Still dressed in his yellow pinstriped suit, Kizaru wore a white haori over his shoulders, the red characters for "Fourth Hokage" emblazoned across its back.
He had not brought the Hokage hat with him. Instead, he had entrusted it to someone else and asked them to return it to the Hokage's Office.
According to procedure, Kizaru should have gone straight there after completing his inauguration ceremony and formally taken over his duties from his teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
However, the moment the progress bar in his mind reached one hundred percent, an unexpected change occurred.
Kizaru made an excuse about needing time to clear his head and slipped away to an isolated corner of the park.
The first thing he received upon reaching one hundred percent was the final fusion with Admiral Kizaru from the world of One Piece.
It did not grant him any new abilities or physical enhancements. He had already inherited everything Admiral Kizaru possessed at his peak.
What he received this time was something else entirely—all of Admiral Kizaru's combat experience.
Countless memories of battle surged into his mind at once. Every confrontation, every instinctive reaction, every judgment made in the heat of battle...
Digesting such an enormous amount of experience was one of the reasons Kizaru had chosen to come somewhere deserted.
The other reason was the transformation of the character card itself.
After the fusion rate reached one hundred percent, the three-dimensional image of Admiral Kizaru and the progress bar beneath it began to glow.
A moment later, both shattered into countless specks of light that scattered through his mind like drifting snow.
Guided by some unseen force, those specks gathered once more.
They gradually formed a sphere.
As the reconstruction continued, a translucent planet appeared within Kizaru's mind.
It was not some distant world.
It was the very planet beneath his feet—the world of Naruto.
Just like the previous character card, a progress bar floated beneath the three-dimensional planet.
The number displayed upon it was nine percent.
When Kizaru reached out with his consciousness and touched the progress bar, an enormous amount of information entered his mind.
This new progress bar did not represent a fusion rate.
It represented his conquest rate.
The value was determined by the amount of territory and life brought under his rule, along with the loyalty and admiration held toward him by the intelligent lifeforms within that territory.
The higher his conquest rate became, the greater his authority over the planet would grow.
Most importantly, it granted him control over the natural energy that represented the planet's life and power.
With a conquest rate of nine percent, Kizaru could already control nine percent of the planet's natural energy. He could also exert authority over an equivalent portion of the planet's matter.
Nine percent might not have sounded particularly impressive at first.
However, this was nine percent of an entire planet.
As he sensed the natural energy and matter around him responding to his will, Kizaru became certain of one thing.
There was no longer anyone on this planet who could defeat him.
Calling the bar a conquest rate did not feel quite accurate to him.
It was closer to a path toward godhood.
Thousands of years ago, the Ōtsutsuki clan had planted a God Tree upon this planet. It continuously devoured the planet's energy, along with the lives and souls inhabiting it.
According to Kizaru's estimate, the God Tree had absorbed less than thirty percent of the planet's total energy before producing its Chakra Fruit.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki had merely consumed that fruit, yet she had ascended into an immortal, godlike existence capable of ruling the entire world.
Had her two sons not turned against her under the guidance of the Great Toad Sage, Kaguya might truly have continued ruling this planet forever.
And all of that had come from a God Tree that had absorbed less than thirty percent of the planet's energy.
If Kizaru raised his conquest rate to one hundred percent and gained complete authority over the entire planet, allowing him to draw upon all of its energy whenever he pleased...
Would defeating three or five Kaguya Ōtsutsukis truly be difficult?
He might even be capable of defeating more.
Of course, unless he was driven into a situation where his life depended on it, Kizaru had no intention of absorbing all the planet's natural energy into his body at once.
Doing so would turn the world beneath his feet into a lifeless husk. The planet itself might even collapse and break apart, while every living creature upon it would perish.
There was no need to go that far.
Kizaru estimated that absorbing twenty to thirty percent of the planet's natural energy would already be enough to elevate his existence to an entirely different level.
Even if it did not make him truly impossible to kill, an ageless body and an endless lifespan should be well within reach.
A faintly excited smile appeared on Kizaru's face.
