The One with the Greatest Merit Becomes Hokage

The day after the Uchiha and Ning Qi Rebellions ended, Konoha held a high-level meeting. Amid concrete matters such as rebuilding Konoha and preparing for war were two inconspicuous decisions concerning internal organizational restructuring and the appointment and removal of senior leadership positions.

1. Root was disbanded. All ninja formerly under Root were scattered and assigned to various Konoha departments, including ANBU, the Torture Division, and the Education Division.

2. Danzo's position as Hokage's assistant was abolished.

The reason was never stated outright, but those in the know had already guessed it. The final and most severe explosion in Konoha last night might not have been caused by Ning Qi going back on his word out of sheer wickedness. Instead, it seemed more like a man-made disaster resulting from a sudden "brilliant idea" from certain high-ranking figures within Konoha.

For the sake of Konoha's unity, "certain people" tacitly agreed to pin the blame for the explosions on Ning Qi, who had been exceedingly arrogant the previous night.

Ordinary Konoha citizens did not need to know the truth. They only needed to know whom they should hate.

The course of events from the previous night had actually been sorted out quite clearly.

Namely, the Uchiha Rebellion that afternoon and the Ning Qi Rebellion that night.

Other specific incidents, such as the Second Nine-Tails Rebellion, the massacre in the Uchiha District, the extermination of the Hyuga clan, the burning of the secret chamber in the outskirts, the destruction of the underground laboratory, and Konoha's series of explosions—both the public and hidden incidents—could all be directly categorized as part of those two rebellions.

Unfortunately, due to Konoha's outdated mindset of complacency over the years, along with countless other problems, they had failed to stop either rebellion.

The Uchiha Rebellion in particular had been a disaster. Konoha had received intelligence early on, yet still underestimated both the Uchiha Clan's resolve and their clan head, Uchiha Fugaku. The Uchiha captured the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and released the Nine-Tails.

If not for the contingency Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, had left behind, Hiruzen Sarutobi would already be dead today.

Afterward, Uchiha Setsuna, who had successfully escaped prison, led the remnants of the Uchiha Clan in a breakout and vanished without a trace.

After detonating Konoha's last Explosive Tag, Ning Qi had also disappeared with Hanabi.

They had both left so lightly, yet what they left behind for Konoha was utter devastation.

Bounties for the Uchiha and Ning Qi would be gradually distributed across various regions over the next month.

Overall, the bounties on members of the Uchiha Clan would be higher, but Ning Qi's personal bounty surpassed that of any Uchiha. It had reached a staggering sixty million.

After gathering intelligence and speculation from every channel, this was Konoha's acknowledgment of the value of the Hyuga Main Family's Byakugan, the Scroll of Seals, and the other things in Ning Qi's possession. Naturally, it was also an assessment of Ning Qi's personal danger level.

When an ordinary Jinchuriki could only fetch a bounty of fifty million, Ning Qi's head was worth sixty million. It was clear just how deeply Konoha hated Ning Qi.

"Konoha has suffered this calamity because I failed in my duties as Hokage. I am deeply sorry to all of you." Sarutobi bowed to everyone present.

"But the crisis is not over. With Konoha suffering such a sudden upheaval, it will be difficult for the other ninja villages to resist attacking us. It is not that I cling to power, but after discussing it with several Konoha advisors, we have decided that in the coming war, merit will determine rank. Whoever earns the greatest merit will be nominated as the next Hokage."

As soon as Sarutobi finished speaking, the atmosphere in the meeting room immediately turned strange. The heads of the various ninja clans and several Elite Jonin began whispering among themselves. Even Tsume Inuzuka, the Inuzuka Clan head, who had not wanted to attend in the first place and had worn a sour expression since arriving, frowned.

Sarutobi drank his hot tea, calm and composed.

Ranking by merit had always been an unspoken rule for becoming Hokage.

Becoming Hokage required nomination from the higher-ups, Jonin votes, and the daimyo's approval, but without exception, all three standards demanded outstanding ability and achievements from a ninja.

The higher-ups could not nominate a useless person as Hokage. Jonin votes were also difficult to win through personal gain, while the daimyo's approval required genuine prestige and reputation.

Minato Namikaze, who had been born a commoner, had become the Fourth Hokage largely because of his tremendous achievements in the Third Shinobi World War. His heroic performance on the battlefield had won the hearts of many. It would not be an exaggeration to say he had turned the tide.

But before the Third Shinobi World War began, Sarutobi had never said anything like "merit will determine rank."

Konoha had not been in such dire straits then.

"The one with the greatest merit becomes Hokage" was an unspoken rule.

But it did not have to be.

Orochimaru had also possessed considerable merit back then.

So why had Minato become Hokage?

Because merit could be interpreted vaguely, and merit was not the only consideration when choosing a Hokage.

But now that Sarutobi had spoken the rule of "the one with the greatest merit becomes Hokage," the unspoken rule had become an explicit one. He would no longer wield greater influence than others over the choice of the next Hokage.

Merit was something that would inevitably become clear, because it was now the only standard for becoming Hokage.

Nominations from the higher-ups, Jonin votes, and the daimyo's approval would no longer carry more weight than the two words "merit."

Many people present were eager to try, especially the heads of the various ninja clans. Those who valued clan inheritance most dearly were also the ones most attached to the position of Hokage. They understood deeply what that position meant to a clan.

Judging from the attitude Sarutobi, Danzo, and the other Konoha higher-ups had previously shown toward Konoha's other clans, let alone becoming Hokage, even having their clan members with potential become disciples of Hokage candidates had basically been impossible.

Some were delighted, while others silently lowered their heads in thought.

Sarutobi's willingness to loosen his stance was certainly a good thing for these ninja clans, but they could also see from it that the Konoha higher-ups led by Sarutobi were extremely pessimistic about the situation Konoha would face next.

They had even been forced to relinquish the power to decide the next Hokage in exchange for the full support of Konoha's other ninja clans and factions.

So, should they take the gamble...?

The expanded meeting ended amid a silence filled with restless thoughts.

Sarutobi exhaled a cloud of smoke and watched the attendees leave one by one, until only Danzo and he remained in the meeting room.

"They will work together to nominate a Hokage candidate who represents their own interests, then create merit for him alone on the battlefield," Danzo said coldly.

Ever since being removed from his position as Hokage's assistant, he had worn that bitter, resentful expression.

"We do not need to consider how well we will live in the future." Sarutobi half-closed his eyes. "We only need to consider surviving."

Winter was coming.

It was better to mobilize those ninja clans and make them compete through effort than to let them hide their strength while harboring ulterior motives.

After Ning Qi had driven a wedge between Konoha, if they did not offer substantial rewards, how many people would still choose to weather the crisis together?

"I do not think things will reach that point," Danzo replied.

"The greatest lesson the Uchiha and Ning Qi Rebellions taught us is that we must always prepare for the worst, isn't it?" Sarutobi said.

Danzo fell silent for a moment, then changed the subject. "When will Tsunade and Jiraiya return?"

He knew that, in Sarutobi's eyes, either of those two would be the best candidate for the next Hokage.

Although the position of the next Hokage had been opened up to the other ninja clans, Danzo believed they were merely working for those two without pay.

Sarutobi understood what Danzo meant and shook his head.

"They only need to return before the war begins. The position of Hokage is not necessarily reserved for them. As I said before, merit will determine rank."

"Even you, Danzo."

"So long as you earn enough merit, you can become Hokage as well."

Danzo said nothing. He merely let out a cold laugh as he turned to leave.

If Sarutobi had not uprooted Root before saying that, Danzo might have given him some face and believed him.