Chapter 2: Governing Philosophy: The Safest Way is to Expand the Pie
Arata, now in the body of Sarutobi Hiruzen, looked at the portrait of Tobirama Senju hanging in the office and allowed himself a small smirk. He gave a respectful nod to the painting.
The core reason his conversation with Danzo had gone so smoothly was that he had cashed in on the Second Hokage's legacy. He had essentially used Lord Tobirama's reputation as a high-limit credit card.
However, a leader couldn't live on credit alone. He needed to give Danzo some real "sweeteners"—make him feel like he was actually turning a profit in this deal. In the world of internal politics, maintaining political credit was everything.
Those lore videos I watched back home were mostly fan theories and hype, Arata thought, analyzing his advantages. But they gave me two crucial pieces of intel.
First, public opinion of "Hiruzen" was polarized, but everyone agreed on one thing: if he had been more proactive, many of the village's tragedies could have been avoided. That means there's plenty of room for me to work with. Most people can be won over if I play my cards right.
Second, this world has a 'power creep' problem. Individuals can eventually become gods. I can't afford to slack off on my personal training.
He focused on the Kage's Decree in his mind—the five modules: [Authority], [Diplomacy], [Economy], [Military], [Education].
Aside from his battle instincts, which still needed some polishing and integration, this System was his greatest asset. He wasn't sure exactly how it worked yet, but ever since he "woke up," his old injuries had vanished, his body felt significantly healthier, and his energy levels were through the roof.
Looking at those five metrics, Arata gave a relieved smile. This felt familiar. It was the ultimate Performance Review.
He had to raise every metric. He had to be firm in all five areas. For a former high-level bureaucrat, this wasn't a chore—it was a "blessing." Having a body that could move like a god while experiencing a whole new world? Working for the village was a small price to pay.
"Now, let's see what Danzo left behind," Hiruzen murmured, flipping through the scroll.
This was clearly a collection of "dirt" Danzo had gathered on Orochimaru. Hiruzen didn't take it as gospel; it was biased, intended to make Orochimaru look bad. But the best lies are mixed with truth. It was clear that Danzo had already fully stepped into his role as an "Official Hokage Candidate" and was already trying to sabotage his competition.
In the current Konoha, most people assumed Orochimaru would eventually succeed Hiruzen. Hiruzen's favoritism for his star pupil had always been obvious. But the village elders had noticed that since the end of the Second Ninja War, the relationship between the Third Hokage and his disciple had grown cold.
Trading with unaligned clans within the Land of Fire for test subjects? The Iburi clan... the Tsuchigumo...
Kidnapping enemy shinobi through Root...
When he saw that some of the subjects were quite young, Hiruzen felt a flicker of instinctive revulsion. He smoked half a bowl of tobacco, forcing himself to adjust to the reality of this world.
This is a world where, only a few decades ago, children were slaughtered on the front lines, he reminded himself. Even now, a 'genius' teenager usually has dozens of kills to their name. This is a brutal, chaotic era.
Orochimaru is an invaluable asset—a rare R&D talent. Technology is the primary engine of growth. I need to find a way to maximize his talent... but it must be regulated. I can't let his research become a runaway train.
If research lost its moral compass, the village's credibility would collapse. Short-term gains weren't worth the long-term systemic damage.
Orochimaru had been his most precious student, and they had once been as close as father and son. But as Hiruzen's governance became more conservative and stagnant, the ambitious Orochimaru grew restless. Eventually, he had sought out Danzo's Root just to have the freedom to work.
It was a failure of leadership on the old Hiruzen's part. But there was still time to fix it. According to his memories, they hadn't had a public fallout yet. It was more like a rebellious son moving out to start his own business because his father was too controlling.
Arata looked at the challenges ahead: military weaknesses exposed by the war, an outdated social system, and the shadow of a third war looming on the horizon. Internally, the treasury was low, the high-ranking elders were divided, and the tension between the Great Clans and the Hokage's office was rising.
"The best way to fix internal strife is to expand the pie," Hiruzen mused. "Use new profits to fix old debts. But making the pie bigger is the hard part."
For a Hokage, the goal was simple: The village must be powerful and it must be rich.
Power took time. But "getting rich"? He already had a plan.
Konoha's finances relied on the Fire Daimyo's subsidies and mission fees. He had briefly thought about taking over the Daimyo's palace by force, but he dismissed it. High risk, low reward. The Land of Fire had tens of millions of people. Shinobi were great at killing, but they sucked at civil administration. You can't replace a million bureaucrats with a few thousand ninjas.
"Taxing the nobles is hard," Hiruzen grinned. "But making them want to spend money? That's easy."
