Only I can make Konoha Village great again.

"Brother Chu Jiu, it's no fun just talking. Why don't you come with us and see for yourself?"

Kazamatsuri Haruhi's smile was smug and confident, and Uchiha Itachi, Yano Shoichi, Mitsuki, Kurama Hidetoshi, and Aoki Takayuki also proudly raised their heads.

Shan Zhongchu laughed: "So confident, huh? Let's go take a look!"

A moment later, Yamanaka Chujiu, bathed in the midday sun, arrived at the terraced fields on the south bank of the Konoha River.

Now it's not just one terraced field; the entire south bank of the river has been reclaimed into terraced fields, and as far as the eye can see, the boundaries are invisible.

At the reservoir at the highest point of the terraced fields, wisps of smoke rise from the low, neat wooden houses.

Chang Yuan smelled the faint aroma of food, and his eyes instantly brightened.

He never imagined that the land he had personally cultivated and overseen the first harvest would grow to such a scale.

That's too fast, it's just too fast!

If it weren't for the instantaneous destruction of Kumogakure, the Fourth Raikage's humiliating surrender, and the successive efforts of the Uchiha, Hyuga, and Orochimaru-sensei, which left the Third Hokage's group struggling to breathe...

They will surely discover the changes in this land, and then open their greedy mouths to tear apart this land of hope that has no Jonin protection.

Oh, now there are Jonin.

Orochimaru-sensei said that I, Yamanaka Hachiku, am already a Jonin.

But that's useless. How can a mere Jonin protect such a large area of ​​land?

Destroy?

I really couldn't bear to leave the mountain on the ninth day.

The scenes of battle still replay in my mind; I keep having auditory hallucinations of fighting, the crisp sound of swords clashing, the roar of ninjutsu exploding, and the sighs of my fallen comrades.

When Yamanaka Chujiu rushed to the battlefield, he made as many preparations as possible, but at that time he could only guarantee his own safety and had no idea whether the Rising Sun organization could operate the land and the salt workshop well.

After all, the Rising Sun Organization was just a small group of orphaned civilian ninja from Konoha who banded together.

He, Yamanaka Chuuku, was the founding core, Uchiha Shisui was considered the immediate combat force, and the other members, including Uchiha Itachi, were all children who hadn't grown up.

But these children did such a good job.

Vast fields of green crops swayed in the wind, and white smoke billowed from the chimneys of the workshops.

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

The children's faces weren't smiling, but their eyes shone with a steadfast and determined light.

Shan Zhongchu stopped and took a deep breath.

He doesn't feel any connection to Konoha Village until now, but now he feels a connection to these terraced fields and the children working in them, a connection second only to his closeness to Yamanaka Inoichi's family.

Feng Jichunya, a confident smile blooming on his face, his eyes shining like stars, exclaimed, "Brother Chujiu, this is the achievement of our Rising Sun!"

"Fantastic, absolutely perfect!"

Yamanaka Chujiu exclaimed loudly, "You are all even more outstanding than I imagined!"

His voice was somewhat hoarse, and there was a suppressed sob in it.

Unable to resist, Shan Zhongchujiu raised his hand and patted Fengjichunya's head, carefully examining the children around him.

In just two months, they have changed a lot.

Fengji Chunya has grown quite a bit taller. With ample food, her originally thin figure has become much fuller, and her eyes have become more determined.

Shoichi Yano remained taciturn, but his eyes were more composed and resolute, a result of the experience gained from taking on responsibilities.

Koki is still lively and active, but she has also become more responsible.

Kurama Soo-ji is no longer overly withdrawn and is able to actively communicate with others.

Aoki Takayuki had a smile on his face, clearly having moved on from his father's death.

The one who changed the most was Uchiha Itachi.

The child who had been indulging in wild fantasies shed his bewilderment after personally participating in hard work, and the despair between his brows disappeared.

The patient and composed Uchiha Itachi, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, now looked like a living, breathing human being.

"Everyone has worked hard," Yamanaka Chujiu's gaze slowly swept over everyone, his eyes slightly warm. "During the days I was away, it was your hard work that made the beautiful scenery I see today possible."

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

"While you were away, we continued to cultivate the terraced fields according to the original plan, expanded the scale of refined salt production, and developed new sales channels in the City of Fire."

He took out a thick ledger from behind him and handed it to Shan Zhong Chu Jiu: "These are the accounts. I have recorded every single income and expenditure very clearly."

Shan Zhongchu took the account book and opened it. The handwriting was neat and clear, and every account was recorded in detail: how much grain was harvested, how much was sold, how much income was generated, how much refined salt was extracted, how much income was generated, how much was spent on purchasing seeds and tools, and how much was spent on repairing the workshop. All of these were listed in detail.

The expenditures for subsidies to civilian ninja families are meticulously recorded, with no omissions whatsoever.

These children, all under ten years old, had to work hard, find markets for their goods, and care for orphaned families...

It's hard to imagine how difficult it must be for them.

Yamanaka Hatsukyu closed the account book and exclaimed loudly, "Itachi, you've worked hard."

Itachi Uchiha nodded and said, "It was indeed a bit tough, but I felt very happy and fulfilled."

"Moreover, compared to the Konoha ninja who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield, compared to the helpless orphans, I haven't done enough."

Yamanaka Hatsukyu said to Uchiha Itachi, "That's enough, Itachi!"

"You can't shoulder all the responsibility yourself. It's not fair to you, and it's not safe for Konoha either."

"No matter what, you're just a child, a human being who can break down and die."

"If everything rests on your shoulders, what will happen to Konoha Village if something happens to you?"

"You need to learn to trust others, well, others besides me and Shisui, like your companions."

Itachi Uchiha was stunned.

He turned to look at his colleagues, saw their smiling faces and encouraging gestures, and recalled the scenes of working together for the past two months.

Itachi Uchiha chuckled without realizing it: "Brother Chu Jiu, I truly believe in trusting your comrades!"

Shan Zhongchu nodded in satisfaction.

Itachi Uchiha has enormous potential and will inevitably grow into a pillar supporting the Rising Sun organization in the future.

On the ninth day of the ninth month, Shan Zhong sat down on the edge of the field and gestured for everyone to sit down as well: "Everyone, please sit down."

"I've seen everyone's achievements, and I'm very pleased, proud, and full of hope for the future!"

"Next, I'll tell you about things you haven't seen, and how to proceed from here."

Everyone sat down and gathered around Shan Zhongchu Jiu, their expressions focused.

Yamanaka Chujiu's expression gradually turned serious: "This is the fruit of the Rising Sun Organization's labor, but it is undeniable that it is also a highly profitable asset."

"Why hasn't anyone made an offer yet?"

"Because the Uchiha clan had a brilliant record on the eastern front, because the Hyuga clan chose to reveal their predicament at my suggestion, and even more so because my teacher Orochimaru had achieved a glorious record."

"And they all broke ties with the Third Hokage."