"Hokage-sama!"
"Sensei!"
When Hiruzen walked into the meeting room, the Konoha council members all rose instinctively to greet him…
Orochimaru let out a long breath, a genuine smile spreading across his face.
These past few days had been driving him to the brink!
Although no further extreme incidents like Danzō losing control had occurred… the atmosphere of the meetings had remained extremely tense.
Sharp words clashed like blades, no one willing to yield an inch—they hadn't even managed to agree on the most basic classifications of the issues…
"Oh? Quite the lively atmosphere."
Hiruzen swept his gaze across the Konoha council members and said with a genial smile: "Looks like everyone's been putting in real effort—faces flushed, necks stiff…"
"Have the meeting minutes been prepared? Let me take a look at everyone's results…"
Hizashi silently appeared at Hiruzen's side and handed them over with both hands.
"Good work, Hizashi…"
Hiruzen nodded and slowly walked toward the main seat, his back to the crowd.
At the moment his eyes met Orochimaru's, Hiruzen raised an eyebrow.
The meaning was clear: 'Brat, how does it feel to be Hokage?'
Orochimaru froze.
Then he sighed, shaking his head as he straightened the chair for him: "Sensei, please sit!"
After going through this experience…
Orochimaru finally understood—his prestige and foundation were far from solid enough.
Even if Sensei handed him the Hokage position right now, he would refuse.
He had once told Hiruzen he hoped he could keep going for another fifty years…
But deep down, he had always thought that in a few years, he could begin taking over.
'At least ten years… no matter what, Sensei has to keep going for another ten years!' Orochimaru thought to himself.
'Another twenty or thirty years would be fine too… after all, Sensei's body is only getting better…'
As for the idea of 'Is there really such a thing as a crown prince for fifty years?'—Orochimaru had no issue with it at all.
With such favorable conditions and research opportunities under his teacher, and with his own lifespan clearly far beyond that of ordinary people, what was there to rush?
Orochimaru even felt his past self had been a bit foolish…
What was the hurry?
Danzō stared fixedly at Hiruzen, not daring to make a sound, not even moving.
Afraid that even the slightest noise might disturb Hiruzen as he read the meeting records…
Thinking back to the question he had just been asked…
Hiruzen flipped through the minutes, smiling inwardly.
Just as he expected…
Under his leadership, Konoha had grown increasingly powerful—but that also meant that once a leaderless situation emerged, the intensity of internal friction and conflict would surge.
These three days he had been gone—were both a test of Orochimaru under pressure, and a message to the council:
The village needed him.
"Why aren't you speaking, Danzō?"
Hiruzen flipped through the records, circling a few points of interest with his pen, and said leisurely: "I was asking you about the Shadow Guard."
Danzō's face turned slightly pale, cold sweat silently spreading across his back.
This was the deepest hidden sore in his heart—a nightmare that resurfaced time and again over decades…
Isshin and Tenzō both forced themselves to maintain poker faces, not daring to show the slightest reaction…
In Konoha, this was a topic that simply could not be brought up!
Even Tsunade and Mito would avoid discussing it.
Everyone knew Hiruzen was innocent—after all, he had been raised under Hashirama and Tobirama.
But the matter itself inevitably invited conspiracy theories…
Tobirama had died—yet the members of the Shadow Guard had survived intact and risen to the highest ranks of the village.
The Will of Fire could explain it… but the darker side of human nature also undeniably existed.
And although Tobirama's reputation in the village was solid, his decision to personally stay behind as a rear guard didn't quite align with the rigid public image people had of him…
"The Shadow Guard…"
"The Shadow Guard…"
Danzō unconsciously swallowed, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
The scene from that day—like a genjutsu—forcefully replayed itself in his mind!
Orochimaru watched this unfold, clicking his tongue in amazement.
Danzō, who was like a ferocious beast in council meetings, someone no one could restrain… had been reduced to this by a single sentence from Sensei?
'I'm still far too lacking…' Orochimaru's eyes flickered.
Still, he was deeply curious about this classified secret—what had truly happened back then?
"Danzō, pull yourself together. You are the Hokage's advisor and the head of the ANBU."
