After having lunch with Hinata and the others, Kitazawa returned to the Hokage Office.
A Jonin Meeting was scheduled for the following morning, and there were many matters he needed to prepare.
Beyond that, there was one more task occupying his mind—Improving Edo Tensei.
Through the system, Kitazawa had already mastered the Impure World Reincarnation(Edo Tensei).
However, the original Edo Tensei possessed numerous flaws.
For instance, if the summoned deceased also understood Edo Tensei, they could break free from the caster's control on their own.
Of course, there were methods to compensate for this weakness.
The caster could combine White Zetsu with Hashirama cells to strengthen their control over the reincarnated body.
The reason Kitazawa intended to research an improved version of Edo Tensei was simple.
He wanted to summon Uchiha Madara.
Afterward, he could use Madara's own words to reveal the truth to Nagato—especially regarding the deaths of Nagato's parents.
Although the original account claimed they were killed by two Jonin from Konoha Village, Kitazawa believed there was a high probability that Uchiha Madara had been manipulating events from behind the scenes.
[Current Mission: Become the Sixth Hokage.]
[Mission Reward: Master-level Fire Release Chakra Nature Transformation.]
[The host has completed the mission; reward issued.]
Kitazawa, who had been deep in thought, was slightly startled.
So much had happened recently that he had almost forgotten about this system mission.
With this reward, he had now mastered nature transformation in all seven basic Chakra releases.
Kitazawa subconsciously clenched his fist. He didn't feel any obvious change in his body.
[The host has gathered proficient-level nature transformations of all seven Chakra releases and now possesses the qualification to use the Truth-Seeking Ball.]
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow. Only the qualification?
He had assumed he would be directly granted the Truth-Seeking Ball.
Still, it didn't matter. He had sufficient time now to attempt synthesizing the Truth-Seeking Ball on his own.
The afternoon passed swiftly.
---
The next day, 9:00 a.m.
The meeting room in the Hokage Building was already filled; all the Jonin of Konoha Village had arrived.
After all, this was the first Jonin Meeting since Kitazawa had assumed the position of Hokage.
Without question, Konoha Village would undergo significant changes from this point forward.
Figures such as Uchiha Fugaku and Hyuga Hiashi were looking forward to it. After all, Sasuke and Hinata had become Kitazawa's students.
Others, however, felt a sense of unease—most notably Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu.
Ever since the establishment of the Hokage Secretariat, their authority had already been reduced considerably.
Even so, they had no desire to retire. Once retired, they would lose their influence entirely.
The door opened.
Kitazawa entered the meeting room. Behind him followed Nara Shikaku and Shizune.
"Hokage-sama." Uchiha Fugaku and the others rose one after another in greeting.
"Please, sit," Kitazawa replied with a calm smile.
Once everyone had taken their seats, he scanned the room. Among Konoha's upper leadership, only Sarutobi Hiruzen and Tsunade were absent.
That was understandable. Both were now retired.
"The Jonin Meeting will now begin," Kitazawa spoke evenly. "First agenda item: the abolition of the Hokage advisor position."
The meeting room instantly fell into silence.
They had expected reforms—after all, a new Hokage always made changes. But no one had anticipated the very first move would be this drastic.
Since its inception, the Hokage advisor had held immense authority, second only to the Hokage himself.
Its sudden abolition left many stunned.
"It cannot be abolished!" Utatane Koharu stood abruptly.
"Hokage-sama, on what grounds do you seek to abolish the Hokage advisor position?" Homura Mitokado followed immediately.
"Because Konoha Village no longer requires the Hokage advisor position. The Hokage Secretariat is sufficient." Kitazawa's tone remained calm and steady.
"The Hokage advisor position has made countless contributions to Konoha Village over the years. It is not equivalent to the Hokage Secretariat!"
Homura Mitokado said gravely.
"Once the position is abolished, it will be." Kitazawa glanced at them lightly. "My patience is limited. I have no interest in debating. We will proceed directly to a vote."
A chill ran down the spines of Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu. For a fleeting instant, a suffocating pressure swept across them.
There was no need to question its source. It was a warning from Kitazawa.
Their thoughts immediately drifted to the late Danzo.
Kitazawa was not Sarutobi Hiruzen. If pushed too far, he truly would eliminate them.
And most terrifying of all, his strength rivaled that of the legendary God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju.
"I agree." Hyuga Hiashi was the first to raise his hand.
