Traveling through three generations: Making Konoha great again!

Chapter 165 The idea of ​​absorbing Amegakure, the Hokage's marriage partner (8K)

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand.

The secret team distributed the completed document to each committee member in the conference room.

"Take a look at them all first—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi lit a cigarette and began to smoke it slowly.

The contents of this document represent the important strategic decisions he and Kakuzu made for the future of Konoha after several nights of deep conversation.

We must use economic control to make Amegakure work for Konoha!

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke.

Danzo, standing to the side, frowned as he carefully perused the short but information-rich document.

Three key points.

Firstly, the refining process of the Holy Land Pill has been optimized through successive generations, and the output has once again achieved a breakthrough. However, the number of nobles in the Land of Fire who can easily afford it has already reached saturation.

Secondly, the number of artisans in the Land of Fire with basic scroll-making skills has reached saturation.

Thirdly, unlike most hidden villages, the Land of Rain did not shelve the peace agreement after it was signed, treating it as a worthless piece of paper.

Amegakure, on the contrary, vigorously guided public opinion within its territory, claiming that both Konoha and Amegakure were instigated during the Second Shinobi World War.

The two countries should have been friendly neighbors, and all the conflicts originated from the conspiracy and instigation of Sunagakure and Iwagakure.

Hanzo has repeatedly sent friendly messages to Konoha's administration, indicating a strong desire for deeper cooperation, and has also hinted on several occasions that he wants to visit Konoha.

"Has everyone finished watching?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke: "Let's talk about our internal problems first. The first point is that even if the production of Holy Land Pills is expanded, after reserving some for officials who need them temporarily, we can no longer continue to sell them in the Land of Fire."

Danzo frowned and asked, "Hiruzen, why?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi rolled his eyes at Danzo: "You should read more books in the future. As the second-in-command of the village, you need to learn to improve yourself in every aspect—"

Danzo was taken aback. This was also related to reading?

But she still nodded silently.

Hiruzen was ultimately doing it for his own good—

Kakuzu raised his hand, stood up, and explained, "While the effects of the 'Holy Land Pill' are astonishing, it's only because high-ranking nobles are exceptionally concerned about their health that they find it difficult to refuse—"

"They don't care about this money, but wealth often only accumulates in the hands of a small number of people, and the lower-ranking nobles can hardly afford this amount of money."

"Furthermore, in the Land of Fire, the Holy Land Pill is no longer just a highly effective health product, but also a high-end social tool used to prove one's status."

"The consequence of over-issuing and indiscriminately issuing products is the destruction of the brand credibility we have built up, which cannot be compensated for by selling a few more products."

Kakuzu spoke eloquently.

At this moment, his confidence was like Tobirama's when he talked about the Sharingan, carrying an unquestionable and trustworthy air.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Kakuzu with admiration.

He already knew Kakuzu liked money, and after these few days of conversation, Hiruzen Sarutobi was surprised to find that he also had an economic mind and quickly grasped some financial concepts.

Or rather, Kakuzu himself has a similar understanding, but lacks a systematic set of professional terms to summarize it.

Finding a comrade among ninjas with this kind of understanding is far more valuable than discovering a bloodline limit.

After all, their ideology has always been instrumental, and only the high-ranking members of the Hidden Village have some knowledge of finance, but their main occupation is military leadership.

Like Kakuzu—

Because of his long lifespan, he can live a leisurely life, not joining any hidden villages or sightseeing throughout the ninja world, spending his days as a freelancer, reading and contemplating.

He can truly be called a cultured person!

He should be called a genuine financial expert among ninjas!

Kakuzu's sense of belonging to Konoha stemmed from his astonishment at Hiruzen Sarutobi's business acumen after witnessing the village's revenue streams and financial allocation.

There are ninjas who are even better at making money than him? And much better at it!

This feeling of finding a kindred spirit and a like-minded person forged a unique bond between Kakuzu and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Is that so?" Danzo took a deep breath, choosing not to confront Kakuzu.

Because he saw Nara Shikayama looking at Kakuzu with interest.

A theory that can be accepted by the Nara clan ninjas is probably flawless.

"But we cannot let the increased production of the sacred pills go to waste; we must ensure that the product continues to generate value—"

Kakuzu coughed lightly and continued, "The 'Holy Land Pill' undoubtedly holds immense appeal for nobles from various countries—but for the Great Hidden Village, infiltrating it is extremely difficult."

