Transmigrating as the Third Hokage: Make Konoha Great Again!

"The remaining issues are how the soul is transferred into the body, and the compatibility!"

"The Kato clan's 'Spirit Transformation Technique' has extremely high reference value..."

"As long as we can devise a technique similar to 'body possession' and prepare a body for our teacher, he can return!"

"Even if there's a slight mismatch between his spirit and body, I believe Tobirama-sensei can overcome it himself. This is a precious opportunity I carefully prepared for him—to be an Uchiha for once. I'm sure he'll want it..."

He thought of another layer.

During his lifetime, Tobirama Senju possessed a large number of forbidden technique notes, including many related to the soul.

Previously, due to concerns that these unfinished forbidden techniques would ruin everything, and also because he was exhausted from serving as Hokage, he sealed away his laboratory and these notes.

"Teacher, by leaving these things behind, you're implying that I should let you return as an Uchiha, right?" Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips curled up slightly.

In the thin layer of smoke, light and shadow fell on his profile, half bright and half dark.

"It looks even more like it..." Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado felt a jolt in their hearts.

What is Hiruzen thinking?

Danzo Shimura's idea, however, was rather comical...

He was envious.

Danzo once secretly practiced imitating Tobirama Senju's classic expression in front of a mirror within Root, and even had someone take a picture of him for comparison…

This is what it means to be a fanatical fan imitating an idol.

"Hiruzen, are you going to get ahead of me too? But I haven't given up yet..." Shimura Danzo thought to himself, "Just imitating me won't help!"

"The one who truly inherited Tobirama-sensei's will is me!"

"Sorry, I got a little lost in thought, thinking about the Uchiha clan."

Hiruzen Sarutobi snapped out of his daze, his expression instantly changing to a warm smile: "I called you here today to discuss the reform of the Konoha ninja system."

"As you've probably all noticed, the current ninja system is no longer suitable for the present situation. The main problem lies in the Jonin and high-ranking positions."

"Konoha's higher-ups have no promotion path for Jonin, and among the hundred or so Jonin, there is a need for a management team to make the village's work clearer."

Hiruzen Sarutobi keenly noticed a problem with Konoha's framework.

That is, there is a serious imbalance in the ratio between the more than one hundred Jonin and the decision-making level.

The top management team is said to consist of four people, but the advisory roles of Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado are mainly for participating in political affairs and managing the administrative department.

The so-called administrative department serves as a bridge between the Land of Fire and Konoha, receiving financial expenditures allocated to the village by the state, and also reporting on the village's situation to the daimyo.

They do not directly manage Jonin.

Although Shimura Danzo once led Root, he turned Root into his own private army...

This person cannot be given personnel authority.

The same applies to Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado. It's not that these two people have moral problems, but the Hokage should keep the core combat force of Jonin as much as possible.

And why is Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned to more than a hundred people?

This is impossible, and the consequences of doing so are obvious.

The essence of management lies in the manager's energy ceiling and the complexity of the object.

Even though Danzo Shimura had helped Hiruzen Sarutobi with some of the burden, he still nearly exhausted himself.

Therefore, a buffer layer must be set up.

With this additional layer, Hiruzen Sarutobi's management becomes much easier and more efficient, saving a lot of time for new tasks or training.

It can also ignite the hope of improvement in the ninjas of Konoha.

The benefits are numerous.

"I plan to establish twenty core Jonin, and the initial plan is to name them Konoha Committee members..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly said, "Selection will be based on merit and overall ability. Each Konoha committee member will manage about five to six Jonin, who will report directly to the Hokage."

Koharu and Homura instinctively frowned.

It's not that they only know how to disagree.

Rather, they, like Hiruzen Sarutobi before them, held the attitude that "ancestral laws should not be changed," believing that the system left by Tobirama Senju was perfect and should not be easily altered.

But in Hiruzen Sarutobi's view, problems should of course be drastically changed.

Back then, Tobirama Senju wasn't in charge of a hundred people all by himself.

These members of the guard team, the Senju clan's Jonin from the Sengoku period, were essentially fulfilling the duties of 'Konoha committee members'.

It simply died before it could be institutionalized in peacetime.

In a sense, Hiruzen Sarutobi's ability to endure for so many years is indeed a testament to his extraordinary talent...

They really know how to endure.

Koharu and Homura exchanged a glance, about to say something…

Hiruzen Sarutobi said expressionlessly, "Think it over before you speak. I want to hear something meaningful."

