Under the Uchiha clan's lead, Konoha's power shift went smoothly. The clan traded away some of the Police Force's authority to gain a stake in the Financial Department and other key sectors.
The reform was a massive success. The Uchiha finally integrated into the village, and tensions with the locals melted away. Even without Jie Uchiha stepping in, his clansmen could walk down the street without drawing fearful stares.
Feeling this genuine warmth from the villagers only deepened the Uchiha's loyalty to Konoha. With the various departments and major clans finally working together, the village felt more united than ever.
Since the clans were handling their duties so efficiently, Jie suddenly found himself with a lot of free time.
On a rare day off, he took Izumi Uchiha out for a stroll through the streets. Watching the passing villagers look at Jie with pure admiration filled Izumi with joy.
"You've really become their guiding light, Jie," Izumi said softly, a warm smile on her face.
Jie shook his head, looking a bit helpless. "If I had a choice, I really wouldn't be the Hokage. Sitting in an office stamping paperwork all day can't compare to being free."
Izumi chuckled. "That won't do. You're the Hokage now. You have to work hard and protect everyone."
Jie sighed and nodded in defeat. "I know, I know. I'm just complaining."
As they chatted, the two drifted toward Konoha's newly built entertainment district.
Jie had designed the area himself. Drawing inspiration from his past life, he blended traditional bathhouse culture with modern leisure and entertainment.
After the recent wars and internal conflicts, the mental toll on the villagers was incredibly heavy. Jie felt that giving everyone a proper place to relax and unwind was a top priority.
Of course, that didn't rule out the fact that he just found Konoha's usual entertainment options a bit too boring, and simply wanted to spice things up for himself.
But as they arrived at the district, Jie suddenly frowned.
'It hasn't even been open that long', he thought. 'Did its reputation spread across the ninja world already? And is there some secret entrance to Konoha I don't know about? How did I not get a report about his arrival?'
Spotting a certain someone in the distance, Jie knew his date with Izumi was over. Despite their close bond, she was still just an Academy student. She had no business getting tangled up in high-level village affairs.
Catching his apologetic look, Izumi immediately understood. She gave him a gentle, reassuring smile before turning around and heading back to the Uchiha compound alone.
Watching her disappear down the street, Jie vanished in a blur.
"Oh ho, this one isn't bad."
"Look at that pale skin... it's practically glowing."
"Oh, she's great too!"
Up on a nearby roof squatted a middle-aged man with spiky white hair and a massive scroll strapped to his back. He gripped a telescope tight, his face flushed an unnatural shade of red.
Sure enough, it was Jiraiya. He hadn't been back to Konoha in years, and the very first thing he did upon returning was report straight to the women's bathhouse.
Seeing the man entirely engrossed in his "research," Jie slipped up right behind him without making a sound.
"Are they pretty?" Jie asked out of nowhere.
"Of course they are!" Jiraiya answered on instinct, his eyes never leaving the telescope. "I've traveled the whole ninja world for my research, and Konoha girls are simply the best."
"I'm glad you think so," Jie nodded.
Then, he took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"PERVERT! SOMEONE'S PEEPING!"
Jie's voice shattered the peace like a thunderclap. Down below, a chorus of high-pitched shrieks instantly erupted from the bathhouse.
Smack! Crash! Bath buckets, wooden slippers, and soaking wet towels came flying out of the women's bath like free ammunition.
"Ah! Crap, I've been spotted!" Jiraiya frantically scrambled to pack away his telescope, getting ready to bolt.
It was only then that he realized someone was standing right behind him. And worse, this kid was the exact reason his cover was blown.
"Hey kid, are you... are you out here doing research too?" Jiraiya asked. He shot Jie a knowing, ambiguous look, acting as if he'd just stumbled upon a fellow man of culture. "How about we get out of here first and compare notes?"
Hearing that, Jie actually found the situation pretty funny. Who did this guy think he was talking to? He was the Fifth Hokage of Konoha. Why on earth would he sneak around peeping?
Jie gave him a polite smile before his expression instantly turned ice-cold. "As for comparing notes, you can take your time doing that in the Police Force prison."
Jiraiya let out an awkward, dry laugh at the threat. "Uh... let's not go that far, right? What kind of research can I even do in a cell? Kid, you don't know who I am, right? Do yourself a solid and let's just pretend this never happened."
Jie nodded, a bright smile blooming on his face. "Of course I know who you are. You're just a peeping pervert." His smile didn't reach his eyes. "But do you know who I am?"
A flicker of suspicion finally crossed Jiraiya's face.
Sure, he had been totally engrossed in his "research," but he shouldn't have been so oblivious that a random kid could just sneak up on him. Yet, the guy standing in front of him had closed the distance without making a single sound, and Jiraiya hadn't noticed a thing.
Then, it suddenly clicked.
"You're Jie Uchiha..." Jiraiya stared at him in absolute disbelief. "...the current Hokage?"
Before Jie could even answer, Jiraiya let out a dry cough. "Look, we're both Konoha ninja here. Let's just let this slide, yeah? This copy of Make-Out Paradise is a masterpiece I spent years researching and writing. Why don't you take it, and we can be friends?"
Pulling a book from his ninja pouch, Jiraiya shoved it right into Jie's hands with a shameless, nervous chuckle.
"Make-Out Paradise?" An amused glint flashed in Jie's eyes as he looked down at the book. "Bribing the Hokage just adds to your list of charges. Are you going to check yourself into the prison, or do I have to drag you there?"
Seeing that Jie wasn't going to let this go, Jiraiya grimaced like he was getting a migraine. "Uh, Fifth Hokage... you do know who I am, right?"
Then, without waiting for a reply, Jiraiya suddenly leaped back and launched into a flamboyant performance.
"I am the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku!" he declared, striking a ridiculously dramatic pose. "The one and only Toad Sage, Jiraiya, has arrived! Kid, now do you know who I am?"
Jiraiya looked at Jie with absolute confidence. He was certain that now that he had revealed his legendary status, the kid wouldn't push the issue any further.
Jie's mouth twitched.
"What a terrible performance. It makes me want to gouge my own eyes out."
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[Hey everyone, quick update. I'll be taking a short break due to finals. Updates will resume in about a week. Thanks for your patience.]