After Tobirama Senju was laid to rest, the election of the Third was immediately put on the agenda. The Uchiha and Hyuga joined forces to invite Konoha's major clans to a meeting to discuss the matter.
The Senju Clan had received an invitation too. They had no choice but to attend this meeting. If they dared not show up, Uchiha Nan would dare to announce the next day that he was succeeding as Konoha's Third—and that the decision had passed unanimously.
The meeting room was filled with clan heads, all of whom had arrived on time. Some had brought a few senior members of their clans along, and before long, the room was packed.
"Now that the Second has been laid to rest, Konoha can't be left without a leader. It's time to choose the Third and lead Konoha forward."
After Hyuga Takuma finished speaking, every gaze in the room turned to Mito Uzumaki.
"Before Tobirama died in battle, he had already chosen Konoha's Third."
No one in the room looked surprised when Mito Uzumaki finished speaking. Uchiha Nan had already spread the news throughout Konoha.
"That person is Hiruzen Sarutobi."
The meeting room fell silent. The clan heads had always treated the news that Hiruzen Sarutobi would inherit the position as a joke. No one had taken it seriously.
Who would have thought Mito Uzumaki would actually say it out loud in the meeting? She might as well have said the position was going to Toma Senju. Whether or not that was true, at least most people agreed Toma Senju was qualified to become Hokage.
As for Hiruzen Sarutobi?
Give me a break!
"Mito-sama, Hiruzen Sarutobi isn't suitable, is he? Can he really handle being Hokage of Konoha?"
Hyuga Takuma furrowed his brow and offered his opinion. His tone was fairly tactful; he didn't want to embarrass Mito Uzumaki in front of everyone.
"I agree with the Hyuga Clan Head!"
"I agree!"
"..."
Hyuga Takuma's words struck a chord with the room. Objections rang out, and the meeting turned into a one-sided chorus of disapproval.
"Quiet, everyone, quiet!"
Mito Uzumaki furrowed her brow and stopped the arguing. Then, unhurriedly, she said:
"Whatever you think of him, Tobirama chose him as the Third. Let's have Hiruzen Sarutobi speak. At the very least, give him a chance to make his case."
Mito Uzumaki shot Hiruzen Sarutobi a subtle glance. The stage was set. Now it was his turn to step up and perform.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was seated beside Sarutobi Sasuke. His eyes lit up. It was time to show what he could do!
He had rehearsed this scene in his mind countless times, and he had long since prepared his speech.
Lately, he had been thinking about Konoha's future: if he became Hokage, how could he restore Konoha's strength? How could he balance relations between the villages?
But above all, there was Konoha's Will of Fire. Wherever the leaves danced, the fire burned on!
That was the Will of Fire he had grasped from Tobirama Senju's heroic sacrifice.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was determined to turn things around with a speech imbued with the Will of Fire, convincing everyone present to give him a chance.
Now, turn the whole situation around!
Hiruzen Sarutobi gave himself a pep talk, then walked step by step to the center of the room, ready to deliver his speech.
"Everyone, Konoha's future..."
"..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke passionately from the front of the room.
But Uchiha Nan had no interest in listening to Hiruzen Sarutobi spout high-minded principles. Every clan head here was a pragmatist. They might listen to talk of the Will of Fire, but they weren't going to treat it like some priceless treasure.
Uchiha Nan gave Inabi Uchiha, seated beside him, a look.
Inabi, it's time to show off that talent of yours for giving me a hard time!
"Put some spirit into it. Don't embarrass yourself!"
"You've been through battles and bloodshed!"
Uchiha Nan encouraged Inabi Uchiha, who gave him a reassuring look.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was nothing special!
And he still had the nerve to go on and on?
"Damn it!"
"Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
"I'll f*** your mother!"
"You're a useless coward from some minor clan who ran away from the battlefield! What gives you the right to run your mouth here?!"
"Don't you want to be Hokage?"
"Well, I'm telling you, you've got no chance!"
Inabi Uchiha leaped to his feet and strode up to Hiruzen Sarutobi, laying into him before Hiruzen could react.
"HAHAHAHA!!!"
Uchiha Nan burst out laughing, completely without restraint. Inabi Uchiha, you really are a genius.
I'll reward you with a couple pounds of sweet potato liquor later.
You'd learned the act perfectly. I'd only had to teach you once.
Uchiha Nan's wild laughter rang through the room, and the clan heads soon joined in.
Nobody had been listening to what Hiruzen Sarutobi was saying. They'd only been humoring Mito Uzumaki.
Everyone there knew the score. The only clans in Konoha with a chance of claiming the Hokage Position were the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan.
They had all been waiting for the Uchiha to make their position clear. Now that it was obvious, there was no need to keep pretending. They could laugh all they wanted.
What right did Hiruzen Sarutobi have to talk about Konoha's future?!
Mockery and jeers rose one after another, and Hiruzen Sarutobi's face flushed red. He was at a loss. He had never been humiliated so badly in front of so many people.
Worse, everyone there was the head of a Konoha ninja clan, and every one of them outranked him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi wished he could crawl into a hole. He glared furiously at Inabi Uchiha. If looks could kill, Inabi Uchiha would have been hacked to pieces already.
The Uchiha really were born evil!
His teacher had been right. A wicked clan like theirs had no place in Konoha!
Hiruzen Sarutobi swore to himself that one day he would teach the Uchiha a lesson.
Mito Uzumaki frowned, utterly disappointed in Hiruzen Sarutobi. He couldn't even withstand this little bit of pressure?
The Uchiha hadn't even started yet!
"I, the Uchiha Clan Head, have always made protecting Konoha my duty. I believe I'm better suited to the position of Third!"
"But since Tobirama chose you, Hiruzen Sarutobi, to become Konoha's Third, you must have some exceptional qualities!"
"I'll give you a chance. Beat me, and I'll represent the Uchiha Clan in honoring you as the Third!"
Uchiha Nan stood up and openly revealed his ambition.
The laughter died away. The main contender had finally stepped forward. The battle for the Third's position was beginning.
Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to Mito Uzumaki, hoping she would step in. Mito Uzumaki had personally promised to handle the Uchiha.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi was bound to be disappointed. In Mito Uzumaki's eyes, he was nothing more than a pawn for testing Uchiha Nan's strength.
Mito Uzumaki didn't even look at Hiruzen Sarutobi. Her voice was cold as she said:
"Hiruzen, accept his challenge!"
"If you want to become Hokage, you need the strength to match!"
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