The natural energy that had once been violent and nearly impossible to tame now moved according to his will, responding as naturally as his own fingers. He could guide it, manipulate it, or draw it directly into his body whenever he wished.
"Oooh... how terrifying~"
The words were directed not only at his newfound strength, but also at the mysterious power residing within his mind.
As he recalled the Great Toad Sage's prophecy, Kizaru suddenly formed a bold suspicion.
Perhaps the Admiral Kizaru character card had merely been a beginner's gift.
And perhaps the Naruto world he had just unlocked was nothing more than his starting point—his first territory.
Kizaru raised his head and stared into the sky, helplessness creeping into his expression.
He had only ever wanted a comfortable nine-to-five job that paid well and demanded very little from him.
Yet after escaping the life of an ordinary salaryman, he had somehow become Hokage—the busiest position in Konoha.
And now, the temptation of becoming an immortal god who ruled an entire planet had been placed before him.
"What a troublesome thing~"
Troublesome or not, there was no chance Kizaru would willingly abandon such an opportunity.
He did not know where the power in his mind had come from.
He did not know what awaited him after the conquest rate reached one hundred percent.
Even so, he had no intention of retreating.
At the very least, the sights he had witnessed and the experiences he had enjoyed along the way were things his previous life could never have offered him.
A verse surfaced in his mind.
Pay no heed to the rain beating through the forest.
Why not sing and walk at ease?
After silently reciting the verse, Kizaru stopped dwelling on the unknown.
His usual relaxed smile returned.
He turned away from the inner lake and followed the path out of the park.
Since the new progress bar represented his conquest rate, Kizaru would have to reconsider how he governed Konoha after becoming Hokage.
The coming Shinobi World War had to be planned carefully.
It would serve as the foundation for the future unification of the world.
In this world, where a single person could possess power capable of overturning an entire nation, Kizaru now stood unrivaled.
The loyalty and admiration of those under his rule could be nurtured gradually.
For now, his priority was to conquer as much territory as possible and bring more land and people beneath his authority.
Even if their loyalty and admiration remained low at first, the sheer expansion of his territory could raise the conquest rate to thirty percent, forty-five percent, or perhaps even sixty percent.
That would give him everything he needed to ascend to godhood.
Once he achieved that, time would no longer be a concern.
He could slowly transform the world, improve the lives of its people, earn their loyalty and admiration, and raise the conquest rate even further.
Kizaru refused to believe that loyalty would not increase if he focused on education with one hand and improving productivity with the other.
If every citizen—aside from those whose duties made fixed hours impossible—could live a nine-to-five life, enjoy two days of rest each week, receive support while raising their children, and remain cared for in old age...
How could they not support the person who had given them such a life?
Compared to Kizaru's previous world, the world of Naruto was vast, sparsely populated, and overflowing with resources.
Even without any major improvement in productivity, the lives of ordinary people could be greatly improved simply by removing the privileged class that controlled most of those resources.
That raised an obvious question.
Who made up the privileged class of the shinobi world?
The answer was simple.
The daimyō and nobles of every nation, along with the wealthy merchants who colluded with them.
As for the shinobi who wielded extraordinary power...
Aside from a handful of wandering shinobi who dominated smaller nations and certain powerful shinobi clans, the vast majority of shinobi belonged to the working class.
Kizaru had lived in this world for more than ten years, and he had often wondered how the group controlling most of the world's military strength had ended up living such miserable lives.
Many middle- and lower-ranking shinobi survived by accepting missions, yet their lives were sometimes worse than those of minor nobles or moderately successful merchants.
As Kizaru's strength and status had risen, he had gained access to more information.
By combining that knowledge with what he remembered from his previous life, he gradually understood the reason.
The first problem was that shinobi had never been united.
After the age of the Sage of Six Paths and the early Ninshū sect ended, no leader emerged who could unite them again.
The daimyō and nobles took advantage of that absence.
Through missions and military contracts, they repeatedly set shinobi clans against one another, deepening their hatred until hostility became tradition.
At the same time, powerful shinobi clans were courted by the nobility and gradually assimilated into their system. Some had even begun transforming into a new noble class themselves.
