"Feels like Konoha isn't the same as before."
Kakashi, who rarely got a half-day off, was nursing a dog-eared copy of Icha Icha Paradise. He glanced down at a passage now and then, then lifted his lids to watch the civilians flowing past him.
How should he put it?
Maybe—more orderly, more harmonious.
Some streets in the old Konoha used to be clogged with hawkers throwing up stalls wherever they pleased, practically blocking the entire road.
Now the Police Force has cordoned off a dedicated zone so the vendors gather there and don't disrupt traffic.
Even street cleanliness is way better than before. If you litter and the Police catch you, you really do get fined.
Kakashi even heard a story about a Konoha jōnin who spat out a wad of gum onto the ground and immediately got hemmed in by two Police shinobi and fined at least 1,000 ryō.
And—
Kakashi also noticed that no one in the village was whispering anymore about Naruto being the "demon fox incarnate."
That kind of targeted bullying and ostracism—for whatever reason—has been curbed very effectively.
As for the conspiracy-theory gossip the townsfolk love so much,
it seems like, before it can even spread, Police shinobi stamp it out on the spot. Anyone maliciously spreading rumors gets tossed into Konoha Prison.
Light cases: half a month to reflect. Heavy cases: straight into the cells for a good few months.
And when it comes to brawls, assaults, or worse—homicide—the Konoha Police Force is even less forgiving.
If a criminal cooperates, fine. If not, the next second they might just get cut down by Police shinobi.
Uchiha Chizumi's hardline, forceful methods have already started being copied by many in the Force.
"Honestly… it's not bad," Kakashi murmured, a little surprised. "With 'Absolute Justice' holding the reins, the village atmosphere isn't as oppressive as I imagined. Chizumi looks merciless on the surface, but in certain ways he actually shows some humanity—he just doesn't show it."
You could see that "humanity" in how the Police were enforcing the law with some restraint.
After all—
If [Absolute Justice] really were the blood-soaked extreme people paint it as, then littering wouldn't get you a fine—it'd get your hand chopped off.
Petty theft wouldn't land you in Konoha Prison—it'd get your head taken.
While Kakashi was mulling this over, a very familiar voice rang out in front of him.
"I told you! I'm not taking you as my teacher! I don't need you teaching me any jutsu! Chizumi-sensei is all I need to become an excellent shinobi. Can you stop following me, you creepy white-haired old man? You're like a stalker!"
That impatient voice instantly made Kakashi think of someone—Uzumaki Naruto.
He unconsciously quickened his pace,
and sure enough, there was a small, lone figure up ahead.
That blond head is hard to miss in Konoha.
Kakashi also noticed a rather sleazy-looking silhouette dogging Naruto's side.
A closer look—
Wasn't that Jiraiya-sama, one of the Legendary Sannin?
"Naruto, Uchiha Chizumi is now Captain of the Police Force. He's swamped—he can't spare the time to train you," Jiraiya coaxed. "Besides, with me, Jiraiya the Toad Sage, teaching you, you might become Hokage before long."
Jiraiya hadn't expected the so-called Child of Prophecy to be this hard to handle.
He'd been shamelessly glued to Naruto for two or three days.
But Minato's son just wouldn't budge—no soft talk, no hard talk.
"You're not the Hokage. Why would I believe you when you say you can make me the future Hokage?" Naruto said, annoyed. "Even if Chizumi-sensei is too busy, just carrying out justice alongside him will make me stronger!"
With that,
Naruto hurried his steps, trying to shake the bothersome creeper.
Watching Naruto's retreating back, Fukasaku on Jiraiya's shoulder said, "He's more troublesome than we thought. He's already been deeply indoctrinated by Absolute Justice."
On the other shoulder, Shima said, "Jiraiya, stop beating around the bush. If you really want to raise the Child of Prophecy into a savior, you may need stronger measures.
"For example—
"Knock him out and take him straight to Mount Myōboku. Then use fūinjutsu to seal away his memories related to Absolute Justice before you train him."
Fukasaku hesitated. "Isn't that a bit too extreme?"
Shima said earnestly, "Listen—if we don't act now, and the Child of Prophecy gets completely brainwashed by Absolute Justice one day, it'll be too late. Jiraiya, there's no need to keep hesitating."
"…"
Jiraiya really was hesitating. Shima's suggestion gnawed at him.
If he went that far and the seal on Naruto's memories ever broke… wouldn't Naruto hate him to death?
It could even backfire.
If the Child of Prophecy turned dark because of it, Jiraiya would be the sinner of the entire shinobi world.
"Jiraiya-sama—what are you doing?" A voice behind him nearly made Jiraiya jump.
He turned around,
and immediately recognized the speaker.
"Kakashi?"
Jiraiya remembered the names of the village's elite—especially someone like Kakashi, elite among elites.
Kakashi frowned. "You seemed to be tailing Naruto just now. He looked really irritated.
"Is there some conflict between you and Naruto?"
"Ahem! No," Jiraiya coughed, embarrassed. "I'm trying to take him as my student, but he's… a bit too stubborn and keeps turning me down."
Kakashi blinked.
One of the Sannin wanting to take a student—and picking Uzumaki Naruto?
Could it be…
Because of Minato-sensei? After all, Minato-sensei was Jiraiya's student, and Uzumaki Naruto is Minato's son.
