Chapter 12: Cold Eyes and the Konoha High Commission
How could one describe that expression?
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado had discussed it in private many times. They called it "The Merciless Gaze."
When Tobirama Senju made a major decision for the village, he didn't account for family, friendship, morality, or even ethics. He performed pure, clinical logical deductions based on risk and reward. To him, the world was a mathematical proof that required an optimal solution. Anything else—including his own life—was a redundant variable to be discarded if necessary.
Rules and restrictions were irrelevant. If a path led to the village's prosperity, he would walk it, no matter how much blood was on the floor.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before them now, and though his face was different, the aura was a terrifyingly accurate match. It was as if their teacher had possessed his student's body.
Hiruzen ignored the stunned trio. He took a long drag from his pipe, his eyes narrowing.
Yes...
Re-running the logic in his head, he was certain: the "Uchiha Tobirama" plan was the winning move. By reviving the Second Hokage as an Uchiha, he gained a mole to dismantle the clan from the inside, a world-class R&D scientist, and a powerhouse combatant—all without the risk of Tobirama ever reclaiming the Hokage's seat.
Since the benefits were absolute, the only thing left was to solve the technical hurdles.
Standard Edo Tensei (Reanimation) was a dead end for long-term work. It brought back the soul, but the "paper" body was fragile and unsuitable for deep research.
But I don't need his original body, Hiruzen thought. I just need his brain and his understanding of the Sharingan.
The Edo Tensei brings the soul back from the Pure Land. That's the hard part done. The rest is just Soul Transference.
He thought of the Kato Clan's Spirit Transformation Jutsu. It was a blueprint for soul manipulation. If he could develop a "Possession" style jutsu, he could anchor Tobirama's soul into a living Uchiha vessel. Even if the soul and body didn't perfectly match at first, Tobirama—the man who invented the very concept of forbidden jutsu—would figure out how to bridge the gap.
Master, I'm giving you a second life and a front-row seat to study the Uchiha from the inside. You'll thank me for this, Hiruzen smirked.
The morning light hit his face, casting a long shadow that made him look half-demon, half-god.
He looks more like him every second... Koharu and Homura felt a chill. What was Hiruzen planning in that silence?
Danzo Shimura, however, was feeling something entirely different: Jealousy.
Danzo had spent years in the Root base, practicing that exact "Second Hokage" expression in front of a mirror. He'd even had subordinates take photos of him so he could compare them to old archival footage. He was a superfan trying to out-cosplay the original.
Hiruzen, even in this, you're ahead of me? Danzo fumed internally. Imitation isn't enough! I am the one who truly carries the Second's dark resolve!
"Apologies. I got lost in thought regarding the Uchiha," Hiruzen said, his expression instantly shifting back to a warm, grandfatherly smile. "I called you here to discuss a fundamental reform of the Konoha administrative system."
"As you've noticed, our current hierarchy is outdated. We have a bottleneck at the top."
Hiruzen was a modern bureaucrat at heart. He had identified the problem immediately: the "Span of Control" was broken.
Konoha had over a hundred Jonin—the village's elite—but only four people in the "High Council" making decisions. Even then, the two Elders (Koharu and Homura) were mostly focused on the Administrative Department, acting as liaisons to the Land of Fire's treasury. They didn't manage the troops.
Danzo had his Root, but those were private soldiers, not a branch of the military.
That left Hiruzen to personally manage over a hundred high-strung, elite ninjas. It was a logistical nightmare. No leader, no matter how talented, could effectively manage a hundred direct reports. The old Hiruzen had nearly worked himself to death trying to keep up, resulting in the stagnation of the village.
He needed a buffer. He needed an Executive Branch.
"I am establishing a new tier of leadership: The Konoha High Commission," Hiruzen announced.
"I will appoint twenty core Jonin as High Commissioners. Based on their merit and strategic value, each Commissioner will manage a 'Cell' of five to six Jonin. They will report directly to the Hokage's office."
Koharu and Homura instinctively frowned. Like the old Hiruzen, they were "Traditionalists." They believed Tobirama's original system was a holy relic that shouldn't be touched.
But Hiruzen knew better. When Tobirama was alive, he did have an executive branch—his personal guard and the veteran Jonin of the Senju clan. They acted as his unofficial commissioners. He just died before he could codify the system for a peacetime government.
Koharu opened her mouth to argue, "But the Second's precedents—"
Hiruzen cut her off with a look so sharp it could have drawn blood. "Think carefully before you speak, Koharu. I only want to hear arguments that have merit."
She snapped her mouth shut.
Only Danzo stood his ground, his voice low and gravelly. "Hiruzen... you're playing with fire. You'll regret this!"