When someone's value was great enough, those who benefited stopped caring so much about certain truths.
Just as Yubi had expected, the leadership headed by the Third Kazekage still wanted to verify his self-created ninjutsu.
Yet his current project to "overhaul" Sunagakure's hospital had drawn no scrutiny from them whatsoever.
To them, it seemed that any incredible feat Yubi performed as a genius... was acceptable.
Because... the entire village had benefited from his abilities.
Inside the Kazekage's office building, the leadership held its regular meeting, with the conflict with Konoha still the main topic of discussion.
"Iwagakure and Kirigakure... are very eager to see us and Konoha tear each other apart right now. They've never stopped their little moves against our Land of Wind," someone in the room said.
"But compared to us, the side under greater pressure... is definitely Konoha."
Ebizo voiced his agreement.
The other four great shinobi villages besides Konoha all wanted to see the Shinobi World's balance of power reshaped... hoping that Konoha, which had always stood unrivaled in the Shinobi World, would one day fall into decline.
"Still, credit where it's due. The village hospital's standards have improved tremendously, helping us quickly heal quite a few shinobi... or ease their conditions, allowing them to return to the battlefield. That has largely resolved the village's manpower shortage. Honestly, if not for Yubi... given the current situation, I'm afraid we couldn't have kept fighting Konoha for very long." A smile appeared on Chiyo's wrinkled face. "It's not just the medical staff's abilities... those unusual medical tools and instruments opened even my eyes... I really don't know how that little fellow came up with them."
"Well, he's a genius... they always defy belief."
Another member of the leadership also smiled.
Yubi's emergence had given the leadership hope.
All this time, throughout the Shinobi World... Konoha had been the cradle that produced geniuses in abundance.
And now... their own Sunagakure seemed to be showing signs of that as well...
"Under Yubi's instruction and training, the hospital's restructuring project is already on track, and things will only get better... As long as Yubi is here, I believe that in the future, our Sunagakure's medical shinobi and standard of treatment may stand in a class of their own among the Five Great Shinobi Villages."
Chiyo spoke.
As a medical shinobi herself, her words naturally carried considerable weight, and she had every right to speak on the matter.
Chiyo knew all too well how difficult it was for the village to train a medical shinobi... Even Konoha would not have very many medical shinobi in total.
And once a war engulfing the entire Shinobi World broke out, injuries and illnesses among the village's shinobi would increase exponentially. Relying on a limited number of medical shinobi to deal with that situation... would be extremely difficult.
Yet Yubi could train elite medical personnel who were not medical shinobi, a role ordinary people could take on even without chakra or the ability to become shinobi.
Moreover, these ordinary medical personnel had inherited advanced medical concepts and treatment plans from Yubi, along with many unusual medical instruments and tools... Given time, as long as they worked at this for a few years, Sunagakure would possess very substantial medical resources.
Not only could this reduce the village's losses in fighting strength... it would also provide a powerful capacity for support from the rear during a war on the scale of the entire Shinobi World.
It would give Sunagakure the confidence to challenge other villages on the battlefield.
Everyone present was an old hand, and they all understood what Chiyo meant.
"I've already had my subordinates write up Yubi's medical knowledge and some of his notes, in preparation for offering classes at the Ninja Academy... to train people in this field. That way, the village's next generation will also be able to serve more effectively... Even if they can't become outstanding shinobi, they can still join the Medical Division. In the future, our Sunagakure will have more and more medical shinobi, and they will become a mainstay on the battlefield," Chiyo continued.
"Finally, it's our turn... haha."
Someone laughed.
From what he said, he had clearly been jealous of Konoha for a long time.
"I heard Yubi has been treating people in the village on his own initiative lately?"
"Yes... there's nothing the hospital needs him to do for now... Yubi feels deeply attached to our village. That little fellow is kindhearted and very sensible," Chiyo said.
"It seems Yubi wasn't joking when he said his talent for medicine surpassed his talent as a puppeteer."
The Third Kazekage looked at her. "Where exactly do you think his limits lie?"
At that, Chiyo narrowed her eyes and remained silent.
After all, she was the only top-class medical shinobi present... the only one who could discern some hints of Yubi's capabilities.
"Even I'm half his student now... All I can say is that he has an innate, extraordinary capacity for understanding and analyzing medicine. The abilities he's shown so far probably don't represent the full extent of his medical expertise... It's just that, given the hospital's current poor facilities and the staff's limited abilities, this is all he can do in the short term. If he teaches too much, the Medical Division's people won't be able to absorb it, and the hospital can't meet some of his requirements either... So, for now, we're only developing things to this level," Chiyo replied after some consideration.
The others could not gauge the depth of Yubi's abilities, but that was no problem for Chiyo.
"Huh?"
Someone at the table was startled.
That still wasn't the full extent of that kid's abilities?
"Did you think I was joking just now? You and I both know how cruel and dark a Shinobi World War is... If he is to support the village so it doesn't become mired in a war on that scale, the abilities he's shown so far are nowhere near enough. Besides, the Medical Division also needs time to grow and keep pace with him... To achieve the future I described, we'll need at least four or five years, and the village will have to invest heavily in this area."
Chiyo spoke softly.
"..."
At the word "invest," everyone fell silent.
They knew perfectly well what condition the village was in now.
There was no money to spare.
Overall, the environment in their Land of Wind was relatively poor among the Five Great Nations... Resources were scarce, and its economy was weak even in ordinary trade and commerce.
Simply put, they had no channels for generating money.
Otherwise, they would not have used this Shinobi World War as an opportunity to attack Konoha and set their sights on the Land of Fire's territory.
"How are things on the front in the Land of Fire?"
The atmosphere grew somewhat oppressive for a moment, and the Third Kazekage changed the subject.
"Thanks to the Medical Division's help, the number of personnel our village has sent to the front has steadily increased over the past few months. Overall, they've performed well in battle... We haven't let those people from Konoha gain much of an advantage."
"That's good."
The Third Kazekage nodded, interlacing his fingers. "Konoha is also being attacked on multiple fronts right now... Things in their village are far from promising. Even if they're better off than we are, that won't last much longer... This war will come down to who can hold out until the end."
The Third Kazekage's words had an air of finality.
The implication was that they would fight Konoha to the bitter end.
With the war having reached this point, whichever side backed down first would be showing weakness... telling outsiders that their village was on its last legs.
Leaving aside how many grudges and mortal feuds the two sides had accumulated in all the fighting so far... the leadership was not merely acting on emotion. For one thing, having paid such a heavy price, they would find it hard to accept gaining nothing in the end.
For another... if Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, backed down first... it would no longer be just an issue between them and Konoha.
Losing face was one aspect; it might also invite other powers to kick them while they were down.
After all, people always picked on the easiest target.
For the other great shinobi villages, even if they could not wipe out Sunagakure and leave the Land of Wind unable to recover... it would still be a deal with everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Especially... Iwagakure in the Land of Earth.
The big fish ate the little fish. The Shinobi World... was a real-life food chain.