Knock, knock, knock.
The sound echoed through the nearly empty office. Only a small stack of documents remained on Minato Namikaze's desk.
He didn't look up, continuing to process paperwork with his head down.
"Come in."
Danzo Shimura pushed the door open, expression cold. His gaze swept the vacant office.
His pupils contracted slightly. This processing speed exceeded even the old monkey's.
Over thirty years of political experience made him acutely aware: a Hokage only ignored him when genuinely busy.
If the Hokage had free time, their gaze would turn downward.
And his Root, under the Hokage's scrutiny, was far too conspicuous.
I must find more things to occupy him.
The thought formed instantly. But his expression remained unchanged. He handed over the materials in his grip.
"Lord Hokage, a new training class has opened in Konoha. I wonder if you're aware."
"Advisor Zenshu's training program?" Minato chuckled lightly. "I've heard something about it."
"Training class?" Danzo snorted coldly. "To me, it looks like brainwashing Konoha ninjas. Such a thing absolutely cannot be permitted."
People couldn't imagine things they'd never experienced. Correspondingly, if someone achieved a goal through a certain method, seeing others do something similar, they'd assume identical intentions.
Danzo had relied on ANBU training to indoctrinate a batch of Root ninjas—even including elites from ninja clans.
Now seeing Zenshu open a training program, the same thought naturally surfaced.
The other party was preparing to brainwash ninjas.
Minato maintained his faint smile, though he felt somewhat helpless internally.
"Advisor Danzo, you're being oversensitive. This is simply Zenshu preparing to integrate into the village."
Seeing that Minato didn't care, Danzo's face darkened.
He actually knew the probability of brainwashing was low. But the reason he'd come to report like this was simply to cause trouble for the other party.
To seek an opportunity to get Ryomen Sukuna into Root.
But looking at Minato's demeanor, the chances seemed slim.
Completely different from the monkey. The old methods won't work anymore. I'll need to adapt.
"As long as Lord Hokage is aware, I'll take my leave." Danzo's gloomy tone remained unchanged.
Walking out the main door, he cast one final glance at Minato before closing it behind him.
Minato couldn't help but rub his forehead. Having just taken office, it wasn't appropriate to directly dismiss these old relics.
Truly troublesome.
I can only sideline them for now. First strip them of actual power. When the time is right, let them retire or transfer them to leisurely departments.
Knock, knock.
"Come in."
Shikaku Nara pushed the door open. He now served as a temporary advisor and represented the Jonin Commander, though in practice he performed the Hokage Assistant's duties.
"Lord Danzo was here."
"Yeah." Minato sounded somewhat resigned. "This Root leader's suspicions run too deep. He seems to harbor hostility toward everyone."
Shikaku approached the desk and placed his documents down.
"These are the materials requested from the training class."
Minato's eyes brightened. Looking at the materials, several terms appeared before him.
Ten. Shu. En. Ken. Ko. Ryu. Ren.
Among them, "Ten" was the basic Chakra Enhancement Technique. Minato's gaze paused on "Shu."
"Enhancing weapons? I recall the Uchiha clan is quite proficient in this."
"The Uchiha throwing techniques mainly lie in combining wire strings with hidden weapons like shuriken. Weapon enhancement is a very basic component—and in reality, completely inferior to 'Shu.'"
Shikaku shook his head slightly.
When he'd gone to register, he'd witnessed their demonstration. Though these were all basic training techniques—and every major clan possessed similar arts—the intensity of techniques taught in this program was absolutely the highest.
Minato flipped to the last page and frowned. The previous entries had at least some introduction. But this final "Ren" was completely blank.
Seeing his expression, Shikaku explained.
"To learn the last item, a Restriction Jutsu must be placed on you—forbidding you from leaving records in any form or teaching it to others."
"We couldn't obtain details."
"It seems this technique must involve something profound. Otherwise, why would the asking price be one million Ryo?" Minato studied the quote.
"One million Ryo. Only the most difficult A-rank missions carry such rewards."
The room fell quiet. Minato regarded the report in his hands.
These past few days, Zenshu had agreed to all his proposals, expressing almost unreserved support.
He'd even supported Shikaku Nara becoming a temporary advisor. That crucial backing had made many tasks considerably easier.
But this didn't mean unconditional trust.
As a qualified Hokage, he needed to understand everything clearly.
"Send a few people to register for all these courses."
"Yes." Receiving the order, Shikaku turned to leave.
A voice from behind stopped him.
"Send Kakashi too. But don't sign him up for the last one yet."
"Understood."
Konoha Ninja Academy.
"Lord Third, this is the reform proposal issued by Lord Fourth Hokage."
"Leave it here." Hiruzen Sarutobi took a draw from his pipe.
He had completely stepped down from the Hokage position—not even retaining advisory power—and peacefully assumed the role of Academy Principal.
However, he hadn't expected that immediately after taking this position, Minato would reform the Academy.
He opened the proposal and read through slowly, pausing at certain sections.
Everything has changed... but that's fine too. The coming period should be quite peaceful.
Hiruzen sighed softly.
First, the graduation age was changed—from nine years old or even younger during wartime, back to twelve.
The early graduation system was refined. Assessment difficulty increased.
Most importantly, admission criteria changed. From originally requiring assessment of basic physical fitness and basic Ninjutsu...
To basic physical fitness and possessing ninja aptitude—meaning the ability to form hand seals and refine chakra.
Unlike when Might Guy had enrolled as a child, failing the entrance exam because he couldn't condense chakra to perform Ninjutsu and Genjutsu.
Now the standard was lowered. As long as one could refine the most primitive chakra, enrollment was possible.
The original entrance assessment was modified and converted into a graduation assessment.
It seems Minato's ambitions aren't small either.
Hiruzen's eyes showed gratification—but also concern.
Such reform would inevitably produce a large number of ninjas. A large number of ninjas required enough missions.
There weren't that many missions during peacetime.
Unless it was wartime.
"Lord Third, that Gojo Satoru is arguing with the teacher again." A flushed-faced instructor approached.
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