The two of them fell silent again, deep in thought.

Only Danzo Shimura spoke in a deep voice: "Hiruzen, you will regret this!"

013 Oh my god! Why did Danzo light Hiruzen's cigarette?

"You'll regret this..." Upon hearing this, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado's lips twitched slightly.

Hiruzen has changed a lot recently, becoming both familiar and unfamiliar to them.

But Danzo remained the same...

Whenever he heard Hiruzen Sarutobi say something that was even slightly different from what he had in mind, he would blurt out this sentence!

It's like some kind of pre-programmed ninjutsu... it always triggers precisely.

Will I regret it?

Surprisingly, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't rush to refute Danzo Shimura. Instead, he nodded slightly and said with a rather serious expression:

"Okay, then tell me why I regret it. If you're right, then I'll listen to you."

"Huh?" Shimura Danzo was taken aback, his combo interrupted.

No, that's not how you play the Konoha Naruto mini-game! Why are you actually listening to my advice?

You should shout that you're the Hokage, then refuse to listen to me, we'll glare at each other, I'll slam the door, and then I'll go back to Root and start cursing you in private…

Finally, in some mysterious event, I won the Hokage position, and I'll show you my divine robe!

Oh.

I forgot, the root system is going to be dismantled; this thing is gone...

No, are monkeys really that trustworthy?

After yesterday's training ground incident, Shimura Danzo, who was publicly criticized and given a military order, had the opportunity to show his face in front of everyone, but after returning home, he pondered it carefully.

Something still doesn't feel right!

If he were Hiruzen Sarutobi, he would definitely use this momentum to completely crush himself!

The previous promise? Giving him a fair chance to become Hokage or something...

Who would remember such a thing!

Because Root exposed real problems in front of everyone, Hiruzen Sarutobi confirmed that Root was going to disband.

Even if he wanted to play some tricks, there was nothing he could do.

Neither Koharu Utatane nor Homura Mitokado would speak up for themselves; if they made a mistake, they had to be punished—that's how ninjas are.

The reason why Shimura Danzo was breathing heavily again today is, to some extent, a struggle about his future.

But the problem is...

"Hiruzen, do you really keep your word?" A strange sense of guilt washed over Shimura Danzo. He quickly gathered his thoughts and replied earnestly:

"If twenty core Jonin are designated, also known as 'Konoha Committee members,' then the Hokage's power will inevitably be divided among these people. How can the authority of the Hokage Building be guaranteed then?"

"Hiruzen, you may think this is good, but it is undoubtedly irresponsible towards the Hokage's authority! All Jonin must take direct orders from the Hokage!"

Danzo Shimura revealed his inner thoughts.

Hiruzen Sarutobi silently stared at Danzo Shimura, then shook his head in exasperation after a moment: "I thought you had some profound insights..."

"I understand your logic: more people equals dispersed power, which equals loss of control over power, right?"

Danzo Shimura nodded confidently: "Yes, so what? Isn't that right?"

"The essence of decentralized power is the overlap of responsibilities and the ambiguity of ownership..." Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe and slowly filled it with tobacco:

"To put it in the words you understand best, the Root organization you used to lead was like this... It had a high degree of overlap with the Anbu, and it was under the banner of my Hokage. If this continues, your orders will override mine in the hands of some people."

Danzo Shimura said expressionlessly, "I did that so that..."

Koharu and Mitokado nodded gently.

That's really how it is...

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, signaling him to shut up: "The 'Konoha Committee' that I want to establish is not a decision-making body; they are a higher-level executive body with only the so-called right to make suggestions."

"I will listen to good suggestions, and I will reject bad suggestions."

"I have the final decision-making power, the core personnel power, the power to allocate resources, and the power to handle emergencies. I am naturally the one who has the final say in these matters."

"Establishing the professional areas of responsibility for each committee member, confirming the boundaries of power, and establishing accountability and oversight mechanisms will only make Konoha's operations more efficient and smooth."

Are you worried that your squad leader will betray you?

Danzo Shimura frowned:

“That’s different. My control over them is absolute! Hiruzen, I won’t hold back anymore. Can you place curse marks on these ‘Konoha committee members’?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed: "Danzo, you've been lurking in the shadows for too long. If others heard this, they'd think Konoha was some kind of slave farm..."

Danzo Shimura, however, raised his head and did not feel ashamed.