Naruto: The Age of Ninja Swords Begins in Kumogakure

Chapter 282 Socratic Education

After spending a few days in the Land of Iron, the four Kage parted ways, each returning home to lick their wounds and strive to develop and strengthen themselves in preparation for the next Shinobi World War.

Although they suffered considerable losses in this Ninja World War, they also gained a great deal.

Not to mention what was traded from Kumogakure, the corpses of Konoha ninjas obtained from the battlefield alone were all valuable items.

It's not just those bloodline limits, but also Konoha's bloodline transplantation techniques.

Although all five great ninja villages were researching the transplantation of bloodline limits, Konoha was undoubtedly the most successful.

A lot of technology can be deduced from these corpses alone, and some of their bloodlines are so enviable that even Onoki can't help but be envious.

Upon returning home, he immediately underwent surgery to transplant a pair of three-tomoe Sharingan eyes into his eye sockets, a heart into his body, along with a pair of Byakugan eyes, and finally a piece of First Hokage cell.

This war made him realize his many shortcomings. Dust Release is powerful, but it is only effective if it can actually hit people. Then there is the amount of chakra.

These problems can be solved to some extent through surgery, hence this surgery.

"Dad, how are you feeling?"

Huang Tu, who had been watching over his father, rushed forward anxiously to inquire after he saw his father wake up.

"It feels great, especially the injection of these first-generation cells, which makes me feel like I'm ten years younger, and even the erosion from the immortal magic seal has recovered somewhat."

Onoki felt better than ever before. All the things that had been transplanted were their spoils from the battlefield, including the first generation of cells.

Of course, those first-generation cells were castrated, lacking the power of Wood Release, but at the same time their corrosiveness was reduced, allowing for better transplantation and adaptation.

At the same time, it is possible that because the First Hokage had trained in Sage Mode before his death, the First Hokage's cells and Sage Chakra had a high degree of compatibility, which allowed him to recover some of the erosion and mutation caused by the Sage Curse Seal, and also greatly enhanced his own vitality.

At the same time, the heart of that vortex bloodline is also very powerful. The chakra refined from it is very special. It will be enough to seal the soul of the Five-Tails.

According to intelligence analysis, what Minato sealed was the soul of the Nine-Tails, whose chakra was biased towards the Yin attribute, which is why the Mangekyou Sharingan he transplanted was able to evolve.

The three-tomoe Sharingan isn't very useful to me, but it would be a different story if it evolved into the Mangekyou Sharingan.

He was ready to give it a try.

As for the white eyes, they are also very important. A full-view vision and the ability to see through objects can prevent one from being ambushed or attacked.

The main reason was to deal with Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique; he didn't want to be ambushed and killed by a junior.

"Transplant my heart and try to integrate Dust Release. The younger generation of our Iwagakure depends on you."

After glancing at the removed heart, Onoki placed high hopes on this son.

He was truly spurred on by the younger generation of Konoha and Kumogakure, and thus fell far behind them.

The only surviving young Kage-level expert in their village is their own son. It's a pity that Zi died so unjustly.

"I will definitely not let my father down!"

Huang Tu nodded solemnly, then lay down on the operating table on the other side.

The medical ninja had already made preparations. After wiping and disinfecting Huang Tu's chest, they made an incision and transplanted Onoki's heart into it.

No need to replace it, just add it directly and connect it to the blood vessel.

Because Onoki was short in stature, his body organs were much smaller than normal, while Hirotsuchi was exceptionally robust, so it wouldn't be difficult for him to accommodate a smaller heart.

Furthermore, because they are father and son, the rejection reaction after the heart transplant will be much smaller, allowing for better integration and maximizing the acquisition of Dust Release power. They can even go further and use it as a catalyst to fuse with their own Dust Release.

At that time, the strength of the Loess Plateau will surely experience a leap forward.

At the same time, Sunagakure was also trying to become stronger. Rasa's method was to separate the One-Tailed Beast's main soul and seal it separately, then dismember the body into ten parts and seal them into the bodies of ten loyal ninjas.

After the tail was cut off, the One-Tailed Beast's chakra was reduced to half. Then, its limbs were cut off to create four separate tailed beast jinchūriki, leaving it with only two-fifths of its chakra.

