In the Uchiha Clan's patriarch's courtyard.
Gengetsu sat facing the current patriarch, Uchiha Fugaku.
"Was this your plan!?"
Uchiha Fugaku asked, staring intently at Gengetsu across from him.
Still, the excitement he could not suppress was audible in his voice.
It could not be helped. The news that Gengetsu had become Hokage was simply too shocking, too unbelievable for him.
Fugaku could not help recalling that afternoon several years ago.
Back then, Gengetsu had still been a junior who had only just made a powerful awakening within the Uchiha Clan. Although extraordinarily gifted, he had been nothing more than a promising young man in the eyes of the higher-ups.
Yet Gengetsu had come straight to him and asked for the position of police force captain.
At the time, Fugaku had refused without a second thought.
The police force was the core authority that secured the Uchiha Clan's footing in Konoha, their last trump card. How could he possibly hand it over to a greenhorn like Gengetsu!?
But Gengetsu had not given up.
Right before Fugaku, Gengetsu had analyzed Konoha's situation with remarkable thoroughness, every point cutting straight to the heart of the matter!
Gengetsu had pointed out the Third Hokage's hypocritical balancing act, exposed Shimura Danzō's underhanded suppression, and laid bare the delicate relationships between the Great Clans, united in appearance but divided at heart.
Not only that, Gengetsu had even thumped his chest and promised Fugaku to his face that he would make an Uchiha the next Hokage!
Those words had ultimately persuaded Uchiha Fugaku.
Uchiha Fugaku had decided to take a huge gamble.
Braving immense pressure from within the clan and overruling all objections, he had made Gengetsu the acting police force captain, giving him actual control over the force.
In truth, Uchiha Fugaku had never taken Gengetsu's promise to "make an Uchiha Hokage" seriously at the time.
In Fugaku's view, given Konoha High Command's wariness and suppression of the Uchiha Clan, becoming Hokage would be unimaginably difficult for an Uchiha, an utterly impossible task.
But!
What Uchiha Fugaku had never expected was this!
Last night, the Nine-Tails' rampage had erupted, plunging all of Konoha into a crisis of life and death.
And Gengetsu had actually seized that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and forced his way into the Hokage position!
"That's right. This was my plan!"
Gengetsu concealed nothing, admitting it with complete straightforwardness.
Seeing how calm and composed Gengetsu was, Uchiha Fugaku took a deep breath, then grew serious.
"Gengetsu, don't be too optimistic."
"Securing your position as Hokage will absolutely not be that easy!"
"The village's other clans are all watching and waiting, especially those stubborn old higher-ups, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura!"
"Their prejudice against our Uchiha Clan runs deep. They absolutely won't let you become Hokage so easily!"
The more Fugaku spoke, the more agitated he became, his fists clenched tight.
"They'll certainly launch a furious assault at the coming meeting, finding every excuse to strip you of the Hokage position. They might even pin the blame for the Nine-Tails' rampage on us!"
As he listened to Fugaku's concerns, Gengetsu's expression remained utterly calm.
"It doesn't matter... all I want is the title of Hokage."
"As long as our Uchiha Clan has a legitimate claim to becoming Hokage and holds the high ground in law and the rules, no obstacle before the Uchiha Clan will amount to anything!"
Gengetsu spoke loudly and confidently, his tone carrying an arrogance that looked down upon the world!
Gengetsu did not care at all what those higher-ups thought.
Those old men knew only how to play political games, forgetting that in this world of ninja, strength was the foundation of everything!
With legitimacy on his side, he would simply crush anyone who dared object with sheer strength!
This was not merely Gengetsu's confidence in the Uchiha Clan's overall strength.
It was also his absolute confidence in his own strength!
More importantly, Gengetsu had already activated his Golden Finger and awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Gengetsu's strength had now broken straight through the bottleneck, placing him among the ranks of true Kage-level fighters!
With the Mangekyō Sharingan, he had no fear of any schemes or plots.
Whoever dared stand in his way, he would simply kill!
Looking at the commanding Gengetsu before him and feeling the unparalleled confidence radiating from him, Fugaku felt his blood begin to boil as well.
He was the Uchiha Clan's patriarch, and their Uchiha Clan had been stifled for far too long.
"Yes! The Uchiha Clan will support you with everything we have!"
Without any hesitation, Uchiha Fugaku immediately declared his stance with absolute resolve.
"Our Uchiha Clan has waited far too long for a Hokage!"
"Even if we're smashed to pieces, our Uchiha Clan will never let this opportunity pass us by!"
