Hiruzen nodded and continued to ask, "I understand. Anything else?"
Shinji rubbed his temples, speaking with a helpless tone, "Old man, I don't believe you and Shikaku-senpai haven't discussed this thoroughly."
Hiruzen smiled faintly. "Hehe, this world will be handed over to you young people eventually."
"It's just those few methods: task monopoly, resource allocation—"
At this point, Shinji couldn't help but pause, recalling a tactic from his previous life.
"And military restrictions, sending garrison into Takigakure."
"Oh? Tell me more about that last one." Hiruzen's eyes lit up at the last sentence, and he asked with interest.
"It's very simple. Limit the scale of Takigakure's ninja forces, and prohibit the development or possession of certain highly dangerous Ninjutsu."
Shinji's pronunciation of the word 'certain' was particularly clear.
As an old fox, Hiruzen naturally understood what 'certain' implied. Everything would be decided by Konoha.
Hiruzen's gaze signaled Shinji to continue, while he listened quietly.
"As for the so-called garrison, we can nominally say it's to assist with exchanges and foster mutual trust."
"After all, Takigakure went back on their word, and we also bear some responsibility for not handling things properly."
"If there's no trust, then communicate more, and trust will naturally develop, won't it?"
Saying this, Shinji spread his hands.
Seeing Shinji's demeanor, Hiruzen chuckled and playfully pointed his pipe at Shinji.
"Little fox."
"The feeling is mutual."
Inside the Hokage Office, the two exchanged a smile.
—
Land of Grass Frontline.
Jiraiya and Choza were inside the main tent.
"Good kid."
Looking at the message in his hand, Jiraiya couldn't help but slap the table.
Choza, who was beside him, immediately picked up the message Jiraiya had finished reading.
Having known Jiraiya for so many years, even though he was a generation younger, their friendship was quite deep. Moreover, this message was specifically for both Jiraiya and Choza.
"It's the era of the young generation." Choza, who had also finished reading the message, couldn't help but sigh.
In the letter, Hiruzen instructed Jiraiya and Choza to act as described above. They were to ensure that the Kage of Takigakure would come to Konoha on his own.
As for how to make him comply?
A show of force would suffice. After all, a large portion of Konoha's troops had not yet withdrawn. They were all waiting for the final negotiations before being properly arranged.
"I didn't expect that kid to be so underhanded, this is simply—"
At this point, Jiraiya fell silent.
This was one of the reasons he didn't want to be Hokage, his personality was naturally straightforward. Even if he knew it would benefit Konoha, he couldn't bring himself to do such things.
As for letting Tsunade be Hokage, while she wouldn't be like him, at least if Shikaku had a plan, she would execute it.
And if it were Orochimaru?
Heh heh, Jiraiya was certain that if Takigakure could survive a few years later, his name, Jiraiya, would be written backward.
Maximizing profit by completely disregarding insignificant emotions. That was Orochimaru's way of doing things.
"Choza, you go and arrange this matter." Jiraiya said, his face gradually becoming serious.
Even if this ninja village had always just been a neighboring country's, no one would have a good impression of a traitor.
If it weren't for the fact that they couldn't go too far, Jiraiya had initially thought of wiping out Takigakure entirely.
The exposure and attack on the logistics route was something that he, as the frontline's first commander, had to bear the punishment for. After all, he hadn't done his part.
"Understood." Choza stood up and nodded very seriously.
—
"Tsk, Konoha seems to have changed a bit."
On a Konoha street, inside an izakaya.
Tsunade looked at the villagers coming and going, and the street that was gradually becoming lively.
Konoha had recently been experiencing a string of good news.
First, they defeated Iwagakure and Sunagakure in the war, and negotiations would follow soon. Then, they formed an alliance with Kumogakure.
Good news kept coming one after another, and even when out and about, Konoha's villagers felt their backs straighten significantly, and the atmosphere on the streets became increasingly lively.
"Tsunade-sama, I've been hearing a lot about Shinji-sama recently." Shizune responded, her face revealing an expression of admiration.
"He's truly amazing. Not only did he defeat the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, but even the Third Tsuchikage, an old ninja who has been active for a long time, was defeated by him."
"And there are many other things—"
Shizune recounted the many things she had recently heard about Shinji.
Tsunade picked up her sake cup and drank it in one gulp. Her gaze involuntarily turned towards the Hokage Rock in the distance.
'Grandfather, granduncle, is this Konoha as you hoped it would be?'
Coming back to her senses, Tsunade saw that Shizune was practically glowing with enthusiasm. She looked as if she shared in the glory.
"What's wrong, Shizune? Are you feeling lovesick?" Tsunade looked at Shizune with a teasing expression.
"Do you want me to do a good deed? Shinji isn't married yet."
"Please be proper, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune's cheeks flushed like a boiling teapot at these words, and she yelled at Tsunade.
She then realized how rude she had been and quickly bowed to Tsunade, saying, "I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama."
"Tch, little one, quite a temper." Tsunade pouted.
Shizune had been with her for many years. Tsunade wasn't one for formality. In fact, interacting this way was more relaxed.
Tsunade slowly poured her sake, speaking deliberately, "However, Shizune, don't even think about it. That boy—"
"I can tell he has absolutely no romantic feelings."
Even the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki looked at her that way, but Shinji's eyes hadn't changed from beginning to end.
She had asked the old man about it. That boy had always focused only on his group of disciples and on strengthening his own power. He was a complete training fanatic.
After returning from missions or teaching his disciples, he would either stay at home or go to the library if he had nothing else to do.
Or he would search for books in the storage compartments inside the Hokage Building.
And, although he had been seeking her out frequently recently, his purpose was for Karin, wanting to ask if she had any of Hashirama's manuals or training insights.
Thinking of this, Tsunade couldn't help but feel speechless.
If his actions weren't completely different from Orochimaru's, Tsunade would have thought Shinji was just like him.
Gentle like Minato, yet he didn't even have half of that boy's precociousness. Minato had already started dating Kushina in his early teens.