Hiruzen said calmly: "No matter the situation, you must calmly examine both yourself and the problem… That is what the Second Hokage instructed us before his death."
"You haven't forgotten, have you?"
Danzō's heart trembled.
How could he forget Tobirama-sensei's final words?
Whenever he wasn't out on missions, every night before sleep, he would stare at Tobirama's photograph, recalling every detail of that day…
If he didn't—the nightmares would come.
And they would help him remember.
"The duty of the Shadow Guard is to protect the Hokage at all costs, and to stand in front of him without hesitation when facing powerful enemies…"
Danzō clenched his fists tightly and responded in a low voice.
The conspiracy theories that had once circulated in the village—he didn't care about them.
Because the loyalty of the Shadow Guard to Tobirama was recognized by the vast majority of Konoha.
Even if there were whispers and rumors, they didn't affect the overall situation…
But Danzō knew—he had failed in his duty.
Tobirama had chosen to stay behind because, as Hokage, he possessed the Will of Fire.
He had chosen to entrust the future to the younger generation with his life.
It wasn't that the Shadow Guard had disobeyed orders—that wasn't the issue.
The problem was—when it came time to decide who would stay behind, as a member of the Shadow Guard, Danzō should have raised his hand immediately.
But he didn't.
Hiruzen's expression shifted slightly as he was about to continue—when Akimichi Torifu suddenly leapt forward, standing in front of Danzō and speaking loudly: "Hokage-sama, please allow me to recount this matter! After so many years, those rumors should finally come to an end!"
"And let me once again face my own cowardice—so that I can stand stronger in protecting the village from now on!"
Torifu, because of his poor performance during Tobirama's last stand, had fallen into deep guilt and had spent years in seclusion…
It wasn't until Hiruzen initiated the "Sage Pill" project and required the Akimichi clan's medicinal formulas that Torifu, reassured by the Hokage, returned.
Now, as the head of the Akimichi clan, he was one of the Konoha council members.
"Torifu, why go this far?"
Hiruzen sighed softly.
"Besides, I have not suffered any injustice. The truth speaks for itself."
Yet inwardly, he smiled.
A casual move placed long ago had now produced tremendous results.
Some words—coming from his own mouth would feel wrong.
He needed someone of sufficient standing to speak them instead.
"No, Hokage-sama!"
"Please grant me this opportunity. With your magnanimity, you may not care—but for me, this is truly important!"
Torifu said firmly.
He could no longer endure the strange atmosphere that filled the room whenever the Shadow Guard was mentioned…
Hiruzen sighed again, then nodded.
Meanwhile, Danzō felt alternating waves of heat and cold across his body, as if his pores were being brushed by blades.
An indescribable tension surged within him.
Remembering it alone—and having it spoken aloud before everyone—were completely different things.
Yet Danzō couldn't bring himself to resent Torifu.
Because he understood—
Torifu wanted release.
For years, Danzō had worked tirelessly in Root, throwing himself into frontline operations.
A large part of that drive came from his attempt to make up for his past cowardice.
In fact—he even envied Torifu.
If, when Hiruzen had just asked him, he had spoken up himself… would he feel better afterward?
'Was I one step too late again…?' Danzō's pupils trembled.
Torifu took a deep breath, steadying his emotions.
The council chamber fell utterly silent—everyone holding their breath, waiting for this sudden revelation…
"During the First Shinobi World War…"
"On the way to sign a peace treaty between the Second Hokage and the Second Raikage, the security force—led by the Gold and Silver Brothers—suddenly rebelled. The unprepared Second Raikage was mortally wounded on the spot, and the Second Hokage was also severely injured…"
"The Second Hokage led us in a breakout, but after being struck by the Six Paths ninja tools, his chakra was greatly restricted—he could barely use the Flying Thunder God Technique…"
"And then the Gold and Silver Brothers… led the elite rebel forces of Kumogakure in pursuit…"
"At that time, the situation was extremely dire."
Torifu took a deep breath.
