Three days after the coronation ceremony, order in the Land of Fire Capital was swiftly restored.
The heads hanging above the city gates had yet to be removed, their dried blood telling of that day's bloody iron rule.
Yet the streets had already returned to prosperity.
The fear on the people's faces had been replaced by fanatical worship of the New Daimyo.
In their simple minds, the young lord's execution of the rebellious nobles meant he had protected them.
That was enough.
The majesty of Daimyo Manor blanketed every corner of the Land of Fire.
The old order was crumbling, while new rules were taking root.
The three-day deadline had arrived.
Minato Namikaze stepped into Daimyo Manor once more.
This time, he was alone.
He was not wearing the Hokage Robe, only a Konoha uniform that made him look sharp and capable.
On the way to the study, he saw many unfamiliar faces.
The newly arrived maids and guards no longer looked at him with reverence.
He also saw several young women dressed extravagantly, their features beautiful.
The women gathered in small groups, seemingly admiring the flowers, yet their gazes toward the depths of the inner courtyard were filled with undisguised ambition.
A new ruler had ascended the throne, and the harem stood empty.
For any ambitious family, this was an opportunity to rise to the heavens in a single step.
Minato understood that everything here had changed.
He withdrew his gaze and continued onward.
Inside the study, Chiba Ran leaned against the window, reading through a commercial report, completely uninterested in the spectacle of competing beauties outside.
The afternoon sunlight fell across him, making him look more like a pampered young master from an aristocratic family.
"You're here."
Hearing the footsteps, Chiba Ran responded casually without even raising his head.
"Lord Daimyo."
"Sit."
Minato bowed, took a seat to the side, and presented a scroll.
"This is the report you requested on the handling of Konoha's internal affairs, along with the preliminary proposal for the Genius Training Special Fund."
Chiba Ran gestured for him to place it on the desk, his tone casual. "Has everything been cleaned up?"
"Yes." Minato's reply was somewhat strained. "All Root members involved in the rebellion have been purged. The remaining personnel have all been disbanded and are awaiting further review."
"Mm."
Chiba Ran finally set down the report and straightened up.
He did not look at the report on Root's disposal, as though it were merely a trivial matter.
His gaze fell upon the proposal. "Tell me what you have in mind."
"Yes."
Minato steadied himself and began explaining.
His plan was thorough and fair.
The funds were divided into three parts: sponsoring outstanding ninja academy graduates, rewarding young Chunin who performed exceptionally during missions, and supporting the development of new ninjutsu as a research fund.
The entire proposal was based wholly on the village's long-term development. Its goal was to comprehensively improve the strength of Konoha's younger generation, with no selfish motives involved.
He spoke in great detail and with utmost seriousness.
Chiba Ran listened quietly, his expression calm.
Only after Minato finished did he pick up the proposal, flip through it casually, and let out a soft chuckle.
"Minato, your plan is very good. You've considered everything thoroughly."
Minato relaxed slightly.
But Chiba Ran's next words made his heart tighten.
"However, it is still too conservative, and too scattered."
Chiba Ran gently set the scroll on the desk. His movements were mild, yet he had dismissed its entire value.
"What I want is not to spread the benefits evenly."
He looked at Minato, speaking patiently.
"Minato, think about it. The Land of Fire's resources are limited."
"If we distribute nourishment equally to everyone, the result will be mediocrity across the board."
"The right approach is to concentrate resources and allow those with the greatest potential to grow as quickly as possible."
"When they become strong enough to shelter everyone else, those weaker people will be able to grow in a safe and stable environment."
"The strong must lead the later strong."
"Only by first allowing some people to become true powerhouses can they protect even more people."
"This is the best way to make the entire Land of Fire prosper rapidly."
Those words left Minato stunned.
Instinctively, he felt that something was wrong.
Yet the theory of the strong protecting the weak sounded perfectly reasonable, leaving him unable to refute it.
"So," Chiba Ran concluded, "this investment should be more strategic. We must water the finest soil with our very best seeds."
He raised a finger and lightly tapped the air.
