"Do I really have to 'work' here?"
Haseo sat behind a desk, turning around to ask Uzumaki Shikou—who was standing right behind him—in exasperation. This was on the first floor of the Hokage's office building. Through the large window on the wall, Haseo could see passersby outside and hear the chatter of the busy street below.
According to the laws of light propagation, when Haseo could see those pedestrians, they could see him just as clearly.
At times like this, if people outside were willing to reach their hands through the window offering some cookies or fruits, Haseo would feel no different from a monkey at the zoo—both belonged to primates, and both had the same job: being observed by bipedal creatures.
Luckily for him, at least he didn't have to perform any difficult tricks.
"Lord Haseo, you aren't truly working here; rather, simply sitting here means you are working. Just being seen and staying calm—that's currently your most important task... It'll naturally take time to settle everyone's nerves.
Additionally... if Lord Haseo finds this disagreeable, there is actually a simpler solution: transferring your office to the actual Hokage's office. What do you think about that, Lord Haseo?"
"Not great. That would be worse than acting like a monkey here.
Putting aside my personal feelings toward that matter, at a time like this, shouldn't we consider the sentiments of the Third's clan relatives?"
Uzumaki Shikou's implications were far too easy to understand, though Haseo's own stance had always leaned negative, regardless of the opinions of the Third's family.
"The Fourth Hokage Haseo" just doesn't sound right either. Besides, it's common knowledge that every Hokage has died tragic deaths, especially the Fourth, whose reign was notoriously short-lived… Well, the main reason was still that Haseo genuinely held no interest in this position.
What made matters pitiful was that now he had to continue doing something entirely against his wishes.
Haseo could already imagine the murmurs coming from outside—the chattering voices. Maybe even some clueless parents dragging their would-be ninja kids over here, pointing at Haseo and saying, "This is so-and-so. He chopped up such-and-such, then slashed another guy, and finally killed someone else. He's the strongest ninja in Konoha—try to be like him when you grow up."
That might still be bearable. But what Haseo really feared was that after a couple more days, pregnant women might show up here for fetal education (a traditional practice where parents speak or read to an unborn child).
Thus, Haseo tried his best not to pay attention to the situation outside.
Being put on display wasn't enough; he couldn't simply sit around being watched. After thinking for a bit, he pulled over a sheet of paper and spread it out in front of himself.
Then, dipping his brush pen, he wrote a line at the top of the paper:
"Mourning Committee for the Third Hokage"
Below that, he began adding names to the list.
Firstly, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane. These two individuals had served as comrades-in-arms to the Third, played critical roles following the sudden death of the Third Hokage, and consistently contributed within Konoha's internal affairs—these factors together ensured their continued presence in their original positions.
There was neither reason nor necessity to remove them.
These two people were always highly capable when it came to routine administrative work. Although they often made mistakes regarding major strategic matters, that was a separate issue.
Next up was Uzumaki Shikou. The reason was simple—if we're talking about "management," without Uzumaki Shikou, Lord Haseo would be useless.
After all, he had initially been too lazy to think things through, and later developed a habitual dependency. Without Uzumaki Shikou around, withdrawal symptoms might even occur.
Then there was Sakumo, Lord Haseo's subordinate. First, Shadow Stream was Lord Haseo's personal faction, and Sakumo was the model representative of that group. Second, as a friend, Lord Haseo still hoped someone like Sakumo—a genuinely kind-hearted person—could hold an important position. This arrangement wouldn't necessarily prevent Sakumo from being "killed again," but at least it would make it harder for him to get killed.
Following that came the Third Hokage's closest disciples: Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade. There was no argument here—the Sannin were clearly the most qualified to inherit the Third Hokage's political legacy.
Finally... after some consideration, Lord Haseo decided to add Kohei Sarutobi's name as well.
As a young man, Kohei Sarutobi lacked both experience and legitimacy. But in the end, Lord Haseo remained an emotional person. To him, the idea that "the deceased should be respected" carried significant weight. The Third Hokage certainly had his flaws, but now that he had passed away, he became entirely a good Hokage.
Of course, this isn't to say that the Hokage's own son had no right to handle funeral arrangements. Even Lord Haseo couldn't ignore basic human ethics—when death occurs, it must be treated seriously. Was he really going to challenge humanity's traditional values?
However, the problem was that the "Mourning Committee" (Funeral Arrangement Committee) written by Lord Haseo wasn't actually meant for mourning purposes at all.
Also included were Shimura Danzo, who was leading troops outside. Although the three of them had previously agreed to expel Danzo, the two elders definitely wouldn't support removing his status without cause.
You couldn't just do something to someone merely because you thought they were bad.
"What about Kohei Sarutobi?"
After roughly finishing the "master list," Lord Haseo asked Shikou.
"He's already returned. He's with the Sarutobi clan."
"How is the situation over at the Sarutobi side?"
"Alright, though the atmosphere is pretty tense. Biwako Sarutobi is doing her best to keep things together… Though this happened suddenly, let's be honest—families of ninja must always be mentally prepared for things like this. After all, even the Hokage is ultimately just a slightly more special ninja," Shikou replied.
Many things were simply passing thoughts for Lord Haseo—questions asked offhandedly—but Shikou could often grasp relevant information and provide answers. That was one of her roles. As Lord Haseo put it, this was called "division of labor"—no matter how things were split up, he always handled the talking.
"That's true; I might bite the dust any day now."
"…"
But sometimes, what Lord Haseo said simply left others unsure how to respond.
Luckily, during these moments, someone always helped ease the tension.
An Anbu ninja approached Lord Haseo, leaned close, and whispered, "Lord Haseo, the Third has returned… Uh, I mean the Third's body has returned."
"Haseo hasn't even become Hokage yet, and the Anbu Ninja already talks like someone freaking out every five seconds. Seriously, at first glance I thought the Third Hokage had come back from the dead."
"You know," Haseo said to Shikou as he rose from his seat, "the fact that they managed to return the Third's body at this point probably means the situation on the Northern Front must be slightly better than we originally expected."
He sounded like he was half-joking, but once he stood up, Haseo actually took a second to tidy his clothes.
"Let's go."
The Anbu Ninja nodded and took the lead, guiding Haseo forward.
Waving warmly to the crowd that had gathered to see him, Haseo made his way through the bustling streets and followed the Anbu into the quiet depths of the village.
Konoha today remained exactly as it always was — serene, peaceful, and undisturbed.
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