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Nara Enmaru's words struck the Konoha elites like a bolt of lightning.
The Uchiha Ninja's eyes widened in sudden realization.
He finally understood.
So the Clan Head's bold gamble wasn't about political favor or court intrigue at all.
It was about whether the Uchiha Clan could become the first builders of the new order.
Hizashi lowered his gaze and spread out his calloused palms.
These were hands that could unleash the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms at any moment.
Caged Bird. Restraint. Rules.
How similar they all were.
But the seal placed upon him by the Main Family was meant to confine the Branch Family for the sake of preserving the Hyuga Clan.
While the restrictions the Daimyo imposed on all Ninja… were meant to build an entire nation.
The irony was cruel. The cage of the Hyuga Main Family had suffocated him, filled him with despair.
But the Daimyo's "rules" made him… see a different possibility.
A possibility where Neji would never have to bear the cursed seal of the Caged Bird.
Not far away, Asuma leaned against a wall, watching silently.
He had heard every word Enmaru spoke.
Absurd—that was his first thought.
He wanted to refute it, to mock it as mere nonsense.
But when he opened his mouth, no words came out.
Because those words explained everything that had seemed unreasonable up until now.
The Daimyo wasn't playing games with them.
He was rewriting the rules of the Ninja World itself.
And they, the so-called Twelve Guardian Ninja, hadn't even realized what game they were in.
The site grew quiet again.
Enmaru looked across the chaotic construction zone, a faint, bitter smile tugging at his lips.
"This is an exam," he said softly. "And not only did we fail to understand the questions—we almost tore up the test paper."
He straightened, his voice firm.
"Everyone, we can't sit around any longer."
"We're Ninja, so let's solve this the way Ninja should!"
"We need to hand Daimyo-sama a satisfactory answer sheet!"
The Ino–Shika–Chō trio reacted first, their trust in the Nara Clan instinctive.
"Enmaru, tell us what to do!"
"Yeah, we'll follow your lead!"
Kazuma and Natsukawa hurried over as well, their faces lit with excitement.
They didn't fully understand what "new order" or "instruction" meant, but they understood the last part.
Use Ninja methods to solve the problem.
Submit an answer worthy of Daimyo-sama.
This was exactly the kind of challenge they'd been waiting for.
The Uchiha Ninja didn't speak, but he stepped forward silently, his actions showing his agreement.
Hizashi slowly opened his eyes, his Byakugan gleaming.
"What do you need me to do?" he asked calmly.
Enmaru looked at the companions now gathered around him, his confidence solidifying.
At least now, they were united.
As for Asuma, who still stood sulking in the corner, and the few others who hesitated, he didn't have time to worry about them.
"Good."
He nodded sharply. "The problems come down to two points: precision and coordination."
"Ninjutsu is powerful, but too crude, causing major measurement errors."
"And there's no effective communication between Ninja and craftsmen, leading to chaos and constant rework."
He exhaled deeply. "So our real task…"
"…is not to build walls—but to act as the central processors of this entire construction site!"
He pointed toward Hizashi and the Uchiha Ninja.
"Step one, measurement and calibration!"
"Hizashi, Natsume, your ocular Ninjutsu are the most precise rulers here. Use the blueprints as reference, check every dimension across the site, and mark all deviations down to the millimeter!"
"No problem."
Both men nodded in unison.
They exchanged glances, and a subtle spark of rivalry passed between their eyes.
The next moment—
"Byakugan!"
"Sharingan!"
Two pairs of legendary eyes activated simultaneously.
Hizashi's vision penetrated the haze of dust and structure, laying out the entire construction site clearly in his mind.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Natsume's Sharingan rotated steadily, duplicating the data and blueprints perfectly and comparing them against reality to the millimeter.
Enmaru turned toward the Yamanaka Ninja next.
"Step two, communication! Ryo, you'll serve as the information hub!"
"Transmit the corrected measurements directly to the Ninja handling construction."
"Understood!"
Yamanaka Ryo sat cross-legged and quickly formed hand seals. His mental energy expanded outward, creating a network of precise point-to-point telepathic links, over a dozen in total, connecting all the key operators on-site.
"Step three, coordination!"
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Bang!
A clone of Enmaru appeared beside him.
"The main body will handle overall command, while the clone will communicate with craftsmen, integrate their input, and adjust the plan as needed."
"Step four, execution!"
He looked to the Akimichi and Inuzuka clansmen.
"Hayama, Ri, you'll lead your teams to supervise the quality of each stage and ensure the plan is followed exactly!"
"Woof!" Ri's Ninja dog barked excitedly, tail wagging.
And with that, the first true Ninja construction unit was born.
The energy across the entire site changed instantly.
"Hey! You there, with the Earth Release! That wall's crooked—shift it one inch to the right and reinforce it with Hardening Jutsu!"
A Shadow Guard performing Earth Release paused briefly, received the telepathic correction, and immediately adjusted.
The site was no longer a chaotic display of random Ninjutsu.
It became a battlefield of precision and coordination.
Hizashi stood on a high scaffold, his Byakugan scanning the entire operation—no deviation escaped his sight.
Natsume moved swiftly across the ground, his Sharingan capturing every dynamic change in real time.
Enmaru's clone sprinted between craftsmen and Ninja, jotting notes and adjusting the plan with sweat pouring down his face.
Yamanaka Ryo sat still as a statue, his mental network glowing faintly as countless pieces of data passed through his mind.
Akimichi Hayama activated Partial Expansion Jutsu, effortlessly lifting massive pre-fabricated beams into perfect position.
Inuzuka Ri, Aburame Fushimi, Kurama Narumi, Kazuma, Natsukawa, and Chiriku all joined in.
"Foundation in Area B has sunk by two millimeters! Reinforce with Rock Pillar Jutsu!"
"The window frame is one centimeter too tight! Use Earth Release: Cutting Jutsu to expand it!"
"The craftsmen report the load-bearing wall density must reach Grade 3! Increase Chakra output slightly!"
"The carpentry team's moving in! All walls in Area C must be finished within ten minutes!"
The craftsmen, who had earlier been exasperated by the Ninja's clumsiness, now stood frozen in awe.
They watched these Ninja, through methods they could barely comprehend, turn the once chaotic construction site into a perfectly synchronized, high-speed machine.
Efficiency soared more than tenfold.
Rework rate—zero.
The frustration and helplessness in the craftsmen's eyes were replaced by excitement and admiration.
This—this was what a Ninja truly was.
So Ninjutsu could be used for something like this!
Asuma's expression had turned blank.
He looked around the site, now filled with rhythm and life, saw the smiles on the craftsmen's faces, the excitement in Kazuma's and the others' eyes—even as they were covered in dust.
For the first time, he began to waver.
Maybe… Enmaru was right after all.
…
Inside the Daimyo Manor study.
Gen respectfully presented a scroll just delivered by a Ninja dog to Arashi.
Unrolling it, Arashi skimmed the report of the Guardian Ninja's actions, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
This—this was the true use of Ninja.
To not use them for infrastructure would be a waste.
As for Asuma's resistance, it was all within his expectations.
If anything, it only solidified his resolve to seize control of the Will of Fire's meaning itself.
"Announce it," Arashi said calmly.
"Enmaru and Kazuma will each have their monthly stipend increased by ten percent."
"Also, inform the kitchens to provide additional meals for everyone on the construction site."
"Let them eat well."
"Yes, my Lord." Gen bowed deeply and withdrew.
(To be continued.)