"I also agree." Uchiha Fugaku and the others followed one after another.
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow slightly. This saved him considerable trouble.
He had originally prepared to conduct a formal ballot, but Hyuga Hiashi and the others had chosen to vote openly by raising their hands.
Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu hesitated, but in the end, they dared not speak further.
"The second agenda item: Maruboshi Kosuke will serve as Vice Principal of the Ninja Academy."
Seeing that the matter was settled, Kitazawa calmly moved on.
Uchiha Fugaku and the others were slightly surprised.
Kosuke Maruboshi becoming Vice Principal of the Ninja Academy did not shock them in itself.
Previously, Kitazawa had served as Vice Principal. After becoming Hokage, he had naturally assumed the position of Principal.
The Vice Principal seat had thus become vacant.
Originally, Sarutobi Hiruzen might have been the most suitable candidate. After all, he still served as a teacher for the Genius Class.
However, as the retired Third Hokage and former Principal, reinstating him would be inappropriate.
Given all factors, Kosuke Maruboshi was the most reasonable choice.
What truly surprised Uchiha Fugaku and the others was something else.
After abolishing the Hokage advisor position, Kitazawa had not created any new equivalent role.
Nor had he appointed additional heads within the Secretariat. This meant that the authority of Nara Shikaku and Shizune would significantly increase.
At the same time, Kitazawa had removed the restraints once imposed by the Hokage advisors.
From this moment forward, he would stand as the most powerful Hokage in Konoha's history.
"The third item: Establish the Engineering Department, to be headed by Hyuga Hidetoshi." Kitazawa continued without giving anyone time to react.
Hyuga Hiashi was momentarily stunned—then a surge of excitement rose within him.
Although he did not yet understand what the Engineering Department would be responsible for, the fact that Hidetoshi would serve as its head meant that the Hyuga Clan would effectively gain control over a newly established department.
Of course, that was somewhat of an exaggeration.
After all, the current Konoha Military Police Force no longer belonged exclusively to the Uchiha Clan.
Even so, the Hyuga Clan would now possess a department of its own.
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Hyuga Hidetoshi rose immediately, his voice brimming with excitement.
Although his personal strength was respectable, he was not among the elite of the Jonin ranks.
Under normal circumstances, it would have been difficult for him to ascend to the mid-to-high-level leadership of Konoha Village.
Who could have imagined that such an opportunity would fall from the sky, elevating him directly to the position of department head?
Uchiha Fugaku and the others could not help but feel a trace of envy.
From this day forward, the Hyuga Clan's authority and influence within Konoha Village would undoubtedly rise significantly.
"The Engineering Department will primarily focus on the research and development of Engineering Ninjutsu." Kitazawa proceeded to explain the concept.
In simple terms, Engineering Ninjutsu refers to the application of ninjutsu in fields such as economy, production, and transportation.
For example, Earth Release could be used to construct roads. Wood Release could be used to build houses.
The reason the Hyuga Clan had been selected to oversee this department was naturally due to the Byakugan.
The Byakugan functioned like a natural measuring instrument.
When applied to engineering projects, it could eliminate countless complications and improve precision immensely.
After Kitazawa finished his explanation, the Jonin exchanged uncertain glances.
To them, the purpose of learning ninjutsu had always been combat. They had never even heard of something called Engineering Ninjutsu.
However, they were far from foolish. They could easily grasp its practical applications.
But was it truly necessary for a ninja to serve villagers in such a manner?
"The fourth item: Establish the Economic Department, temporarily headed by Uzumaki Rina," Kitazawa spoke after a brief pause.
The purpose of creating the Economic Department was to centralize the management of businesses within Konoha Village—jewelry, the casino, and other commercial ventures.
More precisely, the businesses he himself had founded.
In the future, if he were to extend influence over the Land of Fire, even more industries could fall under its jurisdiction.
Additionally, there were the Akatsuki Organization's water trade and silver jewelry enterprises.
The idea of the Economic Department had been conceived on the spur of the moment.
The most suitable person to head it was, without question, Kakuzu.
However, Kitazawa had previously designated him as Deputy Commander of Anbu.
That arrangement, of course, could be adjusted.
Kitazawa now planned for Kakuzu to oversee the Economic Department, while Nagato would take charge of Anbu.
At that time, Anbu could also incorporate a supervisory function.
In the original timeline, Nagato's Eye of the Moon Plan aimed to bring peace to the Ninja World by instilling fear through the Tailed Beasts.
