For a moment, all the candidates voluntarily withdrew from the Hokage selection, a move that caught everyone present off guard.
With all the candidates gone, what was there left to select?
Everyone withdrawing at the exact same time was completely beyond the expectations of both Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi. Danzo, in particular, couldn't hide the excited gleam in his sole exposed eye.
'A godsend! With no one competing, the position of the Fifth Hokage is absolutely mine!' Thinking this, Danzo shot a pointed glance at a planted subordinate among his allies.
"I believe that the Hokage Assistant, Lord Danzo, would be an excellent successor," the patriarch of a minor clan stood up and suggested.
"Since someone has nominated me, then I shall reluctantly accept..." His long-held wish finally within reach, Danzo eagerly stood up to announce his succession.
But before Danzo could finish his sentence, Hiruzen suddenly let out a chuckle, his face a portrait of relief. "Haha, Danzo, you don't need to worry about my pride and specially arrange for someone to help me out of this predicament."
Hiruzen sighed self-deprecatingly. "Although no one is willing to take over—which certainly makes an old man like me lose some face—since everyone is reluctant to take on the role, I'll just have to let these old bones do their part once more."
"Hiruzen, this is against the rules!" Seeing the Hokage position slipping away right in front of him, Danzo couldn't hold back his sharp retort.
"Right now, the village is in ruins with countless tasks awaiting us. We don't have the time to request the Daimyo to select a new Hokage candidate," Hiruzen said, taking a slow drag from his pipe. His expression remained perfectly calm. "Special times require special measures."
His old teammate had always brooded over the fact that their sensei hadn't chosen him back then. Danzo had never given up on the Hokage seat, pulling who knew how many strings in the shadows.
'Danzo, I hope you can understand my intentions.' With a barely noticeable sigh, Hiruzen pushed aside any concern for what Danzo might be thinking and addressed the room.
"There is another matter I'd like to ask for your help with during this Jonin meeting," Hiruzen continued. "During the Night of the Nine-Tails, the village suffered heavy casualties. The entire center was leveled to the ground, and many civilians have been displaced. Therefore, I would like to ask all the clan heads present to lend a hand and contribute your strength to the village's reconstruction. Clan Head Fugaku, what do you think?"
'So it begins.' Jie Uchiha's heart stirred. He had racked his brain trying to convince his father to bring him to this Jonin meeting just for this very moment.
In the original timeline, Fugaku hadn't yielded the clan compound at first, which led to vicious rumors spreading throughout the village. People believed that since the Uchiha clan hadn't contributed during the Night of the Nine-Tails and were now refusing to help the village in its time of need, they must be harboring rebellious intentions.
Later, buckling under public pressure, Fugaku eventually agreed to give up their land. But by that time, the very center of the village had already been completely carved up by the other clans. Left with no choice, the Uchiha clan was forced to relocate to the most remote outskirts of Konoha, completely distanced from the core of power.
It was precisely because of this isolation that even when the entire Uchiha clan was ultimately massacred, no one in the village noticed anything amiss that night. So, in Jie's eyes, today's Jonin meeting was the fuse that would ignite the Uchiha clan's tragic fate.
If Jie wanted to reverse the destiny of his entire clan, he had to tackle it from all angles, and today was step one.
Looking back, Fugaku appeared troubled, clearly trying to figure out a diplomatic way to refuse the Third's request.
Jie's heart skipped a beat. He quickly spoke up before his father could say a word. "Of course we'll help out! We Uchiha love helping people the most."
He turned to his father with an innocent smile. "Father, let's give our clan compound to those villagers who lost their homes and build a new one for ourselves! Our old home was getting old anyway, and I want a new one."
Fugaku was slightly taken aback, not entirely sure what his son was plotting. However, he trusted that Jie would absolutely never do anything detrimental to the clan's interests, so he slowly nodded in agreement.
"Then where does Jie want to move to?" Fugaku asked.
"Around here is pretty nice! Later on, we can have ramen, dango, and a toy store right next door," Jie said cheerfully. "Plus, Grandpa Third's office is nearby, which is great!"
'Ramen? Dango? Toys?'
Fugaku suddenly understood. This was Jie dropping him a massive hint.
Ramen and dango meant that this was the very center of Konoha; once rebuilt, it would become the most prosperous commercial district in the village. And the Third Hokage's office meant it was right against the beating heart of Konoha's political power. Relocating the clan compound here would bring the Uchiha endless benefits without a single downside.
"Alright, then we'll do as you suggest, Jie." As he spoke, Fugaku felt a surge of excitement. Bringing his eldest son along today was undeniably the right move.
The exchange between Fugaku and Jie reached the ears of everyone present, and Hiruzen's heart immediately sank.
He did want the Uchiha clan to give up their compound, but he certainly didn't want them moving right into the center of the village! But while Hiruzen desperately wanted to make Fugaku change his mind and pick a different location, the other clans couldn't care less about the Hokage's hidden agenda.