How Should Hokage Rock Be Carved?

Konoha.

The once bustling and prosperous village in the Shinobi World now exudes a gloomy atmosphere. People on the streets are hurrying along with their heads down, even when they are buying supplies. No one lingers on the streets.

The various factions of ninja within the village are already showing signs of Yakumi, ready to erupt into conflict.

With the full support of the Third Hokage's forces, Tsunade held an almost absolute advantage, and her massive ninja force initially overwhelmed the opposing side.

However, the situation changed the next moment when Uchiha Yoru returned.

In the heart of Konoha, several more clans were re-established around the Uchiha clan's territory, and their clan crests, both unfamiliar and familiar, were erected.

The Kaguya Clan, the Yukigakure Clan, and the Hozuki Clan— the three Mist Ninja Kekkei Genkai families —directly declared their allegiance to Konoha, which was ruled by the Fifth Hokage.

It is now clearly visible that, under the leadership of the Uchiha Clan, a group of smaller Konoha clans such as the Hyuga, Aburame, Inuzuka, and Kurama, along with the three major Kekkei Genkai families Mist Ninja and a group of Mist Ninja Kekkei Genkai ninjas, have directly merged and coexisted together.

Under external pressure, the ninjas from both Kekkei Genkai families merged in a way that defied imagination. If one didn't know better, one would really think that these Kekkei Genkai ninjas were all comrades who had known each other for many years.

Facing the combined pressure of Tsunade and the Third Hokage, the Konoha clan, led by the Uchiha, finally found outside help and were naturally eager to befriend their ally with smiles on their faces.

These Kekkei Genkai families Mist Ninja, who had lived a miserable life in the Land of Water, were utterly despised and gloomy. But when they suddenly arrived in Konoha, they were greeted with smiles and treated like family. They adapted to each other very quickly and naturally.

As expected, people only have motivation when under pressure. In a very short time, the Kekkei Genkai families from the Land of Water and a group of clans led by the Uchiha started a marriage alliance and instantly entered a honeymoon period, acting like one big family.

The Hokage Office Building.

The ninjas from both sides were almost clearly divided, and even the Hokage's desk in the mission office had a red line drawn down the middle.

"Reporting to the Fifth Hokage, this is the mission report for this mission."

A Konoha Chunin squad arrived to report on their mission. As they bowed respectfully, Uchiha Yoruro, seated at the Hokage's desk, revealed a satisfied smile.

"Excellent, this mission was completed very well, and the employer is very satisfied."

The Chunin team consisted of an Uchiha ninja, a civilian, and a Kaguya Clan ninja. Clearly, they had quickly bonded and formed a comradeship.

Meanwhile, another Chunin squad returned, respectfully reporting, "Fifth Hokage, this is our mission report."

However, it was Tsunade sitting on the left, who spoke up. Looking at the mission scroll, she frowned and angrily rebuked, "Are you all piece of shit?! Sarutobi Ichiro, look at your mission report!"

"What do you take your teammates for? Your servants? Or your lackeys? Because you caused their injury, you still act all high and mighty!"

Good heavens, Tsunade's anger was filled with majesty, which frightened Sarutobi Ichiro so much that his face turned pale and then red. But when he saw Tsunade's terrifying eyes, he immediately turned pale and his mouth twitched, but he dared not say anything.

"Useless! Go back and let your father teach you how to get along with your teammates."

Tsunade took her capriciousness to the extreme, and would scold anyone who was slightly dissatisfied, especially when facing the once high and mighty Sarutobi and other clans.

Compared to Tsunade, everyone else is just trash, only fit to obediently take a beating.

The two present a stark contrast, revealing the whole picture from a glimpse, and the vast ocean from a drop of water.

Uchiha Yoru's faction had almost formed a unified whole, all under his leadership, and there wasn't much sordid conflict among them, even among the Kekkei Genkai families from the Land of Water.

This group of Kekkei Genkai ninjas from the Land of Water was not all of them, but only half. At the same time, some Konoha Ninja and Mist Ninja merged at the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools.

However, both sides were under tremendous external pressure, which led them to adopt a "stick together for warmth" mentality, as if they were one family. With everyone thinking positively, things naturally progressed in a positive direction.

On the Tsunade hand, Third Hokage's lineage, has deep-rooted and intertwined power, forming a unified whole.

Tsunade's greatest strengths are her Prestige and connections. Her Prestige goes without saying; naturally, those clan ninjas who suddenly lost their once high and mighty status, such as the Sarutobi Clan, felt dissatisfied and wanted to take it back.

The faction built by Tsunade's network consisted mostly of commoner ninjas, which clashed with the already unified ninja group of the Third Hokage's lineage.

