Chapter 219: A New Chapter! (Two-in-One)

December 31

In the ninja world, this day is known as the Great Dark Day—the eve of the new year. For the people of Konoha, beyond celebrating New Year's Eve, today marks another monumental occasion.

From early morning, the vast village seemed unusually empty. Those who rose early were dressed in white haori adorned with the Fire Country emblem, all heading toward the Hokage Building.

Today was the succession ceremony of the new Hokage, an event so significant that even the Daimyo of the Fire Nation would be attending to offer his congratulations.

Inside the Hokage Building, Uzumaki Raiden sat quietly behind his desk, clad in a black haori with red flame patterns on the hem and cuffs. The back of the haori bore the bold, embroidered words "Fourth Hokage" in red.

Unlike the traditional white and red haori of the previous Hokage, his attire symbolized a new era—one of strength and change.

Stacks of documents lay before him, but he wasn't in the mood to go through them. Instead, his gaze drifted through the large office window, observing the crowd of Konoha villagers gathering outside.

"Hokage... I never imagined I would actually become Hokage," Raiden murmured, his eyes scanning the panoramic view of Konoha.

For years, the number of people Raiden genuinely cared about could be counted on his fingers. His sense of belonging to Konoha had been faint at first. Since the passing of Uzumaki Mito, his efforts were solely for himself and Kushina—his only goal was to provide a better life for those he cherished.

However, after Hiruzen Sarutobi promoted him to the top, and as he gradually took on Konoha's responsibilities, Raiden realized that he had unknowingly become deeply intertwined with the village. A sense of responsibility now anchored him firmly to the great vessel that was Konoha.

"Brother—oh no, Hokage-sama! It's about to start, let's go!"

His thoughts were interrupted as the office door swung open. Uzumaki Kushina, holding Namikaze Minato's arm, entered with a bright smile.

"Stop teasing me," Raiden said with a smirk.

"I know, let's go."

With the abdication of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and the official succession of the Fourth Hokage, Uzumaki Raiden, the news of the transition spread rapidly across the ninja world.

The Land of Wind responded swiftly—not only did they send observers, but Rasa also dispatched special envoys bearing gifts.

In the Land of Rain, Yahiko, whose influence was steadily growing across the nation, also sent representatives to congratulate Raiden with gifts of rare local goods. Even the Stone Ninja of the Land of Earth and the Cloud Ninja from the Land of Lightning extended their felicitations.

Konoha had officially turned a new page, ushering in a new era.

January 1

With the dawn of a new year, Hokage Uzumaki Raiden wasted no time initiating significant changes.

His first act was to reinstate the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, as an advisor to Konoha's council. Then, he swiftly dismantled the existing Konoha Garrison, replacing it with the newly established Konoha Police Force.

The police force's duties were defined as: preventing and investigating illegal activities, countering terrorist threats, and maintaining the overall security of the village.

Raiden appointed Uchiha Fugaku as the police chief, with Hiashi Hyuga and Nara Shikashin as deputy chiefs, ensuring a balance of power and responsibility. The police force would now report directly to Hokage Raiden himself.

After taking office, Fugaku swiftly formed specialized divisions within the police force, including barrier specialists, sensory ninjas, combat units, intelligence teams, and interrogation squads. Each division was carefully selected and approved by Raiden.

Furthermore, Raiden restructured Konoha's Anbu and Guard Squads, dissolving the Guard Unit and merging it into the Anbu. The Anbu now operated directly under his command and was further divided into specialized units, such as reconnaissance, assassination, and counter-espionage.

To streamline operations, Raiden ordered the construction of a Mission Administration Building next to the Hokage office, centralizing all mission-related tasks. The grading of ninjas and mission levels were also restructured, effectively reducing the administrative burden on the Hokage.

"If you can't lead a team properly, you'll end up doing everything yourself," Raiden mused.

For him, the key to leadership was controlling appointments and military power while delegating minor responsibilities.

Meanwhile, in the shadows...

As Raiden carried out sweeping reforms, Shimura Danzo felt increasingly threatened. His clandestine Root operations were facing unprecedented scrutiny.

"Lord Danzo, what brings you here?"

In a dimly lit underground laboratory outside Konoha, Orochimaru calmly shook a test tube, observing its contents with interest as Danzo emerged from the darkness.

"You should know why I'm here," Danzo said grimly.

"Your junior is doing quite well. If this continues, he'll soon come after me!"

"And what about you, Orochimaru? If Raiden and Hiruzen discover your little human experiments, do you think you'll walk away unscathed?"

Danzo's eyes flicked toward the bloodstained operating table nearby, covered by a white sheet, the unmistakable scent of iron heavy in the air.

"Hehehe... if it's him, I doubt he'll be as rigid as the old man." Orochimaru chuckled, showing no concern.

"My test subjects are war criminals and death row prisoners. Even if Uzumaki Raiden finds out, he'll likely just shut me down for a few days."

Here's the revised version with improved grammar and phrasing for smooth readability:

"But it should be different for you. I remember, Danzo-sama, when Raiden was young, you wanted to—"

Orochimaru's words trailed off as he deliberately prodded at Danzo's past, striking a nerve. Before he could finish, Danzo snapped in irritation:

"Enough!"

"I didn't come here to listen to your nonsense."

"And have you forgotten those children who died when you were experimenting with Hashirama's cells? Orochimaru, you won't escape accountability so easily!"

Danzo's sharp gaze bore into Orochimaru, his tone laced with a thinly veiled threat, poised to strike if things didn't go his way. Orochimaru, unfazed, set the test tube he was holding onto a rack and looked at Danzo with an eerie smile.

"Tell me, how can I help you?" he asked, a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes.

Danzo leaned in, his voice low and menacing.

"We will join forces... to assassinate Uzumaki Raiden."