"Homura believed there was no way for us to handle it, while Koharu rejected his view and suggested we lie in ambush and look for a chance to break through…"
"But in truth, they were both wrong. Kagami's judgment was the correct one—he said that in that kind of situation, someone had to act as bait and split the enemy forces, or the others would never make it out alive!"
Under Torifu's account, the true face of history was slowly revealed.
Why had the Second Hokage, who had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, died on the battlefield?
A large part of the reason was the stupidity of the Second Raikage.
The Second Raikage's negligence regarding the Gold and Silver Brothers' rebellion had dragged Senju Tobirama into a trap as well, where an armed mutiny closed in on them, and from the very start he was gravely wounded by a sneak attack from the Six Paths ninja tools…
"And after Kagami put forward that idea, everyone present—including the Second Hokage—agreed with it."
"But I was terrified by the fear of death, and in a moment like that, I actually said something like, 'Whoever goes will definitely die!'"
Torifu forced those words out through clenched teeth, as though every bit of strength in his body had been drained.
The expressions of the Konoha council members all shifted.
Those words really were a bit too outrageous…
In a situation where someone had to stay behind and sacrifice themselves, not only did he fail to encourage his comrades, he even dampened their resolve?
Put that way, even someone with courage would probably start to hesitate…
'No wonder Akimichi Torifu shut himself away all these years. Forget serving as an advisor—he didn't take part in any village affairs at all, leaving everything to other clan members instead…'
Orochimaru gave a slight nod.
If he had disgraced himself that badly in his battle against Hanzo, he wouldn't have had the courage to face Sensei either…
"At the time, everyone fell silent."
"I was watching every expression there—Koharu, Homura, Kagami, Danzō…"
"They were all hesitating."
"But only the Hokage! Only my comrade, Sarutobi Hiruzen!" Torifu's voice suddenly rose.
"He laughed—he actually laughed!"
"Hiruzen said with a smile that he would go! He said not to be fooled by how he looked, because he was the strongest among us! He told us not to worry, said he wouldn't die…"
"Hiruzen even told Danzō that everyone would be in his hands from then on…"
Two streams of tears slowly ran down Torifu's face. "Every time I think of that scene, I feel that I was utterly unworthy of being the Second Hokage's disciple or Hiruzen's comrade!"
"And what chokes me up even more…"
"…is that there were actually people who used this to slander Hiruzen!"
"Taking this opportunity, I must make the truth of that year clear…"
"I know that among everyone here, some of you kept your expressions unchanged when Hiruzen mentioned the Shadow Guard, but deep down you were probably already thinking of those old rumors…"
"I am a coward. There are not many things a coward can do."
"The only thing I can do is stand here and tell everyone that all of us may be called cowards—but Hiruzen alone was a warrior who did not hesitate!"
Torifu continued slowly: "Hiruzen has now led the village into prosperity. Every ninja clan and every shinobi works together with one heart. Even if the Second Hokage were to come back to life and see it, he would be full of praise…"
"In the past, Hiruzen never explained the truth of this matter. Maybe it was because he did not care about gossip and rumors, or maybe it was because he did not want to reopen the wounds in the hearts of comrades like us…"
"But now it absolutely cannot remain hidden any longer!" Torifu suddenly shouted sharply.
"I will not allow Hiruzen's name to carry even the slightest trace of suspicion—not even the kind he himself would never care about—simply because of us useless comrades who held him back!"
Silence filled the meeting room.
Danzō, who had been listening quietly from the side, already had his back soaked with cold sweat.
The old-school tough-guy image he had always built up in Konoha seemed to shatter at this moment!
"Danzō, I'm sorry," Torifu said.
Danzō said nothing. He merely held his expression together with effort and gave a somewhat pained wave of his hand.
Signaling that it was fine…
Torifu had ruined his persona and his image.
But Danzō could not bring himself to hate him, because deep down, he thought the same way…
Hiruzen should never have had his reputation dragged down by them over this matter.
Koharu and Homura let out long sighs and walked over to Torifu's side.
"What Torifu said is exactly how it happened back then," Homura said in a low voice.
Koharu said softly, "Hiruzen argued with the Second Hokage several times and insisted on being the one to serve as bait…"
"But the Second Hokage said that each generation has its own mission."
