Half a month later.
Konoha — the Hokage's Office.
Outside the window, the village was swept up in an unprecedented wave of prosperity.
The streets were strung with lanterns and colorful banners, while merchant caravans lined up in endless rows, completely clogging Konoha's gates. Wagon after wagon rolled in, laden with reparations and tribute from the Land of Lightning, the Land of Earth, and dozens of surrounding minor nations.
Gold.
Rare minerals.
Precious medicinal herbs.
Resources Konoha once would have fought bloody wars over were now being delivered straight to its doorstep, offered eagerly, almost desperately—like vegetables sold for pennies.
Inside the office, Nara Shikaku stood holding a stack of documents nearly as tall as himself. Deep dark circles ringed his eyes, yet his expression was blazing with excitement.
"Lord Tobirama, this month's financial report is complete."
Even his voice trembled as he spoke.
"In just half a month, our income has surpassed the total of the past ten years combined! The warehouses are completely full—I've already requisitioned three unused Uchiha training grounds just to store the gold!"
Uchiha Tobirama lounged in the Hokage's chair, his feet resting casually on the desk as he flipped through an intelligence scroll, utterly composed.
"Calm yourself. This is only the beginning," he said flatly.
"There's no need to celebrate until the follow-up tributes from those two vassal states arrive."
"Yes—yes! Your methods are nothing short of miraculous!" Shikaku replied quickly.
Then his expression turned serious as he produced a black scroll.
"There is, however, one troublesome issue."
"Recently, a group calling itself the Earth–Lightning Anti-Konoha Joint Resistance Army has appeared along our borders."
"They're mostly radical defectors from Kumogakure and Iwagakure, mixed with wandering samurai. They don't dare attack Konoha directly, so they've been targeting our supply convoys. Three caravans have already been robbed in the past few days."
"A pack of stray dogs," Tobirama said dismissively, tossing the scroll into the trash without even glancing at it.
"Ignore them."
"Our priority isn't suppressing bandits—it's digestion."
"Inform Orochimaru that the development of the scientific ninja tools I requested must be accelerated. I don't care how much money it takes—get that chakra storage device finished."
Shikaku froze. "But… those stolen supplies—"
"Let them take them."
A cold smile curled at the corner of Tobirama's mouth, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"Only when pigs are fat are they worth slaughtering."
"Besides, they'll make perfect whetstones for the village's next generation of ninja."
"Think bigger, Shikaku. Once our scientific ninja tools are mass-produced, even a genin holding a chakra cannon will be able to kill a jōnin."
"When that day comes, those clowns will vanish with a flick of the wrist."
"Hiss—!"
Shikaku sucked in a sharp breath, awe deepening in his eyes.
This was the true big picture.
While others were still calculating gains and losses over single cities or territories, this man was already planning to overturn the very combat system of the entire shinobi world.
"This subordinate understands!" Shikaku said firmly. "I'll urge Orochimaru immediately!"
He bowed deeply and withdrew.
The office fell silent, leaving only Uchiha Tobirama behind.
At that moment, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Detected that the Host has effectively subdued the Ninja World. Konoha's reputation has reached its peak.]
[System version update complete.]
[Ultimate Main Mission unlocked: Unification of the World!]
[Mission Objective: Annex the Five Great Nations, abolish the Daimyō system, and establish a single Ninja Empire.]
[Mission Reward: Determined by final evaluation.]
Tobirama's eyes lit up.
Unify the shinobi world?
Abolish the daimyō?
Now this system suited his tastes perfectly.
This fragmented, decaying era of division should have ended long ago.
With a thought, he opened his status panel.
[Host: Uchiha Tobirama]
[Identity: Acting Hokage of Konoha, Head of the Uchiha Clan, God of the Ninja World]
[Strength Evaluation: Six Paths Level (On this planet, you are a walking god)]
[Core Abilities: Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan, Mangekyō Sharingan, Perfect Sage Body, Flying Thunder God, etc.]
[Funds: 60,000,000 Ryo]
[System Evaluation: You are the highest mountain and the longest river of Konoha. Given time, you will become the sole legend of this world.]
"The highest mountain and the longest river…"
Tobirama closed the panel, lit a cigarette, and gazed out at the flourishing village below.
"In that case, let's pile this mountain even higher."
---
Meanwhile—
Hiruzen Sarutobi's private residence, underground chamber.
Under dim lighting, four aged faces sat steeped in gloom.
