The Ninja Clan Assembly

In the first year of Konoha, autumn was crisp and pleasant.

Konoha Village also ushered in a historic moment—the first Ninja Clan Assembly officially convened.

The council hall was packed with people.

On the raised platform at the front sat Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Izuna, Uchiha Yan, Senju Hashirama, and Senju Tobirama—the Five Elders of Konoha.

Below them sat the clan heads and representatives of Konoha's various clans.

Hyuga Tennin, head of the Hyuga Clan, sat in the front row. Though the Hyuga Clan had arrived late, their strength and status were undeniable. No one dared underestimate them.

Next came the heads of the three Boar-Deer-Butterfly clans—the Yamanaka Clan, Akimichi Clan, and Nara Clan—seated side by side. Any one of those clans alone was nothing remarkable, but the three were bound together as one, and their combined strength could not be underestimated.

Further back were the Sarutobi Clan, Shimura Clan, Aburame Clan, Inuzuka Clan, Kurama Clan, Hatake Clan, Mitarashi Clan, Moonlight Clan, Yūhi Clan...

Besides them, some ninjas who had yet to form clans but possessed jonin-level strength had also been invited to attend the assembly.

Although Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara were immensely powerful, neither was much good with words. Thus, an occasion requiring eloquence naturally fell to Uchiha Yan. Senju Tobirama, that old bastard, had wanted to fight for the role too, but Uchiha Yan simply ignored him.

Uchiha Yan rose to his feet and walked to the podium at the front.

"Everyone, Konoha has only just been founded, and there is much to be done."

"The main issue for this assembly is this—how should each clan fulfill its duties, and in what capacity should it establish itself in this village?"

Uchiha Yan paused, his gaze sweeping across the faces of everyone below the stage.

There was anticipation in their eyes, but also fear, confusion, and unease. These ninja clans had brought their entire families to seek refuge in Konoha. Put nicely, they had come to join Konoha; put bluntly, they were living under another's roof. No one knew how the Uchiha and Senju would treat them—would they be treated as equals and allies, or ordered about like subordinates?

"I know you all have your concerns." Uchiha Yan's tone softened somewhat. "But here, the Uchiha and Senju can guarantee this—so long as none of you betray the village, the village will never persecute any ninja clan."

Below the stage, many people secretly breathed sighs of relief.

"First, the matter of positions." Uchiha Yan shifted the subject. "At present, Uchiha Madara, head of the Uchiha Clan, will assume the position of Hokage. This proposal was agreed upon beforehand, so it will not be discussed further here."

Uchiha Yan paused, then dropped a bombshell.

"By order of the Hokage, Konoha will be divided into Three Departments and Six Ministries."

A buzz immediately rose from the crowd below. Three Departments and Six Ministries? The term sounded novel.

Uchiha Yan explained, "What are the Three Departments and Six Ministries? The Three Departments are the Secretariat, the Chancellery, and the Department of State Affairs."

"The Secretariat will be responsible for drafting Hokage orders and formulating policies. It will possess the power to advise and make decisions. Its highest-ranking official will be the Secretariat Chancellor."

"The Chancellery will be responsible for reviewing the Hokage's decrees. If anything is improper, it may reject them and return them for revision. It will possess the power of review. Its highest-ranking official will be the Chancellery Chancellor."

"The Department of State Affairs will be the highest executive body, responsible for implementing policies. It will possess executive power. Its highest-ranking official will be the Chancellor of State Affairs."

At this point, Uchiha Yan raised his voice. "The chancellors of the Three Departments will assist the Hokage in governing the village."

Representatives from every ninja clan below began whispering among themselves, their murmurs rising and falling.

When they had brought their families to Konoha, they had all prepared for the worst—that the Uchiha and Senju, the two great clans, would tightly control everything in Konoha and become uncrowned kings, while the other ninja clans could only live at their mercy.

"Everyone." Uchiha Yan's voice rang out again, and the hall gradually fell quiet.

His gaze was firm as he looked at every person below the stage, speaking each word clearly. "Konoha belongs to the ninja clans, not to any one family. It does not bear the name Uchiha, much less Senju."