"He told Hiruzen not to be impatient, said that his time would come eventually, and told him to protect the shinobi who admired the village and train them until they could be entrusted with the next era. Then, in the name of the Hokage, he forcibly ordered Hiruzen to retreat with the rest of us…"
This matter was a knot in their hearts as well.
The Konoha council members silently looked toward the Hokage…
From this moment on, the conspiracy theory surrounding the Shadow Guard had collapsed on its own.
At most, this had counted as a small stain buried in Sarutobi Hiruzen's reputation…
And the next point of focus—
was the contrast between Uchiha Yashiro and people like Danzō, Koharu, and the others…
There was naturally no problem with Hiruzen.
As a member of the Shadow Guard, his first instinct had been to step forward and serve as bait, and he had even fought with Senju Tobirama over it several times…
And when Tobirama, in the name of the Hokage and the Will of Fire, had forcibly ordered a retreat, could Hiruzen possibly have disobeyed?
There was no right or wrong here. It was simply that Tobirama's Will of Fire had blazed too fiercely…
But the others were different…
Tobirama could choose to stay behind, but as members of the Shadow Guard, their duty was to be the first to volunteer!
Yet they had not…
"Danzō, did you fulfill the duty of the Shadow Guard?"
Danzō's lips trembled. At that moment, the Darkness of the Shinobi seemed strangely fragile, and he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
"Koharu, Homura, Torifu—what about you?" Hiruzen said softly.
The three of them stood in a row, like students waiting to be scolded in front of the Hokage, and silently shook their heads.
The atmosphere in the room turned strange…
Isshin and Tenzō exchanged a glance. If Hiruzen chose this moment to strip those three of their authority, no one would stop him with the momentum he now had behind him…
In fact, many people would probably applaud!
A sharp glint flashed through Orochimaru's eyes.
When he had been up there, Danzō had disgusted him to no end.
Now he was back down here.
Just as Orochimaru was about to speak, he met Hiruzen's stern gaze.
Orochimaru thought for a moment, then tightly shut his mouth.
By all logic, this was the moment to kick someone when they were down.
But the problem was—his teacher did not think like an ordinary shinobi, and he couldn't guess what he was planning…
"Tobirama-sensei stayed behind for us back then…"
"The core of it was that he believed that once we grew up, we could become the pillars capable of carrying Konoha into the next era. That belief was full of trust in us…"
Hiruzen slowly rose to his feet, a lit cigarette appearing in his hand at some point.
Through the drifting smoke, he gazed at Tobirama's photograph hanging in the meeting room.
"For a long time, just like you, I often dreamed of Tobirama-sensei at night."
"Because I, too, fell into fear—a fear even more terrifying than death. From the moment I became Hokage, I constantly worried that I would fail Tobirama-sensei and not become the Hokage he had envisioned…"
"I once told Orochimaru and Tsunade that I was so tormented by that fear that I could hardly control myself. At that time, my greatest wish was to fight to the death on the battlefield…"
"That way, I could earn the reputation of dying for the village—and be rid of this burden."
Hiruzen spoke softly.
Yet his words struck everyone's hearts like a heavy weight.
So even the Hokage, who seemed so powerful, had once had a fragile side?
"You may be wondering why I changed."
"Because I came to understand something…"
"Tobirama-sensei protected me because he wanted me to do my very best—not because he expected me to never make mistakes."
"Mistakes are a natural part of growth… making mistakes is not what's frightening. What's frightening is losing the drive to improve out of fear of making mistakes, becoming trapped in the status quo and not even daring to do what is right!"
Hiruzen spoke slowly: "Tobirama-sensei said we must nurture the next generation so they can become shinobi capable of carrying the next era…"
"So we must tolerate mistakes made by the shinobi of the village, as long as they are not major matters of principle."
"If every mistake is punished with the harshest penalty, not only would that go against Tobirama-sensei's Will of Fire, it would also go against the natural path of a shinobi's growth."
"Shinobi are 'people' who need patience and care to grow—not tools to be discarded the moment they prove inconvenient."
"If we extend the logic of treating people as tools, then should any shinobi or clan that has ever stood against the Hokage or the village be subjected to extreme punishment?"
