Iruka walked up to Hyuga Kagami and respectfully asked, "Lord Hokage, may the examination begin?"
Watching the students on the field, each one eager to fight, Hyuga Kagami gave a slight nod. "Mm, begin."
Iruka nodded, then announced to the students on the field, "This month's school examination will be combat drills. I will now announce the matchups."
"Hyuga Neji versus Rock Lee."
"Second Pillar versus Uzumaki Naruto."
"Haruno Sakura versus Yamanaka Ino."
"Shion versus Kurama Yakumo."
"..."
Soon, after Iruka announced the matchups, the students began competing against their respective opponents.
Perhaps because the Hokage was watching, every student in the combat drills was brimming with enthusiasm, all hoping to put on a good performance before Hyuga Kagami.
Hyuga Kagami smiled at the sight.
Ever since he had appointed Kakashi as acting Hokage, he had unloaded all of the Hokage's official duties onto Kakashi and the Advisory Elder Council without the slightest burden.
As for himself, he had hidden away in the Ninja Academy and become its principal, deliberately vanishing from public view. Even the Shadow Guard at his side had been sent to Rin under the excuse of protecting his fiancée.
And so, the days passed.
Aside from Hyuga Kagami's still-being-carved face on Hokage Rock occasionally becoming a topic of discussion among the villagers, talk of Hyuga Kagami, the Fifth Hokage, had gradually begun to fade from the village.
At the same time, the lively atmosphere surrounding the Hokage election was also gradually dissipating with the passage of time.
Yet beneath the village's calm exterior, turbulent undercurrents were hidden. The Uchiha Clan's recent restraint had not reassured the village leadership. Instead, it had made them realize that a storm was imminent.
Because of this, the Hokage faction held secret meetings every few days.
Hyuga Kagami, the Fifth Hokage,