Traveling through three generations: Making Konoha great again!

Hiruzen Sarutobi shifted his gaze to the portrait of Tobirama Senju in the office and smiled slightly.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

The key to the smooth progress of this conversation with Danzo Shimura was that he used the reputation of "a disciple of Tobirama Senju" as collateral.

Rounding down, it's like getting a credit score from the Second Hokage.

However, a loan alone won't suffice; we need to give Danzo a little something in return, making him feel like he's actually making a profit...

Political credibility is very important when dealing with internal conflicts.

"Those derivative videos focus on using fire as a metaphor for history, and don't have much substantial content."

Hiruzen Sarutobi considered his intelligence advantage:

"The information we can confirm at the moment is twofold. First, the evaluations of me are polarized based on the videos from my past life, but both sides believe that if I had done better, I could have avoided many tragedies..."

"This shows that I have many angles to approach my work, and I can win over most people."

"Secondly, there seems to be a problem with deus ex machina in this world, so we must never let our guard down when it comes to personal strength."

While analyzing the current situation, Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered the five major modules of the official document in his mind.

Authority, diplomacy, economy, military, education…

Aside from his combat awareness, which still needs some refinement and integration, this is a major source of his strength!

It's uncertain what kind of help we can provide at the moment.

However, comparing his memories of faking illness with his past self, he is now not only free of his hidden ailment, but also physically much healthier and more energetic than before…

He is trustworthy.

Looking at these five modules, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled with relief.

This was all too familiar to him…

This is a simplified version of a performance appraisal form!

He must do everything in his power to improve all aspects of Konoha.

We must focus on all five aspects, and all five fingers must be strong!

But for Hiruzen Sarutobi, this was a blessing.

They possess a body capable of flying and traversing the earth, and can also experience life in a new world…

What's wrong with doing some work for the village?

"Let's take a look at the scrolls left by Danzo first." Hiruzen Sarutobi carefully flipped through them.

This was clearly dirty water that Shimura Danzo gave to Orochimaru, and he certainly wouldn't believe it was an accurate record.

But this dirty water contains some truth, so it still has some reference value.

All I can say is that this old guy quickly assumed the identity of a Hokage candidate.

They've started tripping up their competitors...

Konoha today.

Although most people still believe that Orochimaru will succeed Hiruzen Sarutobi.

His preference for Orochimaru was very obvious in the past.

However, some at the highest levels have already keenly sensed that since the Second Shinobi World War, the relationship between the Third Hokage and his beloved student seems to have undergone some changes…

"Are they trading experimental subjects with tribes within the Land of Fire that haven't joined Konoha?"

"The Ibuli clan, the earth spider clan..."

"Ninjas from other countries captured by Root..."

When he saw that some of the subjects of his experiment were not very old, Hiruzen Sarutobi instinctively felt uncomfortable.

After smoking half a cigarette, he quickly accepted the situation and reminded himself:

This is a world where, decades ago, children were fighting on the battlefield.

Nowadays, so-called geniuses, teenagers, often have dozens of lives on their hands—this is commonplace.

It was a chaotic world.

"Orochimaru is indeed a valuable talent, and a rare research-oriented one at that. After all, technology is the primary productive force."

"We need to find a way to maximize the use of his talent..."

"But it must be brought under supervision; we can't let ninjutsu develop into a runaway horse!"

"Abandoning one's principles in the name of scientific research will only cause credibility and the direction of progress to collapse. Even if there are short-term benefits, they are far less than the long-term hidden losses."

Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered.

Orochimaru was his disciple whom he cherished greatly since childhood, and the two had a father-son relationship when they were young.

However, after he became Hokage, his extremely conservative governing style gradually clashed with the growing Orochimaru.

So much so that after the Second Shinobi World War.

Orochimaru actually preferred to work for the more rough and unrestrained Root organization, serving under Danzo Shimura!

This is undoubtedly a failure for him as Hokage and teacher.

Fortunately, there is still room for salvage.

From what I remember, I've never had any open conflict with Orochimaru. Rather than a disagreement on political views, it's more like a son running away from home to start his own business in a fit of pique...

Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered the direction of his future.

The immediate challenges are numerous and complex: the shortcomings in combat capabilities exposed during World War II, outdated systems, and the shadow of the next war;

Internal financial shortages, internal divisions, and conflicts between the ninja clan and the Hokage Building.

"The best approach is to make the pie bigger and use the distribution of new benefits to correct old problems—but making the pie bigger is inherently difficult."

Hiruzen Sarutobi understood that the core of Hokage was to make the village "powerful and wealthy".

