The sun rose, dispelling the surrounding darkness and illuminating the devastated village of Konoha.
The Nine-Tails' Rampage had finally ended.
Because Gengetsu had led the Uchiha Clan into the battle this time, the Nine-Tails had been held back, and Konoha's casualties were far fewer than expected.
But even so, the pungent smells of blood and burning still filled the air.
News that the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and his wife had both died in battle soon spread throughout the village, bringing immense grief to all of Konoha's villagers and ninja.
Yet amid this atmosphere of grief, another, even more earth-shattering piece of news was spreading wildly at an unbelievable speed!
Before his death, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze had actually passed the Hokage position to Uchiha Gengetsu!
At a temporary shelter in Konoha, a group of ordinary ninja who had just had their wounds bandaged gathered together, whispering among themselves and discussing the news with disbelief written all over their faces.
"Hey, have you heard? Uchiha Gengetsu has become the Fifth Hokage!"
"Is that true? How is that possible? How could someone from the Uchiha Clan become Hokage?"
"Nothing's impossible! The neighbor of a friend's older brother is in the Anbu, and he was there last night! Lord Fourth said it himself before he died. It's absolutely true!"
"What?! So it's actually true! But... having someone from the Uchiha Clan become Hokage might not be such a bad thing, right? If the Uchiha Clan's ninja hadn't held the Nine-Tails back last night, the village would already be gone!"
"Exactly. Someone from the Uchiha Clan saved me, too! They might be arrogant normally, but when it really matters, they're willing to risk their lives!"
"I have no objection to Uchiha Gengetsu becoming Hokage! He's so strong that he could even hold back the Nine-Tails. With him leading the village, we'll feel safer!"
"..."
For these ordinary ninja at the bottom, political struggles among the higher-ups were far removed from their lives. Whoever became Hokage made no difference.
More importantly, when the Nine-Tails had been wreaking havoc, Gengetsu had led the Uchiha Clan in holding back its attacks like divine warriors descending from the heavens, leaving them deeply awed and, more tangibly, saving many lives.
Thus, rather than provoking much resistance among the rank-and-file ninja, Gengetsu becoming Hokage was something they could accept.
But while the rank-and-file ninja could accept it, Konoha High Command and those conceited Konoha advisers could not accept it under any circumstances!
Inside a dimly lit conference room.
The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, Root's leader Shimura Danzō, and Konoha's two advisers, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, sat around a round table.
At that moment, each of these four members of Konoha High Command looked grimmer than the last.
Bang!
Utatane Koharu, one of Konoha's advisers, slammed her palm heavily on the table and shouted in fury, "Damn it, what was Minato Namikaze doing?! How could he name Uchiha Gengetsu the Fifth Hokage? Had he gone mad?!"
The other Konoha adviser, Mitokado Homura, immediately raised his voice as well. "Exactly! What right did Minato Namikaze have, what authority did he have, to name a new Hokage on his own without approval from a high command meeting? We should be the ones to appoint the new Hokage!"
Sitting on the other side, Danzo's face was even darker with anger.
"I say the Uchiha Clan was behind the Nine-Tails' Rampage! Those evil Uchiha!"
Danzo roared through gritted teeth, an intensely venomous light flashing in his lone eye.
His face was still swollen, one cheek puffed up like a steamed bun.
That was precisely the result of Gengetsu slapping him in front of everyone at the entrance to the Uchiha Clan Compound last night!
Danzo was furious now, utterly furious. He wanted nothing more than to immediately mobilize every member of Root and tear Gengetsu limb from limb!
It was not merely because Gengetsu had slapped him in front of so many people, utterly humiliating him.
More importantly, Gengetsu had actually become the Fifth Hokage!
After all, Danzo had been eyeing the Hokage position for a very long time!
To become Hokage, Danzo had secretly hatched countless schemes and made extensive preparations.
When he had first heard the news of Minato Namikaze's death last night, Danzo had been so excited that he had nearly burst out laughing.
As they saw it, with Minato Namikaze dead, the opportunity he had waited so many years for had finally arrived. He would soon become the new Hokage.
In fact, Danzo had already prepared to succeed as Hokage. He had even secretly memorized his inauguration speech and rehearsed it several times!
But there was something he had never expected.
Before dying, Minato Namikaze had publicly named Gengetsu, the very man who had slapped him, the Fifth Hokage.
This was something Danzo could never accept.
"Sarutobi, say something! Are we really going to let that Uchiha brat climb over our heads?!" Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi sitting there smoking nonstop, Utatane Koharu could not help raising her voice.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head of the table, his brow deeply furrowed. He exhaled a thick cloud of smoke and said in a low voice, "What am I supposed to say?!"
"Minato named Gengetsu Hokage before he died!"
"Besides, it wasn't just the Uchiha who were there. Many of Konoha's Anbu ninja heard it too..." Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help sighing, his voice full of helplessness.
As an old fox who had spent most of his life navigating politics, Hiruzen Sarutobi understood better than anyone.
Even if he opposed Gengetsu becoming Hokage, he could not oppose it openly.
After all, hadn't he become the Third Hokage himself because of a few words spoken by the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju before his death?
If he now took the lead in denying the legitimacy of Minato's dying wishes, it would be tantamount to denying his own legitimacy as the Third Hokage!
He absolutely could not do something that would so thoroughly backfire on him.
"Are we just going to leave it at that?!"
Mitokado Homura and Koharu could not help shouting impatiently.
Clearly, he could never accept an Uchiha standing above them and giving orders.
Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe, a glint flashing through his cloudy eyes.
"Hmm! Minato's final decision to make Gengetsu Hokage, at such a critical moment, was indeed somewhat hasty!"
"Although Gengetsu already has the mindset of a Hokage, he's too young! A boy in his teens simply cannot manage Konoha properly!..."
Although Hiruzen Sarutobi did not say it outright, his meaning was already perfectly clear.
He, too, was not particularly in favor of Gengetsu becoming Hokage.
But no matter what, Gengetsu was the Hokage Minato Namikaze had designated before his death, giving him an entirely legitimate claim.
Even if he opposed it, he could not do so openly. He had to find a high-sounding reason.
After all, he had obtained his own Hokage position from the Second Hokage in much the same way.
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi set the tone, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura immediately understood.
"You're right, Sarutobi!"
"Gengetsu really is too young! He lacks experience! How could someone so young become Hokage?"
"Entrusting Konoha to Gengetsu would be irresponsible toward the entire village. It is absolutely unacceptable!"
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura both raised their voices, instantly finding the perfect excuse to attack Gengetsu.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, and an Anbu ninja arrived with a report.
"Reporting to Lord Third and the advisers! Uchiha Gengetsu has just issued an order summoning all the village's jonin and clan heads to the Hokage Building for a Hokage meeting!"
At this, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura immediately became extremely interested. The two exchanged a glance, sneers appearing in their eyes.
He had only just gained the title, and he was already rushing to call a Hokage meeting?
He really did not know his place! Wasn't this the perfect opportunity to oppose Gengetsu?
Before you continue