Yuki Clan's compound.
Ancestral Hall.
The portly clan head, Yuki Tomoyuki, after offering incense to the ancestral tablets, continued to gaze silently at the spirit tablets covering an entire wall, remaining wordless for a long time.
"Sora…"
"The ancestors of our clan are worshipped here!"
Tomoyuki said in a sorrowful tone: "The grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, fathers, mothers, and even children of many within the clan have left their lives on the battlefield. I often come here to offer a few sticks of incense, but every time I see these familiar names, I still feel pain."
"It is I, this incompetent clan head, who harmed them. If I were stronger, much stronger, perhaps many clansmen could have survived, could have lived on in this cruel world."
Sora also remained silent.
After living here for more than ten years, he also held deep feelings for the Yuki Clan.
At this moment, Tomoyuki turned around and looked up at Sora: "I am old. Like the haze of the old era, I will only hinder the sunlight of the new era from piercing the clouds and falling upon the clan's land."
"So…"
"I am willing to hand over all the clan's head's power to you. I am too old, and too weak. Facts have proven that under my leadership, the Yuki Clan will only gradually decline, even face destruction."
"Only reform can change that bloody future."
At this moment, Tomoyuki looked at Sora with a firm expression. This was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a choice he had pondered for a long time, and also the most responsible choice for the clan.
A so-called clan head should be a leader who can truly lead the clan to greatness, not some insignificant direct bloodline, or a class vampire like the main and branch families that only turn people into demons.
…
After Sora took office, he indeed obtained unprecedented great power. With the tacit consent of the Third Mizukage, he also began nurturing his own confidants.
Yuzuki, Toden, and others who originally served in the Anbu were also transferred to the Kirigakure's Expeditionary Force as his trusted subordinates.
Kurumi, who is still a Chunin, began undergoing the certification assessment for promotion to Jonin due to her excellent record in the Anbu.
Jonin.
First, look at strength, second, look at qualifications, third, look at connections and background.
As Sora's number one confidant, no one would pick on Kurumi's strength. Moreover, being able to hold her ground in the Anbu, the young girl undoubtedly possessed strength above that of an Elite Chunin.
Even if her strength was barely enough for Jonin, becoming a Special Jonin wouldn't be a problem.
The village's clans had already missed the opportunity to provide help in times of need, so they absolutely could not miss the chance to add flowers to the brocade.
A large number of profiles of talented Ninjas were sent to Sora's desk, including many beautiful young girls. This was for him to select new subordinates. Everyone's resume looked quite impressive, with the weakest having at least Chunin-level strength.
Some clans went even further. They handed over the Ninjutsu, farmland, mineral veins, and even power they held to Sora as a pledge of loyalty and a way to strengthen ties.
In the view of these clans, since they started late, they needed even more the courage to go all out. Political investment is a long-term race, and winning or losing temporarily doesn't mean winning or losing for a lifetime.
Often, those who come from behind can end up laughing last.
Sora wasn't particularly interested in these resources or power, but he still accepted them all.
Then, after some adjustments, he magnanimously returned these resources and power to the hands of the great clans.
In this cycle of receiving and releasing, it seemed like nothing changed, but the initiative had completely fallen into Sora's hands. The clans' power became his power, and the clans' resources became his resources.
The allegiance of many Ninjas also naturally shifted from their clans to Sora.
Therefore, the dynamic between the two sides underwent a fundamental reversal. Sora was the master, while the clans were merely working servants.
Sora's office also moved from the underground Anbu's base to the sunlit Jonin Building.
As for Meigetsu, she was also transferred out of Anbu Third Division by Sora.
Now promoted half a level, she became the Deputy Commander of the Kirigakure's Jonin Team. Together with Kurumi, Yuzuki, and Toden, she began handling the administrative affairs in Sora's hands.
In fact, Sora never intended to invest too much energy into administrative affairs.
This wasn't some slice-of-life world. The universe was still hiding countless Otsutsuki monsters capable of destroying the entire planet.
When the time came, did he plan to use these powers to make the Otsutsuki Clan's monsters submit?
That was probably just a dream!
Therefore, power was something you definitely couldn't be without, but it shouldn't be built on so-called political games.
Instead, it should be based on one's own strength to be extremely stable.
Sora was very relaxed, even having time to drink tea in his office while admiring the bustling scenery on the streets outside.
Meanwhile, Meigetsu, Kurumi, Yuzuki, and Toden were buried in busy administrative tasks.
Personnel transfers, formulation and approval of Ninja echelon training plans, ownership of farmland and mineral veins, screening of confidential intelligence, quantity and routes of military logistics, fundraising and operation of war funds…
Ten thousand things attacked from ten thousand angles like a flood, sweeping up the four of them for several days and nights without time to sleep, plunging them into deep exhaustion and excitement.
Power has a fatal allure!
But not everyone could see things as clearly as Sora!
In the office, Kurumi, clad in black, flickered in. She knelt respectfully on one knee, handing a scroll to Sora.
Intelligence that required the busy Kurumi to personally deliver was probably no small matter.
Sora took it, then casually unrolled it and read the words on the scroll.
"The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki have signed a ceasefire agreement. Both sides, upholding the spirit of humanitarianism, will cease hostilities. Are Konoha and Iwagakure going to shake hands and make peace?"
Sora looked at the content of the intelligence, his expression not changing much.
In fact, he had anticipated this and felt little surprise.
Before, Iwagakure had suffered too great a loss at the hands of Konoha, or more accurately, at the hands of Minato. According to intelligence estimates, Iwagakure had lost over eighty Jonin killed by Minato alone.
Eighty Jonin!
This was no small number. In fact, it was a terrifying number sufficient to lead a great Ninja Village to destruction!