He had been Hokage for more than twenty years.
From the day he accepted the position during the chaos of the First Shinobi World War, taking command in a time of crisis, to the present, where his authority was firm and his position stable, Sarutobi Hiruzen had carried Konoha on his back for a long time.
Aside from his strength, the Third Hokage's greatest qualities were his vision and his ability to see the deeper consequences behind a single decision.
That was why, the moment he heard Kizaru's proposal about reforming the Academy's class system, he immediately understood its value.
It was a good proposal.
No, more than that—it was a proposal that could change Konoha's future.
If students were divided and trained according to their talents while still in the Ninja Academy, then Konoha's future medical corps and research division would grow far stronger. The village's overall foundation would improve, and its potential in war would rise with it.
But understanding its value was one thing.
Accepting it without hesitation was another.
Hiruzen had concerns.
And they were not small ones.
As Kizaru had said, if Konoha trained more medical-nin and research-type shinobi, the village would gain a great advantage in fields that other villages had not fully developed.
But at the same time, there was an unavoidable problem.
The number of shinobi available for ordinary missions would decrease.
Konoha was known as the strongest hidden village in the shinobi world not only because it possessed powerful elites, but also because it had the largest number of shinobi among the Five Great Nations.
There were two reasons Konoha could maintain that scale.
First, the Land of Fire sat at the center of the continent. Its land was fertile, its resources abundant, and its national treasury rich. Every year, the daimyo's funding gave Konoha a stable base to operate from.
Second, Konoha's reputation.
The reputation built since the time of the First Hokage.
The reputation of being the strongest village.
Because of that reputation, and because of the sheer number of shinobi it could deploy, Konoha controlled a large portion of the mission market across the shinobi world.
The daimyo's funding could keep the village running.
But the true reason Konoha could support such a large number of shinobi was because it accepted and completed the most missions every year.
Its strength and scale allowed it to take more missions.
Completing those missions well brought in more clients.
More clients brought in more money.
More money allowed the village to train more shinobi and discover more talent.
That cycle was the foundation that kept Konoha standing at the top.
It was also the reason why, in the future, when the incident involving Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, became known, the entire village would turn against him.
Hatake Sakumo had abandoned an important mission to save his comrades.
But the villagers did not condemn him simply because the mission failed or because the village suffered losses.
What they truly feared was the damage to Konoha's reputation.
If clients began to doubt Konoha, the village's position in the mission market would weaken.
Fewer missions meant fewer commissions.
Fewer commissions meant the livelihoods of ordinary shinobi would be affected.
For many lower-ranked shinobi, missions were not glory.
They were food on the table.
So when Hatake Sakumo's choice threatened that shared interest, public opinion swallowed him whole.
Of course, the village elders adding fuel to the fire in order to suppress his growing reputation was the true blade that drove him into despair.
But even then, that tragedy showed one thing clearly.
For a hidden village, missions were not just work.
They were its lifeline.
That was why Hiruzen could not ignore the danger in Kizaru's proposal.
If Konoha followed this reform, then some children with average combat ability might finally find a place where they could shine. They could become medical-nin, researchers, support specialists—shinobi who strengthened the village from behind the front line.
But the number of ordinary genin and chūnin available for missions would inevitably decrease.
And if Konoha could not maintain its current share of the mission market, then those missions would flow toward other villages.
In other words, Konoha's own reform might indirectly strengthen its rivals.
That was the concern that made Sarutobi Hiruzen fall silent.
He sat there for a long time, pipe in hand, eyes lowered in thought.
Mission commissions were the economic lifeline of every hidden village.
Hiruzen could not tell whether Kizaru's reform would become a blessing for Konoha's future—or a hidden wound that would bleed the village dry over time.
Should they recruit and train more medical and research shinobi, strengthening Konoha's deeper foundation?
Or should they preserve the current system and continue producing large numbers of genin and chūnin capable of handling missions?
Kizaru…
This student of his had truly given him a difficult problem.
"Old man, say something already!"
Tsunade finally lost patience.
Her arms were crossed, her brows furrowed, and her tone carried the sharpness of someone who had already made up her mind.
"I think Kizaru's idea is good. I agree with it."
She turned her head.
"Orochimaru. Jiraiya. What about you?"
Jiraiya scratched the side of his face, then gave a firm nod.
"I agree. It's not a bad idea at all."
