Naruto: With Favorabiltity System

Chapter 275: Konan's Arrival!

On the eve of the founding ceremony, Haneda stood alone atop the Hokage Rock.

Gazing out over the village, he felt a wave of new emotions.

When he first arrived in this world, he had been excited and full of wonder, especially at being part of the Uchiha clan.

He had no deep attachment to Konoha, treating it merely as a temporary home.

Like moving to a city for high school or university, it was a stopover, not a place to settle down.

But now, things were different. Here, he had friends, mentors, and bonds...

Somewhere along the way, he had come to see Konoha as his new home.

And now, he was its leader—the Fifth Hokage.

It was a path he had never envisioned.

He had grown from a self-centered individual who cared only for himself, to someone who cared for those around him, and finally to someone with a heart filled with compassion and vision.

A flash of silver appeared, and Kakashi joined Haneda, standing by his side.

He followed Haneda's gaze.

The village was illuminated, the streets were bright, and the lights of countless homes twinkled like stars, lighting up the entire village.

Unlike last year, Haneda had introduced talent and technology from other nations, rapidly developing beneficial infrastructure for the people.

To Shikaku's dismay, Haneda had signed off on a hundred-billion-ryo policy to develop Konoha's technology.

Electric lights, computers, cameras, solar water heaters—these quickly became widespread.

With cameras and surveillance everywhere, the village's security improved significantly.

Fights in places the police couldn't always monitor had noticeably decreased.

The areas touched by light became brighter, and nightlife began to flourish.

"This village you've built is beautiful," Kakashi remarked.

"It's alright, nothing special," Haneda replied modestly.

He had simply implemented the security models of his past life, standing on the shoulders of giants.

Yet, compared to his previous world, Konoha was still behind. The only transportation was horse-drawn carts. Haneda wanted to develop cars—or at least trains.

But Konoha's current research capabilities weren't there yet.

"Have all the domestic rebels been dealt with?" Haneda asked, getting to the point.

After Haneda announced the abolition of the Daimyo system, chaos erupted across the Land of Fire, with military leaders causing uprisings everywhere.

Haneda sent Kakashi, Itachi, Shisui, and Jiraiya to different regions to quell the dissent.

Now that Kakashi was back, at least the eastern front should be under control.

Kakashi reported, "There were a lot of them, and they were unreasonable. They preferred the Daimyo stepping on their backs."

"Especially the samurai—they fought like madmen, unafraid of death."

"They clung to their so-called samurai spirit, committing suicide when captured."

"But most civilians calmed down after being detained for a few days."

Haneda said, "People are creatures of habit. When their environment changes, whether for better or worse, they feel uneasy."

"Once they see the changes in their lives, once they feel dignity and respect, they'll understand."

"Maybe," Kakashi replied, still not fully understanding why Haneda was so determined to abolish the Daimyo system.

The original plan was to install a child Daimyo and appoint the Twelve Guardian Ninja to effectively strip the Daimyo of power.

Reforms could then be implemented gradually, changing people's mindsets step by step.

But Haneda changed the plan, resorting to force to resolve the domestic conflicts.

Kakashi had heard Haneda's reputation during his travels.

Most civilians called him a usurper, a power-hungry traitor.

This disdain extended to the ninja, making them objects of hatred.

This forced Kakashi to take a cold approach in suppressing riots, resulting in more blood on his hands.

Haneda was aware of public opinion through various channels.

He said calmly:

"No matter what they say or how they resist, I will cultivate this land and make it thrive."

"Their will doesn't matter."

"Do as you please. You're the strongest in the ninja world. If things go south, I can always teleport you out," Kakashi replied.

Just then, Asuma ran up to them.

He scowled at Kakashi's back but called out to Haneda:

"Haneda! The Hidden Cloud, Hidden Stone, Hidden Mist, Hidden Sand, and even the Hidden Rain have sent delegates!"

"The preparations for the ceremony are complete."

"All you need to do is stand on the Hokage Building and listen to the cheers of the people!"

"The Hidden Rain?" Haneda was surprised. He hadn't expected the Hidden Rain to send anyone. The village was controlled by the Akatsuki.

Their goal was to collect the Tailed Beasts.

The Akatsuki and Konoha were natural enemies.

On his last trip to the Hidden Rain, Haneda confirmed this.

He quickly asked, "Was the envoy male or female? What did they look like? What were they wearing?"

"A woman, with a bun hairstyle and a pale blue paper flower in her hair. Quite pretty and a bit cute too."

Asuma handed Haneda a photo he had secretly taken.

From the description alone, Haneda knew it was Konan. The photo confirmed it.

Konan was still wearing the Akatsuki's red cloud cloak, which gave her a cold aura.

But her face, aside from the cloak, matched Asuma's description—there was a certain cuteness to her.

Haneda was puzzled by Konan's arrival.

The last time he went to the Hidden Rain, Nagato and Konan clearly didn't want to see him. Now, they had come voluntarily.

Given Konan's rank in the Akatsuki, just below Nagato and Obito, it was possible Nagato had come too.

What were they planning?

Had the Akatsuki's goals changed? Were they seeking cooperation?

Or were they here to observe the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?

But Haneda had already publicly announced Naruto's identity, and rumors of the Nine-Tails had spread.

What interest could they have in a four-year-old child?

Noticing Haneda's serious expression, Kakashi asked:

"Is this person significant, Haneda?"

"Her name is Konan, a former student of Jiraiya. She's as strong as a Kage, and she once saved my life."

Hearing that Konan had saved Haneda, Kakashi and Asuma's opinion of her improved. They even looked at the photo more fondly.

Haneda glanced at them and added:

"Jiraiya hasn't seen her in years, and I haven't seen her in four or five years."

"The Hidden Rain's strength surpasses the other great villages, second only to Konoha."

"She's an important figure in the Hidden Rain."

"Stronger than the Four Great Nations?!" Kakashi and Asuma were shocked.

In ninja world history, only during Hanzo's era did the Hidden Rain challenge the Five Great Nations.

They hadn't expected the Hidden Rain to grow so powerful in the last decade.

As the head of ANBU and the Root, Kakashi had access to secret intelligence.

He recalled an incident involving Danzo's attempt to kidnap Konan and asked in surprise:

"Did Hanzo die? Is the Hidden Rain now led by someone named Yahiko?"