Chapter 44: The Special Strategy Division
Dana had been thinking about establishing a "Special Strategy Division" for a while. Under the current system, many specialized tasks were not properly categorized. Take the recent Kage summit, for example. Without Dana, the negotiation strategy would have been determined by the Raikage and his advisors, who would have set a general framework and then tried to get the best deal they could. But the problem was, neither the Raikage nor his advisors had a deep understanding of Konoha. Everyone was responsible for their own area, and they didn't have the time to constantly monitor Konoha's internal affairs. This would lead to inaccurate information and prevent them from maximizing their gains.
But if there was a dedicated team that specialized in this area, that spent years studying the situations in the various villages and countries, then they could secure a much better outcome.
This was just one example. The name "Special Strategy Division" said it all. It would only handle special matters, most of which would have a strategic impact. It would not be involved in routine missions.
The shadow of war was not yet clearly defined. Only Dana, with his foreknowledge, knew how brutal the upcoming Second and Third Great Ninja Wars would be. This gave him a sense of urgency.
The Special Strategy Division was formed with members drawn from the ANBU, including Dodai's own subordinates, as well as volunteers like Kyohei Kawanishi. It started as a small department of about ten people.
"And so," Dana said, tapping on a small blackboard, "our first mission is to make contact with Hanzo of the Salamander."
The adult ninja below him were diligently taking notes. The Third Raikage sat off to the side, a silent, imposing presence, clearly there to support his son. No one questioned why they were taking orders from a child. Dana had already proven himself, and with the Raikage and Dodai backing him up, his authority was absolute.
"The Land of Rain's geographical location is unique," Dana explained. "It borders the lands of Wind, Fire, and Earth. And its natural environment is harsh. If any one of those three powers gains control of the Land of Rain, they will pose a significant threat to the other two. At the same time, none of them will allow the other two to gain control."
A ninja raised his hand. "But the Hidden Rain Village has a powerhouse like Hanzo of the Salamander, the so-called 'demigod' of the ninja world."
When he said "demigod," the Third Raikage visibly sneered. He clearly had no respect for the title.
"The problem is precisely that the Hidden Rain has a Hanzo of the Salamander," Dana said, his words startling the room. "And his even greater mistake is that he is trying to use his power to gain recognition from the other great villages."
"Without Hanzo and his makeshift village, the Land of Rain would just be a geographical battlefield. With him, it is destined to become a real battlefield."
The statement was a bit convoluted, and many of them didn't quite understand.
"But we don't need to worry about that for now. Our first mission is to establish contact with Hanzo and provide him with support. We just need him and his village to survive. To survive a little better, and a little longer."
A thoughtful expression appeared on the faces of many of the ninja.
Leaving the Raikage's tower, Dana once again felt the weight of a responsibility far beyond his years.
That evening, Hiroto and his sister Kayo came to the Yotsuki compound to train with him.
Hiroto had been at the Academy for almost a full term and had already earned a reputation as a young genius. His massive chakra reserves, exceptional talent for ninjutsu, and decent taijutsu skills had made him very popular. Kayo was still a bit too young, but she was already trying to mold chakra.
Their "training" consisted of Hiroto trying to hit Dana with various attacks while Dana dodged using only his physical abilities.
"Dodge this! Dodge that! Look out, shuriken!"
"Lightning Ball, Lightning Ball, Lightning Ball!"
Being able to use a C-rank jutsu after only a year at the Academy was a testament not only to Hiroto's immense chakra, but also to his natural talent.
Unfortunately for him, Dana had been training diligently as well, and his physical abilities had improved even further. He had also grown a bit taller and was now slightly taller than Hiroto, who was a year older. With his incredible reflexes and dynamic vision, Dana effortlessly weaved through a barrage of tracking ninjutsu and ninja tools, not a single hair on his head out of place.
Kayo watched from the side, completely mesmerized. She wasn't impressed by her brother; her eyes were fixed on Dana as he gracefully danced around the training ground, stars in her eyes.
"Onii-chan Dana is so cool!"
Hiroto wiped the sweat from his brow. He was considered a genius at the Academy, yet he couldn't even touch the hem of Dana's clothes. And that was with Dana only defending. He had seen him spar with the Third Raikage; he knew how strong his taijutsu was. If he wanted to, he could probably take him down in a single blow.
They trained for a while, until Hiroto's chakra was completely depleted. Dana wiped a non-existent bead of sweat from his forehead. The three of them then went inside and sat around the warm stove, eating pastries prepared by the kitchen staff.
Kayo was still a bit shy, but Hiroto, after several visits, had completely shed his inhibitions and was stuffing his face.
"Dana," he asked between mouthfuls, "you don't go to school. What do you do all day?"
"Hmm," Dana said thoughtfully. "I handle some disputes between the Cloud and other nations... well, mainly the Land of Fire. I work on improving the village's humanitarian efforts. I manage the placement of foreign prisoners. And then there's this big project I'm in charge of, involving the core industries of several countries. Yeah, that's about it for now."
Hiroto stopped chewing, his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk. He stared at Dana, waiting for him to laugh and say it was all a joke.
That's insane! Even if your dad is the Raikage, that's insane!
A stampede of a thousand alpacas ran through his mind.
But Kayo's eyes were once again filled with stars.
"Onii-chan Dana really is amazing!"
"Snap out of it, Kayo! He's lying! He has to be!" Hiroto sputtered.
"Hard to believe, isn't it? I find it hard to believe myself," Dana said with a grim expression.
After a long moment, Hiroto finally recovered. "So, does that mean you'll never go to the Academy? I heard the teacher say that even the Raikage's son has to go. I was hoping we could be classmates."
Dana stroked his chin. "It's true. My brother went to the Academy. But my situation is a bit special. I'll probably just join the graduating class for the last two years."
The Academy was an important part of the village, and the Raikage had to lead by example. But Arashi hadn't paid much attention in school either. The curriculum was designed for the average student and was too slow for a prodigy. Dana figured it would be the same for him. He'd have to go through the motions eventually, but it wouldn't be for long. He'd probably just show up for the last year or two to get his diploma. Speaking of which, once the children at the orphanage were settled, they would also be enrolling in the Academy.
It seemed his idyllic school life was destined to be short-lived. He had actually been looking forward to it, to experience what it was like to be the cool, popular kid, especially since he was quite handsome in this life.
"By the way, Dana," Hiroto asked, "what are you doing for New Year's? My mom wanted to invite you over."
"Oh, about that... you'll have to apologize to your mom for me. The Daimyo invited our family to the capital for New Year's. I don't think I can make it."
Kayo's eyes filled with stars once again.
"Onii-chan Dana really is amazing!"
"Snap out of it, Kayo! He's lying! He has to be!"