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Incidents of violence were common in shops. Raikage A understood the rough-and-tumble nature of his village and had grown accustomed to such occurrences.

However, the recent disputes left him baffled. The instigators were clamoring about the absence of "reserved restorative medicine," leading to brawls within the shops.

A could only attribute this to the ever-changing times and the advancement of thought in the shinobi world…

To address these evolving ideologies, Kumogakure, following Samui's suggestion, had mandated the publication of Pravda (The Truth), ensuring the ideals of the Kumogakure Prosperity Sphere kept pace with the rapidly developing material world.

Recently, a wave of good news had swept through the village, dispelling the gloom cast by these violent incidents.

The triangular trade agreement with Sunagakure, for instance, had resolved a major concern for A. The nuisance of the missing-nin from Kirigakure who had been causing trouble in Kumogakure's southern territories, along with other troublemaking criminals within the village, could finally be dealt with by shipping them off en masse.

Only the heavens knew how much the crime rate and the overall atmosphere of Kumogakure had deteriorated since accepting those Kirigakure refugees.

Then there was the matter of the Jinchuriki.

Killer B had turned over a new leaf, no longer indulging in his lowbrow pursuits. He was now dedicated to training and had recently achieved outstanding results in various Jinchuriki assessments.

And then there was Yugito Nii. Her control over the Two-Tails was exceptional. Except for a slightly unsatisfactory score in the ideological assessment, her other scores even surpassed Killer B's past performance.

However, regarding ideology… the Anbu had specialists to handle such training, so it wasn't a major issue. Yugito showed promise of becoming Kumogakure's second perfect Jinchuriki.

Kumogakure was thriving!

Even A's countenance seemed to have softened, taking on a more benevolent appearance.

"Top-secret intel from Samui? What happened?"

"Yes, Raikage-sama!"

"The intel from Samui is as follows…"

The more he listened, the graver A's expression became.

His thoughts were completely consumed by the potential crisis Samui described.

It seemed to make sense!

If Konoha successfully cultivated a pro-Konoha faction among the younger generation of Sunagakure, the Greater Kumogakure Prosperity Sphere would face devastating consequences.

Konoha… had a mastermind among them!

Kumogakure was focused on the present, while Konoha was planning for the future.

A slammed his hand down, commanding, "Summon the Elders to the Raikage Tower for a meeting!"

"Yes, Raikage-sama!"

…

…

"Heh… Study partners. What a clever, overt scheme."

Elder Advisor tapped his elder's staff, his gaze fixed on Konoha through the window. It was as if his vision transcended space and time, allowing him to see the strategist in Konoha playing this game of Go with him.

Someone who could devise such a plan must be a wise individual, like himself, well-versed in the Thirty-Six Stratagems.

Who could it be?

Danzo? Or Tobirama?

"If Konoha's study partner system is officially implemented, creating bonds between the younger generations of Konoha and Sunagakure, it will be difficult for us in Kumogakure to change the situation."

"Fortunately, we have Samui, who relayed this intel immediately, giving us ample time to formulate a counter-strategy."

One elder suggested, "Elder Advisor, what should we do? Should we, as allies, order Sunagakure to withdraw their people?"

"No, no. We've only recently formed a military alliance with Sunagakure. At this time, we must demonstrate Kumogakure's magnanimity and respect for Sunagakure."

Elder Advisor spoke, setting the tone for the response to this intel. "Let's do as Samui suggests."

"You mean… we also implement a study partner system with Sunagakure?"

"Of course. It's an excellent policy. We can even build upon Konoha's study partner system and make some positive modifications."

"Positive modifications?"

A's muscles tensed. The last time Elder Advisor had used those words, they had ended up with the influx of Kirigakure refugees. Whether the outcome was positive or negative was a matter of debate for future generations, but it had certainly been a source of great annoyance for him.

What would it be this time?

He cautiously inquired, "Elder Advisor, what do you have in mind?"

"We can not only cooperate with the Sunagakure Ninja Academy, but also with the Kirigakure Ninja Academy. No restrictions on the number or gender of study partners, emphasizing voluntary participation to maximize interaction among the younger generation."

"Since it's merely interaction at the academy level, it won't escalate to village-level affairs. Even the alliance between Konoha and Kirigakure wouldn't be able to prevent it."

"Furthermore, I believe collaboration with adult ninjas, excluding Anbu, is also feasible."

