"A proposal?"
The Third Hokage did not even glance at the scroll. "Rejected. You may leave."
Hyuga Wuye's expression remained unchanged. Instead, a mysterious smile appeared on his face. "Lord Hokage, I suggest you look at the signatures before deciding."
"No matter who signed it, I will not approve it."
The Third Hokage continued smoking.
"Is that so?"
Wuye remained unhurried. He even tilted his head, asking with apparent innocence, "What if it is a joint proposal signed by more than one-third of the jonin?"
The Third Hokage's pupils suddenly contracted. "One-third?!"
He immediately reached out, picked up the scroll, and unfurled it directly to the signatures at the end. A long list of names entered his sight.
Hyuga Wuye, Hyuga Kaguya, Hyuga...
Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Yuxiong, Uchiha...
The names from those two clans alone numbered in the dozens, yet that was only the beginning.
The densely packed names of jonin from various shinobi clans that followed made the Third Hokage's hand tremble slightly.
Since taking the position of Hokage, he had never encountered a joint proposal from so many jonin.
According to the system established by the First Hokage when the village was founded, once a joint proposal had the support of more than one-third of the jonin, the Hokage could not reject it outright. It had to be brought before the jonin council for discussion and a vote.
Once more than half voted in favor, the proposal would not need the Hokage's approval.
It would pass directly!
"You... you actually..."
The Third Hokage took a deep breath, but he still could not calm himself.
He had never imagined that, only a few months after returning, Hyuga Wuye had managed to unite the majority of the shinobi clans!
This was an enormous threat!
Because this procedure had originally been