Ninja Alliance Executive Committee Office.
"Something you want? If not, go outside and play."
Without looking up, Senju Tobirama said.
"Have you seen Minato? Why isn't he here yet?" Turning around, Koharu spoke in a slightly hoarse voice.
….
Ninja Alliance Hospital.
"Make way, make way! Lady Tsunade, come quickly, we need you!"
Several shinobi wearing Kusagakure headbands clamored as they rushed in. Tsunade spread her hands helplessly,
"All right, all right. We'll chat again tonight after work—ah, you can't drink yet, forget it, we'll talk later."
Having said that, she followed the patients and nurses into the central treatment room.
…
Inter-World Relief Office.
"If you have business, send it over the Network. I've got to go."
Hatake Kakashi threw out that line and vanished with a swift Body Flicker.
…
Tea Shop next to Alliance HQ.
"Just a moment."
Nara Shikaku said something to an Iwagakure shinobi from the Second Parallel World seated across from him, then got up and moved to the doorway, asking quietly,
"Something on your mind?"
"Er..."
Link felt that all morning he'd been running into a wall, as if everyone was busy while he had nothing to do—he felt particularly idle. Hesitating, he said,
"I only came by to see you, Sensei."
"I see."
Shikaku didn't sound impatient at all. Instead, he smiled reassuringly,
"How's Shikamaru doing lately?"
"He's… well, he's been working hard."
Link actually hadn't shown up in the Hokage office for a few days, so he paused, then continued,
"On the days I'm there, he's always pretty diligent."
Truthfully, it was odd. Even though Shikamaru would complain that he hated his current life, seemed reluctant about it, he was extremely thorough when it came to actual tasks.
If Tsunade's style, when she was Hokage, could be rated 100 points but she'd only do 60 then idle off, Jiraiya would do 80 at most before slacking. Shikamaru, though, would always go for 120/100, pushing himself above and beyond.
"That's good."
Nara Shikaku wasn't surprised. He knew his son best: a lazy attitude but a strong sense of responsibility.
"As for me—"
He then spoke, unhurried, about his current situation.
The Ninja Alliance's work nowadays was not just education and the new shinobi system. Aside from cultivating new ninja, it practically severed itself from civilians altogether. This was on purpose.
With the Alliance's power, if they did not sever ties to the general populace, in effect they'd be unifying the entire world's civilians under themselves. That would create a raft of issues—laws, administration, security—things ninjas, who'd been raised to fight and kill, simply had no capacity to handle. Even ignoring intelligence levels, they just didn't have the relevant political and administrative experience.
They couldn't even keep internal village politics from turning into strife. Governing an entire nation, or even the entire planet, would be far beyond them.
Hence the alliance was focusing inward on the ninja side.
Originally, the Alliance was a sort of simplified structure in the Second World. The moment they showed their might, some rebellious villages cowered. To keep them in line, a combination of carrot (the points‐contribution system) and stick. By now, nobody resorted to mindless killing. If the Executive Committee truly took action, it wouldn't just be about death, it'd be about erasure from the system.
That was why at first, with only a simplified structure, the Alliance ran quite smoothly; more than half the shinobi from the main Konoha had been enough to staff it. After all, the central motive was stopping wars, not forcibly ruling everyone at once. Displaying their power once was enough. With the new points system as an enticement, they believed that over time, conflicts would subside, and mutual interests would knit them together. Even if future disputes arose, at least it wouldn't collapse the entire system.
The appearance of the "Epilogue World" (the one where Naruto is Hokage) had proven that with sufficiently strong individuals in top positions, the world could remain at peace for a long time. Once deadly foes like the Five Great Shinobi Nations there could also unite. So if in the future the Alliance collapsed into dog‐eat‐dog within itself, that would be a problem for future generations, not now.
But with the addition of the Epilogue World, Tobirama's schedule accelerated. Because the Epilogue's Konoha leaders, powerful in their own right, would inevitably join the Alliance Executive Committee, the Alliance had to open up more thoroughly to other villages and organizations. So the once‐flat organizational structure had to start dividing up responsibilities and departments. That's why the committees were so busy these days—some form of formal structure was essential once they let other worlds' leadership in.
Thus, Shikaku and his colleagues had been swamped in negotiations and arrangements.
With everything explained, Shikaku concluded,
"So you see, your timing in coming to visit the Second World is really not so convenient now."
So Master realized I'd been going around all morning and got nowhere, huh...
Link scratched the back of his head.
"Then I'll leave you to your work."
Nara Shikaku nodded graciously in thanks, turning back to continue his discussion.
Leaving the building, Link walked along the street, sighing,
"Ah, if I'd known, I wouldn't have come."
At his side, Utakata said nothing.
"I might as well go train. Special Experimental Subjects 01 and 02 are left with the medical corps for observation, but somehow I'm not comfortable—"
Link muttered away, venting.
"Huh, the 'Friend Café' is still open?"
He halted, spotting a shop's open sign. He strode over for a look.
"Welcome—oh, Link‐dono."
Inside, the attendant wearing an apron turned around. It was Uchiha Shisui.
A three‐year‐old child, looking very tender, but with that dumpling nose, it felt odd in real life.
Link had assumed he might see Fugaku‐san or Mikoto‐san. Seeing it was Shisui, he lost much desire for conversation. After a few casual words, he left with a bag of sweets. Checking the time—it wasn't even midday yet, around when he'd normally eat lunch.
"Where to next?"
He asked, somewhat at a loss. So rarely coming out incognito, it felt wrong to just head back. He also wanted to have dinner with Tsunade tonight.
Utakata was no help as usual.
After thinking for a while, Link clapped a hand on his palm,
"Alright. Let's go see Orochimaru and them."
He'd feel bad bothering anyone else, but harassing Orochimaru? That guy deserved it!
~~~
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