"Under the guise of exchange and learning, let's have Sunagakure and Kirigakure send their ninja over to experience the splendor of Kumogakure. Instill awe and aspiration within them, and the future will be within our grasp."

As Elder Advisor finished speaking, a lively discussion erupted in the Raikage Tower meeting room.

"Those Kirigakure scoundrels issued a condemnation statement against us not long ago. And now we want to cooperate with their academy?"

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"There are no eternal enemies, nor eternal friends. Everything revolves around interests."

"Adult ninja exchange, excluding Anbu? Isn't that a bit too much? A sudden influx of Sunagakure and Kirigakure ninja would make it difficult to discern their character, potentially causing considerable chaos."

"The bolder the village, the greater the gains! Konoha has already taken the initiative in these exchanges. If we in Kumogakure don't act boldly, we'll merely be following in their footsteps, making it hard to surpass them."

Opinions varied.

A crossed his arms, lost in thought. He had his own considerations.

Merely allowing the civilian refugees from Kirigakure into Kumogakure had already caused considerable chaos.

If they were to allow ninjas from Kirigakure to enter Kumogakure for exchange… the consequences were unpredictable.

Therefore, A demonstrated the decisiveness of a Kage, for the first time vetoing Elder Advisor's proposal on a major decision:

"Send an invitation to the Sunagakure Ninja Academy. As for the Kirigakure Ninja Academy… we can set aside our animosity and invite their students to study at our Kumogakure Ninja Academy, allowing a maximum of two accompanying ninja."

"A, that's too…"

"Elder Advisor! I am the Raikage!" A interrupted. "Those Kirigakure fellows are of dubious character. Their adult ninjas are demons bred in the bloody mist."

"Allowing them to freely enter our village for exchange and learning could cause immeasurable damage."

"As the Raikage, I cannot take such a risk."

Elder's face darkened, feeling slighted. Who was he? He was the trusted advisor of the Third Raikage!

In his eyes, the Fourth Raikage was still a growing child, reliant on the wisdom of the elder council.

With this perspective, Elder Advisor firmly believed his decisions were in Kumogakure's best interest.

Yet this time, A had unexpectedly and publicly rejected his proposal… The unyielding authority of the elders in Kumogakure, facing the Raikage's defiance, began to show cracks…

"Hmph, A, don't regret this."

Elder Advisor tapped his staff on the floor. "Since this is the Raikage's decision, let's conclude this discussion."

"By the Raikage's order, send exchange invitations to the Sunagakure and Kirigakure Ninja Academies."

With that, Elder Advisor brought the academy exchange discussion to a close. Seeing their leader speak, the other elders remained silent.

Elder Advisor rummaged through the drawer in front of him and pulled out a newspaper with the bold, black letters of Pravda printed on it, placing it on the table.

"While we have the opportunity, let's discuss the matter of Pravda."

Having just been defied by A, Elder Advisor sought to regain control and reassert his authority as the leader of the elder council.

Pravda was his masterpiece, his most cherished political achievement. Perhaps it would also be his final political contribution to Kumogakure.

To have conceived such a newspaper in the twilight of his life, guiding the collective spirit of the Greater Kumogakure Prosperity Sphere towards the right path, he could die without regrets.

As long as this political achievement remained, the elder faction's influence within the Raikage Tower would be secured, ensuring that power would not slip from the grasp of the elder faction and their successors.

Even after his death, it would ensure that Raikage A stayed on the right path, preventing him from acting recklessly and hindering the village's development.

Although Elder Advisor had no desire to become Raikage, he wanted to maintain firm control over Kumogakure's developmental decisions.

Perhaps, in his view, the Kage was merely a symbol of the village's highest combat power, only truly valuable during times of war.

As for the village's development and decision-making… that was naturally the responsibility of the wise elders.

What did a Kage know about politics and development?

…

…

Southern Kumogakure.

The atmosphere in the south had been peculiar lately.

The hot-headed nature and proclivity for violence among Kumogakure ninja were well-known throughout the shinobi world. If you wanted to see fiery tempers in the shinobi world, look to Kumogakure, and if you wanted to see the hottest tempers in Kumogakure, look to the south.

Some time ago, the old fogies in the Raikage Tower had issued an order to relocate the Kirigakure refugees en masse to the southern territories.

