Traveling through three generations: Making Konoha great again!

Chapter 164 The Will of Fire is the Core Advantage

Kakuzu stood in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi and nodded to the Konoha committee members who were applauding him.

"They are all extraordinary individuals."

"I won't mention the few veterans; they're all renowned in the ninja world—"

"There are quite a few young people here too. The village is really well-preserved. Especially that blond-haired boy, he gives me a dangerous feeling—" Kakuzu looked at Minato's sunny smile and memorized his face.

Having witnessed Konoha's strength, Kakuzu calmed down and stopped underestimating others because of his own experience.

With a change in mindset, his sixth sense, which came from his rich experience, gradually became sharp again.

In the ninja world, ninjas who like to laugh are always worth paying attention to.

Kakuzu took a closer look at the nameplate on the table: "Konoha Alternate Committee Member Minato Namikaze"

It's either a paranoid mental illness, or a lingering laugh stemming from excessive talent or ability.

Jiaodu is a smart man.

Having just arrived in the village, he had already established himself with the approval of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Mito.

But no matter how wonderful Konoha is, it is ultimately an organization composed of individuals, and where there are people, there is a dynamic and complex dynamic. It takes time to understand the temperament and character of each important member.

However, Kakuzu wasn't under much pressure, since he was directly facing Hiruzen Sarutobi.

I did this simply because I wanted to integrate into the village as quickly as possible.

Hiruzen Sarutobi patted Kakuzu on the shoulder: "Go sit down first—"

Kakuzu nodded, hesitated for a moment, and walked to the water gate next to the waiting area: "May I sit here?"

"Please sit down—" Minato nodded with a smile.

Logically speaking, Kushina, who was also a candidate for committee member, should have sat next to him.

However, Kushina and Uzumaki Shio have been undergoing special training under Mito's supervision recently, so they were unable to attend.

"Kakuzu was an old friend of our Hidden Leaf Village—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and said, "I once had a story with the First Hokage. I praised him as a spirited young man, but it's a pity he wasn't a Konoha ninja—"

"Lord Mito told me that the First Lord believed he was a man with the Will of Fire—"

"After some unpleasant experiences, Kakuzu became a rogue ninja of Takigakure and worked as a bounty hunter for decades. However, out of gratitude for the First Hokage, he remained friendly to the Land of Fire and Konoha."

"Now, inspired by the Will of Fire, I have joined the village—"

The Naruto series set the tone for Kakuzu right from the start!

The dual endorsement from Mito and Hashirama carries enough weight to silence any doubts.

And one interesting point is...

Although Hashirama's status and reputation were extremely strong in Konoha, the Konoha committee members cared more about Mito's opinion.

Because the clever Konoha committee members understood.

Mito's approval proves that Kakuzu has passed the test of Kagura's cunning and malicious perception.

This is not something unrealistic; it is proven reliable by the techniques themselves.

Kakuzu gazed at Hiruzen Sarutobi, a hint of emotion in his expression.

He began to understand Hyuga Hizashi somewhat—

This is a leader who values rules and regulations. He not only keeps his word on agreed-upon matters, but also generously exceeds expectations.

"Hiruzen, the matter of recruiting rogue ninja is rather sensitive—"

Danzo, seated to the left of Hiruzen Sarutobi, spoke in a deep voice: "In the ninja world, the five great hidden villages have always tacitly agreed that rogue ninjas cannot be tolerated; this has been an unspoken rule for decades—"

"The Hozuki Castle prison in Kusagakure was developed for this purpose."

This isn't Danzo talking nonsense; there is indeed such a consensus in the ninja world.

Sending spies is acceptable, but harboring rogue ninjas is not.

If this trend were to take hold, it would have been detrimental to any hidden village in the past.

However, even without intentionally targeting him, Danzo was indeed somewhat upset about Kakuzu joining Konoha.

No, you actually agreed to join Konoha?

The intelligence report said they were greedy and despised hypocritical collectives like the village!

Can't you maintain a little bit of integrity?

Danzo glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi furtively; he was truly at his wit's end with the monkey.

How did they manage to get into Konoha?

At that moment, Danzo and Tobirama had similar thoughts—

How could he not believe that the First Hokage truly praised Kakuzu? This is absolutely a fabricated historical account invented by Hiruzen!

"I can't renege on my bet with Hiruzen anymore—"

"Does he really want to walk around the village smiling like Dai?"

"That bastard Kakuzu has a mouth that stinks even more than Orochimaru's! How can we possibly govern Konoha by working with such a worm?"

Danzo roared inwardly.

He vividly remembered how people had insulted him on the outskirts of the Land of Fire—

They say he tarnished the reputation of the First Lord!

Danzo was at a loss and could only raise some reasonable questions.

It's impossible to actually refute Hiruzen Sarutobi's decision at the conference—

Danzo knew that his old brother had been more tolerant of him than he had ever been.

