Time passed.
The standoff on the border has lasted for a full year and a half, and ninjas from both sides have long since entered the vassal states.
But no one dared to make the first move.
The patrolling ninjas from Iwagakure walked on the scorching sand, their relaxed expressions scanning the Sunagakure camp in the distance.
They've gotten used to this kind of life.
"Another peaceful day."
A Iwagakure complained Chunin a low voice, "If this keeps up, are we here to fight or to sunbathe?"
"Shut up," the captain interrupted him coldly. "The orders are: remain vigilant, but do not provoke anyone."
"Fine!" The Iwagakure Ninja curled his lip. "Anyway, I get paid and can do nothing, it's a pretty good job."
The same dialogue was playing out at a border outpost in Konoha.
"The medical team has delivered another batch of antidote." A Konoha Ninja placed the box heavily on the ground. "They said it's to protect against Sunagakure's poison puppets."
"Ha, I think it's the higher-ups wasting resources," another person scoffed. "So much time has passed, and there hasn't even been a decent conflict."
"What else can we do? You don't really want war, do you? I don't!"
"Um, I don't want to either... Oh well, let's leave it at that!"
A certain outpost on the border of Sunagakure.
The young ninja couldn't help but ask, "Captain, what are we waiting for? If we keep dragging this out, what will happen to our families in the village?"
The captain was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Who knows... Maybe they're waiting for an opportunity to make Konoha and Iwagakure the first move."
The young ninja continued, "What if they don't move either?"
The captain shrugged and casually said, "... Let's see who starves to death first."
At noon, the scorching sun beat down on the streets of Sunagakure.
The streets were sparsely populated, with everyone walking briskly with their heads down, and occasionally the faint sound of metal joints turning could be heard.
Hoshino stood on the terrace of the Reform Society building, looking down at the village that was undergoing dramatic changes.
My gaze swept over the long queue in the central square, where the Reform Society had set up a relief food distribution point.
Most of the villagers in the group had sallow complexions, but upon closer inspection, it could be seen that many of them had an unnatural metallic sheen on their arms or legs when they moved.
The third batch of simplified prosthetic bodies has been distributed.
Kankuro walked up behind Hoshino and reported, "As planned, miners and construction workers have been given priority allocation."
Hearing the sounds coming from beside him, Hoshino nodded silently.
The prolonged standoff worsened the economic situation of Sunagakure, plunging the entire village into desolation.
The traditional ninja clan forces and elders took the opportunity to enrich themselves, reselling war supplies and food on the black market with impunity, turning a blind eye to the suffering of the villagers.
In stark contrast,
The Reform Society actively established relief grain distribution points and introduced a series of measures to benefit the people.
The most popular of these is the new prosthetic body modification technology developed by the Reform Society.
This groundbreaking technology eliminates the need for amputation.
Villagers only need to undergo a few hours of surgery under anesthesia to gradually replace the bones and muscles in their arms with metal structures.
Aside from slight stiffness after the surgery, the limb is almost indistinguishable from its original state.
Of course, this simplified version of the prosthetic body does not have the function of storing Ninjutsu and is mainly intended for the general public.
These renovations have significantly improved the villagers' work efficiency.
The working hours for miners have been extended from ten hours to sixteen hours, and the work efficiency of construction workers has increased by nearly 40%.
Ironically, despite the significant increase in working hours, the actual take-home pay was only 60% of what it used to be.
Even so, villagers continued to sign up for the renovation project in droves.
After all, in this period of extreme scarcity, working an extra hour meant that one's family could have one more meal and receive one more relief ration.
'Metal arms don't get tired, but the human heart does!'
Embrace Prosthetics, Embrace the Future! -- Reform Society's Public Welfare Project
Daily relief food distribution ensures that every Sunagakure has enough to eat!
'A new era of prosthetic body modification, doubling work efficiency!'
Say goodbye to fatigue, the metal limbs never stop!
These slogans were carefully posted in every corner of the village.
On the outer walls of granaries, at the entrances to mining areas, and even outside the high walls of ninja settlements.
The most eye-catching thing was the giant banner hanging in the central square.
'Today's prosthetic body, tomorrow's better life!'
The detailed address and opening hours of the Reform Society's medical station are also listed below.
More and more villagers are beginning to accept the conversion, exchanging their tireless metal limbs for their families' hope of survival.
"Forehead..."
Kankuro hesitated for a moment, then said, " Hoshino, Temari...?"
"I know, I'll explain it to her at the meeting later!" Hoshino nodded and said.
Temari's side simply expressed some dissatisfaction with the current situation in the village, believing that the Reform Society was aiding and abetting evil.
After all, outsiders may not know, but surely our own people do?
The Reform Society is very rich, extremely rich, richer than those traditional forces.
They are unwilling to raise wages or stabilize prices. Not only do they pretend to be poor, but they even take this opportunity to bleed the poor dry.
How is this any different from those traditional forces that don't value the lives of villagers?
Let's go!
Hoshino patted Kankuro on the shoulder, turned and walked towards the conference room, sighing to himself.
"What a crazy time!"
Conference room at the headquarters of the Reform Society.
At the head of a huge long table sat five people, including Hoshino, Temari, and Rasa.
Please take your seats below in descending order of your job title.
From Arashi, Hizuki, Uchiha Inabi, and Baki to Maki, Yashamaru, and so on.
Almost all of the senior executives and management of the Reform Society were in place.
The next step is to introduce the development of the five individuals in their respective fields.
Hoshino stood up first and, speaking through the projector above his head, said, "The laboratory is operating well. The prosthetic body modification technology has iterated to the Third, and the electronic devices can now be completely replicated..."
After that, the second speaker was Rasa, who was in charge of the resources sector.
By restarting abandoned mines and groundwater exploration, the Reform Society has stored a large amount of mineral and water resources in warehouses.
Kankuro's economic activities, including black market trading and the sale of prosthetic bodies, have increased his monthly income to 60 million taels, an increase of 20 million taels compared to the previous month.
In the area of people's livelihood in Temari, the mortality rate among villagers has risen sharply, and stunted laborers are voluntarily extending their working hours in exchange for their children's priority for rehabilitation.
Gaara's report was the most concise, stating that 52 traditional ninjas had been killed and 27 leak sites had been eliminated.
As for the remaining forces, ideologies, laws, and information...
These four points, which require discussion among all five people, will not be discussed publicly at the large meeting.
A brief silence fell over the meeting room, broken only by the faint hum of the projector.
Hoshino's gaze slowly swept over everyone present, finally settling on Temari's tense face.
"Everyone has seen the information."
Hoshino said, " The Reform Society's development over the past three months has been nothing short of rapid."
"Even without considering high-level combat strength, we have already surpassed them, and we have the advantage in high-level combat strength. The problem now is the ninja army on the border."
"Following an investigation by the Inspection Department."
"According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 6,000 ninjas on the border, of whom nearly 3,000 have some connection with traditional forces."
"The main topic of this meeting is... whether to abandon those three thousand ninjas directly, or to give them a chance."