Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou-Chapter 275: Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou []

Because the princess of the Land of Whirlpools was now the wife of Konoha's Hokage—no one could criticize this on moral grounds.

Interfering in the affairs of another nation? But Konoha's Hokage had married the princess of the Land of Whirlpools—this was a personal matter of the Hokage's family!

If the major ninja villages were shocked and apprehensive, the aristocrats and noble houses of the ninja world, on the other hand, were positively thrilled.

After all, in this chaotic ninja world, who could guarantee their family's prosperity forever?

If one befriended Konoha, then in the event of a disaster, their descendants might find refuge in Konoha and revive their family. At worst, they would simply relocate and live in Konoha.

For aristocrats and noble houses, wasn't continuity their ultimate concern?

"Send word immediately: the Akekawa family of the Land of Rivers wishes to visit the Hokage of Konoha!"

The Akekawa family of the Land of Rivers displayed a solemn expression, their tone full of respect.

If it were just about the Hokage title, these noble families would have addressed him as "Lord Hokage." But after Uchiha Shirou married both Senhu Tsunade and Uzumaki Kushina—especially with Kushina's lineage and the announcement of this restoration mission—"Your Highness" became the most fitting and respectful title for him.

This was a title reserved for royalty!

"Hurry! Quickly deliver our clan's invitation from the Yagami Clan of the Land of Fields!"

"The Land of Snow..."

"The Land of Grass..."

In no time, the noble families who were on their way out of Konoha began ordering the delivery of invitations back to the village.

As this trend spread, no noble house across the ninja world could resist the temptation. Even the daimyō of smaller nations sent envoys to Konoha with utmost formality.

Some small nations, already plagued with internal strife and instability, saw hope in this development. Alongside respectful invitations, their royal families sent lavish gifts, with either a princess or prince personally visiting Konoha.

This movement even calmed the turbulent internal politics of these small nations.

If Konoha dared to restore the Land of Whirlpools today, it might restore others tomorrow.

Moreover, if Konoha could restore an entire nation, reviving the fortunes of a fallen noble family seemed like an achievable task.

For the merchants, this S-Rank Mission to restore the Land of Whirlpools represented not just temptation but overwhelming enthusiasm.

"Hurry! Return to Konoha immediately! I'll pay double the mission reward! Double!"

The restoration of the Land of Whirlpools was such a massive opportunity that all the merchants saw was profit. Their priority now was to return to Konoha and claim their share of this lucrative pie.

Merchants who had already left Konoha immediately turned around upon hearing the news, rushing back as quickly as possible.

...

At Konoha's Gates.

"Jōnin Genma, why are so many people returning to the village? And why are all of them coming back after already leaving?"

At Konoha's gates, under the setting sun, the sudden surge of activity left the guard ninja shocked.

Shiranui Genma, temporarily assigned to the gate, smiled proudly and said:

"This is all thanks to our Hokage-sama!"

After a brief period of calm in Konoha, the village was once again bustling with life. By the evening, it had returned to its former glory and prosperity.

Moreover, as news of the S-Rank Restoration Mission spread, nobles from across the ninja world sent high-ranking representatives to Konoha, all hoping to forge alliances.

Merchants, sensing an opportunity, poured into the village in droves.

Under the twilight sky, Konoha became vibrant once more. By nightfall, under the starlit heavens, a long queue of merchants waited outside the gates for inspection before entering the village.

...

Meanwhile, the Hokage's office remained brightly lit.

Inside the Hokage's Office.

"Anata, you're incredible! Not only has the number of missions skyrocketed, but according to intelligence, countless noble families in the Land of Fire alone have already arranged to send key members to visit Konoha..."

In the office, Uzumaki Kushina, wearing her fiery red outfit, exclaimed with excitement. Her eyes sparkled as she scanned the data in front of her.

Although she had access to the Land of Whirlpools' treasure, the thrill of constantly generating wealth was incomparable.

Mikoto, standing nearby, nodded with a smile.

