Ryoma tapped the table as he glanced at the document. The Chūnin Exams in the Land of Water…
It reminded him of the original Chūnin Exams, where chaos erupted when Shukaku was unleashed.
Back then, the "old monkey," Hiruzen Sarutobi, was slain by his own disciple—Orochimaru.
Now, Kirigakure clearly wanted to use this event for their own purposes.
"Does this report even need to be sent to me? What a joke!"
With a few sharp strokes, Ryoma scrawled a comment across the document:
Konoha is not a suitable place to hold the Chūnin Exams. If you want to fight, go to the Hidden Mist Village. It would even show goodwill toward Kirigakure.
But the document was promptly shoved back in front of him.
"Lord Ryoma, this isn't for you to review—it's for you to execute. Hokage-sama has already approved it…"
Ryoma's expression stiffened. So that was it—they weren't asking him to decide.
Tch. Seems the old monkey really does have a tradition of bringing disaster upon himself.
"Lord Ryoma, the Mist delegation is arriving this afternoon! Time is running short."
"Time is urgent?" Ryoma scoffed. "We barely have staff as it is."
It was already nearly noon, yet half the administration department hadn't shown up.
"What the hell is going on today?"
After some investigation through his shadow clone, Ryoma understood the situation.
Most of the administration staff had taken leave. They were from the Mito clan, the Shimura clan, and the Koharu faction—families allied with those elders.
In short, this was political retaliation.
The ones behind it were Shinto of the Koharu family and Ryosuke of the Mito clan, both considered rising stars among the younger generation. They had rallied their allies to collectively abandon their posts.
Their plan was obvious: cripple the administration department, humiliate Ryoma, and prove he was incapable of managing it.
"So that's your game?"
Ryoma smirked. Not enough manpower? Easy fix.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Dozens of clones appeared.
Not enough? Then how about a hundred!
…
Later, while walking hand-in-hand with Kushina, Ryoma suddenly stopped.
She frowned. "Ryoma, what's wrong?"
He grinned. The memories of his dispelled clones had just returned, informing him of the mess in the administration office.
"It's nothing… just wait a moment."
He quickly formed seals. "Shadow Clone Technique!"
Bang!
Hundreds of clones appeared in an instant, flooding the street.
Passersby gawked at the identical figures as they dashed off under Ryoma's command.
"No staff in the administration department? Then my clones will run it. Problem solved."
Kushina blinked in awe before tugging his sleeve. "Ryoma… maybe you should teach me some sealing techniques!"
He chuckled. "Of course."
…
The administration office erupted in chaos when the clones arrived.
The few staff still present stared in shock.
"A hundred shadow clones…?!"
"Lord Ryoma is incredible!"
The first thing the clones did was declare in unison:
"Where's the personnel roster? Anyone absent today doesn't need to show up tomorrow!"
"But, Lord Ryoma, that's—"
"What's the problem?" Ryoma's clones shot back with a grin. "If they refuse to work, then why waste Konoha's resources on them? Without them, the village won't collapse."
Meanwhile, up in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi received the report. He chuckled and shook his head.
"Let him handle it. I entrusted the administration department to him, and I won't take it back now. Besides… the Mito, Shimura, and Utatane clans need to be reminded that their selfish games are harming Konoha itself."
…
Elsewhere, at a tavern, Shinto of the Utatane clan, Ryosuke Mito, Ken Shimura, and other young elites were drinking together.
Ryosuke slammed his cup down. "Hmph! Hokage-sama really can't see reality clearly."
"That's right," another sneered. "How can Ryoma possibly run the administration department?"
Shinto remained silent, drinking heavily. Everyone knew his clan elder, Koharu, had died the previous night—slain outside her own home.
The official story was that it was the work of a Kirigakure spy. But anyone with sense suspected Ryoma. There was simply no proof.
Koharu's death had humiliated the Utatane family.
