Inside the Hokage Office.
Unlike the Third, the Fourth Hokage always kept his desk clear, having handed a considerable portion of administrative affairs over to the elder advisors.
At that moment, the Fourth Hokage was looking at the three elite jonin before him.
The three elite jonin were his former teammates, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio renowned throughout the shinobi world, and the heirs poised to inherit leadership of their respective ninja clans.
His reason for summoning them was simple: he wanted his former teammates to continue supporting him.
Having settled into the Hokage position, he was about to reform the village's institutions, including reclaiming the ANBU that rightfully belonged under the Hokage's command and dismantling the Military Police Force.
Almost every one of these measures would encroach on the interests of certain ninja.
"Minato, forgive my bluntness, but your reforms will face tremendous resistance."
After a long period of thought, Shikaku Nara offered his advice.
He had just reviewed the reforms the Fourth Hokage intended to carry out. They would inevitably encroach on the interests of the village's ninja clans, and some even took direct aim at his own Nara Clan.
In all fairness, these reforms could ease tensions within the village and bring considerable benefits.
But for the ninja clans, the harm outweighed the benefits. Large numbers of ninja might oppose them as early as the day after the reforms were announced.
Beside him, Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka nodded in agreement. Shikaku would never betray them. Their Ino-Shika-Cho trio would always stand together.
After hearing Shikaku's words, the Fourth Hokage gave a bitter smile. "That's exactly why I asked you here to help. Do you remember the things we used to complain about when we went on missions together?"
"We now have the power to start changing those problems