For once, there was no joke in his voice.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
"I agree as well."
Anything that could support research and expand Konoha's future possibilities was something he had no reason to oppose.
Hearing the voices of his three students, Hiruzen slowly returned from his thoughts.
He placed his pipe down on the table and looked at the four young people in front of him.
Tsunade.
Jiraiya.
Orochimaru.
And Kizaru.
They were young.
Too young, perhaps, to fully understand the weight behind village decisions.
But they were also the future of Konoha.
After a brief silence, Hiruzen spoke.
His voice was calm, but heavy.
He explained his concerns one by one—the mission market, the village's income, the number of active shinobi, the danger of losing commissions to other hidden villages, and the possibility that Konoha's reform might weaken its own foundation while giving other villages room to grow.
The room fell quiet.
Then—
Bang!
Tsunade slammed her palm onto the wooden table.
Cracks spread beneath her hand.
Her face was flushed with anger, and her eyes burned like a lioness protecting her cubs.
"Old man."
Her voice was low.
"For the sake of missions… you'd rather let children miss the training they actually need?"
Hiruzen's eyes shifted slightly.
Tsunade continued, each word striking harder than the last.
"You'd rather waste their talents, force them down paths they're not suited for, and send them to the battlefield as cannon fodder?"
She leaned forward, her anger no longer restrained.
"You're telling me you'd rather protect some mission numbers than give those children a better future?"
Her fist tightened.
"And this is the Will of Fire you keep talking about every day?"
Hiruzen fell silent.
For a moment, he had no answer.
Looking at Tsunade's furious expression, he did not see only anger.
He saw conviction.
He saw the same reckless, burning idealism he and Danzō once had when they were young.
Before politics.
Before compromise.
Before becoming Hokage had slowly taught him to count losses before dreams.
Perhaps…
Perhaps he really had grown old.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was not even fifty yet. As a shinobi, he was still in his prime.
And yet, for the first time, he felt the weight of age settle on his shoulders.
Then, a lazy voice broke the tension.
"Ooh… how scary."
Kizaru smiled, raising one hand slightly as if trying to calm everyone down.
"Tsunade-senpai really is terrifying when she gets fired up."
Tsunade's glare snapped toward him.
Kizaru tilted his head and continued in that slow, casual tone.
"But, you know…"
He dragged out the words, half-smiling.
"Isn't there a chance… that I wasn't finished talking yet?"
"…"
The room went still.
Hiruzen blinked.
Jiraiya's mouth twitched.
Orochimaru's smile deepened slightly.
Tsunade froze for a second, then narrowed her eyes.
"You should've said that earlier!"
Kizaru spread his hands innocently.
"Maa, maa… everyone started getting so serious all of a sudden. I couldn't find a good moment."
Hiruzen stared at him for a moment, then let out a tired breath.
This brat…
He picked up his pipe again, though the look in his eyes had changed.
"Then speak, Kizaru."
His voice carried expectation now.
"What exactly did you leave out?"
Kizaru's smile remained loose, but his eyes sharpened beneath that lazy expression.
"The problem Sarutobi-sensei mentioned just now… in the end, it still comes down to money."
Hiruzen said nothing.
Kizaru continued.
"Under the village's current system, ordinary medical-nin and research personnel mainly receive monthly salaries from the village."
He raised one finger.
"In other words, compared to shinobi who go out and complete missions, medical-nin and research-nin don't seem to bring direct income to Konoha."
Then he raised another finger.
"Instead, they look like they're constantly consuming the village's funds."
Hiruzen nodded slowly.
"That is exactly what I'm worried about."
He tapped his pipe against the ashtray.
"If the number of shinobi taking missions drops while the number of medical and research personnel increases, the village's financial balance will be affected."
Kizaru's smile widened slightly.
"Sarutobi-sensei."
His voice was still relaxed, but the words cut straight to the point.
"You're looking at it from the wrong angle."
"Oh?"
Hiruzen's brows lifted.
"Explain."
"First," Kizaru said, "according to Tsunade-senpai's idea, medical-nin aren't all going to be locked inside the hospital."
Tsunade paused, then looked at him.
Kizaru continued.
"The real point is to make sure that every three-man cell sent on missions has someone with medical ability."
He glanced at Hiruzen.
"That means the medical class reform won't necessarily reduce the number of mission teams. It might actually improve their survival rate and mission success rate."
Jiraiya's expression changed slightly.
