Elsewhere, in the Hokage Building, the Hokage's Office.
"I disagree."
Looking at the Fourth Hokage before her, Utatane Koharu still wore a stern expression. But when she spoke, her tone was exceptionally firm and decisive.
Clearly, she was adamantly opposed to the Fourth Hokage's proposal to make Taki Chiba an official Hokage Assistant.
This! Those words, and the determination contained within them, left both the Fourth Hokage and Mitokado Homura beside her momentarily stunned, a touch of surprise rising in their hearts.
To Minato Namikaze, everything Chiba had done during his time as Assistant Agent had been plain for all to see. It could not be called absolutely perfect, but there was nothing to criticize either. Moreover, he had adapted quickly. Almost from his first day in office, he had fully adjusted to the assistant's cumbersome duties. When it came to work, no one could find fault with him.
He had even put forward many effective suggestions during his tenure, directly improving the efficiency of the village's administrative departments and expansion project.
Forget being beyond reproach—what candidate in the village could compare to Chiba?
Without question, Chiba was the right choice for the position.
Minato Namikaze had never imagined that, with Hokoma unable to serve as assistant, there could be any reason to oppose making Chiba the official Hokage Assistant.
And for that opposition to come from the ever-rational Advisor Utatane Koharu was even more incomprehensible. Though their political views sometimes differed, Minato Namikaze understood Koharu well enough. She was an exceptionally calm and capable kunoichi; otherwise, she could never have become an advisor. Even the Second Hokage would not have taken her as a disciple back then.
Moreover, her capability could be seen in the exceptionally solid relationship of trust she had built between the village and the Daimyo.