In the future, he could use Anbu as a blade—eliminating all forces detrimental to peace.
"For the time being, the other departments will remain unchanged." Kitazawa paused briefly before continuing. "If anyone has questions, you may speak."
The meeting room fell into silence.
As a ninja, many of them found the establishment of both the Engineering and Economic Departments rather baffling.
However, none dared to voice opposition.
First, Kitazawa had only just assumed the mantle of Hokage.
To challenge him now would be courting death.
Moreover, he was young and overwhelmingly powerful. They could neither outlive him nor overpower him.
Obedience was their only option. Most importantly, these reforms did not infringe upon their immediate interests.
Second, there were precedents. The Science Department had been established after Orochimaru's return.
Its responsibilities included research into Scientific Ninja Tools and the development of advanced technologies—network systems being a prime example.
The Film and Television Department had been created more recently. Under Kurenai's leadership, it produced films and dramas.
Later, publishing houses, newspapers, and even internet platforms were incorporated.
Third, the creation of new departments meant the creation of new power structures.
Although these two departments did not resemble traditional ninja responsibilities, authority and status were still attached to them.
Several clans and individual ninja were already considering how to secure positions within these emerging branches.
"If there are no further questions, this meeting is adjourned." Kitazawa rose from his seat. "Hyuga Hidetoshi and Uzumaki Rina, come to my office."
With that, he departed the Hokage meeting room.
Hyuga Hidetoshi and Uzumaki Rina hurried after him.
"Hidetoshi." Once inside the Hokage Office, Kitazawa casually produced a scroll.
Hyuga Hidetoshi accepted it respectfully with both hands.
"This contains the framework I drafted for the Engineering Department. Follow it." Kitazawa instructed.
Engineering Ninjutsu was unfamiliar territory for most ninja.
Drawing upon knowledge from his previous life, Kitazawa had outlined a foundational blueprint to guide development.
Strictly speaking, Konoha did not urgently require Engineering Ninjutsu at present. Its true purpose was to gradually transform the Ninja World.
For now, preparation would suffice.
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Hyuga Hidetoshi exhaled in relief.
He genuinely had no idea how to approach the Engineering Department's responsibilities.
With Kitazawa's written plan in hand, he would no longer be navigating blindly. More importantly, he could ensure successful execution and avoid blame.
If he were to lose his position as department head, the Hyuga Clan would not take it lightly.
"Mrs. Rina, the Economic Department will ultimately be overseen by Kakuzu. However, his identity is sensitive, so this will not be made public for the time being."
After Hyuga Hidetoshi departed, Kitazawa turned to Uzumaki Rina.
He intended to wait until the Akatsuki Organization had fully integrated into Konoha Village before revealing Kakuzu's role.
At that time, Nagato, Konan, and the others would be introduced as well.
If Kakuzu's identity were exposed now, many within Konoha would distrust him. After all, he was still publicly known as a member of the Akatsuki Organization.
And the Akatsuki Organization was on the verge of attacking Konoha Village.
Only after the Akatsuki had been decisively dealt with would it be far easier for Kakuzu and the others to earn the village's trust.
"I see." Uzumaki Rina nodded lightly.
Truthfully, she had no desire to oversee any so-called Economic Department.
The responsibilities of the Finance Department alone were already more than enough to keep her occupied.
"Haru," Kitazawa called out.
"Hokage-sama." ANBU operative Haru stepped in from outside the door.
"Mrs. Rina, follow her to meet Kakuzu."
Kitazawa instructed calmly. "During the early phase of establishing the Economic Department, you'll assist with the groundwork. After two months, you won't need to manage it anymore."
Kakuzu had just arrived in an entirely new environment. Merely recruiting personnel for the Economic Department would likely give him a headache.
With Uzumaki Rina assisting in the early stages, many complications could be avoided.
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Uzumaki Rina accepted the task without hesitation.
After speaking, she followed Haru toward the ANBU headquarters.
Kitazawa tapped his fingers lightly against the Hokage's desk.
There was one matter he still felt conflicted about—
Retrieving Minato Namikaze's soul and the other half of the Nine-Tails—the Yin Kurama—from the Shinigami's belly.
What troubled him most was how to handle the Yin Kurama afterward.
Under normal circumstances, he should follow the original course of events and allow the Yin and Yang halves of the Nine-Tails to merge once more.
However, Kitazawa felt that doing so would be unnecessary—perhaps even wasteful.
