The atmosphere in the Hokage Building's great hall was both lively and tense. An election was underway to decide Konoha's future. Tsubasa, meanwhile, was still immersed in the joy of immortal cultivation and knew nothing about the gathering.
Konoha's Elite Jonin and higher-ranking ninja had gathered in the great hall of the Hokage Building. Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju sat high on the stage, while the various clans were seated below in order. The Kekkei Genkai clans sat in the front row, followed by the secret technique clans, and finally the elemental clans and civilian ninja. Only ninja who had reached the rank of Elite Jonin were eligible to attend, so everyone seated there was one of Konoha's top figures.
Hashirama Senju swept his gaze over the crowd and, seeing that everyone had arrived, cleared his throat and began presiding over the election of the Second Hokage. Wearing a gentle smile, he bowed deeply to the thousands of Elite Jonin below the stage. With a trace of helplessness and apology in his voice, he said, "I, Hashirama Senju, can no longer bear the responsibility of serving as Hokage because of my health, and I feel terribly sorry about it. I've called everyone here today to elect someone who can succeed me and continue leading Konoha forward."
"When I became Hokage, I said that Madara Uchiha would succeed me when I stepped down. But Madara is gone now. After much consideration, I nominate the Uchiha's grand elder, Uchiha Setsuna, as a candidate in this election. Now, please welcome the Uchiha's newly appointed grand elder, Uchiha Setsuna, to the stage."
Uchiha Setsuna's figure flickered, and he appeared beside the Hokage in an instant. He bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for the nomination, Lord Hokage. If you're willing to place your trust in me, I guarantee that I can lead Konoha to unify the Shinobi World! I hope you'll give me your precious votes. I am Uchiha Setsuna."
No sooner had Setsuna finished than a wave of discussion broke out below the stage. "Madara Uchiha betrayed Konoha, and we're supposed to elect another Uchiha as Hokage? Absolutely not!" a ninja shouted with a frown. "Exactly. The Uchiha are arrogant and throw their weight around the village. We can pick anyone but them!" another ninja chimed in. Their words stabbed at Uchiha Setsuna's heart like knives. His expression turned ugly, and he was furious and anxious, but he could hardly lash out.
Seeing this, Hashirama Senju smiled and gestured for Uchiha Setsuna to sit down before continuing, "Next, I would like to nominate the current head of the Hyuga Clan, Tennin Hyuga. Please welcome the Hyuga clan head to the stage."
Tennin Hyuga leaped nimbly onto the election stage. He first bowed respectfully to Hashirama Senju, then turned and bowed to the elite ninja below before speaking. "I am Tennin Hyuga, head of the Hyuga Clan, a noble family with a thousand years of history. In all of Konoha, my strength is second only to Lord Hokage's. I have both the confidence and the ability to lead Konoha toward a brighter future! Everyone here is one of Konoha's elites. I hope you'll make the right choice and vote for me."
But as soon as he finished, the crowd erupted again. "The Hyuga Clan puts the Caged Bird Seal on its own members to control them. If he becomes Hokage, won't we all end up with that Cursed Seal too? We'd be better off dead! I'd die before voting for him!" a ninja said, terror written across his face. "That's right. The Hyuga Clan is far too rigid and old-fashioned. They're not fit to be Hokage at all." People spoke up one after another, voicing their dissatisfaction with him.
Tennin Hyuga was seething as he listened. His face flushed red, and his fists clenched tight. He wanted nothing more than to teach these small-clan ninja who "didn't know their place" a lesson on the spot. Hashirama Senju hurriedly smiled and smoothed things over. "Clan Head Hyuga, please take a seat."
Then Hashirama Senju raised his voice. "There is one more person who has helped me manage the village's affairs, large and small, ever since Konoha was founded. He is my younger brother, Tobirama Senju. I'm sure you're all familiar with him. I recommend that he continue to oversee the Hokage's duties. Now, please write the name of your chosen candidate on your ballot and place it in the box at the front."
Tobirama Senju walked onto the stage with a serious expression and sat down quietly without a word, though his eyes showed determination and confidence. Sasuke Sarutobi immediately shouted from below, "We support Lord Tobirama!" The Shimura, Ino-Shika-Cho, and other clans joined in, their cries rising one after another.
Konoha's Elite Jonin cast their ballots into the box one by one. At last, the votes were counted. Tobirama Senju won by an overwhelming margin and became the new Hokage.
Hashirama Senju solemnly handed Tobirama Senju the Hokage hat, the symbol of the highest authority in Konoha in the Land of Fire. "Tobirama, I'm entrusting Konoha to you," he said earnestly. "I hope you can help it grow even stronger."
