Power Play: The Hokage Successor Race Heats Up

The question of the Hokage's successor had begun fermenting once the postwar order stabilized. When Hatake Sakumo was awarded the Hokage's half-sleeve, it had already sparked a round of open and covert struggle. The first formal occasion for the matter to be brought back into the open was Konoha's expanded June assembly.

The doors to the top-floor conference room of the Hokage Building had not opened since morning. More people sat around the long table than during the last discussion of the successor. Representatives from every major clan were present. Uchiha Masaki sat toward the rear of the table, Hiashi Hyuga sat to the Third's left, and Shikaku Nara attended on behalf of Ino-Shika-Cho. Sarutobi, Shimura, Aburame, Inuzuka, Mitarashi—every one of those names represented a political force that could not be ignored in Konoha's postwar order.

The Third moved his hand away from his pipe and placed it on the table. "I called everyone here today because there is something that has been dragged out for over half a year. It is time to reach a conclusion."

No one at the long table responded. The Third's gaze moved from Homura Mitokado to Danzo, from Danzo to Hiashi Hyuga, then from Hiashi Hyuga to Uchiha Masaki. It paused on Uchiha Masaki's face for a moment.

"It is time to begin considering candidates for Hokage successor."

The moment those words fell, the air around the table changed. Everyone's breathing slowed by half a beat at the same instant.

Homura Mitokado slowly spoke. "I suggest we choose one of the Three Sannin. Whether in strength, seniority, or reputation, they are the most suitable candidates."

Danzo's eyes opened into narrow slits.

"Jiraiya is in the Land of Rain and refuses to return. Tsunade has lost her will to act. Of the Three Sannin, only Orochimaru can step up right now, but he will not even leave his laboratory. How is he supposed to become Hokage? He did not even come to this meeting!"

The long table fell silent for several breaths. Of Hiruzen Sarutobi's three direct disciples, one remained in the Land of Rain, while another had shut himself away underground. At that moment, the Third's line of succession appeared particularly thin.

Homura Mitokado adjusted his glasses. "A Hokage successor must undergo systematic training and long-term evaluation. Jiraiya has followed the Third since childhood and received a complete Hokage education. His understanding of the village, familiarity with administration, and ability to balance all factions are not things just any jonin who fought his way off the battlefield can compare to. This is not gatekeeping. It is reality. The upbringing provided by major clans or renowned masters is the necessary path to acquiring the capabilities a successor should possess."

"Jiraiya truly cannot get away from the Land of Rain at present, but his position there means that if he is willing, he can return at any time."

Danzo lowered the hand resting on his sword hilt and laid both hands flat on the table. It was the first time he had changed posture that day. "I said this at the last meeting as well. The Hokage's successor should be the village's most outstanding jonin, not someone limited by a master-disciple lineage."

"I nominate—Hatake Sakumo."

Homura Mitokado frowned slightly. Koharu Utatane's lips twitched. The Hyuga Clan Head lifted his teacup and took a light sip. Shikaku leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped together.

Danzo took in every reaction one by one, then slowly spoke.

"Among those present, no one can compare to Hatake Sakumo's contributions during the Second Shinobi World War. He is the village's finest jonin. Not one of them—the only one."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the long table. "The Hokage's succession should not be confined to the Sarutobi line."

The statement was exceptionally blunt. Yet Danzo had not nominated Hatake Sakumo because he wanted to push Sakumo into that position. He wanted to cut off the Third's line of succession. Jiraiya would not return, and Orochimaru could not be propped up. Who else did Hiruzen Sarutobi have? As long as Hiruzen Sarutobi could not select one of his own, it did not matter who the remaining candidate was. Danzo would handle them himself. When the time came, the designated successor would either be dead or disgraced, and then Danzo would have his chance.

Koharu Utatane coughed twice and took over.

"No one can deny Hatake Sakumo's war achievements. His contributions to Konoha are plain for all to see. Even those of us sitting in offices may not have been capable of doing what he did."

She paused.

"But the position of Hokage cannot always be judged solely by military merit. The Hokage must sit in that seat and deal with people from every side. When envoys from the Daimyo's estate arrive, you must receive them. When the heads of the clans have demands, you must listen. When the Advisory Council submits a proposal, you must understand who is pushing behind every line of it. How much contact has Sakumo had with such matters?"

She raised her teacup but did not drink, merely watching the steam rising from its rim.

"Of course, I am not saying he cannot do it. Perhaps he could learn all of it after taking the seat. Perhaps he would be more suited to it than we imagine. But those are still unknowns, are they not?"

She set down the cup, and her voice slowed further.

"I simply think this matter requires more consideration."

While Koharu Utatane spoke, Shikaku kept his eyes on her face, though he was thinking about something else entirely.

