The Hokage Tower looked the same from the outside — tall, proud, unyielding.
But the closer Ryuzen Kurokami walked toward it, the more cracks he noticed.
The red paint on the wooden beams looked a shade duller than before, the gold trim at the entrance slightly tarnished. Guards at the gate stood tall, but their armor wasn't polished. And in the alley behind the tower, he caught sight of two children in oversized clothing picking at the scraps left behind by a dango vendor.
He didn't stop walking, but the image stuck to him like dust that wouldn't shake off.
Inside, the air was cooler, but not warmer in spirit. The corridors were too quiet, footsteps echoing longer than they should. Ryuzen passed clerks with hurried expressions, papers clutched close to their chests, avoiding eye contact as if one wrong glance might betray too much.
By the time he reached the council chamber, he already knew — something was wrong.
The large room smelled faintly of old ink and sandalwood. At the round table sat Tsunade, Kushina, Mikoto, and the Third Hokage. Four people who rarely sat together without a crisis at hand.
"Ryuzen," Tsunade greeted, her voice steady but eyes sharper than steel. "You took your time."
"I came as soon as I received the summons," he replied, bowing slightly before taking the empty seat.
Kushina leaned forward, her elbows on the table, fiery hair spilling over her shoulders. She gave him a faint smile — but there was no warmth behind it. "You've been… busy lately."
The words were casual, but the pause before busy told him it wasn't a question.
"I do what the village needs," Ryuzen said evenly. "Nothing more, nothing less."
Mikoto's gaze lingered on him longer than the others, unreadable. "Needs change quickly these days."
Hiruzen tapped his pipe against the ashtray but didn't light it. His wrinkled face was calm, but his eyes darted from one speaker to another. "Let's not waste time. We are here because the council is divided."
Ryuzen didn't need to ask over what. He had seen the same thing in the streets — food shortages, increased patrols at the market, shinobi quietly reassigned without explanation.
The discussion began, but no one said the real words.
Tsunade spoke of "resource allocation."
Kushina mentioned "civil stability."
Mikoto talked about "family concerns."
Hiruzen called it "long-term security."
Ryuzen listened, feeling the invisible weight in the room. Every phrase was a mask.
When Kushina asked, "How many missions have you taken outside the village this month?" it wasn't about missions. She wanted to know who he'd been speaking to.
When Tsunade said, "We need to make hard choices," it wasn't about rationing supplies. It was about who the village would protect first if things got worse.
When Mikoto said, "Not everyone is happy with the leadership," it wasn't just idle observation. It was a warning — and possibly a threat.
Finally, Hiruzen looked directly at Ryuzen. "We've heard whispers. Some claim there's a hand moving behind the scenes. Do you know anything about that?"
The room went still.
Ryuzen didn't blink. "Whispers are just wind, Hokage-sama. They only matter if someone listens."
A faint smile touched Hiruzen's lips, but it didn't reach his eyes. "And who should we be listening to?"
"That depends," Ryuzen said. "On whether you want the truth… or what makes you sleep better at night."
The silence that followed was heavier than shouting.
Tsunade pushed a folder toward him. "Read it later. Memorize it. Burn it."
He didn't touch it yet. "And if I refuse?"
Her gaze narrowed. "Then you'll learn what it means to stand outside the circle."
Kushina spoke next, voice softer than before. "The village is breaking in places most people don't see. But the people who do see it… are starting to choose sides."
Mikoto finally broke her stillness. "And soon, Ryuzen… you'll have to choose yours."
When the meeting ended, Ryuzen stepped out into the corridor.
He didn't open the folder until he was alone, standing near a narrow window where light barely reached.
The first page wasn't a mission report.
It was a list of names.
Some he recognized as merchants.
Some were retired shinobi.
And at least two… were current members of the Hokage's advisory council.
Beside each name was a symbol — an unfamiliar mark like a crescent wrapped around a black flame.
At the bottom of the page, in Tsunade's handwriting, was a single line:
If this is true, the Hokage is no longer the one giving the final order
Here's an author note you can place at the end of Chapter 25 to keep that "1% writer" grip on the reader:
Author's Note:
Politics in the shinobi world is rarely fought with jutsu — the deadliest battles are the ones whispered in closed rooms.
Ryuzen is now standing where every choice will have a cost… and every ally could be a hidden enemy.
Next chapter, the shadows will start to move, and you'll finally see who's been pulling the strings all along.
Don't blink — the game is just beginning.