After the meeting, they returned to the Hokage’s office.
“This is wonderful, Arashi.”
Minato looked genuinely delighted.
“The plan you worked so hard to promote has finally taken its first step.
Your excellent proposal must have shown Hiruzen-sama how much potential it contains.”
‘It contains far too many kinds of potential.’
Arashi rolled his eyes inwardly and forced out a smile.
“You’re right.
Hiruzen-sama truly possesses extraordinary foresight.”
“Few people would have the courage to launch major reforms during such a difficult postwar period.”
“Hiruzen-sama became Hokage during a crisis when he was even younger than I am.”
Minato sighed with admiration.
“He led Konoha all the way to where it stands today.
I still have so much to learn from him.”
‘You certainly do.
You didn’t even notice I was being sarcastic.’
Arashi forcefully swallowed the retort rising in his throat.
“Then I should begin preparing.”
“Those redundant middle-ranking positions are held by members of the major clans.
Removing them will offend a great many people.”
“Go ahead and do whatever is necessary.”
Minato spoke earnestly.
“Come to me whenever you encounter resistance.
I’ll support you until the very end.”
“I feel much more reassured hearing that.”
That was what Arashi said aloud.
The moment he turned away, however, his face filled with irritation.
If the chief advisor needed the Hokage’s help merely to implement a project, he would appear incompetent.
People would inevitably question why he deserved his position.
Therefore, Arashi could not trouble Minato with this matter under any circumstances.
Even if Hiruzen’s faction remained silent, Danzo would be the first to use it against him.
After leaving the Hokage’s office, Arashi did not make any preparations.
Instead, he went straight to continue training with Duy.
His first response to the enormous problem Hiruzen had thrown at him was simple.
Delay it.
A project naturally required considerable time between approval and implementation.
Arashi had no intention of taking the initiative.
As he had admitted during the meeting, he was an outsider who barely understood the structure of Konoha’s middle ranks.
He had no idea which positions could safely be removed and which would sever one of the village’s arteries.
Was he supposed to ask Danzo?
That sinister old man was already his mortal enemy.
Refusing to answer would practically count as kindness.
More likely, Danzo would explain everything in great detail, provide completely false information, and later accuse Arashi of misunderstanding him.
Then Arashi would become the entire village’s laughingstock.
Therefore, he chose to sit beneath the tree and wait for the rabbit to strike the stump.
First, he would spread the news that the chief advisor intended to reduce redundant middle-ranking positions.
Those who panicked first and those who confidently believed themselves irreplaceable would reveal plenty through their reactions.
“Hah…
Hah…”
With Arashi’s current stamina, he could not complete one hundred laps without stopping.
He needed several breaks along the way.
Shisui approached during one of them and handed him a bottle of water.
“Advisor Kaeda, you don’t seem very pleased.”
“Who said that?”
Arashi gulped down the water.
“My stamina simply can’t keep up.
I’m delighted to train alongside Duy-san.”
“I wasn’t talking about the training.”
Shisui frowned.
“Your reform plan was approved, yet you don’t seem happy.”
“Your smile looks different from usual, and you don’t appear eager to implement it.”
“Is something worrying you?”
“If the problem is the Uchiha, I’m willing to speak with the clan head and our clansmen.”
“The Uchiha can set an example by removing some unnecessary members of the Military Police Force first—”
“Hahaha.”
Arashi could not stop himself from laughing.
This boy was almost painfully straightforward.
“Calm down.
Now that the news has spread, I should be the last person feeling anxious.”
“Our most important objective right now is still Obito and Orochimaru.”
“But quickly implementing the reform would greatly benefit all of Konoha.”
Shisui’s broader perspective was genuinely impressive.
He clearly understood that the proposals in Arashi’s plan were meant to improve the village.
“They may benefit Konoha, but they won’t necessarily benefit me.”
Arashi lay flat on the grass to recover his strength faster.
“Everything must be handled in the proper order.”
“Unfortunately, I have always placed myself before others.”
“Are you saying…”
Shisui paused before blurting out something that startled even himself.
“You don’t want Konoha to become too prosperous?”
As Arashi’s guard, he should never have asked such a question.
However, the boy was simply too honest.
He tried repeatedly to suppress it, yet the words still escaped.
Nearby, Tekka was drinking water and jolted so violently that he spilled it all over himself.
“You may understand it that way.”
Arashi smiled.
“Why?”
Shisui struggled to keep his voice from sounding accusatory.
“Aren’t you the Hokage’s chief advisor?”
“It is precisely because I hold this position that I don’t want everything resolved too quickly.”
Arashi sat up and glanced at him.
“Once Konoha becomes completely stable, it will no longer need an advisor.”
“But—”
Arashi interrupted him.
“Besides, I’m not the only advisor.”
“I can spend my day idly running around the village with Duy-san.”
“What do you think the others are doing?”
Even with little knowledge of the filth among Konoha’s leadership, Shisui could understand after Arashi made it so obvious.
