"Uzumaki Heiyan, from the very beginning, you've been acting superior, issuing orders and spouting unrealistic ideas. Yet you, who bears responsibility for Konoha's current dire situation, haven't taken any concrete actions yourself!
Everyone knows you've already sold off all your businesses in Konoha and openly transferred your assets. Given all that, how can we possibly believe that you genuinely have Konoha's best interests at heart and will remain loyal to this village?"
The Shimura Jonin stood up again, staring intensely at Heiyan and demanding an answer.
It must be said—this time, he truly struck at the sore spot.
"Yeah, Uzumaki Heiyan has already prepared an escape route for himself. If Konoha collapses, he can just walk away clean as if nothing happened—but what about the rest of us?"
"Konoha can't withstand this kind of turmoil anymore. This so-called reform is nothing but nonsense. There's only one path forward for our village—to sincerely repent before the Daimyo's Mansion and beg the Daimyo for forgiveness."
In the meeting room, voices rose in heated discussion.
At this point, if Heiyan couldn't provide a convincing response, all his previous efforts would undoubtedly go to waste.
"Follow me."
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Heiyan spoke just three words before walking toward the door.
Of course, he knew well that rather than getting into arguments inside the meeting room, it would be more persuasive to take actual action.
What was Heiyan planning to do?
Everyone watched him suddenly turn and walk away, their faces filled with shock and confusion.
Just then—
Hiruzen Sarutobi was the first to rise from his chair. With one hand holding his pipe and the other behind his back, he silently followed after Heiyan.
With the Hokage leading the way, others naturally couldn't say much else. They filed out one by one from the meeting room.
A grand procession marched out of the Hokage Tower.
Down Ichiraku Street, Heiyan strode forward alone, followed closely by nearly a hundred high-ranking Konoha officials—led by the Third Hokage himself.
"What in the world is happening?"
Villagers lining both sides of the streets looked on curiously and started gathering around as well.
Something big was happening in the village!
The news spread like wildfire—from one person to ten, from ten to a hundred, until thousands had heard. Before long, crowds swelled from hundreds to thousands, eventually drawing residents from half the village.
The streets were filled with masses of people crowding behind them.
Thus, following Heiyan's lead, they all walked out of the village.
"Uzumaki Heiyan, what exactly are you scheming? Where do you intend to lead us?" The Shimura Jonin impatiently asked.
Right at this moment, Heiyan finally stopped walking.
This place should be about right.
At this time, everyone stood on a small hill outside the village. Below them stretched a large abandoned lumberyard where trees had already been completely cut down, many old logs piled everywhere. Moldy tree stumps covered the area alongside spreading weeds and wildflowers, showing signs of long-term neglect and abandonment.
Heiyan crouched down and pressed two fingers to the ground. Beneath the lumberyard, he sensed a tangle of tree roots and plant seeds—perfect conditions for his ninjutsu.
With that thought, Heiyan stood and addressed the confused crowd before him:
"Everyone, the Ichiraku Street we passed earlier is the main central thoroughfare of Konoha, yet it's less than a kilometer long. The core residential area of Konoha is too small—it doesn't even compare to an average town.
Have you noticed that in recent years, more and more people have come to Konoha wanting to settle here, but they cannot find housing? This shortage makes it hard for our village to attract new residents—and that's holding back our entire economy."
"We already know what you're talking about."
Koharu Utatane stepped forward, clearly displeased. "Konoha has taken many years to develop into what it is today. It hasn't been easy."
As one of Konoha's elder advisors, she disliked how Heiyan pointed out so many problems—it felt like indirect criticism of their effectiveness as high-ranking elders.
Homura Mitokado also frowned, questioning Heiyan:
"You've talked a lot, but what exactly can you do for Konoha? Can you magically conjure an entire district of houses? If you truly could accomplish such a feat, I would gladly resign from my advisory position right here!"
"I feel the same," Koharu immediately chimed in, issuing an ultimatum. "But if you keep speaking empty words without taking any real action, then today, right here before everyone, I request that you, as Hokage's advisor, publicly announce your resignation!"
Her words sent a wave of murmurs rippling through the crowd.
Everyone could see the deep discord between Heiyan and the pair—Koharu and Homura. Their conflict had escalated to an irreconcilable point.
Today, someone would surely be humiliated.
Watching this unfold was Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Third Hokage—who let out a deep sigh.
Although he originally wanted to intervene, Koharu and Homura had launched their accusations so suddenly and harshly that retreat was no longer possible.