"The policy of isolationism in Kirigakure is obviously not feasible. The daimyo and their kage in the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth have formed an extremely tight alliance, and it would be unwise to try to break through them."

"So, if we're looking for a country that's friendly to Konoha and whose nobles are wealthy, then Amegakure is the only option left—"

The Konoha committee members nodded slightly.

The principle is similar to that of the Four Heavenly Kings, which have five members.

Among the four great hidden villages of the ninja world, there is a current opinion that Amegakure (Hidden Rain Village) could also be included.

During the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha, Sunagakure, and Amegakure fought impressively on the main battlefields, while Iwagakure lurked on the sidelines, engaging in shady dealings.

Ultimately, status is something you earn through hard work.

Being able to confront the other three major hidden villages head-on, Amegakure's status in the ninja world is difficult to categorize as a traditional small hidden village.

Even Takigakure, with its tailed beasts, cannot compare; after all, strength on paper is not true strength.

Moreover, among the five hidden villages, there is the peculiar Sand Village.

Although Sunagakure possesses unique puppetry and desert-style ninjutsu, its home-based combat capabilities are formidable.

However, the land it occupies is extremely barren, and its relationship with the daimyo is notoriously tense.

Amegakure, which suffers from years of heavy rain, is considered to have a superior environment compared to Sunagakure.

Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled, picking up where Kakuzu left off: "Therefore, I've decided to use the surplus 'Sacred Land Pills' to supply Amegakure, but they'll be modified into an overseas version, with reduced potency and a higher price."

Orochimaru nodded thoughtfully.

He doesn't understand economics very well, but he understands people's hearts.

"Sacred Pills" are a necessity for the high-ranking nobles of the Land of Fire, and are also considered an honor and reward for outstanding political achievements. Therefore, if they are sold overseas, they cannot be the original product.

The nobles of the Land of Fire must be allowed to maintain this exclusive sense of superiority.

"In that case, we can earn a lot of foreign exchange from the nobles of the Land of Rain."

Hiruzen Sarutobi pointed to the second item on the document: "The artisans in the Land of Fire who are currently capable of making scrolls and ninja tools have been organized under the daimyo's command and are now working collectively in workshops—"

"Their production capacity has been calculated, and the capacity to manufacture scroll blanks is far from meeting Konoha's current needs—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped the file.

Under normal circumstances, the Fire Country's production capacity of rough-cut scrolls is more than enough for Konoha's needs.

The problem is that Konoha is developing portable medical reels.

In order for Konoha's industrial ninjas to quickly and skillfully master the technique of inputting medical chakra, a large number of rough scrolls are needed for practice.

Good industry ninjas are fed a lot of scrolls.

After all, most people's natural abilities aren't top-tier, so they can only compensate with resources. Otherwise, the timeline for mass-producing medical chakra scrolls would be delayed for a long time.

If this drags on, and a third Shinobi World War breaks out due to a black swan event, then it will be a losing proposition.

"So where do we find the part we're missing?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly said, "We'll get it from the Land of Rain! We'll use their nobles' money to hire their craftsmen to make rough practice scrolls for our Konoha—"

Danzo's eyes lit up; he was always interested in things that sounded like freebies.

"feasible--"

"The craftsmen of the Land of Rain are highly skilled, approaching the level of the Land of Wind." When it came to intelligence with military elements, Danzo, ever the expert, added, "If we could bring them to Konoha's service, that would be an absolute boon!"

Because of the continuous rain, the Land of Rain suffers from food shortages, but in order to cope with this extreme weather, a group of excellent craftsmen have emerged.

"That's right—" Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded: "We've already given the craftsmen in Konoha very generous treatment. Even if we add more money, we still can't break through their objective production capacity."

"Moreover, our craftsmen should not waste their time on basic processing such as making rough blanks for scrolls, but should instead focus on further optimization and upgrading."

Sakumo Hatake raised his hand and stood up, asking curiously, "Hokage-sama, why not continue recruiting craftsmen in the Land of Fire? Wouldn't it be better to keep them in the homeland?"

"That won't do."

Kakuzu shook his head and replied, "The Hokage has already considered this—"

"It's important to understand that during the training phase, the village needs a massive production capacity, but once the craftsmanship stabilizes, there will be a surplus, and the temporary local artisans will lose their jobs."

"The extra artisans won't grow out of the ground. If we only emphasize local origins, then we need to select some qualified people from other industries."