The daimyō and nobles won over the strongest shinobi while dividing, provoking, and suppressing those beneath them.
In that manner, the very class that possessed extraordinary power and commanded the world's greatest military force had been drawn into a game whose rules were written by others.
The nobility possessed established laws, enormous wealth, and family traditions that had been passed down for centuries—or even millennia.
Those advantages allowed them to control the enormous beast known as the shinobi class and turn it into a weapon for preserving their own rule.
The nobles did not truly fear competition over wealth or political authority.
As long as everyone continued obeying the rules they had established, the victor would eventually become one of them.
What they truly feared was someone overturning the table itself.
Once the structure supporting their authority collapsed and the old rules lost their power, those nobles—despite all the wealth and knowledge they had accumulated—would become painfully vulnerable.
In an age of chaos where individual strength determined everything, so-called daimyō and nobles were little more than fat pigs waiting to be slaughtered.
Unfortunately, the shinobi possessed power but lacked unity, political awareness, and widespread education.
They never recognized the truth.
Instead, they allowed themselves to become trapped by tradition and rules until they gradually turned into watchdogs protecting the very people exploiting them.
Kizaru had understood this for a long time.
However, he had never felt any desire to interfere.
He had been born into the Shimura clan and later accepted as the direct disciple of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
To a certain extent, Kizaru himself belonged to the privileged class and stood on the same side as the nobility.
But now, the power within his mind had changed.
With a far greater objective before him, Kizaru could no longer ignore the existing structure.
Instead, he intended to use it.
His first step would be to gradually influence the shinobi through education and carefully controlled public messaging.
Regardless of which nation or village they came from, all shinobi belonged to the same group.
They were not each other's true enemies.
They needed to understand who had turned them against one another in the first place.
Who hired them to kill each other?
Who created generations of hatred between shinobi clans and hidden villages?
Who controlled the resources while leaving shinobi to risk their lives for limited income?
The answer was the privileged class—the daimyō, the nobles, and the wealthy merchants who served them.
If Kizaru openly spread those ideas now, the entire village—and perhaps the entire shinobi world—would erupt.
His position as Hokage might even be shaken.
Most people would simply regard him as a madman.
Therefore, Kizaru had no intention of shouting ideological slogans or forcing such thoughts upon everyone overnight.
He would spread them gradually.
He would begin with those closest to him, move on to the shinobi of Konoha, and eventually extend those ideas throughout the entire shinobi world.
While considering the arrangements he would need to make, Kizaru arrived at the Hokage's Office.
The newly retired Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was already waiting inside.
Beside him sat Kizaru's uncle and the Hokage's assistant, Danzō Shimura, along with the two advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.
"You're here. Take a seat."
Hiruzen held his pipe between his lips as he regarded his disciple with a gentle expression.
"The Hokage's duties are not particularly difficult once you understand how everything operates. From today onward, I'll be leaving them to you."
Kizaru nodded with a smile.
He strode behind the Hokage's desk and lowered himself into the chair without the slightest hesitation.
A large pile of documents covered the desk.
Kizaru glanced at them before looking toward the four members of Konoha's old guard seated across from him.
Then he leaned back, crossed one leg over the other, and made himself comfortable.
Hiruzen quietly studied him through the smoke rising from his pipe.
Something about his disciple had changed.
In the past, Kizaru had always seemed like an extraordinarily confident genius—a lazy, slippery young fox who preferred avoiding trouble whenever possible.
That part of him had not disappeared.
However, Hiruzen could now sense a new purpose beneath Kizaru's relaxed demeanor, accompanied by the youthful vigor and quiet authority he had rarely displayed before.
Hiruzen could not understand what had caused such a sudden change.
In the end, he could only attribute it to the position Kizaru had inherited.
The Hokage's seat truly could change a person overnight.
"Oooh... and what might all this be~?"
Although Kizaru already knew the answer, he pointed toward the documents scattered across the desk.
Homura, Koharu, and Danzō remained silent.
This was the formal handover of authority, so the explanation naturally belonged to the previous Hokage.
"These are reports concerning every department in the village," Hiruzen explained. "They also include recently completed matters and affairs that still require attention."
