Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 114: The Changes in Konoha

"They teach all kinds of subjects—moral philosophy, science, and technology. Also, the teachers aren't necessarily ninjas. If you're curious, you can visit the school. They allow auditing," Itachi explained after some thought, realizing he couldn't describe everything clearly.

"Huh?" Chino had been expecting something novel and exciting from Itachi's explanation. Instead, he brushed her off with this vague response, making her pout in disappointment. "I'm not going to school. No way!"

After all, how many worksheets had Itachi just pulled out earlier? Dozens!

She'd rather spend her time training ninjutsu and becoming stronger than slogging through piles of homework.

"But I honestly can't explain it properly," Itachi sighed.

The school's curriculum, especially in terms of moral education, often seemed completely at odds with the ninja lifestyle. Even he didn't fully understand it yet and feared he might mislead someone if he tried to explain.

Besides, for some reason, Itachi felt like his workload was significantly heavier than that of his classmates. He was always buried in a "mountain of books and a sea of assignments," leaving him with little time for personal reflection.

If it weren't for the Shadow Clone Jutsu, he'd likely have been numbed by the endless flood of tasks by now.

But who was behind this? He couldn't recall offending any teacher…

Lost in thought, Itachi continued giving Chino a tour of Konoha's landmarks.

"That building over there is the embassy. Elder Chiyo from Sunagakure resides there and handles diplomatic relations with Konoha. Similarly, Konoha has an embassy in Sunagakure to facilitate mutual learning between villages."

"And that's the Technology Development Bureau. Many of Konoha's popular new products that improve daily life are developed there."

These weren't combat-focused technologies but innovations aimed at enhancing the lives of ordinary citizens. While they didn't seem to directly bolster the village's strength, seeing the smiles on villagers' faces when they talked about these products made Itachi feel it was all very meaningful.

"And over there is the Pharmaceutical Research Institute, which is also part of the Technology Development Bureau…"

As Itachi pointed out each location, Chino couldn't help but praise him, "You sure know a lot for someone so young, Itachi."

"That's because many of these places might be where we work after graduation," Itachi replied with a hint of excitement in his tone.

He hoped to contribute to Konoha's development and support the Fourth Hokage. Initially, he thought becoming a ninja was the only way to make a difference, but now he realized there were many other avenues.

This realization even softened his earlier resentment toward being sent to the new school by that insistent "medicine ball senior."

Although… his father didn't seem very happy about it. It appeared his father still wanted him to follow the traditional path of becoming a ninja.

"Work?" Chino asked, confused.

"Yes," Itachi nodded. "When students graduate, they can choose an internship based on their grades in various subjects. They undergo a month of training followed by two months of work experience. If there are no major issues during this period, they can stay on permanently."

"That… actually sounds pretty nice."

Recalling the various facilities she'd seen earlier, Chino nodded thoughtfully. Even just looking at the exterior of these places, it was clear that working there would come with a decent salary.

"Of course. That's why the school's second enrollment period was packed," Itachi said with a smile.

The first enrollment, however, hadn't gone so smoothly.

The ninja clans had been hesitant, choosing to observe instead of committing.

Meanwhile, civilian ninjas believed it was better to send their children to the traditional academy to become ninjas directly.

Konoha's general populace also leaned toward having their descendants either take up the family trade or become ninjas.

After all, ninjas were a high-income group, earning money through various missions. A single genin could support an entire family.

Take D-rank missions, for instance. The reward for such missions ranged from 5,000 ryo to 50,000 ryo.

If a genin team took on a 5,000-ryo mission, after the village took its cut and the team split the rest, each member could still earn around 700 ryo.

For ninjas, who were physically far superior to ordinary people, D-rank missions posed little difficulty. A diligent genin could complete ten such missions in a month, earning about 7,000 ryo.

If the D-rank missions paid on the higher end, say 20,000 ryo per mission, a genin could earn 20,000 to nearly 30,000 ryo in a single month.

On top of that, every ninja received a monthly stipend from the village: 4,000 ryo for genin, as a base income.

Given that ninja work was dangerous—especially during wartime when they were sent to the battlefield—it was only natural for their income to be relatively high.

This high income was why civilians hoped their children would become ninjas, and even impoverished samurai sought to transition into the profession.

"Ninja incomes are very high. Without offering a promising alternative, people won't send their kids to the new school," Itachi explained.

"I see."

As she listened to Itachi's explanation, Chino nodded in understanding. Suddenly, she caught a whiff of a delicious aroma wafting from a nearby shop. She glanced over and decided to flaunt her knowledge a bit.

"With such high incomes, it's only natural for the cost of living in ninja villages to rise as well."

Having been around Lord En Oyashiro's enterprises, Chino had picked up some understanding of economic principles.

"That's true," Itachi agreed, following her gaze to the source of the aroma—Ichiraku Ramen. His eyes lingered on the price board: 50 ryo for a bowl of ramen.

In many places, 200–300 ryo could buy you a feast along an entire street of food stalls. But not in Konoha.

The reasons were manifold.

For one, as Chino pointed out, the high income of ninja families meant increased spending power. This attracted numerous merchants eager to bring their goods into Konoha to make a fortune.

As a result, the quality of products entering Konoha was generally much higher than elsewhere in the Land of Fire.

Even Ichiraku Ramen stood out as the best among ramen shops, with the owner securing his spot in Konoha through sheer skill and competition.

With higher quality came higher prices.

Additionally, Konoha's reliance on imported raw materials drove up logistics costs, further contributing to its high cost of living.

"…"

After listening to Itachi list several reasons for Konoha's high prices, Chino twitched her lips.

"Don't tell me you learned all this from school. Ninja clans wouldn't teach this kind of stuff, would they?"

"Well…" Itachi hesitated before answering with a resigned expression.

"Actually, the school hasn't covered these topics yet, but I managed to borrow some senior-level textbooks through connections. Those books do include this information."

The textbook, apparently, had been written by a merchant.

"You're learning all this? Can you even handle it?" Chino asked, incredulous.

Science, economics, and even the basics of being a ninja—it seemed overwhelming for a single student.

"Of course, not everyone is expected to master everything," Itachi clarified, shaking his head.

"The first six years focus primarily on general education and foundational knowledge. After that, students can specialize in one area based on their grades and interests."

Though he suspected that with Shadow Clones, it might technically be possible to master everything… but it would be exhausting.

"Well, that's a relief."

Chino breathed a sigh of relief before flashing a smile.

"Still, it seems like everyone who graduates from your school will be quite talented."

Hearing this, Itachi fell silent for a moment.

Perhaps they would be talented—but not necessarily ninjas.

(Chapter End)