"The Police Force is fully prepared. Almost everyone is working in shifts, and it seems the village's ninjas will be busy for quite some time."

Tsunade, seated at another corner of the desk, for once wasn't slacking off. Instead, she held a stack of intricate, gilded invitations in her hand.

"Husband, these are today's invitations—all from various nations' envoys. Interestingly, almost all of them came under the banner of their family names..."

Looking at the invitations in Tsunade's hand, Shirou smiled.

"This is just the beginning. Soon, Konoha—and even the Land of Fire—will enter its liveliest phase. We need to fully embrace this prosperity and stabilize it."

"After the war, all the major ninja villages are desperate for missions to recover their economies. We must seize this opportunity to get every Konoha ninja fully engaged..."

Seeing Shirou's strategic foresight, Tsunade couldn't help but smile with pride.

"As expected of the man I rai—cough cough, the man I chose!"

With a series of brilliant maneuvers, Shirou had earned the fervent admiration of every Konoha ninja—not just for his strength.

"Tsunade, it sounded like you were about to say—"

As Shirou squinted at her, Tsunade, usually strong-willed, froze in embarrassment.

"Don't you dare! After last night's... activities, I'm still—"

The Hokage's desk usually meant for one person, now seated four. A slight turn was enough for them to touch.

Feeling her high heels slip off, Tsunade waved her hands in protest.

"Hehe, anata, it looks like we'll be busy again tonight. But don't worry, I'll be fine by the second half of the night," Kushina said playfully, wrapping her arms around his neck. Despite being married, her youthful and cheerful demeanor hadn't changed.

Shirou, however, simply smiled indulgently and gently stroked Kushina's red hair.

"Yes, we'll be busy for a while during this time, so I'll need to rely on you all. As for the visiting envoys and noble delegations from various countries, I'll leave that to you, Tsunade."

"We'll personally receive the most important guests, while the others can be hosted in the newly renovated meeting room."

"Understood," Tsunade replied.

"And Nawaki — his status makes him perfectly suited for reception duties."

The Hokage's office became a hive of activity, so much so that even Mabui, Yugito, and Samui were temporarily recruited as assistants. With the addition of Konan, Shizune, and Kurenai, the Hokage building was bustling from top to bottom, filled with people rushing about.

Although preparations had been made in advance, the entire Hidden Leaf Village was plunged into an unprecedented level of busyness. It was as if, in an instant, Konoha had transitioned from the horrors of war into a phase of rapid prosperity. The speed of this transformation overwhelmed everyone in the village, and the wave of flourishing development quickly washed away the scars left by war.

...

At the gates of Konoha, there was a constant flow of busy merchants and shinobi heading out on missions.

"My goodness, Minato! I've only been gone for half a year, and Konoha has changed this much!" exclaimed Jiraiya, who had just returned to the village. As he entered through the gates, his face was filled with astonishment.

"It's been less than half a year since that little brat became Hokage, hasn't it?" he muttered to himself. But upon returning, the village now gave him the feeling it had during the pre-war era.

The commercial streets were bustling with activity, and filled with a lively atmosphere. The roads were crowded with merchants and shinobi from various countries.

Standing next to him, Minato Namikaze, who had just returned from a mission, nodded with a smile and remarked, "I have to admit, the Fourth Hokage might truly be the most outstanding Hokage in Konoha's history."

Other villages barely showed signs of recovery after the war, yet Konoha was already thriving. The gap wasn't just a matter of foundational strength anymore.

Jiraiya, understanding this all too well, couldn't help but blurt out, "After the First Shinobi World War, it took nearly a decade for the village's economy to recover. But now, it's only been six months!"

One had to admit when it came to strategy and hype, Uchiha Shirou was a master. By drawing the attention of the shinobi world with visits from envoys, nobles, and merchants, Konoha naturally attracted limitless wealth and economic recovery.

"Nowadays, the village's mission workload is nearly at capacity. Some tasks have already been outsourced to other villages through cooperative agreements," Minato explained, his words brimming with professionalism.