He rose from his seat with his pipe still in his mouth and approached the desk.
As his fingers brushed across the documents, a trace of reluctance appeared in his eyes.
He patted the first pile on Kizaru's left.
"These contain detailed information about every village department, along with Konoha's current situation. Once you finish reading them, you should have a clear understanding of how the village operates."
Kizaru nodded and glanced toward the second pile.
Understanding the silent question, Hiruzen continued.
"These are records of the matters handled by the village over the past three months. I specifically ordered them to be collected and organized for you."
He looked at Kizaru seriously.
"You must read through all of them. They will teach you how similar affairs should be handled in the future."
Hiruzen then placed his hand upon the third pile.
"These are the documents I was unable to finish before leaving office, along with several policies and operations that are still being carried out. Once you've read the first two sets, you can begin dealing with these."
His expression softened.
"Don't be afraid of making a mistake. Handle them as you see fit. If any problems arise, I, Danzō, Homura, and Koharu will do everything we can to assist you."
Hiruzen's words were sincere.
He genuinely hoped Kizaru would adapt to his position quickly and gradually grow into an excellent Hokage.
Kizaru smiled and nodded.
He had to admit that he might have judged his teacher too harshly at first.
When he entered and saw the mountain of documents covering the desk, he had suspected that the four elders intended to bury him beneath tedious work while quietly preserving part of their former authority.
However, judging from Hiruzen's expression, tone, and explanation, Kizaru could tell that his teacher sincerely wanted him to become a capable Hokage and govern Konoha well.
"Oooh... this certainly looks troublesome~"
Kizaru complained in his usual tone before adding, "Still, I'll finish reading everything as soon as possible."
Hiruzen visibly relaxed.
He had been worried that Kizaru would take one look at the piles of documents and either refuse to work or immediately hand most of his duties to someone else.
Danzō also appeared slightly surprised.
Homura and Koharu, however, felt an unmistakable sense of disappointment.
Based on Kizaru's usual personality, they had expected him to despise tedious administrative work.
Faced with such an enormous number of documents, surely he would become lazy and leave some of his responsibilities to them.
If that happened, they might gain even more authority as Hokage advisors than they had possessed during Hiruzen's administration.
Yet Kizaru had agreed to handle everything himself.
Why could he not have remained lazy?
What a disappointment.
A flicker of dissatisfaction crossed their faces before being concealed almost immediately.
Unfortunately for them, Kizaru had already noticed.
Leaning comfortably against the Hokage's chair, he observed the subtle changes in all four elders' expressions.
Since the two advisors were already uncomfortable, perhaps he should make them even more uneasy.
"I'll finish reading all of these documents today."
Kizaru's relaxed gaze swept across the four people before him.
"Tomorrow morning, we'll hold an internal meeting. I intend to make several changes to the village's current management structure."
The atmosphere in the office changed instantly.
Hiruzen, Danzō, Homura, and Koharu all looked at him in surprise.
Changing Konoha's management structure was no minor matter.
With war approaching, any large-scale adjustment could throw the village into disorder and damage the authority of the newly appointed Fourth Hokage.
More importantly, changes to the management structure could directly affect the power and status of everyone inside the office.
Kizaru had not explained whether the changes would benefit or harm them.
However, from the perspective of those who had occupied their positions for many years, preserving the existing system was naturally the safest choice.
Although the four of them currently held different responsibilities, they were all regarded as village elders.
Their rank stood directly beneath the Hokage, but the true extent of an elder's authority had never been clearly defined.
It could be enormous or nearly nonexistent, depending on the elder's personal ability and the strength of the faction supporting them.
If Kizaru chose to suppress the elders—or even remove one or two of them—the moment he took office, their positions would become extremely awkward.
Among the four, Danzō was the least concerned.
Kizaru was his biological nephew, and their relationship had always been close.
In Danzō's eyes, their ambitions were also almost perfectly aligned.
Hiruzen was Kizaru's teacher and the previous Hokage.
Whether out of personal affection or political necessity, Kizaru could not possibly drive Hiruzen out of Konoha's leadership immediately after taking office.