The Mito clan shared the same shame, while Ryoma had risen overnight—becoming Deputy Minister of the ANBU and parachuting into the administration department.
The three families couldn't stomach it.
So, unable to defy Hokage's orders openly, they chose sabotage. When the Mist delegation arrived to find the administration empty, the one humiliated would be Ryoma.
And when that happened, even the Hokage would have no choice but to dismiss him.
At that moment, two black-clothed shinobi burst into the tavern.
"Ryosuke-sama!"
"Shinto-sama!"
They were retainers of the Mito clan and the Utatane clan. Each whispered hurriedly into the ears of Ryosuke Mito and Shinto. Both men's faces changed instantly.
Shinto slammed his cup to the floor, fury burning in his eyes.
"Ryoma, that damned thief!"
The others froze, sensing bad news.
"What happened, Shinto-kun?"
"Yeah, what's going on?"
Face dark, Shinto spat it out. "Ryoma dismissed all of our people!"
Their expressions stiffened. Just moments ago, they had been laughing at Ryoma. Now, the tables had turned—he had struck directly at them.
"Ryosuke-kun, Shinto-kun… what do we do? If we go back now, it's humiliating. But if we don't, he'll really fire our people. And as minister, he has that authority…"
Even Ryosuke and Shinto were filled with regret. They hadn't expected Ryoma to be this bold—or this strong.
In the end, the younger members of the allied families had no choice. Reluctantly, they swallowed their pride and made their way back to the Administration Department.
But when they arrived, they were stopped at the entrance by two of Ryoma's shadow clones, standing guard.
"You all requested leave, didn't you?" the clones said coldly. "Then don't bother showing up tomorrow."
"What?!"
"Move aside! If you won't let us through, we'll go straight to Hokage-sama!"
The clones smirked with disdain. "Go on. See if we care."
Without another word, roots of Mokuton burst from the ground, binding the lot of them. In the next moment, they were hurled unceremoniously out of the building.
"Damn it, Ryoma! You'll regret this!"
The clones only chuckled darkly. "Save it for someone who cares."
Meanwhile, on the second floor of the Administration Department, the visitors from Kirigakure had arrived.
There were only four of them, but they were no ordinary delegation. At their head was Yagura Karatachi—the strongest of the Mist's new generation and the leading candidate to become the Fourth Mizukage.
If he succeeded in reclaiming the Third Mizukage's body on this mission, his ascension would be all but certain.
With a delegation of this level, Hokage-sama himself should have received them. For the task to be left to Ryoma was, on the surface, a slight.
But it was also intentional. Ryoma was not only the new head of the Administration Department and Deputy Minister of the ANBU—he was also the man who had killed the Third Mizukage.
Letting him handle this was the perfect way to test the Mist's resolve and deflate their pride.
Inside the office, Yagura slammed the table, glaring at the shadow clone seated before him.
"Where is Hokage-sama? We came all the way from Kirigakure, and this is how Konoha receives us?!"
Ryoma leaned back casually, meeting his fury with an indifferent gaze.
"Sit down. The Hokage isn't someone you can meet at will. For this matter, I'll be the one speaking with you."
"You?" Yagura's killing intent flared. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
Had this not been the Hokage Building, Yagura would have attacked already. To be treated with such disdain in enemy territory—it was an insult he could barely endure.
The Third Mizukage had fallen to some no-name Konoha ninja, and now Yagura himself had to come to retrieve the body. Worse still, Mei Terumī—the Mist's chosen kunoichi—had been taken by Konoha as well.
For Kirigakure, this was humiliation upon humiliation.
Ryoma's lips curled into a smirk.
"Oh? You don't know me?" he said lightly. "How careless of me—I forgot to introduce myself."
"I am Ryoma—head of the Administration Department, Deputy Minister of the ANBU, and Vice Principal of the Ninja Academy."
He leaned forward, eyes sharp.
"And the one who killed your Third Mizukage. Tell me… am I qualified enough to speak with you?"
...
TN:
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