Taking Office as Hokage and a Massive Debt

The sun shone high in the sky.

Uchiha Nan was still sprawled on the bed, sleeping soundly. He had no idea how much alcohol he had been forced to drink last night; all he knew was that he had drunk until he lost consciousness.

Knock, knock, knock!!

Knock, knock, knock!!!

A rapid knocking sounded at the door. Manji, who was sleeping beside him, reluctantly got up to answer it. An aunt hurried through the door, having come to deliver Uchiha Nan's Haori!

This aunt had made the Haori for the previous two Hokage. She had extremely exacting standards for the embroidered words "Third Hokage" on the back, and after Tobirama Senju died, she had started staying up through the night to make it. Fortunately, she had finished it ahead of time.

This aunt really had lived a long time. Uchiha Nan remembered her—she had lived from Hashirama Senju's era all the way until Naruto became Hokage. She truly deserved to be called a Konoha Fossil!

Uchiha Nan quickly got dressed, thanked the aunt, then draped the Haori over himself and put on the Hokage Hat.

"Little Manji!"

"Do I look handsome?"

Uchiha Nan narcissistically glanced into the mirror. The more he looked, the more pleased he became. He was practically Konoha's Xu Gong!

"Handsome!"

Manji raised his paw and loudly spoke his heartfelt truth.

Uchiha Nan beckoned to Manji, who deftly leaped onto Uchiha Nan's shoulder.

"Let's go. Time to take office as Hokage!"

Before long, Uchiha Nan arrived at Konoha's Hokage Building. The Hokage Building stood at the very center of Konoha. Behind it were the Stone Statues of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. As for Uchiha Nan's Stone Statue, it was still being carved!

It was meticulous work. As Uchiha's first Hokage, Uchiha Tomita was personally overseeing the statue. It would probably take some more time.

Below the Hokage Building was an enormous plaza, packed with Konoha's ninjas and villagers. They were still filled with anticipation for Konoha's new Hokage.

"Starting today, I am Konoha's Third Hokage. Konoha's Future is in my hands!"

A wave of cheers erupted afterward. The loudest shouts naturally came from the Uchiha Clan, while the Hyuga Clan also cheered loudly. The Senju Clan, on the other hand, wore grim expressions and could only reluctantly clap a few times to show respect for Uchiha Nan, the new Hokage.

The leaders of every clan were present. Standing on the stage, Uchiha Nan noticed that Mito Uzumaki was absent. Her injuries probably had not healed yet.

The succession ceremony dragged on for the entire morning. In the afternoon, Uchiha Nan's first meeting as Hokage officially began!

In the meeting room, Uchiha Nan sat in the center. Uchiha Tomita sat to his left, while Senju Touma sat to his right. The other clans took their seats according to their respective strength.

"Today is my first day as Hokage. Konoha is in desperate need of rebuilding, so speak freely at this meeting. Tell me what you think about Konoha's development."

Uchiha Nan decided to cast a wide net for advice and first hear the opinions of Konoha's local powers.

"Lord Hokage, let us put Konoha's construction aside for the moment and discuss the matter of debts."

Senju Touma looked serious, offering Uchiha Nan no smile at all. He wore the expression of someone conducting official business.

He pulled a sheet of paper from his sleeve. It recorded Konoha's debts to the Senju Clan. The various strategic resources alone amounted to 800 million ryo, more than twice what Konoha owed the Uchiha Clan.

That was not all. There were also the subsidies for Senju Clan members who had died fighting for Konoha: 312 genin, 158 chunin, and 48 jonin.

According to Konoha's regulations, survivor benefits for an ordinary genin ranged from roughly 300,000 to 500,000 ryo. Chunin were a step above that, receiving 800,000 to 1 million ryo. Jonin lives were far more valuable, reaching 3 to 5 million ryo, with the amount fluctuating according to their merits.

Even compensation at the minimum standard would come to nearly 300 million ryo. Konoha's treasury owed the Senju Clan alone 1.5 billion ryo.

Tobirama Senju had been Konoha's Hokage. It was only natural for the Hokage's clan to devote itself to Konoha, and naturally, it had paid the greatest price for Konoha, practically throwing more than half its assets into the village.

Konoha's finances had turned into a pile of shit—too awful to even look at. If Tobirama Senju had still been Hokage, the Senju Clan could have endured it a little longer. But now Uchiha Nan was in charge, and not a single coin of the Senju Clan's money could be missing!

"There's that much?"

Uchiha Nan looked at the astronomical figure, and his head began to ache.

An Elite Jonin undertaking an S-rank mission started at 1 million ryo. This debt was equivalent to making Uchiha Nan complete over a thousand extremely dangerous S-rank missions.

An astronomical sum indeed!!!

Senju Touma took out a document pouch containing all kinds of IOUs, each bearing Tobirama Senju's seal.

"If Lord Hokage does not believe me, you may check the accounts!"

Uchiha Nan flipped through the IOUs, his brows already deeply furrowed.

"Lord Hokage, Konoha's treasury also owes the Hyuga Clan more than 800 million ryo. The specific details are as follows."

Hyuga Takuma sat below the platform, looking somewhat embarrassed. Since Senju Touma had brought up this debt—

For the Hyuga Clan's interests, Hyuga Takuma naturally had to step forward and speak for the Hyuga Clan. Friendship was friendship, and money was money!

Not a single ryo could be short!

With two of Konoha's top clans demanding repayment, the remaining ninja clans naturally could not remain so polite. They had originally planned to make some polite remarks and speak privately with Uchiha Nan later.

Since things had come to this, there was no need to hide anything. After all, the tall ones were standing at the front. If Uchiha Nan wanted to assign blame, it would not fall on all of them.

Uchiha Nan's eyes had already reddened. Adding it all up, the outstanding debts totaled around 11 billion ryo, but Konoha's finances were utterly dreadful, nothing but deficits!

"Enough!"

"I'll handle these debts!"

Uchiha Nan gritted his teeth and shot Senju Touma a fierce glare. On the first day of the meeting, he had dropped something this huge on him.

Senju Touma watched his nose and focused on his heart, not looking at Uchiha Nan at all. He was still calculating that once the money arrived, he would immediately begin experiments on his father's Hashirama Cells.

"Meeting adjourned!"

Uchiha Nan could not be bothered arguing with this bunch of money-grubbing bastards and immediately ended the meeting. His very first meeting had ended on bad terms, dealing a tremendous blow to his lofty ambitions.

Hokage Office

Emotionally exhausted, Uchiha Nan lay back in his chair.

"What are we supposed to do about this!"

"How are we supposed to repay so much money!"

Uchiha Tomita, standing nearby and watching Uchiha Nan's gloomy appearance, hurriedly stepped forward to remind him:

"Lord Uchiha Nan, don't forget the financial aid that the Daimyo of the Land of Fire promised Konoha. That is a substantial sum!"

"That's right!!!"

Uchiha Nan slapped the desk. The astronomical figure had stunned him so badly that he had forgotten about that.

He had to set off at once!