Such an action would make Kizaru appear cold and ungrateful. It would also reflect poorly upon the Shimura clan supporting him and cause every other shinobi clan in the village to fear that they might be next.
That left Homura and Koharu with the greatest reason to worry.
Both advisors wanted to question Kizaru.
However, his personal strength was simply too overwhelming, and the support gathered behind him was far too great.
Neither dared openly oppose the new Hokage on the very first day of his administration.
Feeling the urgent gazes of his two old friends, Hiruzen sighed inwardly.
As he had grown older, he had become increasingly reluctant to abandon those who had stood beside him for so many years.
"Kizaru, there's no need to rush into changing the system," Hiruzen advised. "Read through the documents first. Once you fully understand how the village operates, you can decide whether any adjustments are necessary."
Kizaru looked at his teacher with a gentle expression before briefly glancing toward the two advisors.
"Sarutobi-sensei, there's no need to worry~"
His smile remained unchanged.
"Tomorrow's meeting will only be a discussion. I won't implement anything until I have a clear understanding of the village's situation."
Hiruzen breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
He had feared that Kizaru, intoxicated by his new authority and filled with youthful ambition, intended to launch a sweeping reform the moment he took office.
Fortunately, his disciple had not allowed the position of Hokage to cloud his judgment.
"Then focus on understanding the situation first," Hiruzen said. "For the next few days, Homura, Koharu, and I will help keep the village's daily administration running normally."
"That would be a great help~"
Kizaru smiled warmly at the four elders.
Everything that needed to be explained had already been said.
Hiruzen did not remain to disturb him.
He left the Hokage's Office with Homura and Koharu, while Danzō deliberately walked behind the other three.
Just before stepping through the door, Danzō turned and gave Kizaru a meaningful look.
Kizaru immediately understood.
His uncle wanted to speak with him privately.
Kizaru nodded before raising both index fingers and crossing them in front of his chest—their signal to meet at home at ten o'clock that night.
After receiving the response, Danzō left the office.
Kizaru watched the door close behind the four elders.
Now that he possessed a new objective, he patiently began examining the documents covering his desk.
Starting from the left, he first opened the reports submitted by the village's departments.
Konoha could be considered large or small depending on one's perspective.
Including shinobi and ordinary civilians, the village had a registered population of more than one hundred and twenty thousand people. That number included those currently conducting business or stationed outside the Land of Fire.
Of those, more than sixteen thousand were officially registered as active shinobi.
However, that did not mean Konoha possessed only sixteen thousand people capable of using chakra.
Many members of the village's shinobi clans and private ninjutsu schools had undergone training, learned to control chakra, and mastered ninjutsu without formally registering as shinobi.
If those clan reserves and private forces were included, Konoha could mobilize more than twenty thousand shinobi in an emergency.
Managing so many shinobi and civilians naturally required numerous departments.
Excluding smaller subordinate divisions, Konoha currently possessed fourteen departments that reported directly to the village leadership.
The combat and intelligence branches consisted of ANBU, Root—which was also responsible for training ANBU personnel—the Torture and Interrogation Division, the Jōnin Corps, the Chūnin Corps, the Genin Corps, and the Konoha Guard Force.
The logistical and administrative branches consisted of the Logistics Department, the Administration Department, the Mission Assignment Department, Konoha Hospital, the Konoha Research Institute, the Ninja Academy, and the Sealing Corps.
After examining the reports and personnel lists submitted by each department, Kizaru immediately noticed a clear pattern.
Shinobi from particular clans had gathered within specific departments and occupied a large number of important positions.
Nearly one-third of ANBU came from the Sarutobi clan.
Likewise, members of the Shimura clan accounted for nearly one-third of Root.
Half of the shinobi in the Torture and Interrogation Division belonged to the Yamanaka clan, while the Administration Department contained a particularly large number of Nara.
The generous interpretation was that the clans were actively contributing their talents to the village.
The less generous interpretation was that they had monopolized the middle- and upper-ranking positions within certain departments and secured control over their authority.
As someone born into a shinobi clan himself, Kizaru had already expected such a situation.
