Chapter 88: The Wind of the Mist Dragon, Stirring the Silent Wind Vehicle!

Chapter 88: The Wind of the Mist Dragon, Stirring the Silent Wind Vehicle!

The first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds, and the torrential rain had ceased, marking the start of a new day.

The air, cleansed by the rain, felt especially fresh. Shao Pu stepped outside and took a deep breath, finally feeling a sense of calm.

The storm, the gales, and the lightning of the previous night had left her restless. She had wanted to see Luk, but thinking about her sulking father and her boyfriend's words, she had stayed obediently at home.

As soon as dawn broke, she rushed to Luk's house, only to find an unexpected person waiting there.

Kakashi stood outside the window, looking haggard and drenched, as if he had been keeping watch all night.

"Kakashi? What are you doing here?"

"There was an incident in the village, so I came to see if there was anything I could help with."

"Why did you have to come here specifically when there are so many people in the village?"

Shao Pu's heart raced as she questioned him. His appearance made her feel as if her position as the main woman was being seriously threatened.

"What exactly is your relationship with Luk?"

"… We're friends."

Do friends act like this?

Which friend would show up in the middle of the night to ask if they need help, especially during a stormy night like that?

Shao Pu's beautiful eyebrows furrowed, and she felt a bit uneasy.

Kakashi, not understanding why Shao Pu was upset, remembered that she was Luk's girlfriend and patiently explained.

"I'm just a shadow clone."

"That's even worse!"

Thinking about Kakashi's abilities as a ninja, such as transformation and shadow clones, made Shao Pu's frown deepen. Her mind involuntarily conjured images of Kakashi transforming into various seductive figures to lure her boyfriend.

She had underestimated the possibilities of a ninja's abilities.

No wonder there were so many talented women among the ninjas. With those techniques, how could ordinary women possibly compete?

"What's going on?"

Luk, yawning, pushed open the window. He had just used his Earth Release technique to sneak back and saw the shadow clone confronting his girlfriend.

Feeling the atmosphere was off, Kakashi shook his head. "Nothing, the situation in the village seems to be under control. I'll be going now."

Kakashi left, but Shao Pu's face remained unhappy.

Luk, guessing his girlfriend's thoughts, pulled her into the room and proved, through action, what he truly cherished.

The presence of his younger brother, who was doing his daily routine, added an unexpected thrill to the situation. However, the experienced Luk made sure to lock the door properly, ensuring no harm would come to the child.

...

In the temporary Hokage office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his chair, listening to the reports from the ANBU ninjas.

"Based on the on-site investigation, the buildings around the Hokage Tower were largely undamaged. The storm's range was finely controlled, and only a couple of old houses outside the battlefield were destroyed by the rain, fortunately, they were unoccupied."

The reporting ninja hesitated before continuing, "Additionally, a ninja tool shop farther from the battlefield was destroyed. The shop, being at a distance and having some defensive measures, theoretically shouldn't have been affected."

"Are you suggesting that the intruder... the mysterious person, knew the shop owner and had a grudge against him?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi initially wanted to say "intruder" but changed it to "mysterious person" after a moment's thought. He shook his head. "That's impossible. The gap in their statuses is too large."

"That's what I thought, but you see, the mysterious person initially claimed to be a divine craftsman from the Land of Artisans. He had many extraordinary ninja tools, like that sword, that cloak, and his ability to conceal his presence."

"So, this person is a highly skilled ninja craftsman capable of creating various specialized tools." Hiruzen Sarutobi noted this characteristic, but he was still puzzled.

Why would he target an ordinary ninja tool shop?

Could it be that the tools in that shop were so subpar that the craftsman couldn't bear to see them and destroyed the shop out of frustration?

Hiruzen Sarutobi furrowed his brow, thinking, but found this theory hard to believe. He reluctantly gave up on it.

"Check the background of the ninja tool shop's owner. See if he's an enemy spy. If there's anything suspicious, capture him and hand him over to the Yamanaka clan for interrogation."

"Yes!"

After handling these trivial matters, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a brief rest, then left the office and headed to the meeting room.

Three people were already there: the masked leader of Root, Danzo; Mito Uzumaki; and Koharu Utatane. They were all seated, waiting for Hiruzen Sarutobi. Once he arrived, the most powerful figures in Konoha were gathered.

"Thank you for waiting. Let's begin the proposal for Konoha's reform."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded to the three and got straight to the point.

"First, all ninja salaries will be increased by thirty percent, the fees for mission requests will be halved, and the reward distribution will be adjusted so that the majority goes to the ninja, with the remaining funds ensuring the village's normal operation and a small surplus."

As soon as he proposed the first measure, Mito Uzumaki frowned.

"Isn't this too lenient on the ninjas?"

"Ninjas are the foundation of the village, and their interests need to be protected."

"Without the village, ninjas wouldn't have a stable source of missions. The village has also trained them from the beginning and provided them with jutsu that can't be bought with money. Ninjas already earn more than other professions. There's no need to increase it further."

