The contrasting attitudes of Makiya and Hiruzen gave Minato a mounting headache. Just then, an Anbu delivered a stack of intelligence regarding the Land of Demons. The three of them delved into the documents, searching for a while before they managed to piece together the general situation of the country.
It was a nation ruled by a Priestess.
Unlike the noble-ninja village systems in other lands, the Land of Demons revered the Priestess above all else. The vassal clans serving under her acted as the administrative class, managing the entire country's operations.
The Land of Demons' strength was not particularly high. Only the major clans serving the Priestess passed down methods for cultivating ninjutsu. The vast majority of their soldiers were ordinary people clad in light armor and armed with bows. While sufficient to deter outlaws and bandits, their military was primarily geared toward maintaining internal stability and peace.
This was enough for the Land of Demons. After all, they had always maintained a low profile, rarely suffering invasions and possessing no desire to invade others.
However, the trouble within the Land of Demons was exceptionally difficult to handle. According to the records, a demonic entity known as Moryo had existed there for ages, plaguing the land for millennia. Even if it were blown to pieces, it would eventually reform after a time, appearing as though it were impossible to kill.
Regarding Moryo, the Priestesses of the Land of Demons utilized sealing methods. However, the seal on Moryo would be broken at regular intervals. The unleashed demon would then summon an army of stone warriors to rampage across the land, leaving a trail of endless slaughter in its wake.
Every time this occurred, the Priestess would step forward, sacrificing a great deal to reseal Moryo and quell the chaos.
The lineage of the Priestess was passed down through generations, just as Moryo broke free at regular intervals. The two had been locked in a cycle of struggle for countless years, a struggle that continued to this day.
Konoha's records regarding Moryo were sparse. Yet, even from the brief descriptions in his hands, Minato could feel how troublesome the entity was.
To settle a threat of this level, only a Kage-level ninja would be reliable. Konoha was not exactly overflowing with such combat power at the moment, and with the Hidden Mist Village keeping them pinned down, Minato found himself unable to make a decision.
Makiya and Hiruzen fell silent, quietly waiting for Minato to decide. After all, Minato was the Hokage now; they were merely consultants.
After much hesitation, Minato took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, his expression somewhat somber. "We truly cannot spare the support for this. I will find an excuse to turn them down."
Hiruzen revealed a gratified expression. Minato had matured significantly of late, finally learning to prioritize the village's interests above all else. In the dealings between nations and villages, 'face' and reputation meant little; only tangible benefits were real.
Unfortunately, Minato was still missing a 'Danzo-style' subordinate to handle the darker tasks.
Thinking of Danzo, Hiruzen sighed inwardly, shooting a discreet look at the impassive Makiya. His heart was a whirlpool of complexity.
If he were still the Third Hokage and Danzo were still alive, dealing with the Land of Demons' plea for help would have been much simpler.
Danzo would have understood perfectly and 'intercepted' the request. He would have dealt with the messenger and any informed parties within Konoha, or perhaps used a seal to block the intelligence. From start to finish, Hiruzen, as the Hokage, would never have seen the letter and would remain 'completely unaware.'
In this way, Konoha would have preserved both its reputation and its strength. This was the silent understanding Hiruzen and Danzo had shared for years, a governance method they were well-accustomed to.
'Where there is light, there are always shadows. The Fourth is still too green; I should look for a candidate to fill that role for him,' Hiruzen mused silently. 'Kakashi might be a good fit. He is meticulous and clever—perhaps he could become a second Danzo.'
Makiya was not surprised by Minato's decision. As the discussion regarding the Land of Demons concluded, Minato took advantage of Makiya's rare visit by pulling a massive stack of documents from behind his desk, covering the entire table in front of Makiya.
"These are..." Makiya picked up a file that had fallen at his feet, suddenly feeling a bad omen.
"There are some matters I cannot decide on my own. Since you are here today, Makiya, let us go over them together." Minato flashed his signature warm smile, making Makiya want to punch him.
"Indeed, some matters require Consultant Makiya's counsel," Hiruzen added. "The 'Public Security Management Measures' you submitted previously were quite refreshing. In terms of governing the village, your opinions are vital."
In this regard, Hiruzen genuinely acknowledged Makiya's ability.
Makiya's lip twitched. He felt as though he should never have agreed to this consultant position.
But since he was already here, and seeing how hard Minato was working, he decided to help out for a while.
The three of them spread out the documents and began to read, occasionally discussing points. When their opinions diverged, they would argue passionately, drinking cup after cup of tea.
Suddenly, Makiya seemed to remember something and looked up at Minato. "Right, Minato, there was something I forgot to mention earlier."
"What is it?" Minato looked up curiously.
"Regarding the question of whether the mission or one's comrades are more important." Makiya's expression was grave. "Kakashi's father committed suicide because of this very issue, and I nearly became a victim of that same mindset..."
As he spoke, Makiya glanced at Hiruzen, only to find the older man focused on his documents, completely ignoring the comment.
Hiruzen was a professional at playing dead.
While he appeared impassive on the surface, Hiruzen was rolling his eyes internally, feeling nothing but disdain for Makiya's phrasing. 'What do you mean, *nearly a victim*?' The scene of Makiya berating Danzo in the Hokage's office was still vivid in Hiruzen's mind. There hadn't been a trace of a victim in him then.