Koharu Utatane's son had been responsible for several Konoha infrastructure projects after the war. The books for those projects were written with perfect clarity: postwar reconstruction funds from the Daimyo's estate, earmarked for specific use. Every expense came with an inspection form, and every inspection form bore a stamp. But the books were one matter. The money sent down by the Daimyo was clean, yet once clean silver passed through layer after layer of contracting, it picked up the touch of different hands. The main contractor received a contract price inflated by twenty percent as an emergency wartime surcharge, then pushed it back down to market price when subcontracting the work below. The difference became a project management consulting fee and flowed into a trading company registered under the name of some retired jonin. The company then split the money into several portions. One portion entered a building-material supplier's accounts under the pretext of inflated material costs; that supplier had been opened by the son-in-law of a branch member of a certain clan. Another portion was allocated as transportation-loss compensation to the ninja team responsible for escorting the goods; the team captain happened to be the student of another Advisory Council member. Another portion was simply left unwritten, listed under "contingency expenses." That category had no itemized details, and no one had ever investigated it. And this was only one chain. The postwar reconstruction operation was spread far and wide—wide enough for every link to feed a group of people.

As for why Shikaku knew all that so clearly...

Of course, at this moment, Shikaku was merely analyzing Koharu Utatane's intentions.

Because Sakumo's personality meant that if he took power, he would shatter the peace of every vested interest? Shikaku sighed inwardly.

Uchiha Masaki sat near the front on the Third's left. From the beginning of the meeting until now, he had not said a single word. His lips were pressed together, the corners faintly turned down. He listened to every word from every person, every choice of phrasing, every subtle shift in tone.

The Third had yet to speak, but Uchiha Masaki knew one thing: the Third did not want Hatake Sakumo to become Hokage. If he did, there would have been no need for this meeting. He could have submitted Sakumo's name directly to the Daimyo's estate, completed the procedure, and forced everyone to accept it. And Danzo's nomination of Hatake Sakumo was not help—it was a trap for the Third. The Third could not oppose his own disciple, nor could he openly deny the village's most distinguished war hero.

Uchiha Masaki laid out every person's interests in his mind.

The major clans—Sarutobi, Hyuga, Uchiha, Akimichi, Yamanaka, Nara, Aburame, Inuzuka—who did not hope for a Hokage to emerge from their own clan? The Sarutobi Clan had already produced the Third. If the Fourth also came from Konoha's Sarutobi Clan, then Konoha would become the Sarutobi family's domain. That was something the other clans absolutely did not wish to see. Hiruzen Sarutobi understood this himself, which was why he so strongly recommended his own disciples. He wanted to ensure that after his retirement, the Sarutobi Clan would not leave the political center.

By putting forward Hatake Sakumo's name, Danzo had unexpectedly ended up in the same trench as those clans that did not want the Sarutobi Clan to remain in charge. Therefore, they would not oppose Hatake Sakumo, would not support the Third, and would not let either side have its way easily. But the Advisory Council was different. Though its members had clans of their own, those clans were not especially powerful. They were more inclined toward immediate interests.

But!

If Hatake Sakumo became Hokage, things would be different again. Sakumo's disciple, Bai Ye, was one of the Uchiha Clan. If Sakumo took office, the Uchiha Clan might use Bai Ye's connection to obtain from Sakumo what they could not obtain under the existing framework. That was why he supported Hatake Sakumo. The instant Danzo nominated Sakumo, he had already made his decision.

Uchiha Masaki was just about to speak when he casually glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi again. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat. In that instant, he confirmed something from Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes. Recalling every clan's remarks and actions once more, the suspicion in his heart solidified—Hatake Sakumo would not become Hokage.

"Uchiha Clan will not nominate anyone in this discussion."

He laid both hands flat on his knees, his posture impeccably straight.

"Uchiha Clan has stood here since the first day Konoha was founded. When the First established the village, Uchiha Clan stood shoulder to shoulder with the Senju Clan. Over the years, Uchiha Clan has handled the work of the Military Police Force, managing the trivial matters on the streets and remaining somewhat distant from core decision-making."

He paused, his calm gaze sweeping across those present before finally settling on the Third.

"But whenever Konoha needs us, Uchiha Clan will not be absent."

His words were tactful, but anyone perceptive could see that he was telling the Third, You still have my card to play. If the Third needed to balance Danzo, he could play the Uchiha card.

Everyone wore a different expression upon hearing that. Only Danzo clenched his hand into a fist beneath the table.

As expected of the evil Uchiha Clan. Do they not even put me in their eyes? I will make Uchiha Clan pay the price!

Though he roared madly inside, Danzo remained outwardly impassive.

The speeches around the long table ended at dusk. The Third did not state his position throughout the rest of the meeting. Once everyone had finished speaking, he offered no summary and said only one sentence.

"That concludes today's meeting. I have heard every side's views. The matter of the successor will be discussed again."