Hokage Office.
Akashi Sora sat in the chair that symbolized the highest authority in Konoha, leaning slightly back as he tried to find a more comfortable position.
No good.
This chair was too hard.
The angle of the backrest was all wrong — completely ergonomically incorrect.
And this Hokage ceremonial robe? The fabric was rough, heavy, and stifling. It was nowhere near as comfortable as his pure cotton loungewear.
He sighed, his gaze drifting past the mountain of paperwork to the window.
From here, he could overlook the entire village of Konoha.
The houses repaired by Wood Release, the villagers once again bustling about — everything brimmed with the vitality of survivors who had made it through disaster.
[The scenery's decent, but the view is way too open. Terrible for napping.]
[How did the Third old man sit in this environment for decades? Impressive willpower.]
Sora stretched lazily and casually picked up the top document from the pile.
"Preliminary Draft on Post-War Reconstruction Budget."
"Several Proposals Regarding the Handling of Suna Village Prisoners of War."
"Standards for Condolence Payments to Families of Fallen Shinobi from This Chūnin Exam."
…
Nothing but trouble.
Sora felt a faint throb starting in his head.
If he'd known being Hokage was this exhausting, he would've tied Sensei Jiraiya to the chair and forced him to take the job.
At that moment, the office door was slammed open with a loud "bang."
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado — the two veteran advisors of Konoha — walked in with dark expressions, followed by two Anbu on high alert.
"Sora."
Homura's voice carried the condescending tone of someone looking down from on high.
"Though you have taken the position of Hokage, you are still young and lack experience. The reconstruction of the village and the postwar handling of Suna are matters of grave importance. Koharu and I will assist you from the side."
Koharu chimed in sharply.
"Exactly. The village's finances must be placed under our unified control to ensure every ryo is spent wisely. And those Suna prisoners — especially that One-Tail jinchūriki — must be handed over to us for handling."
The two of them sang in perfect harmony. The subtext was crystal clear.
*You can be Hokage.*
*But the real power? That belongs to us.*
Sora set the document down, interlaced his fingers, propped his chin on them, and put on an expression that was just the right mix of troubled and respectful.
"The two elders speak wisely."
He nodded, his attitude sincere.
"Rebuilding the village is indeed the top priority. However, there's no need for the two of you to trouble yourselves over the budget."
He pulled another document from the drawer and gently slid it across the desk.
"A friend of mine — who prefers to remain anonymous — holds deep affection for Konoha. Out of generosity, he has donated an enormous sum. It is more than sufficient to cover all reconstruction costs, with plenty left over."
"So, for the time being, the village treasury will not need to be touched."
The faces of the two elders froze instantly.
Donation?
What donation?
How did they not know about this?!
This single move completely cut off their best excuse for meddling in the finances!
"As for the Suna prisoners…"
The smile on Sora's face grew even more innocent and harmless.
"The Third Hokage died because of them, and the village suffered tremendous losses as a result. The matter of how to deal with them cannot possibly be decided by me alone."
"I have decided that in two days, I will convene a jōnin conference and invite the heads of all major clans to participate. We will deliberate this matter openly, ensuring fairness, impartiality, and transparency — giving all our fallen comrades a satisfactory resolution."
"At that time, I also welcome the two elders to share your esteemed opinions."
The atmosphere inside the Hokage Office instantly grew heavy.
The expressions on Koharu and Homura's faces were like ice sculptures — frozen in a bizarre mixture of shock and rigidity.
Money?
An enormous sum capable of covering the entire village's reconstruction?
Donated by an "anonymous friend"?
This script was wrong!
According to their plan, this young Fifth Hokage should be panicking over funds right now, utterly overwhelmed.
Then they, as veteran advisors, would step in from their lofty position and naturally take control of the finances.
But now, with a single light sentence, he had pulled the rug out from under them, leaving all their carefully prepared arguments stuck choking in their throats.
What made it even more suffocating was his proposed method for handling the Suna prisoners.
Public deliberation?
Inviting the clan heads to participate together?
This kid wanted to drag all power out into the open sunlight!
If that happened, how were they — elders accustomed to manipulating everything from behind the scenes — supposed to pull strings and reap political benefits for themselves?
"If the two elders have no other matters, I will begin attending to official duties."
Sora's smile remained pure and harmless — the picture of a respectful junior.
"The village is in ruins and needs rebuilding. As the newly appointed Hokage, I cannot afford to slack off."
[Translation: If you've got nothing else, get lost quickly. Don't delay my off-duty time.]
Homura's lips trembled. He wanted to say something more, but Koharu stopped him with a sharp glance.
She gave the boy seated in the Hokage's chair one long, deep look. For the first time, a genuine trace of wariness appeared in her turbid eyes.
This boy was not a puppet they could manipulate at will.
"Hmph. I hope you can live up to your words."
Koharu left those cold words behind and turned to leave.
Homura could only follow unwillingly.