"But if that were the case, where would the Will of Fire remain? And what would be the meaning of Konoha's founding?"
Hiruzen's gaze passed over Isshin and Tenzō in turn, pausing briefly.
The two seasoned veterans felt a jolt in their hearts.
They were old-school shinobi who supported the "tools" philosophy…
But the Hokage's words made their hearts tremble.
The Hyūga and the Uchiha had both, at one time or another, opposed the village—openly or in the shadows…
If one followed the logic of treating shinobi as tools, then clans were nothing more than larger tools. In that case, it would only be natural for the Hokage to deal ruthlessly with disobedient ones.
"Hokage-sama, Isshin wholeheartedly agrees with you!"
"Hokage-sama, the Hyūga clan will forever follow in your footsteps!"
Isshin and Tenzō spoke loudly, their expressions filled with both fear and relief.
Fear—because they had always adhered to the "tools" philosophy without realizing how dangerous it was to their own clans…
Relief—because the Hokage was Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Hiruzen nodded slightly.
"Returning to Danzō, Homura, Koharu, and Torifu… they did hesitate at the time."
"But I believe that was only because they encountered the extreme situation of the Gold and Silver Brothers killing the Second Raikage. They had gone in expecting peace talks, only to be suddenly thrust into a life-and-death crisis."
"If they had just been given a moment to steady themselves—perhaps only a few more seconds—I believe each of them would have found the resolve to sacrifice themselves."
"We cannot demand that shinobi feel no hesitation or fear when facing death. That is a natural human reaction—it is not a mistake."
"But I absolutely believe that every shinobi of Konoha would dare to fight an invading enemy with their life on the line!"
Danzō and the others froze.
Was Hiruzen… actually speaking in their defense?
"For example, Danzō—after I said I would stay behind, he also stepped forward…"
Hiruzen glanced at Danzō. "But Danzō, if Tobirama-sensei had viewed you as nothing more than a tool, would you even be alive today?"
"It's not just about staying behind. Throughout our growth, Tobirama-sensei tolerated our mistakes many times—that's what allowed us to keep improving and achieve what we have today."
"If it were as you say—fail a mission once and you die—you would have returned to the Pure Land at the age of ten."
Danzō hesitated before saying, "But Uchiha Yashiro caused significant losses to the Land of Fire!"
"We cannot expect individuals to bear the burden of extreme situations. The mysterious shinobi Uchiha Yashiro encountered—if it had been you, could you guarantee you would have protected the mirror?"
Hiruzen neither agreed nor disagreed, simply shaking his head.
"When a shinobi fails a mission, accountability must be pursued."
"But responsibility is not judged by the scale of the final loss—it is judged by whether one fulfilled their duty and gave their all. If the loss was caused by overwhelming external forces and had nothing to do with individual conduct, then responsibility cannot be assigned based on the outcome."
"Such losses are something the village must bear."
Hiruzen said calmly: "Using collective strength to make up for individual limitations—isn't that the very purpose of Konoha's existence?"
"As for Yashiro protecting his comrades—that has nothing to do with whether he ultimately managed to protect the mirror. That instinctive act of protecting his companions does not warrant being blown out of proportion."
"You were in a meeting earlier… so let the meeting continue."
Hiruzen swept his gaze across the Konoha council members, taking a drag from his cigarette.
"If there are issues, raise them now. Three days of meetings is enough—today we settle the direction."
"I'll say this upfront: if you stay silent here but go back and stir doubts among the shinobi, then the nature of the problem becomes very serious…"
The council members fell silent for a moment—then slowly began to applaud their Hokage.
No one objected. From the bottom of their hearts, they agreed with Sarutobi Hiruzen…
Hiruzen smiled faintly and raised the meeting minutes in his hand.
"Your meeting was a complete mess—like a street quarrel…"
"But that's fine. Getting red in the face and working up a sweat with each other can at least deepen mutual understanding."
"This is a summary of my itinerary in the Land of Fire—covering the nobles' donations, the tax base, the expanded distribution of the Sage Region Pills, the sales of the sage cosmetics, and the revised task framework agreed upon between Konoha and the nobility."
