Hokage's office.
Shinho flipped through the document in his hand.
It was from the Department of Commerce.
Since the Konoha Jewelry Company had already stabilized, Uchiha Izumi and Guren were currently stationed in the capital city of the Land of Fire.
Compared to Konoha, the political and economic landscape of the Land of Fire was far more complex.
They weren't just managing the jewelry business but were involved in other industries as well.
At present, there were no major changes in the overall situation.
However, the Department of Commerce was steadily reclaiming key industries.
For instance, the banking sector.
They had shut down all underground banks, leaving only the Land of Fire National Bank in operation.
After reading the document, Shinho picked up the second file.
It was from the Department of Transportation.
Under the leadership of Kakashi, the road between Konoha and the capital of the Land of Fire had been completely renovated.
Compared to the old road, it had been widened to nearly twice its original size, now spanning about four meters.
The efficiency of ninja labor was truly astonishing.
Especially now that Kakashi had access to the Ryūmyaku, providing him with nearly infinite chakra.
The only limitation was his mental stamina.
At that moment, Shinho suddenly raised his head.
Two lines of text floated before his eyes.
..
[Achievement Unlocked: "Ultimate Villain of the Ninja World." Reward: Purple Crystal Relic Gu.]
[Purple Crystal Relic Gu: A rank-five Gu worm. Consumable type. Temporarily raises a Gu Master's cultivation by one minor realm. Effective only for rank-five Gu Masters.]
..
Shinho let out a soft "hmm."
How did this trigger?
And the reward was an Purple Crystal Relic Gu no less.
Typically, the more valuable the reward, the more difficult the achievement was to unlock.
Yet Shinho had no idea what had caused this.
When it came to "ultimate villains of the ninja world," shouldn't that title belong to the Akatsuki?
He had defeated the Akatsuki, shouldn't he be seen as the savior of the ninja world?
Shinho shook his head, dismissing the thought.
In any case, it was a win for him.
Upon using the Purple Crystal Relic Gu, his cultivation advanced from a high-tier rank-five Gu Master to the peak of rank five.
He was now only one step away from becoming the rank-six Gu Immortal.
Shinho took a deep breath, sensing the changes in his body.
The quality and quantity of his Primeval essence had increased again, making the use of his Gu worms even more fluid and precise.
Exhaling slowly, Shinho reached for the third document.
His eyebrows lifted slightly as he saw where it came from, the Department of Scientific Research.
The heads of the department were Orochimaru and Honoka.
The former, bound by the Slavery Gu, was unable to betray them and was thus entirely trustworthy.
The latter, a kunoichi from the Uzumaki clan, had been rescued by Karin and her team and was deeply loyal.
Most importantly, Honoka's scientific expertise was top-tier.
This document brought some good news.
The Cursed Seal Project had shown preliminary success.
By first using diluted Hashirama cells and White Zetsu tissue to strengthen an ordinary ninja's body before implanting the cursed seal, the success rate had increased tenfold.
Moreover, even in cases of failure, the process was no longer life-threatening.
Shinho pondered for a moment before picking up his pen.
He decided to form a Cursed Seal Corps.
However, there was no need to create a separate institution, as it could be integrated into the Special Operations Division.
An idea suddenly struck him.
Why not establish an Aburame Corps?
Shino Aburame had already proven the viability of the Kikaichu Sage Mode, making it entirely feasible to expand and promote its use.
As a ninja from the Aburame clan and the Sixth Hokage, it was entirely reasonable for Shinho to grant his clan some privileges.
A knock came at the door, followed by the familiar sound of high heels.
Shizune entered the room with a grave expression.
"What's the matter?" Shinho asked, his brow slightly furrowed in confusion.
"Just now, the Anbu received urgent intel," Shizune took a deep breath and reported solemnly, "The Akatsuki has allied with Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and other ninja villages."
Shinho was momentarily stunned.
The Akatsuki now only consisted of Black Zetsu and Obito.
How had they managed to forge an alliance with other ninja villages?
Recalling the recent achievement notification, Shinho's expression turned strange.
"Is this aimed at us?" he asked.
Shizune nodded. "They've declared to the entire ninja world that they seek justice for the daimyo's family, who were slaughtered in the Land of Fire."
"What a convenient excuse," Shinho chuckled.
He truly hadn't expected Obito and Black Zetsu to form a coalition that united so many villages.
Though, to be fair, it was essentially an anti-Konoha alliance.
Thinking back to the original storyline, the alliance of the five great nations had already been a significant threat. This new coalition was even more problematic.
He really had become the ultimate villain of the ninja world.
"You don't seem worried at all," Shizune remarked, exasperated.
The intelligence had shocked her to the core. She had rushed over to inform Shinho as quickly as possible.
But, as usual, he was completely composed.
"Why should I be?" Shinho replied casually.
In truth, he was grateful to Obito and Black Zetsu.
His original plan had been to take things slowly, but now he could resolve everything all at once, saving him a considerable amount of time.
Of course, the combined strength of these villages far surpassed that of Konoha.
And with such a vast front, Shinho couldn't possibly fight this war alone.
He needed to expedite the establishment of the Cursed Seal Corps and the Aburame Corps.
In addition, he had to find ways to further enhance his power.
For instance, the Giant Tenseigan on the moon.
"..."
Shizune hesitated.
There were so many things she could criticize, but she didn't know where to start.
This was an alliance of three major villages and several smaller ones!
