With the dust settled on the battlefield of the Land of Rain, the news swept through the shinobi world like a storm. The name "Konoha Asura"—Kamiyama Ryo—completely replaced Hanzo's former title of "Demigod," becoming the new symbol of strategic deterrence.
Inside the Hokage's office, smoke swirled through the air. Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, a burnt-out pipe held between his fingers as he stared at the report detailing the "peace" in the Land of Rain. The war, which had dragged on for years and drained Konoha's foundation, was finally over. The heavy burden on his chest had been lifted. He should have felt relief, even elation.
But instead, his face showed only fatigue and a lingering gloom that refused to fade.
He was glad the war had ended. Any longer, and Konoha would have been emptied out. He, the Hokage, would've been forced to step down under the pressure of public outrage. After all, it was the upper echelon that had led the village into war. Someone had to take responsibility. Danzō was always good at taking the fall, but with how long this war dragged on, not even Danzō could bear the full weight of its failure. The long-awaited victory report from the frontlines finally gave his sleepless mind some relief. Especially considering that not long ago, they, the upper brass, had just rejected Tsunade's proposal to ally with Hanzo. Then Ame and Suna suddenly joined forces, leading to a surge in Konoha casualties. The pressure had been immense. But now, with the Land of Rain resolved, that blame no longer fell on him.
And yet, he wasn't happy.
Not at all.
The glory of this great achievement, the honor of ending the war, had landed almost entirely on one person. Kamiyama Ryo. Was it their strategic planning? Their stable command? The bloody struggle of Konoha's shinobi?
None of that mattered in the face of overwhelming power.
The people cheered for "Asura." The front-line shinobi revered Ryo. The rest of the shinobi world feared that red-haired boy.
"Hiruzen, if the result is good, then everything else is secondary," Homura adjusted his glasses, his tone calm as he tried to ease the Hokage's frustration.
"Good? It is good," Hiruzen replied, his voice slightly hoarse. "Konoha won, the war is over. But what does this 'good' have to do with us? The people know Ryo, not the Hokage. The shinobi respect strength. When have they ever respected our authority?"
He picked up the report, his fingers tightening until deep creases marred the paper.
"After years of bloody battles, countless lives lost, and immense resources spent, in the end, all we achieved was bolstering his personal fame."
Koharu cut in coldly, her voice like sharpened ice. "Didn't Danzō spell it out clearly in his letter?"
She glanced at a letter on the table, unsealed, its handwriting exuding a cold and oppressive tone. It was a copy of Danzō's confidential report from the frontlines. The core of the letter struck directly at Hiruzen's current unease. Ryo's power had gone out of control. He no longer recognized his superiors.. On the battlefield, he publicly humiliated a Konoha elder. Danzō himself. His threat level had surpassed his value.
Hiruzen slowly closed his eyes, Danzō's voice replaying in his mind, full of humiliation, fear, and an urgent warning.
Every word from Danzō stabbed deep into Hiruzen's core fears and doubts. Just as he said, Ryo's strength had long since transcended any past comparison. Defeating Hanzō was merely the tip of the iceberg.
What was more terrifying was that massive area-of-effect mental shockwave. The first time it had erupted in Konoha, it knocked out half the village's Genin and Chūnin. Now, the range had increased to fifteen kilometers.
What did that mean?
It meant that if Ryo wanted to, he could instantly disable the vast majority of Konoha's fighting force.
This wasn't just Kage-level power. It was strategic-level deterrence.
Not to mention, he could use the Flying Thunder God Technique. He moved at will. Numbers meant nothing to him.
Fortunately, a red-haired figure flashed through Hiruzen's mind. Fortunately, he had made the right move back then, tying Ryo tightly to Konoha through his deepest emotional bond, Kushina.
Without that bond, Hiruzen dared not imagine the consequences.
"He has no interest in the Hokage seat for now," Hiruzen opened his eyes, voice low, half stating, half trying to reassure himself. "That's the only good news."
"No interest now doesn't mean never," Koharu retorted sharply. "With the fame he's accumulated, if he ever speaks up, how many clans and civilians would switch sides? Hiruzen, don't deceive yourself. He's like the sun. Shining too brightly for us to even open our eyes. We must act before it's too late."
"Act? How?" Hiruzen rubbed his brow tiredly. "Send ANBU to monitor him? Look for his weaknesses? That's suicide. He dared to publicly shame Danzō. If that terrifying mental shock explodes here in the Hokage Building…"
He didn't finish the sentence. But the consequences were clear.
Konoha couldn't afford such chaos.
"Direct confrontation won't work," Homura analyzed calmly, his eyes sharp. "We can't suppress his power. But we can guide public opinion and restrain his influence. He's still a Konoha shinobi. As long as he recognizes that identity, as long as Kushina and Tsunade remain in Konoha, he has to follow the rules."
"So, suppression?" Hiruzen's gaze flickered.
"Cool down," Koharu said firmly. "We must cool down his popularity. This war was Konoha's victory, not a one-man show by Kamiyama Ryo. We must remind everyone who really steers Konoha's ship. The name Asura must not overshadow the authority of the Hokage. This is about village order and stability."
The office fell into momentary silence. Outside the window, sunlight bathed the peaceful village, forming a stark contrast with the chill settling inside the room.
Hiruzen tapped his fingers on the table, silently pondering. Homura and Koharu's stance was clear. Finally, he nodded slowly. A trace of cold calculation flickered in his clouded eyes.
"I understand your position. Then… let's cool him down. What's the plan?"