He was not surprised.
Konoha had originally been created through an alliance between the Senju and Uchiha clans led by the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
Afterward, numerous shinobi clans both large and small had joined them.
Fundamentally, those clans were the original shareholders of the armed organization known as Konoha.
The only differences were the size of their respective shares and the amount of influence they possessed.
Moreover, members of the shinobi clans were often more capable than civilian shinobi.
They received training from their elders from an early age, enjoyed access to better resources, and possessed their clans' hiden techniques.
The Yamanaka clan was an obvious example.
Their mind-related techniques granted them an enormous advantage in intelligence gathering and interrogation that ordinary shinobi could not easily match.
As Hokage, Kizaru could not knowingly assign the Yamanaka to unsuitable positions merely to create the appearance of balance.
A capable leader should place people where their talents could be used most effectively.
As long as those beneath him remained loyal and performed their duties properly, there was no reason to cripple the village's efficiency for the sake of political maneuvering.
Konoha was still, at its core, a military organization.
There was no need to allow political games to interfere with every decision.
More importantly, Kizaru possessed complete confidence in his ability to suppress the ambitions of every clan and shinobi beneath him.
As long as the clan shinobi completed their work properly, he had no intention of touching them.
His true targets were the parasites who relied entirely upon their family backgrounds to occupy important positions while contributing nothing and feeding upon the village's resources.
At the same time, Kizaru began considering how he could provide civilian shinobi with more opportunities, resources, and paths for advancement.
His teacher had inherited the position of Hokage in the middle of a crisis and lacked the overwhelming personal strength needed to suppress every faction directly.
To preserve Konoha's political balance, Hiruzen had been forced to restrain the great clans, win over the smaller and medium-sized clans, and elevate civilian shinobi.
Kizaru had no intention of judging his teacher's choices.
However, he did not plan to continue the same policy.
He would not deliberately suppress any clan.
Anyone with genuine ability who could produce results would receive his support.
Kizaru possessed the strength, authority, and confidence required to keep the ambitions of those beneath him under control.
Moreover, his new objective required as many talented people as possible to rise.
Rather than wasting time and energy weakening the shinobi clans, Kizaru preferred to invest those resources in cultivating civilian shinobi.
Even if balance remained necessary, he wanted the civilian shinobi he supported to grow until they could stand beside—or even surpass—the shinobi clans through their own strength.
He would create balance by raising the civilian shinobi, not by dragging the clans down.
The specific policies could be decided later.
After establishing a general direction in his mind, Kizaru continued reading.
He moved on to the administrative and mission records Hiruzen had handled during the previous three months.
The further Kizaru read, the more clearly he understood the circumstances of Konoha's middle- and lower-ranking shinobi, particularly those from civilian backgrounds.
Their lives could not necessarily be called miserable.
After all, most shinobi earned enough to support themselves.
However, the casualty rate among middle- and lower-ranking shinobi during missions was far from low, especially when injuries were included.
Over the previous three months alone, forty-seven shinobi had been killed during missions.
Another four hundred and fifty-nine had suffered injuries.
Among them, seventy-one had been left permanently disabled, transferred away from active duty, or forced to retire altogether.
Such a high casualty rate was not normal.
The main reason was that war was approaching, causing the danger level of missions assigned by the village to rise sharply.
Even with that explanation, however, the records made it clear that the careers and living conditions of most shinobi remained precarious.
Shinobi had mastered powers far beyond those of ordinary people.
They should have been capable of living better lives, and their abilities should have driven the development of the entire world.
Unfortunately, those possibilities had been destroyed by the hatred deliberately cultivated by nobles and wealthy merchants.
Making every shinobi understand that truth would be extraordinarily difficult.
Convincing them to release hatred accumulated across decades—or even centuries—unite with one another, and overturn the cruel and absurd structure of the world seemed almost impossible.
Kizaru understood how difficult it would be.
Even so, he possessed complete confidence in his ability to accomplish it.
He would reason with those willing to listen.
As for those who refused to listen, overwhelming strength could speak in his place.
Between those two methods, the vast majority of people would eventually be convinced.
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