Former Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Former advisor—and now half-crippled—Shimura Danzō.
And the two advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.
The so-called Konoha Four Elders had gathered once again.
Only this time, their situation was worse than ever.
"We're finished," Homura said at last, his voice hollow.
"Since that tyrant Uchiha Tobirama took power, the Mitokado clan's mission share has been cut by eighty percent! The younger generation can barely survive—they're being forced to work under the Uchiha!"
"The Utatane clan isn't any better," Koharu snapped bitterly.
"He's handed all the lucrative positions to civilian ninja and minor clans that defected to him. The village only knows Tobirama now—no one even remembers the advisors! At this rate, our clans will be reduced to commoners!"
Hiruzen coughed lightly, smoke curling from his pipe. His face looked as though it had aged ten years overnight.
"The Sarutobi clan has suffered even more. Shinnosuke was sent to guard duty at the gate, and every promising junior was pushed into peripheral departments."
"He's slowly boiling us alive."
"Then let him die!"
A hoarse, vicious roar echoed through the chamber.
All eyes turned to Shimura Danzō, seated in a specially made wheelchair. With only one arm remaining and his body sustained by constant medical ninjutsu, his single visible eye burned with hatred.
"Danzō…" Hiruzen sighed. "How? You saw it yourself—he can summon meteors. What do we have that can oppose that kind of power?"
"If power won't work, then we use legitimacy," Danzō said coldly.
"Don't forget—the Hokage may be chosen by the village, but true authority still requires appointment by the Daimyō of the Land of Fire."
"Uchiha Tobirama is only an acting Hokage. He hasn't received official recognition."
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. "You mean…"
"Contact the Daimyō."
Madness flickered across Danzō's face.
"Tell him Tobirama is a lunatic—one who intends to annex other nations and will eventually turn his blade on the Daimyō himself."
"The Daimyō fears nothing more than an uncontrollable military ruler."
"If the Daimyō issues a decree rejecting Tobirama—or even calls for a crusade—Tobirama loses all moral legitimacy."
"This is…" Homura hesitated. "Using outside forces against the village. If this is discovered—"
"Discovered?" Danzō snarled. "We're already at death's door. What's left to lose?"
"And the Daimyō alone isn't enough."
"I have channels to contact the Earth–Lightning Anti-Konoha Joint Resistance Army."
"Feed them intelligence. Supply them resources. Let them cause chaos—bigger and louder the better."
"When the front lines erupt and the Daimyō applies pressure from behind, the dissatisfied within Konoha will waver."
"That will be our chance."
Hiruzen fell silent for a long time.
The embers in his pipe flickered, then went dark.
This was a dangerous move—borderline treason.
But when he thought of Tobirama's domineering presence… and the slow strangulation of the Sarutobi clan…
"…Do it," he said quietly.
"For Konoha's legitimacy. For the peace of the shinobi world."
"This tyrant must be removed."
"Danzō, you'll handle the resistance forces."
"As for the Daimyō… I'll go myself."
"Hehehe…"
Danzō's crippled body shook with laughter.
"Don't worry, Hiruzen."
"I'll make him understand—politics can't be solved with fists alone."
---
Hokage Office.
Just as Tobirama prepared to head to Orochimaru's laboratory, an inconspicuous mission scroll on his desk caught his eye.
[Mission Rank: C-Rank (Suspected Hidden Risk)]
[Client: Fūka Koyuki (Famous Actress)]
[Mission Details: Escort a film crew to the Land of Snow to shoot The Adventures of Princess Gale.]
[Reward: 500,000 Ryo]
"Fūka Koyuki…"
Tobirama tapped the desk lightly, a faint smile forming.
"Princess of the Land of Snow."
"If I recall correctly, the Land of Snow has something called chakra armor."
"It's crude, but the core concept is remarkably similar to the individual combat armor Orochimaru is researching."
"Interesting."
He picked up the seal and stamped the scroll with a bold red S-rank mark—personally authorized by the Hokage.
"I've been a little bored staying in the village anyway."
"Orochimaru's research is at a bottleneck—perfect timing to… borrow some technology from the Land of Snow."
"And while I'm at it, I'll take a look at this so-called beauty of the shinobi world."
As for the rats scheming in the shadows?
Tobirama didn't spare them a thought.
Before absolute power, all conspiracies were nothing more than seasoning for an otherwise dull life.