Hokage Successor

The door to the top-floor conference room in the Hokage Building remained closed for the entire afternoon.

This conference room was rarely used. The Third Hokage was accustomed to handling most affairs in his office, only opening this room when he needed to face the Hokage's advisors, the Council of Elders, and representatives from the major clans at the same time. The room was not large, with a long table and seven or eight chairs on each side. Portrait scrolls of past Hokage hung on the walls. The First and Second Hokage were displayed on either side; one day, his own portrait would hang here too. He had not yet decided whose face should hang there after he stepped down.

There were not many people seated on either side of the long table, but every one of them was a heavyweight piece on Konoha's board of power.

The Third Hokage sat at the head of the table, his pipe resting unlit before him. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado sat to his left and right, respectively. The two advisors wore equally grave expressions. Danzo sat directly across from the Third Hokage, his back ramrod straight.

Representatives of the major clans sat along both sides. Hiashi Hyuga sat near the Third Hokage, the pupils of his Byakugan reflecting a faint silver-gray in the dim room. Uchiha Masaki sat at the far end of the table, dressed in the dark-blue robes of his clan, his expression calm and unreadable. His black eyes lingered on every clan head's face for a time.

The clan heads or representatives of the Akimichi, Yamanaka, Nara Clan, and others took their seats in turn.

When the Third Hokage spoke, his voice was not loud, yet everyone at the table heard him clearly.

"I'm nearly fifty."

No one at the table responded.

"This war has ended, and the village suffered heavy losses, but our foundation remains." The Third Hokage's gaze swept over every face. "Postwar reconstruction will require time, manpower, and a framework capable of remaining stable over the long term. I called everyone here today because I want to hear your thoughts on candidates for the next Hokage."

The air around the table seemed to freeze for an instant.

The matter of the Hokage's succession was not something that could be discussed casually. Everyone present had their own preferred candidate and their own stance, yet no one was willing to speak first. Hiashi Hyuga raised his teacup and took a sip. When he set it down, its base made a faint, crisp tap against the saucer. The Yamanaka clan head lowered his eyes to the blank note before him. The Nara clan head leaned back in his chair, eyes half-closed, seeming to ponder—or perhaps simply waiting for someone else to step forward first.

Danzo spoke first. His voice was neither hurried nor slow, like a dull blade grinding slowly against stone.

"I have always believed that the Hokage's successor should be chosen from the village's finest jonin. He must possess formidable strength and extraordinary prestige."

The words sounded fair, but everyone present was shrewd enough to understand Danzo's intention almost immediately.

The line of succession for the Hokage had gone from the First and Second, brothers, to the Second and Third, master and disciple. Yet at present, although Shinnosuke Sarutobi possessed the strength of a jonin, he still fell far short of becoming Hokage. Moreover, there were plenty whose achievements and seniority surpassed his. Then there were the Three Sannin, the Third Hokage's disciples, who possessed sufficient experience, prestige, and strength, but...

"Jiraiya is currently in the Land of Rain and will not return anytime soon." Homura Mitokado picked up where Danzo had left off. "And he has already made it clear that he has no interest in the position of Hokage."

"What about Tsunade?" Koharu Utatane asked.

Homura Mitokado shook his head. "Since Nawaki and Kato Dan died, Tsunade's mental state has remained unstable. Some days ago, she applied for extended leave. Her return date is unknown."

Someone let out a quiet sigh, filled with both regret and an exhausted sense that this was only to be expected.

A brief silence descended over the table. Of Konoha's Three Sannin, one was absent, one was unwilling, leaving only one.

Everyone's eyes shifted in the same direction. Orochimaru sat toward the back of the middle section of the table, his black hair draped over his shoulders, his golden serpent eyes half-lidded. He had not said a word since the meeting began, as though he had fallen asleep.

The Third Hokage looked at Orochimaru, his eyes holding only an indescribable concern.

After Orochimaru returned from the battlefield in the Land of Rain, he spent little time in Konoha Hospital before being discharged. Then he had plunged headlong into a research facility on the outskirts of the village. The Third Hokage had gone to see him. That underground space had been transformed into an enormous laboratory, filled with culture dishes and sealed jars. The air carried a strange mixture of formaldehyde and blood.

