Hokage Building.
In the Hokage Office.
Inside the large office, Shinji sat at a specially prepared position in front of the desk.
That's right, he's sitting in front of the Hokage's desk, directly opposite the Hokage, Hiruzen.
Hiruzen puffed on his pipe, looking at Shinji in front of him. He couldn't help but recall Shinji's youthful appearance when he had first met him, though he still looks that way now.
Hiruzen remembered that Shinji had been submitting applications for a teaching position for two years.
In just a few months, Hiruzen felt that Shinji in front of him seemed to have changed a lot.
Amidst the swirling smoke, he finally spoke, "Shinji…"
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Shinji responded calmly.
He had known this moment would come before he had even made his move. However, in a few months, it wasn't just Hiruzen who felt he had changed a lot. Shinji felt that he should change his approach, he couldn't continue like this. After all, his performance in all aspects had been too abnormal.
In these past few months, he only did Anbu missions less than four times a month. But his completion rate and overall performance in missions were exaggerated. So exaggerated that it was even more surprising than Itachi becoming an Anbu squad leader within half a year in the original story. And this was something Kakashi had said to him.
"Can you tell me, what is a Hokage?" Hiruzen slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes quietly observing Shinji in front of him.
In their conversation an hour ago, Shinji had explained to him. He could use this opportunity to summon the Uchiha clan leader, thereby re-establishing ties with the Uchiha clan. After all, sacrificing one Danzo for a completely new Uchiha clan...
Keep in mind, the Uchiha now had more than just Shisui with a Mangekyo. This deal was not a loss.
But this alone didn't sway Hiruzen. What truly made him agree to Shinji's idea was...
When Shinji presented this conclusion, he vaguely saw the shadow of the Fourth Hokage, Minato. Not in terms of strength, but in the vision and planning he displayed when speaking. That man who took one step and saw a hundred.
Once upon a time, before Minato became Hokage, he had also communicated with Hiruzen in this way.
It's just that sometimes things are so ironic. He, a man close to death, actually returned to being Hokage again while the spirited Fourth Hokage was no longer here.
"Hokage?" Shinji was startled by the question.
What kind of question is this?
However, thinking of Hiruzen's consistent style and everything he showed during the Fourth Great Ninja War in the original story, Shinji understood a little.
This was similar to Sasuke asking the First Hokage during the Fourth Great Ninja War, "What is a village, what is a ninja?"
Hiruzen wanted to use this question to know his answer and then make his judgment about him.
"A Hokage is a…"
"A guide who uses the most fragile courage inherent in a human being as armor."
"To achieve the prosperity that can support new leaves."
"When some matters require bowing, it is not a sign of weakness. It is because of the weight this position must bear."
"Some people only see the great power held by this position, but they don't consider that this hand is always open, sheltering the endless life below like an umbrella."
Shinji stopped speaking after that, while Hiruzen remained silent.
In Shinji's answer, Hiruzen thought of Tobirama, announcing his succession as the Hokage on his deathbed. And at that time, his classmate and fellow disciples were the only ones he could count on. Therefore, Konoha started to have a Konoha Council from his time as the Hokage.
Danzo slowly established Root with his tacit approval, dividing Anbu's power.
The Utatane and Mitokado clans, because of their status as disciples of the Second Hokage, gradually grew in strength.
The then leader of the Senju clan, Mito, whom he had to call Grandma by status, ordered the Senju clan to integrate into Konoha. The profits from the Senju clan were distributed to various ninja clans, large and small.
This allowed the Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka, and other small and medium-sized clans to rally around the Hokage's direct lineage.
Everything was just to allow Konoha to be revitalized amidst the turmoil.
Danzo often said he was weak, but the problem was, which Kage of the various ninja villages in the Four Great Nations dared to say that Hiruzen was weak?
Hiruzen dared to overturn all of Konoha's apparent strength and beat his opponent until he surrendered.
Hiruzen looked up at Shinji, who was sitting upright after expressing his views. A kind smile involuntarily appeared on his face.
He found that he seemed to like this young man, Shinji, more and more. It's just that it seemed like his former self hadn't noticed such a child.
No, it should be said that this child hadn't shown any strength that would draw attention. And now, this child had shown it, and he had seen it.
Shinji felt a little uncomfortable under Hiruzen's gaze and couldn't help but touch his nose.
Why did that look feel like he was looking at a junior?
No, none of Hiruzen's juniors seemed to have received such a look. The only time was when Hiruzen looked at Naruto last time.
"Shinji, if you were Hokage, how would you handle this situation?"
As he spoke, Hiruzen stood up and motioned for Shinji to join him at the large window in the Hokage Office that overlooked the entire Konoha.
Shinji, however, was a bit reluctant to answer, because Hiruzen, as the Hokage, surely knew better how to handle things to unite Konoha.
"Uh, Hokage-sama …"
Just as Shinji was choosing his words, thinking of how to refuse, Hiruzen shook his head and interrupted, "This is an assessment mission, you must answer."
Assessment mission?
Seeing that he couldn't refuse, Shinji could only helplessly say, "Hokage-sama."
"Actually, you have already provided an excellent solution."
"Just like when the Third Kazekage of the Land of Wind disappeared back then. Pull one side in, confront the other."
"The side that dares to overturn the table will be beaten until they surrender. Then, turn around and promise benefits to the side that formed factions, and by the way, make them give up something they already possess as an exchange."
"And the benefits given can be extracted from the opposing side, and incidentally, we can allocate some of the benefits we gained from the exchange that we feel are dispensable. But for them, these are precisely what they desire most."
"Hahahahaha!"
Hearing Shinji's answer, especially since it was based on his own methods against the Land of Wind back then, Hiruzen couldn't help but laugh heartily.
He was indeed preparing to do this again, only this time it was to be used on some clans within Konoha.