Although both sides exercised restraint, their motivations were different.

The many civilian ninjas who followed Tsunade did so purely because of Tsunade Prestige and the life-saving grace she had shown them. They simply wanted to honestly and dutifully complete their missions. However, these Sarutobi Clan ninjas, under the guise of being comrades, treated them like slaves.

This wouldn't be a problem in itself, but there's a comparison. Under Uchiha Yoru's policies, there was a clear hierarchy. Although they upheld the principle of Kekkei Genkai, they also upheld the principle of strength. As long as you reached the Jōnin level, you would have everything that Kekkei Genkai ninjas had.

Even among ninjas of the same rank, as long as you demonstrate talent no less than that of Kekkei Genkai ninja, you can still receive the same treatment as Kekkei Genkai ninja, even if you come from a commoner background.

This comparison naturally leads to dissatisfaction.

Uchiha Yoru's policy adhered to the theory of bloodline, but in reality it was a policy of meritocracy, which made ninjas superior to others.

Children with ninja talent are inherently superior to ordinary people without it, based on bloodline. Kekkei Genkai ninjas are ranked higher because those who awaken their Kekkei Genkai are extremely powerful and constitute the majority of high-end combat forces.

Furthermore, the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yoru, believed that the Kekkei Genkai ninjas wasn't simply a matter of having the surname; it required awakening one's bloodline.

Before awakening your Kekkei Genkai, even if you have the surname Uchiha, your treatment and status are the same as ordinary ninjas.

"Heh, it seems Lady Tsunade has quite a few troubles."

Looking at Tsunade, who was prone to anger, Uchiha Yoru, sitting on the right, teased her with a smile, while Tsunade snorted in annoyance.

"Uchiha Yoru, don't get too cocky. If it weren't for these old guys!"

Tsunade's face clearly showed two words: dissatisfaction!

After all, the clans of the Third Hokage's lineage, such as the Sarutobi, Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans, held high positions and enjoyed a superior status, only to be suddenly brought down.

Just like the Uchiha Clan who were originally in the heart of Konoha, after the Nine-Tails incident, they moved directly to the outskirts, which would make anyone resentful.

It can be said that fortunes change every thirty years, and the Uchiha clan is now experiencing the same feelings they once had.

Therefore, with Tsunade as their banner, they desperately hoped that Tsunade would lead them to reclaim everything they had lost.

However, Tsunade was not an easy person to control. Her personality had already determined everything. She directly demanded funds and then established her own Anbu force.

This caused discontent. Many of the ninja from the Third Hokage's faction harbored resentment, believing that Tsunade was not doing her job and was instead using their funds to scheme for her own power.

"Recently, the various ninja villages in the Shinobi World have been sending a lot of supplies."

Tsunade looked at Uchiha Yoruro with a meaningful smile, and Uchiha Yoru, without any pretense, nodded and laughed, "These are all supplies for the peace of the Shinobi World."

"Peace? All I've heard about are Explosive Tag, knives, and war supplies. I've never heard of weapons being linked to peace."

Tsunade spoke sarcastically, but Uchiha Yoru shook his head in righteous indignation.

"Although you are one of the Sannin, I absolutely disagree with this view. What is peace? Is it just about talking? Neither of us are children; we should know that peace is built on might! Why was the Shinobi World peaceful when the First Hokage was still alive?"

"As a result, the First Hokage had barely left when the devastating Shinobi World War broke out. It's no wonder that peace only exists under the rule of might! So, while weapons represent war, they are also linked to peace!"

Hokage Office, the two Fifth Hokage were arguing again, their opinions differing. The Konoha Ninja in the Hokage Building were used to this and could only watch helplessly as the two Hokage fell silent.

To be honest, both Fifth Generation were quite good; at least they were both working towards doing practical things for Konoha. For a time, all the ninjas felt that even if they had to tolerate two Fifth Hokage in office at the same time, at least there wouldn't be any internal strife.

Beneath Hokage Rock, a group of commoner craftsmen gazed at the massive, solid mountain with worried expressions, as if studying how to carve it.

"What kind of situation is this? Both Fifth Hokage have announced that they want Hokage portraits to be sculpted, but the problem is, which one should they sculpt?!"

"Damn it! I've worked my whole life. My father sculpted the First, and my father and I sculpted the Second Hokage together. I personally handled the Third Hokage, and now I'm in trouble. I can't possibly sculpt two Fifth Hokage, can I?"

The old sculptor, his face full of worry, puffed on his pipe. He was truly troubled; for the first time, he felt that money was so hard to earn, so hot to handle.

However, at this moment, his young son came over, scratching his head with an even bigger headache. "Father," he said, "It's not two headaches anymore, it's three."

