After leaving Hiruzen's office, the light rain outside still had not stopped.
The drizzle continued falling steadily through the depths of the night, accompanied by the cool wind as droplets struck Natsuhiko's body, bringing with them a faint chill that he could clearly feel.
Tiny beads of water slid down his clothes before eventually dripping onto the ground below, splashing into nearly invisible ripples.
Meanwhile, Natsuhiko's figure gradually blurred within the curtain of rain until he almost completely vanished from sight.
As he walked through the storm, countless thoughts passed through his mind. He did not know exactly what emotions were contained within Hiruzen's final words—"Yes, Hokage-sama."
But one thing Natsuhiko knew with absolute certainty was that he had won.
Completely and utterly won.
Ever since obtaining the system and beginning his journey toward becoming Hokage, sixteen full years had already passed.
Especially the last three years—they had been the most dangerous, exhausting, and troublesome years of all.
Three years was enough to change countless things, and during those three years, Natsuhiko had transformed from a seemingly timid nobody hiding dangerous ambitions beneath the surface into someone who steadily climbed deeper and deeper into the swamp that was Konoha's upper leadership.
And in the end, he had seized complete control of that swamp, becoming the ruler standing at its very center.
Even now, Natsuhiko could still clearly remember those days when he was forced to maneuver carefully between two Hokage, constantly scheming to avoid exposing himself while simultaneously accumulating political influence and bargaining chips.
He had hated those years.
But he had no choice except to endure them.
And now, everything was finally over.
From killing Owl during the Nine-Tails Incident and gaining the opportunity to eliminate Murashima Takumi, to entering the ANBU and quietly building his foundation over the course of three years…
Until today, Natsuhiko had finally broken free from his cocoon and transformed into something entirely different, fully achieving the goal he had pursued for so long.
Thinking about it now, Natsuhiko could not help but laugh at himself mockingly.
Along this road, even he had lost count of how many people he had killed, or how many schemes and conspiracies he had orchestrated.
He did not even remember how many people he had faced while wearing a mask.
To everyone else, he had always appeared refined and courteous, gentle and approachable, someone warm enough to put others at ease.
But only he himself knew just how hypocritical he truly was.
Take Sarutobi Hiruzen, for example.
On one hand, Natsuhiko genuinely respected the old man.
But on the other hand, he had also used countless underhanded methods against him without the slightest hesitation.
Even now, although he claimed that keeping Hiruzen around would help him remain vigilant, the truth was exactly what Hiruzen himself had realized.
Natsuhiko intended to force Hiruzen to personally raise the butcher's blade against his former allies and political factions.
And because Natsuhiko knew Hiruzen could neither refuse nor resist, he had acted so recklessly and without restraint.
"In the end, I've already become the kind of person I once hated the most."
Shaking his head slowly, Natsuhiko looked up at the torrential rain pouring from the sky. Though the thunder and lightning had disappeared, the storm itself still showed no signs of weakening.
He neither used an umbrella nor bothered shielding himself from the rain as it completely soaked his body. After casually brushing back his wet hair, he slowly began walking toward home.
For some reason, he simply wanted to walk through the rain tonight.
He had no intention of using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
It was almost as though he hoped the rain would thoroughly wash him clean.
...
"You're back, Natsuhiko."
After walking for who knows how long, Natsuhiko finally reached his home. Renge had been waiting for his return.
At home, Renge didn't address him as "Commander" like in the ANBU, but her cool demeanor remained unchanged.
She didn't ask why Natsuhiko had returned soaked like a drowned rat. She silently handed him a towel to wipe himself down.
"I'll prepare some hot water for you. Even if you won't catch a cold after getting drenched, a hot bath will still make you feel much better. Also, Elder Shoma came by."
"I understand. Thanks for the trouble."
Being with Renge was actually incredibly relaxing, especially when they were at home together, where that sense of ease became even more pronounced.
She was the kind of woman who silently arranged everything perfectly without needing to be asked, making people feel reassured in exactly the same way she did while working in the ANBU.
As for Senju Shoma's visit, Natsuhiko was not surprised in the slightest. The old man had been stopping by frequently lately, to the point that Natsuhiko was already completely used to it.
Because of that, he did not mind making Shoma wait a little longer. Only after taking a long hot bath and calming his thoughts did Natsuhiko finally go to meet him.
"Natsuhiko… is something troubling you?"
What Natsuhiko absolutely had not expected was that the very moment they met, Senju Shoma frowned and asked him that question directly.