Being able to fight is not something that can be achieved overnight.

But he already had a plan for how to "make money".

Konoha's finances depend on funding from the Daimyo's government and mission rewards.

He had considered taking over Daming Prefecture by force, but put the idea aside for the time being after processing his memories.

High risk, low return.

A rough estimate suggests that the Land of Fire has a population of tens of millions, which is not enough to contain them. Although ninjas have an advantage in martial arts, they lack administrative management capabilities and cannot replace the millions of bureaucrats.

Making the already limited number of ninjas responsible for collecting taxes further weakens their fighting strength.

Furthermore, the tax laws of the Land of Fire are outdated. If there were no war, the ninjas would naturally be able to seize power like the shoguns after a few generations. However, the ninja population is too small now, and taking action rashly would only force the nobles to flee, giving the enemy villages an excuse to send troops.

Hiruzen Sarutobi organized the documents in his hands.

This is the 'money bag' he prepared for Konoha.

"It's difficult to rob the nobility of taxes, but it's easy to get them to spend money voluntarily."

"To exploit the rentier class, you need to sell anxiety, sell health, and add aphrodisiacs as a gimmick to attract attention."

When it comes to aphrodisiacs, men are always willing to spend money beyond what is reasonable to try.

Longevity, health, and virility—combining these three into a "Konoha Special Supply Ten-Ingredient Tonic Pill" would definitely be a blockbuster product sweeping the ninja world.

Why worry that these nobles wouldn't rush to take out their silver, stuffing money into his pockets while shouting, "Lord Hokage, I want more!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi is confident that no one else can learn this move.

It is backed by three top-tier IPs: Hashirama's story of healing without seals, Tobirama's reputation for inventing ninjutsu, and Mito's Yin Seal.

Orochimaru and Tsunade, the world's first medical ninjas, made real-time adjustments, with Akimichi and the Nara family's medical texts serving as references.

And then there's this guy who's gotten younger—who cares if it's a cheat code or a tonic?

As for its actual effectiveness…

As long as it's just a little bit, enough to not kill anyone, the placebo effect plus a little bit of real stuff is enough!

"I have a lot of ideas, but putting them into practice is the hardest part..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed inwardly.

This is the first step.

It's about rebuilding a solid teacher-student relationship with Orochimaru!

Hiruzen Sarutobi shifted his gaze to Danzo Shimura's incriminating materials.

This is an important prop.

#

Sarutobi clan territory, Hokage's official residence.

Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to his spacious and bright house.

As soon as he got home, Sarutobi Biwako and her servants removed his straw hat and sacred robe.

A quick glance reveals that the house is spotless.

"Hiruzen, you must have had a hard day at work. What would you like to eat tonight?"

Sarutobi Biwako said softly.

He would usually find a hot meal ready when he returned home, and if he came home late, he would have the Anbu deliver it to the Hokage Building.

She was unusually early leaving get off work today, and she hadn't finished preparing yet.

In the past, Hiruzen Sarutobi would work overtime until late at night almost every day, and when he got home he was so tired that he had no appetite and often couldn't even finish a bowl of rice.

"I've invited Orochimaru over for dinner tonight, it's scheduled for six o'clock..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered, "He likes hot food. Apples and eggs are a must, the rest is up to you. Also, heat up two jugs of sake."

"Thanks a lot."

Sarutobi Biwako looked up in surprise at the younger, more upright Hokage, and smiled slightly shyly: "What are you saying!"

The lighthearted figure as he left left Hiruzen Sarutobi with a touch of melancholy.

So easy to coax!

Rather than being his wife, Biwako Sarutobi was more like the "chief steward" of the entire Hiruzen family. She never disobeyed his orders and took meticulous care of his every need, from food and clothing to daily life.

Even matters of the bedroom were decided by Hiruzen Sarutobi with a single word…

It can only be said that this feudal ninja clan does have its merits!

Hiruzen Sarutobi strolled to the back courtyard, changed into his training clothes, and headed to the training grounds.

Although the numerical values ​​have increased, on-the-spot reaction and operation also account for a large part of the strength.

The performance of a top-tier account in the hands of a skilled player and a novice can be vastly different.

Cultivation is something that cannot be neglected at any moment.

On the training ground.

"Senju, Uchiha..." Hiruzen Sarutobi silently recited these two surnames in his mind, warming up by swinging his staff. The staff cut through the air, and the air hummed.

He was thinking while simultaneously incorporating his fighting instincts.

In his memory, the two legendary ninjas, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, gave him a great shock.