In the original timeline, the reason Naruto required the complete Nine-Tails was to confront the far more powerful Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
Now, because of Kitazawa's butterfly effect, Kaguya had no means of breaking free from her seal.
And even if she did, he would personally handle the threat.
Naruto would not need to intervene.
Kitazawa began considering an alternative. He could give the Yin Kurama to Sasuke.
Of course, he could keep it for himself.
But he possessed the system. Sooner or later, his Chakra would reach an effectively limitless level.
Moreover, he disliked the idea of sealing additional entities within his own body—even the Nine-Tails.
There was another reason as well.
If Naruto were to obtain the Yin Kurama, the gap between him and Sasuke would widen dramatically.
Since there would be no need to resolve the Kaguya crisis, the Sage of Six Paths would never appear.
The moment from the original story—when the Six Paths Sage granted Chakra to both Naruto and Sasuke—would never take place.
If Sasuke failed to awaken the Six-Tomoe Rinnegan while Naruto gained the Yin Kurama, the disparity between them would become immense.
With these considerations in mind, Kitazawa gradually reached a decision.
He returned to the present and began processing the documents piled on the Hokage's desk.
By afternoon, after finishing lunch, he went to see Orochimaru.
He instructed him to prepare the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique and later employ the Reaper Death Seal to summon the Shinigami.
As for the timing, it would be next month.
After defeating the Akatsuki Organization, he would call forth the Shinigami.
Kitazawa intended to personally deal with Nagato. There was no need for Naruto or Sasuke to interfere.
Once his instructions were delivered, he departed and headed to the First Training Ground.
The First Training Ground had effectively become the private training site for his three students.
It couldn't be helped.
The disturbances caused by Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata during training were far too intense for shared use.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" Hinata noticed him first and hurried over.
Kitazawa reached out and gently patted her head.
"Kitazawa-sensei, is there a mission?" Naruto asked eagerly.
"Not for now." Kitazawa shook his head.
"Kitazawa-sensei." Sasuke approached calmly and offered a respectful greeting.
"I came today to assign new training tasks." Kitazawa met their gazes with a faint smile.
"What kind of training?" Naruto's eyes gleamed with excitement.
Sasuke, too, watched attentively.
"Your new training objective," Kitazawa said, "is to become a Perfect Jinchuriki and fully master the Nine-Tails Mode."
At present, he had only two system missions remaining.
One was to integrate the Akatsuki Organization into Konoha Village.
The other was to help Naruto achieve the status of a Perfect Jinchuriki.
The reward for the latter was astonishing, a bloodline enhancement equivalent to twenty percent of Senju Hashirama's.
Though only twenty percent, considering Hashirama's overwhelming Chakra reserves, it would cause Kitazawa's own Chakra to skyrocket instantly—on par with a Tailed Beast.
However, completing this mission would not be easy.
In the original timeline, achieving Perfect Jinchuriki status could be summarized in one phrase: Kurama being moved emotionally.
Nine-Tails Chakra Mode was achieved when Naruto subdued Kurama and gained access to its full Chakra.
But to truly master it, Naruto had to reconcile with Kurama completely.
On this matter, Kitazawa himself could offer limited assistance.
Minato Namikaze, however, could play a decisive role.
In the original story, Minato reconciled with the Yin Nine-Tails within the Shinigami's belly and later demonstrated Nine-Tails Mode upon being reincarnated through Edo Tensei.
Now, both Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina's consciousnesses resided within Naruto's seal space.
They could guide him.
"Stand still." Kitazawa's consciousness entered the seal space within Naruto.
After discussing matters with Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina, he returned.
"Your parents will help you understand how to become a Perfect Jinchuriki." Kitazawa placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"I understand, Kitazawa-sensei." Naruto nodded firmly.
"Sasuke," Kitazawa continued, turning toward him, "your new training objective is to unlock the Perfect Susanoo."
"I… don't have quite enough Chakra." Sasuke hesitated before speaking honestly.
He was still young.
Although he had awakened the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, he lacked the immense reserves required to manifest the Perfect Susanoo.
In fact, it had been the same in the original timeline.
Sasuke only achieved the Perfect Susanoo after awakening the Rinnegan.
"I will teach you Yin Release Chakra Mode. It can significantly increase your Chakra reserves."
Kitazawa smiled faintly as he spoke.
[Current Mission: Help Uchiha Sasuke unlock the Perfect Susanoo.]
