After Tobirama was finally laid to rest, the matter of selecting the Third Hokage was immediately placed on the agenda.
The Uchiha and the Hyuga joined forces to invite Konoha's major clans to gather and discuss the matter.
The Senju Clan naturally received the invitation as well.
They had no choice but to attend.
If they dared stay away, then Haru would probably announce his succession as Konoha's Third Hokage the very next day, and claim it had passed by unanimous vote.
...
Inside the meeting room, the heads of the various clans all arrived on time. Some brought along a few of their clan's higher-ups, and before long the room was completely full.
"Now that the Second Hokage has been laid to rest, Konoha naturally cannot remain leaderless. It is time to choose the Third Hokage and let someone continue leading Konoha forward."
After Takuya finished speaking, every eye in the room turned toward Mito.
"Before Tobirama died, he had already chosen Konoha's candidate for the Third Hokage."
After Mito spoke, no one in the room looked surprised.
Haru had already spread that news through all of Konoha.
"That person is Hiruzen."
The meeting room fell silent.
Among the clan heads, the news that Hiruzen had been chosen had always been treated like a joke. No one had taken it seriously.
And yet Mito had actually said it out loud here.
Frankly, it would have made more sense if she had said the position was being passed to Toma. Whether true or false, at least most people recognized that Toma was qualified to become Hokage.
But Hiruzen?
Give me a break.
"Mito-sama, Hiruzen is not suitable, is he? Can he really handle being Konoha's Hokage?"
Takuya frowned and gave his opinion. His tone was still fairly restrained, since he did not want to embarrass Mito in public.
"I agree with the Hyuga Clan Head!"
"I agree!"
"....."
Takuya's words instantly drew support. Voices of opposition rose one after another, and the situation turned completely one-sided.
"Quiet down. Quiet down."
Mito frowned and stopped the arguing in the room. Then she spoke in an even tone.
"No matter what, Tobirama chose him as the Third Hokage. We might as well let Hiruzen step forward. At the very least, he should have the chance to speak for himself."
Mito cast Hiruzen a subtle look.
The stage is set for you. Now it's your turn to perform.
Hiruzen was sitting beside Sasuke. His eyes lit up.
The time to show himself had come.
He had already rehearsed this moment countless times in his mind. He had long prepared what he wanted to say.
Lately, he had been thinking constantly about Konoha's future. If he became Hokage, how would he restore Konoha's strength? How would he balance relations between the villages?
And above all else, there was Konoha's Will of Fire.
Where the leaves fly, the fire burns on without end.
This was the Will of Fire he had comprehended through Tobirama's act of self-sacrifice.
Hiruzen had already decided to use a speech filled with the Will of Fire to turn the situation around and make the people present willing to give him a chance.
This was the moment to reverse everything.
Hiruzen encouraged himself inwardly, then walked step by step to the center of the meeting room and prepared to speak.
"Everyone, Konoha's future..."
"..."
Hiruzen spoke passionately from the center of the room.
But Haru had no interest in listening to Hiruzen babble about lofty ideals.
Every clan head present was a practical person. The Will of Fire was something you listened to politely and then set aside. No one here was treasuring it like some sacred jewel.
Haru gave Inabi, who was sitting beside him, a look.
Inabi, it's time to use that sharp tongue you always used on me.
"Wake up. Don't disgrace yourself."
"You've crawled out of blades and gunfire."
Haru quietly encouraged him, and Inabi returned a reassuring look.
It's just Hiruzen.
And he dares keep talking nonsense here?
"Damn it!"
"Hiruzen!"
"Fuck your mother!"
"You trash from some tiny clan, a piece of battlefield garbage who ran back alive, what right do you have to stand here talking so boldly!!"
"You want to be Hokage?"
"Then let me tell you this. Not a chance!!"
Inabi suddenly jumped out and strode right up in front of Hiruzen, unloading his insults so fast that Hiruzen was caught completely off guard.
"Hahahahaha!!!"
Haru burst into laughter, loud and unrestrained.
Inabi, you really are a damn talent.
I'll reward you with two jin of sweet potato liquor later.
He really had learned fast. Haru had only casually taught him, and now he was already delivering it perfectly.
Haru's wild laughter echoed through the room, and one by one the heads of the other clans started laughing with him.
No one had really been listening to Hiruzen in the first place. They had only been giving Mito a bit of face.
Everyone here understood perfectly well that the only clans in Konoha with any real chance of touching the Hokage's seat were the Senju and the Uchiha.
They had all been waiting for the Uchiha to make their stance clear.
And now that the Uchiha's attitude was this obvious, there was no need for anyone to keep pretending. They could laugh as much as they wanted.
What qualifications did Hiruzen have to talk about Konoha's future?
Mockery and ridicule rose one after another, making Hiruzen's face turn bright red. For a moment, he stood there completely at a loss. Never in his life had he lost this much face in front of so many people.
And the people in the room were all heads of Konoha's ninja clans. Every single one of them held a higher status than he did.
At that moment, Hiruzen wanted nothing more than to find a crack in the floor and crawl into it. He glared hatefully at Inabi. If looks could kill, Inabi would already have been cut into pieces.
As expected of the Uchiha.
A clan that was evil to its very core.
Teacher had been right all along.
A wicked clan like that should never have existed in Konoha.
Hiruzen swore inwardly that one day, in the future, he would make the Uchiha pay for this.
Mito frowned, utterly disappointed in Hiruzen.
He could not even endure this much pressure?
The Uchiha had not even started trying yet.
"I, the head of the Uchiha Clan, have always taken protecting Konoha as my duty, and I believe I am more suited to the seat of Third Hokage!"
"However, since Tobirama named you as Konoha's Third Hokage, then you must have some exceptional quality!"
"I can give you a chance. Defeat me, and I can represent the Uchiha Clan in supporting you as the Third Hokage!"
Haru stood up and openly declared his ambition.
The laughter in the meeting room stopped instantly.
The real lead had finally appeared.
The great drama over the seat of the Third Hokage had begun.
Hiruzen turned toward Mito, hoping she would save him.
After all, she had clearly said before that she would handle the Uchiha for him.
But Hiruzen was destined to be disappointed.
In Mito's eyes now, he was nothing more than a piece on the board, a tool to test Haru's strength.
Mito did not even look directly at Hiruzen. She only spoke coldly.
"Hiruzen, accept it!"
"If you want to become Hokage, then you must possess the corresponding strength!"
(End of Chapter)
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