Chapter 411 – I Approve
Minato's very first proposal regarding jōnin reform instantly captured the attention of every unaffiliated jōnin present.
But none of them dared show their excitement too openly.
In Konoha's structure, without clan backing, without official position or political leverage—
Their voices carried little weight.
Still, they now understood why the Fourth Hokage had summoned them.
He was addressing their interests directly.
By including them in the meeting, he was inviting them to take a stance—
To support him.
They were not fools. The message was clear.
Yet they remained still.
Until the clan heads spoke, what could they do?
And more importantly—
They needed to hear the full proposal before choosing a side.
---
"Lord Hokage," one jōnin finally raised his hand. "Are there conditions attached to these benefits?"
"Yes, there are, Jōnin Nakamori," Minato replied calmly. "But please allow me to finish outlining the proposal first."
The man scratched his head awkwardly.
He was desperate.
As a team leader mentoring fresh Academy graduates, he had avoided the frontlines—but at great financial cost.
Low-paying missions.
Equipment expenses.
Constant responsibility.
He would have preferred to fight Cloud shinobi on the battlefield.
But someone had to protect Konoha's next generation.
---
"Now, to the second point."
Minato's voice strengthened.
"Money alone is insufficient. Therefore, I propose increasing resource allocation for jōnin."
The hall tensed.
Resources?
That meant ninjutsu.
Strategic assets.
Was Minato suggesting opening Konoha's accumulated technique archives?
And if so—
What would motivate advancement afterward?
What would replace the traditional system of earning techniques through merit?
Clan shinobi already possessed private knowledge reserves.
Village techniques were limited, tightly controlled.
Would the Scroll of Seals be opened next?
The room filled with wary calculation.
---
"I intend," Minato declared clearly, "to open Konoha's ninjutsu archives to all jōnin."
Gasps erupted.
"And I also request cooperation from each clan—"
His eyes swept across the chamber.
"—to contribute non-secret techniques for communal access. Excluding clan-exclusive secret arts, of course."
That did it.
The backlash came instantly.
"What does that mean?" voices rose.
"Contribute our techniques?"
"Why should we nourish others with our own resources?"
For many clans, their library of techniques was their foundation.
The Sarutobi clan.
The Shimura clan.
Their strength rested not only in political figures—but in extensive elemental mastery archives.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had stepped down from clan leadership during his tenure as Hokage.
The current clan head, Sarutobi Kento, stood immediately.
"Lord Hokage, while the proposal sounds noble, many of these techniques are foundational to our clan's standing."
"I oppose."
Shimura's clan head rose as well.
Even with Danzō gone, their political ties remained.
One by one, allied minor clans followed.
Opposition solidified.
Civilian jōnin remained silent.
Major clans watched.
The atmosphere thickened.
---
"Have you finished arguing?"
The calm voice cut through the chamber like a blade.
Uchiha Kei.
His tone wasn't loud—
But it carried.
Every voice died.
All eyes turned to him.
He sat in the front row, arms folded.
What was his position?
He was undeniably a clan shinobi.
With Fugaku at the frontlines—
Kei effectively represented the Uchiha.
And Uchiha was now Konoha's most powerful clan.
Police Force leadership.
Three out of four division captains.
Deep influence across institutions.
And yet—
His stance was ambiguous.
Why?
---
Kei tapped the table lightly.
"The Hokage has not finished speaking."
His gaze swept the room.
"Respect for the Hokage is the minimum standard. If you cannot manage that, perhaps you do not belong in this chamber."
"Uchiha Kei—" the Shimura clan head began angrily.
"Silence."
Kei's eyes locked onto him.
"And you will address me properly. If this continues, shall I summon the Police Force to maintain order?"
The threat was understated—
But absolute.
The Shimura head fell silent, restrained by Sarutobi Kento.
They could not afford open conflict with the Police Force.
Kei rose slowly.
"I don't care what opinions you hold."
"But if this meeting cannot proceed because of disruption—"
Kakashi stood as well.
Now formally appointed ANBU Commander.
Between them, they controlled Konoha's two true combat forces.
Their authority was undeniable.
Opposition quieted.
Meanwhile—
The civilian jōnin in the back burned with anticipation.
---
"Thank you, Head Kei."
Minato nodded gratefully.
"Let me continue."
"Third point."
He inhaled slowly.
This was the decisive blow.
If earlier proposals merely weakened clan privilege—
This would restructure the system itself.
Minato glanced once more at Kei.
Kei gave a firm nod.
Confidence returned.
Minato turned to the hall.
---
"From this day forward—"
"I will restructure the meeting system of Konoha."
The chamber froze.
"We will establish a representative council based on rank."
"Genin: 50 representatives."
"Chūnin: 30 representatives."
"Jōnin: 20 representatives."
"Future major meetings will consist of department heads and elected rank representatives."
"Not clan leaders."
Silence.
Utter silence.
It wasn't reform anymore.
It was revolution.
This was open war against clan-dominant politics.
Hyūga Hiashi.
Nara Shikaku.
Even they were stunned.
Imai Kenta slowly turned toward Kei.
Of course Kei knew.
Of course.
No wonder he had urged early jōnin promotions.
No wonder he had expanded recruitment among civilian shinobi in the Mission Department.
This reform favored civilians.
They accumulated missions faster.
They outnumbered clan shinobi massively.
With resources equalized—
Their growth would rival traditional elites.
