Chapter 102: The Feeling of Being Hokage
The Next Day, Hokage Building.
Masahiko arrived early, standing in front of the huge transparent glass window, overlooking the entire village of Konoha.
"I actually became the Acting Hokage of Konoha. Fate is truly unpredictable..." Masahiko sighed with emotion and waved his hand. An Anbu member standing nearby flashed into the room.
Looking at the familiar mask and sensing the familiar chakra, Masahiko frowned. "Guze, are you the only one in the Anbu? Why is it always you appearing in front of me?"
Guze didn't answer, but Masahiko smiled. "It's fine. It's easier to get things done with acquaintances. From now on, you'll be responsible for delivering messages for me and such..."
"Acting Hokage-sama, I am the Anbu Commander."
"Er..." Masahiko paused. "Then go find me someone responsible for delivering messages."
Guze flashed out of the room. Masahiko shook his head. "Still adding 'Acting' to my title... How are you going to have a good relationship with your boss in the workplace like this? Just wait until I give you a hard time!"
Muttering to himself, Masahiko sat down at the Hokage's desk.
"C-rank mission application, B-rank mission application, C-rank mission application..." Picking up three documents in a row, Masahiko's frown deepened. "What the hell is this? Does the Hokage personally approve mission requests? No wonder Tobirama was so busy before."
"We need to establish a Mission Assignment Desk. The dignified Lord Hokage should only personally review S-rank missions..."
"So, before establishing that..."
Masahiko quickly flipped through each document. In a short while, he divided the files into four piles.
"One pile for C-rank, one for B-rank, one for A-rank, and one for S-rank and others..." Masahiko looked at the uneven stacks of documents and nodded with satisfaction.
Another Anbu flashed into the room. "Acting Hokage-sama, the three Elders have arrived!"
"Got it. Let them in..." Masahiko waved his hand, muttering inwardly, "This Anbu also looks familiar. I think his name is Yiran? Are there only two people in the Anbu?"
A minute later, the three Elders walked up and took their seats.
Masahiko sat in the main seat, leaned back, and sighed. "The last time I had a meeting here, Hashirama was Hokage. I didn't expect that I would have the day to be Hokage too."
The three Elders exchanged glances. Uchiha Izuya shook his head and whispered, "Grandpa Masahiko, you are the Acting Hokage."
Masahiko glanced at him but didn't refute. "Let's talk business... If you have something to report, speak up. If not, court is adjourned!"
The three Elders froze for a moment. It took them a while to react, and they were speechless for a moment...
Masahiko looked left and right, then remembered that he was the one who called them here. He realized there really wasn't much to say.
After hesitating, he could only speak up. "Previously, Tobirama and I were besieged by Kumogakure ninjas. Their Jonin were basically wiped out in that battle, and only the Third Raikage is left among their S-rank ninjas. I'm afraid their position among the Five Great Villages is shaky. What are your thoughts?"
"If I may ask presumptuously, is it convenient for you to take action now?" The one asking was the Nara Clan Head, voicing the thoughts of the other two Elders as well.
Masahiko hesitated. "I can, but it's best not to for the time being." The side effects of the Eight Inner Gates hadn't passed yet, and he didn't want to waste Witness Points on the "Taijutsu" stat...
"Then it's best to leave them be for now." The Nara Clan Head continued, "Nidaime is still recuperating, Lady Mito is pregnant, and your condition isn't optimal either. Sunagakure hasn't completely given up on invasion... According to you, Kumogakure won't recover temporarily. Why not settle the score with them in six months or a year?"
Masahiko nodded. "A year? They might not recover even in ten years. Actually, one other person participated in that battle: the Second Tsuchikage, Mū. Otherwise, Tobirama wouldn't have been injured so badly."
"Wait until I recover for a while; I'll go settle the score with him personally!" Masahiko completely shifted the blame for his miserable state onto Mū.
The three Elders exchanged glances and didn't object.
"Finally, there is Sunagakure. As the victors..." Masahiko was interrupted by Hyuga Tenjin halfway through his sentence.
