The Kakko of Third Shinobi World War was finally extinguished in Konoha. When the war ended, what was left was a devastated Konoha.
Inside Hokage Building, the atmosphere was as oppressive as lead. Sarutobi Hiruzen was sitting in Hokage's seat, with Konoha's high-level council in front of him.
Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and the patriarchs of major families.
The speakers of Hyuga, Inuzuka, Aburame, and Sarutobi Clan were all present.
Uchiha Fugaku, as the patriarch, sat in the corner with a calm expression.
Mitokado Homura took the lead and threw a battle damage statistics on the table.
"More than 3,700 people were killed, including 81 Jonin. Uchiha Clan Ninety percent of the population signed an eviction agreement, and the strongest clan who fought bloody battles for the village for decades is just gone."
Utatane Koharu answered with a cold tone.
"What's more serious is that in exchange for Danzo and Shinnosuke, you gave away Nine-Tails. Kumogakure was already powerful. Now that you have two Tailed Beast, its strength has completely surpassed Konoha."
As soon as these words came out, the whole hall was in an uproar.
Hyuga Hiashi pushed through the door and dealt the heaviest blow. He wrote a joint letter demanding that Sarutobi Hiruzen take the blame and resign.
It was densely signed with the names of the middle and lower-class ninjas and merchants in the village.
In fact, their actions were all done under the command of Sarutobi Hiruzen.
After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen has been Hokage for decades, and his control over Konoha is still very strong, but he also knows that he cannot continue to be Hokage this time, and must abdicate in order to quell public resentment.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the joint letter and was silent for a long time.
He finally realized that he had lost the trust of the village.
The defeat in the war was just a symptom. What was really fatal was that everyone saw through the essence of his decision at the end of the war.
Use the future of Konoha in exchange for the safety of yourself and your son.
The severity of this incident was enough to erase all of his past achievements.
He finally spoke with difficulty, his voice hoarse.
"I will submit my resignation to the daimyo. He will be elected by the villagers."
When Danzo heard the news of Sarutobi Hiruzen's abdication, he was changing the bandage on his right eye in the deepest secret room of Root's underground base.
The Root member who was summoned knelt outside the door and reported what happened in Hokage Building in the most concise language.
Mitokado Homura's question, Utatane Koharu's last strike, Hyuga Hiashi's joint letter, and Sarutobi Hiruzen's final decision.
"He also has today."
Danzo untied the bandage in circles, revealing the hollow eye sockets.
This eye was lost on the day Root Base was destroyed, along with the Sharingan inventory he had stored for many years.
He still remembers the look in Uchiha Shaoyu's eyes - that kind of condescending contempt, like looking at an ant.
He hated that look, and even more hated that he had no power to fight back in front of that look.
But everything is over.
Hiruzen Sarutobi abdicated and Hokage Position became vacant. This was the opportunity he had dreamed of since the days of Second.
Danzo tied the bandage again, put on his robe, and strode out of the secret room.
He wants to summon all the ninjas who are still loyal to Root to make full preparations for the upcoming battle for Hokage.
In Root's secret meeting hall, more than twenty Root ninjas have been waiting for a long time.
Danzo walked to the main seat and did not sit down. Instead, he turned his back to everyone and spoke in a suppressed and excited tone.
"Konoha is ill. Sarutobi Hiruzen's weakness and incompetence caused the village to be completely defeated in the war. Thousands of ninjas died in battle, most of Uchiha defected, Nine-Tails was given away, and Kumogakure has to pay 500 million taels in compensation every year. This is not the winner's peace, this is the last gasp of the subjugated slaves."
He turned around and scanned every face present with his single eye.
"Now Hiruzen Sarutobi has abdicated, and Hokage Position is vacant. Minato is too young, and Orochimaru is too dangerous. Only I, Shimura Danzō, can make Konoha strong again."
"You are my most trusted subordinates. I need you to do one thing. Contact all the people who can speak in the election of Hokage. Officials of the Daming Palace, the heads of the major families, and the jounin representatives of the village."
"Tell them that what Konoha needs is not an idol in the sun, but a backbone that dares to take root in the darkness."
Root members responded in unison, turning into black shadows and disappearing into the secret passage.
At the same time, in Hokage's office, Minato Namikaze was facing persuasion from Jiraiya.
Jiraiya rarely put away his usual casual expression, put his hands on the desk and spoke word by word.
"You must run for election. This is not a question of whether you are willing or not, but a question of whether you can stop Danzo. If Danzo takes over, Konoha will become the second Blood Mist Village."
"If Orochimaru comes to power, Konoha will become his private laboratory. Only you can truly restore the village's vitality."
Minato was silent for a long time and finally nodded.
"I will run. Not for power, but for Kushina, for that child Naruto, and for all the people who have lost their families in this war."
He raised his head, his eyes clear and firm.
"But I need your help, sensei. Danzo has been operating at the top for decades, and Orochimaru has many followers in the dark. My popularity is concentrated among civilians and lower-class ninjas, and I have almost no say at the top."
Jiraiya grinned and patted Minato hard on the shoulder.
"That's right. Leave it to me at the upper level. I am one of the Sannins after all, so what I say still has some weight. As for Tsunade... she doesn't know where she has gone, and she can't be counted on. The teacher will definitely object to Orochimaru. He knows best how many shady things Orochimaru has."
Orochimaru's own reaction to being nominated as a candidate for Hokage was much calmer than that of Danzo and Minato.
He was standing in front of the dissecting table in the laboratory, the scalpel in his hand glowing coldly under the shadowless lamp.
The assistant conveyed the news tremblingly, Orochimaru just raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a smile with unknown meaning.
"Danzo nominated me? It's really interesting. He wanted me to take away Minato's votes to ensure that he could win."
Orochimaru put down the scalpel and picked up a handkerchief with his blood-stained hand and wiped it slowly.
"He thought I would be his pawn, but unfortunately he forgot that snakes will not obey anyone's orders."
He walked to the window and looked in the distance in the direction of Hokage Rock. The four heads of Hokage cast long shadows in the sunset, while the fifth position was still empty.
"Hokage Position For me, the greatest value is not power, but resources. If I can sit in that position, my research will no longer be subject to any restrictions. Forbidden techniques, human experiments, the power of Kekkei Genkai, Tailed Beast... all possibilities that are bound by morality can be opened."