"Perhaps."
Natsuhiko was genuinely surprised by the old man's sharp perception. Even though he believed he had concealed his emotions perfectly well, Shoma still noticed something was off.
After remaining silent for a moment, Natsuhiko finally nodded slightly, because there was no real reason to hide it.
"People always run into difficult things eventually, don't they?"
"That's true, especially since you've already accomplished things that old men like us could never achieve. Carrying pressure like that must be exhausting."
Shoma's tone remained calm. For once, he did not bring up his usual attempts to persuade Natsuhiko to leave behind descendants as soon as possible.
Although he had no idea what kind of pressure Natsuhiko was facing or what exactly had happened, he knew enough not to add more burdens onto him.
Still, curiosity lingered in his heart, and after hesitating briefly, he finally spoke again.
"If you're willing to talk about it, perhaps I can help solve some of the problems. Even if I can't, I might at least be able to help you sort through them."
"It's nothing serious," Natsuhiko replied as he shook his head lightly before letting out a faint sigh. "I've just gained a deeper understanding of myself, that's all."
Then, as though suddenly remembering something, he looked toward Shoma again.
"By the way, I'm probably going to be extremely busy for a while. Very busy. There are a lot of things I'll need to personally handle."
"I can understand that. Standing at such a high position means it's impossible to truly relax anymore."
Hearing that, Natsuhiko could not help laughing softly.
Shoma's assumption was not exactly wrong, but Natsuhiko could tell the old man was still thinking from the perspective of him merely being the ANBU Commander.
Clearly, Shoma still underestimated him.
"Actually, there's something I'll need your help with soon—or rather, I'll need the Senju Clan's help."
Natsuhiko thought for a moment before speaking with a smile.
"In a few days, there may be an election. A very important election. When the time comes, I hope every member of the Senju Clan will participate."
The moment he heard those words, Shoma instinctively nodded.
But almost immediately afterward, his entire body froze.
He suddenly stood up, staring at Natsuhiko in complete shock.
Yet that shock quickly transformed into a complicated mixture of joy and indescribable emotion.
With a trembling voice, he asked:
"Is… is it finally time?"
"Yes." Natsuhiko nodded gently before smiling again. "Perhaps from now on, you can call me…"
"…the Fifth Hokage."
...
After the storm passed, the weather became exceptionally clear, and even several days later, Konoha's skies remained bright and beautiful.
It was almost as though nature itself was announcing that an old era had finally come to an end, while a newborn sun prepared to illuminate the entire village.
Natsuhiko pulled open the curtains, allowing golden sunlight to flood the room through the windows.
After pushing open the door and stepping onto the balcony, a warm and lazy feeling slowly spread throughout his body.
Looking into the distance, the sky stretched endlessly overhead, a vast sea of blue without a single cloud in sight.
The sun hung alone high above, radiantly displaying its brilliance to the world.
Below him, the neatly arranged streets were already overflowing with bustling crowds. Just like every ordinary morning in Konoha, another lively and energetic day had begun.
But today was also different.
Whether civilian or shinobi, nearly every resident of Konoha had set aside whatever they were doing and was heading toward the Hokage Building.
A few days earlier, both Natsuhiko's newspaper and the official Hokage administration had released a piece of news that shocked—and at the same time excited—the entire village.
Konoha would soon begin a new Hokage election.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's performance during the recent conflict between Kumogakure and Konoha had been genuinely terrible, causing both his support and public reputation to plummet dramatically.
Ordinarily, something like that would not have mattered much. After all, Hokage were not truly chosen through elections alone.
Unfortunately for him, however, a massive variable had appeared.
Senju Natsuhiko.
It was precisely because of Natsuhiko's rise that Hiruzen no longer had any room to maneuver.
Hiruzen publicly stated that due to his declining health and age, he could no longer continue leading Konoha forward.
Instead, he hoped to take on lighter responsibilities while allowing younger leaders with greater drive and leadership ability to guide the village into the future.
For Konoha, this announcement was practically epoch-making.
And more importantly, on the very next day, Kakashi returned carrying a verbal message from the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
The meaning behind Minato's statement was nearly identical to Hiruzen's.
Because of the injuries he had suffered during the Nine-Tails Incident three years ago, he had not returned to Konoha once during that entire period, nor had he been able to face the village's hardships alongside everyone else.
Therefore, he fully supported Konoha's decision to elect a new Hokage, hoping the next leader would guide the village toward prosperity.