"There's no need for that. We can just have the Land of Rain handle the manufacturing. Forcibly disrupting the Land of Fire's stable industrial structure would only be detrimental to our economy."

Kakuzu said in a deep voice, "The Hokage is the Grand Shogun who oversees all affairs and protects the country. The taxes of the Land of Fire can be temporarily levied, and the money of the Land of Fire should be regarded as the money of Konoha—"

Hiruko looked at Kakuzu and nodded slightly.

He likes ninjas with real skills!

Substantial content is the style that researchers prefer.

"Although I'm on good terms with Hizashi, Orochimaru, and others, Hizashi is a workaholic, Orochimaru and Tsunade both aim to become Hokage, and Jiraiya is elusive—"

"I still need friends in the village. Kakuzu is clearly a direct subordinate of the Hokage. There won't be any trouble associating with him. After all, I'm a staunch supporter of the Hokage—"

Hiruko thought to himself.

Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could even make arrangements, Hiruko was already eager to get to know Kakuzu.

The term "Hokage faction" does not refer to any other factions within Konoha.

Rather, it means that, like the "Anbu" and "Root", all their actions and interests are completely aligned with Hiruzen Sarutobi, and they have no other labels or ambitions.

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Kakuzu an encouraging look.

This is his stage to showcase his abilities.

"The ninjas and artisans of the Land of Rain and Amegakure will certainly not refuse our orders—because they have no money; their money is with the nobles."

"As a minor village, Amegakure is located at the junction of the three major villages. Their nobles prefer to do missions with the major villages, so the quota for Amegakure ninjas is pitifully small."

Kakuzu chuckled coldly: "They can't refuse this order, even if it means converting some of their combat-ready ninjas into industrial ninjas working in Konoha, they still have to take this share."

"Since the Second Shinobi World War, Amegakure has never recovered from the economic deficit caused by the war, so this money is extremely important to them—"

Kakuzu, who roams the ninja world and takes on jobs in various places, can be considered a living encyclopedia of the economic conditions of each hidden village.

Kakuzu not only accepted missions from nobles but also gathered intelligence in underground bounty hunters, coming into contact with all levels of society in a country and conducting on-site research and investigation.

This kind of experience is extremely rare and necessary for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Tsunade's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "Sensei! If you can supply me with enough scrolls, I'm confident that within two years, medical chakra scrolls can be mass-produced and used on the battlefield!"

"As long as the ninjas don't suffer fatal injuries, they can recover quickly!"

"I've mastered the core injection technology. The next step is to simplify it so our industry experts can master it proficiently. I'll do that as quickly as possible!"

Tsunade declared confidently, "At worst, I'll use medical ninjutsu to hold on. I can go a month without sleep!"

Tsunade desperately wanted to see the medical scrolls bearing the name "Rope Tree" appear in Konoha as soon as possible to protect and heal the village's ninjas.

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, both amused and exasperated.

Why do you always go to such extremes? Even at work—

"No need for that. Just proceed at the normal pace, take it slow and steady—"

"If you collapse from exhaustion, who will the Konoha ninjas turn to for medical treatment?"

Tsunade chuckled, "I understand, Sensei!"

"Not only can we outsource the production of ninja tools to the Land of Rain, but we can also outsource the basic processing of some ninja tools to the Land of Rain. This is essentially free, as it doesn't cost us any money and we are just using up the Land of Rain's production capacity."

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly said, "In this process, we also need to gradually expand our recruitment of artisans, so that they can become one 'master craftsman' after another without affecting the overall industrial structure!"

"You can't forget the basic processing skills, but the key is to master advanced techniques."

Kakuzu echoed Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Items like the packaging of the 'Sacred Land Pill,' explosive tags, shuriken, and kunai—these processed products that don't involve Konoha's core technology—can be supplied to Konoha by the Land of Rain."

If Amegakure wants to take this very lucrative order, it will inevitably force a large portion of its ninjas to change careers.

For the Hidden Village, a military and violent group, combat power is always the top priority; they send a large number of ninjas to do production...

Taking on projects will definitely diminish our combat effectiveness.

This is why Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to both increase the population and emphasize that Konoha's products should be small, exquisite, and high-value-added products.

But the Land of Rain is not Konoha. As a small, hidden village, they don't face the same pressure as Konoha, being coveted by the great hidden villages of the entire ninja world.

The first priority is to ensure that the ninjas have work to do and are well-fed and clothed.

