He looked at Inabi, then at the people behind him. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked:
"Why do you think that?"
Inabi froze for a moment, then answered as though it were obvious:
"Because we're strong! Strength is everything! Once we kill the Third Hokage, won't the position of Hokage naturally be ours?"
The people behind him all nodded.
After hearing him out, Gentō shook his head.
"Violence can solve most problems, but it can't solve everything."
He looked at Inabi.
"Hiruzen became Hokage, and the shinobi obey his orders, not because of his title, much less the Hokage Robe he wears."
"He became Hokage because everyone accepted him, from the Daimyō of the Land of Fire to the heads of the great shinobi clans, right down to ordinary people."
"His orders go unchallenged throughout Konoha not because the Anbu are so powerful, but because everyone believes they should listen to what he says."
Gentō paused, looking Inabi in the eyes.
"We Uchiha can certainly kill Hiruzen by force. But..."
"If you put on that Hokage Robe, Inabi, do you think the other shinobi clans would support you? Do you think the people who were just cursing us would accept you? When you issue orders, would the people beneath you carry them out wholeheartedly?"
Inabi opened his mouth, wanting to say something. But after thinking for a long time, he finally shook his head.
Gentō looked at him.
"Politics... isn't all about fighting and killing."
"Thinking you can make everything work by killing everyone who opposes you is a child's notion."
He stood, walked over to Inabi, and patted his shoulder.
"Give me a little more time."
"I promise these days will soon be behind us."
Inabi stared at him blankly.
He was silent for a while, then