Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura were drenched in sweat. They hadn't expected that Uchiha Kō, with his extraordinary connections, had investigated the matter so thoroughly in just one morning.
They never expected his revenge to come so quickly, leaving them speechless for a moment. At this moment, they could only kneel on the ground and beg Uchiha Kō to spare their clan's lives.
If the entire clan were to go undercover, let alone whether they could succeed, even if they did, by the time the undercover agents returned to Konoha after completing their mission, the clan would probably have lost its lineage.
"What? Weren't you two elders quite arrogant just now? You backed down when it came to contributing to Konoha?" Uchiha Kō said calmly.
"We dare not! Please, Sister Yongdai, show mercy!" Mitokado Homura spoke first. At this moment, he didn't care about manners or poise; saving his clansmen was the most important thing.
Uchiha Kō glanced at Mitokado Homura, Mitokado Homura head bowed even lower. At this moment, he had abandoned the dignity of the Council of Elders and only wanted to protect his clan.
Looking at Utatane Koharu again, she hesitated, biting her red lips lightly, and looked at Uchiha Kō. Uchiha Kō snorted coldly and was about to make a decision.
At that moment, Utatane Koharu immediately knelt on the ground, pleading, "Please, Lord Hokage, show mercy! The Utatane Clan in Konoha for so many years; even if we haven't achieved anything, we've certainly worked hard. You absolutely cannot do this kind of undercover work!"
Uchiha Kō's slender fingers tapped rhythmically on the table. No one in the Hokage Office dared to step forward to criticize Uchiha Kō or plead for the two Hokage.
Instead, everyone's attention was focused on Uchiha Kō, as they wanted to know how he would ultimately handle the situation.
The office fell silent for a moment, except for the sound of Uchiha Kō tapping on the table.
Thump, thump, thump
Time ticked by, and in the next instant, the tapping sound ceased. Uchiha Kō's eyes lit up, and a confident smile spread across his face. He smiled slightly and said, "Please rise, both of you. I was just joking."
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged a glance, not daring to get up, and remained kneeling on the ground, bowing their heads to admit their mistake.
"Are you kidding me? That was a joke? Uchiha Kō's killing intent was almost tangible back then, how could it be a joke?"
Then Uchiha Kō murmured, "Sigh, now that I've just taken Hokage, the first thing I feel is education. The old Ninja Academy's buildings and facilities are too outdated..."
Utatane Koharu. "Lord Hokage, my Utatane Clan is willing to take responsibility for the reconstruction and renovation of the school!"
Uchiha Kō smiled and nodded, but then hesitated, "Elder Utatane, wouldn't this be too much trouble for you?"
Upon hearing that there was hope, Utatane Koharu, quickly said, "No trouble at all, no trouble at all. My Utatane Clan the renovation of the school to us!" As she spoke Utatane Koharu patted her non-existent chest and said confidently.
Mitokado Homura gritted his teeth. Damn it, this old man got ahead of him. He had to figure out the role of the Mitokado family quickly. As long as the clansmen could stay in the village, everything would be fine.
"But building a school is a considerable expense, Konoha is poor." Uchiha Kō pretended to be troubled and sighed, but in reality, he was glancing at Mitokado Homura out of the corner of his eye.
Mitokado Homura's eyes widened, and he quickly said, "The Mitokado family is quite wealthy and is willing to cover all the expenses for rebuilding the Ninja Academy!"
The local tycoon was indeed arrogant and domineering. At this moment, even Uchiha Kō couldn't help but gasp in astonishment, never expecting the Mitokado family to be so wealthy.
Seeing Uchiha Kō's actions, Nara Rokumei couldn't help but exclaim, "That's amazing! He can order the reconstruction of the school without spending a single coin, and people are even contributing money and effort!"
"I still have a long way to go, and I need to keep learning!" Nara Rokumei looked at Uchiha Kō, his eyes filled with apprehension and awe.
"In that case, you two should make preparations as soon as possible and begin construction tomorrow," Uchiha Kō said slowly.
Mitokado Homura Utatane Koharu quickly agreed. Uchiha Kō waved his hand, and the two stood aside, relieved, while feeling grateful for Uchiha Kō.
That's how people are. If you treat someone well all the time, they won't appreciate it. Over time, they'll start to think it's their due.
Uchiha Kō was to break down their preconceived notions, making them realize their true identities and correct their positions.
The art of managing people isn't just about showing kindness; that will only make you seem like a pushover who can be bullied.
The most important thing is to use both kindness and severity, with kindness being secondary and severity being the core. Why is there a proverb that says, "Give a slap and then a sweet date"?
The underlying reason is nothing more than this: perhaps the Uchiha Kō of the past was the vice Hokage, and as an elder of the Uchiha, he wouldn't be too harsh on veterans like Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.
But from today onwards, he is the Hokage, the leader of Konoha, and he must be serious.
Don't say that doing this is unethical, laughable, lamentable, or pathetic.
With Uchiha Kō's use of the tactic of feigning weakness to then elevate the situation, those involved were relieved by Uchiha Kō, while onlookers felt a chill run down their spines and marveled at his skillful maneuvering.
"In addition to rebuilding the Ninja Academy, the following appointment notices are hereby issued. Please cooperate actively."
"Hyuga Clan Hyuga Akagi is nominated as Hokage Assistant, in charge of Konoha Hospital; Nara Rokumei is nominated as Hokage Assistant, in charge of Hokage administrative affairs; Torifu Akimichi is in charge of the Konoha Academy and public servants' meals; Yamanaka Unkai is in charge of Konoha's intelligence department, and any disturbance must be reported to the Hokage..." Uchiha Kō issued one appointment after another.
Hyuga, Nara Clan, Akimichi Clan, Yamanaka Clan all had their eyes light up and quickly bowed in praise, saying, "We will certainly live up to the Fourth Hokage's expectations, be selfless and dedicated, and contribute our strength to the prosperity of Konoha."
Uchiha Kō smiled and nodded. These clans were on good terms with Uchiha Kō, and now that he was taking Hokage Uchiha Kō, he would definitely repay them by giving them status and power.
Otherwise, why would anyone support you? Because you're arrogant? Because you don't shower? In this respect, Uchiha Kō did a better job than Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Sarutobi Hiruzen disregarded the powerful clans in the village, focusing only on his own comrades. While this allowed him to achieve his goal of centralizing power, it failed to consider the feelings of those powerful families.
Why should trashy ninja clans like Utatane and Mitokado wield such power, while we, the great clans, can only watch them lord it over us?
The fact that no one mentioned it before doesn't mean that the various families don't harbor resentment.
The appointment of Uchiha Kō immediately disrupted this situation, with the Uchiha Clan at the forefront, and the Hyūga Clan -Ino-Shika-Cho, and other clans gaining real power and influence.
This also gave hope to other originally neutral families: following Uchiha Kō would bring huge rewards!
Uchiha Kō looked at the people he had just appointed and smiled, "I believe in the abilities of each of you clan leaders. I hope you will not forget your original aspirations and will keep your mission in mind."
"Yes!" the newly appointed officials shouted.