"Uchiha Tenjo, head of the Uchiha clan, officially stepped down from his position today to run for a seat as a Konoha Elder.
"A great deal has happened in Konoha lately, much of it beyond our control. As you all know, the Konoha leadership is short-handed.
"Clan Head Tenjo saw the situation for what it was and decided to step down. We will now vote by a show of hands.
"Those in favor of Uchiha Tenjo becoming a Konoha Elder, please raise your hands. Those opposed or abstaining need not raise theirs. The vote begins now."
Fugaku Uchiha raised his hand first, followed by many of the Uchiha jonin.
Fugaku looked across the room. Most of the ninja had raised their hands, just as he had expected.
The main forces in Konoha that had opposed the Uchiha had largely fallen apart. Most of the others, including the Hyuga and the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, leaned toward neutrality.
The Hyuga competed with the Uchiha, but they, too, faced pressure from above, though it was less overt.
Now that the Uchiha had a chance to rise, the Hyuga were naturally willing to support them. At the very least, when the Hyuga clan head ran for an elder's seat, the Uchiha would not stand in his way.
The Ino-Shika-Cho clans generally remained neutral. They supported the Hokage and were loyal to Konoha, without getting deeply involved in factional struggles.
The Uchiha's rise was now all but certain. With the Third Hokage staying out of the vote, the three clans would choose as they saw fit. Besides, they wanted the same thing the Hyuga did: a chance to run for elder seats in the future.
The Third Hokage needed only one glance to see that more than half had raised their hands. The Uchiha were no