"I hereby announce that Madara Uchiha will be Hokage. Who is in favor, and who is against?"
As Hashirama's voice fell, the entire meeting room instantly went silent.
Madara Uchiha stood with his arms folded, perfectly at ease,
as though he were not the one being named Hokage.
His eyes merely swept indifferently over everyone,
and anyone who met his gaze could not help shuddering inwardly.
It felt as though a splash of crimson might appear the very next second.
The heads of the various shinobi clans exchanged looks and instinctively swallowed,
forcing back the words already on their tongues.
"Since no one objects, Madara will be Konoha's Hokage from this day onward."
In the end, Hashirama spoke helplessly.
In broad daylight, Madara Uchiha successfully became Hokage without a single objection.
Yet at that moment, Madara felt not even a ripple in his heart.
He even felt somewhat melancholy.
Was being Hokage really what I wanted?
Was it?
"Lord Hokage."
Madara wore a white coat bearing the word "Hokage" and a red-and-white hat,
and strolled calmly past Hashirama.
Hashirama called out to him helplessly.
But beating Hashirama felt so damned good. What was I supposed to do about that?
"Lord Hokage, how about getting some work done first? You've been pacing back and forth in front of me for ages..."
Hashirama could not help speaking up.
"Hmm? Are you telling your Hokage how to do his job?"
Madara gave him an indifferent sidelong glance.
"You-this-I... Lord Hokage, your subordinate wouldn't dare."
Even with Hashirama's temperament, his fists clenched and unclenched, then clenched again.
"Good. See that you don't."
Madara nodded calmly, but his expression soon grew grave again.
After several days of savoring his victory as Hokage, what finally awaited him was a mountain of administrative work.
Seeing Hashirama at