Chapter 468: I Object!
From the Sage of Six Paths' perspective, Ino's Nine-Rank System was feasible and worth trying. He informed Mount Myōboku, and under the Great Toad Sage's instruction, Fukasaku had no way to object.
So when Jiraiya asked, he nodded emphatically. "That's right, we agree! Go and implement it!"
Jiraiya left Mount Myōboku feeling dejected. He thought about it for another two days. The Child of Prophecy was also his lifelong belief, and this conviction gradually overshadowed his many doubts as Hokage. A seed of willingness had been planted in his heart.
Meanwhile, Ino was covertly pushing for the plan's implementation.
Shikaku had known about this for a while. For the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, this system was simply too good. Things that were once hidden and couldn't be brought into the open could now be made explicit. The major clans could seize even more benefits, and in the future, they could even run for the position of Hokage. It was a plan with a hundred advantages and no disadvantages.
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado were seeing the proposal for the first time.
The two old advisors also had their own families to think about.
They had worked tirelessly for the sake of their families.
At their advanced age, they still woke up early every day to attend meetings, never missing a single day. This habit continued even into Naruto's era, with the two ninety-year-olds tremblingly coming to offer advice to the Hokage, clinging tightly to the last vestiges of their power.
Were they power-hungry? Absolutely.
But the desire to pave a smoother path for their descendants was also a factor.
They were not like the Sarutobi clan.
The Sarutobi had the legacy left by the Third Hokage's decades-long rule. Now they had Asuma, and in the future, Konohamaru. No matter who became Hokage—even if they picked a dog off the street to be Hokage—the Sarutobi clan would do just fine.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio was even more secure. Each generation produced talented individuals. The fifteenth generation had Shikaku at the helm, and the sixteenth had Ino. The three families were bound by a tight alliance. Even if Konoha were destroyed, their three families would survive.
The families of Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado were not so fortunate. They were a typical case of incompetent descendants. As long as the elders were alive, things were fine, but once they were gone, their families would decline within two generations.
They had no good solutions before and could only cling desperately to the power they held. Now, Ino had offered them a new choice.
When Ino went to discuss the matter with Danzō, she was met with fierce opposition.
"No, I object! Bringing the Third Tsuchikage and the Fourth Raikage into Konoha's system? Are you dreaming? What a joke! This will destroy all the order that Konoha has established up to this point. This is an attempt to uproot the great tree of Konoha!" Danzō showed Ino no courtesy, his tone harsh and his words sharp as he expressed his displeasure.
Under the previous Hokage system, he was one of the top candidates. And now? They were going to bring in ninja from other villages? If the Third Tsuchikage performed a great service, they would just choose him as the new Hokage? Unbelievable!
He stared daggers at Ino. "You are trying to let wolves into Konoha. If outsiders come in, will Konoha still be Konoha?"
Ino didn't back down an inch. She was the one who proposed the plan, so of course, she would argue for it.
She said, "If we don't have a grand system that benefits everyone, how can we absorb more nutrients? Lord Danzō, the tree of Konoha is already massive. Sheltering so many people is tiring for it. It needs fresh blood. How do we get that fresh blood? Through war? Through killing and burning? Lord Danzō, have you seen how plants get their nutrients? Not through slaughter, but by absorbing them through their roots, stems, and leaves. The more nutrients the tree of Konoha absorbs, the better its shade will be, and everyone will benefit from it."
Yes, you're all very happy, but who gets hurt? Only me! My status as the top Hokage candidate will plummet to outside the top eight hundred?
Danzō looked at Ino coldly. "I've said it, this matter is not up for discussion. There's no need to say any more!"
Persuasion wasn't working? Then what was she to do?
She would have to resort to some ninja methods.
The Nine-Rank System was the "homework" Ino had to turn in, and she had to do it well.
Ino had obtained the power of Six Paths, learned Sage Mode, and was apprenticed to the Sage of Six Paths himself. She had mastered the essence of the Kekkei Mōra and was striding forward on a broad path. The gains were immense, but she had also lost some things. Her relationship with the Shinigami, for instance, was in urgent need of repair.
Even if she didn't become the jinchuriki of the Yin-Nine-Tails, getting it back to use as a summon or to show off to Teacher Six Paths would be good.
The Yamanaka clan members still living in the village wanted more benefits. Jiraiya wanted a vacancy among the advisors so he could place Tsunade there to support him. The old Shinigami needed a truly wicked soul to serve as a cornerstone. Ino needed to obtain the Yin-Nine-Tails, gain the Shinigami's friendship, and earn more scapegoat points. And now, there was this "homework" to consider.
Old and new grievances were all focused on one person: Shimura Danzō!
If they could just solve the problem by getting rid of the person who was causing it, everyone would be happy.
Although she was reluctant to part with the King of Scapegoats, Ino made her decision. She would let the old comrade serve one last time. She promised this would be the final time!
The capital of the Land of Fire.
Several Root ninja hidden in the capital saw their leader suddenly appear before them and immediately knelt in respect.
"Lord Danzō."
Danzō's tone was grim. "I order you to go and kill the Daimyō now."
In his words, the Land of Fire's Daimyō was no different from a pig or a dog.
After waiting for more than ten seconds, the Root ninja didn't respond.
Danzō's face darkened. "What? Are my orders no longer effective?"
The lead Root ninja drew his kunai and thrust it at his own abdomen. "Because you are not Lord Danzō at all!"
Dispelling the Yuki Clan's Ice Mist Technique, Ino grabbed the Root ninja's wrist.
"You are...?!" The Root ninja looked up sharply, only to be met with a pair of rapidly spinning, crimson three-tomoe Sharingan.
The form of the eyes hadn't changed, but eyes were not all the same.
The effect of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's Byakugan was completely different from Hinata's, and the difference lay in the ocular power.
The ocular power in Ino's eyes now was far greater than that of an ordinary three-tomoe Sharingan.
Its hypnotic ability was second to none.
Including the Root ninja whose wrist she held, all four ninja fell into a genjutsu.
Just as Obito had controlled the Fourth Mizukage back then, she was now doing the same.
With the four Root ninja under her control, Ino didn't touch the sealing jutsu in their minds related to secrecy, loyalty, and preventing leaks. Instead, she slightly altered their memories.
When it came to unifying the ninja world, the ones who would suffer the most were Danzō and, certainly, the Daimyō. Ino had little confidence in her persuasive abilities now, so she decided to just get rid of them both!
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