I, Konoha's Sage of Life-Chapter 235: Hokage Smashing Her Office Again? Just Another Day in Konoha

Chapter 235: Chapter 235: Hokage Smashing Her Office Again? Just Another Day in Konoha

Forest of Death.

Kyoichi sat cross-legged beneath a tree, vines encircling him in quiet meditation.

But outside—

Leaning casually against a tree trunk, Orochimaru was ruining his flow.

"Kyoichi-kun, I heard Akimichi Chōza already came looking for you? How’d that go? Trying to push that cafeteria thing of yours... I’d imagine it’s not going smoothly?"

Meeting again, Orochimaru couldn’t resist a mocking smirk.

This whole ’cafeteria plan’...

It benefited civilians, sure—but it did nothing for the clan-born shinobi. In fact, it threatened to close the gap between them and the civilian population. More critically, the Akimichi clan’s entire business revolved around food.

Kyoichi’s reform clearly risked cutting into their profits.

Orochimaru had figured that out long ago, but said nothing—waiting instead for Kyoichi to hit a wall so he could enjoy the show.

And yet...

Kyoichi just smiled. "Chōza did come. But Shikaku was with him. It ended pretty smoothly, actually. As for the other clans? Not a single one pushed back—they all cooperated."

"Eh...?" That didn’t add up.

Orochimaru froze for a second, then realized: Shikaku must’ve taken Konoha’s side and talked Chōza down.

As for the other clans?

The Yamanaka, Akimichi, and Nara clans were basically one united faction. The Aburame and Inuzuka had been granted authority over the Konoha Guard—they wouldn’t make a fuss over this.

And the Uchiha?

They were still sorting out their internal mess. The fact that Kyoichi wasn’t actively gunning for them right now was already a mercy.

With that in mind...

Maybe he had overestimated how troublesome the clans would be.

He shook his head, amused.

"Shikaku helped me for a simple reason—he knows very well that the clans’ natural advantages can’t be erased with something like this. But under these new systems, the old families will have to work harder. Otherwise..."

Kyoichi glanced toward the tree line. "The clans won’t lose their edge, but outdated ones will get replaced—and those new, rising clans? Most likely, they’ll come from the civilian ranks."

"The outdated will inevitably be replaced, huh... I suppose many of Konoha’s clans are only strong in one specific area. They’re probably the easiest targets for replacement."

Orochimaru thought for a moment—and the first that came to mind was the Hoshigaki clan.

Ninja tools...

The one thing civilians were never short of was toolsmiths and gadget-makers.

"Exactly. That’s why they need to get stronger. They can’t just coast on the achievements of their ancestors." Kyoichi said naturally.

Take the Hoshigaki for example.

Thanks to Genma’s leadership, the whole clan was now focused on developing complementary trap mechanisms and ninja tools—using Sunagakure’s puppet tech as a reference.

Their idea was to make their bodies function like weaponized puppets.

And they were already seeing some progress.

It was a classic "catfish effect"—you stop moving, you die.

Even the Hyūga weren’t immune.

If they kept relying solely on the Byakugan and Gentle Fist, refusing to integrate with modern shinobi systems, they might not drop out of the major clans—but their potential ceiling would cap early.

Right now, it was a two-clan race.

In the future, it might become three, four... and being overtaken was a very real possibility.

Hiashi...

He wanted to enact reform, but lacked the decisive push.

Kyoichi didn’t plan to intervene.

The Byakugan had immense potential, sure—but to reach the Tenseigan? That came with an incredible cost. If someone did manage that, Kyoichi would start getting worried.

After a bit more casual chat with Orochimaru, Kyoichi closed his eyes again to resume training.

Orochimaru watched closely.

But...

No visible changes.

Kyoichi just sat there—chakra gathering, then dissipating. Over and over.

He frowned.

Was this... Yin Seal?

Could senjutsu chakra be stored inside a Yin Seal?

If that were true...

Then Kyoichi’s Sage Mode could stockpile chakra in an incredibly short time—making it even stronger than what he’d previously described.

"Hmph... As expected. Whenever this guy shows something off, it’s always because he’s hiding something even more terrifying behind it. And it’s always something that no one else can learn easily."

Orochimaru muttered inwardly.

He knew Kyoichi too well. In some ways, they were the same breed—just different in temperament and decisions.

Still...

Even the scraps Kyoichi dropped were worth researching for months.

"You didn’t come here just to stare at me train, did you?"

