Naruto: In Konoha Village, I awakened Wood Release at the start.

Leaf.

Hokage Building, conference room.

Chiba's gaze swept over the scrolls handed in by Rasa and the others.

But his face didn't show much expression.

For Chiba, these were merely the bricks and tiles that laid the foundation for the empire.

He tapped on the table.

Hey.

The slight sound sent chills down the spines of the four provincial governors below.

"Orochimaru's research department will be responsible for organizing these scrolls."

"After tidying up."

"All ninjutsu of rank C and below will be incorporated into the Imperial Basic Textbook and made available to everyone free of charge."

The voice just fell.

The meeting room was deathly silent.

"Free admission?"

Onoki suddenly raised his head, his aged face twitching wildly.

He couldn't control his voice, which became sharp and somewhat shrill.

Chiba ignored his lapse in composure and continued speaking.

"All B-rank and A-rank ninjutsu have been added to the Empire's merit point redemption list."

"S-rank forbidden techniques may be subject to extremely high exchange thresholds, or may be sealed away altogether, depending on the circumstances."

Onoki slumped back into his chair.

Luo Sha's mouth gaped open, and he couldn't close it for a long time.

Mei Terumi's composure, which she was so proud of, shattered completely at this moment.

Ai's fist, which had been clenched tightly, loosened weakly, his palms covered in cold sweat.

They finally understood.

What Chiba wanted was not any spoils of war.

He wants to sever the roots of the four great ninja villages!

The reason why a ninja village is a ninja village is because of its monopoly on knowledge.

For a commoner ninja to become stronger, he must work for the higher-ups and beg them to grant him some ninjutsu.

This is also the core reason why these shadows are able to rule the village.

But now.

Chiba broke the monopoly.

An ordinary genin only needs to honestly complete missions to earn merit points.

He will be able to learn Lightning Release Chakra Mode!

He can exchange for the Light and Heavy Rock Techniques of Iwagakure!

He will be able to master the Water Dragon Bullet of the Hidden Mist!

Who still misses the four great ninja villages of the past?

Who would listen to the incitement of these old-fashioned leaders?

That won't happen again.

All the lower-ranking ninjas will only frantically support Chiba!

"What's wrong?"

"Do any of the provincial governors have any objections?"

Chiba raised an eyebrow.

Luo Sha was the first to react.

His back was soaked with cold sweat, and his whole body looked as if he had been drenched in water.

"Long live the Empire!"

Luo Sha shouted loudly, his voice even cracking slightly.

He was completely convinced.

Revolt?

What can we use to resist?

As long as the merit point system is widely implemented.

Even if Chiba removes the Uchiha and Hyuga who were monitoring him.

The lower-ranking ninjas of Sunagakure will no longer listen to him, the former Kazekage.

"The Province of Water will fully cooperate with the implementation of the Empire's system."

Mei Terumi took several deep breaths to suppress the shock in her chest.

She lowered her head, her attitude even more humble than before.

Onoki and Ai exchanged a glance.

Both of them saw despair and surrender in each other's eyes.

Chiba's methods were more domineering than Hashirama Senju's and more profound than Madara Uchiha's.

This is an open conspiracy.

Upright and honorable, crushing everything.

"very good."

"The meeting is adjourned. Everyone, please return to your respective provinces to prepare for the handover."

Seeing that no one objected.

A satisfied smile appeared on Chiba's face.

The four provincial governors breathed a sigh of relief and quickly got up and left the meeting room.

The conference room doors slammed shut.

Only Chiba and a group of reanimated spirits remained in the hall.

"What advice does the First Generation have for us?"

Then.

Chiba turned his gaze toward Hashirama Senju and the others.

Under normal circumstances.

They should leave too.

But they stayed, so they must have something to say.

"Stop calling him the First Generation."

"Now there is only the Empire, not Konoha."

"You did a great job."

"It's better than I imagined!"

Hashirama Senju's expression turned serious for the first time.

"really."

"Use interests to bind the lower classes, and use force to suppress the upper classes."

"Your empire will be a thousand times more stable than Konoha's."

Tobirama Senju, who was standing next to him, also stepped forward, crossing his arms.

He couldn't find a single flaw in this descendant of the Senju clan.

Chiba nodded slightly.

Just then.

Hashirama Senju sighed and looked out the window at the bustling street.

"Now that the ninja world has been unified..."

"It's time for us dead to make our exit."

If the dead linger in the mortal world for too long, they will only become an obstacle to the new era.

Hashirama Senju was well aware of this.