Now that the soul has been separated, the body only has one-fifth of its peak chakra left. After being divided into ten parts, there is really not much chakra left, which also greatly reduces the difficulty of sealing it.

This would be enough to create ten separate Tailed Beast Jinchuriki. If they could be induced to fuse together and generate Magnet Release power, they would be virtually invincible in an environment like the desert.

Rasa placed high hopes on these ten people, naming them the Sand Village Ten, and also making them his personal bodyguards.

The situation was similar in Kirigakure. After returning, Terumi Sora separated the main soul of the Six-Tails from the Six-Tails Jinchuriki and sealed it into her own body, becoming a Tailed Beast Jinchuriki.

Because it already possesses Lava Release, its chakra compatibility with the Six-Tails is very high. In addition, it only has a quarter of the full Six-Tails' chakra, so even a Kage-level powerhouse like Terumi Sora can withstand it.

Of course, Terumi Sora didn't forget to transplant organs from a Uzumaki ninja into herself, obtaining the chakra of a Uzumaki ninja to assist in the sealing and suppress the Six-Tails' soul inside.

This was not spoils from the battlefield, but rather the village's own stock.

Their Hidden Mist Village is closest to the Land of Whirlpools, and they had many conflicts in the past, killing Uzumaki ninjas. Those corpses were brought back for research.

However, previous transplantation techniques were not mature enough to be effectively utilized, but now they can finally be used.

That's not all. Terumi Sora also transplanted the Slug Sage's version of the Sage Art Seal, just like the Third Mizukage. That seal is perfectly compatible with her Lava Release and the Six-Tails' Lava Release.

The Third Mizukage himself did not possess the Lava Release bloodline limit, so the fusion was not perfect, but this approach was flawless when applied to himself.

And so, under Tamura Hao's influence and manipulation, a world was created in which only the tailed beasts were injured. The nine tailed beasts were basically dismembered and their hatred for humans grew stronger. They also increasingly believed that the old man must have been senile before he died, and that humans were not trustworthy at all and should all die.

Tamura Akira was unaware of all this; he was resting at home, spending time with his wife.

"You really don't plan to marry me right now?"

While peeling grapes for Uchiha Hikaru, Tamura Hao asked a question.

He had originally planned to marry Uchiha Hikari, since she already had a child, but who would have thought that this girl would refuse?

"Let's wait until Kushina and the others grow up before we go together."

Uchiha Hikaru slurped down the grapes that were offered to him, not intending to get married immediately to avoid becoming the target of public criticism.

Although they were all furious with this shameless scoundrel, they each had their own thoughts, but one of them was more decisive and, in addition, the timing was better, she became pregnant.

But this is already the limit. If she were to get married immediately, other people would definitely feel uncomfortable, and she doesn't want to be ostracized and isolated.

"Sister Guang, you don't need to worry about us."

Kushina was very touched, but still urged the two to get married as soon as possible.

"That's just a title; it doesn't really mean much. The most important thing for two people to be together is their feelings for each other."

Uchiha Hikari truly didn't care about this. As someone who grew up in the Warring States period, her views were very different from those of people in this era.

In that era, bloodline inheritance was the most important thing. As long as there was marital relations and a new bloodline, then they were husband and wife.

Why are you so desperate?

Mikoto Uchiha still didn't understand. This elder was usually very arrogant, so how could she have broken through that step with this bastard so quickly?

The girls around also looked over, equally curious.

"The era I lived in was much crueler than the era you live in. From the time I was old enough to understand, I had to undergo cruel training. I started killing people on missions when I was five years old. When I was ten, I awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan and was then trained by my family as a weapon until I was sealed away."

After waking up, I've been constantly training and fighting. I'm tired and want to relax and experience the joys of being a woman.

Slurping the grapes that were handed to her into her mouth again, Uchiha Hikaru didn't forget that she was also a woman, and her longing for a better life only intensified.

"But why choose that big jerk?"

Xia Rixing, standing to the side, asked in confusion, glaring at someone resentfully as she spoke.

"Because he's strong!"

Uchiha Hikari responded without the slightest hesitation, which was the main reason for her choice.

"powerful?"