His expression instantly turned ugly.
Arashi rose again, preparing to continue running with Duy.
“When you have time, think about the Will of Fire again.”
“I’m curious what conclusion you’ll reach.”
…
Shisui did not receive much time to think.
Early the next morning, he approached Arashi with a thick stack of petitions and an uneasy expression.
“Advisor-sama, I know you don’t wish to implement the project too quickly.”
“However, after learning about the plan to reduce middle-ranking positions, the villagers became extremely excited.”
“They strongly support it and hope to see you produce results soon.”
“Hmph.
The news spread among the villagers before the middle ranks reacted?”
Arashi sneered.
“Someone is pushing it from behind.”
“The solution is simple.
Conduct another survey showing that the villagers oppose the project.”
“But Advisor-sama!”
Shisui’s eyes widened in shock.
“They cannot support and oppose the same thing!”
“Of course they can.”
Arashi leaned back lazily.
“Imagine a cute young woman approaches and asks you a question.”
“You would want to leave a good impression instead of looking foolish, wouldn’t you?”
“…Yes.”
Shisui had little interest in romance, but Arashi’s reasoning still sounded normal enough.
Naturally, he agreed.
“Then the young woman begins her survey.”
Arashi pretended to pick up a sheet of paper and take notes.
“Shisui-san, are you concerned that Konoha’s money may be wasted on meaningless expenses?”
“Yes.”
“Are you worried that officials may profit privately while neglecting their responsibilities?”
“Yes.”
“Do you believe more money should be used to improve everyone’s quality of life?”
“Yes.”
“Do you support reducing Konoha’s middle-ranking positions?”
“Yes!”
Seeing Shisui answer enthusiastically, Arashi smiled and changed his approach.
“Shisui-san, are you concerned that Konoha’s organizational structure may become unstable?”
“Yes.”
“Are you worried that someone may abuse their authority to eliminate political opponents?”
“Yes.”
“Are you concerned that widespread unemployment among shinobi may cause public panic?”
“Yes.”
“Are you worried that enemy villages may exploit the opportunity to provoke unrest?”
“Yes.”
“Do you oppose reducing Konoha’s middle-ranking positions?”
“Uh…
I think that depends—”
“Please answer only yes or no.”
“…Yes.”
“There you have it.”
Arashi casually tossed the paper onto the desk.
“It’s merely a matter of asking leading questions.”
“Since someone wants to use those unruly—Ahem, those respectable Konoha villagers to pressure me into moving faster, I can also use public opinion to remind them that haste makes waste.”
Sure enough, only one morning later, Minato received news that made his vision go dark.
“What?!
More than seventy percent of the villagers oppose reducing the middle ranks?!”
“More than seventy percent?
My goodness!”
Arashi, the mastermind behind the result, looked like the most shocked person in Konoha.
“Let me see that.”
He examined the survey data, and his expression gradually became solemn.
“Minato, street surveys are not entirely reliable, but we still need to consider the results.”
“After all, the Hokage exists to protect the village and its people.”
“In my opinion…”
Arashi cleared his throat.
“Our proposal has clearly demonstrated its fundamental viability through unanimous legislative approval.”
“However, considering public concerns, we should explain that after careful review, although the proposal has received broad recognition, certain principles remain theoretically sound while other aspects require a delicate practical balance.”
“Therefore, the wisest and most cautious approach is to subject the proposal to more detailed consideration, strengthen continuity between the new framework and existing principles, and ensure that the principles governing those principles remain consistent.”
“Thus, the proposal may, in principle, continue progressing gradually once the proposer’s recommended approval process has established sufficient theoretical and practical consensus.”
Minato stared at him.
“…What?”
Honestly, Minato was not the only one who failed to understand.
Shisui and Itachi, who was organizing documents nearby, were equally bewildered.
Arashi had just demonstrated the ultimate skill of speaking continuously for thirty seconds without saying anything.
It was an essential ability for every university student forced to increase an essay’s word count.
“To put it simply, we shouldn’t oppose the villagers.”
Arashi finally delivered the one sentence hidden beneath all that nonsense.
“We should temporarily suspend the reduction of middle-ranking positions.”
“You aren’t losing your nerve, are you?”
Minato frowned.
“Of course not.”
“I wrote the plan.
No one wants to see it implemented more than I do.”
Arashi made a reassuring gesture.
“I’m only saying that we should…
proceed slowly.”
“It seems that’s our only option.”
Minato sighed.
“Arashi, you’ve worked hard.”
“Not at all.
I haven’t worked hard in the slightest.”
Arashi returned to his usual narrow-eyed smile.
“Compared with me, you’re the one who—”
Grrrrrrr…
A long rumbling sound interrupted him.
Arashi raised his head and saw Minato turn away in embarrassment.
“Um, Minato…”
Even Arashi struggled to maintain his composure.
“Unless I’m mistaken, was that your stomach?”
…