The Steel Colossus, over a thousand meters tall, blotted out the sky and covered half of Konoha. Beneath the election plaza, the Jonin's pupils trembled and widened. Their mouths hung open as they stared in shock at the Steel Colossus, which obscured the mountain rock bearing the former Hokages' carved faces.
"Over..."
"More than..."
"More power than the First Hokage..."
The Jonin's expressions changed in horror. They had never personally witnessed the God of Shinobi, the First Hokage's power, but they had experienced the vastness of the Death Forest firsthand.
The Death Forest had been created by the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, using Wood Release. It was difficult to imagine that such vast, lush vegetation had been brought forth by one person's Chakra.
But likewise.
With the Steel Colossus, over a thousand meters tall, descending before them, they could not imagine such tremendous power existing in the world. A clap of the hands, a press against the ground, and a thousand-meter-tall Steel Colossus rose up.
The Steel Colossus's shadow blanketed half of Konoha. The cold scent of steel seeped into the Jonin's nostrils, making their faces turn pale with horror as their hearts clenched in dread.
"This is bad!" Shikaku Nara, captain of the Jonin Squad, changed expression drastically. His heart sank as he realized this Hokage election was about to go terribly wrong.
Neji Hyuga had not lied.
But that was exactly why it was bad.
It meant Neji Hyuga truly had the strength to carry out the ambitions he had spoken of.
Neji Hyuga was too confident, too honest. That confidence and honesty were backed by power surpassing the First Hokage's.
He... wanted to become Hokage!
"Enter wartime operations! Everyone spread out! Third Jonin Squad, notify your subordinate Chunin. Have the villagers closest to the Hokage Building enter