Chapter 110

No tricky maneuvers, no elaborate multi-step traps—just what a smart person without formal education could come up with. That's why Nara are considered geniuses; our tactical preparation is three heads above anything taught in shinobi academies. And our predisposition to use our brains instead of loafing around like everyone else. It's indulging in our own laziness, so to speak.

Despite the so-called principles of teamwork that every sensei drills into genin, each chunin has barely a dozen or so tactical schemes, depending on observed enemy characteristics. I have about three hundred... for different team compositions, the characteristics of their members, the specifics of clan kekkei genkai with hidenjutsu, various types of tasks, ultimate goals, and similar nuances. What can I say, a five-year-old from our world knows more than healthy thirty-year-old uncles from here.

Aside from their reluctance to use their brains, all shinobi preach a cult of strength, and simply acknowledging their superiority over ordinary people greatly defies common sense. I suspect that it's not just the influence of chakra that's at fault here; in many cases, it's the arrogance that comes from power that recklessly dismisses caution, combined with the youthfulness of users.

From my observations, seventy percent of those in combat are between fifteen and twenty years old, with all the resulting consequences. Hormones, adrenaline, and chakra, with brains washed by the Will of Fire—this deadly cocktail creates suicide fighters ready to tear through the enemy until victory. What tactical maneuvers?

Just hit harder with jutsu and the problem is solved. These are real child soldiers, and yet such behavior is considered normal. Moreover, this situation is observed not only here but also in Iwagakure, which is forced to send more inexperienced fighters into battle. Soon we'll have to send completely green genin to their deaths right after they finish their training. The first signs are already visible.

So, I stopped being surprised by the sick trying to escape as soon as they can stand up, disregarding their own health, by neglecting existing wounds just to avoid falling into the hands of medical ninjas, attempts at self-healing, detached fingers and hands from trying to use enemy jutsu remembered from the last battle, cases of being blown up by their own traps or protective belts around the camp, as well as alcohol and drug intoxications of idiots who managed to sneak in during stress and relaxation, not understanding anything at all.

And I haven't even mentioned the "wonderful" habit of chatting with the enemy during battle, which has firmly established itself in the traditions of local shinobi of almost any age. No, I understand that it takes time to ramp up the source and send more chakra through the chakra pathways to use more powerful techniques, but not at the expense of common sense, when there's a chance to quickly finish off the enemy instead of giving them a chance to play a trump card!

This doesn't even touch on the ability to ignore orders, unintentional sabotage, because the performer thought another option was "cooler," and similar cases where subordinates are unhappy with the commander's actions, even if they are actually correct, but the commander doesn't enjoy much respect from those he commands.

After all, it's not for nothing that only those who are suitable for command positions by strength, not by ability to command, receive ranks. Such an unpopular commander might face several challenges from disgruntled individuals upon returning to the village, if he turns out to be weaker than his fighters.

Hence the consequences of the cult of strength. Yeah, and the Hokage becomes the strongest, able to shut up all other aspiring ones. Perhaps the only exceptions to this are the Nara, solely due to their established reputation as brilliant strategists. It's not shameful to listen to them even in the heat of battle.

Yes, reputation plays a significant role in this world. You can take me as an example. Despite a solid reputation as an excellent medical ninja, a master of fuinjutsu, and a decent fighter, among those who haven't been in my hands yet, there's often a disdainful expression for a rear rat incapable of getting to the front lines without sitting behind others.

I've got more interesting stuff on patreon (+ 100 chapter)

patreon.com/Chill76