"The greater the risk, the greater the reward. Being a ninja is a dangerous profession. This is settled."

Ape flew, leaving no room for Hizashi to argue, and continued with the next proposal.

  "Support the production of essential goods, and adjust the prices of overpriced imported luxury items back to their original levels. We will also limit the number of units sold and increase the taxes."

  "That seems a bit unfair. This will effectively kill off the import market," Shizune remarked, her expression showing disapproval.

  "Do you really think they won't make any profit under these conditions? Or perhaps you have some secret dealings with them, which is why you approved this without my consent?"

  Hiruzen Sarutobi asked coldly.

  Shizune's face changed slightly, her lips moving a few times, but she ultimately remained silent.

  Hiruzen continued, "The prices of ninja tools have been inflated for years. We cannot allow merchants to make excessive profits on essential weapons and equipment. Prices must be reduced by more than half, restoring them to previous industry standards."

  Tobirama's raspy voice, slightly muffled by his mask, responded, "As you wish."

  Upon hearing this, Homura Mitokado and Shizune both looked at Tobirama in surprise. He was usually the one who liked to give Hiruzen a hard time, but today he was unusually compliant.

  Tobirama avoided their gazes and said nothing. Facing the crisis and being saved by Hiruzen had made him decide to be more cooperative for a while.

  "The next proposal is to halve the tuition fees for the Ninja Academy. The shortfall will be covered by the village. The admission age will be expanded from six to eight years old to four to ten years old. In the curriculum, half of the theoretical courses for grades one to three will be replaced with shuriken throwing and combat training."

  "It's not wartime. Are you sure about this?"

  Tobirama asked, confirming Hiruzen's intentions.

  Such policies were typically implemented during wartime when manpower was scarce. Using them in peacetime could easily cause panic.

  "The current situation is more perilous than wartime! Maintaining public morale is crucial, but if we let this concern prevent us from properly training the next generation of talent, that would be a grave mistake," Hiruzen replied firmly.

  "Think about what happened last night."

  Tobirama fell silent. The other two, though not directly involved in the confrontation, also remained quiet, having witnessed the terrifying scene.

  The intruder's strength was truly horrifying.

  Nothing less than an all-out effort could possibly deal with him.

  "The next proposal concerns the Uchiha clan."

  Hiruzen paused for a moment before continuing, "I plan to relocate the Uchiha clan back to the center of the village to strengthen our ties and reassure them."

  "Absolutely not. The inherently evil Uchiha clan cannot be allowed to return," Tobirama finally voiced his opposition, much to the relief of the other two.

  "The Uchiha clan is a vital part of Konoha. Pushing them further away, or even provoking a rebellion, would be a loss for Konoha."

  "If the Uchiha clan were to rebel, even if Konoha managed to crush them, the village would be severely weakened. At that point, who's to say the other hidden villages wouldn't take advantage of the situation? Not to mention the looming threat that will return in ten years."

  Hiruzen responded calmly, "I have discussed this with Fugaku, and the Uchiha clan will be allowed to participate in the Hokage election, competing fairly."

  "What do you mean by that?"

  Tobirama's voice rose involuntarily. Was Hiruzen suggesting a new Hokage election?

  "I am no longer fit to serve as Hokage," Hiruzen said calmly. "I am old, my physical condition has declined from its peak, and I have not focused on improving my ninja skills due to my administrative duties."

  "Moreover, I have lost the drive and innovation of youth. The proposals I have put forward today were only possible because of the suggestions from capable younger colleagues."

  "The selection of the Fifth Hokage must be prioritized."

  Hiruzen's words sent ripples through the room, and the other three were stunned.

  "Are you sure about this?"

  "Hiruzen, we have always supported your work."

  "Who is qualified to succeed you? Surely you don't mean to let an Uchiha become Hokage?"

  "Fugaku will have the right to run, but don't worry, he won't be elected," Hiruzen said, tapping the table and looking around the room. "I plan to bring Tsunade and Jiraiya back."

  As two of the Legendary Sannin, both Tsunade and Jiraiya had the strength and ability to serve as Hokage. The Third Ninja War was not too far in the past, and their contributions were still remembered. Their reputation and influence also met the necessary criteria.

  "Don't joke. You would rather let these younglings become Hokage..."

  "As they say, the older one gets, the more stubborn they become. It seems this saying is true," Hiruzen sighed, his eyes suddenly becoming sharp as he stood up.

  "It's not just me; you three need to step down and let the younger generation take over."

  The three of them exchanged glances, speaking in unison.

  "Are you out of your mind!?"

  "I am not asking for your opinion; I am informing you."

  At that moment, Hiruzen seemed to revert to his younger, more spirited self. He cast a cold glance at his colleagues, who were clinging to power.

  "I will not hold you accountable for your past abuses of power, but from today onward, the positions of Hokage, ANBU commander, and the Elder Council will all be replaced."

  "Konoha needs fresh blood, not the remnants of an old era."

  "I want to see a complete and strong Konoha before the Fifth Hokage takes office, a village worthy of being the First Hidden Village!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end