Chapter 280: Kazekage Ninja- - 69: Intercepting the Prize
"Every system is created by people, so like people, systems have a lifespan. As time passes, a system gradually becomes outdated and can’t keep up with the needs of the era. That’s why reform and renewal are necessary—otherwise, a system gets sick, grows old, and eventually dies, just like a person."
"What happens when a system dies?"
"Simple—new people create new systems. Right now, most of the major ninja villages are still running on the system the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, set up decades ago. Think about it—Hashirama has been dead for years. How could those old systems not be aging too?"
"That makes sense, but the villages have been running on those systems until now and nothing major has gone wrong, right?"
"Nothing wrong? Are you blind? We’ve already had two Great Ninja Wars, and minor conflicts break out all the time. Just look at your own Amegakure—count how many wars you’ve fought since the Second Ninja War."
"Yeah, you’re right. So, Lord Kazekage, what’s actually wrong with the system the First Hokage built?"
"Plenty. For one, ninja have never produced anything themselves, yet the country’s defense depends on the ninja village. Ninja live off missions, so while they’re fulfilling their national defense duties, they also have to support themselves. The famous and capable jōnin do fine, but what about the average or weaker ninja? How do they survive?
And with this system, the imbalance only gets worse over time. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. And once I have money, why would I risk my neck fighting anymore? That’s why so many powerful jōnin rarely take missions now—their skills are rusting. Haven’t you noticed? The top ninja from ten years ago hardly take on jobs anymore. It’s a vicious cycle—ninja get weaker and weaker."
"Hmm, that does make sense."
"And that’s just from the ninja’s perspective. What about ordinary people? The land belongs to the daimyo, so I pay taxes every year. But when trouble comes—bandits, thieves—I have to pay the ninja for help. That’s double exploitation. The crops from the land don’t increase, so life only gets harder."
"Seems like a real problem. So how do you fix it?"
"Hasn’t Sunagakure already done it?"