The efficiency of ninjas is truly remarkable.
Yesterday, the Jōnin council elected Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage, and today, the inauguration ceremony was already taking place.
Standing atop the Hokage Building, Tsunade gazed down at the gathered crowd, feeling a surge of excitement.
"Tsunade-sama, here is your speech!"
Her personal secretary, Shizune, handed her a piece of paper, hoping Tsunade would at least glance at it before following protocol to give her speech.
But she forgot who Tsunade was.
Tsunade never did things the conventional way.
Taking the speech, she crumpled it into a ball and tossed it into the corner.
"Everyone!"
"From today onward, I, Tsunade, am the Fifth Hokage of Konoha!"
Her aura was overwhelming.
The imposing presence of Tsunade made countless women instinctively press their legs together, their faces flushed with admiration.
This was Tsunade's charm.
[So cool! So cool! As expected of Tsunade!]
[Ugh, I can't take it anymore! I just want to take her home!]
As Tsunade was walking back to her Hokage desk, she suddenly staggered slightly, almost tripping.
'Damn pervert... Can't he think of something else besides this kind of nonsense!'
Cursing internally, Tsunade waved her hand, signaling that she was fine, then sat down at her desk.
A stack of documents, half as tall as a person, sat on the desk, waiting for her attention.
[Why do so many people fight over such a troublesome position? Wouldn't it be better to just slack off and enjoy life?]
*Snap!*
A brush was crushed in her grip as Tsunade turned to the corner, where Hikari was sneakily slacking off, her eyes flashing with murderous intent.
She knew being Hokage was a hassle. That was exactly why she hadn't wanted to return.
If Konoha had any other viable candidates, would she have come back so obediently?
Not a chance.
"Kamizuki Hikari!"
"Here!"
[Has Tsunade finally realized I'm useless and decided to send me to guard the gates?]
[Even though I can still sign in at the Hokage's office, slacking off at the village gate is way better.]
Tsunade's mouth twitched. If she kept him around, she was afraid the muscles in her face would develop a permanent spasm.
She had never met someone so shameless.
"Since you've been assigned to assist me, you can help me go through these Hokage documents."
Don't think that reviewing Hokage documents is anything special. A large portion consists of routine mission reports and intelligence updates, with only a few concerning the internal affairs of Konoha.
"Tsunade-sama, these are documents meant for the Hokage's eyes only. Having me review them seems inappropriate and against protocol."
*Bang!*
Tsunade slammed her hand on the desk in response to Hikari's half-hearted excuse.
[Damn, she's so hot-tempered! Is Tsunade going through that days? I better be careful.]
Hold it in!
Tsunade, you have to hold it in.
Getting mad at someone like him will only lower your dignity.
Taking deep breaths to calm herself, Tsunade managed to bring down her rising blood pressure.
"I am the Hokage. What I say is the law in Konoha. Are you going to defy the Hokage's orders?" With that, she dropped a heavy accusation, effectively silencing him.
Even if he was reluctant, Hikari still walked over slowly and picked up a document.
'Request for the development of barren lands around Konoha. Please advise, Hokage-sama.'
What the hell?
Is this a joke?
Land development—shouldn't that be handled by specialists? Why are they asking the Hokage?
"What's wrong?"
Noticing Hikari's troubled expression, Tsunade smirked and asked nonchalantly.
Hikari placed the document in front of her.
"This is simple. Just take a census of those without land and let them claim plots accordingly. Then, implement a proper development plan."
Oh, so that's how it works.
Hikari felt like he was learning something new.
[But why not use shinobi for land development? They could do it faster and more efficiently than regular civilians.]
Hearing his thoughts, Tsunade didn't find him particularly insightful. Instead, she looked at him with a hint of exasperation.
"You're wondering why, since shinobi control Konoha, we can't just freely expand our territory and use it to strengthen our forces, right?"
Hikari glanced at Tsunade in surprise before nodding.
"That's right, Tsunade-sama. That thought did cross my mind."
"Not bad, at least you think." Tsunade chuckled.
"While Konoha is under the Hokage's authority, the larger land belongs to the Daimyō. No matter how powerful shinobi are, the Daimyō is the legitimate ruler of the nation."
"Konoha's population, the number of shinobi, and the amount of land cultivated by civilians—all of it must be reported to the Daimyō. There's a fine line we cannot cross, or we risk losing his trust. That could lead to budget cuts and even sanctions against the village."
"In terms of sheer power, shinobi have the advantage. But from a governance standpoint, we are merely one of the Daimyō's institutions. If we defy him, he has the authority to cut off funding or even dissolve the village."
"Collaboration benefits both sides. Conflict harms both."
"Konoha and the Land of Fire are partners. Besides, shinobi rely on missions for income, and the primary clients are nobility. If the Daimyō wanted, he could divert all missions to other villages. Over time, what do you think would happen to Konoha?"
Hikari fell silent.
He had never considered that beneath the passionate battles and loyalty of the Hokage, there was such a complex political game at play.
No wonder shinobi didn't declare independence—it simply wasn't viable.
If Hikari wanted to start a revolution, he would first need to educate the people to think independently and reject the Daimyō's authority.
But even putting aside the difficulty of such a feat, the time required would be at least a decade.
Why would he bother?
He didn't reincarnate into this world to make his life harder.
If a system exists, it's because it has its advantages and disadvantages.
"Understood. Thank you for the lesson, Tsunade-sama."
Tsunade hadn't heard his thoughts, but she could sense his shock, and that was satisfying enough.
Scared now, huh, kid?
And you thought I lacked political insight? Do you really think just anyone can be Hokage?
"Alright, keep going. I'm glad to have someone who actually thinks."
Hikari's hand paused mid-reach for the next document as he looked at Tsunade suspiciously.
[No way... I'm still so young!]
[Don't tell me Tsunade is planning to trap me here doing paperwork while she sneaks off to drink!]
[If that's the case, then don't blame me for being ruthless. I'll make sure to write about you in a very unflattering way in my next book!]
Tsunade: '???'
She almost forgot.
The man standing before her wasn't just a lazy pretty boy—he was also an author on par with Jiraiya in writing "certain" books.
'If you dare write about me, you're dead!'
'I, the Fifth Hokage Senju Tsunade, swear this. Even the Sage of Six Paths won't be able to save you.'