at a time, and roads have to be traveled one step at a time. Every policy needs people's support. Only when everyone understands its benefits can we all unite as one, and only then can we get things done!"

After seeing Kumi Uzumaki off, Lu Zeming impatiently began cultivating.

He told others to take things slowly, but he himself dared not slow down. Strength was the only true support!

Without strength, no matter whether it was a five-year plan or ten-year development plan, everything would merely be making wedding clothes for someone else.

Lu Zeming entered his Inner Landscape and discovered that the area around his Dantian was already filled with a vortex of Spirit Energy. Absorbing more Spirit Energy would have little effect.

"Does this count as complete Qi Refining? Next should be Foundation Establishment, but I have no cultivation technique to guide me. How am I supposed to establish my foundation?"

Lu Zeming thought of his clumsy method and controlled the Inner Landscape figure to experiment.

He had the Inner Landscape figure simulate compressing the Spiritual Power in its Dantian. Before it could compress it more than a few times, the Inner Landscape figure's Dantian exploded.

Lu Zeming watched with lingering fear, but he still did not give up and continued trying.

It could not simply be compressed. The impurities also had to be removed. After another round of manipulation, the Inner Landscape figure's Dantian exploded again.

The Spiritual Power was in the Dantian, but it was not confined to the Dantian. He also had to ensure that, during the compression process, the Spiritual Power continued circulating normally through the meridians.

This time, Lu Zeming compressed the Spiritual Power in an orderly fashion according to its circulation route. The Spirit Energy within the Inner Landscape figure clearly showed signs of solidifying.

Before Lu Zeming could breathe a sigh of relief, the Inner Landscape figure's meridians exploded again.

Lu Zeming scratched his head in distress. There really was no solution in the short term.

Helpless, Lu Zeming had to set aside improving his Spiritual Power for the time being and focus on studying the Ninjutsu he had brought back.

He had brought back a great many Ninjutsu this time, more than a hundred in all. There were some techniques from each of the five elements: wind, fire, lightning, earth, and water.

Considering the characteristics of his Wood Spiritual Root, Lu Zeming focused mainly on Earth Release and Water Release.

Water Release: Water Shockwave and Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet were both B-rank Ninjutsu. Lu Zeming mastered them after studying for only a little over half an hour.

But Lu Zeming was still somewhat dissatisfied. He turned his attention to the Land of Grass's unique Ninjutsu.

Grass Release: Thorn Whip could rapidly generate a thorny whip beneath an enemy's feet, lashing, binding, or strangling them;

Grass Release: Spore Mist released a large number of spores that blocked the enemy's vision while paralyzing their nerves.

Grass Release: Grass Blade Razor fired a large number of serrated leaves, cutting through a wide area around the enemy.

All of them involved subtle control and transformation of the Water and Earth Chakra attributes.

They were extremely difficult for ordinary people to learn, but for Lu Zeming, who possessed a Wood Spiritual Root by birth, they were actually easier. They also felt more natural in his hands.

Most surprising of all, there was also a Summoning Scroll among the scrolls he had brought back this time.

According to the scroll, the summoned creature was an intelligent vine: Ghost Lantern Vine!

The Ghost Lantern Vine was incredibly tough. Blades and axes could barely harm it, and it was not afraid of flames. By nature, it also possessed the ability to suppress Chakra.

In battle, once an enemy Ninja was entangled by the Ghost Lantern Vine, they would almost certainly die. Its weaknesses were equally obvious.

The Ghost Lantern Vine was volatile and quick-tempered, making it prone to devouring its master. Its movement speed was also a glaring shortcoming.

Lu Zeming stroked his chin, feeling that the Ghost Lantern Vine's characteristics seemed strangely familiar.

"Ghost Lantern Vine, Hozuki Castle—could these two have some connection?"

For Lu Zeming at present, there was little point in dwelling on that question.

He would soon have his own Summoning Beast, so Lu Zeming was naturally delighted.

Before he knew it, autumn had arrived. A few yellow leaves had begun to appear in the forest. The morning sun streamed through the dense woods, forming scattered patches of light that echoed the yellow leaves, creating a beauty all their own.

The villagers had all stopped working that morning and gathered in the open space at the center of the village.

Though there were only a hundred or so of them, men and women, young and old, every one of them wore a solemn expression.

This was the first general assembly of the entire village, and everyone was waiting for that figure.

Lu Zeming, dressed in plain clothes, strode before the crowd.

Without any visible movement from him, a platform rose from the ground.

Standing at the center of the platform, Lu Zeming instantly became the focus of everyone's attention.

Standing in the distance, the three Jonin assigned to protect Kusakai Naoto were stunned by Lu Zeming's display!

"Was that Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall?"

"An Earth Flow Wall of more than thirty cubic meters. With that power, it should be at Jonin level."

"That's not the key. Did you see him form Hand Seals?"

"He can release Ninjutsu without forming Hand Seals? That's impossible!"

"But the facts are right before us!"

"Kusakage said he was terrifying. At first, I didn't really believe it, but now he really does seem terrifying!"

"He's only seven!"

"He really is terrifying!"

The fifteen young Ninja at the very front of the crowd straightened even more when they saw this scene!

This was their leader, the guide who illuminated the path ahead of them. Though he was still young, his youth was an advantage in the face of his strength.

Feeling everyone's gaze upon him, Lu Zeming drew a deep breath and began his speech.

"You are scum, dogshit, weeds growing by the roadside—anyone can come along and step on you!"

Lu Zeming's opening words left everyone present dumbfounded. What was going on? Why was he insulting them? Though what he said was true, being cursed at in public still made them grumble inwardly.

Before the crowd could begin whispering among themselves, Lu Zeming changed tack.

"It's an honor. I'm the same!"

The crowd could not help bursting into laughter when they heard this.

Lu Zeming raised a hand to quiet them and continued his speech.

"Some of you know me, while others don't. So let me introduce myself first. My name is Lu Zeming. I'm an orphan. Why am I an orphan? Because when the noble lord came to collect taxes, my parents refused to hand over the last bit of grain in our home that could have kept us alive!"

"They were killed. They were killed for refusing to hand over the grain. They lost their lives, and we still lost the grain. That's how my sister and I became orphans!"

By this point, some people below had begun secretly wiping away their tears. They were not moved by pity—it was because they had experienced the same thing themselves.

"The noble lord said the grain was being collected to build a bridge. I went to see it. The bridge is still broken in the same place, and no one repaired it at all. Where did the money go? It all went into their pockets, so they could enjoy themselves and indulge in women!"

"Why? Why are we all human, yet they can recklessly seize our money and grain and squander it however they please? Some say that as common people, paying grain is our duty. But what about them? They collect taxes from us year after year and live off our support. Shouldn't they fulfill their duty to protect us?"

"And what happened? Where were they when bandits came? Where were they when Ninja came?"

"I had no other way to survive, so I seized this stronghold and brought all the villagers here. It's a good place. There's food and drink. But have you thought about it? Has our situation really changed?"

"Now that we occupy this stronghold, we are bandits in the eyes of the officials and soldiers, and prey in the eyes of the Ninja. But we know that we are people—people with joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, just like them. We want to live. We want to live with dignity. What's wrong with that?"