With just a few casual words, he had stripped the Hokage Advisors of their authority.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was in an excellent mood for a moment. Puffing on his pipe, he glanced at his two dejected companions beside him and secretly laughed with delight.
The advisory system established by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, had initially been helpful to him, but now it was nothing more than an obstacle.
At last, he had completely cut it away. No one would be able to restrain him anymore.
But compared to his mood, the two Hokage Advisors beside him were probably not nearly as happy.
Originally, the two of them could still interfere with the Hokage's decisions. Every now and then, they could flip sides and help Danzo mess with Hiruzen's state of mind. Life had been downright wonderful.
Yet while they were happily eating hotpot and singing, just a few minutes after sitting down, they discovered that their authority had been taken away.
The key was that, without them realizing it, Konoha's famous great clans had basically all joined Hiruzen Sarutobi's camp. The two of them felt as sick as if they had eaten shit.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was in an exceptionally pleasant mood. Even the wrinkles on his face seemed to have multiplied as he puffed on his pipe. "Since this is a Chunin Exam jointly held by three Hidden Villages, its content cannot remain the same as before. We must make appropriate reforms, while also letting them see the depth of Konoha's foundations."
"In other words, it must have innovative content while also ensuring sufficient difficulty?"
Shikaku Nara truly lived up to the trust placed in him. He immediately guessed the Hokage's intentions.
"Correct. That's exactly it."
With such a considerate subordinate, Hiruzen Sarutobi was extremely satisfied.
Someone who could say