"Three?"

The old father's worried face showed suspicion. "Weren't there two Fifth Hokage? Could another one have appeared? Who is it?"

The young son gave a wry smile and immediately produced three photos. "Father, these are the Fifth Mizukage."

"The Fifth Mizukage issued a mission, saying that as the Fifth Mizukage, she was leading the Mist Ninja army to join Konoha, and it was only right that she should leave behind a commemorative mark. She even said that the rights of a Kage could be relinquished, but the symbol of the Kage's honor must remain."

At this moment, the old father was dumbfounded and asked blankly, "The Hokage Rock Mizukage? Does the Hokage know about this?"

"The Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yoru, knew about it and even nodded in agreement."

At that moment, the father and son looked at each other and fell silent, staring at the three photos in their hands, at a loss for what to do.

Three Kage! How can they all appear on the Hokage Rock at the same time?

Just then, the three photos overlapped slightly in the sunlight, and a sudden inspiration flashed through the old father's mind.

"Since the Fifth Generation Hokage hasn't taken place yet, why not overlap the three Hokage portraits?"

Under the sunlight, the three portraits overlapped somewhat. In the center was Uchiha Yoru's smiling face, flanked by Tsunade and Mei Terumi. The three faces were close together, as if they were inseparable partners.

Seeing this, the old father suddenly had an inspiration and laughed excitedly, "Haha, time to get to work! The three of them together represent the prosperity of Konoha, and also represent the Three Kage living in harmony and leading Konoha to its peak."

Clearly, no one in Konoha wanted to start a civil war, and this master craftsman, inspired by his skill in carving, wanted to use it to influence the world.

Let the Three Kage put aside their differences and join hands to lead Konoha to create a better tomorrow.

"Father! Oh!"

Looking into his elderly father's longing, tearful eyes, the young son fell silent. This was his father's unfulfilled wish, and he didn't want to shatter it.

Even he knew that two Hokage could not possibly coexist.

As the saying goes, "Two tigers cannot share one mountain."

But he remained silent. He didn't want to shatter his elderly father's hopes, yet it was also a sliver of fantasy in his own heart.

"Never mind, since we've accepted the mission and even the Three Kage haven't said anything, let's just do our best."

A hearty laugh echoed across the Hokage Rock, dispelling some of the somber atmosphere in Konoha.

At the same time, once the iconic Hokage Rock of Konoha began to move, every Konoha Ninja could see the shift from initial helplessness to subsequent astonishment.

The outlines of three faces appeared more and more on it each day, but then a huge tarpaulin was covered over them, as if the result would not be announced until the official ceremony for Hokage's inauguration.

The Sarutobi Clan.

The calligraphy of the word "nin" hangs high on the wall. The pressure of the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen during this period has made him aged ten years. Now his hair and beard are all white, his body is somewhat hunched, thin and short, and he already has the appearance of the Chunin Examination in the original book.

The pipe dangling from his lips clicked and puffed, filling the room with smoke. The retired Third Hokage, who rarely left his home, now stared intently at the shogi board before him, looking like an ordinary old man.

Seated directly opposite him was Shikaku Nara, known as the Hokage's strategist and the captain of the Konoha Jonin team.

"When two pieces vie for supremacy, one will inevitably be injured, and all the pieces protecting the jade on the chessboard will be affected."

Looking at the chessboard, Shikaku Nara couldn't help but sigh, as if he were referring to something. The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, on the opposite side naturally understood and remained silent.

Does Nara Shikaku regret it?

Faced with this question, Shikaku Nara smile and shook his head. "Do we have a choice if we regret it? The Ino-Shika-Cho Clans have enjoyed preferential treatment, so they must also bear the corresponding responsibilities."

This is the price they paid. The Ino-Shika-Cho Clans chose to completely submit to the Third Hokage and enjoyed decades of rapid development, growing from a small clan to what it is today. It can be said that they enjoyed preferential treatment for as many years Third Hokage ruled.

As the family has grown to its current state, even the branches of the family are more powerful than the entire family once was.

It's not so easy to change or wash away the labels attached to someone. In the ninja (island nation) world, you can betray, but if it's your entire clan, being disloyal and treacherous will be hated by everyone.

Moreover! Shikaku Nara raised his head and Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, a deep look.

At best, the Ino-Shika-Cho are accomplices. Although they have enjoyed everything and now have no other choice, they still have a chance to catch their breath.

The Sarutobi Clan and the three smaller clans of Mitokado, Utatane, and Shimura were truly the only ones with no other choice.

The Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, at worst, will be targeted and weakened to a certain extent, but they will be let off the hook. However! The Sarutobi Clan!

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