Konoha Belongs to the People of Konoha! The Scheming Third!

The next morning, at dawn.

Hokage Building, top-floor office.

Sunlight streamed through the shattered door—Tobirama had kicked it in yesterday, and it still had not been repaired—falling across Hiruzen Sarutobi's wrinkled, exhausted face.

He had not slept all night.

Across from him, Tobirama wore a brand-new Hokage Cloak. Though he had not yet officially received the hat, he had already draped the cloak over himself without ceremony and seated himself in the chair representing Konoha's highest authority.

The room was far from empty.

Hyuga Hiashi, Shikaku Nara, Choza Akimichi, Shibi Aburame...

The heads of every major clan in Konoha stood behind Tobirama.

They were like a wall, one that shut Hiruzen Sarutobi out from power.

"Old man."

Tobirama lazily spun the Hokage hat in his hand.

"The auspicious hour has arrived."

"The villagers and shinobi outside are waiting."

"The seal, the documents, the Anbu. Hand them over."

Hiruzen Sarutobi tightened his grip on his pipe.

He looked at the aggressive boy before him, then at the clan heads who had once been submissive to him but now stood on the opposing side.

Fury and resentment churned in his chest.

"Tobirama."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, attempting one final struggle.

"A handover is no trifling matter. It concerns every aspect of the village."

"The Anbu deployments, barrier information, classified intelligence from every nation... all of this takes time."

"You have only just returned. There is much you do not understand."

"How about we delay for a few days and then..."

"Delay a few days?"

Tobirama sneered and cut him off.

"Delay a few days so you can replace the Anbu with your diehard loyalists?"

"Or delay a few days so you can move your assets and destroy Danzo's dirt?"

"You!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression changed. "What sort of person do you take me for?!"

"You know exactly what sort of person you are."

Tobirama rose to his feet, his overwhelming presence instantly suppressing everything else.

"Enough nonsense."

"Right now. Immediately. This instant."

"Hand them over."

"Otherwise..." Tobirama glanced at the clan heads behind him. "I will have the Hyuga Clan and Nara Clan people go to the archives and help you move out."

This was outright robbery!

Yet not one clan head spoke. Their gazes were sharp, and some even looked eager to get started.

Hiruzen Sarutobi closed his eyes in defeat.

The tide had turned.

Trembling, he pulled out a ring of keys and a scroll from his robes and placed them on the table.

But the instant he set them down, he seemed to remember something, and a glint flashed through his eyes.

"Fine. The power is yours."

"But Tobirama, you are young. Governing a village is not the same as fighting a war."

"When I took office, Danzo and the others served as Hokage aides and helped handle government affairs."

"I may be old, but I still have experience."

"For the village's stability, I am willing to humble myself and continue serving as an advisor, assisting you..."

This move was called retreating to advance.

As long as he remained in the core decision-making circle, with his political skill and seniority, would it not be easy for him to turn a twelve-year-old brat into a puppet?

That was exactly how he had turned the original Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, into a puppet.

Unfortunately.

He had encountered Tobirama Uchiha.

"Assist me?"

Tobirama seemed to have heard the greatest joke in the world and could not help laughing.

"Hahahaha!"

"Old man, do you think I am as easy to fool as an idiot?"

"You want me to go die while you reap the rewards from behind?"

Tobirama's laughter abruptly stopped, and his eyes turned as cold and sharp as blades.

"Save it."

"Perfect timing. I have a new policy regarding Hokage aides to announce later."

"You had better listen closely."

"Because there is no place for you in that position."

With that, Tobirama picked up the Hokage hat and put it on.

"Let's go, everyone."

"Let us welcome our new era."

Hokage Building rooftop.

A sea of people had already gathered below.

Yesterday's rain of money, combined with his feat of destroying a nation, had pushed Tobirama's popularity to its peak. Tens of thousands of villagers and shinobi crowded the square, waiting expectantly.

When Tobirama appeared before the railing in his Hokage Cloak.

"Wah!"

Cheers exploded like thunder.

"Fourth Hokage!"

"Lord Tobirama!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood half a step behind Tobirama, his face ashen, like nothing more than a backdrop for this grand ceremony.

Forcing out a smile, he announced loudly:

"From this day forward, Tobirama Uchiha shall assume the position of Konoha's Acting Hokage!"

The formalities were complete.

Next came Tobirama's personal show.

He pressed both hands downward, and the entire crowd instantly fell silent.