"Acting Hokage-sama, Sunagakure should have already sent an alliance proposal."
Masahiko paused, then got up and rummaged through the smallest fourth pile.
"This..." Masahiko picked up a document and flipped through it.
"It really is an alliance proposal... Sunagakure's skin has been weathered by wind and sand; it truly is thick..."
Masahiko glanced at the three Elders and took out a blueprint he had prepared long ago.
"This is the only gain from my trip this time: a weapon blueprint. I leave it to you to arrange. Pay attention to confidentiality."
The three Elders passed it around, all frowning.
"Grandpa Masahiko, some of the materials listed here might not be plentiful in Konoha..."
"Go ask Sunagakure for them. Whatever is missing, ask for it. They were taught a lesson by Mito, and news that Tobirama and I are still alive will spread soon. How can they expect an alliance so easily without paying something!" Masahiko said with a smile.
"Right! If they don't agree, beat them!" Uchiha Izuya chimed in.
Masahiko smiled at him. "Alright. Next time, the Uchiha better send more clansmen."
Uchiha Izuya's expression changed, and he closed his eyes to rest his mind.
"Alright. Konoha shouldn't initiate foreign wars anytime soon. I reckon no one dares to provoke us anyway."
The three Elders looked at each other and nodded.
"Nothing else, right?" Masahiko asked.
Seeing no response, Masahiko revealed a mischievous smile and moved the documents from the desk over.
"C-rank missions, Uchiha Izuya, you review them."
"B-rank for you, Hyuga Tenjin."
"A-rank belongs to you, Nara Clan Head."
The three Elders exchanged glances. Uchiha Izuya stammered, "Grandpa Masahiko, I have matters to attend to in my clan."
"I leave it to you. Unless you want to jump off a cliff for me to see." Masahiko waved his hand.
Uchiha Izuya's expression changed. He sighed and began flipping through the mission requests.
"Acting Hokage-sama, I really have things to do in the Hyuga clan..." Hyuga Tenjin felt he had no handle for Masahiko to grasp.
"Things to do? I'll go research the Caged Bird Seal tomorrow. I reckon you'll have even more things to do then."
Beside them came the sound of flipping pages. The Nara Clan Head had already proactively started working.
"Look at that. How nice..."
Hyuga Tenjin took a deep breath and resigned himself to flipping through the requests.
Masahiko looked left and right, then took the last small pile. Counting them, there were only four documents left. He nodded with satisfaction.
Intelligence on the Land of Rivers: The northern part of the Land of Rivers is no longer habitable. Most civilians and ninjas have migrated to the former Land of Hot Water, plunging it into chaos again.
"Let it be chaotic... If they get involved in the dispute between Konoha and Kumogakure, don't blame me for firing cannons there." Masahiko muttered and set it aside.
S-rank Mission: Dignitaries from the Land of Fire plan to pay a friendly visit to the Land of Lightning and want to hire ninjas for protection.
Masahiko looked at it left and right, his mouth twitching. He shook his head with a sigh, picked up a pen, and wrote six big words: "Let him go die himself!"
Intelligence on Takigakure: Half a month ago, Takigakure ninjas launched a surprise attack on Iwagakure. Due to the fierce offensive from Kirigakure, Iwagakure's defenses were insufficient, and Takigakure successfully snatched the Seven-Tails, Chomei.
"Such a thing happened... I remember Iwagakure spent a lot of money to buy the Seven-Tails. Karma, huh? Mū..."
Intelligence on Amegakure: The years of civil war in Amegakure have subsided. A ninja named Hanzo has become the leader.
"Hanzo, huh..." Masahiko fell into thought. "I didn't expect him to step onto the stage of history so early."
"Right. My 'grandchildren's generation' currently active in the ninja world will soon become the 'great-grandchildren's generation.' The Third A is one, Hanzo is another, followed by Hiruzen, Onoki..."
Masahiko stood up, walked back behind the desk, and sat down heavily, watching the three Elders sink into the quagmire of mission reviews.
"The feeling of being Hokage... isn't bad..."
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