Hiruzen took out a notebook—his notes compiled along the way.
With a flick of his finger, the single copy split into twenty.
The principle was similar to the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique…
Hizashi immediately understood and began distributing them, hurriedly focusing as he read his own copy.
This was the Hokage's handwritten record!
And as he read, both Hizashi and Nara Shikayama—who were responsible for record-keeping—looked up in astonishment.
Hiruzen's itinerary summary was meticulously structured and clearly prioritized—evidence of profound skill.
But this wasn't something Hiruzen had developed in the shinobi world.
It was part of his original foundation.
"As expected of Hokage-sama…" Shikayama said sincerely.
Moments later, the Konoha council members slowly closed their copies, their eyes filled with shock.
In the three days they had spent arguing… the Hokage had accomplished something on this scale in the Land of Fire?
The donations alone amounted to nearly one billion ryō. Combined with increased production of Sage Region Pills and the projected early market for cosmetics, it meant that Konoha's fiscal revenue this year would double again!
And visibly, next year's allocation from the Land of Fire would increase as well…
"Sensei… what does it mean here that you've become the 'Shōgun' of the Land of Fire? That in wartime you command all treasuries, and can investigate and execute unlawful nobles on the spot?"
Orochimaru felt several question marks pop up over his head.
What exactly had you been doing these past few days?
Even excluding the value generated by Sage Region Pills and other research products… just the donations alone brought back nearly a billion ryō—and now you've become the supreme general overseeing everything in the Land of Fire?
Killing a noble was not a major matter for a shinobi.
But achieving deep cooperation between nobles and shinobi—creating systems and structures that made the nobles willingly contribute money, cooperate, and even view the Hokage as part of their own system…
That was unprecedented in a thousand years!
There was a fundamental difference between coercion and voluntary cooperation—the returns and stability were worlds apart.
Orochimaru's confusion was shared by the other council members…
Three days apart, and Hokage-sama had become a "Shōgun"?
Was that even reasonable?!
"It means exactly what it says…"
Hiruzen's lips curved upward: "The nobles of the Land of Fire highly recognize Konoha's Will of Fire. They strongly support deep cooperation between shinobi and nobles, forming a close and inseparable whole."
"As for bestowing this title on me—I actually refused, but the nobles were simply too enthusiastic…"
"They can call me that if they like, but I will always be Konoha's Hokage."
At these words, Danzō's vision went black.
He had been thinking about when he might catch up to Hiruzen!
Even if he became Hokage, if Hiruzen stepped down and switched tracks to become a Shōgun, what then?!
As Danzō's thoughts spiraled, his gaze met Hiruzen's—and several memories suddenly surfaced…
Hiruzen had reminded him multiple times to deal with Root's past issues…
But he had brushed them aside.
Only now did Danzō realize—Hiruzen had long been telling him to clean up Root's mess!
Just like Orochimaru had done with the Iburi and Tsuchigumo clans…
If he had gone with Hiruzen to handle it, how could there have been that later incident where Seisui impeached him?
'What was I thinking?! Why didn't I listen to Hiruzen?!' Danzō let out a heavy breath, wishing he could go back in time and punch himself!
He wasn't a child—he knew Hiruzen wouldn't handle everything for him.
If he couldn't even recognize the problems, how could he ever become Hokage?
Regret flooded Danzō's heart. If he had listened earlier, he would have been the one presiding over Konoha these past few days—not Orochimaru!
'This was Hiruzen teaching me! Just like Tobirama-sensei said—raising me into someone who could be entrusted with the next era…'
'I'm truly pathetic!' Danzō's face flushed red and pale in turns.
He also recalled that even in the sensitive matter of the Shadow Guard, Hiruzen had still mentioned that he had stepped forward to stay behind…
That was already the utmost goodwill.
At that moment—
Hiruzen spoke calmly, "Danzō, do you know your mistake?"
Danzō immediately replied, "Hokage, I was wrong! I am willing to accept any punishment! Please give your orders!"
The council members looked at Danzō in surprise.
This was the first time they had seen him admit fault—openly, no less!