Xia Rixing was puzzled. What was the reason?

"It was much crueler in our time. Women preferred to marry strong men so that their lives and safety would be better guaranteed, and their children would be more outstanding and less likely to die on the battlefield when they grew up."

Uchiha Hikaru's reasoning was simple; it was a philosophy of their time, a philosophy of survival.

Of course, she also had some feelings for that shameless scoundrel. Apart from being annoying at times, he was a good man and someone she could rely on.

Leaving aside the exchange here, on the balcony, Mito Uzumaki's chakra shadow clone was communicating with her niece, Tamayo Uzumaki, and would occasionally glance at a certain boy, her gaze as if she were looking at a sucker, becoming more and more satisfied with the look.

"You did the right thing. Tsunade is so perfect that she's lucky to be able to get married. She really needs to find a man who can keep her in check, otherwise she'll squander all her family's wealth."

Mito Uzumaki approved of her niece's choice, as she had always been troubled by her granddaughter's marriage prospects.

She's almost thirty and still single, while other kids her age are already going to ninja academies. She's getting anxious.

I'm not in a position to be picky now; as long as I can get married, that's enough.

"Xiao Hao is very talented, but sometimes he's too ruthless and cruel. His father and great-grandfather died with regrets!"

When Whirlpool Jade Leaf talked about this, her expression became a little strained. Although her husband, Tsuchidai, had never explicitly said it, he had complained about it a lot, which gave her some knowledge of the village's top secrets.

They knew that their nephew-in-law was the true sage of Kumogakure and the guide to all the changes, including the Uzushiogakure incident.

"That's not a flaw. If you want to live well in this cruel world, that's how you have to be."

Hashirama was too kind-hearted back then, which sowed the seeds of many hidden dangers, and now his clan is almost destroyed.

Few people can truly understand each other; people like Hashirama are ultimately a minority. The nature of this world is cruel.

Mito Uzumaki thought it was good, and she had a deep understanding of this, as her husband and the Senju family were bloody lessons.

Hashirama and his uncle Tobirama entrusted the village and its future to their descendants, placing high hopes on them, and that's how it turned out.

The Senju and Uzumaki clans survived for over a thousand years during the chaotic Warring States period, only to be destroyed by the very people they were protecting.

It's both laughable and pathetic to think about!

Looking back now, perhaps Madara Uchiha's ideas were correct, and that they were just too naive.

"Can I go see my people?"

Mito Uzumaki brought up another matter: she wanted to see how her people were living now.

"The clansmen are scattered throughout the village. Aunt, if you want to see them, you should go to the school; all the children in the clan are there."

Whirlpool Jade Leaf did not refuse and suggested going to the school, where she could see more of her clansmen.

"School is a great place!"

Mito Uzumaki was very interested in this, having previously heard Kushina say that the ninja academy in Kumogakure was quite different.

Without delay, the two left the spirit world and headed straight for the school area.

The Hidden Cloud Village's Ninja Academy is very large, and it was even expanded. It is also the closest to the World Tree, so the natural energy here is more concentrated.

"Do such young children come to school?"

Upon arriving at the school area, Mito Uzumaki saw many little children being brought there by a large vehicle.

"Those are kindergarten children. They're not going to school. It's more about looking after them so that their parents can have more time to work and live."

There, it's mostly about play; the teachers mainly provide guidance, and there's no need for students to deliberately learn anything.

As Yu Ye explained, raising children is a very demanding task, especially for those without professional skills. Many newlyweds are driven to their wits' end by their children.

Sending children to kindergarten in this way not only allows them to play and have more fun, but also frees up parents.

At the same time, the natural energy here is the most abundant, which can nourish the children's bodies well, making them healthier and making their future cultivation smoother.

"Kids in that age group are indeed difficult to manage."

Recalling her own past experiences, Mito Uzumaki deeply agreed with this sentiment. She had been through a lot back then, and just when her child had finally grown up, Tsunade and Nawaki, those two little devils, came along.

To put it another way, kids of that age are universally disliked.

The two entered the ninja academy, where Mito Uzumaki made a new discovery.

"Are those children also students at the Ninja Academy?"

