There was no sign of Hiruzen Sarutobi or Shimura Danzō in the enormous crater. They'd been blown to pieces, utterly obliterated.
But none of the ninja clans present felt any particular pity. This was what happened when you got involved in a fight that wasn't yours.
People needed to know their place!
The clan heads had already decided to hold a clan meeting. Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō were the perfect cautionary tale: arrogant people only got themselves killed—and could even drag their clans down with them.
The Shimura Clan had already been erased from Konoha.
How much better could the Sarutobi Clan's fate be?
All they could do was cling to life in Konoha, keep their heads down for decades, and wait for the Uchiha to forget what had happened.
"Looks like Tobirama Senju wasn't much of a judge of character. The successor he chose couldn't shoulder Konoha's burdens at all."
Uchiha Nan addressed the crowd, then turned his gaze toward Mito Uzumaki. The fight just now had been an appetizer. The most important thing standing between him and the Hokage title was Mito Uzumaki.
"Who else wants to become Hokage?"
"You can step forward now. Konoha is a democracy. Anyone with the will to protect Konoha has a chance to take part in the Hokage selection."
"That was the First's original intention!"
Uchiha Nan's voice rang out as he scanned the crowd. Almost no one dared to say,
"I want to become Hokage too."
Weren't the two examples right in front of them warning enough?
The Ninja Blade in Uchiha Nan's hand was still dripping with blood!
Once you stepped onto that stage, it was a fight to the death!
Who wanted to throw their life away?
Standing beside Mito Uzumaki, Toma Senju wore a grave expression. Had Uchiha Nan really become this powerful?
He'd dispatched Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō with such ease, as if he were killing chickens!
Uchiha Nan was so powerful it seemed as though he had no weaknesses. He could cast S-rank Ninjutsu at will, his swordsmanship was superb, and there was no need to even mention his genjutsu.
Uchiha Nan hadn't used genjutsu, but trying to show off your genjutsu in front of an Uchiha's Sharingan was bound to make people laugh at you.
So far, Uchiha Nan had only awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan. He hadn't even shown signs of having the Mangekyō Sharingan. That was the information Toma Senju truly wanted to uncover.
Legend had it that the Mangekyō Sharingan awakened two powerful ocular techniques. He didn't know whether that was true.
He'd certainly never seen Madara Uchiha use them. Whenever his father and Madara Uchiha fought, it was a battle between giants.
Toma Senju was deeply conflicted. He would most likely die if he faced Uchiha Nan.
If he knew he'd die, should he still go up?
Toma Senju wasn't capable of that kind of resolve. He still had too many people depending on him.
Little Tsunade, his beautiful wife, and his mother all needed him.
But he couldn't hesitate now. If he delayed even a moment, Uchiha Nan might really become Hokage.
Mito Uzumaki had been watching Toma Senju out of the corner of her eye, and she could see how torn he was.
With Uchiha Nan's abilities, her son couldn't handle him. Mito Uzumaki didn't believe for a second that Uchiha Nan would go easy on Toma Senju. He would definitely fight to kill!
"Then let this old woman test you!"
Mito Uzumaki finally stepped forward. Since her son wasn't strong enough, it was up to his mother to step in.
The Senju had finally lost their patience.
Everyone knew how powerful Mito Uzumaki was. No one present knew whether Uchiha Nan could defeat her.
But the outcome no longer mattered!
Hyuga Takuma stood among the crowd, his excitement plain on his face.
Uchiha Nan's strength far exceeded Hyuga Takuma's expectations. And everything they'd just witnessed was only the tip of the iceberg.
A pillar of strength had emerged among the Uchiha's younger generation. By comparison, Toma Senju of the Senju Clan paled beside Uchiha Nan.
So what if Mito Uzumaki won and became Hokage?
How many more years could she live?
The Uchiha had already won the future!
Once Mito Uzumaki died, Konoha would belong to the Uchiha.
This time, he'd bet on the right horse.
"Good. I couldn't ask for more!"
Uchiha Nan smiled, his gaze deliberately drifting toward Toma Senju.
The mockery was obvious.
Toma Senju felt humiliated. When had he ever had to put up with this kind of treatment? He'd always crushed others with his strength.
Strength!
He yearned more than ever for his father Hashirama Senju's power. If he could inherit Wood Release, things would be completely different.
Suddenly, he remembered an experiment that Tobirama Senju had abruptly ordered halted.
Toma Senju fell into thought, while Mito Uzumaki had already taken her place opposite Uchiha Nan, clad in armor she hadn't worn in a long time.
Ding!
Mangekyō Sharingan Trial Card -1
Uchiha Nan immediately activated the Mangekyō Sharingan without the slightest hesitation. The best steel had to be used on the cutting edge.
If Mito Uzumaki went berserk, the three-tomoe Sharingan alone wouldn't be enough to control the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.
Pain had been beaten into a mosaic-faced mess by Naruto with four tails, and Nagato had risked everything to use Chibaku Tensei without managing to seal Naruto.
Better to be cautious. Getting killed by accident would be a disaster.
What luck!
Uchiha Nan felt the power in his eyes. This time, the random draw had given him Obito Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan.
Kamui!
A top-tier survival technique. It could be used to attack, or to escape!
Then he'd have to find a chance to hit Mito Uzumaki with something nasty. Maybe he could get in a slash?
"Mito-sama, it's too cramped here. How about we move somewhere else?"
Uchiha Nan looked around. They were far too close to Konoha's center. If Mito Uzumaki transformed into the Tailed Beast and he activated Susanoo, they'd end up blasting each other.
A single stray hit could blow Konoha sky-high. How much would it cost to rebuild the village?
"I was thinking the same thing!"
Mito Uzumaki had noticed the problem too. A casual strike from the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox had the power of an S-rank forbidden technique, and the same was true of Uchiha Nan's Susanoo.
If they started throwing S-rank forbidden techniques around near the center of Konoha, the village might as well declare itself dissolved.
"Let's go to the Death Forest!"
A vast expanse of forest surrounded Konoha, all of it belonging to the village. The area was so large, and it was home to so many wild beasts and monsters, that villagers who went there to hunt or gather supplies were often attacked, resulting in numerous deaths.
Over time, the surrounding forests all came to be known as the Death Forest.
"Fine!"
Mito Uzumaki nodded. That place was suitable enough, though she would have preferred the Valley of the End.
That was where Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha had fought their final battle, and everyone knew how it had ended.
Hashirama Senju had won a hard-fought victory, while Madara Uchiha had suffered a bitter defeat.
Mito Uzumaki represented the Senju, and Uchiha Nan represented the Uchiha.
If Mito Uzumaki defeated Uchiha Nan at the Valley of the End, it would carry extraordinary political significance.
As long as the Senju Clan remained, the Uchiha would always be second-rate in Konoha.
Unfortunately, the Valley of the End was a little far away, and it would take some time to get there.
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