Naruto's gaze grew ever more resolute as he slowly laid out his ultimate plan.
"So I want to change this order completely."
"Once I officially take over as the Seventh Hokage, I'll build Konoha, step by step, into a truly unshakable powerhouse in the Shinobi World."
"I'll make Konoha take complete control of the Land of Fire, of all the Shinobi World's resources, lifelines, and influence, and shatter the existing order."
"Then, even after we're gone, there won't be any wars as long as Konoha is there to keep the entire Shinobi World in check."
At those words, Sasuke's pupils contracted slightly. His expression changed in an instant, and he stared hard at Naruto, his voice heavy with disbelief and warning.
"You're going to move against the daimyō and the nobles?"
"Naruto, think through the consequences!"
The daimyō held power, and the nobles governed. That had been the rule in the Shinobi World for a thousand years.
Shinobi villages depended on nations for their existence. Konoha belonged to the Land of Fire, accepted the daimyō's authority, and obeyed the nation's orders. Everyone took that ironclad rule for granted.
If Naruto moved against the daimyō and the nobles, he would be overturning the entire Shinobi World's system. It would mean shinobi interfering in government, seizing power, and establishing their own state, inevitably triggering massive upheaval.
Naruto smiled faintly, his eyes clear. He had already weighed all the advantages and drawbacks, and he explained calmly, "Sasuke, I understand everything you're worried about."
"The daimyō and the nobles might seem useless, contributing nothing to peace in the Shinobi World. But they're the legitimate rulers of the Land of Fire, the symbols of the entire civilian system."
"Every nation and every village in the Shinobi World recognizes that system."
"The ordinary people of the