System's New Feature: One-Click Loyalty/Treachery Detection!

Land of Fire Capital, the detached residence where the Konoha delegation was staying.

This was the lodging the Daimyo Manor had prepared for Konoha's high-ranking officials.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the main hall was suffocatingly oppressive.

Every Konoha high-ranking official who had accompanied the delegation was present.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze had just returned from the Daimyo Manor.

The two Council Elders, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, sat with composed expressions, but their fingers tapped against the table one after another, betraying their inner agitation.

Fugaku Uchiha, Hyuga Hiashi, Shikaku Nara, and the other clan heads sat upright, each lost in their own thoughts.

In the shadowy corner, Shimura Danzō revealed only one eye, silent.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on the man in the main seat.

The man who seemed to have aged ten years.

Hiruzen Sarutobi.

His face was ashen, his hands resting on the table, trembling uncontrollably.

"Cough, cough..."

He cleared his throat and swept his gaze across the room.

Everyone he looked at felt a jolt in their hearts.

The Third Hokage no longer carried his usual authority—only emptiness remained.

"From today onward, I am no longer the Hokage."

One sentence, and the hall erupted.

"What?!"

"Lord Third! This..."

"How could this be so sudden?! What happened at the Daimyo Manor?"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura shot to their feet, their faces full of disbelief.

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised a hand, and the clamor gradually subsided.

His voice was hoarse, devoid of any emotion.

"This is the Daimyo's order."

"After I submitted my resignation, the Daimyo approved it."

He then turned his gaze to the silent Minato Namikaze beside him.

"At the same time, the Daimyo personally appointed..."

"Minato Namikaze as the Fourth Hokage of Konoha!"

At these words, every head in the room swiveled toward Minato Namikaze.

Envy, jealousy, scrutiny...

Minato Namikaze felt the weight of these complex gazes, the pressure immense.

He stood up, bowed deeply to everyone, and said nothing.

This appointment was too heavy.

So heavy that becoming Hokage brought him no joy at all.

"Hmph."

From the shadows, Danzō let out a cold snort.

"Hiruzen, you lose a battle and think you can just wash your hands of it?"

His voice was icy.

"Leaving a mess for a greenhorn to clean up?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's body stiffened for a moment, but he did not retort.

Because what Danzō said was the truth.

"There's one more thing."

Hiruzen Sarutobi ignored Danzō's provocation and continued speaking.

"The Daimyo Manor has issued a new budget proposal."

He pushed a document to the center of the table.

"Starting next quarter, the village's annual budget will be cut by twenty percent."

Dead silence.

You could hear a pin drop.

If replacing the Hokage was a shift in high-level power...

So, cutting the budget means cutting the flesh off everyone present!

"Twenty percent?!"

One jōnin representative finally couldn't hold back, letting out a shocked cry.

"What a joke!"

"The war just ended, and the compensation hasn't even been paid out yet! The wounded are still lying in the hospital! On what grounds are they slashing our budget?"

"That's right! We bled and died for the Land of Fire, and this is how that New Daimyo treats us?"

"Is he trying to starve us to death?"

The crowd seethed with fury!

Their anger pointed straight at that never-before-seen New Daimyo.

And also at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had brought back this news.

"Silence!"

Minato Namikaze slammed the table hard, his Chakra flickering for an instant, suppressing the entire hall in a flash.

Only then did everyone remember that the Yellow Flash before them was already the Fourth Hokage!

The main hall fell quiet again, but every face was etched with resentment and rage.

"This is an order."

Hiruzen Sarutobi repeated the words.

"The Daimyo-sama sympathizes with the people and believes the nation's finances should prioritize post-war reconstruction for the civilians."

"Konoha should set an example."

"Heh heh..."

Danzo laughed.

His laughter was dripping with mockery.

"Rizhan, you've truly grown senile."

"Ninja are the foundation of the nation! Without our blade, those civilians are nothing but lambs waiting for slaughter!"

"That Daimyo is tearing down his own walls!"

He stood up, his One-eyed gaze blazing with a terrifying light.

"I oppose this!"

Can't find the book title? Try searching by the author—maybe it just changed names!

In response to our readers' requests, we now offer a VIP membership ad-free feature.

Click to view.

