"Does anyone still have objections? Feel free to raise them," said Hashirama, folding his hands on the table and leaning forward with a genial smile.
The room answered with silence.
"In that case," Hashirama continued, "please review the documents in front of you. I hope the arrangements meet everyone's satisfaction."
The documents on the table represented the result of countless nights of deliberation — Hashirama's attempt to design the most balanced structure for Konoha's growing political framework.
The clan leaders exchanged brief glances before quietly picking up the scrolls.
At the far end of the table, Tobirama's eyes were lowered, his face unreadable. Yet the faint curve of his lips betrayed his satisfaction.
Only the soft sound of turning pages filled the Hokage's office. It lasted for a full half-hour before anyone looked up.
When they finished reading, Hashirama raised an eyebrow. "Any objections? If there are concerns, we can work them out together."
The clan heads twitched their lips in unison. Inside, each of them was thinking the same thing:
Work them out together? He's already finalized everything!
Still, none dared to speak.
Seeing their collective silence, Hashirama simply smiled and waited patiently. Another half-hour passed; the once-warm tea had gone cold.
At last, Nara Kyōsuke sighed, feeling Hashirama's eyes on him. "The Hokage's arrangements are perfectly reasonable. The Nara clan has no objections."
His words sparked a chain reaction. The other clans began to follow, one after another.
Leading the response were the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans. Naturally so — the Ino–Shika–Chō trio had always shared a united front, with the Nara acting as the intellectual anchor.
"The Yamanaka clan has no objections."
"The Akimichi clan agrees as well."
One by one, the room echoed with reluctant compliance.
Hashirama's smile deepened; the first barrier had fallen. With the Nara taking the lead, the rest was easy.
"Do any other clans have comments?" he asked.
The momentum was unstoppable now — like a roaring flame, beyond the power of a breeze to quench.
Soon, the remaining clans all voiced their assent.
Hashirama's grin widened. He turned to look at Tobirama and nodded slightly — his silent cue for his brother to take over.
Once the opening act was settled, the rest would fall neatly into place.
---
Tobirama stepped forward.
With crisp precision, he began assigning responsibilities based on each clan's specialties and allocating their territories across the village.
His distribution was so logical and balanced that no one could object — they could only nod in grudging approval.
Thus, the foundational structure of Konoha Village was born:
The Uchiha Clan would take charge of internal security and law enforcement within the village.
This single decision stunned the room. Such vast authority concentrated under one clan's control left the others burning with envy.
From now on, even the great clans would, in name, be subject to Uchiha oversight. Their influence would be immense.
Madara's eyes flickered with surprise. He hadn't expected Tobirama — who had always been openly wary of the Uchiha — to entrust such a crucial department to them.
Something about it didn't sit right. But no matter how he examined it, he couldn't find any flaw in the logic.
He said nothing.
Tobirama continued, systematically outlining the rest of the departments — administration, intelligence, medical, logistics — assigning each to the clans best suited to their abilities.
When he finished, he took a step back and ceded the floor to Hashirama once more.
...
"If there's nothing else," Hashirama said cheerfully, "we'll conclude for today."
The clan leaders rose, bowed, and began to leave — each silently calculating what this new structure meant for their future.
The reshuffling of power had just rewritten Konoha's balance once again.
Some clans had gained ground, others lost influence; policies and alliances would all need to be renegotiated.
No wonder they left in such haste.
When the room finally emptied, Hashirama slumped back in his chair, letting out a long, weary sigh.
"Phew—finally done. Tobirama, you really talk too much."
Tobirama snorted. "Big Brother, this is only the beginning. We'll need to refine the system even further later."
Hashirama's eyes widened. Then, with a defeated groan, he collapsed face-first onto the desk.
"Tobirama, I think you'd make a much better Hokage. How about you take over for a while?"
Tobirama's expression darkened instantly. "Big Brother! This isn't some children's ninja game!"
Hashirama ignored the scolding and muttered under his breath, "I just want to stay home... spend time with Mito..."
Hearing his brother's lazy grumbling, Tobirama felt a throbbing headache coming on.
"Big Brother, Konoha still needs you," he said firmly.
That silenced Hashirama. His gaze flickered — the burden of responsibility momentarily surfacing in his eyes.
Tobirama sighed quietly. He knew better than anyone that, temperamentally, Hashirama wasn't suited to be Hokage.
But only he possessed the strength and charisma to keep the more ambitious clans in line.
Even ten Tobiramas couldn't match that.
Watching Hashirama slump like a dejected child, Tobirama could only murmur, "Just endure a few more years. It'll get easier."
At that, Hashirama's eyes suddenly lit up. His whole demeanor changed, brimming with renewed energy.
"Really? Tobirama, you're a lifesaver!"
Tobirama exhaled in exasperation. "I only said maybe..."
"Good enough for me! It's settled then — I'm going to find Kaede!"
Before Tobirama could reply, Hashirama darted out of the office in a blur of motion.
Tobirama shook his head, watching his brother vanish. Despite himself, he couldn't shake a nagging unease.
Why does he resist the Hokage's role so much...?
Maybe he was overthinking it.
---
Meanwhile, Hoshino Kaede had planned to return to his training once the meeting ended. But before he could take more than a few steps—
"Kaede!"
A cheerful voice called his name.
He turned around to see a boy running toward him — dark-haired, bright-eyed, his expression full of enthusiasm.
"I'm Sarutobi Hiruzen, disciple of Lord Tobirama!" the boy said proudly.
Kaede blinked, startled. "Sarutobi... Hiruzen!?"
His pupils widened — as if he had just seen some legendary creature.
"Wh-What? Is there something wrong with my name?" Hiruzen asked, confused, touching his own face.
Kaede waved his hands quickly. "N-No, nothing at all."
Inside, though, he was sweating.
So this handsome kid is the future Third Hokage...
And the ones standing behind him —
Those must be the legendary "Konoha F4."
Well, minus Akimichi Torifu and Uchiha Kagami, who, sadly, wouldn't live to see peace.
One died during the Nine-Tails' attack, the other under mysterious circumstances never fully explained.
---
"Did you need something, Sir Hiruzen?" Kaede asked.
"Just call me Hiruzen," the boy said with a laugh, motioning for the others to come over.
"This is Shimura Danzō, from the Shimura clan."
"That's Uchiha Kagami — don't let the surname fool you, he's one of the kindest people you'll meet."
"And over there, Akimichi Torifu, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado — all disciples of Lord Tobirama as well."
Hiruzen introduced them one by one, like a cheerful guide.
Kaede, recognizing the names that would later shape Konoha's future, greeted each of them politely, showing neither arrogance nor bias.
He wasn't one to judge people for what they would become.
After all — everyone, even the greatest legends, had to live in their present.
~~~~~~~
Every 150 Powerstones - Bonus Chap.
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