"The war won't begin immediately. We have time to prepare," Shinho said after some thought.
The more ninja they amassed, the harder it would be to maintain logistics.
Moreover, the Akatsuki and their allies were far from a united front, there would be difficulties in coordinating and commanding their forces.
Most importantly, they needed a decisive trump card.
Ordinary tactics wouldn't suffice to win this war.
For Black Zetsu and Obito, this was their final chance, they wouldn't act recklessly.
"Don't worry," Shinho smiled confidently, "Everything will proceed as planned."
Seeing his unwavering composure, Shizune felt her worries ease.
Although his approach often seemed unreliable, Shinho had never let her down.
She believed that this time would be no different.
"Tell the Anbu to keep a close eye on their movements," Shinho instructed, "Also, any ninja leaving the village for missions should remain within the Land of Fire."
"Understood," Shizune nodded.
"The ninjas and villagers of Konoha must be reassured."
Shinho added, "Announce to everyone that the reason the Akatsuki and the other villages formed an alliance is out of fear because they cannot defeat Konoha."
Although the appearance of an anti-Konoha alliance wasn't unexpected, it would undoubtedly cause panic within the village.
Neither the ninjas nor the villagers had ever experienced such an overwhelming threat before.
Revealing the truth to them could help alleviate their fear, at least to some extent.
Another knock came at the door.
"Hokage-sama."
A cold and elegant figure stepped into the room, Konan.
"Shizune-nee."
Shinho glanced at Konan and said, "Shizune, I need you to work with her for the next few days, guide her through the transition, and teach her how to be a proper Hokage secretary."
"Follow me."
Shizune didn't waste words and led Konan to the adjacent Hokage Secretary Office.
Shizune studied Konan carefully and suddenly frowned, noticing an issue.
Her outfit wasn't right.
Konan was still dressed in the Akatsuki's iconic black cloak with red clouds.
That attire was clearly inappropriate for a Hokage's secretary.
"Do you have any proper office attire?"
Shizune pointed at her own black business suit and asked.
"I don't."
Konan shook her head.
"You're about the same height as me. If you don't mind, you can borrow one of my outfits for today."
Shizune hesitated for a few seconds before making the offer.
"I don't mind."
Konan's tone was calm, as always.
"Here."
Shizune took out a set of secretary's clothing from her storage scroll.
She had prepared multiple spare outfits, not specifically for Konan, but because of Shinho.
The saying went, "If the secretary is busy, the boss changes clothes."
"Thank you."
Konan reached out and took the uniform, slipping off her black cloak.
Shizune was momentarily stunned.
Her previous impression of Konan was that of an aloof beauty.
Wrapped tightly in her black cloak, the only striking features were her pale lavender eyeshadow and the paper flower in her hair.
However, once the cloak was off, there was an undeniable contrast.
Konan wore a fitted, zippered top that revealed her smooth back and flat, toned abdomen.
There was even a small navel piercing that gleamed faintly.
"Could you step out for a moment?"
Konan asked.
"Oh."
Shizune snapped out of her daze and stepped outside.
After a few minutes, the door opened again.
Instinctively, Shizune turned to look, and gasped softly.
She was stunning.
Dressed in a pencil skirt and black stockings, Konan's cold elegance became even more pronounced.
Shizune was now even more certain, Shinho's intentions were definitely not pure.
"Does this look appropriate?"
Konan asked in her usual composed tone.
"Yes."
Shizune nodded. "After work, you should buy a few more outfits like this."
Shizune sighed inwardly.
There was a twinge of jealousy, for sure.
But she was used to Shinho's flirtatious nature by now.
"Now, let's handle your onboarding paperwork."
Shizune returned to the desk.
Konan seemed puzzled.
She hadn't heard of anything like onboarding paperwork before.
"Fill out this form."
Shizune handed her a sheet of paper.
Konan glanced at it.
The form's contents were straightforward.
Name, age, chakra nature, ninjutsu specialties…it was all standard information.
Konan picked up a pen and quickly filled out the form.
Shizune scanned the document, pausing for a moment at the section labeled Paper Manipulation Secret Technique.
She put the form away and handed Konan another paper.
"This is the Hokage Secretary's salary and performance evaluation criteria."
Shizune explained, "Everything listed here is what you need to follow."
Salary?
Performance evaluation?
Konan blinked in confusion.
These terms felt foreign to her.
When did ninja start having salaries and performance reviews?
Konan looked down at the paper in her hands.
Thirty million ryo per month?
That seemed...excessive.
Although she had managed billions in funds during her time in the Akatsuki, all of that money had been hard-earned.
But as the Hokage's secretary, she didn't need to go on dangerous missions, it was completely safe.
"Do all ninjas have salaries?"
Konan couldn't help but ask.
"Ninjas working in Konoha's various departments do."
Shizune replied.
Konan fell into thought.
The benefits of a salary system were obvious. It could significantly boost the morale and dedication of ninjas.
The only downside was the village's increased expenditure.
Her gaze shifted downward.
The performance criteria weren't difficult.
They included basic requirements like not being late for work and completing assignments from the Hokage promptly.
"Have you finished reading it?"
Shizune asked after waiting for a moment.
Konan nodded.
"I'll take you to visit the various departments now so you can familiarize yourself with them, otherwise, you might get lost later."
Shizune smiled.
"Understood."
Konan's interest was piqued.
The salary system alone made her realize that Konoha was vastly different from what she had imagined.
This must be what Shinho meant by the Path of Peace.