"People of Konoha!"

Tobirama's voice, amplified by a sound-enhancing jutsu, spread to every corner of the village.

"I will skip the pleasantries."

"As Hokage, I will do only three things."

"Fairness! Fairness! And fucking fairness!"

Rather than offending them, that crude language made the commoners below boil with excitement.

He was one of them!

"I know that in the old Konoha, you had little say in anything."

"The Hokage and two advisors hid in their offices, making decisions on a whim, while you could only passively accept them."

"The great clans monopolized resources. Commoners had no path forward. Talents were buried, while heroes bled and wept!"

Those words struck straight at everyone's hearts.

The civilian shinobi in particular had reddened eyes.

Cold sweat ran down Hiruzen Sarutobi's back as he listened. What was this brat trying to do?

"So!"

Tobirama swept out a hand and dropped the true bombshell.

"I hereby announce that, starting today, I will change all of this and allow every great clan and ordinary person to prosper together!"

"Starting today, the Hokage Advisory Council system is abolished!"

"Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura are dismissed from their advisory posts!"

"A brand-new Konoha Cabinet Advisory Council will be established!"

Boom!

Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly raised his head, staring at Tobirama's back in disbelief.

Abolish the advisors?

He was digging out the very roots of Konoha's upper ranks!

"Cabinet members will no longer be filled by those few senile old men and women!"

"We will elect them from great clans such as the Hyuga Clan, Nara Clan, and Akimichi Clan!"

"At the same time!"

Tobirama raised his voice and pointed toward the civilian shinobi below, dressed in ordinary clothing.

"We will establish seats for civilians!"

"No matter whether you have a clan background, as long as you have ability and accomplishments!"

"You can enter the cabinet, take part in governing the village, and build Konoha's future!"

"Let Konoha become the Konoha of its people!"

Silence.

Deathly silence.

Then.

"Roar!"

They went mad.

Completely mad.

The civilian shinobi roared with every ounce of their hearts. Some even fell to their knees and wept bitterly.

After decades!

They finally had a chance to touch the center of power!

This was not merely reform. This was a leap across social classes!

"Long live Lord Tobirama!!"

"We swear to follow Lord Tobirama unto death!"

Watching the fanatical crowd below, surging like a tidal wave, Hiruzen Sarutobi swayed and nearly fainted.

It was over.

Completely over.

With this move, the brat had won over both the great clans and the commoners.

From now on, anyone who dared oppose Tobirama would be opposing the interests of the entire village!

He, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had been completely isolated!

But Tobirama was not finished.

"Besides power, people need food on the table!"

Tobirama pulled out a scroll—the postwar agreement.

"Let me tell everyone some good news!"

"Just yesterday, the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth signed their instruments of surrender!"

"Two trillion ryo in reparations! Thirty percent of their resources in annual tribute!"

"Starting today, Konoha's taxes will be cut in half!"

"Pensions for every fallen shinobi will be doubled!"

"Rewards for all missions will increase by 30 percent!"

"I will make everyone rich!"

This was a Dimensional Reduction Strike on the material level.

If granting power before had been a promise on paper, then this was stuffing meat directly into their mouths.

Cheers could no longer describe it.

The entire village of Konoha shook.

At that moment, the name Tobirama Uchiha surpassed every previous Hokage and became the one and only god.

The speech ended.

Amid countless worshipful gazes, Tobirama turned and walked back into the meeting room.

Behind him followed a large group of glowing, elated clan heads, along with several civilian shinobi representatives who had been temporarily promoted.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood alone on the rooftop.

The wind fluttered his Hokage Cloak, making him look especially desolate.

No one paid him any attention.

No one even spared him a glance.

The era of the Ninja Hero had been kicked into the trash heap by that boy.

Hokage Conference Room.

The long table that had once belonged to the Hokage was now filled with people.

Tobirama sat at the head of the table, removed his conical hat, and set it down.

Tsunade sat to his left, still dressed like a secretary, but the love and pride in her eyes could not be hidden.

"Everyone."

Tobirama swept his gaze around the room.

Hyuga Hiashi, Shikaku Nara, Minato Namikaze...

This was an entirely new lineup.

Young, full of vitality, and brimming with ambition.

"The door has opened."

Tobirama leaned back in his chair, a smile of complete control curling at the corner of his lips.

"Next."

"It's time to make the entire Ninja World kneel at Konoha's feet and sing its praises."

"Then I shall announce my first order as Hokage!!"