"He's visiting the orphanage the day after tomorrow. Everything is arranged. When the time comes, we'll strike together and eliminate him!"

"As long as he's dead, no one can stop us!"

Danzo's face twisted with a crazed expression, his voice growing increasingly manic.

"You're so desperate you're willing to take such a gamble, huh?"

"Hehehe... Hahaha!" Orochimaru's lips curled into a sinister grin as he chuckled lowly. Danzo's desperation was palpable, but Orochimaru couldn't deny the appeal of the chaos it could bring.

"Alright, I'm in," Orochimaru agreed, then turned his back to continue his experiments.

Seeing Orochimaru's agreement, Danzo's tense shoulders eased slightly, and a smile crept onto his face. Without another word, he vanished into the shadows, preparing for their coup.

Once Danzo was gone, Orochimaru chuckled and whispered into the dimly lit lab:

"You heard everything, didn't you?"

From the darkness, a figure stepped forward, the unmistakable "fire" kanji on his hat glowing faintly in the dim light.

It was none other than Uzumaki Raiden, the newly appointed Fourth Hokage.

"I came looking for you, but I stumbled upon something even more interesting," Raiden remarked casually, stepping into the light with a smirk.

"If the old man had just stayed in his lane, I would have let him enjoy his retirement in peace. He's done a lot for Konoha, after all."

"But now that he's crossed the line... I can't just ignore it."

Raiden's gaze moved over the bloodstained table and the corpse beneath it, but his expression remained unfazed.

"Still, let's set aside Danzo for now. We have more pressing matters."

"I'm establishing a Konoha Scientific Research Institute, and I want you to be its first director."

"Human experiments, however, are off-limits. If you want test subjects, I'll arrange for death row prisoners, but you won't be allowed to cross certain boundaries."

Orochimaru studied Raiden carefully before letting out a low chuckle.

"And if I refuse? Will you execute me here?"

Raiden's eyes narrowed, his tone even.

"I'd rather not force the Third Hokage to fight me over you at his age."

Orochimaru chuckled again, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

"Hahaha... Alright, I accept."

Satisfied with the answer, Raiden gave a slight nod. He knew Orochimaru's ambitions wouldn't be tamed by threats alone, but keeping him under supervision within Konoha was the best approach for now.

"I'll give you one hour."

With that, Raiden vanished into the shadows. Orochimaru stood still for a moment, then quickly began packing the important materials in his lab, evacuating everything of value.

Exactly an hour later, a massive explosion erupted outside Konoha Village, obliterating Orochimaru's lab. The explosion was so intense that it could be heard across the village. When concerned ninjas arrived to investigate, they found the area secured by Anbu under Hokage's direct orders—keeping outsiders away from any valuable information.

Danzo also received word of the explosion and briefly worried that the plan had gone awry. However, Orochimaru appeared before him soon after, reassuring him that the destruction was merely precautionary. He had destroyed the lab to eliminate evidence should their plan fail.

Despite Orochimaru's words, Danzo sneered inwardly.

"You think that was your only secret, Orochimaru?"

Two days later...

Early in the morning, Uzumaki Raiden walked toward the village outskirts with four Anbu guards. Unlike the elite forces typically assigned to protect him, these guards were relatively unknown and of lower rank. Raiden had reassigned the stronger shinobi to various other posts, ensuring no disruptions to Konoha's stability.

Beside him, a small hand clung to his—Uchiha Itachi.

Following Raiden's succession, Uchiha Fugaku formally arranged a mentorship ceremony, entrusting his eldest son, Itachi, to train under the Fourth Hokage.

Raiden's visit to the orphanage was devoid of grandeur. Instead, it was a quiet inspection aimed at improving the facility's conditions and restructuring its educational methods.

"Master Hokage, this is Konoha's main orphanage," an Anbu operative reported.

"After the war, children who lost their parents and had no relatives willing to take them in were gathered here. Some are ninja children, others are from civilian families—even a few from outside Konoha."

"The orphanage is currently managed by a kind woman named Nono. She handles all the affairs here."

Arriving at the modest building on the village's outskirts, Raiden observed the scene. The orphanage spanned around 300 square meters—large in name, but cramped given the over 500 children housed there.

"Master... if there was no war, would there still be orphans?"

Itachi's innocent voice broke through Raiden's thoughts. As they approached the entrance, Itachi's eyes lingered on the sight of children playing in the yard under the care of only four women.

Raiden glanced at the boy before kneeling and lifting him into his arms.

"Itachi, war creates many orphans, but not all of them," Raiden said gently.

"Some children are abandoned because of disabilities, others lose their parents to accidents. No matter how much we advance, orphans will always exist."

Itachi pondered his words, but curiosity still burned in his young eyes.

"Master, then... why do we have to go to war?"

Raiden smiled softly.

"That's a deep question for someone your age, but I'll explain it."

"War is the result of endless human desire. When negotiations fail, war becomes the only solution to obtain what one lacks—be it land, resources, or power."

"It's a natural consequence of ambition and survival."

As Itachi absorbed the answer, Anbu knocked on the orphanage door. Moments later, a gentle-looking woman in a nun's attire opened it.

"Master Hokage, I didn't expect you so early," Nono greeted with a smile.

Raiden took a good look at her. She had delicate features, soft golden hair partly covered by a white veil, and wore round black glasses. Her presence exuded kindness, which even Itachi seemed to feel as he gazed at her with quiet admiration.

"Are you Nono... the Walking Miko?"

The question made Nono's face freeze in shock. Her eyes widened, and tension gripped her entire body.

He knows.

In a flash, she pulled a kunai from her robes, charging at Raiden with a fierce cry.

"Protect Hokage-sama!" Anbu sprang into action.

(End of this chapter)