"This order is an insult to every Konoha Ninja! I will never accept it!"

His words voiced what most in the room were thinking.

In an instant, many turned their hopeful gazes toward Danzo.

Perhaps only this unyielding leader of Root dared to say no to the Daimyo.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched this scene, his face showing neither joy nor anger.

"This is the Daimyo-sama's command."

He repeated it a third time, then stood up, no longer looking at anyone, and walked out with a faltering step.

His back was desolate.

Daimyo Manor.

Inside the bedchamber, sandalwood incense curled faintly.

Chiba Ran lay half-reclined on a soft couch, his posture languid.

Before him, Qing Yueye knelt on the carpet, using a small silver knife to peel a crystal pear.

Her movements were slow, deliberate.

Those hands that had once played the zither and wielded the brush were now doing a maidservant's work.

Her long lashes drooped, veiling all emotion.

She had already learned not to see, not to think.

Only numbness remained.

Once the pear was peeled, she cut it into small pieces, speared them with a silver pick, and brought them to Chiba Ran's lips.

Chiba Ran opened his mouth and took a bite.

Very sweet.

He looked at the lifeless face before him and suddenly found it a bit dull.

His hand passed through her soft hair, coming to rest gently on her neck.

Qing Yueye's body stiffened, but quickly relaxed again.

"Lift your head."

Chiba Ran commanded.

Qing Yueye obediently lifted her head.

"Smile."

Qing Yueye strained to force out a smile; it was uglier than crying.

Chiba Ran frowned slightly and released his hand.

"Forget it, no fun."

He waved his hand.

"Withdraw."

"Yes."

Qing Yueye, as if granted a pardon, bowed and retreated, her steps a bit hurried.

[Ding!]

The system's chime sounded in his mind.

[Main Quest: Land of Fire Financial Reform (Phase One), Completed!]

[Mission Evaluation: Perfect!]

[Mission Reward: [Talent Scan] function, unlocked!]

[New quest released!]

[Main Quest: Lord of the Land of Fire (Phase Two)]

[Mission Objective: At the coronation ceremony, establish the supreme monarchical authority of the Land of Fire, awe the envoys from the four nations, and let the world know that in the Land of Fire, the Daimyo is supreme!]

[Mission Reward: [Economic Policy Sandbox]!]

"Economic Policy Sandbox?"

What kind of thing was that?

Forget it, he'd deal with it after finishing the quest.

His attention shifted to the newly unlocked [Talent Scan] function.

[Activate?]

"Activate."

In an instant, a three-dimensional map covering the entire Land of Fire Capital unfolded in his mind.

On the map, countless points of light emerged.

White represented civilians, red represented shinobi.

The depth of the light points' color directly indicated the strength of their power.

Among them, a few light points were a deep, purplish red.

[Minato Namikaze, Fourth Hokage (pending appointment), Loyalty: 65 (wavering), Threat Level: Low]

[Fugaku Uchiha, Uchiha Clan Head, Loyalty: 50 (undecided), Threat Level: Low]

[Hiashi Hyuga, Hyuga Clan Head, Loyalty: 55 (waiting and seeing), Threat Level: Low]

The new function was easy to use. The previous system could also display people as light points.

But it didn't show loyalty.

Now with the new function, who was loyal and who was a traitor was clear at a glance.

Chiba Ran's consciousness finally settled on a familiar name.

[Shimura Danzō, Root Leader, Loyalty: 10 (rebellious), Threat Level: Low]

"Only 10 loyalty points?"

"Old dog, can't hide your tail anymore."

Chiba Ran ignored him and continued moving his mind, sweeping over the area where the Four Nations Delegation was staying.

The Land of Earth, the Land of Wind, the Land of Lightning... the delegation's guards were no slouches, all with Elite Jonin stationed there.

What interested him most was the location of the Land of Water's delegation.

There, besides the openly visible envoy and guard Juzo Biwa, was a light point burning a deep red.

[Mei Terumi (in hiding), Kirigakure Prodigy Shinobi, Loyalty: -20 (hostile), Threat Level: Low]

Mei Terumi?

What was she doing here?

Chiba Ran's mind immediately conjured up the intelligence on this woman.

The future Fifth Mizukage.

"What is she doing here?"