In the current ninja world, Hiruzen Sarutobi should be considered a first-rate ninja...

But he's not on the same level as these two.

Studying history is a good way to understand the world.

"Since ancient times, every few decades to a hundred years, the Uchiha and Senju clans have each produced a groundbreaking ninja who leads the entire ninja world into war..."

The steel rod spun once in his palm, producing a soft whooshing sound.

"It just so happens that they always appear in perfect antithesis, which has fixed the Warring States period for nearly eight hundred years, until Madara and Hashirama shook hands and made peace for the first time, finally breaking the deadlock."

"Is it a coincidence?"

According to the Sarutobi Clan Chronicles, the Senju and Uchiha clans were descendants of immortals in ancient times, but the text is filled with mythical embellishment.

Could it be that the protagonists of this world are the 'Senju' and the 'Uchiha'?

But so what?

The problems facing Hiruzen Sarutobi cannot be solved by waiting for a "saint to descend from the heavens".

It is clear to the naked eye that the Ninja World War will break out again within a few years. Who knows when the Uchiha and Senju will finally emerge as a pair?

Moreover, aside from Madara and Hashirama, other "epoch-making Senju and Uchiha" figures recorded in history were not all as invincible as these two appeared.

The recorded strength was only outstanding, but not enough to cause despair.

"If a god really appears, the Senju clan would be fine, but the Second Hokage scattered his clan members and integrated them into Konoha, so he's still on the village's side."

"But what about the Uchiha?"

The thought of the Uchiha clan gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a real headache.

That's outrageous! There's a ninja clan with this kind of setup?

Naturally sensitive and possessing a deep love, but prone to drastic personality changes after suffering setbacks. The Sharingan, a reflection of the mind, manifests in the eyes, and the individual becomes arrogant when immersed in power…

It sounds extremely troublesome, like having some kind of terrible genetic mental illness.

What's even more troublesome is that although the Uchiha clan is an original asset of Konoha and has great value in uniting the people, they always seem to be stepping on landmines and crossing the line when it comes to politics.

First, Madara Uchiha inexplicably left the village and fought a deadly battle with Hashirama, causing the First Hokage to die prematurely.

Fortunately, the clansmen did not join Madara's uprising and remained in Konoha.

During the Second Shinobi World War, Setsuna Uchiha launched a hawkish rebellion, which was suppressed by Tobirama Senju. Only then did the doves rise up and fight bloody battles for the village in the First Shinobi World War, thus paying their dues.

But when it came to his turn to govern, the hawks started making moves again.

Although the Uchiha clan is a difficult group to deal with, as the Hokage, I absolutely cannot be tempted to take shortcuts and use a one-size-fits-all approach to brutally isolate or even exterminate the Uchiha clan...

Moreover, the village's performance speaks for itself.

If he could instill complete loyalty to Konoha within the Uchiha clan, Hiruzen Sarutobi believed his performance would undoubtedly improve significantly…

"The strongest fortresses are often breached from within..."

"If only I could find someone from the Uchiha clan who could carry out my will."

"But it's difficult. This person needs to understand the Uchiha clan well enough, have the strength to command respect from everyone, and also understand my thought process..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, realizing he had been too idealistic, and focused on practicing martial arts.

I shook the sweat from my forehead and felt completely refreshed.

Since his transmigration, this body has grown stronger day by day, and his previously stalled understanding of ninjutsu has become somewhat looser, awaiting his verification one by one.

In his youth, he was a tall and upright man, but the sudden appointment as Hokage brought him immense pressure, which felt like a mountain – not only did it leave him mentally and physically exhausted, but it also caused him to visibly shrink in height and build.

The body is the vehicle of politics, although true authority should transcend superficial appearances and be built upon merit…

However, abnormal aging is obviously detrimental to prestige.

In a sense, the rise of the Uchiha hawks was also related to their previously aged image.

"A clan that worships strength?" Hiruzen Sarutobi swung his steel rod fiercely, creating a shockwave that sent sand and stones flying across the training ground.

Between the rise and fall of the stick.

The techniques and battlefield experience gradually coalesced into one, and with each strike, which was sometimes controlled and sometimes released, it revealed a perfect harmony between mind and hand, and also had a newfound vigor and power.

The staff technique, which combines both strength and flexibility, seems to correspond to Hiruzen Sarutobi's strategy for dealing with the Uchiha clan.

And at this time.

Orochimaru stood at the entrance of the training ground, stunned as he stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar fierce figure.

This…is this the teacher who invited me to dinner?!