Changing Tides (1)

As dusk fell, the windows of the Hokage Office were bathed in the orange-red hues of twilight. Tsunade stood by the window, gazing at the lights of Konoha gradually illuminating the city, yet her heart remained unsettled. Neji's suggestion, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirred ripples in her mind.

She turned back to her desk, quickly wrote two notes, and handed them to Shizune: "Please have Shikaku Nara and Kakashi Hatake come here immediately, and be quick."

Shizune took the note, noticing the seriousness in Tsunade's eyes, and nodded, saying, "Yes, Lord Hokage."

Less than half an hour later, there was a knock on the door. The door was pushed open, and Shikaku Nara and Kakashi Hatake walked in one after the other. Shikaku still had a slightly lazy but sharp look, while Kakashi showed his signature eye and was holding a copy of "Make-Out Paradise" in his hand—although it was already closed.

"Lord Hokage." The two bowed simultaneously.

"Sit." Tsunade gestured for them to sit in the chairs in front of the desk, and then sat back in the main seat herself. She didn't speak immediately, but first poured herself a cup of tea, and then gestured for Shizune to serve tea to the two of them as well.

A brief silence fell over the office, broken only by the soft clatter of a teacup against its tray. Outside the window, the distant sounds of explosions from Ninjutsu practice at the training grounds drifted in—the most reassuring background noise in peacetime.

"I just met with Neji Hyuga," Tsunade finally spoke, her voice calm but carrying a certain weight. "We talked about... things related to the future of Konoha."

Shikaku and Kakashi exchanged a glance, both seeing wariness and curiosity in each other's eyes. The name Neji carries special weight in Konoha now—he is both the hero who saved the village and a variable whose fate cannot be predicted by common sense.

Tsunade placed the teacup on the table, crossed her arms, and glanced at the two men. "I asked him about the succession of the Hokage. And his answer... was quite interesting."

She began to recount her conversation with Neji, from increasing the number of elder seats to reforming the electoral system, from term limits to specific candidate recommendations. With each sentence, she observed their reactions.

When Shikaku heard "the Elder Council," his eyebrows rose slightly; when he heard "the village elections have a 50% weighting," Kakashi's one eye widened a little; and when Tsunade uttered the name "Orochimaru"—

Shikaku and Kakashi looked at each other almost simultaneously, their eyes exchanging complex emotions—a mixture of surprise, understanding, and even a hint of "I knew it."

Then, both of them simultaneously revealed that helpless yet subtle expression—exactly the "Why did I get dragged into this?" look that Tsunade had anticipated.

"First of all," Shikaku broke the silence, his voice steady and clear, "I must thank the Lord Hokage for his trust. But I don't quite understand, what is the specific purpose of your summoning me and Kakashi?"

His question was very direct, which is typical of the Nara Clan —they don't readily express their opinions before fully understanding all the information.

Kakashi nodded, though he didn't say anything, his eyes held the same question.

Tsunade a deep breath and spread her hands on the table. "I want to ask you, if we follow Neji's suggestion and make changes, will the village develop better? This is not a simple decision, and I need your judgment."

The question has been raised.

Shikaku didn't answer immediately. He leaned back in his chair, rested his chin on his right hand, and gently tapped his cheek with his index finger—a habitual gesture when he was deep in thought. The last rays of the setting sun fell on his face, gilding his features with a golden edge.

Kakashi reacted faster. He looked down at the teacup in his hand, the surface of the tea reflecting the ceiling light, rippling with his soft breathing.

"I think," Kakashi began slowly, his voice soft but clear, "If such a reform is truly implemented, the elected Hokage will definitely have more authority. This won't be a leader appointed from the top down, but a representative elected from the bottom up."

He raised his head, his one exposed eye gleaming with seriousness. "Moreover, such a system will bring new vitality to the village. Many commoner ninjas—those without family backgrounds but with talent and ambition—will also have more opportunities. The current system relies too much on bloodline and apprenticeship."

After Kakashi finished speaking, he looked at Shikaku. He knew that his thinking was more emotional, while Shikaku's analysis would be more comprehensive and rational.

Shikaku finger. He opened his eyes, and those usually half-closed eyes were now filled with a sharp light.

"Kakashi is right, there are indeed many benefits to change," Shikaku said slowly, "But the resistance to change will also be enormous, very enormous."

Tsunade nodded; this was precisely what she was most worried about. "Logically speaking, the village has just restored peace, and changes shouldn't cause new turmoil."

"On the contrary," Shikaku's voice suddenly became forceful, "Precisely because the Fourth Shinobi World War ended so recently, now is the best time for change."

Tsunade leaned forward slightly. "Why do you say that?"

Shikaku up straight and began to analyze the situation clearly and logically:

"First, the Fourth Shinobi World War exposed Konoha's fundamental problem—a severely unbalanced power structure." He traced lines on the table with his finger. "Our village's core Chunin are almost all fifteen or sixteen-year-old children. Neji, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura... they shouldered heavy responsibilities on the battlefield that should have been borne by adult ninjas. I personally believe this is highly abnormal."