This policy had significantly disrupted the local ecosystem of the south, severely impacting the lives of the southern "black-necks."

When had the black-necks of southern Kumogakure ever been subjected to such treatment?

Their ancestors had produced the Gold and Silver Brothers, who, when pushed to their limits, had nearly killed the Second Hokage and Second Raikage.

The black-neck ninja spontaneously united to resist the village's policy, carting the Kirigakure refugees to the doorsteps of the elder families, openly declaring their intention to secede from Kumogakure. At the most critical point, they had nearly erupted into armed conflict with the elder faction's ninjas.

The incident eventually ended with the Raikage's intervention, with the elder faction and the southern black-necks each absorbing half of the Kirigakure refugees.

They thought the matter was settled, but then… Pravda arrived.

Under the forceful intervention of the Kumogakure Anbu, Pravda entered every household.

Customers in ninja tool shops frequently brawled over the "reserved muscle restorative medicine" that shopkeepers reluctantly offered.

These fights often led to unexpected friendships, with the brawlers later sitting amidst broken tables and chairs, discussing the recent events in southern Kumogakure:

"Brother, do you read Pravda?"

"Of course, how else would I know I'm living a happy life in Kumogakure?"

"It's true, at least we have reserved muscle restorative medicine now. Hopefully, there'll be more in the future."

There were also conversations like:

"What do the ninjas fighting on the front lines against Iwagakure have in common with the Pravda editors?"

"Tch-those sissies pushing pens in their offices, can they compare to us front-line ninjas?"

"Wrong! Those sissies, no matter who they are, just like us front-line ninjas, only get one mistake in their lives."

"Why?"

"If their content is wrong, those old geezers won't let them off the hook."

And also:

"We've achieved a strategic victory on the Iwagakure front!"

"I just returned from the front lines. We fought back and forth with Iwagakure, but didn't achieve any significant results."

"Our Kumogakure stands united, the entire village under the leadership of the Raikage-sama, unprecedentedly united!"

"I've been to southern Kumogakure. The local traditionalists are quite… something."

"Go out less, read more Pravda."

Even in bookstores that sold prohibited literature, small groups of intellectual ninjas gathered, whispering about the elder faction's Pravda campaign.

They used their talents to craft short stories to counter the elder faction's ideological indoctrination:

"Yagura Karatachi, Rasa, Onoki, and Minato Namikaze visited Kumogakure as distinguished guests for the Five Kage Summit."

"Yagura Karatachi, upon visiting Kumogakure, exclaimed with admiration: 'If our Kirigakure ninjas had the muscles of Kumogakure ninjas, we would be invincible!'"

"Rasa said: 'If we could turn Kumogakure ninjas into puppets, Sunagakure would conquer the entire shinobi world!'"

"Onoki said: 'If I had the Raikage's youth, I would be the strongest in the ninja world.'"

"Minato Namikaze said: 'Compared to the speed at which Pravda spreads, my Flying Thunder God Technique is as slow as a newborn infant. If we in Konoha had Pravda, the entire shinobi world still wouldn't know that the Second Hokage died in Kumogakure.'"

"There are three things I must read. First, Pravda, because it's classic, filial, joyful, and… clam-like. Second, Iki, because it opens my eyes to the shinobi world. Third, Tales of the Hidden Kunoichi, because it tops the elder faction's list of banned books."

Human nature was always like this.

The more the authorities banned something, the more curious people became. The more they promoted something, the more resistance it encountered.

Perhaps if the Raikage were to announce the permanent ban of Pravda the next day, it would only pique the curiosity of the ninjas and villagers in the Greater Kumogakure Prosperity Sphere, prompting them to take a closer look at Pravda.

However, Pravda's current situation in Kumogakure…

According to an anonymous Anbu ninja, the following conversation took place between adjacent stalls in a public restroom:

"Brother, do you have any paper?"

"No."

"Then what do I do? I'm about to… make a mess."

"Not my problem. I don't know you."

"Then… do you have a copy of Pravda?"

"Here, brother. I was going to use it myself, but you can have it first. Wipe with the front, and I'll use the back."

Afterwards, the Anbu ninja responsible for enforcing the distribution of Pravda didn't report the incident.

As for the reason… he was the one without paper.

If public sentiment could be quantified, after the publication of Pravda, the Fourth Raikage's approval rating would likely be represented by an uncountable series of:

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