Meanwhile—
Kumogakure.
"Raikage-sama, our mission to spark internal strife in Konoha has failed."
A Cloud Anbu knelt on one knee and reported, "We did succeed in turning some Sarutobi-clan shinobi, but under the Third Hokage's maneuvering, the camp he represents didn't clash violently with the one led by Chizumi. Instead, the whole thing was smoothed over."
"The Third Hokage's indecision surprised us as well. We never thought he could endure this much—two sons and a daughter-in-law dead—yet he didn't completely lose his reason, just lost his temper a bit."
Hearing that,
The Fourth Raikage, A, showed little reaction. In his gravelly voice he said, "Since the mission failed, pull our people back. This was a probe—of Konoha, and of the Third Hokage who once dominated the shinobi world."
He sighed, a trace of feeling in his tone. "It wasn't a total failure. At least I know what shape the Konoha's Third has taken."
"Looks like he's grown old."
After a beat, the Raikage went on, "Start arranging for some of our shinobi to slip into the Land of Fire. If the Third has gone soft, there's no need for Kumogakure to be polite."
The Anbu's heart tightened. He could guess the Raikage was eyeing the Fire Country's resources—
send in shinobi to seize by force where they could, to plunder without formally starting a war.
But—
push too far, and Konoha really might escalate to open conflict.
Not his place to weigh that.
"Yes, Raikage-sama!"
"Hokage-sama, won't you step out and rein in the strange rumors circulating in the village? The Police have been suppressing 'rumors' lately, but when it comes to rumors about you, Hokage-sama, the Police seem unconcerned."
"Perhaps because, in their eyes, those rumors about you are very likely true."
"So the Police, who profess Absolute Justice, haven't cracked down on the rumors about the Hokage."
One of the few Anbu still fiercely loyal to Hiruzen offered cautious counsel.
Hiruzen sighed. "Some conspiracy theories are already branded into people's minds. Even if I step out to stop their spread, it may be useless."
"They can avoid discussing it publicly, and they can avoid whispering in private, but they'll still think it in their hearts. I can't police their thoughts."
"But…"
After a moment's hesitation, the Anbu continued, "Letting this talk spread is having a very bad effect.
"People in the village are starting to think you're no longer fit to serve as Hokage."
"There's even a line going around—'The Third has sat in that chair for so many years. After the Fourth fell, the Fifth should have taken over. Why did the Third keep control? When will Konoha choose a Fifth Hokage?'"
The Anbu drew a deep breath and dared to add, "Hokage-sama, if this continues—some people may actually move to hold an election for the Fifth."
"Some people," pointedly said.
Hiruzen was silent for a long moment, then shook his head, his voice hoarse. "The Fifth Hokage isn't so easy to be. No one in the Police is suitable."
He added, "Even Chizumi isn't fit to be Hokage, let alone anyone else."
Just then, another Anbu knocked and entered to report: "Hokage-sama, Tsunade-sama had her student Shizune put out a message. In less than two hours it's spread across half the village."
Hearing the mix of complexity and shock in the Anbu's tone, Hiruzen felt a bad premonition rise.
"Tsunade—" he asked. "Wasn't she putting together some new medical corps? What did she release?"
The Anbu answered, voice complicated, "Tsunade-sama's student said—Tsunade-sama has decided to inherit the Fourth's will and intends to become Konoha's Fifth Hokage. She even said she wants to sweep away the old Konoha and build a new Konoha."
Crack—
Something seemed to snap in the Hokage's grip.
In that instant, the Anbu could feel the Hokage's emotions spike violently.
"Tsunade wants to be the Fifth? And she announced it openly to the whole village—very much her style: bold, not bound by rules."
Hiruzen drew a slow, deep breath.
In the past, if Tsunade had stepped up to take his place, he would have been relieved. He'd have gladly groomed her to be the Fifth Hokage.
Because—
A village must eventually be run by someone younger. He was, after all, getting old.
The problem is—that was the Tsunade of before. The Tsunade now is no longer someone he can trust.
Because she stands with Absolute Justice.
If she becomes the Fifth, how is that any different from Uchiha Chizumi becoming Hokage?
She's a student whose elbow bends outward.
"…Has the whole village heard Tsunade's message?" Hiruzen rubbed his brow and asked.
"Mm." The Anbu nodded. "At least all the shinobi clans know, and the vast majority of Konoha's shinobi have heard. Maybe only ordinary civilians aren't fully aware."
Hiruzen felt a crushing urgency.
The pressure made it hard to breathe.
Somewhere in Konoha—
"Tsunade-sama said outright she's inheriting the Fourth's will," Yamanaka Inoichi said slowly. "She didn't mention the Third, which suggests that to her, the Third doesn't truly count as Hokage in the strict sense."
Nara Shikaku cut in, "More precisely, Tsunade-sama is aiming straight at the Third. She's almost certainly coordinated with Chizumi—this is her way of offering herself up for Justice."
Akimichi Chōza sighed. "That's basically forcing the Third to abdicate! Tsunade-sama's approach is awfully blunt."
Shikaku's lips quirked. "Sometimes it's the blunt approach that catches the Hokage off guard. Isn't that how Chizumi has been forcing him to yield, step by step?"
"Sometimes, there's no need for clever schemes."