"Yūhi Kurenai possesses a genjutsu talent rarely seen in a hundred years."
"Might Guy is a pure taijutsu fanatic. If given enough support, no one can say where his limits lie."
"And Shiranui Genma, Ebisu... these people are all treasures of our Land of Fire."
At last, his finger paused briefly.
"Oh, and the Third's son, Asuma Sarutobi."
At the mention of that name, Minato's heartbeat abruptly stalled.
Asuma was in the midst of his rebellious years and was even on strained terms with the Third. The Daimyo had actually taken notice of him?
"That young man is quite interesting." Appreciation showed in Chiba Ran's smile.
"He longs to protect others, yet he is lost about the current order. Such uncut jade is precisely the most worthy of carving."
"We should guide him and make him understand that what he truly ought to protect is the entire Land of Fire."
A chill crept up Minato's spine.
At last, he caught hold of that uneasy feeling.
Every word from the Daimyo stood upon the high ground of national righteousness, filled with concern for the younger generation.
But put together, those words reached directly toward Konoha's next generation.
"Lord Daimyo!"
Minato could not help speaking up, his tone urgent. "Asuma and the others are still young. Their temperaments have not yet settled."
"The ninja way requires even more tempering of one's will."
"Giving them too many external things too early may..."
"May what?"
Chiba Ran interrupted him and asked gently, "Make their path of growth smoother? Or allow them to serve the nation sooner?"
"Minato, you are a genius, but sometimes your thinking is like Sarutobi's—too idealistic."
"Willpower is certainly important, but can the willpower of someone who cannot afford to eat stop an enemy's kunai?"
"How long can a ninja's will endure if he cannot even provide a comfortable life for his family?"
"The times have changed."
"What I intend to cultivate are blades of the nation, capable of representing the Land of Fire's strongest combat power."
"They must not only possess unyielding will, but also strength worthy of that will and... absolute loyalty to the nation."
Minato's lips moved, but he found himself unable to respond.
Every word the other man spoke was flawless.
"Of course, I am not forcing you." Chiba Ran seemed to see his struggle and shifted the subject.
"You may regard this proposal as preparation for another plan."
"The Guardians of the Twelve. That title is not unfamiliar to you, is it?"
Minato naturally knew it well.
They were the Daimyo's strongest personal guards, the highest honor a ninja of the Land of Fire could attain!
Minato spoke without thinking. "But, my lord, isn't your safety already handled by the Hidden Guard?"
That mysterious and powerful force had left a deep impression on him during the ceremony.
"A good question, Minato."
Rather than being displeased, Chiba Ran gave him an approving look. "That proves you are thinking."
"The Hidden Guard's duty is to protect the entire Land of Fire. They are blades hanging over the enemy's heads and scalpels for cutting away the nation's internal tumors. They should not be bound to my side as nothing more than personal bodyguards."
Chiba Ran's voice carried an imposing force.
"The reason I am selecting new Twelve Guardian Ninja is precisely to free the Hidden Guard from responsibility for my personal safety."
"So they can carry out more important missions without distraction. Do you understand?"
"This is not for me alone. It is to optimize the top-tier combat strength of our entire Land of Fire."
Minato fell completely silent.
The other man's logic was impeccable.
He had framed the formation of a private guard as a means of better protecting the nation.
Minato felt as though he had fallen into a web woven from righteousness, interests, and honor.
He could not see the full shape of that web, but he could feel it slowly tightening.
Refuse?
What could he possibly use to refuse?
Refuse an enormous sum that could greatly ease the village's finances?
Refuse an opportunity that could let Konoha's geniuses ascend to the heavens in a single step?
If he refused, the families and ninja within the village would tear him to pieces without the Daimyo even needing to say a word.
"...I understand."
After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse and dry.
"I will revise the plan according to your wishes."
"Very good." Chiba Ran nodded in satisfaction and settled back into his reclining chair. "I hope to see an entirely new plan, one that reflects the Land of Fire's strategic vision."
"Go handle it."
"...Yes."
Minato bowed once more, then turned and left.
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