After Mochizuki Hui finished speaking, the conference room fell silent.
Hui's phrasing was deliberate—he told them to "prepare," not "choose." In other words, the village's new zoning plans were not up for discussion or approval. Their role was simply to accept and adapt.
This caused some to frown, but no one voiced objections. The realization dawned on everyone: Hui's authority extended not just to keeping other ninja villages in check but also to ensuring Konoha's own leaders and elites complied without question.
This was no accident. Hui had carefully cultivated this dynamic. As a leader, he understood the importance of balancing kindness and benevolence with decisiveness and authority.
He knew that many of the reforms he planned for Konoha would inevitably hurt certain groups' interests. By maintaining an image of controlled dominance, he aimed to deter rash actions or resistance born from misguided dissent.
That said, Hui had no intention of becoming an dictator. He wasn't power-hungry—he simply understood the need for strong leadership in critical moments.
"Now that we've addressed population and urban planning, let's move to the next topic," Hui continued;
"With the implementation of the merit system, there's been a severe shortage of missions for our ninja. This imbalance between supply and demand is estimated to persist, so we must address it."
The other shinobi in the room nodded. They had personally experienced this issue. Many had been frustrated at how difficult it had become to secure assignments.
"What can we do?" an elite ninja grumbled. "We only receive so many client requests, and the competition has gotten ridiculous. Some people have even set up camp in the mission hall!"
The image of ninja sleeping in the mission hall made many chuckle, though the frustration on their faces were palpable.
Those barstards made it nearly impossible for me to get any mission.
"To solve this, the village could issue its own tasks or limit the number of missions any individual ninja can accept," suggested Hiruzen Sarutobi, the current captain of the jonin squads and the man who would one day become the Third Hokage if things went according to the original plot. His political acumen was evident in his suggestion.
"If the village creates its own missions, it could alleviate the immediate pressure. But it's not sustainable to issue a large number of internal assignments indefinitely. A better solution would be to restrict the frequency with which shinobi can accept missions," he elaborated. "For example, aside from specially assigned tasks, each ninja could be limited to one mission every five to ten days. That would be enough to meet demand."
His suggestion drew murmurs of approval. Even Senju Tobirama and Hui nodded in agreement, thinking it was feasible.
"It seems everyone agrees. Let's adopt both approaches for now: we'll increase the number of village-issued tasks while implementing mission frequency restrictions for ninja," Tobirama concluded, finalizing the plan.
"And now, onto the next matter…"
The meeting continued, addressing and resolving one issue after another. By the time dusk fell, the session finally concluded.
As Hui was preparing to leave, someone approached him—it was the Uchiha clan head. Clearly, he had something private to discuss.
"Hui-dono, might I trouble you to visit the Uchiha compound tonight? I'd like to host you as my guest," the Uchiha leader said with a polite bow, surprising Hui.
It didn't take Hui long to realize the invitation was not a casual one.
Given Tobirama's well-known disdain for the Uchiha, it was unusual for them to reach out to someone closely associated with him.
"A visit? I'd be honored," Hui replied, deeply interested.
Hearing Hui's agreement, the Uchiha leader visibly relaxed.
With Hui's appointment as Head of Administration, it was becoming increasingly clear that he was the leading candidate for the position of Third Hokage.
Tobirama's recent delegation of responsibilities only solidified this likelihood, pushing Hui's chances to near certainty.
To the villagers and shinobi alike, Hui was already seen as Konoha's de facto leader.
Even those who thought he was too young to lead had been won over by his exceptional political acumen.
For the Uchiha leader, it was clear that his clan's future hinged on their relationship with Hui.
If Hui decided the Uchiha should prosper, they would prosper. If he decided otherwise… they would face ruin.
After all, there was no Madara Uchiha to prop up their clan at the moment.
The two left the conference room together, walking toward the Uchiha compound.
Along the way, villagers who saw Hui greeted him warmly. Children in particular looked at him with sparkling eyes, their admiration uncontainable.
Hui's popularity in Konoha had reached an unprecedented height, even surpassing that of Hashirama Senju in his prime.
Unlike Hashirama, who had struggled with interpersonal matters, Hui was better at dealing with people.
The sight of this admiration-filled scene caused the Uchiha leader sigh in his heart. At the same time, he flet his decision to invite Hui over felt more validated than ever.
"This is truly a paradise compared to the Warring States Period," the Uchiha leader remarked.
Having lived through those chaotic times, he knew just how chaotic it was.
"If not for Lord Hashirama and your esteemed clan member, Uchiha Madara, who ended the Warring States era and founded the ninja villages, we wouldn't have this era of peace. It's just a shame things ended the way they did."
Hui nodded in agreement, though his admiration for Hashirama and Madara was tempered. While he respected their accomplishments, he also recognized their flaws.
The ninja village system they had created had not ended war; it had simply transformed small-scale skirmishes into devastating large-scale battles that occurred every decade or two.
In terms of death toll, the results were nearly the same.
That said, for ordinary civilians, life under the ninja village system was undoubtedly far better than during the Warring States period.
"Yes, it's a pity. Had the two of them collaborated to fully develop Konoha instead of clashing, this village might have reached even greater heights," Hui said. "We could have avoided the first two ninja wars and spared countless lives."
"Still, even though we lost them, we gained you, Hui-dono," the Uchiha leader said earnestly. His praise for Hui was unreserved as ge spoke.
"You're too kind," Hui replied humbly, though the sentiment wasn't far from the truth.
"Here we are. Hui-dono, please come in," the Uchiha leader said as they arrived at the Uchiha compound.
Unlike in the future, when the Uchiha would be relegated to the outskirts of the village, their current compound was located in a prime spot near the village center, surrounded by Konoha's bustling activity.
However, this was about to change.
In Hui's new plans for Konoha, the Uchiha clan would soon have to relocate.
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