Orochimaru's eyes glinted.
Hiruzen's fingers paused against his pipe.
Kizaru kept speaking.
"If fewer shinobi die or become permanently injured, then in the long run, Konoha loses fewer trained personnel."
He gave a light shrug.
"And training a shinobi from childhood costs far more than teaching one person medical ninjutsu early, doesn't it?"
Hiruzen's gaze deepened.
That point struck directly at the heart of the issue.
Kizaru raised his hand lazily again.
"Second…"
He looked toward Tsunade.
"Because of Tsunade-senpai, Konoha's medical ninjutsu is already ahead of the rest of the shinobi world."
Tsunade's anger eased slightly, though she still folded her arms and looked away.
"Hmph."
Kizaru smiled.
"With that advantage, why should medical-nin only serve Konoha internally?"
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed with interest.
Kizaru's tone remained casual, almost careless.
"We can expand the range of treatment."
He looked back at Hiruzen.
"Merchants. Nobles. Civilians from other lands. Even wealthy clients who can't be treated anywhere else."
He tapped the table lightly with one finger.
"If Konoha has medical techniques that no other village can provide, then treatment itself becomes a service."
Jiraiya blinked.
"Wait… you mean charging people to come here for healing?"
"Exactly," Kizaru said.
His smile grew just a little more playful.
"And for illnesses or injuries only Konoha can treat…"
He tilted his head.
"The price can be a little expensive, no?"
Tsunade stared at him.
Jiraiya let out a quiet whistle.
Orochimaru chuckled under his breath.
Hiruzen's eyes became sharper.
This was no longer just reform.
This was a new source of income.
A way to turn medical superiority into financial strength.
A way for Konoha's medical-nin to stop being seen as only a cost—and become a pillar of the village's economy.
After a moment, Hiruzen asked the key question.
"What if the patient is a shinobi from another hidden village?"
"Isn't that better?"
Kizaru's tone was slow, almost careless.
But the words made Hiruzen pause.
Kizaru had gradually discovered something.
Perhaps because most shinobi spent their lives learning how to kill, survive, track, hide, and complete missions, their way of thinking about politics between nations was often painfully direct.
Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had been Hokage for more than twenty years, was not completely free from that habit.
Konoha had a card like Tsunade.
A medical master whose skill stood above the entire shinobi world.
With a card like that, Konoha could do far more than simply send her to the battlefield as a powerful medic.
Using Tsunade only as a battlefield support unit was honestly…
A little wasteful.
"We can draw up a list," Kizaru said lazily. "A friendly relations list."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly.
Kizaru continued, "Update it every year. Villages, clans, or forces that maintain good relations with Konoha can receive treatment under certain conditions."
The office quieted.
Then Hiruzen's eyes slowly lit up.
He was old, but he was far from slow.
His vision might not be as strange or forward-thinking as Kizaru's, but after decades as Hokage, he immediately understood the meaning behind that so-called list.
A friendly relations list.
On the surface, it was only a medical treatment policy.
But in reality?
Was that not a disguised alliance system?
And Konoha, the village with the strongest overall power and the most advanced medical techniques, would naturally stand at the center of it.
The leader.
The core.
The one everyone had to consider before making a move.
"Good."
Hiruzen nodded, his voice firm.
"That idea is very good."
Kizaru smiled faintly.
"Right? Medical treatment can save lives, but it can also make people owe favors. Sometimes, a favor is more useful than a kunai."
Jiraiya rubbed his chin.
"That sounds kind of dirty."
Kizaru tilted his head.
"Ooh… politics is scary."
Tsunade glanced at him.
"You're the one saying scary things with that relaxed face."
Orochimaru chuckled softly.
"No. He is saying very useful things."
Kizaru ignored the looks and continued.
"At the same time, with Tsunade-senpai's medical skill as the foundation, Konoha can also start developing medicine and medical tools."
"Medicine and tools?" Hiruzen repeated.
Kizaru nodded.
"Antidotes, emergency treatment supplies, battlefield medicine, recovery ointments, special medical equipment… things like that."
He raised one hand lazily.
"As long as the quality is good enough, we can produce them ourselves and sell them."
Tsunade frowned slightly.
"You want to turn medical ninjutsu into business?"
"Not medical ninjutsu itself," Kizaru said. "The results created from it."
He looked at her.