Looking at them, Hiruzen inwardly sighed. Though unaware of Heiyan's ultimate move, he foresaw that Koharu and Homura might soon reap what they'd sown.
"Remember your words," Heiyan said quietly.
He glanced at Koharu and Homura, then turned around and slowly pressed both palms together. Soon, distinctive Great Sun Sage facial markings appeared on his face. Then—
[Boom!]
A colossal, crushing chakra burst forth from Heiyan's body, rocketing into the sky and surrounding him in a towering aura several meters high.
This chakra wasn't the usual blue—it radiated an earthy hue, giving observers a profound, heavy, yet vibrantly alive impression.
"That's insane chakra!"
The surrounding Konoha ninja grew increasingly shocked. The overwhelming chakra pouring from Heiyan defied all their previous understanding—it even surpassed what they associated with Tailed Beasts.
Yet in reality, they had only witnessed a tenth of its true magnitude.
Beyond their sight, an additional nine-tenths of chakra surged violently from the wild natural energy between heaven and earth, converging on Heiyan like rivers converging into the ocean.
This natural energy could be perceived only by Tsunade, as she was the sole individual among those present who had also mastered Sage Mode.
Her inner shock surpassed that of others by far. She realized that Heiyan absorbing such an immense amount of natural energy at once meant he would definitely unleash a monumental Sage Art.
As thousands of Konoha villagers watched—
Heiyan suddenly slammed both hands onto the ground and let out a light shout: "Rise!"
In an instant, countless surges of Sage Chakra erupted from his palms into the earth below, accelerating the growth of deeply buried roots and seeds.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With continuous, earth-shaking roars, within the abandoned lumberyard, numerous flowers, grasses, and trees burst forth from the soil, growing at inconceivable speeds.
At the same time, hundreds of massive stones rose neatly from underground while rushing streams gushed forth from deep beneath, reshaping the heavens and earth and reforming the land itself.
Right before everyone's eyes, an entire architectural complex rapidly took shape.
What emerged was a fully-formed residential community.
Inside this neighborhood stood well over one hundred villas, each constructed with a stone-and-wood framework, elegant in appearance with personal gardens and fences. Beyond these residences were several roads crisscrossing through the district, green belts, and a central plaza. Most remarkably, a wide artificial river encircled the entire community, forming a beautiful scenic feature.
Looking down from midair, this new residential development directly expanded Konoha's urban area by another one-third.
Miraculous workmanship.
This—was the power of the Yin-Yang Release Sage Art.
Silence.
Utter silence.
At this moment, all the Konoha ninja behind Heiyan, along with the thousands of villagers who had gathered to watch, were completely stunned by what they witnessed, unable to speak for quite some time.
Some even suspected the sudden appearance of the villas was an illusionary technique Heiyan cast and kept rubbing their eyes to confirm it was real, not a genjutsu.
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado stood especially frozen, struck dumb as if hit by lightning.
Slowly rising back up, Heiyan staggered slightly with his tall frame. Several strands of his previously jet-black long hair quietly turned white.
A faint floral scent accompanied Tsunade as she steadied him again.
"Are you alright?" she asked concernedly.
"Don't worry, I'm fine," Heiyan replied with a slight smile, his complexion quickly returning to normal.
Had this happened just days ago, performing such a large-scale Yin-Yang Release Sage Art would have certainly overwhelmed his body, possibly even killing him on the spot. However, after drinking Hero Water, his Sage Transformation underwent further evolution, enabling him to endure this level of consumption now.
Heiyan estimated that the chakra consumed by this technique was roughly comparable to Pain's [Super Shinra Tensei] from the original timeline—though the difference lay in creation versus destruction.
Without harming himself, combined with his Sage Transformation's recovery ability, Heiyan could actually perform this technique once every month. It was foreseeable that within just a few years, Konoha's city area could expand several times over.
Heiyan slowly turned around to face everyone.
Not long ago, many of these people had doubted and criticized him. But now, every gaze directed at Heiyan carried nothing but deep shock and reverence.
Though many hadn't witnessed Heiyan's invincible might on the battlefield at Uzugakure firsthand, they now saw it in a different way.
He is an immortal sage.
Only an immortal sage could create such an extraordinary miracle beyond imagination.
Compared to such mighty power, the so-called daimyo suddenly seemed insignificant.
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi believed exactly that.
He knew for certain even the First Hokage's [Wood Release] techniques couldn't match what Heiyan had accomplished. From that technique Heiyan had just used, he sensed a fusion of Yang, Earth, Water, and Lightning chakra natures—one level beyond even Kekkei Tota.