Once the Third and Fourth Hokage both issued their statements, the future direction of Konoha was essentially decided.
Konoha was about to enter the era of the Fifth Hokage.
Nara Shikaku also demonstrated exactly why he had become the head of the Administrative Department. At astonishing speed, he pushed every necessary proposal through approval, allowing the election process to begin smoothly and without delay.
Watching the lively crowds below, Natsuhiko's expression remained perfectly calm.
For the average villager, perhaps the identity of the Fifth Hokage still carried a tiny bit of suspense. Although Natsuhiko's momentum and reputation were overwhelming, everyone still had the right to make their own choice.
But for Natsuhiko himself, there was no suspense whatsoever.
He had known the outcome long ago.
"After all, everyone has the right to know everything… and the right to know absolutely nothing."
Natsuhiko silently muttered those words to himself.
Although the thought sounded shameless and was clearly twisting concepts around, it was still reality.
Sir Humphrey really hadn't lied to him.
"So why are you standing here instead of going down to watch? In a few days, I might have to start calling you Hokage-sama." A voice suddenly rang out beside him.
Natsuhiko did not look surprised at the sudden appearance of another person nearby. Instead, he simply smiled faintly and replied softly,
"There's nothing particularly interesting to watch. Just trust everyone's choice. Though speaking of that… Jiraiya-sama, did you sneak back into the village again without reporting your return?"
As he spoke, Natsuhiko turned toward the white-haired man standing beside him.
Obviously, it was Jiraiya.
Natsuhiko had met him once or twice before, so naturally he recognized his chakra signature immediately.
The interesting part was that Natsuhiko had received no notice whatsoever regarding Jiraiya's return to Konoha.
Which clearly meant the man had slipped back into the village through some special method without filing any official report again.
"Don't worry about those little details." Jiraiya laughed awkwardly before letting out a heartfelt sigh. "I really never imagined you'd grow to this level."
Looking at Natsuhiko's youthful face, Jiraiya's emotions were incredibly complicated.
Natsuhiko was simply too young. Even compared to Minato three years ago, he was far younger, yet now he already stood at the very peak of Konoha.
That position represented power, but Natsuhiko's rise was not limited to political authority alone. He had become one of the true giants ruling the swamp that was Konoha's upper echelon.
And his strength…
His strength had already placed him at the summit of the shinobi world itself. At this point, he could practically be counted among those who looked down upon all others.
A growth trajectory like this, combined with such terrifying power, would leave anyone in the ninja world stunned beyond words.
More importantly, Jiraiya still remembered the Great Toad Sage's prophecy.
The prophecy that had already been altered.
Although there were still significant differences between that prophecy and Natsuhiko's current situation, no matter how he looked at it, Natsuhiko already seemed like someone capable of bringing massive change to the shinobi world.
After a moment of silence, Jiraiya finally asked softly,
"Kid… once you become Hokage, what are you planning to do?"
"Nothing's been finalized yet, so who knows?"
Natsuhiko smiled and shook his head, neither confirming nor denying anything.
"Besides, even if it were finalized, in what capacity is Jiraiya-sama asking me that question?"
"Fair enough. After all, I really haven't done anything."
Jiraiya gave a self-deprecating laugh. Naturally, he could hear the faint dissatisfaction hidden within Natsuhiko's tone.
"I only hope that once Commander Natsuhiko becomes Hokage, you'll forgive my selfishness."
"I'll assign you a long-term mission," Natsuhiko said calmly as he looked at Jiraiya. "Track down Orochimaru."
His expression remained as gentle as ever, but there was a completely different edge hidden beneath that warmth.
Natsuhiko had always liked Jiraiya as a character. But after arriving in this world and standing high enough to truly overlook it, his perspective on many things had fundamentally changed.
In fact, ever since becoming the ANBU Commander, the way he viewed Jiraiya had already shifted.
As a Konoha shinobi, Jiraiya had constantly stayed detached from Konoha itself, and honestly, Natsuhiko found that deeply irritating.
The only reason Hiruzen tolerated it was because Jiraiya was his disciple. Originally, Natsuhiko had thought he might change that situation after taking power.
Unfortunately, he soon realized there was very little he could actually do.
Because Jiraiya was one of the Legendary Sannin.
The title of "Sannin" carried enormous influence within Konoha. Even Natsuhiko had to carefully consider the consequences before touching someone with that level of prestige—especially when one of the Sannin was Tsunade herself, a direct member of the Senju clan.