Mito Uzumaki looked towards the area not far away, where there were many teenagers, at least fifteen or sixteen years old, all wearing school uniforms or similar clothing, and seemingly students.

"This was Xiao Hao's suggestion. The original six-year ninja school was set up as a ninja elementary school, where students only learned some basic content. Later, a junior ninja academy was set up to teach higher-level knowledge. There are also plans for intermediate and advanced academies, all of which are six-year programs."

Ninja Elementary School and Ninja Junior Academy are compulsory education programs that every child must complete. Upon graduation, they will be eighteen years old and of legal age, allowing them to find work, either as ninjas or in other professions.

Whirlpool Jade Leaf explained the academy's educational plans. Currently, only the junior academy has been established and has students. In the future, there will be intermediate and advanced academies, each with a six-year program.

"Four levels, all six years long. By the time you finish, you'll be over thirty. Is there really anything worth teaching?"

Mito Uzumaki was quite surprised, as the Konoha Ninja Academy was at most a six-year program, and there were often students who graduated early.

"The Hidden Cloud Village is different from other ninja villages. It places more emphasis on acquired training, which requires a large amount of knowledge as a foundation."

In particular, Xiao Hao created many ninjutsu secret techniques and swordsmanship systems, and provided detailed explanations of many things from the past, allowing people to learn step by step. However, the content is extremely extensive and covers a wide range of topics.

Lord Raikage and his colleagues also took this very seriously and organized a special team to expand the teaching materials.

The textbooks used in the junior college are only general ones. After the intermediate college stage, students need to choose subjects based on their strengths and interests, which is a more detailed division.

There are combat types, healing types, sealing types, sensory types, and so on...

Yu Ye knew this very well, because she had also participated in the compilation and improvement of the teaching materials, and was specifically responsible for the sealing techniques section.

The art of sealing alone is a subject that has no end; one could study it for a lifetime and still not be enough, not to mention the need for innovation and exploration.

Once you have enough knowledge as a foundation, you can achieve twice the result with half the effort in your cultivation, develop your potential to the fullest extent, or even break through the limits.

Xiao Hao is the perfect example of this; through his own efforts and knowledge accumulation, he has surpassed the limits of his physical abilities.

The village just wants to replicate this path, not necessarily to reach Xiao Hao's level, but just to achieve something.

As Mito listened, she continued walking and soon arrived at a school building in the elementary school area.

Classes are in session at this time, and the children are all in the classroom.

Beforehand, Yu Ye created a shadow clone to obtain a roster from the principal and then used the roster to find the classrooms where the Yu Ye children were located.

The academy area of ​​Kumogakure is really too big, especially since it has been constantly expanding its enrollment, accepting any child with chakra bloodline.

Of course, she wasn't just looking for the children from the Uzumaki clan, but also the children from several other ninja clans. Otherwise, if it were just the Uzumaki children, she could have accurately sensed them using Kagura's Mind's Eye.

"Aren't any surnames written?"

Mito Uzumaki was also looking at the list and noticed that it only had given names, but no surnames, not a single one.

"In order to avoid the development of bad habits and to better unite the students, it is strictly forbidden to use or reveal surnames at the Ninja Academy, and it is also strictly forbidden to wear clan crests. The only clothing that can be worn is the uniform school uniform, and parents are strictly prohibited from coming to the school to contact the students."

As she flipped through the roster, Yu-Ye Uzumaki explained, expressing her agreement with this point, which was also one of the key aspects of the Cloud Village's reforms.

It's not just about dismantling the ninja clan, but also about eliminating their network of relationships to prevent them from forming cliques and small groups.

Just be a good student at school. Don't try to cause trouble or bring outside conflicts into the college. These are strictly prohibited.

Violators will be punished with points deductions or, in serious cases, transferred to a special academy for rehabilitation.

That special academy was called the Socratic Academy, which was also proposed by Xiao Hao. It was specifically responsible for reforming those troublemakers. Its educational philosophy and methods were very peculiar, and Xiao Hao called it Socratic education.

Mito Uzumaki listened attentively, showing great interest and agreement with the information. She believed it was far more comprehensive and rigorous than the Konoha Ninja Academy model, and its effectiveness would undoubtedly be even better.

(End of this chapter)