Fugaku spoke each word distinctly, making his own stance and that of the entire Uchiha Clan clear.
Having secured Uchiha Fugaku's full support, Gengetsu nodded in satisfaction.
At the same time, a voice only Gengetsu could hear rang out.
[Obtained the Uchiha Clan's support. Reward obtained: Ninjutsu enhancement] [Ninjutsu enhancement: Any ninjutsu cast will have its power increased tenfold!]
"Hmm! Ninjutsu enhancement!? A tenfold increase in the power of all ninjutsu!?"
"This couldn't be more suitable!"
Seeing the reward he had obtained, Gengetsu felt a surge of joy.
Next, Gengetsu discussed the details of the upcoming meeting with Uchiha Fugaku, as well as specific strategies for responding to the higher-ups' attacks.
Once everything was arranged, Gengetsu rose, said goodbye, and left the patriarch's courtyard.
The moment he stepped outside, two fully armed Uchiha clansmen who had been waiting by the entrance immediately approached him.
"Fifth Hokage!!!"
In the minds of every Uchiha, Gengetsu was now Konoha's Fifth Hokage.
"Yes!... In the Hokage's name, immediately summon every jonin and clan head in the village to the Hokage Building for a Hokage meeting!"
"Yes!!!"
Hearing the order, the two Uchiha clansmen did not hesitate in the slightest. After loudly acknowledging it, they immediately turned into two blurs and swiftly went into action.
Soon, the heads of every clan in Konoha, along with all the jonin currently in the village, received an urgent notice announcing the Hokage meeting.
In less than an hour.
Inside the largest meeting room in the Hokage Building.
The spacious meeting room was already packed with people.
Hyuga Hiashi, head of the Hyuga Clan; Shikaku Nara, head of the Nara Clan; Chōza Akimichi of the Akimichi Clan; Inoichi Yamanaka of the Yamanaka Clan; the Aburame Clan; the Inuzuka Clan...
The heads of the Great Clans, along with numerous elite jonin, had all gathered here.
Kakashi, Might Guy, Asuma, and other jonin also stood among the crowd, their expressions grave.
The atmosphere throughout the meeting room was oppressively tense.
No one spoke. Only heavy breathing echoed in the air.
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi and the three higher-ups, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō, had also arrived in the meeting room.
And Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was now sitting squarely in the seat at the very head of the conference table!
That was the seat of honor representing the Hokage's absolute authority!
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed away on his pipe, exhaling thick smoke that half obscured his face.
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura sat on either side of him, both wearing dark expressions and putting on lofty, arrogant airs.
As for Shimura Danzō, half his face was still swollen like a steamed bun, bearing the mark of the slap Gengetsu had delivered in public last night.
At that moment, an extremely venomous light flickered in Danzo's lone eye.
At this sight, the expressions of every clan head and jonin present grew very grave.
Hyuga Hiashi frowned slightly, glanced at the Third in the seat of honor, then at the entrance, and remained silent.
Shikaku Nara folded his arms across his chest, his mind racing as he analyzed the situation before him.
Everyone understood the current situation very well.
Minato Namikaze was dead. The Fourth Hokage's era was completely over.
According to the Fourth Hokage's final words, the era that followed should have belonged to Fifth Hokage Uchiha Gengetsu.
But!
Now, not only had the Third Hokage come here, he had openly seated himself in the Hokage's place!
What did that mean?
It meant that the entrenched higher-ups had no intention whatsoever of recognizing Uchiha Gengetsu as Hokage!
Although the meeting had not officially begun, everyone could already feel an invisible tension spreading wildly through the air.
At the same time, everyone present knew very well that the moment to choose sides had arrived.
Choosing sides had always been an art.
Often, this was the clearest illustration of how choices mattered more than effort.
On one side were the entrenched higher-ups led by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
They had occupied Konoha for years, putting down deep roots and controlling vast resources and connections.
On the other side was the Uchiha Clan, which now held an absolutely legitimate claim.
They held the Fourth Hokage's final words in their hands, and they had displayed terrifying strength last night!
Which side should they choose?
Supporting the Third meant defying the Fourth Hokage's dying wishes, leaving them without legitimacy.
Supporting Gengetsu meant thoroughly offending the higher-ups, making every step in Konoha difficult in the future.
The air in the meeting room seemed to freeze, so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Creak-
Just then, someone suddenly pushed open the meeting room's heavy doors from outside.
Expressionless, Gengetsu strode in with two fully armed Uchiha Clan guards.
Gengetsu's arrival immediately drew the eyes of everyone present.
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