Even now, Orochimaru sat in this room wearing that same dark kimono, his hair concealing half his face. Noticing the Third Hokage watching him, the corner of his mouth lifted into a smile.

"Sensei, you know that I'm conducting some research right now. I don't have the time."

A subtle stir ran through the table. Some nodded, some frowned, and some lowered their heads to drink tea as though they had heard nothing. The Third Hokage did not respond. He picked up his pipe and took a puff.

In the end, Homura Mitokado took over. "Jiraiya and Tsunade are both unable to assume the position in the near future. If Orochimaru is unwilling as well, then the most suitable candidate should be selected from among the jonin who have distinguished themselves in recent battles."

He did not say a name.

But everyone present knew who he meant.

Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang of the Leaf.

One of the ninjas with the most outstanding achievements in the war. He was not a clan head, had no complicated clan background, and had no factional foundation. If such a man became Hokage, he would not favor any clan, nor could any faction fully control him. In the eyes of every power within the village, he was an acceptable candidate.

Hiashi Hyuga set down his teacup and glanced at the Third Hokage. The Third Hokage's expression did not change, but his pipe lightly tapped the table, producing a hollow, crisp sound.

"Hatake Sakumo's accomplishments are indeed remarkable," Hiashi Hyuga said evenly. "But are his seniority and reputation sufficient to command the people's respect?"

"It's not as though we're deciding on the Hokage directly. He's only a candidate. We can select several candidates and make the final decision after discussing the list." Uchiha Masaki casually interjected, trying to smooth things over.

Silence fell over the long table again.

The meeting continued for some time afterward, discussing specific criteria for candidates and the process for deliberations. Yet everyone knew that the most essential matter had already been settled. The banner had been planted; all that remained was to wait for the wind to catch it.

Night fell, and the training ground gleamed a cold white beneath the moonlight. Bai Ye stood in the center of the field, sword in hand, practicing his swordsmanship.

He heard footsteps and sheathed his sword as he turned around.

Fugaku approached from the direction of the clan shrine and stopped at the edge of the training ground without stepping inside.

Bai Ye slid his sword back into his belt and walked over.

Fugaku would not come looking for him while he was training. For him to appear here at this hour could only mean that he had something important to say.

"There was a meeting at the Hokage Building today." Fugaku offered no preamble or pleasantries.

Bai Ye looked at him.

Fugaku gave him a general account of what had happened during the meeting.

"The Third Hokage did not object." Fugaku looked Bai Ye in the eyes as he said it. "The Hyuga are watching and waiting. Danzo is pushing it forward. The advisory council has not made its position clear."

A long silence followed.

"Does Sensei know?" Bai Ye asked.

"He probably does. The contents of a meeting like that will reach the ears of everyone in Konoha who needs to know before tomorrow morning."

Bai Ye nodded and did not press further.

"What about Minato? Was he there today?" Bai Ye asked.

"No. He is not part of meetings at that level." Fugaku paused. "But I spoke with him. He knows about the struggle over the successor. His attitude..." Fugaku seemed to consider how to describe it.

"He said that the Hokage should be someone recognized by everyone. But after he said that, I asked him, 'Do you think you'll become Hokage someday?' He thought about it and said, 'If everyone recognizes me.'"

Bai Ye leaned against a wooden post at the edge of the training ground and looked up at the moon.

"What do you think?"

"Me?" Fugaku's voice seemed somewhat hollow in the moonlit night. "What I care about is whether this person becoming Hokage will be good or bad for the Uchiha Clan. Not everyone has the right to think as I do, and not everyone has the right to think as Minato does."

Bai Ye remained silent for a long time.

"Sensei won't fight for it," Bai Ye said.

Fugaku looked at him.

"He isn't that kind of person. If you put a sword in his hand, he'll hold it. If you place a position before him, he won't take the seat."

Fugaku said nothing. Moonlight slipped through a gap in the clouds and shone upon the dirt of the training ground.

"Bai Ye, the war is over." Fugaku sighed. "But the battle within the village may only just be beginning."