The Founding of the Land of Ninja

The livestream displayed extensive written and video records of the thirteen councilors.

On the rooftop of the actual government building, the atmosphere was far from harmonious—if anything, danger lurked everywhere.

"Who was fourteenth?"

"Sarutobi Hiruzen."

"How many votes did he get?"

"About eighteen thousand."

Kaoru demanded angrily, "Why did he get so few votes? Wasn't he the one who led Konoha to new heights?"

"You believe that?" Shin offered an analogy. "Even if a pig became Hokage, Konoha would still be the strongest in the ninja world."

"A pig? At least use a dog." Kaoru accepted the explanation.

Not only Team One knew it—even his teacher, Tobirama, knew just how weak Konoha had become after the Senju, Uchiha, and Uzumaki were all gone.

Leaving aside how the two kidnapping incidents had been handled, Orochimaru alone was enough to force him to personally step in and fight.

The price of that narrow victory had been every sort of compromise.

A powerful Konoha truly needed someone like that.

Hiruzen was not ruthless enough, while Danzo was far too ruthless. Everyone who knew that future agreed on this.

Ninjas who had endured the trials of their era no longer thought much of the nice-guy approach.

Though Hiruzen had failed to become either principal or councilor, he was deeply disappointed by the result but did not question the legitimacy of the election.

He actually understood his own weaknesses very well.

"Now, this old man is truly retired..."

Koharu, Homura, and Torifu all knew who had truly led Konoha to new heights.

The fact that Hiruzen could accept that was enough to prove that he was not a bad person.

At most, he was just an old eccentric who lacked proper dignity.

On the rooftop, the thirteen chatting councilors quickly lined up after receiving