As a result, Natsuhiko's attitude toward Jiraiya could never truly be called friendly. Even though he appeared polite and mild on the surface, there was no real closeness in the way he treated him.
"I understand. Then I suppose I should thank Commander Natsuhiko for the help."
Jiraiya was smart enough to immediately understand the meaning behind those words, and a bitter smile appeared on his face.
"And I should also thank the future Hokage for allowing me to retain my status as a Konoha shinobi."
"You're one of the Sannin. No one's going to touch you," Natsuhiko replied before pausing slightly. Then he turned toward Jiraiya and spoke slowly, emphasizing every single word.
"But I hope you remember this clearly. You are a Konoha shinobi first. Only because you are a Konoha shinobi can you be one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin.
Don't get the order backwards.
Think carefully about that, Jiraiya of the Sannin."
After saying that, Natsuhiko turned and walked directly back into the room, leaving behind a silently sighing Jiraiya.
Jiraiya could already sense it.
Konoha was about to undergo tremendous change.
Natsuhiko would undoubtedly become an extremely strong-handed Hokage.
That kind of decisiveness might be a good thing for Konoha…
But it could also drown the village in blood.
...
"Commander Natsuhiko, the vote count should be finished by tomorrow. If nothing unexpected happens…"
Inside one of the offices within the Hokage Building, Nara Shikaku looked at Natsuhiko with a smile as he spoke.
"Konoha's efficiency this time has honestly been impressive. Not only was the process completed quickly, but the coverage was incredibly thorough as well."
Every ninja within Konoha had received notice of the election, including those currently out on missions. Even Konoha's civilians were allowed to participate in the voting process, while shinobi stationed at the borders for defense duties had also submitted their ballots.
Under Shikaku's management, the entire operation proceeded in an orderly and remarkably efficient manner.
In just a few days, all voting had already concluded, and the village was now carrying out the final stages of screening and vote counting.
This time, there were only two people competing against Natsuhiko for the position of Hokage: Nara Shikaku and Hyuga Hiashi.
Shikaku's performance during the recent war between Konoha and Kumogakure had been excellent, and with his long years of service in the Administrative Department, his resume was more than impressive enough.
As for Hiashi, he was the head of the Hyuga Clan. His personal strength was unquestionable, and during the war between Konoha and Kumogakure, the Hyuga Clan had provided enormous support to the village.
Of course, both men were essentially there to accompany the process.
Regardless of the vote count, neither of them had any chance of actually being elected.
In truth, the reason those two had been pushed forward as candidates was simply to guarantee that Natsuhiko's victory would look both legitimate and overwhelming.
Directly altering the final vote tally would certainly have been one option, but compared to that, it was far more effective to simply present everyone with three choices.
One candidate who was clearly superior.
And two candidates who were merely acceptable.
Naturally, the final result would always lean toward the obviously superior option.
In fact, Natsuhiko already knew that after Hiruzen publicly announced his withdrawal, the interest groups standing behind him had attempted to push forward new candidates to compete against Natsuhiko.
The funny part was who they chose.
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.
When Natsuhiko heard those two names, he honestly felt those people had already been cornered into desperation.
Unfortunately for them, Natsuhiko had no intention of giving anyone the opportunity for a final struggle.
As someone who had climbed up from the ANBU, Natsuhiko had always adhered to a very simple principle:
If you can eliminate an enemy completely, then never give them another chance.
After all, there was a saying that explained it perfectly—
"A wildfire may burn the grass away, but with the spring wind, it grows again."
Natsuhiko never left opportunities behind for his enemies. Unless he truly had no choice, he firmly believed in eradicating problems at the root… even to the point of crushing bones and scattering ashes.
Using the combined authority of the Administrative Department and the ANBU, Natsuhiko mercilessly shut down the nominations of Koharu and Homura, pinning them so firmly into the ground that they had no room left to resist.
At the same time, he also had Shikaku quietly leak small bits of information regarding the reforms they had discussed for Konoha's shinobi system.
In truth, many things never required an official announcement from the Hokage, nor did they even need newspapers to stir up public opinion.
All it took was for a few influential figures to casually reveal certain details during conversations with smart shinobi.
Before long, the entire village would already know.
And once the newspapers added a little fuel to the fire afterward, the spread of information would become even more explosive.
Once again, Sir Humphrey truly had not deceived him.
Everyone had the right to know the truth.
And they also had the right to remain ignorant.