He paused, allowing the idea to settle. "And as you know, during the war we also had to allocate some Jonin to protect the high command and the Daimyo. If Neji hadn't ambushed Obito, if Naruto and Sasuke hadn't finally awakened, Konoha might not exist anymore. Our defense system has serious flaws."

Tsunade's expression turned serious. Shikaku's words were like a scalpel, precisely cutting open a wound she had always been unwilling to delve into.

"Second," Shikaku continued, "Now Neji is here. He's Six Paths Tier ninja, the strongest Shinobi World right now. With him in charge of the village, anyone who opposes change will have to think twice."

A subtle smile played at the corners of his lips, "We can be direct—this is the kind of change Neji wants to push forward. Faced with this fact, most intelligent people are realistic. After all, no one wants to be an enemy of a god."

Kakashi nodded slightly. Although the word "god" was a bit of an exaggeration, it wasn't an overstatement to describe Neji's current power.

"Third," Shikaku's tone became more serious, "Konoha was the undisputed number one among the Five Great Shinobi Villages when it was first founded. But what about Konoha now? If we don't count the three special cases of Neji, Naruto, and Sasuke, before the Fourth Shinobi World War, our overall strength was probably even inferior to that of Cloud Village and Iwagakure."

He looked directly into Tsunade's eyes. "Lord Hokage, Konoha does indeed love peace. But peace without strength will only attract the covetous eyes of wolves. The reforms are not only for internal fairness, but also for revitalizing Konoha's strength and deterrent power."

These words struck Tsunade like a heavy hammer. She looked at Shikaku, at this man who always claimed to "avoid trouble," whose eyes now burned with deep concern for the village's future.

She became even more determined to choose Shikaku as her successor to the Hokage —no, not just a successor, but a true driving force for reform.

But Tsunade remained expressionless and continued to ask, "So, how exactly should we push for change?"

Kakashi then picked up the conversation. "Neji has actually already indicated the order. First, increase the number of elder seats. If we carefully analyze his suggested candidates—"

He counted on his fingers, "I represent the Anbu and defense forces, Shikaku -senpai represents strategic planning, Inoichi- senpai represents intelligence, Hiashi -senpai represents external military force and the Hyuga Clan. And then Utatane Koharu- senpai and Mitokado Homura- senpai; they represent tradition and experience."

Kakashi spread his hands. "This Elder Council covers almost all important areas of Konoha. Whoever they elect as Hokage, it's hard for anyone to object. It's a carefully designed balancing structure."

Shikaku nodded and added, "Furthermore, I believe Neji's purpose in allowing Orochimaru into the Elder Council is not simple."

His gaze deepened. "Neji's ability to reach the Six Paths Tier is inseparable from Orochimaru's help—although we don't know the specific details. Orochimaru pursues immortality and the ultimate in Ninjutsu, while Neji hopes that Orochimaru's research can receive official support and funding from Konoha."

"This is more than just a guarantee," Shikaku analyzed, "It's also a form of reciprocation— Neji is repaying Orochimaru for his help. At the same time, if Orochimaru's research can be conducted under Konoha's supervision, it could indeed make the village stronger. It's a win-win collaboration."

He then changed the subject. "But we must be soberly aware that, based on past records, Orochimaru's research could easily cross ethical boundaries. Therefore, a strict oversight mechanism must be established for his research, and... it's best to maintain a certain degree of secrecy in the early stages."

Tsunade listened to their back-and-forth analysis, a complex emotion welled up within her. Looking at the two men before her—one far-sighted, the other pragmatic and astute—she suddenly felt that perhaps she really should step down sooner rather than later.

This is not escapism, but an admission: the future of Konoha should be entrusted to those who can understand this new era.

Their era has arrived.

As the current Hokage, my ultimate responsibility is to pave the way for this transformation.

Tsunade a deep breath, placed her hands on the table, and made her decision:

"Orochimaru's entry into the Elder Council can be put on hold for now. The first step is to get the four of you into the Elder Council."

Her gaze swept over Shikaku and Kakashi: "I'll personally talk to Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura. We also need to communicate with Hiashi and Inoichi. Once the Elder Council reorganization is complete, we'll begin pushing for changes to the electoral system."

She stood up and walked to the window. Night had completely fallen, and the lights of Konoha resembled a starry sky reflected on the ground.

"This won't be easy," Tsunade to the two. "There will be resistance, there will be opposition, and there may even be conflict. But I believe—this is the path Konoha must take."

Shikaku and Kakashi also stood up.

"We understand, Lord Hokage," Shikaku said solemnly.

Kakashi nodded and added, "We will fully cooperate."

Tsunade turned around, looked at the two, and finally smiled, "Then, let's begin. The winds of change in Konoha... are blowing in."

Outside the window, the night wind swept across the Hokage Rock, through the streets and alleys of Konoha, shaking every leaf and making a rustling sound.

That was indeed the sound of the wind—the winds of change, which had already begun to quietly blow across this land.