Kakuzu coughed lightly: "In that case, with all these bindings, Amegakure will be deeply tied to Konoha and gradually become our de facto subordinate village."

"Because a large number of their ninjas devoted themselves to industry, only Konoha's various high-tech developments required a large number of primary processed products for practice. Other hidden villages did not have this need, nor did they have the economic strength to do so."

"Given their geographical location at the intersection of three countries, they can effectively serve as a barrier protecting the northern part of Konoha, standing guard for us alongside Kusagakure."

Even Danzo, who had a bad impression of the person diagonally opposite him, couldn't help but nod slightly.

This is using Konoha's technological advantage to fleece the nobles of the Land of Rain and the ninjas of Amegakure!

Compared to the so-called agreements signed after the defeat, this kind of deep exchange of interests is what makes the two villages an unbreakable alliance.

If such a cooperation is achieved, Amegakure will become Konoha's ironclad support and lifeline.

However, the term "blood transfusion" is not entirely appropriate.

Because Konoha gained the capacity for self-pleasure, the nobles of the Land of Rain gained health, and Amegakure gained missions.

No one loses anything. Hiruzen Sarutobi doesn't like playing zero-sum games. Everyone has to get a share of the profits, more or less, so that things can continue in the long run.

Hiruzen Sarutobi said in a deep voice, "The decision regarding Amegakure is a pilot project for Konoha—"

"We must clearly see that the Fourth Shinobi World War will break out in the future, and Konoha will not lose! But winning alone is not enough; we need to learn how to digest the fruits of victory—"

"As in the past, after defeating the invaders, all we get is a small amount of compensation, which is meaningless."

"Anyone who dares to attack Konoha, we'll transform them into the next Land of Rain, and we'll remove their henchmen so they can work for Konoha!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was calm, but it revealed a hint of killing intent.

Killing is secondary; what's important is eliminating the threat to Konoha!

He spared Sunagakure during the Second Shinobi World War, which, although unrelated to the current Hiruzen Sarutobi, he still considered a stain on his career.

It will be cleaned up sooner or later!

In Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, Sunagakure was a very restless village; their scarce resources destined them to be anything but peaceful.

Their weaknesses are also obvious.

The current Konoha can make full use of its poor relationship with the Daimyo.

Is there anyone more reasonable with nobles than Hiruzen Sarutobi?

Kakuzu saw the killing intent in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes and couldn't help but nod in approval.

"I mentioned to the Hokage that there are gold mines hidden at the southern end of the Land of Wind, and the ancient kingdom of Loulan there is said to have a special chakra reaction, which is worth Konoha's research—"

"If those Sunagakure brats dare to lay a finger on Konoha again, we'll make them give up this place!"

"I need to go over there more often to get more intelligence for the village and prepare in advance—"

Kakuzu grew increasingly satisfied with and respectful of the Hokage.

Who wouldn't like a leader who responds to every question?

The only problem is—

How can we get others to attack Konoha?

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a pang of regret. The other village kage weren't stupid either; an arms race was inevitable, but no one would easily start a war they weren't confident of winning.

Hiruzen Sarutobi would not initiate a war.

Since we've enjoyed the high level of cohesion brought by the Will of Fire, we must give up some behaviors that don't align with its spirit.

Sugarcane can't be sweet at both ends—

What Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't know was...

An unnamed founder of Konoha is working feverishly on how to instigate a war for Konoha, and believes this will destroy the Will of Fire.

As for what he was thinking...

Hiruzen Sarutobi certainly couldn't understand it, and even his younger brother probably couldn't understand it either.

He is a unique case of mental illness in the ninja world.

"Hiruzen, your idea is good, but Hanzo might not accept it so easily—"

Koharu, the girl in the dorm, said softly, "Although he has had several talks with the administration department, and his words have always expressed his willingness to cooperate, you know who he is."

"He once thought of unifying the ninja world by force and bringing peace—"

"Hanzo will definitely try to negotiate with us using his fighting prowess."

Mitokado Homura nodded: "This is something we need to take into account. Hiruzen and Hanzo's strength should not be underestimated, and they are indeed bargaining chips worth considering."

Orochimaru and Tsunade's expressions turned somewhat grim.

The two of them had experienced a life-or-death battle with Hanzo—

It must be said that Hanzo, at least a few years ago when he was at his peak, was extremely troublesome.

