Do You Want to Be Hokage?

It was only at this moment that Tobirama snapped out of his daze, a jolt of astonishment running through him—he had actually allowed himself to be led by the nose by the thoughts of a mere three- or four-year-old child!

If others were to find out about this, it would surely be the laughingstock of the age...

"Then, in your opinion, should the position of First Hokage have been held by your clan leader? After all, compared to him, my elder brother appears rather gentle in handling external affairs, whereas... your clan leader is far more firm and decisive."

As Tobirama spoke these words, he subconsciously took a small step back, his hands clasped behind his back.

However, upon hearing this, Qile shook his head by instinct. To be honest, he had no intention of discussing such a sensitive and thorny topic with Tobirama under these circumstances.

Unfortunately, even though Qile chose to remain silent, it did not mean Tobirama would let the matter rest.

Seeing his silence, Tobirama continued, "Speak up. You have your powerful clan leader as your backing, after all, and I am merely curious to hear the true thoughts of the Uchiha on this matter. You must know, the inner workings of the Uchiha are quite difficult for us outsiders to fathom..."

Hearing this, Qile couldn't help but feel suspicious, wanting to blurt out a retort: Does this so-called "outsider" include you as well?

After all, who didn't know that Tobirama's understanding of the Uchiha was etched into his very bones? He probably knew the Uchiha better than they knew themselves...

Yet, since Tobirama had pushed the conversation this far, Qile found it difficult to remain tight-lipped.

Of course, he could have played the "I'm just a child" card and brushed it off with nonsense, but he did have a hidden agenda regarding Tobirama...

For instance...

Flying Thunder God!

He was absolutely dying to get his hands on that!

After a moment of contemplation, he finally opened his mouth and said softly, "In my view, Hashirama seems more suited to be the Second Hokage." But he remained silent on who should have been the First!

He paused briefly, as if organizing his thoughts, before adding, "However, it must be clear that the current Hokage was elected by all the villagers. Regardless of the motives each person held when casting their vote, the final result was that Hashirama was elected by a landslide. And from my perspective, even if this election were held a thousand times over, the outcome would likely remain unchanged."

At this point, Qile couldn't help but shake his head, a bitter smile appearing on his youthful face: "To take a step back, even if the clan leader had managed to ascend to the position of Hokage through some special means, it wouldn't necessarily mean things would be better. On the contrary, it might have triggered a series of unexpected troubles and problems."

Then, his tone shifted, unconsciously carrying a hint of admiration: "But it cannot be denied that the policies implemented by Hashirama since taking office have truly brought a long-awaited dawn of peace to the entire Ninja World. This is a change that every one of us can feel. If not for this, someone of my age would likely have already been forced onto a cruel and bloody battlefield, with no guarantee of survival."

Finally, Qile sighed with the weariness of an old man, lamenting, "So you see, who can really know what might have happened otherwise..."

Qile stared intently at the bustling crowd in Konoha. Some were greeting each other with smiles, others were discussing matters with grave expressions; everyone was busy, and the village was filled with a sense of industrious order.

Qile couldn't help but spread his arms wide, like a bird yearning to soar through the sky, fully soaking in the cool, gentle breeze brushing against him. The wind felt like a tender hand stroking his face and body, filling him with an indescribable sense of comfort.

Tobirama nodded slightly, signaling his agreement with what Qile had said: "Indeed, no one can truly know the final outcome of things that have yet to happen." With that, Tobirama withdrew his hands from behind his back and crossed them over his chest, standing firmly with a profound look in his eyes, as if lost in thought.

After a brief pause, Tobirama asked again: "The rules originally discussed and established by everyone were for my elder brother to serve as the First Hokage, and for your clan leader to succeed him as the Second. What is your take on such an arrangement?"

As soon as these words left his lips, Qile froze, once again casting a look at Tobirama as if he were a fool.

Qile said with a face full of shock: "Respected Tobirama, have you lost your mind? Our clan leader is Uchiha Madara! A man as proud and arrogant as he is—how could he accept a secondary position after failing to secure the first? Does such a person even exist in this world... er... well... fine, even if such a person existed, it certainly wouldn't be the clan leader."

He had almost forgotten about the future "Darkness of the Ninja World"...

This time, Tobirama showed no sign of embarrassment. He looked calmly at Qile and asked the question that had been weighing on his mind without hesitation: "Then, do you have any intention of becoming Hokage in the future?"

Upon hearing this, Qile was slightly stunned, then a smirk of disdain curled his lips. He shook his head slowly and said, "Hokage? Getting up earlier than a rooster and going to bed later than a dog every day? If anyone wants such a grueling, exhausting job, let them have it. As for me, I have no such interest!" Having said that, he pursed his lips, his expression full of disapproval.

Tobirama frowned, a flash of confusion crossing his eyes, and he pressed on: "If that is the case, then what is it that you truly desire?"

Qile didn't even think before blurting out: "It's actually quite simple. I just hope to earn enough money, buy a house that isn't too big or too small but is warm and comfortable, and then find a good girl who truly loves me to be my wife."

However, after hearing this, Tobirama let out a cold snort and replied frostily, "Lacking in ambition!"

Faced with Tobirama's ruthless assessment, Qile widened his eyes and retorted: "Tch! What do you know? It's obvious you've never experienced the wonderful taste of love yourself! Once you finally taste the sweetness and warmth of love, you probably won't be saying that... Besides, do you think my dream is that easy to achieve in the Ninja World?"

"A three- or four-year-old child, actually talking about love..." Tobirama glanced sideways at Qile, clearly unimpressed!