"You mean that matter," Minato's expression also turned serious. "Do you have any thoughts, Makiya?"
"My thoughts are simple." Makiya clapped his hands together. "This mainly depends on your perspective. The clearer and more explicit the laws are, the more defined the power of the ruling class becomes. If you only wish to maintain your status and authority, then make no public declaration. That way, the power of final interpretation remains with you."
Makiya looked at Hiruzen again before continuing. "As long as you don't set a clear rule, anything you say within the scope of Konoha becomes law. If you say the mission is paramount, then it is. If you say a comrade's life is more important, you can easily condemn a ninja who abandoned a friend for the sake of the mission."
"..." Hiruzen remained silent. 'Why do you keep looking at me?'
Minato shook his head immediately. "I ran for Hokage to protect the village and everyone in it, not to maintain some status or authority."
"Then it's simple. It is best to establish a clear regulation as soon as possible. Define exactly under what circumstances a mission can be abandoned and when the mission must take priority. Set a rule and announce it to the whole village." Makiya leaned back against the soft sofa. "If you find the specifics difficult to grasp, you can convene the clan heads for a discussion. Collective wisdom will ensure the rule is accepted by all. Just remember to use the new regulation to clear the name of the White Fang and other wrongly accused ninjas."
Minato looked thoughtful, clearly taking the advice to heart.
Hiruzen sighed silently, wondering if he had offended Makiya recently.
That matter had happened so long ago; why bring it up now just to make him and Koharu feel awkward? Makiya was clearly doing this to spite him!
Could it be because he accidentally spat some tea toward Makiya during their earlier argument? Surely he wasn't that petty.
A day passed in a flash. By the time Makiya dragged his exhausted body out of the Hokage building, the silvery moonlight had draped the earth in a white veil, and the streets were already empty.
Walking home, Makiya suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes shifting toward the trees lining both sides of the street.
Whoosh!
A figure wearing an animal mask leaped down from a tree, appearing before Makiya with a Body Flicker.
The silver-white hair gave away his identity; it was none other than Konoha's elite technician, Kakashi Hatake.
However, compared to the Kakashi of the original timeline who possessed the Sharingan, the current timeline was vastly different. Obito Uchiha was alive and well. After conditioning his body, Obito's recovery had been rapid, and his right side was now functional, leading Kakashi to return the Sharingan to its original owner.
Since the transplant, Kakashi had felt constant pressure, even his chakra refinement was affected. Though it had been a promotion gift for becoming a Jonin, it was not something a normal person could easily bear.
The Sharingan's true power could only be unleashed when both eyes were present. For the sake of his own development and Obito's, Kakashi—along with Rin Nohara—finally managed to convince Obito to take the eye back.
Currently, the Konoha Hospital was researching organ cloning technology, aiming to give Kakashi a new, original eye, though the technical hurdles were many and progress was slow.
The title of 'Copy Ninja' might never appear, but Kakashi's own talent was exceptional. Developing a Kekkei Genkai like Purple Electricity and becoming a Kage-level powerhouse would not be difficult for him.
The mask covered Kakashi's face, but Makiya's vision pierced through the small eye slits, clearly seeing the complex emotions within.
'What's wrong with this kid? He stops me but doesn't say a word. Is he just going to stand there?'
Kakashi was struggling internally. He had heard about the discussion in the Hokage's office from Minato-sensei. He was deeply moved by Makiya's proposal to exonerate his father and wanted to offer a gift to show his gratitude.
But as the moment arrived, Kakashi felt a pang of reluctance. After all, what he was about to give away was...
After much hesitation, Kakashi finally produced a book and a basketball-sized lump of metal, holding them out to Makiya.
"Regarding what happened today, thank you very much!" Kakashi bowed deeply, a perfect ninety-degree angle that surprised Makiya. Makiya hadn't thought much of it—at least, he hadn't done it specifically for Kakashi. He had simply been disgusted by Hiruzen's ambiguous methods and brought it up. He hadn't expected Kakashi to seek him out.
"No need for thanks," Makiya waved his hand casually. "I was simply doing my duty. Senior White Fang was a hero of great merit; he shouldn't have to suffer under a false reputation forever."
Seeing that Makiya didn't reach out, Kakashi silently placed the items on the ground and vanished with a Body Flicker.
In Makiya's perception, Kakashi's Body Flicker was exceptionally fast this time, as if he had performed beyond his usual limits.
Makiya picked up the items. One was a large chunk of chakra-conductive metal. This material was prohibitively expensive and rare, often unavailable regardless of price.
The piece in his hand was heavy; it was likely Sakumo Hatake's private collection. The White Fang's signature technique was the Hatake Blade Technique, which utilized a short blade infused with Lightning Style chakra to create a white light like a venomous snake's fangs. This was why he was feared as the White Fang. A great blade technique required a great blade, and chakra-conductive metal was the best material for such a weapon.
As for the other item, Makiya looked at the dark green cover and found it familiar. Under the moonlight, he saw the title: Make-Out Paradise — Limited Manuscript Edition.
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