“Next is the Chancellor of the Chancellery.
The Hokage nominates Tobirama Senju for the position.
You may now raise your hands to vote.”
At these words, the hall fell completely silent.
The Chancellor of the Chancellery—the highest officer of the Chancellery, holding the authority to review the Hokage’s decrees and reject or return them if found improper.
This was a position that could override the Hokage’s decisions.
Among the Three Departments, the Chancellery carried the most weight and was the most sensitive.
Such a position would inevitably go to either the Uchiha or the Senju.
There was no way it could be given to an outsider.
Hikaru understood this perfectly.
The Hokage was already from the Uchiha, so the Chancellorship had to go to the Senju.
This was not just about distributing power—it was the foundation of the alliance between the two clans.
He, Uchiha Hikaru, was no wicked Tobirama Senju—that old fox only knew how to suppress the Uchiha, watching them like they were thieves.
What Hikaru wanted was never Uchiha dominance, but the long-term stability of his clan within Konoha.
If one clan dominated alone, others would eventually join forces against it.
Only by giving the Senju enough weight could the alliance remain unbreakable, and Konoha’s foundation stand firm.
In the original story, the Uchiha were destroyed, but aside from Tsunade, the Senju had hardly any members left either.
Below, the representatives of the various clans exchanged glances, then raised their hands one after another.
Approved unanimously.
No one opposed, and no one dared to oppose.
As one of the two founding pillars of the village, the Senju’s contributions and strength were undeniable.
Giving the Chancellorship to Tobirama Senju was only reasonable.
If that position had gone to any other clan, no one would have accepted it—the seat was too hot, and ordinary clans simply could not bear it.
Tobirama Senju remained expressionless.
What he wanted was never this damned Chancellorship—it was the Hokage’s seat.
But for now, circumstances dictated otherwise, and Tobirama could only accept the outcome.
Hikaru continued: “Next is the Chancellor of the Department of State Affairs.
For this position, the Hokage nominates the Hyuga clan.”
The moment he finished, every gaze in the hall turned to the Hyuga section.
Hyuga Ten’nin sat there calmly, his pale eyes placid as still water.
He had known the Hyuga would receive this position—it was a condition Hikaru had privately arranged with him.
The Hyuga had always been a traditionally powerful clan.
Aside from the Senju and Uchiha, the Hyuga were unquestionably among the top five, contending for the top three—that was no exaggeration.
Anyone who had ever fought the Hyuga knew just how effective the Byakugan was on the battlefield.
Moreover, the Department of State Affairs, as the executive body responsible for implementing policies, required the backing of military force.
The Hyuga had exactly that strength.
“Approved.” Nara Rokuon raised his hand first, returning the favor.
“Approved.” Sarutobi Sasuke followed.
“Approved.” “Approved.” “Approved…”
One by one, the clans raised their hands in vote, no objections raised.
Approved unanimously.
Though the Hyuga had arrived later than other clans, their formidable strength earned them the important position of Chancellor of the Department of State Affairs.
From this day forward, the Hyuga’s status in Konoha was firmly secured.
Madara Uchiha was Hokage.
Tobirama Senju was Chancellor of the Chancellery.
Hyuga Ten’nin was Chancellor of the Department of State Affairs.
The Ino-Shika-Cho had also secured the Chancellorship of the Central Secretariat.
The distribution of power among the Three Departments both accommodated the interests of each clan and maintained a balance of strength.
“Now that the Three Departments are settled, next are the Six Ministries.” Hikaru raised his voice, drawing everyone’s attention back to the stage.
The hall fell silent, eyes fixed on him.
The more powerful clans had already begun speculating among themselves.
“First is the Medical Department.
It oversees Konoha’s hospital, pharmaceutical research and development, and the training of medical-nin.”
“Second is the Civil Affairs Department.
It oversees Konoha’s household registration, farmlands, taxation, financial revenues and expenditures, and grain supplies.”
“Third is the Works Department.
It oversees Konoha’s construction projects, water conservancy, land reclamation, mining, and artisan affairs.”
“Fourth is the Justice Department.
It oversees Konoha’s laws, case trials, prisons, and judicial matters.”
“Fifth is the Ceremonial Department.
It oversees education and examinations, cultural development, and foreign diplomacy.”
“Sixth is the Military Department.
It oversees Konoha’s shinobi forces, armaments, and border defense orders.”
Six ministries, six major portfolios, covering every aspect of the village’s operations.
With each one Hikaru named, a wave of murmuring rippled through the hall.
The clan representatives below grew more animated with each word, their eyes shining brighter.
These six ministries answered directly to the Hokage—they were unquestionably Konoha’s upper echelon.
Any clan that secured even one of these positions would see its standing rise immediately.
Everyone was waiting, waiting for Hikaru to read out those names one by one.
“The Medical Department—” Hikaru deliberately paused, scanning the crowd.
“The Hokage nominates Aburame Shihei, head of the Aburame clan.”
A moment of silence, then a buzz of whispers erupted.
“The Aburame?
The Aburame clan could cultivate all manner of poisonous insects and beasts, and they were also well-versed in pharmacology.
Those insects could kill, but they could also save lives.
They could poison, but they could also detoxify.
Entrusting the Medical Department to the Aburame made sense.
For a moment, the Hatake, Kurama, and Inuzuka all cast envious glances toward the Aburame.
The Inuzuka clan head in particular thought—their ninken were also very familiar with medicinal herbs…
Unfortunately, they hadn’t curried favor.
If only they had known, they would have quietly offered something to the Hokage.
“The Civil Affairs Department—” Hikaru’s voice rang out again.
“The Hokage nominates Uchiha Hikaru.”
The Civil Affairs Department oversaw household registration, farmlands, taxation, and financial revenues—it was the Hokage’s purse, holding the reins of economic power.
Such an important position was one the Uchiha would never surrender.
Moreover, Hikaru’s abilities were there for all to see.
This was simply promoting the worthy without avoiding one’s own kin.
“The Works Department—the Hokage nominates Shimura Yuno, head of the Shimura clan.”
The Shimura were a minor clan.
In terms of strength and prestige, they ranked nowhere in the Land of Fire.
However, some time ago, Hikaru had taken Shimura Yuno’s son, Shimura Danzo, as his disciple.
Tobirama Senju simply looked away in disgust: Uchiha Hikaru was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, using his position for personal gain—a parasite upon Konoha.
“The Justice Department—” Hikaru ignored the murmuring below and continued.
“The Hokage nominates Senju Momoma.”
Senju Momoma, Hashirama’s cousin, was an elite jonin backed by the Senju clan.
This nomination did not stir much controversy.
The Chancellery already had Tobirama Senju, and the Justice Department had Senju Momoma—the Senju had secured two important positions at once.
As expected of one of Konoha’s two founding clans.
“The Ceremonial Department—the Hokage nominates Sarutobi Sasuke, head of the Sarutobi clan.”
Like the Shimura, the Sarutobi were currently only a minor clan, unranked among the ninja clans of the Land of Fire.
In strength, they could not compare to the Hyuga.
In connections, they could not match the Ino-Shika-Cho.
In seniority, they had none whatsoever.
The clan heads of other families exchanged looks, their expressions complicated.
For a long time, minor clans like the Sarutobi, Shimura, Hatake, Kurama, and Inuzuka had stuck together for warmth.
Shimura Yuno was a sly, rat-faced man with no noble bearing—his defection was hardly surprising.
But no one expected the upright-looking Sarutobi Sasuke to betray them as well, secretly aligning himself with the Uchiha.
As for the Military Department, it fell under the direct jurisdiction of the Hokage.