The other Konoha ninjas were incredibly envious of his treatment; if he took advantage of her kindness, he would only be attacked by the group.

Upon hearing Danzo's words, Kakuzu's face darkened.

That mad dog!

That's really bringing up the very thing I shouldn't have said—

Kakuzu was about to say something.

He then saw Hiruzen Sarutobi exchange glances with him, signaling him to be quiet.

"What Danzo said, based on the usual practices of the ninja world, cannot be said to be without reason."

Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled and said, "But those are the rules of other hidden villages, not the rules of Konoha."

"Gentlemen, why didn't the hidden villages in the past recruit their respective rogue ninja?"

"Can anyone answer me?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shifted his gaze to Danzo.

Danzo naturally knew the reason, but he still subconsciously turned his head away; this answer was disadvantageous to him.

"Teacher, let me speak—"

Orochimaru stood up with a smile, his tone calm yet coldly logical: "Under the premise that the ninja code serves as an efficient ideology and control tool, harboring rogue ninjas is tantamount to covering up their betrayal of the village."

"This is tantamount to directly abolishing the core of the ninja code. Even if it is just accepting rogue ninjas from other hidden villages, it will shake the absolute control of the higher-ups over ninjas."

"Instead of destroying and consuming each other, it's better to reach an agreement and stabilize each other's internal affairs."

"After all, the ninja code's cruel and rigid requirements for ninjas are a problem that no one has been able to circumvent or solve for a long time."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Orochimaru with slight surprise.

sure--

Progress!

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow slightly. He and Hiruko had borrowed Hiruzen Sarutobi's quotes to study, not just superficially memorizing them, but delving into their core ideas—

As he said, things can be transferred, and so can learning.

Orochimaru's theoretical understanding advanced rapidly by applying scientific research methodologies to the study of the Will of Fire.

"Orochimaru is right."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile, "His skill level is even higher than mine. The village has a promising future!"

This was originally meant to be a compliment.

But Orochimaru's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this: "Master, please don't say that. I still want to learn from you for another ten or twenty years! I'm still young, I need further experience—"

After saying that, Orochimaru quickly sat down.

He was seizing this opportunity to disgust Danzo, because he had always been the one who oppressed the ninjas the most in Konoha, but he didn't want Hiruzen Sarutobi to push him further!

Orochimaru has already made up his mind—

Ten years—I need at least another ten years of free and independent scientific research before I start thinking about Naruto.

During this time, all Orochimaru needed to do was slowly increase his prestige in Konoha. Orochimaru was genuinely afraid that Hiruzen Sarutobi would quit, so he helped him put the Hokage hat on his own head.

It's not that you can't wear it.

However, it must be worn slowly, gently, and rhythmically.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback. Why did he sit down so quickly?

I haven't even had a chance to praise myself yet—

Hiruzen Sarutobi was originally thinking...

Orochimaru has recently achieved an unexpected breakthrough in his research; he just reported a new increase in the production of Sacred Earth Pills a few days ago.

As a reward, at the very least, we should help our beloved student establish some prestige and acknowledge his achievements to the committee members.

"Orochimaru is truly insidious!"

Danzo cursed inwardly, "He was looking at me just now! That was a sarcastic remark, a subtle way of implying to Hiruzen that he had no interest in the Hokage position—"

"What a slippery, venomous snake!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi ignored Danzo, whose face had darkened.

A little friendly competition, a good sparring match that gets both heated and productive, can help keep the organization active.

"What Orochimaru said is the key reason why the hidden villages don't accept so-called rogue ninjas: it's because they're all in a situation where they're competing to see who's the worst."

"We must understand that there are many kinds of rogue ninja. Some are born evil and commit all kinds of evil deeds, while others, like Kakuzu, suffer unfair treatment and leave the village because they cannot bear it."

Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped the table: "I saw a few veterans from our village turn pale at the mere mention of rogue ninja. That's not good. We need to analyze each situation specifically—"

"If one day our village is not well-governed, the ninjas below will have a hard time surviving, and rogue ninjas will emerge one after another!"

"Don't think I'm exaggerating! Take Kakuzu, for example. Takigakure forced him to die meaninglessly. Wasn't that just asking for death as a rogue ninja? Even insects will seek advantage and avoid harm. It's the most instinctive behavior of a living being."

"I am not supporting rogue ninjas, nor am I suggesting that ninjas make unreasonable demands. When it's time to protect the village, no one can back down; there's no room for negotiation."

"We have the Konoha Committee system, with channels for feedback at each level. When we encounter problems, we first think about whether they can be solved or communicated, instead of frowning or getting upset as soon as we hear about them."

