The decision was made—it was time to move forward.
Now, the next step was figuring out how to implement it.
After confirming with Elder Genshi and receiving his nod of approval, Yagura smiled and picked up a pen, writing down the names of three companies on the second line.
Since the idea had already been approved, he had free rein to choose the names as he pleased. No one would bother nitpicking over such trivial matters.
Who would dare? The Military Affairs Department would be the first to tear them apart.
"Haha." Elder Genshi let out a hearty laugh, clearly pleased. "Good names."
"Thanks, hehe."
The names Yagura chose were all from his past life.
Bringing them into this world was his way of leaving a small connection to the world he once belonged to.
As for the other two names, they weren't particularly special.
"This security company—essentially, it's just a delivery service," Yagura said, pointing out the least conspicuous name among them and marking the end of the second section.
Next, the third point—computers, the internet, and one-click ordering.
Elder Genshi focused intently on Yagura. He had already begun to grasp the implications of these words.
And because he understood, he also realized just how much power lay hidden behind those seemingly simple phrases.
His breathing grew heavier, and after a brief pause, he said solemnly, "Mizukage, please continue."
Many others in the room had also caught on to the idea and were no longer lost in thought. As soon as Elder Genshi spoke, they snapped back to attention, eyes locked on Yagura with barely concealed anticipation.
"Alright."
Yagura wasn't using overly complex language—his words were straightforward enough to convey the general concept at a glance.
Noting the burning curiosity in their eyes, he chuckled inwardly. Without further suspense, he dived straight into the next topic.
"How do our citizens currently submit requests to us?"
Everyone in the room, including Yagura, was familiar with the current system.
"They have to travel to one of our government offices, fill out a physical form, and submit it in person. That's pretty inconvenient, isn't it?"
"On top of that, once the mission is completed, they have to make another trip to confirm the completion and collect the payment. That's even more inconvenient."
"Think about it—our clients are the ones paying. Why should they have to go through so much hassle?"
"For C-rank missions and above, fine. The mission fees are high, and the nature of the tasks often involves confidential matters, so using this clunky system is somewhat understandable."
"But for D-rank missions? Let's take delivery requests as an example. Suppose…"
Yagura scanned the room for a suitable candidate, quickly locking eyes with Mei Terumi, who was watching him with open curiosity.
"Mei."
Since she was one of his key protégés, he decided to use her for the example.
"Say you need to send a box from your house to mine. Would you rather make two trips to the nearest government office to place the request, or just drop it off at my house directly?"
Most clan compounds in Kirigakure were concentrated in the village's central district, an area roughly the size of a future administrative zone.
Mission request offices, however, were located at the equivalent of a county-level administration, with only one per region.
For a shinobi, traveling that distance was trivial.
Mei's answer came naturally. "Of course, I'd rather go directly."
"But Mei, you're a ninja. For ordinary civilians who don't have chakra, and with public transportation still underdeveloped, they might be able to deliver something within their neighborhood or district. But for anything farther, they'd still rely on ninja services."
Yagura turned back to the audience. "The logic here is the same."
"What logic? That we should make things easier for our clients, improve our service, and enhance our quality."
"It already seems excessive to charge five thousand ryo just to deliver a package. Fifty or seventy ryo is enough for a decent meal. We get away with it only because there's no real competition. Pricing is another discussion for later."
"The current process is too cumbersome. People are naturally lazy—they'll always take the easiest route. If we make things more convenient for them, they'll be more willing to use our services."
Those who pay are gods.
This was a fundamental truth Yagura had learned during his mission in the Land of Artisans, a principle quite different from the standard mindset of shinobi in this world.
"Setting aside the military role we serve during wartime, our job is to fulfill civilian requests. Essentially, a shinobi village is an organization of ninja."
He paused, giving everyone time to digest his words before continuing bluntly,
"Looking at it this way, aren't we just a massive, labor-intensive service industry?"
"Our core business is completing commissions—quickly, efficiently, and with quality. We pay shinobi, and they complete missions to earn their wages and bonuses."
The sheer audacity of his statement left the room in stunned silence.
They were shinobi! He was a shinobi! He was their leader!
Ninjas—the most revered profession in the world!
Could he really describe it like that?!
But… it made perfect sense!
Of course, their service was riskier than that of normal industries—it involved assassination, theft, arson, and national secrets.
Realizing that his words might have been a bit too groundbreaking, Yagura gave the shinobi in the room a moment to process.
...
Gradually, the stunned expressions faded, and the room full of high-ranking officials began to regain their composure. Their gazes toward Yagura were now mixed with complex emotions.
To hear such words from someone standing at the pinnacle of the shinobi world was almost heretical.
But then again… this was Yagura.
Even Elder Genshi, who prided himself on his open-mindedness, was taken aback. "Mizukage."
"Yes?" Yagura responded obediently.
"It's best not to let these words spread."
"I understand."
Picking up a piece of chalk, Yagura wrote down the key points he had just discussed before turning back to the group. "Shall I continue?"
The collective numbness in their expressions was evident as they nodded.
"Please, go ahead."
"Since we're in the service industry, our next priority should be figuring out how to satisfy our customers."
He drew an arrow from 'service industry' and wrote 'service quality' at the other end.
Then, he branched out two subpoints.
"One, improving our shinobi's skills to ensure missions are completed flawlessly. Two, enhancing our attitude—stop looking so stiff and unapproachable on every job."
Tapping on the second point, he added, "I know I can be guilty of this myself. We don't need to grovel like other service industries. But as long as we're more approachable than before, and better than other villages, that's enough."
"Just being able to communicate with clients properly—without acting superior—that's all I'm asking. Got it?"
They understood.
But whether the 'shinobi big shots' would be willing to change was another matter.
After all, being a ninja was the most esteemed profession in this world.
Yagura knew this shift wouldn't happen overnight, so he didn't push it.
"I'll work on adjusting our mindset later. Let's move on for now."
He moved the chalk back up.
"Improving our shinobi's skills… That's a given. Every village does it."
He chuckled, then said, "But this field is getting too competitive—it's a brutal race."
"Not just for us. Every shinobi village is on this path."
"So, what makes clients choose us? What sets us apart? What unique advantage do we have?"
Competition wasn't just about service—it applied to all industries.
By now, many in the room had pieced together Yagura's entire vision, especially Elder Genshi and those from the Commerce Department.
Yagura drew a final arrow, connecting 'service industry' to 'fewer trips, more convenience,' then to 'computer & internet: one-click ordering.'
Everything was coming together