Takayama Haru tapped on the table. The Chūnin Exams…
It reminded him of the original series. Wasn't the Chūnin Exam the turning point of an era filled with chaos?
During that exam, the old monkey Sarutobi was killed by his former student, Orochimaru.
This version of Konoha clearly wanted revenge—something was brewing.
Did they really need to send him that document?
Just—damn it!
Soon after, Hachiyō scribbled a note on the file:
"Konoha doesn't have the resources to host the Chūnin Exams. If there's going to be fighting, let it happen in Kirigakure. That'll at least show we care about our alliance with them."
But the file was promptly pushed back in front of Haru.
"Lord Haru, this isn't something you're meant to decide—it's something you're meant to carry out. Lord Naruto has already approved it…"
Takayama Haru was speechless. So in the end, he wasn't being given a choice at all.
It seemed the old monkey had always intended to die with honor.
"Lord Haru, the delegation from Kirigakure will be arriving this afternoon! We're short on time."
"Short on time? Where is everyone?"
It was nearly noon.
Not a single soul had shown up for work.
"What the hell is going on today?"
After a while, Haru's Shadow Clone finally figured it out.
Most of the Administrative Department staff had taken the day off.
They were all from the Mito, Dormitory, and Shimura clans—along with a few other families aligned with them.
In short, it was all about clan politics.
At the head of these were Shindō and Mito Ryōsuke—young leaders from the Minato and Mito clans, formerly deputies under ex-councilor Akimichi Takeo.
Upon learning Haru had been parachuted into the department as its new head, they had immediately called in sick en masse.
The two folks Haru had seen earlier on the first floor were from average families, with no powerful backing. They couldn't afford to miss work.
Haru quickly pieced it together.
The three great clans wanted to paralyze the administrative department—to humiliate him, to frustrate him, to make the entire village think he wasn't fit to lead.
"Want to play this game with me?"
His clone grinned. No staff? Fine.
How about ten clones?
No, make it twenty!
"Haru, are you sure everything's okay?"
Haru held Kyoshinai's hand as they strolled through the streets.
Truth be told, Konoha didn't have many places to go. After all, it was a village of ninja.
Takayama Haru always felt life in Konoha was dull and monotonous.
Suddenly, he stopped walking.
Kyoshinai blinked and asked, "Haru, what's wrong?"
Haru smiled. His administrative office clone had just dispelled, and all its memories had returned to the main body. Now he knew exactly what had happened back there.
"Nothing. Wait for me!"
Haru formed hand seals and muttered,
"You can't draw new blood from a stale deck!"
Poof!
Hundreds of Shadow Clones appeared around him!
"There you are. No one at admin? Guess they're all on 'vacation.'"
"If they're not here, fire them all!"
Kyoshinai blinked as hundreds of identical Harus darted off under his command.
Passersby stared in confusion at the mass of Takayama Harus.
Without much thought, he turned to Kyoshinai. "Let's go."
She looked at him with curiosity and suddenly said, "Haru, why don't you teach me Sealing Jutsu?"
"Sure!"
Haru immediately renamed his S-rank item card to Uzumaki Ashi.
As for the old Water Shadow White Lotus character card—it got shoved to the bottom of the box.
With Koharu's death handled, even if things got messy, he could still bait out a mission from Kirigakure.
Those hundred clones quickly became the new workforce of the admin department.
The two actual staff members stared blankly at the sight of one hundred Takayama Harus.
"Are those all Shadow Clones?"
"Lord Haru is amazing!"
"A true leader solves problems with power!"
The first thing the Haru clones said in unison was:
"Personnel list—anyone not showing up today won't need to show up tomorrow either!"
"Lord Haru, this isn't right…"
Haru smiled. "What's wrong with it? If they don't show up to work, they don't need to get paid."
"Konoha won't fall apart without them. Probably."
Upstairs, even Sarutobi Hyūga in the Hokage's office had heard the commotion.
After all, the admin office was just one floor below.
The Hokage's office was at the top of the building.
Sarutobi chuckled and shook his head. "Fine, let him handle it. I did say he's in charge of the department now. No backsies."
Besides, the Shindō, Mito, and Shimura clans were acting recklessly. Harming Konoha's interests just to throw a tantrum—someone needed to teach them a lesson.