Hatake Sakumo, Uchiha Kagami, and others behind him nodded in agreement.

They were awakened in order to end the war.

Now that the war is over, they naturally won't stay here any longer.

Chiba did not try to stop her.

The boundary between life and death should be respected!

"I'll give you twenty-four hours."

"This time tomorrow."

"Orochimaru's laboratory assembly."

Go and say a final goodbye to those you care about.

Upon hearing this...

Hashirama Senju's eyes lit up, and the heaviness he felt earlier vanished.

"Very good!"

"Tobirama, lend me some money!"

"I was itching to play when I passed that gambling den earlier!"

Tobirama Senju's face darkened.

"Big brother!"

"Where's your composure as an elder?"

The two brothers were arguing.

The figures of everyone disappeared one after another from where they stood.

……

Street gambling den.

"Big big!"

"Give me your ultimate move!"

Hashirama Senju rolled up his sleeves and stepped onto the long bench.

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the dice cup, as if it were the core of the Ten-Tails' seal.

The dealer lifted the lid.

"One, two, three, little one!"

The surrounding gamblers burst into laughter.

Hashirama Senju was utterly devastated, crouching on the ground with his hands covering his head.

"I've lost everything again..."

"Damn Tobirama, he only lent me this much; it's not even enough to make up for it!"

Just then.

boom!

The gambling den's door was kicked down.

Amidst the flying sawdust.

A blonde woman walked in with a menacing look on her face.

The surrounding gamblers scattered like birds and beasts in an instant.

Who doesn't know this Minister of Health of the Empire?

Tsunade stepped forward and grabbed Hashirama's ear.

"You old bastard!"

"You only had one day left, and you spent the entire time at the casino?"

Hashirama Senju feigned pain, causing his Edo Tensei body to contort in pain.

"Xiao Gang!"

"Gently, gently!"

"I'm still your grandfather!"

"You still remember you're my grandfather?"

Tsunade was furious.

Sudden.

A gentle female voice sounded behind Tsunade.

"Xiao Gang."

Tsunade froze, mechanically turning her head around.

Mito Uzumaki, dressed in a simple kimono, looked at her with a smile.

"grandmother……"

Mito Uzumaki stepped forward.

She ignored Hashirama Senju, who was pretending to be dead on the ground, and grabbed Tsunade's wrist.

"Come with me."

Inside a private room at the tavern.

Mito Uzumaki held her teacup and slowly skimmed off the foam.

Tsunade sat opposite her, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

How old are you this year?

Mito Uzumaki suddenly spoke.

Tsunade was covered in sweat, her eyes darting around.

"Forty... more than forty..."

boom!

Mito slammed her teacup down.

"Over forty!"

"He spends all his time drinking, gambling, and running away from his debts!"

"Are you going to utterly disgrace the Senju clan?!"

Tsunade lowered her head and muttered softly.

"The Thousand Hands clan is no longer around; we are all citizens of the Empire..."

"Don't try to change the subject!"

Mito Uzumaki suddenly leaned closer, staring intently into Tsunade's eyes.

"I've already heard about Kato Dan's matter."

"Let bygones be bygones."

"Do you intend to grow old alone?"

Tsunade bit her lower lip and remained silent.

Mito Uzumaki sighed, her tone softening.

"I think Chiba is pretty good."

puff!

Tsunade spat out all the tea she had just drunk.

She coughed violently, looking at her grandmother in disbelief.

"grandmother!"

"Are you crazy?"

"I taught him for a year; I was his teacher!"

Mito Uzumaki wiped the tea off her face with disgust.

"So what?"

"In the ninja world, the strong are revered."

"He awakened Wood Release and possesses the purest Senju bloodline."

"Only through your union can you produce the most perfect offspring and revitalize the Thousand Hands!"

Tsunade felt that her worldview had been devastated.

She suddenly stood up.

"impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

Mito Uzumaki snorted coldly and crossed her arms.

"It's not up to you."

"Once we return to the Pure Land, I'll appear in your dreams and curse you every day."

"I won't rest until you've given birth to ten or eight children!"

Tsunade covered her face and stormed out the door.

She'd rather go to the front lines and fight ten more Raikage than stay here and listen to her grandmother urging her to get married.

"This child..."

"Still running away from things."

Watching Tsunade's retreating figure.

A helpless smile appeared on Mito Uzumaki's lips.

She turned her head and looked at the night sky outside the window.

"but."

"With Chiba around, this girl finally won't have to experience war anymore."