[Mission Reward: Amaterasu.]
[Accept?]
Kitazawa was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected to trigger a new system mission so suddenly.
However, the reward was quite appealing. Amaterasu—one of Sasuke's original Mangekyō Sharingan techniques.
Although its performance in the original timeline had often been underwhelming, it was still a Mangekyō ability.
That alone made it valuable.
"Yin Release Chakra Mode?" Sasuke's eyes lit up immediately.
He was already familiar with Yang Release Chakra Mode.
Akimichi Choji had made a name for himself during the graduation exam precisely because he had mastered Yang Release Chakra Mode.
If Sasuke could learn Yin Release Chakra Mode, he could close the Chakra gap between himself and Naruto.
"Follow my Shadow Clone and begin learning." Kitazawa formed hand seals and created a Shadow Clone.
"Understood, Kitazawa-sensei." Sasuke followed the clone toward another section of the clearing.
"Hinata, as for you, I'll teach you a technique that can quickly restore the Moon-Chasing Bow." Kitazawa gently pinched Hinata's cheek as he spoke.
During the graduation exam, she had used the World-Extinction Arrow.
As a result, the Satori sealed within the Moon-Chasing Bow had suffered severe depletion of vitality.
Under normal circumstances, Satori could only restore its Yin Release Power by slowly absorbing Chakra fed to it by Hinata.
But that method was painfully inefficient.
Fortunately, Shinnō had once developed a special technique designed specifically for the Zero-Tails.
It allowed the Zero-Tails to absorb the darkness deep within human hearts to amplify its Yin Release Power.
Since Satori and the Zero-Tails were essentially the same—both being manifestations of Yin Release entities - this technique could also be applied to Satori.
While teaching her, Kitazawa began contemplating Hinata's future development.
To be honest, she had already reached a bottleneck—or rather, her natural limit.
Yin Release Chakra Mode, Bow Ninjutsu, Byakugan, Gentle Fist.
Under normal circumstances, she had already mastered nearly everything available to her.
Under abnormal circumstances, there was still the Tenseigan.
Kitazawa lifted his gaze toward the sky. He would need to find time to visit the moon.
After all, they were known as the Konoha's New Three Sannin.
Hinata's strength could not fall too far behind Naruto and Sasuke.
Even aside from her personal growth, the Tenseigan itself was far too valuable to leave abandoned on the moon.
It would be a waste.
Moreover, the lone survivor on the moon—Ōtsutsuki Toneri—would eventually attempt to kidnap Hinata and destroy the Ninja World.
Kitazawa rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
He would go after completing the mission of integrating the Akatsuki Organization into Konoha Village.
The Giant Tenseigan on the moon was still a formidable threat.
After finishing Hinata's lesson, Kitazawa decided to find Ino and teach her Yin Release Chakra Mode as well.
He activated his Byakugan and quickly located their squad. Without delay, he headed toward the Sarutobi Clan compound.
Moments later, he arrived at a training ground.
Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, and Ino were currently engaged in training.
More precisely, the three of them were working together to fight Asuma.
After observing for a short while, Kitazawa understood. Asuma was focusing on teaching them teamwork and coordination.
Upon reflection, that was only natural. Aside from coordination drills, there was not much else he could offer them.
His specialties were Fire Release and Wind Release.
Yet none of the three—Shikamaru, Choji, or Ino—could inherit those affinities.
"Pause the training for a moment." Asuma noticed Kitazawa's arrival and immediately called out.
In truth, he was already struggling under their combined assault. If the spar continued, he would lose rather embarrassingly.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" Ino rushed over like a gust of wind.
"Asuma." Kitazawa looked at him and said calmly, "I'd like to teach Ino and Shikamaru a new ninjutsu. It will take some time."
Both the Nara Clan's Shadow Techniques and the Yamanaka Clan's Mind Techniques were fundamentally Yin Release-based.
Therefore, both Shikamaru and Ino were suitable candidates to learn Yin Release Chakra Mode.
As for whether they could successfully master it, that would depend entirely on their own talent.
"No problem. Go ahead." Asuma's mouth twitched slightly.
By now, he had realized something rather ironic: as their team leader, he was beginning to feel somewhat unneeded.
--
--
Read the complete novel on P@treon: P@treon / Arvinstorm
Check out my other novels:
-->Harry Potter: The White Devil Who Grows Stronger with Reputation
-->Naruto: I Have a Time-Space Room That Connects to the Past