Yet it was both unexpected and somehow inevitable…
Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction.
"As for punishment, that won't be necessary…"
"Root was established too early, and the circumstances at the time were complex. It counts as a historical issue."
"As Hokage, I failed to supervise you properly—I bear responsibility as well. I have already spoken with Root's members, compensated them, and had Mito-sama personally award them medals. They are all at ease now."
"The new Root has already been reorganized. But unlike before, its members are no longer those who have abandoned everything—they are heroes with special talents who are willing to immerse themselves in darkness for the sake of the village!"
"Danzō, this is the last time."
"I won't hold your past against you—but if you violate the Will of Fire again…"
Hiruzen let out a slightly weary sigh: "'Hiruzen, with tears in his eyes, executes Danzō'—just hearing that feels unpleasant. So I ask everyone here to hold me accountable."
Danzō's heart churned like a storm.
So Hiruzen had already taken care of everything for him? Even involving Mito-sama…
This level of consideration far surpassed what he had done for Orochimaru with the Iburi and Tsuchigumo clans!
'I'm truly a worthless failure…' For once, Danzō cursed himself in his own mind.
He spoke solemnly: "If I offend again, Hokage-sama, please be my executioner!"
"I will never fail you!"
"You wouldn't be failing me—you would be failing the village, and the Will of Fire," Hiruzen said, shaking his head slightly.
"And also, there's no need to keep calling me 'sama' so formally. It feels strange—like you're treating me as Tobirama-sensei…"
At that, Danzō froze.
He really had been feeling that way just now…
Even though he and Hiruzen were supposed to be lifelong rivals!
"To prevent extreme situations like this from happening again, I plan to allocate five percent of shinobi mission commissions to establish an emergency risk fund—called the Konoha Mutual Aid Fund."
"If something like Yashiro's incident happens again, funds will be drawn from it."
Hiruzen said slowly, "But the village will also provide a subsidy—also five percent of the commission—to establish personal special accounts for mandatory savings for the shinobi."
"These funds can only be used for medical treatment, ninja tools, urgent battlefield needs, and major life events such as marriage or funerals."
Shikayama's heart stirred.
At present, Konoha's total annual mission volume was around fifteen billion ryō…
A five percent village subsidy, including buffer, amounted to roughly eight hundred million ryō.
And the increased production of Sage Region Pills and the projected revenue from the cosmetics project would conservatively add another 2.2 billion ryō…
This didn't even include the nobles' donation cash flow…
There was absolutely no issue sustaining it!
"Hokage-sama, I fully support this plan!"
"In this way, the shinobi suffer no losses, yet gain a safety net in case of mission failure…"
"Compared to simply handing out money, requiring individuals to contribute strengthens their sense of belonging to the village, while the village retains initiative in emergencies. In the event of major disasters or losses, there's no need for temporary levies—everything can be resolved directly through the system!"
"Not only that, but mandatory savings also covers for poor spending habits among shinobi, and the proportional subsidy rules encourage greater enthusiasm for taking missions…"
As Shikayama spoke, he swayed his head in quiet satisfaction.
As a strategist, hearing such a system felt like savoring fine wine…
Hiruzen also cast him an approving glance.
There were intelligent people in the shinobi world after all!
Rare individuals one could actually communicate with…
And after Shikayama's explanation, many of the more "military-minded" Konoha council members finally understood.
So that's how it worked!
"Pass the notice down…"
"In three days, during the evening mealtime, I will use the Crystal Ball Technique to speak with all the shinobi in the village."
"I want them sitting by warm fireplaces, eating hot meals, gathered with their families, listening as I, their Hokage, talk with them about everyday matters…"
"The village has gone through some turbulence—it's time to give everyone peace of mind. If I personally explain the new welfare and mission systems, they will trust them more."
Hiruzen continued slowly, "That also includes some of the key concerns collected by the council members. I will talk with everyone about them, and discuss the situation of the shinobi world…"
"Let's call it the Hokage's Fireside Talk!"
"This system should be preserved long-term and carried out periodically. My voice must be heard by the shinobi, and the shinobi must know that the Hokage can hear their voices as well…"
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