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Three days after the coronation, order in the Fire Capital quickly returned.
The heads hanging on the city gates had not yet been removed, and wind-dried bloodstains still spoke of that iron-blooded day.
Yet the streets had already regained their prosperity.
The fear on people's faces was replaced by fervent adoration for the new Daimyo.
In their simple minds, the young master executing rebellious nobles meant he protected them.
That was enough.
The majesty of the Daimyo Manor enveloped every corner of the Land of Fire.
The old order was shattering, and new rules were taking root. The three-day period had arrived.
Namikaze Minato once again stepped into the Daimyo Manor.
This time, he came alone.
He did not wear his Hokage robe, only a Konoha uniform, looking capable and efficient.
On the way to the study, he saw many unfamiliar faces.
The new maids and guards no longer looked at him with the awe they once had.
He also saw several elegantly dressed young women, beautiful and poised.
In groups of three to five, they seemed to be admiring flowers, but their gazes toward the inner courtyard brimmed with undisguised ambition.
With a new king on the throne and an empty harem, this was a heaven-sent chance for any ambitious family.
Minato understood that everything here had changed.
He withdrew his gaze and continued forward.
Inside the study, Arashi leaned by the window, flipping through a commercial report, completely uninterested in the competition outside.
The afternoon sun fell on him, making him look more like a young master at ease.
"You are here."
Hearing footsteps, Arashi did not lift his head and spoke casually.
"Daimyo-sama."
"Sit."
Minato bowed and sat to the side, presenting a scroll.
"This is what you requested. The results of Konoha's internal affairs, and the preliminary plan for the Genius Cultivation Special Fund."
Arashi gestured for him to place it on the desk, his tone light. "Has everything been handled cleanly?"
"Yes." Minato's reply was a bit strained. "All Root members involved in the rebellion have been purged, and the remaining personnel have been disbanded, awaiting further review."
"Mm."
Arashi finally set down the report and sat up straight.
He did not look at the Root report, as if it were a minor matter.
His gaze fell on the plan. "Tell me your thoughts."
"Yes."
Minato steadied himself and elaborated.
The plan was comprehensive and fair.
Funds were divided into three parts, subsidizing outstanding Ninja Academy graduates, rewarding young Chūnin who performed exceptionally in missions, and funding research for new ninjutsu.
It focused on the village's long-term development, aiming to raise Konoha's new generation, without any personal aims.
He spoke in detail, earnestly.
Arashi listened quietly, expression calm.
Only when Minato finished did he pick up the plan, flip a few pages, and let out a soft chuckle.
"Minato, your plan is very good, and very well thought out."
Minato felt a slight relief.
But Arashi's next words tightened his chest.
"But it is still too conservative, and too dispersed."
Arashi placed the scroll on the table. His movements were gentle, yet they denied its value.
"What I want is not to spread benefits evenly."
He looked at Minato, patiently guiding him.
"Think about it. The Land of Fire's resources are limited."
"If nutrients are given equally to everyone, the result is universal mediocrity."
"The correct approach is to concentrate resources, letting the most promising few grow as quickly as possible."
"When they are strong enough to create a safe haven, only then can the weaker ones gain a stable environment to grow."
"The strong lead the strong."
"Only by first allowing a portion to become true powerhouses can they protect more people."
"This is the best way to make the Land of Fire prosper quickly."
These words stunned Minato.
He instinctively felt something was off.
But the argument that the strong protect the weak sounded reasonable, and he could not refute it.
"Therefore," Arashi concluded, "this investment should be more strategic. We must pour the best soil onto the top-tier seeds."
He lifted a finger, tapping the air.
"Yuhi Kurenai, her talent in genjutsu is once in a century."
"Might Guy, a pure taijutsu fanatic. With enough support, who can predict his limits."
"And Shiranui Genma, Ebisu... these people are treasures of our Land of Fire."
Finally, his finger paused.
"Oh, and the Third's son, Sarutobi Asuma."
Hearing the name, Minato's heart skipped a beat.
Asuma was in a rebellious phase and at odds with the Third, yet the Daimyo took notice?
"This young man is interesting." Arashi's smile held appreciation.
"He yearns to protect, yet is confused by the existing order. Such an unpolished gem is most worth carving."
"We should guide him, make him understand that what he should truly protect is the entire Land of Fire."
A chill rose along Minato's spine.
He finally caught that unease.
Every word from the Daimyo stood on the moral high ground, caring for the younger generation.
But together, they reached straight for Konoha's next generation.
"Daimyo-sama."
Minato could not help speaking, urgency in his tone. "Asuma and the others are still young, their minds are not settled."
"The ninja path requires tempering of will."
"Giving them too much too early, I fear it will..."
"Will what?"
Arashi interrupted gently. "Make their path smoother? Let them serve earlier?"
"Minato, you are a genius, but sometimes your ideas are too idealistic, just like Sarutobi's."
"Willpower matters. But can a hungry man's will block an enemy's kunai?"
"How long can a ninja's will last if he cannot provide for his family?"
"Times have changed."
"What I want to cultivate are the nation's sharpest blades, the strongest fighting force of our Land of Fire."
"They must have unwavering will, and the power worthy of that will, and absolute loyalty to the nation."
Minato's lips moved, but he was speechless.
Every word was impeccable.
"Of course, I am not forcing you." Arashi seemed to see his struggle, and his tone shifted.
"You can treat this plan as a reserve for another scheme."
"The Twelve Guardian Ninja, you know that title, do you not?"
Minato certainly knew.
They were the strongest guards directly under the Daimyo, the highest honor a ninja of the Land of Fire could attain.
He instinctively replied, "But Daimyo-sama, do your Anbu not already handle your safety?"
That mysterious, powerful unit from the ceremony was unforgettable.
"Good question, Minato."
Arashi was not displeased. He looked at him with appreciation. "This shows you are thinking."
"Anbu exist to protect the Land of Fire as a whole, to be the blade over the enemy's head, the scalpel for internal cancers. They should not be confined to my side as mere bodyguards."
Arashi's voice carried force.
"I am choosing new Twelve Guardian Ninja precisely to free the Anbu from personal duty."
"So they can execute more important missions. Do you understand?"
"This is not for me alone. It optimizes the top-tier fighting power of our entire Land of Fire."
Minato fell completely silent.
The logic was flawless.
He framed a private guard as serving the nation's defense.
He felt caught in a net woven of righteousness, interests, and honor.
He could not see its full shape, but he felt it tightening.
Refuse?
How?
Refuse funding that would ease the village's finances?
Refuse an opportunity for Konoha geniuses to rise at once?
If he refused, even without the Daimyo's word, the village's families and shinobi would tear him apart.
"...I understand."
After a long silence, he finally spoke, voice hoarse and dry.
"I will revise the plan according to your wishes."
"Very good." Arashi nodded in satisfaction and settled back into his lounge chair. "I hope to see a new plan that reflects the Land of Fire's strategic vision."
"Go."
"...Yes."
Minato bowed again, turned, and left.
(To be continued.)
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