Homura and Koharu exchanged a glance, wordless but aligned.
Homura spoke first. "Downplay his decisive role in the Land of Rain. Adjust the public narrative. Promote the victory as the result of the Hokage's wise leadership and the valiant efforts of all Konoha shinobi. Focus on collective strength. Blur the image of personal heroism."
"At the same time," Koharu added, "control public opinion. All commendation and promotion ceremonies must be managed by the Hokage building. Keep them low-key. His achievements are already too great to add anything substantial. So we'll work from the angles of honor and influence. Limit his public appearances in internal affairs, especially in areas like mission assignments or shinobi deployments. He must no longer influence core operations. Let everyone know that Konoha runs on systems and the Hokage's leadership."
Hiruzen listened, his gaze deepening. The approach was old-fashioned, but at this moment, it was perhaps the only viable and relatively safe path.
Suppressing a war hero, especially one in the spotlight, was risky.
But to preserve top-level control over the village and to avoid power imbalance from a force that couldn't be fully controlled, this cold front had to blow.
"There's also this," Hiruzen added, a cold curve forming at the corner of his lips. "Danzō was worried about unstable bonds? Then it's time Kushina should take on more of her responsibilities. As the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, she bears a sword over our heads. Increase her training in Uzumaki Mito's sealing techniques. Keep her busier, less time running around."
Bringing Kushina further under protection and structure meant reinforcing the leash indirectly.
"Agreed," Homura and Koharu nodded in unison. Using her Jinchūriki status to bind Ryo more tightly suited their intentions perfectly.
With the plan decided, a cold sense of mutual understanding passed silently between Konoha's top three decision-makers.
Night fell. The Hokage building's small conference room glowed with bright lights. The atmosphere here was even more delicate than in the main office.
Hiruzen sat at the head, with Koharu and Homura on either side. Further down were several senior Jōnin representing civilian voices. It was an unofficial but high-level briefing.
Hiruzen puffed on his pipe, smoke veiling his expression.
"The Land of Rain campaign is over. Ryo's contributions are undeniable. The Hokage building is finalizing his commendation. But there is one thing you must all understand. This victory belongs to all of Konoha's shinobi, under the leadership of the Hokage. It was not achieved by any single person."
He paused, scanning the room. His gaze lingered slightly longer on Shikaku.
Shikaku lowered his eyelids slightly, his fingers tapping the table.
"At present, especially on the front lines, there are some exaggerated narratives emphasizing individual power. Titles like Asura may sound grand, but they risk obscuring the collective strength of Konoha and could invite unnecessary suspicion or targeting. That's not beneficial for village unity or stability," Hiruzen said with the weight of Hokage authority. "We don't need individual heroism overshadowing the collective."
Homura continued in a stiff, official tone. "The Hokage's directive is clear. Commendations will proceed, but public narrative must be adjusted. All official releases, memorial inscriptions, and mission archives regarding the Land of Rain must highlight the Hokage's strategy, Danzō's command, and the valiant sacrifice of Konoha's shinobi. Kamiyama Ryo's role will be downplayed. What we emphasize is the collective, the inheritance of the Will of Fire."
Koharu added coldly, "To maintain the village's normal operations and order, and to prevent disruption caused by excessive personal prestige, Ryo will no longer be involved in core post-war decision-making. This includes mission assignments, reconstruction projects, and negotiations with other villages. He needs time to rest. Other elite Jōnin can share the load."
This effectively stripped Ryo of influence over post-war matters.
"Weaken him? Adjust?" one civilian Jōnin frowned. "Hokage-sama, esteemed advisors. Ryo's strength is Konoha's asset. His merit is clear to all. If we downplay him like this and restrict his role, won't it dishearten those who fought on the front lines? His deterrence is one of Konoha's strongest safety nets right now."
Shikaku finally looked up, his gaze as calm as a deep lake. "That view is shortsighted. Konoha's system stands above individuals. Ryo's power is great, yes, but light that shines too brightly can burn those near it, and it could paint a target on Konoha itself. Cooling things down isn't denying his contributions. It's ensuring long-term stability. We're integrating his merit into the collective brilliance of Konoha. That shows our strength while avoiding internal imbalance or external pressure. This is what best serves the village's overall interest."
The Hyūga member remained silent, but his slight nod confirmed his stance. The Hyūga clan naturally leaned toward preserving order and authority.
Akimichi Torifū sighed. "As long as Konoha won and everyone came back safe, the rest, we'll leave to Hokage-sama's judgment." He represented the more conservative and obedient side of the Ino-Shika-Chō trio.
The civilian Jōnin exchanged looks. Some wanted to speak, but with the stance already firmly set by the advisors and major clans, they ultimately stayed silent.
Kato Dan observed it all, especially Shikaku's calm expression of "for the greater good." His heart went cold.
He thought of Ryo on the battlefield in the Land of Rain, like a god descending. He thought of Danzō kneeling under the weight of that Conqueror's Haki. And yet, Konoha's upper brass wasn't thinking of how to use that power. They were thinking about how to suppress and control it.
He opened his mouth, then closed it again with a silent sigh.
Hiruzen watched their reactions. Seeing Shikaku's support finally put his mind at ease.
He tapped out his pipe.
"It seems no one objects. Then we'll proceed as planned. Homura will coordinate with the Public Relations Division. Koharu will manage task assignments and post-war operations. Ensure Ryo is temporarily distanced from the core. That concludes this matter."
He stood, voice resolute.
"Everyone, remember. Everything we do is for Konoha's stability and its future."
(To be continued.)