Chapter 102: The Development of the Rising Sun Organization

"Big Brother Chujiu, just talking about it with empty words is boring; why don't you come with us and see for yourself?"

Kazamatsuri Harume's smile was proud and confident, and Itachi Uchiha, Yano Shoichi, Mitsuki, Kurama Hidechi, and Aoki Takayuki also raised their heads with pride.

Yamanaka Chujiu laughed: "So confident, then let's go take a look!"

A moment later, Yamanaka Chujiu stepped into the midday sun and walked to the terraced fields on the south bank of the Konoha River.

It was no longer just one terraced field; the entire south bank of the river had been reclaimed into terraces, and looking out, one could not even see the boundary.

Beside the reservoir at the highest point of the terraces, thin wisps of cooking smoke rose from low, neat wooden houses.

Chang Yuan smelled the faint scent of food, and his eyes instantly brightened like torches.

That he had never imagined this land, which he had reclaimed with his own hands and presided over the first harvest of, could have grown to such an extent.

It was too fast, truly too fast!

If it weren't for Kumogakure being instantly crushed, the Fourth Raikage being forced into a humiliating surrender, and if it weren't for Uchiha, Hyuga, and Teacher Orochimaru exerting pressure one after another, leaving the Third Hokage Group breathless...

They would surely have discovered the changes in this land and then opened their greedy maws, crazily tearing into this land of hope that lacked the protection of a Jonin.

Oh, now there is a Jonin.

Teacher Orochimaru said that I, Yamanaka Chujiu, am already a Jonin.

But that is useless; how could a mere Jonin protect such a vast expanse of land?

Destroy it?

Yamanaka Chujiu really couldn't bear to.

The scenes of slaughter on the battlefield still replayed in his mind; his ears were filled with the phantom sounds of battle, the crisp clashing of swords, the roar of exploding Ninjutsu, and the sighs of fallen comrades.

When Yamanaka Chujiu rushed to the battlefield, he had prepared as much as he could, but at the time, he could only guarantee his own safety and could not be certain whether the Rising Sun Organization could manage the land and the refined salt workshop well.

After all, the Rising Sun Organization was just a small group of orphaned children of Konoha civilian ninja huddling together for warmth.

He, Yamanaka Chujiu, was the core founder, Shisui Uchiha counted as immediate combat power, and the other members, including Itachi Uchiha, were all children who hadn't grown up yet.

But these children had done too well.

Large stretches of green crops swayed in the wind, and white smoke billowed from the workshop chimneys.

The boys and girls were busy in an orderly fashion; some were tending to crops in the fields, some were transporting raw materials, and some were packing goods.

There were no smiles on the children's faces, but in their eyes was a steady, firm light.

Yamanaka Chujiu stopped his steps and took a deep breath.

To this day, he did not feel a bond with Konohagakure, but now he felt he had a bond with these terraced fields and the children working on them, second only to the intimacy he felt with Yamanaka Inoichi's entire family.

Kazamatsuri Harume's face blossomed with a confident smile, her eyes shining like stars: "Big Brother Chujiu, this is the achievement of our Rising Sun!"

"Wonderful, simply perfect!"

Yamanaka Chujiu praised loudly: "You are even more outstanding than I imagined!"

His voice was a bit hoarse, and there was a suppressed choke in it.

Unable to help himself, Yamanaka Chujiu raised his hand to pat Kazamatsuri Harume's head, carefully observing the children around him.

In just two short months, their changes were not small.

Kazamatsuri Harume had grown quite a bit taller; with an ample supply of food, her originally thin frame had become much fuller, and her gaze had become firm.

Yano Shoichi remained taciturn, his gaze even more steady and firm; that was the result of the tempering that comes after taking on responsibility.

Mitsuki was still lively and active, but had also gained a bit more sense of responsibility.

Kurama Hidechi was no longer overly reclusive and could take the initiative to communicate with others.

There were more smiles on Aoki Takayuki's face; clearly, he had moved on from his father's death.

The biggest change was in Itachi Uchiha.

That child who had been lost in wild fantasies had shed the confusion of daydreaming after personally participating in the hard work, and the despair between his brows had also vanished.

The patient and steady Itachi Uchiha had a light of hope shining in his eyes; he looked like a living person now.

"Everyone has worked hard," Yamanaka Chujiu's gaze slowly swept over everyone, his eye sockets heating up slightly, "In the days I was away, it was your hard work that created the beautiful scenery I see today."

Unexpectedly, it was Itachi Uchiha who spoke first: "Big Brother Chujiu, this is what we should do."

"During the time you were away, we continued to reclaim terraced fields according to the original plan, expanded the scale of refining salt, and expanded new sales channels to the Land of Fire."

He took a thick ledger from behind him and handed it to Yamanaka Chujiu: "These are the accounts; I have recorded every single item of income and expenditure very clearly."

Yamanaka Chujiu took the ledger and opened it; the handwriting was neat and clear, and every account was recorded in great detail: how much grain was harvested, how much was sold, how much was earned, how much salt was refined, how much was earned, and the expenses for purchasing seeds, tools, and repairing the workshop were all listed one by one.

The expenditure for distributing subsidies to civilian ninja families was recorded even more clearly, without the slightest omission.

These children, not even ten years old, had to work hard while finding sales channels for goods, and also had to take care of orphan families...

It was hard to imagine how difficult it was for them.

Yamanaka Chujiu closed the ledger and praised loudly: "Itachi, you've worked hard."

Itachi Uchiha nodded and said: "It was indeed a bit hard, but I feel very happy and fulfilled."

"And compared to the Konoha Ninja who sacrificed on the battlefield, compared to the orphans who have no one to rely on, what I have done is not enough."

Yamanaka Chujiu said to Itachi Uchiha: "It is enough, Itachi!"

"You cannot carry all the responsibility on your own shoulders; it is unfair to you and unsafe for Konohagakure."

"No matter what, you are still just a child, a human who can break down and die."

"If everything is pressed upon you, what will happen to Konohagakure when you have an accident?"

"You must learn to trust others, well, others besides me and Shisui, such as the companions by your side."

Itachi Uchiha was stunned.

He turned his head to look at his little companions, saw their smiling faces and encouraging gestures, and remembered the scenes of working together over these two months.

Itachi Uchiha smiled unconsciously: "Big Brother Chujiu, I think I can indeed trust my companions!"

Yamanaka Chujiu nodded with satisfaction.

Itachi Uchiha has immense potential and will surely grow into a pillar supporting the Rising Sun Organization in the future.

Yamanaka Chujiu sat down right there on the ridge of the field and gestured for everyone else to sit too: "Everyone, sit."

"I have seen everyone's results, and I am very gratified, very proud, and full of hope for the future!"

"Next, I will tell you about things you haven't seen, and talk about how the path ahead should be walked."

The crowd sat down one after another, gathering around Yamanaka Chujiu with focused expressions.

Yamanaka Chujiu's expression gradually turned grave: "This is the fruit of the Rising Sun Organization's labor, but it cannot be denied that it is also a highly profitable asset."

"Why has no one set their sights on it until now?"

"Because the Uchiha Clan has dazzling battle records on the East Front, because the Hyuga Clan, under my suggestion, chose to make their predicament public, and even more so because my teacher Orochimaru has achieved brilliant battle results."

"And they have all broken ties with the Third Hokage."