章節 79: The Unfair Distribution of Power Inside Konoha
As the group, led by notable figures like Sakumo Hatake and joined by leaders from Konoha's famous clans, entered the venue, everyone could feel the importance of the assembly they were about to be part of.
They walked into a large, spacious room designed for serious discussions, yet it still looked elegant and rich.
While prepared for wartime talks, the room was decorated to reflect Konoha's pride and heritage. It was very well lit despite being deep underground through some kind of special lamps.
The walls were adorned with beautiful artwork that told stories of the village's past, serving as a reminder of what they were all fighting for.
At the center of it all stood a huge circular table meant for only the key players in the meeting.
This table was more than just furniture; it was a symbol, with its shiny surface and chairs that spoke of the significance of those who would sit there.
Around the table, a giant symbol of Konoha was proudly displayed, connecting everyone there back to the heart of the village.
Around the room's edges were spaces for assistants, bodyguards, and the rest of the attendees' support teams.
They could sit or stand in these areas, arranged so everyone could follow what was happening at the central table.
Beyond the inner circle of the village's most influential leaders and the outer circle composed of their entourages, there lay another significant layer to this assembly – a third circle comprising all the civilian Elite Jonins and some civilian Jonins of Konoha.
This group played a crucial role in the day's proceedings. They were not just spectators but active participants whose presence ensured the integrity and implementation of the council's decisions.
By the time the others arrived, the 'Hokage's' faction had already taken their seats, showing that all sides of Konoha's leadership were now present. The atmosphere was filled with anticipation and the understanding that the discussions here would have a big impact.
Taking the most prominent spot in the room was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. His position at the top end of the table, a bit higher than the others, clearly showed his role as the leader of the village.
Meanwhile, even Hikari, who was usually so steady and almost robotic in his thinking, found himself taking a deep breath as he looked, for the first time, around at all these famous figures from the story he knew in his past life.
Now, seeing them in real life, I see that they weren't just 'cartoonish' characters from a story anymore; they were real, living people of 'flesh and blood'.
This moment made Hikari feel even more like he was a part of the world he had ended up in. Everything seemed so vivid and real, yet it felt almost dreamlike at the same time, confusing him.
As Hikari absorbed the gravity of the moment, the Hyuga Patriarch, Hirayoshi, caught his eye, signaling it was time to move to their designated seating area.
The place reserved for the Hyuga clan was clearly marked, and together with their entourage, they approached the vast table, finding their names written next to 'Hyuga'.
Only Takumi, Hikari, Hiashi, and Hirayoshi, representing the Hyuga clan, took their seats at the table, while their support team found places behind them, outside the circle of the main table but within a close distance.
Similarly, the Uchiha clan, led by Fugaku Sakumo Hatake, the current Jonin Commander of Konoha and the leader of the Hatake clan, along with representatives from the Aburame, Inuzuka, and various smaller clans, was guided to their respective spots by attending shinobi and Anbu members.
Despite their diverse affiliations, all groups were strategically seated close to each other, a deliberate arrangement stemming from a prior agreement to maintain open lines of communication among these two general rival factions. This arrangement allowed them to be designated to sit closer to their own interest groups.
As Hikari and the other representatives of the Hyuga clan settled into their seats, they found themselves in close proximity to key figures from the other clans of their broad coalition.
Alongside the Hyuga, Fugaku, and Setsuna from the Uchiha clan, Kiyomi, Sakumo Hatake, Shibi Aburame of the Aburame clan, Tsume Inuzuka from the Inuzuka clan, and the heads of smaller clans like the Yuhi, Gekko, and Sumi, all took their places at the table near them.
On the other side of the table, surrounding Hiruzen, sat the core members of his faction, a group composed of his closest allies and the leaders of Konoha's key departments and clans.
Tsunade Senju, recently appointed head of Konoha's Medical Department; Jiraiya, overseeing the village's expanded, though unofficial, Spy Network; and Orochimaru, at the helm of the newly established Scientific Research Department, were prominent figures, all disciples of Hiruzen.
Danzo, the secretive leader of Root and the Shimura clan Patriarch, along with Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, Hiruzen's principal advisors and influential leaders within the village's business and administrative spheres alongside their clans that they were also heads of, represented the strategic backbone of the Hokage's support system. Shinsuke Sarutobi, Hiruzen's son and the current Sarutobi clan Patriarch, led the Anbu as its Commander.
Strategic and advisory roles were also filled by notable clan heads such as Shikaku Nara, serving as the Hokage's main war-time advisor, and Yamanaka Inoichi, who spearheaded Konoha's consolidated Intelligence Department. Choza Akimichi, now leading the village's Education Department, brought a new perspective to the development of future shinobi.
Among these leaders, on the table near Hiruzen, also sat other highly regarded and powerful individuals, including S-level Elite Jonins like Minato Namikaze and his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, further bolstering the assembly's validity.
However, within the 'Anti-Hokage' coalition, the only other notable administrative roles, besides Sakumo's, were held by Fugaku Uchiha, leader of the Konoha's Military Police Force, and Hirayoshi Hyuga, head of the Hyuga's Border Surveillance Division.
This stark contrast in the distribution of leadership and administrative roles made nepotism within Konoha's structure all the more evident to many people who could reason objectively in Hikari's opinion.
Observers couldn't help but notice how administrative power seemed most tightly concentrated within a select group closely allied with Hiruzen, highlighting a significant imbalance.
The creation of numerous new consolidated divisions and administrative positions by Hiruzen in the past two years, with an excuse of the incoming war often used, was a strategic move to strengthen his control over the village and centralize power under pretext.
創作者的想法 
Hanma_Jack
Hanma_Jack Up to 60 additional chapters ahead are available on my Patreon. The link is below as well on this story's main page!