"To harvest the elite, you have to sell three things: Anxiety, Health, and Virility."
If you mention "Stamina" or "Virility," men will pay any price. Long life, health, and male performance—combine those into a 'Konoha Special Vitality Pill,' and it would become the Land of Fire's most sought-after product. The nobles would be throwing money at him, begging for more.
And Arata was confident no one could copy his brand. He had the best marketing assets in history: the legends of Hashirama's self-healing, Tobirama's genius inventions, and Mito Uzumaki's longevity. He had Orochimaru and Tsunade—the world's top medical minds—to refine the formula, and the medicine-making scrolls of the Akimichi and Nara clans for reference.
Plus, he was a living advertisement. He was looking younger and stronger by the day. Who cared if it was due to a 'System' or a pill? As long as the pills didn't kill anyone and had a decent placebo effect mixed with some genuine vitamins, they would sell out.
"So many ideas... but the first step is the hardest," Hiruzen sighed.
Step one: Re-establish a solid bond with Orochimaru. He looked at the black file Danzo had provided. This would be his opening move.
The Sarutobi Clan Estate. The Hokage's Residence.
Hiruzen arrived home to the spacious, well-lit mansion. As soon as he entered, his wife, Biwako, appeared with servants to help him out of his Hokage hat and robes.
"You're home early, Hiruzen. You must be tired. What would you like for dinner?" Biwako asked softly.
Usually, Hiruzen worked until midnight and returned home too exhausted to eat more than half a bowl of rice. Seeing him home while the sun was still up was a shock.
"I've invited Orochimaru over for dinner at six," Hiruzen said. "He likes hot food—make sure there are apples and eggs. The rest is up to you. And warm up two bottles of sake."
He paused and added, "Thank you, Biwako. I appreciate the hard work."
Biwako looked up, startled. She looked at the man before her—he looked years younger, his posture confident and tall. She gave a shy, slightly flustered smile. "What are you saying? It's my duty."
As she walked away with a skip in her step, Hiruzen felt a bit of a pang. She's so easy to please.
Biwako was more like the "Chief Operating Officer" of the Sarutobi household than just a wife. She handled everything perfectly and never questioned him. I suppose there are some perks to this traditional clan system, Arata thought.
He headed to the backyard training field and changed into his sparring gear. His "stats" had increased, but his muscle memory and combat reflexes still needed work. A top-tier character build is useless if the player is a "noob."
Senju and Uchiha... Hiruzen thought as he began swinging his bo-staff. The staff whistled through the air, vibrating with power. He was integrating his new strength with his old battle instincts.
In his memories, the tales of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were awe-inspiring. By current standards, Hiruzen was a top-tier shinobi... but he wasn't on their level.
According to history, every century or so, the Uchiha and Senju produce a 'generational talent' who reshapes the world through war, he thought. It happens so consistently that it almost feels scripted. Is it a coincidence? Or is there a cycle here?
And then there's the Uchiha clan...
Just thinking about them gave Hiruzen a headache. What a bizarre clan. They were biologically hard-wired for extreme emotion. They feel "deep love," but when that love is lost, their brains literally rewire themselves to produce the Sharingan, often driving them into a state of power-hungry arrogance. It wasn't just a "clannish" attitude—it was a hereditary psychological instability.
But the Uchiha were founding members of the village. Their combat value was too high to ignore. You couldn't just isolate them or "cut them out" without destroying the village's foundation.
The strongest fortresses are usually destroyed from within, Hiruzen thought. If I can find someone within the Uchiha who can champion my Will... someone who understands the clan but has the strength to command respect...
He sighed. That's a tall order.
He focused back on his forms, sweat dripping from his brow. Since he'd arrived, his body had become more robust. He had been a tall, powerful man in his youth, but the weight of the Hokage title had literally shrunk him, bowing his back and draining his vitality.
Politics is a physical game. True authority is built on achievements, but looking like a frail old man hurts your prestige. In a way, the rise of the Uchiha "Hawks" was partly due to the image of a weakening Third Hokage.
"A clan that worships strength, hm?"
Hiruzen swung the heavy steel staff with a roar. A shockwave of air exploded outward, kicking up dust across the training field. As he moved, his jutsu knowledge, battlefield experience, and new vitality began to fuse into one. Every strike was fluid, powerful, and precise.
At that moment, Orochimaru appeared at the entrance of the training field.
The pale, serpent-like man froze, staring at the fierce, powerful figure of his master.
"Sensei...?" Orochimaru whispered, his eyes wide with shock.
Was this the same old man who invited me to dinner?