Every clan head who left the Sarutobi Clan compound wore a smile on their face. Villagers who didn't know what was happening might have thought something joyous had occurred in the Sarutobi Clan, and the clan heads were there to offer their congratulations.
Torifu watched it all silently from the office window. If he wanted to, he could immediately hear what the clan heads were discussing. But he didn't, precisely because he trusted Danzo and Hiruzen, and he also trusted the clan heads of Konoha.
"The Land of Rain development is a big deal. I hope they don't disappoint me, otherwise cleaning up the mess would be a real hassle."
Anka spoke up from the side. "Hokage-sama, you needn't worry. I will meticulously review the development proposal again to ensure everything is foolproof."
Torifu nodded. "You have always been steady in your work; I am reassured."
After staying in the office for a while longer, Torifu returned to the Kumotsuru Clan compound. The Land of Rain development matter was completely handed over, and there was nothing left for him to do in the office, so naturally, he headed home.
Being a Hokage as idle as he was truly unique to him. Neither Hashirama nor Tobirama had time to spare; they both wished for a few more hours every day, turning twenty-four hours into thirty. That way, they would have enough time to serve the village. Yet, Torifu lived his days leisurely, leaving Hashirama and Tobirama speechless. If one were to say he neglected his duties and didn't prioritize Konoha, well, Konoha was currently thriving, with everything developing in a good direction. The village's overall strength had increased significantly, the populace had become much wealthier, and he had maintained peace throughout the entire Ninja World. But if one were to say Torifu poured his heart and soul into Konoha, that wasn't exactly true, because he genuinely loved slacking off. As long as there was time to steal away, he would never sit in the office. He would surely be at home, sitting in the courtyard, basking in the sun.
And at this moment, he was doing just that. He was lying leisurely in a rocking chair, closing his eyes to enjoy the sunbath. It couldn't be more comfortable. The climate in the Land of Fire was suitable; the sun wasn't overly scorching. If this were the Land of Earth, a few days in the sun would make him several shades darker.
"Torifu, what is this Land of Rain development project all about? So many clans in the village are discussing it." Naori asked in confusion. After going out for a walk, the topic was being discussed everywhere on the streets, leaving Naori somewhat bewildered. Torifu hadn't expected the news to spread so quickly. Sure enough, there were big mouths among the public. He then explained the situation to Naori.
"I see. No wonder everyone looked so happy. This truly is a joyous occasion." Naori then pondered for a moment. "Handing it over to Big Brother Hiruzen and Big Brother Danzo is indeed a good method. They've been competing for half their lives; this time, they're bound to compete against each other again."
If a mission lacked competition, its execution would become as stagnant as a pool of dead water. Torifu brought Hiruzen and Danzo together precisely to stir up that dead water and make the Land of Rain development project more efficient. As it looked now, they were achieving that effect. The mission had just been issued, and they were already recruiting people, preparing to launch a large-scale endeavor. All the clans would certainly work hard to get a piece of the pie. Torifu couldn't even imagine how fast the construction progress in the Land of Rain would be.
"The mission has been issued. How to complete the construction in the fastest and best way is up to their own methods." Torifu wore a sly smile. The clans had developed in the Land of Fire for at least a hundred years, so they must have a lot of connections. Now was the time to put them to use; they should all be fully utilized in the development of the Land of Rain. This was a substantial piece of fat, and Torifu believed the clans would be absolutely dedicated. He only needed to sit back and wait for the results; everything was proceeding according to Torifu's plan.
"Speaking of which, Naori, aren't you going to ask me why I didn't let the Uchiha Clan join in?"
"I have some guesses, but it doesn't matter much." Torifu had established relationships with both the Senju and Uchiha clans. If those two clans also participated, their position could be seen as representing the Hokage, which would cause everyone else to be overly cautious, which wasn't ideal. It would also create the false impression that the Hokage was competing with them for money. Such troublesome matters were too vexing, so Torifu simply decided not to let the two clans join. After all, their heritage was deep, and with the profits from this project being divided among so many clans, the return wouldn't be astounding anyway. Not participating wouldn't result in much loss, nor would it allow the clans originally weaker than them to surpass them. He believed both clans would understand, and as Torifu's family, even if they didn't fully understand, they would unconditionally agree with his every choice.
"Big Brother wouldn't care about this small profit; in fact, he would feel that competing with these clans would cause the Uchiha Clan to lose face." She then added, "As for Master, I don't even need to mention him. He would love to divide his entire family fortune among the other clans just so they could accelerate their development." Naori wore a helpless expression. "You know, Master's nature as a good-natured man is a bit excessive."
Torifu naturally knew this, but Hashirama did this not to be a good-natured man but for the sake of Konoha. It was just that his method was inappropriate. Of course, even if Hashirama were willing, Mito and Tobirama would never agree. "With Mistress watching over him, Master won't do anything too outrageous." Although Hashirama wasn't henpecked, he loved Mito dearly, and he would seriously consider her opinions instead of acting willfully. Thus, Torifu wasn't worried at all.
While the couple was chatting in the courtyard, Minato ran back in a flash from outside. After staying inside the house for just a few minutes, he came out again. His hurried, energetic appearance confused both Torifu and Naori.
"Minato? What are you doing? Aren't you going to train Jutsu? Why are you running?"
Minato, having been called over, scratched his head. "Ah, Big Brother, I suddenly had a breakthrough and wanted to find a place to test it out. I was just about to head to the forest behind the mountain."
Torifu waved his hand. "Just try it out here at home; no need to go to the back mountain." With that, Torifu waved his hand, and a crystal pillar rose up out of the ground in front of Minato. "Give it a try. You absolutely won't break this pillar."
Minato looked at Torifu, then at the pillar in front of him, and began to try and shape a Rasengan. As a beginner, he still couldn't stably perform the Jutsu, let alone add any variations. He honestly released a shadow clone to help him shape the Rasengan. As his hand speed continuously increased, a light blue Chakra energy sphere slowly took form.