Meanwhile, Shindō, Mito Ryōsuke, Shimura Ken, and a few other clan prodigies were drinking at a tavern.
Mito Ryōsuke took a sip of sake and scoffed. "Lord Naruto really doesn't understand the situation!"
Others nodded. "Exactly. How could he put someone like that in charge of the admin department?"
Mado, still hungover from last night's earthquake, remained silent and kept drinking.
Everyone knew about Koharu's death—murdered right on her doorstep, allegedly by a female spy from Kirigakure.
The killer had vanished without a trace.
Most suspected Haru, but there was no evidence.
So Koharu died, frustrated and helpless.
The Dormitory clan had taken a huge blow, and there was nothing they could do.
The Mito clan, too, was humiliated.
Meanwhile, Takayama Haru had ascended overnight, going from nobody to Deputy Head of the Anbu, then suddenly head of the admin department.
The three clans couldn't accept it.
But they couldn't openly defy the Hokage either—so they'd taken "leave."
And with the Kirigakure delegation arriving to an empty office, it would be Haru's disgrace.
With any luck, Lord Naruto would be forced to remove him.
At that moment, two black-clad ninjas burst in.
"Lord Ryōsuke!"
"They all look exactly alike!"
They were shinobi from the Dormitory and Mito clans.
They whispered into the ears of Mito and Shindō.
The two men's faces changed instantly.
Mado slammed his cup down in fury.
"That bastard Haru!"
Everyone present felt a chill.
"What's going on, Mado?!"
"What happened?"
Face darkened, Mado described how Haru had fired them all using his clones.
Everyone froze.
They had just been mocking Haru—and now he was one step ahead?
"Ryōsuke, Shindō… what do we do now?"
Going back now would be humiliating.
But if they didn't, and Haru really did fire them all… then what?
As department head, he did have that authority.
Even Shindō and Ryōsuke were starting to regret their move.
They hadn't expected Haru to be this strong!
Soon, each of the proud clansmen lowered their heads and returned to the admin office.
But when they arrived, two of Haru's clones stood guard at the entrance.
"Didn't you take the day off? Just go home—don't bother coming tomorrow either."
"You can't come in. If you won't leave, I'll make you."
Haru couldn't be bothered to waste time talking. He immediately used Wood Release to bind them all and threw them out.
"Argh!"
"Takayama Haru! Just you wait—we're telling Lord Naruto!"
"You'll regret this!"
The two clones just sneered. "Get lost."
Meanwhile, on the second floor of the administrative building, a group of unfamiliar visitors arrived—it was the delegation from Kirigakure.
They had just arrived in Konoha and were brought straight here.
There were only four of them, led by Yakura Kanzaki, the strongest of Kirigakure's younger generation and front-runner for the Fourth Mizukage position.
If he succeeded in recovering the body of the Third Mizukage, he'd likely be named the next one.
At his level, having the Hokage greet them in person would've been improper.
As both head of the Administrative Department and Deputy Head of the Anbu, Haru was the perfect choice.
After all, he was the one who killed the Third Mizukage.
The delegation clearly didn't like that—and they were here to challenge him, to measure his strength.
Inside the admin office, Yakura Kanzaki slammed the desk, glaring at one of Haru's clones.
"Where's the Hokage?! We came all the way from Kirigakure and this is how Konoha greets us?!"
Takayama Haru sat calmly, looking at them with a faint smile. "Relax. You're not going to see the Hokage today. I'll be handling this meeting."
"You? Who the hell are you?"
If this wasn't the Hokage Tower, Yakura would've already attacked.
He was furious. The Third Mizukage had died to some random Konoha ninja.
Now he had to endure this humiliation, returning to claim the body.
Not to mention—Konoha had even stolen Kirigakure's pride, the genius kunoichi Zhao Meiyu.
A disgrace beyond imagination.
Haru chuckled. "Oh? You don't know who I am?"
"Let me introduce myself properly."
"Takayama Haru. Head of the Administrative Department. Deputy Head of the Anbu. Vice Principal of the Ninja Academy."
"I'm also the one who killed your Third Mizukage. So, do you think I'm qualified to speak with you?"