"Stop clinging to outdated ideas and abandon the notion that ninjas are merely tools. You are all pillars of Konoha, wearing the robes of the gods, and should adapt to the times!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Isshin and Tenzo, those two old-fashioned folks, a serious look, and said earnestly, "If the ninja code were so effective, why are there still rogue ninjas? You must understand, the core advantage of Konoha is the Will of Fire. Competing with other hidden villages to be worse is to cripple our strengths—"

Fine beads of sweat rolled down Yixin and Tianzang's foreheads as they nodded hurriedly.

The position of clan leader is one that can corrupt people—

Having held high positions for so long, Isshin and Tenzo always subconsciously disliked the idea of their subordinate ninja rebelling; this was a ingrained way of thinking developed over many years.

Kakuzu slowly exhaled a long breath.

He now completely understands Hyuga Hizashi!

Listen to the Hokage's perspective and analysis; he's speaking entirely from his point of view.

"Is the Hokage always like this?" Kakuzu leaned close to Minato and asked in a low voice.

"Yes, our master has always been like that. He has always been kind to ninjas, whether they are from ninja clans or commoners. He is a remarkable Hokage."

Minato said earnestly, "He's a man like the sun!"

Kakuzu took a deep breath.

Firstly, I admire Hiruzen Sarutobi's magnanimity.

Secondly, I also noticed Minato's address to Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Grandmaster!"

"It's rare in the entire ninja world for a young person of this age to give me such a warning. He must be a promising talent trained by the Hokage himself—" Kakuzu thought to himself.

"The Hokage's judgment is truly sharp; none of the people he has chosen are to be underestimated." Kakuzu and Minato said softly, "Let me introduce myself. I am Kakuzu, and I hope you can become my second friend in Konoha in the future."

My first friend was, of course, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Of course our master has a keen eye; that's why he chose you, isn't it? My intuition tells me you're an incredibly strong ninja—"

Minato smiled, his smile as bright as a little sun: "My name is Namikaze Minato, and I hope we can become good comrades in the future!"

Kakuzu and Minato shook hands amicably.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took in the whole scene and smiled slightly.

How can we help new ninjas from other villages who join Konoha quickly become familiar with the village and increase their loyalty?

Then we need to help them build their own bonds.

Minato played this role very well, and this wasn't done at Hiruzen Sarutobi's behest; he naturally established a good initial relationship with Kakuzu.

"One water gate alone isn't enough; Hiruko would be just as good—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart skipped a beat: "And Asuma—"

Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Project was mainly overseen by Hiruko in the Konoha Research Department, and the two of them naturally had a foundation for communication.

These days, Asuma often talks to Hiruzen Sarutobi after returning home.

Hiruko was always worried that he wouldn't be able to teach him well.

Despite his excellent teaching skills, he was still worried, feeling that his practical abilities and experience were insufficient and that he was afraid of letting Hiruzen Sarutobi down.

By sending Kakuzu there, we can easily unite them closely around us, using Asuma as the central figure.

Hiruko can reduce his burden and gain Kakuzu as a companion.

Kakunobu even had the opportunity to meet Hiruko, a member of the Konoha committee, and become the second teacher of the Hokage's son—

Asma was able to receive a good education.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was able to further win over Kakuzu and Hiruko.

It's a win-win-win situation for all four parties.

"My foolish son is actually quite useful—" Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled to himself.

He didn't have high expectations for Asma.

However, it is truly effective as a lubricant for interpersonal relationships.

The same applies to Shinnosuke; his marriage to the daimyo reassured the nobles of the Land of Fire.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo: "Supporter, tell me, am I right?"

Danzo's expression froze.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's words were a direct challenge to him.

The "Seisui" incident was essentially Danzo using his power as an assistant to suppress others, which was beyond his authority.

If Danzo had simply added a few more words of explanation in the scroll, Tobirama wouldn't have been able to organize even his most trusted elite ninja academy soldiers, let alone launch the subsequent public impeachment.

Even if he insists on doing it anyway, no one will support him; they'll just think he's being unreasonable.

"That's right, the Hokage is right."

Danzo sighed: "Disregarding the rules not only undermines the village's system, but also nearly cost me a beloved disciple—"

"You should all take my experience as a warning!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi blinked.

This sounds like—

Danzo seems to be getting along quite well with Tobirama-sensei?

Hiruzen Sarutobi was a little curious. How did the two of them usually communicate?

I always felt that Tobirama-sensei wasn't the type to call Danzo "master."

"I think it would be interesting to ask Danzo sometime."

Hiruzen Sarutobi cleared his throat and said, "The first purpose of this meeting is to introduce Kakuzu to everyone. All the Anbu and Root members need to understand that these are our own people. Some Jonin who are often on field missions should also be aware of this. The committee members in charge can make their own decisions."

"As the assistant said, the mindset in the ninja world is still relatively backward, so Kakuzu's identity will not be revealed for the time being. This is related to the mission the village assigned to him."

"Now I'm going to talk to you about the economic transformation of Amegakure and Konoha—"