Reborn in the Shinobi World with an Arceus Inside

Inside the warehouse, all the villagers of Komorebi Village had gathered. They whispered amongst themselves, their expressions anxious.

"Hey, can he really save us?"

"I don't know. I've already lost all hope, anyway. My life is worthless. If I die, I die. I'll just hope for a better family in my next life, one where I don't have to suffer through a war."

"I don't care about myself, but my son is only six. I don't want him to die so young."

"Me too."

"..."

A wave of sorrow washed over the crowd.

Just then, Kono Taisei stood up on a makeshift stage and said loudly, "Everyone, please be quiet!"

The warehouse instantly fell silent.

He looked around the room, his heart aching as he saw the dwindled number of villagers. "Hello, everyone. I am Kono Taisei, the chief of Komorebi Village. First, I want to thank all of you for still being willing to trust a derelict chief like me and for coming here today."

After a deep bow, Kono Taisei straightened up. "As you all know, since the war began, ninja from other countries have invaded our land. We are powerless against them. We can only watch as our village, our homes, and our families are destroyed and killed. If nothing changes, our village will soon be annihilated, and none of us will be spared."

"But now, there is a turning point. Two days ago, when those detestable ninja, with no regard for our lives, tried to bring the war into our village once again, someone stopped them. That person is Lord Kaito!"

Kono Taisei's voice filled with emotion. "Lord Kaito has a compassionate heart. He couldn't bear to see us suffer the hardships of war, and he wants to establish a sanctuary for us civilians right here in our village, to protect us from being caught in the ninja's battles. If he succeeds, then we will no longer have to worry about a giant fireball suddenly crashing into our homes while we sleep. We will no longer have to worry about a weapon suddenly flying at us as we walk down the street."

"Don't you all want to return to a life like that?"

"We do!" the villagers shouted in response.

"However, the first thing we must remember is that Lord Kaito owes us nothing. Engaging in life-threatening negotiations with vicious ninja is not something he is obligated to do. Therefore, Lord Kaito is our savior. We must be eternally grateful and treat him as the most honored person. Do you understand?"

"We understand!"

"Very good." Kono Taisei smiled in relief. "Now, let us welcome Lord Kaito to say a few words to us."

As soon as he finished speaking, a dazzling golden light flashed, and Kaito's figure appeared abruptly on the stage, drawing gasps of surprise from the villagers below.

"That's Lord Kaito?"

"He's so young..."

"What is that light? It's so warm."

"Is… is he a ninja, too?"

In the crowd, Konan happily waved her little hand. "Mommy, it's Big Brother Kaito."

"That's not polite. You should call him Teacher," Shiori corrected her in a low voice, her gaze soft and respectful as she looked at Kaito.

"Oh."

Kaito slowly drew the golden light back into his body, his eyes, full of love and compassion, gazing down at the people below.

"Hello, villagers. My name is Kaito."

His gentle yet powerful voice echoed through the warehouse, causing the villagers to stand up straighter and focus their attention.

"First of all, I am not a ninja, and I dislike the word 'ninja' very much. Most of the people who call themselves 'ninja' seem to have separated themselves from ordinary people, as if they've become another species entirely. In their eyes, ordinary people are no different from cattle, pigs, or sheep—beings whose lives can be decided on a whim."

"Without a doubt, they are wrong. Before they became ninja, they were human. Ninja, too, must view the lives of ordinary people as being on the same level as their own."

Meeting the slightly bewildered gazes of the villagers, Kaito's voice deepened. "Therefore, in this war between ninja, to so casually take the lives of ordinary people is, in my view, a grave and unforgivable act. This is why I want to establish a sanctuary for civilians. With my abilities, I may not be able to stop this war from breaking out, but protecting you is more than achievable."

"However, as Chief Kono said earlier, I owe you nothing. I am not your friend or relative. For many of you, today is the first time we have met. There is no deep bond between us."

"So, if you want my protection, you must obey my commands. I will not have this sanctuary, which I have worked so hard and risked my life to build, be destroyed by your hands."

"Let me be blunt. If you don't want to stay here, you can leave now. But once you stay, it means you agree to accept my protection and are willing to obey my commands. If you do anything that harms the interests of this sanctuary, don't blame me for being merciless."

"Now, tell me your choice."

Under Kaito's watchful gaze, not a single villager moved.

After a moment of silence, a firm voice rose from the crowd. "I, and my daughter, are willing to accept Lord Kaito's protection and obey Lord Kaito's commands!"

Seeing the courageous Shiori speak up, Kaito returned her a supportive smile.

With the first person having spoken, the other villagers began to respond one by one, expressing their willingness.

Standing at the very front, Kono Taisei showed a look of relief. He bowed to Kaito and said, "Lord Kaito, all 69 people of Komorebi Village are willing to obey you. We leave everything in your hands."

"Very good." Kaito smiled slightly and cupped his hands. "Thank you all for your trust. From this day forward, I will do everything in my power to protect your lives and property. Furthermore, to ensure that everyone has food to eat, I hereby declare that Komorebi Village will operate under wartime regulations."

"First, every household is to hand over all of your grain, which will be placed under my personal care. From today on, food will be distributed centrally."

This announcement caused an uproar. Some were displeased, but many more were happy. In these chaotic times, more than a few families had insufficient food reserves.

"Quiet!" Kono Taisei spoke up at the right moment again. "My family is willing to hand over all of our grain!"

Seeing the chief volunteer his own food supply, no one else dared to complain.

"Second, the use of money for trade is hereby abolished. It will be replaced by a system of contribution points. The grain you donate and the wages for your future work will all be converted into contribution points. The function of these points will be similar to that of money, but they can also be used to redeem a promise from me—for example, for me to cook you a delicious meal."

The villagers didn't have any strong feelings about this point; they didn't understand why it was necessary to create a new system of contribution points.

"Third, is work. Every adult must accept an assigned job. The categories include construction, fishing, hunting, and gathering. Each person will choose what they are best at."

Kaito looked down at the villagers and said, "For now, these are the three rules. Does everyone understand?"

"We understand!"