Everyone present was stunned.
Uchiha Jin's style, methods, and personality all shocked them; after all, such behavior hardly seemed like that of an Uchiha.
Even… even the people of the Nara Clan were feeling rather surreal right now.
There was no helping it!
This sort of plan would be normal coming from their own mouths, yet hearing it from an Uchiha felt indescribably bizarre.
If they hadn't confirmed that Uchiha Jin had awakened the Sharingan, they'd have suspected he was actually a Nara who'd been swapped at birth.
Shikaku and Luyi in particular were won over by Uchiha Jin's tactics.
Even they would have struggled to pinpoint such a precise angle so quickly; the two of them sighed at the thought—life would only get harder under a leader this capable and ruthless.
Indeed!
They were genuinely convinced!
A mere Police Force mess had been turned into a blooming garden by Uchiha Jin.
At the start,
he'd used the Police Force to break the deadlock, leaving Hiruzen Sarutobi scrambling and even tarnishing the Anbu's reputation; now he was using the same force as expendable pawns to rip open Hiruzen's base of support.
Truly, one trick to rule them all!
Having them draft an inquiry letter demanding a full audit of the Village's finances struck straight at the higher-ups' fatal acupoint.
He knew better than anyone: the books wouldn't survive scrutiny!
Under normal circumstances, even if exposed, Danzō could take the fall and the matter would blow over.
Now, things were different!
Two-odd years after the Third Great Ninja War, the Village still hadn't paid out pensions, merit rewards, or settled war commissions—everything required money.
And just last month there had been unrest over it; the higher-ups were clearly waiting to crush the Uchiha and plug the fiscal hole with their wealth.
But now?
The Uchiha were growing stronger, and with their own defection that route was cut off.
If they detonated this bombshell and the villagers learned money existed yet pensions had vanished, the civilian shinobi would riot.
Yes!
Beneath the banner of the Will of Fire, Konoha remained a military fortress at heart—Ninjas were mercenaries who fought for pay.
After so many deaths and injuries, if pensions and mission fees weren't paid while the treasury mysteriously emptied…
Heh-heh, good luck with that.
Unless Hiruzen could fill the hole instantly, his tenure as Hokage was finished.
"Understood!"
"I already have the Village's financial records; I'll draft the inquiry letter tonight and submit it to the Hokage Office by tomorrow afternoon."
"Remember to drop by my house tomorrow afternoon to sign it!"
Nara Shikaku said with a smile.
He increasingly felt Luyi was right: given Jin's ruthless acumen and terrifying strength, Hiruzen's faction had no hope.
More crucial was Jin's governance principle:
placing no restrictions on Ninja Clan development—worth staking everything on.
Everyone nodded cheerfully at the news.
Thereafter,
with business settled, the mood relaxed; they chatted a while longer before parting… The next afternoon.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, freshly regained consciousness, rushed to the Hokage Office.
Though still weak, he forced himself to sit there to keep the Village afloat.
There was no choice!
If the Hokage collapsed now, his remaining forces would crumble overnight.
At this moment,
minus Danzō, Konoha's "F3" nervously began their council.
Meanwhile,
Shikaku, having finished the inquiry letter, submitted it through proper channels to the Jōnin Council.
Indeed!
While friends could hand documents straight to the Hokage Office, enemies had to follow due process.
Likewise,
as both sides prepared for further strife, Jiraiya dragged a reluctant Tsunade back to Konoha.
Tsunade's face was full of irritation.
Even her glance at Jiraiya carried a well-concealed killing intent.
She was no fool.
She'd left Konoha years ago because she'd sensed something wrong—the Senju Clan's demise had been too unnatural.
At the time she'd lacked influence; her grandmother Uzumaki Mito had also tried, but being an Uzumaki herself was ignored, and the Senju perished.
Later, Nawaki and Kato Dan's fates cemented her decision.
Then Sakumo Hatake's suicide showed her how ruthless her teacher could be.
From that instant,
she resolved to leave Konoha!
Unless Hiruzen died, she would never return; she didn't want to see him.
Revenge?
She'd considered it—and even tried.
But, alas,
she failed at the first step!
When she attempted to rally clans under the Senju name, she sensed something off and swallowed her words.
An investigation later left her in cold sweat:
nearly every clan had had a hand in wiping out the Senju.
In the end,
she left with Shizune!
The enemy force was simply too large; even with Senju backing she couldn't fight the whole Village!
This was why she refused to return in the original story; even after seeing Nawaki's shadow in Naruto and becoming Hokage, she did it only for the Village's sake.
She remained distant from the clans!
Revenge? Pointless!
Hiruzen and Danzō were dead; Homura and Utatane Koharu were untouchable unless she dredged up the past.
So, in the end,
after the Fourth War she abdicated—out of sight, out of mind!
As for now?
With Hiruzen still Hokage, she truly loathed setting foot in this dark Village, even if its name embodied her grandfathers' life's work.
But… Jiraiya, that bastard!
He ignored her protests and even fought her to drag her back to Konoha!