In the world of ninja villages, if the higher-ups wanted a piece of information to spread throughout the village, then that information had absolutely been leaked intentionally.
Otherwise, if they truly wanted to suppress something completely, no outsider would ever discover it.
Danzo was the perfect example.
Before all this, did ordinary villagers even know who Shimura Danzo was?
Did they know the real reason behind his death?
Obviously not.
If Natsuhiko had not needed to strike at the Third Hokage while simultaneously protecting the dignity of the Hokage title by forcing Hiruzen to shoulder the blame, Danzo's existence likely would never have been exposed at all—let alone the countless things he had done in secret.
The information Natsuhiko had Shikaku quietly spread wasn't extensive. In fact, it only briefly mentioned reforms and improvements to the welfare system for jonin.
But that single piece of news alone was enough to shock the entirety of Konoha.
Almost overnight, public discussion shifted completely toward the proposed reforms, causing the interest groups that had once stood behind Hiruzen to fail miserably in their attempts to manipulate public opinion against Natsuhiko for suppressing political rivals.
"It looks like things are progressing very smoothly."
Natsuhiko smiled as he nodded toward Shikaku before sweeping his gaze across everyone seated inside the office. Looking at the various clan heads gathered there, he spoke calmly.
"These past few days have been hard on all of you. Without your help and support, I probably wouldn't have made it this far."
"You're too polite, Commander Natsuhiko."
The moment his words fell, every clan head present immediately smiled and shook their heads.
Whether their support came from genuine sincerity, political interests, or simple fear of Natsuhiko's terrifying strength, everyone here was now standing firmly on his side.
Because they all understood one thing very clearly.
Once Natsuhiko took power, the people who had profited from the old system would inevitably be forced to spit back out everything they had swallowed.
And when such an enormous cake was placed before them, even receiving a tiny slice would still bring enormous benefits.
Naturally, they had also learned about Natsuhiko's reform plans through Shikaku. At first, the proposals had genuinely frightened them.
But after Shikaku patiently explained things, combined with their own analysis and consideration, they gradually understood Natsuhiko's intentions.
Yes, they would lose a considerable amount of immediate gain under these reforms.
But at the same time, they also realized that in the long run, their clans would ultimately benefit far more from the new system.
Especially now, after Konoha's victory over Kumogakure, the idea of "Konoha shinobi" as a unified identity had not fully formed yet, but this was precisely the best possible time to shape it.
By fully integrating clan shinobi into Konoha itself, the village would become stronger and more capable of protecting everyone equally.
And in a way, that was also a form of protection for the clans themselves.
Because of that, none of them openly refused the reforms. Even if some still harbored dissatisfaction deep down, they ultimately accepted reality.
Natsuhiko understood this very clearly.
Any reform would inevitably damage the interests of those currently benefiting from the system.
At that point, everything depended on the strength and methods of the reformer.
And Natsuhiko possessed more than enough power to force things through.
"Then I hope everyone continues maintaining this level of cooperation."
A faint smile appeared on Natsuhiko's face as he spoke in a joking tone.
"After all, once everything is over, everyone here is probably going to become much busier. Whether it's managing your clans or handling new responsibilities, it'll take a lot more effort than before.
Because after this… an enormous cake will be waiting for all of us."
The moment those words were spoken, the smiles on everyone's faces became even more obvious.
Most of the people present already believed they would receive a share of the benefits, but without a stable promise from Natsuhiko himself, they still couldn't help feeling uneasy.
Now, however, Natsuhiko had personally given them that assurance.
How could they not be excited?
The promise of greater rewards only stimulated their ambitions further and strengthened their motivation. More importantly, they all understood exactly what they needed to do from this point onward.
Looking at everyone's reactions, Natsuhiko nodded with satisfaction before standing up and preparing to leave the office.
At this stage, nearly everything had already been settled.
All that remained was waiting for the final result.
However, something unexpected happened just as he was about to leave.
Hyuga Hiashi suddenly approached him.
...
"Clan Head Hiashi, is there something you need from me?"
Standing on the rooftop of the Hokage Building, Natsuhiko leaned casually against the railing as he glanced curiously at Hiashi beside him.
Hiashi's sudden approach genuinely surprised him.
Especially considering how serious the man looked, which only made Natsuhiko even more curious about what he wanted to discuss.
Natsuhiko's interactions with Hiashi Hyuga—and even with the Hyuga Clan as a whole—had been limited almost entirely to the recent conflict between Kumo and Konoha.