The words were like a stone dropped into a still lake, stirring up wave after wave.

Senju Tobirama was immediately displeased. Was that aimed at me?

The crowd below was silent at first. Then thunderous applause erupted.

During the Warring States era, the strong lived and the weak died. Whoever had the bigger fist had the final say. Yet now, someone was telling them that Konoha did not belong to any one clan or any one person, but to all ninja clans.

In truth, the Three Departments and Six Ministries system was a proposal Uchiha Yan had only presented after repeated discussions and careful refinement within the Uchiha Clan. He had sounded out Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna beforehand. Though Uchiha Madara did not understand all these twists and turns, he trusted Uchiha Yan's judgment.

After that, Uchiha Yan had gone to discuss it with Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama.

After hearing Uchiha Yan's proposal, Senju Hashirama had immediately raised both hands in approval. His original purpose in founding the village had been peace—to keep children from dying on the battlefield. As for whether he became king or held power, he did not care in the slightest.

As for Senju Tobirama—this shrewd and calculating second-in-command of the Senju Clan—he had initially wanted to secure more power for the Senju Clan. He tried every possible way to arrange more positions for them, analyzing the distribution of power among the clans under the Three Departments system point by point, openly and covertly trying to pull more authority toward the Senju.

In the end, Hashirama had not said a word. He simply dragged him outside and gave him a thorough scolding, berating Tobirama for being too selfish—sacrificing the greater good for his own clan.

"As for the appointments to the Three Departments—" Uchiha Yan continued, "since this is the first time the clans have joined together, there are countless matters to handle, Konoha has much to rebuild, and time is pressing, these appointments will be kept simple, swift, and light. They will be proposed by the Hokage and decided by a show-of-hands vote from the clans and their representatives."

Everyone below nodded in understanding. It was the first time, after all. There had to be a transition period.

Uchiha Yan picked up a document from the table and read, "Secretariat Chancellor—upon the Hokage's recommendation, Nara Shikato of the Nara Clan. You may now vote by raising your hands."

The moment he finished speaking, a buzzing discussion rose from the crowd once more.

The Secretariat Chancellor possessed the power to advise and make decisions, serving as the Hokage's assistant. This was an undeniably important position.

The intelligence of the Nara Clan was known throughout the ninja world. Nara Shikato himself was not only the head of the Nara Clan, but also the true brain of the three Boar-Deer-Butterfly clans. Sharp-minded and meticulous, he had chosen to join Konoha as soon as it was founded. Even so, the Nara Clan was not a top-tier great clan. At the very least, it still fell far short of the Hyuga Clan.

Uchiha Yan had calculated it all clearly: the Secretariat Chancellor needed someone with brains, and no one was more suitable than the Nara Clan. Moreover, while the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi were said to be three clans, they were effectively one—when the three Boar-Deer-Butterfly clans united, their strength could not be underestimated. Giving the Nara Clan the post of Secretariat Chancellor was equivalent to securing the support of all three clans. The Secretariat Chancellor only held decision-making power and was essentially a strategist's position. It was neither too high nor too low, perfectly matching the Nara Clan's standing.

Too high, and it would stir dissatisfaction among great clans like the Uchiha, Senju, and Hyuga; too low, and it would fail to show sufficient sincerity to the three Boar-Deer-Butterfly clans.

"I agree!" The Akimichi Clan head was the first to raise his hand.

"Agreed." The Yamanaka Clan head raised his hand.

Hyuga Tennin raised his hand as well. Sarutobi Sasuke followed right after him, and the Shimura Clan's representative did not hesitate either. The jonin in the back had even fewer objections—positions like Secretariat Chancellor were never something they could hope for anyway. It made no difference to them who took it.

One, two, three... More and more hands rose into the air.

Uchiha Yan swept his gaze across the hall. Once he confirmed there were no opposing votes, he nodded. "Passed unanimously."

In fact, the matter had already been discussed with the three Boar-Deer-Butterfly clans beforehand. So today's show-of-hands vote was merely a formality.

Even so, when the appointment was formally approved, Nara Shikato still felt somewhat dazed.