Kyoichi finally opened one eye after gathering a bit of senjutsu chakra. He was slightly annoyed—this was the middle of nowhere, and Orochimaru was out here acting like a decorative temple statue.

"Of course not. I just wanted to ask—if I can’t leave the village and can’t even meet the people you mentioned, how am I supposed to help you?"

"Simple. Two options. Option one: have a shadow clone with its chakra sealed act as your proxy. Option two: develop a jutsu to transfer your consciousness into a summoning beast."

"Hah??" What the hell...

Extra homework, huh?

Still...

That was an interesting idea.

"How would that work?"

"Chakra is a refinement of physical and spiritual energy. It carries traces of individual identity—especially for those with unique chakra traits."

As Kyoichi spoke, he tapped a vine nearby.

The next instant—

The vine shot out like a blade. Orochimaru dodged instinctively, but in the next second, it curled and bound him tightly.

Luckily, thanks to his body modifications, he slipped out like a snake.

"What was that?"

"Senjutsu chakra. I haven’t even infused it with life energy yet, but the Wood Release is already way stronger. I can even see through the vines."

"I see. So it’s not that Yamato’s Wood Release is too weak—it’s that the First Hokage’s was too freakishly strong."

Orochimaru was no longer focused on consciousness projection.

No—

His eyes were glued to Kyoichi’s Wood Release.

It already showed traces of the First Hokage’s legacy. While still some distance from that level, it was leagues beyond Yamato and the others.

But...

A new question emerged.

How the hell did he learn senjutsu chakra without observing anyone?

Never mind.

Time to go back and study more snakes. If Manda was too dangerous, there were plenty of other snakes in Ryūchi Cave with natural energy.

Orochimaru stopped dawdling.

Arguing with Kyoichi would just waste time. He could already be dissecting a new snake by now—one probably infused with natural energy.

Kyoichi retracted the vines.

His progress in Wood Release and Senjutsu Chakra was accelerating rapidly—thanks largely to harvesting "wool" from others.

But the further he advanced, the harder it became to improve through self-study alone.

So...

He needed a new idea.

For instance...

How to harvest even more "wool."

Hmm...

Tsunade might be a good candidate. She should be better suited to learning Sage Mode.

Kyoichi stood up, cleared the area, and headed for Tsunade’s office.

He had tried teaching her Sage Mode before, but she always refused.

Now he figured—it was time to push her a little further.

Combine the Yin Seal with Senjutsu Chakra and the Strength of a Hundred Technique?

If that didn’t tempt her...

---

Hokage Office.

Tsunade was buried in paperwork, practically drowning.

She even split off a shadow clone to help, all so she could finish early and—

Go out drinking.

It’d been so long since her last glass!

"Tsunade-hime."

"Kyoichi? Don’t tell me there’s another new file from the ANBU? I’m not accepting it—I’ve got plans to go drink!"

Tsunade groaned.

Whenever Kyoichi showed up, it was never good news.

"Eh? Can’t I just drop by for a friendly chat?"

"Tch. You think that’s believable?"

She shot him a look.

This guy...

When had he ever helped lighten her workload?

Like today, for instance.

She’d gotten dragged into trying out that bland, miserable "nutritious lunch." And as if that weren’t bad enough, the old man remembered her and made sure she got a plate too—gee, thanks a lot, Hiruzen. Thanks, Kyoichi.

"My Sage Mode’s made a breakthrough."

"Oh..."

Tsunade didn’t even look up.

But—

The next second, something green caught the corner of her eye.

Hmm?

She turned sharply and locked eyes with Kyoichi.

"Sage Mode combined with Wood Release—pretty solid results. Starting to feel a bit like the First Hokage. I’ve also realized it can be integrated with—"

"KANDA KYOICHI! THAT WAS MY NEW PLANT! YOU’RE DEAD!"

BOOM!

An earth-shattering bang exploded from the Hokage’s office.

Downstairs, several shinobi collecting mission scrolls jumped in fright. A few genin even panicked, thinking something terrible had happened.

But...

"Don’t worry about it," said the chūnin at the mission desk, completely unfazed. "You’re still young. Haven’t seen enough yet. Us veterans? We’re used to this."

Honestly—

It hadn’t happened that often this month.

But in previous months?

Total routine.

If a few days went by without one of these explosions, people would start wondering if Tsunade-hime was feeling unwell.

It was... weirdly normal.

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