Hearing this, Jiraiya gradually fell silent as he walked through the bustling streets. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he admitted, "Maybe you're right, Minato. The old man and the others weren't cut out to be Hokage."

Comparisons are always the most painful. When contrasted with the Third Hokage's administration, which prided itself on 20 years of peace and economic stability, this six-month transformation made those achievements seem insignificant.

"Minato, why were you sent on a mission to the Land of Rivers this time?" Jiraiya asked curiously as they strolled through the streets, marveling at the changes in the village. It wasn't until they reached the Hokage building that he finally voiced his question.

Minato smiled and replied openly, "The restoration of the Land of Whirlpools has begun. The village has dispatched a force of a thousand shinobi to support them. However, all external recruits must undergo strict screening. This time, I was sent to negotiate with the leader of a group that split off from the Land of Lightning."

"The Whirlpools Village has already been reestablished, and many clans have joined, such as the Fūma Clan and others."

Jiraiya's heart was filled with shock as he listened. In just six months, not only had Konoha achieved economic recovery, but its military strength and external influence had also grown significantly.

He was well aware of the so-called Whirlpools Village. The use of the whirlpool emblem on their forehead protectors was a blatant declaration. Everyone in the shinobi world knew that Konoha's emblem incorporated the symbol of the Uzumaki Clan.

"Damn! What a clever strategy!" Jiraiya exclaimed in admiration. "First, they revealed the Mangekyō Sharingan and the mysterious Wood Release, making other villages wary and unwilling to act openly. Then, under the pretext of restoring the Land of Whirlpools, they not only revived the economy but also expanded their military influence."

Even Jiraiya, who rarely praised others, couldn't help but be impressed. This was a masterstroke.

...

Hokage Office.

"Konan, send this mission intel to the squad heading to the Land of Rivers and remind them to be cautious. There are seven other squads nearby on different missions, so they can call for reinforcements if needed."

"Understood!" Konan replied.

"Shizune, distribute the graduation assignments for this term's ninja school students. Make sure the instructors know to train them well. We need them to become capable of handling missions independently as quickly as possible."

"Yes!" Shizune responded promptly.

As Jiraiya entered the Hokage's office, he was amazed by the scene before him. The desk itself hadn't changed, but the sheer efficiency of the assistants was astonishing. He even saw some of them carrying stacks of mission files from the adjacent office.

Despite the seemingly overwhelming workload, Tsunade and Mikoto were calmly stamping approvals at the Hokage's desk.

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"Wait a second! Where's the Hokage? Don't tell me Tsunade's the one sitting here every day!" Jiraiya exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Minato chuckled and explained, "Although the number of missions has increased, the workload isn't as overwhelming as it seems. Many trivial matters and tasks are now handled by the respective departments... delegating responsibilities has made everything much more efficient."

Hearing this, Jiraiya was stunned. During the Third Hokage's tenure, he had clung tightly to power. Now, most of that authority has been distributed to various departments.

"Finally done!" Tsunade exclaimed, stretching after completing a thick stack of mission files. Compared to six months ago, she now carried an air of elegance and authority, having spent much of her time dealing with nobles and dignitaries.

"Minato, Jiraiya — looks like you two came back at just the right time," Tsunade said with a bright smile as she looked up.

"Tsunade-sama!" Minato greeted her respectfully, while Jiraiya stared at her in disbelief.

"Tsunade, where's the Hokage? Don't tell me you're the one sitting here every day!"

"You wish!" Tsunade retorted, raising an eyebrow as she rubbed her sore fingers. "If I'd known it would be this much trouble, I'd never have agreed to be a Hokage advisor in the first place."

Jiraiya couldn't help but feel speechless. If Danzo had seen this, he would've been green with envy. Danzo had spent his entire life scheming to sit in that chair, only to end up in prison without ever achieving his goal. Meanwhile, Tsunade acted like it was a chore.