The office door closed, shutting out the outside world.
The smile vanished from Sora's face instantly. He slumped backward heavily into the chair and let out an exhausted groan.
[Finally got rid of those two old fossils.]
[So tiring.]
He rubbed his throbbing temples and looked again at the mountain of documents. He felt like his head was about to split.
"Revised Plan for Psychological Counseling and Long-Term Condolence Payments for Families of Fallen Shinobi."
"Project Bidding Plan for Repairing the Village's Sewer System."
"Preliminary Proposal for Rebuilding and Defining the Functions of the Konoha Military Police Force."
…
Sora flipped through a couple of pages and felt dizzy.
[This is so annoying. Being Hokage means sitting in an office doing paperwork?]
[The workload is even more insane than my previous life's 996 corporate hell.]
[No way. I have to find a solution.]
He closed his eyes and began mentally screening suitable candidates.
A qualified tool person—no, a qualified assistant—was the key to improving efficiency and liberating productivity.
Kakashi?
No. That guy was lazier than him. Give him paperwork and he'd turn the office into a "Make-Out Paradise" reading corner.
Yamato?
Fine for building houses, but give him documents and he'd probably use Wood Release to bury himself alive.
Itachi?
Actually a great choice — serious, responsible, highly capable.
But no. Itachi had more important duties. The Uchiha clan still needed his supervision. Couldn't waste him on trivial matters.
Then…
A name quietly surfaced in Sora's mind.
Serious, meticulous, principled, and sufficiently familiar with — and trusting of — him.
Most importantly, she was obedient enough.
[It's you!]
Sora suddenly sat up straight, a glint flashing in his eyes.
He picked up the communicator on the desk and pressed a button.
"Anbu, codename 'Tori.' Come to the Hokage Office immediately."
…
Less than three minutes later.
A gentle knock sounded at the office door.
"Fifth Lord, Yamanaka Kaede reporting for duty."
With that cool, clear female voice, a figure in Anbu uniform wearing a "Tori" mask appeared silently in the center of the room, dropping to one knee.
"Kaede-senpai, no need to be so formal. Get up."
Sora waved lazily and pointed at the towering stack of documents on his desk.
"Look."
Yamanaka Kaede followed the direction of his finger. Even through the mask, one could imagine her brows furrowing slightly.
"Fifth Lord, this is…"
"Despair."
Sora said with a face full of sorrow.
"It's a mountain of official business, endless troubles, and the blood and tears of a newly appointed Hokage."
Yamanaka Kaede: "…"
She felt that today's Fifth Lord seemed… a little off.
"Kaede-senpai, what do you think is the most important thing about being Hokage?"
Sora suddenly asked.
Kaede paused, thought seriously for a moment, then answered, "It is the determination to protect the village and inherit the Will of Fire."
"Wrong!"
Sora slammed the desk and declared decisively.
"It's leadership!"
He stood up, walked around the desk, and stood in front of her with a serious expression.
"A truly excellent leader knows how to make the best use of people! Put the right person in the right position to maximize their value!"
Kaede looked at him, somewhat confused.
Then she saw the boy who had just become the Fifth Hokage of Konoha pointing at her with complete sincerity.
"And you, Yamanaka Kaede, are exactly that right person!"
A giant question mark slowly appeared above Yamanaka Kaede's head.
"Starting today, you are relieved of all your Anbu duties."
Sora's voice carried an unquestionable authority.
"I hereby officially appoint you as — Chief Secretary to the Hokage!"
"Congratulations. You've been promoted."
Yamanaka Kaede was completely stunned.
Sec… Secretary?
She — an elite Anbu who licked blood off the edge of a blade — was going to be a secretary?
What kind of ridiculous arrangement was this?
"Fifth Lord, I—"
"This is an order."
Sora cut her off, but his expression instantly switched to something almost childish and pleading.
"Kaede-senpai, look at me. I'm about to be driven insane by these documents. Are you really going to stand by and watch me die of overwork at such a young age?"
"You promised to make me bentos every week, didn't you? If I die, who are you going to feed those bentos to?"
The expression beneath Yamanaka Kaede's mask became incredibly complicated.
She stared at the boy in front of her — one moment a dignified Hokage, the next a spoiled junior throwing a tantrum — and for a moment didn't know how to respond.
"Alright, it's decided."
Without giving her a chance to refuse, Sora pulled her behind the desk and stuffed the pen that symbolized Hokage authority into her hand.
"Here, Madam Secretary. Start with this draft on the reconstruction budget."
"Good luck. I believe in you."
With that, he walked over to the nearby sofa like the ultimate hands-off boss, lay down in the most comfortable position possible, and even started humming a tuneless little song.
In the office, only Yamanaka Kaede remained — standing alone in front of the mountain of documents, gripping the pen, utterly disheveled in the wind.
[Ah… having a secretary… feels amazing.]
[Now I can finally slack off in peace.]
A smug little smile curved at the corner of Sora's mouth.