In watery environments, he wields Water Release and Body Flicker Technique with unparalleled skill, and his swordsmanship is also exceptionally strong, fast enough to interrupt Orochimaru's hand seals.

It also possesses a water-transformation technique similar to that of the Hozuki clan, and when combined with the poison mist array of its summoning beast, the Salamander, it can be described as a walking war machine.

He is also adept at one-on-one duels.

This is why Hanzo dared to launch a war so brazenly; under the right circumstances, he indeed possessed a level of intimidation that was unmatched by ordinary strongmen.

"I've heard that Hanzo has gotten old these past few years—"

"Since his defeat, I've rarely heard from him in the ninja world. I once thought he planned to retreat to Amegakure and stop causing trouble. Why has he taken the initiative to contact the village multiple times?"

Kakuzu looked at Koharu Utatane and said thoughtfully, "Something's not right here—it feels like there's a conspiracy. The Hokage should definitely think this through."

In his youth, Hanzo was a wild and unrestrained ninja, a true hero.

Because he couldn't stand the existence of samurai, he once went to the Land of Iron alone with a scythe, nearly annihilating this nation centered around samurai.

At its peak, Amegakure (Hidden Rain Village) even instigated the Ninja World War, accomplishing many significant feats.

"Teacher, something's definitely not right—"

Orochimaru said softly, "According to the constitution of a ninja, he should have declined. Just as Kakuzu said, when the mortal body declines, a person's ambition should also decline—"

"His frequent contact with Konoha contradicts his self-proclaimed status as a demigod in the Land of Rain, and it has also created enough momentum for us to negotiate peace—"

"I always felt that he might have obtained some kind of secret technique and wanted to display his strength during the cooperation in order to take a larger share in the cooperation with the village."

Orochimaru was not lying.

A ninja's mindset changes along with the changes in their physical body.

In his prime, he was a great hero who commanded respect in his region. But as he aged, his changing mindset might turn him into a despicable person. Countless similar stories are recorded in ancient texts.

This is why Orochimaru so vehemently dislikes aging.

But interestingly...

In Konoha today, there are many "immortal" demons—

Orochimaru is one, and now there's Kakuzu. Mito and Tsunade naturally share this trait.

Perhaps there will be a chance for the future of Birukho.

Needless to say, Hiruzen Sarutobi is also undergoing reverse aging, growing stronger every day—

"Have you gotten stronger?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly laughed heartily: "I've always remembered how he bullied the Sarutobi team back then and gave you the title of 'Sannin'!"

"From now on, our Konoha should follow the tradition of 'the elders come after the younger ones,' if Hanzo wants to use force as a bargaining chip—"

"My punches are just as powerful—" Hiruzen Sarutobi said casually, "Leave it to me."

Hiruzen Sarutobi is currently looking for a worthy opponent.

Jiraiya, who constantly hypes up his Sage Mode and sends letters to the village all the time, is the first one.

The composed Minato Namikaze and Tobirama, who possesses the power of Izuna, are the second and third candidates.

However, it's inconvenient for him to fight any of them right now, as they're all busy with their own affairs. It wouldn't be right for the Hokage to be dragged out under the guise of a sparring match and beaten up—

But now there's another Hanzo—

Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips curled slightly. He was very eager to try out the feel of the salamander, and to test just how powerful his Water Release: Body Flicker Technique and Hanzo's swordsmanship truly were.

"Teacher, Hanzo is really strong—" Orochimaru said earnestly.

"He's very strong, but he's no match for me."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said calmly, "Onoki from Iwagakure, the Third Raikage from Kumogakure, and the Jinchuriki from each village who have mastered the power of the Tailed Beasts are the ones I need to pay attention to."

"The other so-called strong individuals will only pose a problem for me if they form a team."

"Hanzo may be very strong, but his unique characteristics are not what I call unique characteristics."

""

"He was restrained by me—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's words revealed a hint of confidence.

Hiruzen Sarutobi is not afraid of ninjas without sufficient offensive power.

He's different from other ninjas; his style is similar to Hanzo's, and actually somewhat like Minato and Sakumo—all emphasizing swift kills without overextending their attack power.

The scene of bombarding someone with a Tailed Beast Ball is vastly different from having their throat slit with a knife, but the result is the same.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi is different.

A ninja whose attack power is not excessive is no threat to him.

His main strength lies in his ability to tolerate mistakes.

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't wait for Hanzo to come and spar with Konoha; he'd been itching for a fight lately!

