So that's that.
The old bastard was dead set on pushing Root to the margins.
Torune left Danzo's estate with his heart going cold.
Fine. Real damn fine.
Back when you needed us, it was "sweetheart, sweetheart."
Now it's "Madam Bull."
Root broke its back doing your dirty work. Even when the budget got cut in half, we never complained.
And now look at you.
Sipping your little booze, humming your little tunes.
Sitting pretty in the deputy's chair.
Meanwhile Root's drowning in hellfire—we can barely keep three bowls of rice on the table.
"Grrr…"
Torune's stomach caved in with a hollow growl.
At last, he made up his mind.
Fine.
He'd listen to the Clan Head.
Root… had to transform.
The next day.
Hokage Tower, office.
The Third Hokage's eyes glittered as he read the report that had been delivered.
What the hell!?
Because of the Ninja Academy's scholarship program, Konoha's birthrate was climbing—visibly, measurably.
According to the hospital's data, the number of newborns was several times what it had been before the Academy reform!
Brilliant.
Absolutely brilliant!
The old man's blood ran hot.
To an old-school ruler like him, the village's population was everything.
More people meant more hard power for Konoha.
Now, the more he looked at the decision to put that "good lad" in charge of the Academy, the more he liked it.
Really, the only one suffering was the good lad himself.
He'd finally scraped together a little money, hadn't even had time to warm it in his hands, and then—flip of the wrist—it was going straight into the war effort.
Stroking his beard, the Third Hokage nodded in satisfaction.
A workhorse that devoted, and willing to pay out of pocket?
Where the hell was he supposed to find another one?
And the more satisfied he was with the good lad, the more dissatisfied he became with everyone else.
Look.
Just look at that kind of attitude.
And you people only know how to throw up your hands and demand more money?
Stop thinking about what leadership can do for you.
Start thinking about what you can do for leadership!
The moment those words got out, the entire bureaucracy reacted like it had been set on fire.
What the hell!?
Did the Third Hokage take the wrong medicine?
Us—are we supposed to be the same as the village's moneybags?
Konoha's one and only "genius money-maker," and everybody knows it.
If we were like that, would your precious Third Hokage title still be sitting on your head?
The crowd did a quick calculation.
Then, without saying a word, they all reached the same conclusion and buried it.
Fine.
We're not playing with you anymore.
Go sing your one-man show by yourself.
Hearts were drifting.
The room's mood was drifting.
Kangetsu could only sigh at what the Third Hokage was doing.
Old man… you're muddled.
What?
This "hearts scattering" outcome was something Kangetsu had engineered with his own hands?
Don't go saying truths that loud.
How many times do I have to tell you—you've got no conscience, calling Kangetsu "three-hearted and six-livered" like that?
Under the light of the Will of Fire, he'd been working himself to the bone.
Look at his kidneys—damn near squeezed dry.
Honestly.
These parties really weren't something you could throw too often.
And besides, the Third Hokage did have political skills.
Hearts were scattering, sure—but in Kangetsu's eyes, it still wasn't enough.
He had to do it like boiling a frog in warm water: step by step, slowly hollowing out the Third Hokage and the rest of the old guard.
If you rushed it, they'd react.
Slow was safe.
And anyway, up to now, Kangetsu was still the same "good lad" in their eyes.
Not a single crack left behind.
Even if they wanted to move against him, Kangetsu wasn't without a back pocket plan.
You think that "big city" way he operated was for show?
Touch him, and you were touching the interest blocs tied to him like a bundle of rope.
Including the Third Hokage and those old cadres themselves.
Would you really cut your own flesh?
Even if you would… would you really swing a club hard enough to beat your own people to death?
Of course, that was the worst-case scenario.
Kangetsu smiled, said nothing, and took a sip of tea.
Hollowing out the old guard took finesse.
You had to make them not feel hollowed out.
Orders came down, and the people below carried them out.
Instructions were given, and the people below followed them.
But the moment it involved me, the process and the final result had to look like something the upper ranks would find pleasing—while the truth underneath was completely different.
That was the high-end operation.
That was the aesthetic.
Right, my good brother?
"Yeah!"
Sasuke—Hiruzen's own son—slammed a hand on the desk, teeth grinding.
"Bro, isn't that old guy getting more and more out of line?"
"He doesn't even trust his own son!"
Was that even human!?
"Hey. That's not a good way to put it," Kangetsu said, grabbing him, voice earnest as if counseling a friend.
"It's all for Konoha. Hokage-sama has his difficulties."
"What difficulties!? I think he just wants to eat alone!"
"He's eating alone right over my head!"
"I'm his real son, not adopted!"
And I'm the legitimate eldest son!
The natural heir to the Third Hokage!
Kangetsu could only marvel.
What kind of words were those?
Were you hoping your old man would hurry up and die, so you could inherit his estate?
But with Kangetsu trying to hold him back, Sasuke's anger only burned hotter.
No, bro—
Why won't you stand with me and throw down with that old bastard?
What are you afraid of?
Kangetsu immediately hesitated, putting on a troubled look.
"Bro, it's not that I won't help you."
"I'm Hokage-sama's confidant. How can I add to his troubles?"
"Tell you what—if you're really short on cash, I can spot you some."
Not good.
Even Sasuke understood what it would mean to take money straight from his "good brother."
If this got out, his father would break his legs.
After all—
Who didn't know Kangetsu lived and breathed for Konoha?
That he'd been distributing his money to develop every department?
If Sasuke took money from him, that would be the same as stealing money from all those departments.
Isn't that just fighting the people for profit?
"I won't take it for free! I'll write an IOU!"
Kangetsu's stare went… strange.
Watching this "filial son" speedrun suicide, he genuinely couldn't tell what was inside this guy's skull.
You're the Hokage's son. You write an IOU—am I really going to collect?
Isn't that still fighting the people for profit?
It's just that the excuse sounds nicer.
Which somehow makes it even nastier.
It's wanting face and wanting the goods.
Hah.
So you get all the benefits, is that it?
But… this style of operating—why did it feel so much like the Third Hokage himself?
Kangetsu pressed his fingers to his chin, eyes widening a fraction.
Old man.
Now you've got mud on your pants.
Even if it isn't shit, it sure looks like it.
"Alright, bro. Since you're putting it that way…"
(End of Chapter)
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