Aside from that, the two sides had barely crossed paths. Even though there were Hyuga members within the ANBU, Natsuhiko's relationship with them could only be described as ordinary at best.
That was exactly why Hiashi seeking him out privately came as such a surprise.
"Commander Natsuhiko, first of all, congratulations on becoming the next Hokage—"
Hiashi spoke cautiously, but before he could finish, Natsuhiko interrupted him with a faint smile.
"Let's wait until everything is officially confirmed before saying that, Clan Head Hiashi."
Then his expression turned slightly more serious.
"So, what exactly did you want to discuss with me? If it's important, you can speak directly."
"Yes, Commander Natsuhiko."
Hiashi nodded, but the moment he did, his face became unusually solemn. Lowering his voice carefully, he finally asked the question he had clearly been holding back for a long time.
"Commander Natsuhiko… those eyes of yours… are they the Tenseigan?"
"Hm?" Natsuhiko froze for a brief moment.
He genuinely hadn't expected Hiashi to ask something like that.
More importantly, according to his memories, the Hyuga Clan shouldn't even know the Tenseigan existed.
In the original timeline, the Hyuga only learned of the eye after Toneri Otsutsuki appeared during the events surrounding Naruto and Hinata's wedding. Only then did they realize there was an evolution beyond the Byakugan.
At this point in history, the Hyuga should have had absolutely no knowledge of it.
So how had Hiashi discovered the name?
"Please don't misunderstand, Commander Natsuhiko," Hiashi said awkwardly before letting out a quiet sigh. "I only came across information regarding the Tenseigan while studying ancient clan records."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"To be honest, I wasn't even certain the Tenseigan truly existed. If I hadn't seen your eyes with my own eyes, I would never have reopened those records."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"Commander Natsuhiko… those eyes are incredibly important to the Hyuga Clan. So I was wondering if—"
"Clan Head Hiashi, I understand how you feel."
Before Hiashi could finish, Natsuhiko calmly cut him off. He shook his head lightly before speaking in an even tone.
"The importance of the Tenseigan to the Hyuga Clan is probably similar to what Wood Release means to the Senju Clan. But there's one thing you need to understand."
Natsuhiko looked directly into Hiashi's eyes.
"I belong to the Senju Clan, not the Hyuga Clan."
After saying that, he casually patted Hiashi on the shoulder.
Hiashi could only sigh helplessly before bowing slightly in resignation.
Natsuhiko knew this conversation had probably disappointed Hiashi greatly, but disappointment or not, there was no way he would reveal anything related to his eyes.
It wasn't that he didn't want to.
It was that he couldn't.
After all, he had no legitimate explanation for how he possessed knowledge of the Tenseigan. More importantly, his Jogan had been extracted from the Byakugan through the system itself.
There was absolutely no way he would allow the Hyuga Clan to examine his eyes.
Nor would he engage in any detailed discussion about them.
Anything that carried even the slightest possibility of exposing his secrets was something he would never permit.
"Still… I wonder what's going on with that giant eye on the moon."
The thought surfaced uncontrollably in his mind.
His Jogan still needed further evolution, and if there truly was an opportunity waiting on the moon…
The more he thought about it, the harder it became to suppress the idea.
...
Several days later, Natsuhiko stood within the corridor atop the Hokage Building.
He had already changed into the white-and-red Hokage robes, the fabric swaying gently in the wind.
Outside, thunderous cheers echoed endlessly through the village.
For some reason, he suddenly felt a trace of nervousness.
The feeling made him laugh at himself internally.
After everything he had experienced, after all the life-and-death battles and political struggles he had survived, how had he suddenly turned timid at a moment like this?
Shaking his head lightly, Natsuhiko took a deep breath, and the hesitation in his eyes gradually transformed into unwavering resolve.
"It's time, Hokage-sama."
At that moment, Shikaku Nara walked over quietly and spoke in a low voice beside him.
"Mhm. I know."
Natsuhiko nodded gently before slowly placing the Hokage hat onto his head.
Then he stepped forward.
The instant he walked out of the corridor, an overwhelming wave of cheers crashed toward him like a tidal surge.
The deafening roar filled his ears.
The blazing enthusiasm wrapped around his entire body.
As he finally reached the outermost edge of the platform, Natsuhiko raised a hand and slowly removed the Hokage hat from his head.
His gaze swept across the endless sea of people below him.
For a long moment, he simply stood there.
Then, at last, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"From this day forward... I am the Fifth Hokage!"
...
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