Naruto's Yangmou
Faced with Naruto's insight, Jiraiya's eyes flashed with a trace of doubt. His thoughts had been seen through so easily.
Looking at the frowning Jiraiya, Naruto chuckled softly. "Ero-Sennin, your thoughts are actually easy to guess. After witnessing the politically stable and united Uzushio Village, you would naturally compare it to Konoha. That's where the idea of reform comes from."
"And if you want to carry out reforms, you must sweep away the old, stubborn forces in the village and firmly grasp power in your own hands."
"You went out to find Tsunade-sama, didn't you? Wasn't it to win her support and make her the Fifth Hokage?"
Jiraiya fell silent. Naruto had completely seen through him.
After experiencing the atmosphere of Uzushio Village, he could no longer ignore the stagnation in Konoha. He longed to restore it to the thriving state it was under the First and Second Hokage.
Having recovered from her gambling losses, Tsunade folded her arms and frowned. "Naruto, why do you think Uzushio Village is better than Konoha? What's your philosophy for building it? What exactly is the Will of Uzumaki?"
Naruto stared at Tsunade for a moment before replying. "Uzushio Village has plenty of shortcomings, but at least it's better than Konoha, where internal strife runs rampant. Here, there's no one like Danzo, forcing loyal shinobi to abandon the village one by one."
"As for laws and structure, I mostly modeled Uzushio after Konoha. In that regard, Konoha is already well-established."
Tsunade's expression softened slightly, but she still didn't fully understand Naruto's decision to defect and build his own village. She snorted. "So, Uzushio is just a miniature Konoha. I thought you'd have some original ideas."
Naruto, unbothered by her remark, responded evenly. "Tsunade-sama, you're right—there's no fundamental difference between Uzushio and Konoha. The difference lies in execution. Here, people won't be treated unfairly, and the law won't be bent for personal gain. We simply treat both shinobi and civilians with basic human decency."
Hearing Naruto's sharp words, Tsunade's face darkened.
Every issue he mentioned was a deep-rooted flaw in Konoha. These were the very reasons she had distanced herself from the village, choosing to ignore the problems that had long festered there.
But could such problems really be changed? Even she harbored biases against certain shinobi.
After a long pause, Jiraiya finally spoke, his voice calm but serious. "Naruto, how do you think Konoha should be reformed to become like Uzushio Village?"
Before he could finish his question, Tsunade shot him a glare. "Jiraiya…"
But Jiraiya, for once, ignored her. He looked at Naruto with rare determination. He genuinely wanted an answer.
Naruto studied Jiraiya for a moment before smirking playfully. "First and foremost, you must seize control of the Hokage's office and suppress all potential opposition. Next, you must aggressively develop chakra technology while dealing with the Fire Daimyo, who holds the village's finances. Only then can Konoha take the reins and become the true ruler of the Land of Fire."
"Is there more?" Jiraiya asked, eager for details.
"Not yet. Uzushio Village is still experimenting."
Naruto shared his strategies openly, not out of hostility, but because reform was a double-edged sword.
Survival was possible, but the chances of Konoha collapsing under the weight of reform were even greater.
Unlike Uzushio Village, which was small and self-sufficient, Konoha was part of the massive Fire Country, housing tens of thousands of shinobi and millions of civilians.
Reforming Konoha meant balancing countless interests while facing resistance from the Daimyo and entrenched elites.
That was why Naruto had chosen to leave rather than stay and fight an uphill battle.
Here, in Uzushio, his will was absolute. He was both the village leader and its daimyo, meaning he could govern without interference.
Suppressing opposition in Konoha, however, meant challenging the Fire Daimyo himself…
Jiraiya wasn't the only one shaken. Even Tsunade was momentarily stunned. They had never considered that the root of the problem wasn't just the village's leadership but the entire feudal system itself.
To them, the Daimyo was little more than a figurehead—a puppet to be manipulated. Overthrowing the system had never crossed their minds.
This feudal structure was the very foundation of the shinobi world, established since the days of Hashirama Senju.
Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged glances, realizing that Naruto had no intention of continuing the conversation. He placed his hands behind his head and casually walked away, his voice drifting back:
"Jiraiya, Tsunade, I wish you success in making Tsunade-sama the Fifth Hokage."
Jiraiya and Tsunade didn't try to stop Naruto or ask him to return to Konoha.
They understood that his departure wasn't an impulsive decision. It was the conclusion he had reached after years of hardship—both as an orphan of war and as a Jinchuriki.
Naruto had found an ideal stronger than the Will of Fire.
And when it came to verbal battles, they were no longer his equals.
In terms of sheer combat ability, they might have been able to overpower Naruto if they worked together. But with no direct conflict between Konoha and Uzushio, they had no reason to escalate tensions.
Jiraiya sighed. "Naruto still cares about the village. That's why he told us how to change it. But… he's already the leader of Uzushio Village."
Tsunade, now calmer, glanced at Jiraiya. "His ideas are interesting, but reform is harder than you think. The problem isn't just the Hokage and the elders. It's all of Konoha's shinobi."
"This is Naruto's yangmou—an open scheme."
"We can't follow his plan exactly. The best approach is to unite Konoha's shinobi against Hiruzen and Danzo first. If necessary, we'll use the Daimyo's authority. Do you still have any evidence against Danzo?"
"My copies were destroyed, but Kakashi should still have backups…"
Realizing something, Jiraiya's lips curled into a smile. "Tsunade, you're agreeing to return and deal with Hiruzen and Danzo together!"
"Otherwise, I wouldn't be the right choice for Fifth Hokage."
Tsunade frowned. "I'm only returning temporarily. Once things stabilize, I'm leaving. You should be Hokage."
Naruto's words echoed in Jiraiya's mind—You always pin your hopes on others. First, it was the 'Child of Prophecy.' Now, it's me. When will you stand on your own?
"Don't let that brat Naruto look down on you."
Jiraiya chuckled, masking his embarrassment. But his gaze hardened.
"I understand. I won't let you down. And I won't let Konoha down."
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