LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 37: Murder? I can do that.
Raising an eyebrow she couldn't help but point out, "Why is a Chunin Team doing a C-Rank bandit extermination?" She understood why the Non-Shinobi military didn't do it, as they acted more like the police force around the Land of Fire for Towns & Cities, and the rest of their duties were filling out border patrol, and clashing with other armies that didn't have Chakra.
But a Chunin team for a bunch of bandits with no Chakra training? Super overkill. Gramps grimaced. "They aren't actually... Chunin. You'll be leading this mission." Naruko raised an eyebrow. "Right. Now why are YOU the one handing out this mission instead of one of the paper-pusher Chunin?" He grimaced. 'Aah, so he still is on the system of handing out all the missions. I know that began to change at the start of Naruto as we can see with Iruka, and changed even more so in Shippuden. I think. Maybe.'
"You should only be giving out S-Rank and maybe A-Rank missions old man. Fuck, most of this paperwork should be done by people trained to do it, not what is meant to be the biggest deterrent the village has." He sighed.
"I can already see the arguments you'll make Naruko, I understand and somewhat agree. The issue is, who can truly know who is loyal or not?" She snorted.
"Yet having the Hokage give out all of these missions AND all of this paperwork means they're immune to corruption or don't just get too used to it and overlook shit?"
"I understand I do. But what else is there?"
She snorted. "A council of retired Shinobi. Or a council of Shinobi that could do better work here than doing random C and B-Rank missions. Perhaps people like a certain what's his name... Aah, Kosuke Maruboshi? Surely you won't say he's a traitor?" He made a face at that insinuation, which she knew he would - it's why she said his name after all, "Just form a council that has you GIVING them power that you can take away at any time. You're still Hokage, you just need to do less work. If you're worried about them becoming corrupt - spy on them occasionally. If you still think they're corrupt? Just change who's in the council. It's your council meant to make your life easier and the village run smoother."
He thought for a moment. "That could work as long as the proper laws were set in place, and as long as they couldn't pass laws themselves."
Naruko shook her head. "You still aren't getting it Gramps. People with pens can make laws, and people with power enforce them. It doesn't matter what laws they make. You can always repeal them. Outside of official power, you could still do so. Why? Because you can punch whoever says no. They make laws that screw the Hokage out of power? Punch them. For you're the Hokage. They're there to help the village not themselves. Eternal Peace and Utopia is fake, only the dead can attempt to achieve that - but momentary and future peace & prosperity? That can be done."
He seemed contemplative so she quickly booked it out of there. That was far too much political discussion for her. 'But murdering scum who steal from peasants? I can do that.'
-In the trees-
"Alright squad. Tell me you're names and how long you've been a Genin."
"Kawalski - Genin for 3 years. Good with Shuriken and Wires." He looked to be in his late teens but still had his boyish looks.
"Skipyen - Genin for 4 years. I know some Fire Jutsu." This one looked to be in his early twenties, and had shockingly purple hair.
"Rican - Genin for a year. I've been practicing some Genjutsu, Captain!" This one was clearly either 13 or 14 years old, she kind of had the typical Senju face but none of the Chakra. 'Eeh. There's some of it. She'll be a Chunin eventually. All of them will be though with the changes to be fair though.'
Naruko raised an eyebrow as she observed them all. 'Aah, the genin corps. Where you go to rot or hope to become a Chunin, where you'll then rot as a Chunin. Hopefully, that slowly begins to change as Gramps implements more and more of my suggested changes.'
"Well, I'm Naruko - Chunin for less than a year, although that's coming up soon. I have usage of Wind, Water, and Lightning Ninjutsu. I have more than enough Paper Bombs for all of us, and I'm really good at decapitating people. I think with Shuriken, Wires, Genjutsu, Paperbombs, Fire Style, and some Wind Style - our plan on how to deal with the bandits is pretty clear, yes?"
Kawalski and Skipyen shared grins, but Rican fidgeted slightly. "Excuse me, could you share the plan?"
Naruko nodded a patient smile on her face. "Of course. You see, I'm going to be slapping paper bombs onto Kawalski's shuriken, which will have wires connected to them. He'll be throwing them into the bandit's camp. You - whenever a bandit notices them, will be using whatever Genjutsu you can. When all of it is laid out, Skipyen will spew his Fire Style down the wires onto the paper bombs triggering them, which the first one will explode, causing the others to explode. Then I'll use wind style if necessary to fan the flames. We'll then kill any of the stragglers.
Saying that she'd point into the distance. "To start, Kawalski will begin with the outer ring as that's where the tents are mostly focused - and thus where the sleeping bandits are. Only at the end will he throw a bundle of Shuriken in the more central ring. That's when the boom happens."
Rican slowly nodded, still hesitant. 'Aah. The bloodshed. I forget that normal people get bothered by that, and don't rationalize their morality for themselves.' She reached up and patted her on the head. "Don't worry. It'll be us three causing the bloodshed, not you."
"No- don't get me wrong it's not just that! What if they have any captives?" Naruko hummed.
"Good point, give me a moment." She flipped through a few handseals and a nearby puddle of water began to bubble up before forming a Water Clone that quickly disappeared. "Alright, we have a few minutes. How was everyone's week?"
-Ten minutes later-
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"Captain. I think we overdid it." She blinked.
"Aah. I forgot to say that my Paper Bombs are a bit stronger than normal. One moment."
Flipping through a few handseals, "Water Style: Flooding Waves!" a titanic wave of water spewed out of her mouth, quickly smothering the burgeoning forest fire. While she was molding her chakra she also quickly activated her Mind's Eye of Kagura - and noted there was only quickly fading signatures. "Alright Squad, look through the rubble for any survivors, and anything worth anything that wasn't exploded or washed away. Good job everyone!"
-Mission Report-
"How many paper bombs did you use?"
"Only fifty?" He stared at her. "Okay, fifty Kyuubi-Chakra War-Grade paperbombs."
He groaned. "Naruko, you can't use war-grade Paperbombs on a C-Rank Mission unless it's an emergency. Especially not ones powered by the Kyuubi!"
She blinked. "But I only know how to make war-grade paperbombs. It's the only ones taught in the Uzumaki Scroll."
"Of course it is. I'll have someone send you the designs for less potent paper bombs. Just... use them next time please?"
Naruko grinned. "Of course Gramps! Anyway, the mission was a success! One less bandit camp that will just be replaced in like a week because most of the people that usually deal with them are at the borders, out of the country, or in hospitals across the Nation."
Hiruzen pinched his nose. "You missed a few reasons, but yes, I get it. We've dealt with this for decades you know during the First, Second, and Third War - I'm just having you deal with them because it's easier and more efficient. They would be dealt with even without you."
She grinned. "Glad to know you know I'm making your life easier Gramps! Bye bye!" She popped out of existence.
"Insufferable brat..." He let out a chuckle. "I really should get on delegating some of this paperwork, she's right. Too bad she doesn't realize I had previously delegated most of it, it's just that I have to repeal Minato's legislation, the brat liked doing the stuff, and forgot that not everyone can teleport from place to place..."