This was:
• Elevating civilian shinobi
• Reducing clan privilege
• Rebalancing political representation
---
Kenta's mind raced.
How long has Kei been planning this?
Ever since he took partial control of the Police Force—
He had integrated civilians into Uchiha ranks.
Reduced clan isolation.
Shifted internal structures.
Had he been laying groundwork all along?
Other Heads and clan leaders followed the same trail of thought.
They remembered:
• The mysterious fire that eliminated Uchiha's conservative elders
• The rapid rise of Kei afterward
• The pressure placed on Orochimaru years ago
The implications were chilling.
Had Kei and Minato aligned far earlier than anyone suspected?
No one dared complete that line of thought.
---
"This is unacceptable!"
The Mitokado clan head stood.
"Clan systems are foundational to shinobi stability!"
The Utatane clan head followed.
"Only elite clans ensure village strength. We oppose."
Sarutobi.
Shimura.
One after another, former "Big Four" aligned in rejection.
Allied minor clans followed.
Minato's face remained composed—
But a bead of sweat formed on his brow.
---
Imai Kenta leaned toward Kei.
"Well? Looks like your plan's collapsing."
"Relax," Kei replied calmly.
"I haven't voted yet."
"Neither has Kakashi."
"Heads carry double votes. Remember?"
"Four each."
"And Uchiha jōnin vote with me."
He added coolly,
"Uchiha has the largest jōnin count."
Kenta grimaced.
It was true.
Minato had slowed jōnin promotions in recent years.
Yet among those approved—
A disproportionate number were Uchiha.
Kei had prepared meticulously.
The board was set long ago.
Just imagining it made clear how deliberate their preparations had been.
"You were preparing for today all along, weren't you?" Kenta rolled his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me? I could've helped."
"Idiot," Ayaka cut in coolly. "Didn't he say long ago that jōnin would become important? You didn't take it seriously—whose fault is that?"
"Hey, hey," Kenta shot back, "you're not even married into the Uchiha yet and you're already talking like this?"
He sighed dramatically.
"Fine. I admit you two are doing the village a favor. Just… try not to be so blatant about it. Anyway—Kei, relax. At least fifteen votes from the Senju side are yours. Though honestly, I'm still not entirely confident…"
"Oh?" Kei smiled faintly, cutting him off. "I was more worried that after getting four votes yourself, you might develop other ideas."
"Don't joke," Kenta snorted. "I remember exactly how those people treated the Senju. If we can pull them down a notch, what's wrong with that? I hate them—not Konoha. I want the village to thrive. If Konoha prospers, so do I."
"Good," Kei nodded lightly. "At least you're more farsighted than they are. Your mouth is still irritating, though."
Kenta rolled his eyes again.
What had he said wrong?
They were teammates. Ayaka clearly sided with Kei. Anyone with eyes could see that their relationship was… complicated.
Not lovers—but certainly more than just friends.
Still, that was fine.
Kei and Ayaka growing closer benefited everyone involved.
The experiments they conducted weren't just about increasing strength—they were also about helping Ayaka break free from the Caged Bird Seal.
And Ayaka's technical expertise was invaluable.
Keeping her close was strategically wise.
Though—
Kenta had to admit.
She was ruthless.
Cold.
He distinctly remembered that her former fiancé had died—by her hand.
That kind of woman?
Better suited to someone like Kei.
Let the two serpents deal with each other.
Kenta considered himself a normal person.
---
"Is there anyone else opposed?"
Minato's voice rang out, cutting through Kenta's wandering thoughts.
The hall had quieted considerably.
No one wanted to push things too far.
If Kei truly summoned the Police Force, the meeting could be forcibly concluded—and the proposal passed by procedural maneuvering.
There was still room for opposition.
But turning this into chaos would be unwise.
"Then," Minato inhaled deeply, "is anyone in favor?"
Silence.
Thick.
Heavy.
No one moved.
Not even Kei.
The civilian jōnin in the back hesitated.
They were shaken.
Minato's proposal clearly favored them—
But the clan leaders had overwhelmingly opposed it.
Even those who remained silent did not openly support it.
To stand alone now—
Was frightening.
Imai Kenta glanced sideways at Kei.
Why wasn't he moving?
Minato frowned slightly.
He raised his voice again.
"Is anyone in favor?"
Still nothing.
The silence deepened.
Minato's shoulders stiffened almost imperceptibly.
Even Kei felt a flicker of disappointment.
Had years of suppression drained the civilian jōnin of their courage?
He had hoped at least one would rise.
Just one.
A spark.
But it seemed long-standing hierarchy had crushed their instinct to speak.
Kei exhaled softly.
Then—
Under the gaze of the entire chamber—
He rose.
The movement alone shifted the air.
Hyūga Hiashi straightened.
Nara Shikaku narrowed his eyes.
Sarutobi Kento's expression tightened.
This—
This was the real turning point.
Kei's stance carried enormous weight.
He was not just a clan shinobi.
He was the Police Force Head.
De facto leader of the Uchiha in Fugaku's absence.
Power.
Influence.
Authority.
When he spoke—
It mattered.
He looked toward Minato.
His voice was calm.
"Lord Hokage… I approve."
A ripple spread through the room.
"As Head of the Police Force, I approve."
He paused briefly.
"And on behalf of the Uchiha clan—"
"I approve as well."
The words fell like a hammer.
The battle lines—
Had just shifted.