"Saving lives costs money too, Tsunade-senpai. If the village has more money, your medical system can grow bigger. More medical-nin can be trained. More patients can be treated."
Tsunade fell silent.
Kizaru's words were annoying.
But they were not wrong.
Kizaru then looked back at Hiruzen.
"We can let nobles in the Land of Fire act as agents for the products. Give them a share of the profit."
Hiruzen immediately understood.
That was not only for money.
It would also tie the nobles' interests closer to Konoha.
At the same time, those nobles had their own connections in other countries. Through their trade routes and influence, Konoha's medical products could be sold more easily beyond the Land of Fire.
This was not just about earning money.
It was about influence.
Soft power.
A way to make other countries depend on Konoha without sending a single squad across the border.
Hiruzen looked at the young man in front of him.
Kizaru still looked lazy.
His tone was still light.
His posture was loose, as if he might start complaining about how troublesome everything was at any moment.
But the ideas coming from his mouth were anything but careless.
Groundbreaking ideas.
Practical execution.
Balance between the village, nobles, shinobi clans, and outside forces.
This student…
He truly was extraordinary.
For a brief moment, Hiruzen felt as though he could see the shadows of the First and Second Hokage within him.
The overwhelming talent and presence of the First.
The sharp political mind and system-building ability of the Second.
Power and resourcefulness.
Strength and structure.
If such a person truly grew into his role…
He might become the ideal Hokage.
Hiruzen's gaze softened slightly.
"I've learned something today."
Kizaru blinked.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru also looked toward him.
Hiruzen spoke sincerely.
"Kizaru, I will convene a high-level meeting as soon as possible. When the time comes, you will be responsible for explaining this proposal."
The moment he heard that, Kizaru's expression visibly dulled.
The light in his eyes almost disappeared.
"Ehh…"
He leaned back, looking as if someone had just assigned him ten S-rank missions in a row.
"That sounds incredibly troublesome, Sarutobi-sensei."
Hiruzen's mouth twitched.
There it was.
That familiar student had returned.
Kizaru sighed deeply.
"Arguing with a bunch of old men in a meeting room… just thinking about it makes me tired."
Tsunade snorted.
"You're already talking like one of them."
"Ooh… cruel."
Kizaru looked genuinely wounded for half a second.
Hiruzen shook his head with a helpless smile.
"Then prepare a detailed written proposal for me. I will present it at the meeting and convince everyone."
Kizaru did not answer.
Instead, he slowly turned his head toward Tsunade.
His meaning was painfully obvious.
Tsunade froze.
Then she pointed at herself.
"Me?"
Kizaru smiled.
"Tsunade-senpai, wasn't this originally your proposal?"
Tsunade's eyebrow twitched.
"You little…"
"Don't you want it to pass?"
"…"
That one sentence hit the mark.
Tsunade clenched her teeth.
Kizaru had already done this much to help push her medical reform forward. If she refused to even write the plan now, then she really would have no excuse.
After a long silence, Tsunade crossed her arms and turned her face away.
"Fine. I'll write it."
Kizaru's smile became brighter.
"As expected of Tsunade-senpai."
"Don't give me that face."
Tsunade glared at him fiercely.
The thought of spending the next few days buried in documents made her feel as if her soul had already started leaving her body.
Jiraiya grinned.
"Good luck, Tsunade."
Tsunade's glare moved to him.
"You'll help."
Jiraiya's smile vanished.
"Huh?"
"You heard me."
Jiraiya suddenly looked like he had swallowed a stone.
Kizaru chuckled softly.
"Ooh… friendship is beautiful."
"Shut up."
After settling the first issue, Kizaru finally turned toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru had been silent for a while, but his eyes had never left Kizaru.
There was expectation in them.
A dangerous kind of interest.
Kizaru met his gaze and smiled.
"Now then… about Orochimaru-senpai's research institution."
Orochimaru's smile deepened.
"The research institution is similar to the medical reform I mentioned earlier," Kizaru said. "If handled properly, it doesn't have to be only a place that consumes money."
Hiruzen listened carefully.
Kizaru continued, "With Orochimaru-senpai leading it, and with enough support from the village, the institution should be able to produce many useful results."
Orochimaru's expression remained calm, but there was clear confidence in his eyes.
"Those results can strengthen Konoha directly," Kizaru said. "New tools, medicine, communication methods, weapons, defensive systems, sealing support, antidotes… anything useful."