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章節 80: The Hokage's Faction Dominance and 'Underdogs'
Once seated amidst the low buzz of ongoing conversations and movements, Hikari took a moment to assess the gathering quickly but thoroughly.
Leveraging the unique capabilities of his Byakugan, as soon as he approached the venue through those chambers beforehand, he subtly activated and then deactivated it, granting him a fleeting yet comprehensive glimpse into the chakra signatures of everyone present.
This brief survey allowed Hikari to gauge the landscape of shinobi strength in the room, providing him with a snapshot of the village's elite power dynamics.
Using his observations and personal assessments, Hikari deduced that the Hokage's Faction had numerical superiority and a considerable edge in terms of elites' power.
For instance, despite Hiruzen Sarutobi's advancing age, which slightly diminished his capacities, he remained a formidable Late Kage-level shinobi, a testament to his enduring strength and experience.
Similarly, Sakumo Hatake, also at the Late Kage level, might currently edge out Hiruzen slightly due to his renewed determination to enhance his abilities and perhaps lesser impact from age, as he was in his prime.
Hiruzen's three disciples—Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru—were assessed by Hikari to be at the Middle Kage level. Their capabilities were significant, though Hikari speculated that they had yet to reach the zenith of their powers, as depicted in the original series.
This looming conflict could very well be the catalyst for their ascension to peak form, pushing them beyond their current limitations.
Danzo Shimura was positioned between the Quasi-Kage and Early Kage levels, according to Hikari's estimation. Without the Senju cell and Sharingan enhancements and facing the decline associated with age even worse than Hiruzen for some reason, Danzo's current strength was somewhat compromised, yet he remained a potent and cunning adversary.
Surprisingly, Hiruzen's son, Shinsuke Sarutobi, had achieved the status of a 'first-class' Elite Jonin, indicating a high degree of skill and potential beyond what many might expect.
Kushina Uzumaki was also currently most likely a 'first-class' Elite Jonin, but with vast untapped potential, primarily due to the unpredictable power of the Nine-Tails sealed within her—a factor that could dramatically influence her combat effectiveness even further.
Minato Namikaze, meanwhile, was evaluated by Hikari to be somewhere between the Early to Middle Kage level, at this point, possessing the potential for significant growth as the circumstances demanded, just like it happened in the original series by the end of the war.
Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza were Elite Jonin, but they all showed surprising signs that they could go even much further in the future.
For some reason, unlike in the original, Hikari strangely contributed this to his own 'Butterfly Effect'. He noticed it from this observation and some previous rumors circulating within the Konoha about their mission record over the last two years.
Meanwhile, within Hikari's own coalition, he assessed the smaller clan heads to be, on average, at the level of standard Elite Jonin, reflecting a solid foundation of skill and experience.
His own Patriarch, Hirayoshi, despite the effects of aging, remained at the Elite Jonin level. Hikari speculated that this was, however, only without tapping into any theorized secret power source that might elevate his abilities further.
Despite being well past his prime, Takumi was considered by Hikari to maintain a level of 'top-notch' Elite Jonin. His reliance on spiritual power and proficiency in Yin Release allowed him to preserve his combat effectiveness, demonstrating the diverse sources of strength among shinobi.
Hiashi's advancement to the Quasi-Kage level earlier than expected, in Hikari's view, was a direct consequence of the changes Hikari had influenced.
This "Butterfly Effect," resulting from Hikari's presence and actions within the clan, had seemingly spurred Hiashi to push beyond the original trajectory of his development.
Motivated by the need to not fall too far behind Hikari and fulfill his responsibilities as the successor to the Patriarch, Hiashi's efforts paid off significantly.
On the Uchiha side, Kiyomi and Fugaku were both evaluated as 'top-notch' Elite Jonin. Additionally, Setsuna, distinguished by his expertise in Lightning Release and the unique capability to summon a grizzly bear with Lightning Release abilities, was pegged by Hikari as a standard Elite Jonin despite his highly advanced age.
This rapid mental appraisal solidified Hikari's concerns about the comparative strength of their factions. His coalition was indeed at a disadvantage, particularly when it came to the top-tier shinobi—those who could sway the tide of conflict with their sheer power and skill.
This gap was most pronounced at the Kage level, where Hiruzen's faction held a clear upper hand. This realization underscored the strategic challenges facing Hikari and his allies.
Reflecting on this imbalance, Hikari felt validated in his efforts to enhance Kiyomi's abilities. The necessity of bolstering their ranks with shinobi capable of competing at the highest levels had never been more apparent. Now, he found himself hoping for Fugaku to unlock the Mangekyo Sharingan soon, a development that could significantly level the playing field.
Hikari also resolved to pay special attention to Shisui's and Itachi's matters in the future and never allow Hiruzen's faction to get even more S-level, Kage-tier shinobi through them.
Witnessing the formidable array of administrative power and personal might assembled on Hiruzen's side, Hikari recognized the precarious position his coalition would have been in had the war not presented an opportunity for them to consolidate and strengthen - buy time.
The impending conflict, while a grave threat in its own right, ironically offered a break—a chance to close the power gap and prepare for the internal struggles that loomed on the horizon. Hikari also saw who they were facing fully and who the true 'underdogs' were.
With this comprehensive understanding of the power dynamics at play, Hikari came back to the reality of the moment, recognizing that the path ahead in these negotiations would be anything but straightforward today.
The imbalance in strength, especially at the Kage level, underscored the uphill battle his coalition faced in advocating for their positions and interests this time around.
創作者的想法
Hanma_Jack
Hanma_Jack
Up to 60 additional chapters ahead are available on my Patreon. The link is below as well on this story's main page!
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If you like the story and want it to continue, please give it some Power Stones, Reviews, Comment often, and put it in your Collection.
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