Has Heiyan really reached this level already?
At this moment, Heiyan spoke again, his voice clear as he addressed everyone present:
"As you can all see, this is what I'll do for Konoha. All these properties will be sold off, with the proceeds fully supporting Konoha's finances.
Furthermore, this is only the beginning. Every month, I will construct a new residential area. My ultimate goal is to expand the Leaf Village tenfold, increasing both its territory and population, transforming it into a magnificent metropolis unlike anything else in the world of shinobi."
Heiyan made his promise, describing his grand vision, then turned his gaze toward Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.
"Seniors, thank you both for your years of contributions to Konoha. After your resignations, we younger generations will take up the responsibility for Konoha's future, continuing to carry forward the Will of Fire."
Truth be told, he'd never liked those two anyway.
If he intended to push forward reforms, he would start from the top down—using this opportunity where they practically stuck their faces out asking to be slapped away, forcing them to leave early.
"You…"
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado glared fiercely at Heiyan, their expressions extremely dark. They held their tongues for a long time before finally turning away in fury without saying a single word.
But no one cared about them anymore, because every gaze was firmly locked onto Heiyan—watching his next move and waiting for his next words.
Over the past six months, life had been difficult for Konoha's ninja, and at one point had nearly fallen into despair. But now, seeing Heiyan's strength, hope was reborn in everyone's hearts.
Heiyan would surely be the one to lead Konoha out of its downturn and hardship.
No one else could accomplish this feat—except him!
Heiyan looked at Hiruzen, and the Third Hokage nodded slightly with a smile, signaling to Heiyan to speak freely and boldly.
Thus, standing atop that small hill and facing the assembled Konoha ninja, Heiyan gave an impassioned speech.
"Long ago, the Sage of Six Paths founded the [Ninjutsu Sect], transforming chakra into a bond between people. Back then, humans peacefully used chakra to cultivate life and build society, creating a prosperous, harmonious, and conflict-free world together.
However, as the ages passed, a few individuals driven by selfish desires instigated wars, leading to the decline of the Way of the Ninja's original peaceful ideals and the rapid rise of militarized techniques.
From that point onward, the shinobi as a group strayed onto a mistaken path, becoming weapons for powerful nations at war, living their entire lives immersed in endless killing and conflict.
It was from that moment on that all shinobi were destined to carry the burden of sin, accepting the tragic fate handed down to them."
Uzumaki Heiyan paused here deliberately. The listeners below wore expressions of confusion, introspection, and pain.
Regarding these "few individuals driven by personal ambitions who started wars," Uzumaki Heiyan did not name them outright. Yet in truth, the true culprits behind the current state of the world of shinobi were Black Zetsu, along with Indra and the ruling classes of various countries—who were none other than the Daimyos themselves.
Black Zetsu does not desire peace within the world of shinobi. He needs a chaotic, hate-filled realm because only under such conditions could he cultivate extremists like Uchiha Madara, using him as a tool to resurrect Kaguya Otsutsuki.
Now, Uzumaki Heiyan sought to change this chaos and guide the shinobi back onto the correct path.
Therefore, he continued speaking, passing encouragement to everyone present:
"But we can change everything!
Because we know the true strength of shinobi lies not in destruction, but in creation.
In the past, Konoha was originally a military organization dependent upon the Daimyo's Mansion, dragged into countless wars and conflicts seeking funds and commissions—causing many human tragedies.
Today, instead of being a disaster, the Daimyo's sanctions offer Konoha a chance to reform and be reborn from the ashes.
Let us rediscover chakra's power and revive the original peaceful spirit of the Way of the Ninja!
Together, let's research and develop new techniques, applying them to agriculture, industry, commerce, and every aspect of daily life.
Let us use Yang Release to heal the sick and injured, Yin Release to nurture our minds, Earth Release to build bridges and roads, Water Release for irrigation and transportation, and even Fire, Wind, and Lightning Releases to..."
His voice swelled with passion and conviction; with each heartfelt word, eyes glistened—tears of hope and emotion.
Finally, Uzumaki Heiyan took a deep breath, slowly yet firmly addressing everyone:
"Starting today, no matter what happens, we will never again send children barely in their teens to the battlefield!"
This declaration thundered across Konoha, echoing powerfully through the village.
On the summer solstice of Konoha's 32nd year, on a small hill at Konoha's outskirts, Uzumaki Heiyan gave an unprecedented, life-changing address to thousands of villagers.
This speech would become a landmark moment in Konoha's history—a turning point whose far-reaching influence completely transformed Konoha's future.
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