Then he smiled.
"And some results can also be turned into products and sold for profit."
Orochimaru nodded immediately.
"Yes."
His voice was smooth, but there was no hesitation in it.
"If the village gives me the proper conditions, I can guarantee results."
Hiruzen glanced at him.
"Orochimaru, confidence is good. But research is not something you rush carelessly."
Orochimaru smiled.
"Of course, Sensei."
Kizaru raised a finger.
"And for the new research institution, we can also use a project system."
Hiruzen blinked.
"Project system?"
Jiraiya scratched his head.
"That sounds troublesome already."
"It is troublesome," Kizaru said honestly.
Jiraiya stared at him.
"Then why do you sound so happy?"
Kizaru smiled lazily.
"Because Orochimaru-senpai will be the one doing it."
Orochimaru chuckled.
Tsunade rolled her eyes.
Kizaru continued, "Before starting a research project, the institution can hold a presentation and invite shinobi clans or wealthy shinobi in the village to attend."
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened slightly.
"If they are interested in the future results, they can invest money into the project."
Kizaru tapped the table gently.
"If the research succeeds, the investors share part of the benefits with the researchers according to their contribution."
Jiraiya frowned.
"So… instead of the village paying for everything, the clans and wealthy shinobi help fund the research?"
"That's right."
Kizaru nodded.
"They pay. The researchers work. Everyone shares the risk. If it succeeds, everyone shares the result."
He paused.
"If it fails, well…"
He tilted his head.
"That is also part of research."
Jiraiya's face stiffened.
"That last part sounds really dangerous coming from you."
Orochimaru's eyes, however, had already lit up.
He understood the value of this system immediately.
According to Kizaru's idea, even if the village did not fully approve every request for funding, Orochimaru could still obtain money from other sources through specific projects.
A shinobi clan might invest in antidote research.
Another might invest in better ninja tools.
A wealthy family might fund medical equipment that could protect their heirs.
The village would no longer be the only source of research funds.
This was excellent.
His Kohai was truly talented.
Hiruzen, however, did not let excitement cloud his judgment.
"What if the clans are unwilling to invest?"
"Then the village invests first during the early stage," Kizaru answered calmly.
His tone was lazy, but his answer came without delay.
"As long as Orochimaru-senpai can produce several real results with the village's support, the clans will see the value for themselves."
He glanced at Orochimaru.
"With Orochimaru-senpai's ability, I don't think that will be difficult."
Orochimaru smiled.
"You think highly of me."
"Ooh… I'm just telling the truth."
Hiruzen nodded slowly.
That was acceptable.
A village-backed beginning.
Visible results.
Then outside investment.
Step by step.
That would reduce the burden on Konoha while still allowing the research institution to grow.
"I agree to the establishment of the research institution."
Orochimaru's eyes brightened faintly.
But before he could speak, Hiruzen's tone became stern.
"However."
The atmosphere changed.
Hiruzen looked directly at Orochimaru.
"Some research must remain confidential. Not every project can be announced publicly."
Orochimaru's smile did not change.
Hiruzen continued, "Before any project is presented to outside investors, it must pass my review first."
His voice deepened.
"Orochimaru. This is not negotiable."
For a moment, the two teacher and student looked at each other.
Then Orochimaru lowered his gaze slightly.
"I understand, Sensei."
Kizaru watched the exchange with a faint smile.
Tsunade crossed her arms.
Jiraiya, for once, said nothing.
With that, all three proposals had been approved.
The medical reform.
The medical income system.
The research institution and project funding system.
Kizaru leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
If these reforms were truly implemented, then Konoha's future would definitely become far more interesting.
And if nothing else…
He would at least get to watch the old system start creaking under the weight of something new.
"Ooh…"
Kizaru stretched lazily.
"Looks like Konoha is about to get busy."
Tsunade glanced at the mountain of trouble already forming in her future.
"You sound way too relaxed for the person who caused all this."
Kizaru smiled without shame.
"That's because I'm very good at relaxing."
Jiraiya muttered, "That's not something to be proud of."
Orochimaru chuckled quietly.
Hiruzen looked at them, pipe in hand, and for the first time in a long while, he felt that the future of the village was not only a burden pressing down on his shoulders.
It was also something being carried forward by the next generation.
A generation troublesome enough to give him headaches.
But brilliant enough to make those headaches worthwhile.
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