Living your daily life in a shonen anime seems to be wrong.

"..."

Watching the Third Hokage's hurried departure, Shichiya could only purse his lips.

They've already started dismantling the bridge before we've even finished crossing the river.

Indeed, politicians cannot be trusted.

Just thinking about it makes me realize that my daily life is coming to an end, and I can't help but feel a bit of a headache.

"Sure enough, it would have been better to leave here sooner!"

With a sigh, he went back to drawing his sketchbook.

Since it's a welfare shrine, it's natural that it should offer welfare benefits.

……

It rained for several days.

In just a few days, some news was enough to spread throughout the entire Hidden Leaf Village.

The establishment of a research department in Konoha, with Shichiya as its head, has sparked much discussion, with many wondering what exactly is going on.

According to Konoha's explanation, the research department is mainly responsible for researching all sorts of things.

As for why Qiye was chosen as the minister, it's because Qiye is quite capable; his skills, such as riding a bicycle, are enough to prove his extraordinary abilities.

It wasn't just bicycles, it also included electricity.

Electricity has been used in the ninja world for a long time, but its application is limited.

Nanaya, on the other hand, extended the use of electricity to civilian applications. Inexpensive electric lights, rice cookers, and the power grid that now covers the entire Hidden Leaf Village are all Nanaya's achievements.

Now, what Konoha is asking Nanaya to make is not for civilian use, but for military use.

Simply put, they researched and developed various things to help Konoha achieve victory in the war.

Although they didn't know if it would be successful, most of the villagers felt relieved after hearing these explanations.

Anyway, they don't understand, so let them do whatever they want, just don't waste money or resources.

This day, in the morning.

The rain stopped, the sun came out, and Nanaya left the shrine to go to work.

"The pond is full, and the rain has stopped..."

Humming a tune that no one in this world could understand, he strolled leisurely through the bustling streets toward the so-called research department.

Nanaya didn't expect the Third Hokage to be so generous; it was practically a department, like the Anbu.

The head of the research department is at least on par with the head of the ANBU, right? Doesn't that mean he's successfully infiltrated Konoha's upper echelons? Doesn't that count as becoming an official?

He was, after all, a minister, making him the superior of many ninjas.

Hmm, how about we try finding a female ninja and see if she'll obey us?

Qiye considered the feasibility of this matter.

So he walked along, biting his nails as he went.

He rarely travels outside, so although he is quite famous, very few people have actually seen him.

So when he walked down the street, not many people recognized him as the head of the research department who was being talked about.

This may have reduced a lot of trouble for Qiye.

However, problems still exist.

Chapter 5: Revised Version

The Hokage's office.

Konoha's advisor, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado have been keeping an eye on the Third Hokage for the past few days, hoping he can give them an explanation.

Give them an explanation that they can accept.

The main problem is that the Third Hokage established the research department without consulting them.

It's one thing to set up a department head, but to appoint a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy as the department head, especially one who can't refine chakra, is another.

"Sarutobi, are you really not going to shut down this research department?"

"Yes."

Even if we all object?

“You have your opinions, that’s fine, but this is a time of war, and I have the right to do what I deem necessary to benefit Konoha.”

"What a joke! How useful can a kid who isn't even a ninja be to us?"

Koharu Utatane strongly disagreed with this, and when she mentioned Nanaya, a disdainful expression appeared on her wrinkled face.

This is a world dominated by ninjas. Even the samurai, who used to be the dominant force, are now confined to the Land of Iron, barely surviving. Not to mention a boy who can't even refine his chakra.

Mitokado also agrees with this.

The Third Hokage, however, strongly disagreed.

"A ninja may not necessarily become a hero, and an ordinary person may not necessarily be unable to become a hero."

"hero?"

Xiaochun's disdain became even more pronounced when she turned to the next room.

You're saying he's a hero?

"Not now, but he will be."

Leaving behind this statement, seemingly without any intention of further explanation, the Third Hokage stood up abruptly.

"That child should have gone to the research department. I'll go check on him too. You don't need to say much about him; just wait and see the results."

After saying that, he left without giving the two advisors a chance to object further.

The two consultants exchanged a glance, wanting to continue.

However, he also understood that once the Third Hokage had made up his mind, he would not change it.

In the end, he just gave a cold snort.

"Placing your hopes on an ordinary person, Sarutobi is getting more and more senile as he gets older!"

……

Other matters need not be elaborated upon.

After pondering whether he should test his power against a female ninja, Shichiya finally decided not to provoke those female ninjas and leisurely made his way to the so-called research department.

It's actually a large open space on the edge of the area, with no one living around it. The open space is large enough to avoid disturbing the residents.

Many people have already come here and built several warehouses to store various supplies.

The ninja's speed is indeed quite fast.

Before Qiye could even process his thoughts, he discovered that the Third Hokage was already waiting for him at the gate.

There was nothing surprising about this; he simply walked over, laughing heartily.

"Lord Third Generation, you should have told me earlier that you were waiting for me here, so I could have wandered around outside a few more times before coming over."

The Third Hokage was still smoking, but his hand holding the pipe seemed to unconsciously tighten its grip, making Nanaya wonder if the pipe would explode if he used a little more force.

Since he needed something from her and had always been tolerant of others, he didn't bother to take Qiye's words to heart.

He forced a smile, waved to Qi Ye, and led him into the house that had been built.

This is a big house, and it's two stories high.

Upon entering, I discovered a considerable amount of equipment, some small machines, and numerous workers.

There were even some young children.

"Ok?"

Tilting its head, its red pupils scrutinized the children, who were generally around ten years old, but all of them wore Konoha headbands.

In other words, these are all ninjas.

Perhaps he is a ninja who has just graduated from the ninja academy.

Then he looked at the Third Hokage.

"I asked you to find me some ninjas and you gave me these few little brats? Are they still wearing open-crotch pants?"

"No, they are all ninjas, even the children are still ninjas."

The Third Hokage spoke these words with great seriousness, but a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes.

If they could, who would want to send a child to the battlefield?

Even if children in this world mature earlier, the battlefield is an exceptionally cruel place, and of the children sent there, only one in ten survives.

Unless absolutely necessary, the Third Hokage would not be willing to send his child to the battlefield.

Ultimately, the ninjas were risking their lives for these children who hadn't even grown up yet.

Fortunately, so far, the children sent to the battlefield have been carefully selected and have been taken care of, so they should have a great chance of surviving.

For example, Kakashi.

Nanaya didn't know that unlucky kid Kakashi either. Maybe Kakashi had also used the Transformation Jutsu to go to the shrine to seek benefits, but Nanaya never cared.

The young ninjas were not happy to hear what Shichiya said, but none of them said anything more.

Perhaps they also have copies of books published by Seven Nights.

But upon closer inspection, it seems that one of the little girls also has conjunctivitis... Red eyes, could they be a family?

He pondered silently for seven nights.

The Third Hokage was briefly introduced.

"These are all ninjas from our Konoha. Many of them graduated from the Ninja Academy not long ago, while some have already been promoted to Chunin. Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma, and that one over there, although she just graduated not long ago, she has great potential. Her name is Mitarashi Anko, and the others..."

After a series of introductions, the Third Hokage probably mentioned more than twenty names.