Moreover, subduing someone by force aligns with the mindset of a veteran ninja like Hanzo.

Hiruzen Sarutobi has discovered it.

Before the martial prowess of figures like Hashirama became widely recognized and accepted, reasoning with ninjas truly required the use of force to get them to listen.

"The formula and supply volume for the overseas version of 'Holy Landine' need to be prioritized in the process."

"Kakuzu's identity will not be made public for the time being, but he will also undertake an important task within the village: he will act as an independent third-party auditor to review Konoha's various financial expenditures."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile, "But everyone, don't be nervous, it's just to fill in the gaps."

Even so, the members of the Konoha committee still felt a chill run down their spines.

Orochimaru and Danzo, in particular, who received larger sums of money, were reflecting on whether they had recently engaged in any irregularities and whether there were any shortcomings in their accounting records.

Kakuzu's expertise in economics is self-evident after today's meeting.

Absolutely professional!

This was also the job that Hiruzen Sarutobi found for Kakuzu.

Konoha's Chief Accountant—

Check the accounts!

Even without intentional embezzlement, neglecting to audit the accounts can easily lead to complacency.

"Hiruzen, there's something else I need to mention."

Mitomon coughed slightly: "Um—in the administration department, many nobles and even daimyo want to ask you whether you will take a concubine—"

Now it was Hiruzen Sarutobi's turn to be completely bewildered.

Taking a concubine?

How could you even have such a thought!

"Aren't you the Shogun of the Land of Fire now—the Hokage? But you're also the highest-ranking noble in the Land of Fire. What noble doesn't take concubines?"

"Marriage alliances are an important means for nobles, you know that—" When Mitokado Homura first learned this, he was a little flustered, but after thinking about it carefully, he realized that it made sense.

"I asked Biwako for you, but she doesn't seem to care," Koharu Utatane added.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips twitched, and he waved his hand: "No need—"

Since Biwako mastered the initial Yin Seal, it has been sufficient for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Moreover, given his physique, those delicate noble ladies couldn't possibly withstand him, and a marriage alliance with these nobles would inevitably lead to a series of troubles—

The nobles could only offer money, but Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't need to go through marriage to get them to willingly part with their money.

"Lord Hashirama, as the founder of the village, is revered as the God of Shinobi, and he only had one wife, Lady Mito—" Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered, "I told them that before the shinobi world achieved peace, I had no such intentions. Let's reject them!"

Taking a concubine, having a secondary wife, or even a marriage alliance—

Ultimately, it comes down to how much benefit it can bring.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was not a pedantic person.

"If there were a female ninja with the strength of Madara Uchiha or the First Hokage, and she would work for Konoha if she married me, then I'd hold the wedding tomorrow!"

"Of course, it would be even better if it possessed the power of the legendary Sage of Six Paths—"

"If that day ever comes, remember to give a gift!" Hiruzen Sarutobi joked, which made the Konoha committee members laugh.

"Teacher, why are you eating and taking things away?" Orochimaru teased with a smile.

In the ninja world, the highest level a female ninja can reach is Mito's, and even that is a once-in-a-century phenomenon.

I've never even heard of people on Hashirama's or Madara's level.

Orochimaru discovered that his teacher also had a sense of humor.

Danzo laughed too: "Hiruzen, I'll definitely give you a big one when the time comes, but I guess I'll never see that day before I die. This is the first time I've heard someone say that the Sage of Six Paths is a woman—"

Danzo and Orochimaru have stopped attacking each other and no longer call for the Hokage.

"Hiruzen" and "Teacher" are terms of address used by them to show their closeness to Hiruzen Sarutobi, distinguishing them from other ninjas.

Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed heartily; he was just making an excuse to lighten the mood.

Don't even mention whether the Sage of Six Paths is male or female—

Whether he ever truly existed is unknown in the ninja world, like an ancient legend.

"We need to put communication with Hanzo on the agenda and finalize the specific time for his arrival in Konoha."

"It's time for these exchange students from Kirigakure to return home. We need to communicate with Kirigakure and arrange a send-off party at the Ninja Academy—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi straightened his expression and gave the instructions.

"Yes, Hokage!" the Konoha committee members shouted in unison.

#

A few days later.

Richa arrived at the research department.

Orochimaru gazed at the calm-faced Hizashi and said softly, "Hizashi, do you crave greater power?"

"It can further empower teachers!"

>