Chapter 25

________________________________________

In this instant, Toki felt like he was playing a role in a performance. Realizing that this name had originated from him, Toki smirked and nodded.

"Wait until the village campaign is completely settled, then come to report to me."

With that, Toki turned and left, clutching the newly acquired Mangekyō Sharingan.

Everyone, including Sarutobi Hiruzen, believed it was just an ordinary three-tomoe Sharingan. Only Toki knew that Kakashi didn't have enough chakra to fully activate the eye, which was why it appeared as a three-tomoe. If Hiruzen knew it was a rare space-time Mangekyō, he would have desperately tried to snatch it.

Danzo possessed a Mangekyō Sharingan from Uchiha Kagami, which is why he was not as anxious.

---

With the Hokage and village chief positions now separate, Tsunade's role as a mascot meant a new village chief needed to be elected. Since Toki and Hiruzen were leading the Ministry of Defense and the Administrative Brigade respectively, the Uchiha and Sarutobi clans lost their eligibility to run for village chief.

The new candidates included Orochimaru, Shimura Danzo, and Nara Shikaku.

Unsurprisingly, Nara Shikaku won the election by a large margin, while the other two candidates, who had little popularity, received barely any votes.

In the end, amid cheers from many villagers, Orochimaru transformed into Tsunade, successfully taking on the mantle of Hokage with his disguise.

After all, Orochimaru, as one of the Legendary Three, had a deep understanding of Tsunade, making him the most convincing impersonator.

On that same day, Nara Shikaku sat at the task acceptance center that Hiruzen had previously managed, handling missions submitted by various employers.

In the Hokage Building, Toki looked at Nara Shikaku with a smile and congratulated him.

"Congratulations on becoming the head of a village! Even if it's a limited version, your scope of management is still quite vast."

Nara Shikaku sighed helplessly. "I feel like I'm being punished by you, aren't I?"

Having been in Konoha for so many years, Toki knew that he couldn't rely solely on Fugaku's ability to keep him in check. He understood precisely who Konoha's silver and gold generations were.

So, during missions, Toki intentionally dealt with the more renowned ninjas of the future.

Though Toki and Nara Shikaku often just nodded to each other, they shared a lifelong friendship.

During the Third Ninja World War, Toki had saved the lives of the Inuzuka and Yamanaka clans at a crucial moment. Only Toki and the Inuzuka and Yamanaka clans were aware of this.

At that time, the relationship between the Uchiha clan and the other clans was quite tense. Coupled with the fact that Konoha's F4 were watching closely, several people were worried about implicating their clans and did not openly display their friendship.

Now that Hiruzen had been ousted from his Hokage position, and Nara Shikaku had become the village chief, Toki had no reason to be concerned about suspicion.

He smiled and said to Nara Shikaku, "What are you complaining about? You should feel honored. You are now the head of a village with ten thousand people!"

Nara Shikaku shot Toki a glance. "Seriously? You think this is a prestigious position?"

He continued, "You can't be unaware of the significance of this village chief role. It involves overseeing the village's internal affairs and finances. Just give a little convenience to the clans, and your Nara clan will become rich overnight, right?"

Now that Nara Shikaku was the village chief, he was in charge of internal affairs such as taxes, land, and housing.

Toki thought back to his previous life, noting how this resembled the village chief of Huaxi Village, a position filled with power.

Nara Shikaku couldn't help but smile slightly at this notion. He was different from the previous Sarutobi, who only relied on the daimyo for resources. With his high intelligence, he was capable of monetizing the village chief's authority.

Toki was correct; even without external pressures, the internal affairs offered significant room for maneuver.

Nara Shikaku wiped the smile from his face and spoke seriously. "First of all, I have many eyes on me, particularly from the Sarutobi clan. The state of Konoha's finances is shocking; it might take a while to stabilize the economy."

At this moment, it was just over a month since the Nine-Tails incident, and many houses were still under construction. A large number of refugees still resided in tents.

With the Hokage position still undecided, the disaster relief funds from the daimyo had yet to arrive.

"The other three generations have already informed me that Konoha's garrison is short on manpower, and the ninjas stationed on the border are preparing to retreat."

Nara Shikaku frowned. "It seems like you're undermining the strength of Sarutobi Hiruzen, but isn't this detrimental to your Uchiha clan as well?"

A single clan could not sustain such a vast national border. If the Uchiha clan had such strength, how could they have established Konoha with the Senju clan and built the village themselves?

A single clan's ninja overpowering the village's ninja would lead to ruin.

Toki smiled faintly. "You don't need to worry about that. I'll ensure my people deliver supplies as soon as possible. The old man won't have anything to hold against us. Just make sure to provide the military expenses on time, and leave the rest to me."

Nara Shikaku nodded. "In that case, I'll proceed accordingly. Here's the map of the Fire Defense Line; it will require at least 180 or more Chūnin to fill it out."

He paused, letting out a sigh. "I'll begin recruiting personnel for the Ministry of Defense in the village to see if anyone can join."

"You know, originally, it was impossible to refuse the national missions for ninjas, but now I wouldn't expect much. I estimate that civilian ninjas and regular ninjas will be reluctant to join the Ministry of Defense."

Currently, the most reputable civilian ninja was Sarutobi Hiruzen, and he would undoubtedly be unwilling to allow the talents he had nurtured to join Toki.

Meanwhile, the other ninjas were focused on their own interests, turning a blind eye to others' needs.

A disdainful expression crossed Toki's face. "Do I still need them?"

At that moment, a ninja from the Intelligence Section burst in, panicking. "It's bad! A large number of Village ninjas are gathering on the border of the Land of Thunder!"

Nara Shikaku's expression changed. "What!?"

Just then, Hiruzen Sarutobi walked in from outside, a mocking grin on his lips. But in the next moment, grief crossed his face.

"The squad stationed on the border of the Land of Thunder has been wiped out! Minister of Defense, hurry and send a squad for support!"

________________________________________