Tobirama Senju's expression was serious as he carefully accepted the Hokage hat with both hands and placed it firmly on his head. Looking his brother in the eye, he said resolutely, "Brother, don't worry. I'll protect Konoha's peace with my life, and I'll never let foreign nations invade the Land of Fire."
Hashirama Senju turned to face all of Konoha's Elite Jonin and declared loudly, "I hereby announce Tobirama Senju as the Second Hokage!" Cheers and shouts of approval immediately erupted below the stage. The members of the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, however, wore dark expressions. They felt they had been played, and their hearts were full of resentment and anger, but there was nothing they could do.
Inside the Hokage Building's conference room in Konoha, the atmosphere was as lively as a blazing fire. Standing tall, Tobirama Senju strode to the very front and calmly swept his gaze over the crowd below. All of Konoha's elite ninja stood there, every eye fixed on him.
"I, Tobirama Senju, have today become the Second Hokage!" His voice was deep but powerful, echoing across the square like a great bell.
The moment he spoke, deafening cheers erupted from the crowd below.
"Congratulations on becoming Hokage, Lord Tobirama!" The members of the Sarutobi Clan shouted themselves red in the face, their excitement seeming ready to burst into the heavens.
Not to be outdone, the Shimura Clan shouted with all their might, "We will always support Lord Hokage!" They looked as though they were proclaiming their loyalty to the whole world.
Next, the voices of the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans rang out. "Lord Hokage is wise and mighty!" Their blood stirred as they shouted, their faces overflowing with reverence.
The Utatane Clan, Mito Clan, and Gekko Clan also called out, "We swear to follow Lord Hokage unto death!" Each shouted louder and grew more excited than the last.
There were also the Yūhi Clan, the Uzuki Clan, and others. The ninja of these clans shouted themselves hoarse, cheering with all their might. They looked as though one of their own had taken the Hokage Position, their eyes shining with fervor.
Tobirama Senju looked over the powerful members of the ninja clans cheering for him, satisfaction appearing on his face. He silently thought that all these clans were worthy of his help and cultivation, and that the Konoha of the future could not do without their strength.
Amid all the celebration, however, there were dissenting voices. Tennin Hyuga stood on the stage with a deep frown and a look of disdain. "A bunch of little flies. So irritating," he muttered. "Hmph, sooner or later, I'll make you small clans pay." His tone was full of arrogance and displeasure, as though he scorned everything around him.
Uchiha Setsuna looked at the cheering crowd, equally speechless. He curled his lip and said, "Look at that bunch of bootlickers. A bunch of fools, every last one of them a shit-stirrer. Disgusting." His eyes held a trace of contempt, and he stood with his arms folded across his chest, looking out of place.
Hashirama Senju noticed their reactions. Still wearing a gentle smile, he spoke slowly. "Now that we have all come together in one village, we should no longer divide ourselves from one another. Living in harmony and forging bonds with one another is the only way to keep the village thriving. What they're doing is good; it helps bring people together. I know the two of you may be dissatisfied with the election results, but we of the Senju Clan played no tricks in this election. It was entirely fair and impartial. You both saw the result. This is simply what the people wanted. I hope neither of you does anything rash. Otherwise, don't blame me for taking swift and ruthless action." Though his tone was calm, the warning in his words was unmistakable.
Hearing this, Uchiha Setsuna immediately put on a smile and hurriedly said, "Lord First, you misunderstand. We simply can't stand the sight of those small clans' behavior." His smile was somewhat perfunctory.
Tennin Hyuga also hurried to make his position clear. "I'm not surprised to have lost to you two brothers. I'm just a little irritated by the noise those small clans are making. Let me also offer my congratulations on the Senju continuing to hold the Hokage Position." Though he offered congratulations, his expression remained somewhat unnatural.
Hashirama Senju smiled. "Congratulations to us all. What truly matters is the good of the village. Only when the village prospers can our respective clans continue to thrive. I don't object to competition among the clans, but I hope it will be healthy competition, not a civil war in which we kill one another." His eyes showed his hopes for the village's future, a yearning for peace and prosperity.
Tobirama Senju cleared his throat and began his inaugural speech. "Where the leaves dance, the fire burns on... I will devote myself to forging bonds between the clans. From now on, Konoha ninja will carry out missions in squads: one Jonin leading three Genin, or four Chunin together. The members of each squad must also come from different clans or the civilian population. This is mainly to build bonds of mutual trust between the ninja clans. Only mutual trust and friendship can ensure the village's long-term development. I will deal severely with those who are selfish and narrow-minded, who sow discord within the village. I hope to build Konoha into a paradise on earth, where people respect, understand, accept, and care for one another." His voice was firm and powerful, and every word seemed to carry boundless strength to the ears of everyone present.
The Hokage election concluded successfully amid cheers, and at that moment, Konoha's future seemed full of new change and hope.