Inside the meeting room, everyone was an elite ninja—experienced and capable of maintaining a calm expression even as a mountain collapsed before them.
Yet in these past few days alone, they had already suffered too many shocks—the betrayal of Elder Danzo, the Uchiha clan's proposal to weaken the Anbu, and Inoichi Yamanaka's so-called "betrayal" of the Hokage...
They thought they'd seen it all and gone numb to any more shocks. Nothing should be able to rattle them anymore.
But when they saw the black-and-white figures ahead, their faces still betrayed shock, and waves of astonishment rose in their hearts.
None of them had expected the Hyuga and Uchiha clans to ever stand side by side.
Compared to the stunned crowd, the calm reactions of the Ino–Shika–Cho trio, the Uchiha, the Hyuga, and the Konoha leadership at the front seemed unusually out of place.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face remained calm; he had foreseen this scene the moment Hiashi had opposed him earlier.
There was no escaping it—it would only end in resignation.
Fully prepared for the worst, the Third spoke calmly, "Do you have any objections?"
Hiashi was slightly urgent as he quickly responded, "After today's meeting, I'm sure everyone understands the consequences of high-level betrayals! Each time a leader betrays the village, the barrier must be reset, many shinobi must undergo strict screening, and most plans are thrown away... What I've listed is only the surface; there are far more hidden dangers!"
Fugaku added, "Indeed, each betrayal doesn't just bring real damage, but also ruins the village's reputation, making us the laughingstock of the entire Ninja World! And such betrayals have happened twice in just a few years—one involved the Third Hokage's own apprentice, and the other involved three top leaders' closest friends."
Fugaku's cold accusation once again exposed the wounds of the Hokage faction, making the three Konoha leaders feel like sitting on pins and needles.
Because Orochimaru's defection had been publicly exposed by the Third himself, its impact on the Hokage faction wasn't too severe. However, Danzo's betrayal was truly something the Hokage side couldn't easily shift blame for.
As one of the village's highest-ranking officials, Danzo had secretly colluded with rogue ninjas, subjected Konoha shinobi to human experiments, and conducted research into Kinjutsu. These scandals had caused every major clan to lose deep trust in the Hokage faction.
This was why the Hokage side had kept retreating today.
The higher-ups at the front of the room fell silent, while the back was filled with whispers from the assembled shinobi.
Even the Ino–Shika–Cho were whispering among themselves—but unlike others, who focused on the Hokage faction's scandals, they were trying to figure out what the Uchiha and Hyuga really wanted.
Inoichi said, "The Uchiha and the Hyuga joining hands—could it mean they want the Hokage seat?"
Shikaku murmured thoughtfully, "Unlikely. They were the ones who weakened the Hokage's power in the first place. If they wanted the position, they wouldn't have done that."
Choza casually asked, "If not for the Hokage position, then could it be for the Elders?"
Shikaku shot Choza a glance, about to speak, but Hiashi had already begun speaking from the front.
Hiashi accused, "Both high-level traitors were deeply connected to the Third Hokage. Although the Third exposed Orochimaru's betrayal, long before that, others had already reported Orochimaru for conducting Kinjutsu research using human subjects."
Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a deep sigh, lost in memories of the past, unintentionally revealing several more strands of white hair.
"That's correct. I bear undeniable responsibility for Orochimaru and Danzo's betrayal. I'll explain everything to everyone now."
As he spoke, Hiruzen stood up and voluntarily removed the Hokage hat from his head, preparing to preserve his final dignity.
"Hokage-sama, please don't!"
The ninjas inside the meeting room voiced their protests simultaneously.
Though they held grievances, none had ever considered asking the Third to resign.
At present, with Hidden Cloud and Iwagakure watching like tigers ready to pounce, and panic spreading through the village following Danzo's defection, what Konoha needed most was an experienced and respected figure to stabilize morale.
The Third was undoubtedly the best choice.
Fugaku quickly interjected, "Hokage-sama, please do not act in haste. Now more than ever, Konoha depends on you."
As he spoke, he remembered how often Hiruzen used to say:
"In every rustling leaf, the flame burns eternal. The fire will continue to light the village's path and help the next generation take root and grow. Hokage-sama, for Konoha's sake, you must keep holding your post!"
After speaking these words, Fugaku felt a strange sense of satisfaction within.
Who would have guessed that persuading someone using the Will of Fire could feel so rewarding? No wonder the Third always emphasized it so much!
Hiruzen was momentarily at a loss for words — since the passing of The Second, no one had spoken of the Will of Fire to him again.
Confused by Fugaku's words, he asked uncertainly, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Hiashi didn't bother beating around the bush any longer and directly stated, "It's only natural for loved ones to hide things from each other. Even the most selfless person may hesitate sometimes. While close relationships among village leaders allow seamless cooperation, they can also lead to mutual cover-ups! Therefore, we suggest…"
Hiashi exchanged glances with Fugaku before they both spoke in unison: "Establishing additional Elder positions!"
Shikaku and Inoichi looked toward Choza in surprise, exclaiming, "Choza, turns out you really do have brilliant ideas!"
Other ninjas began to consider the possibilities — if more Elder positions were established, could there be a place for them or their clans?
Village Elders not only participated in critical village decisions but also managed Konoha's administrative affairs, greatly influencing clan development.
Hiruzen noticed everyone's thoughts shifting and craftily remarked, "Elder positions carry specific limitations. Currently, only one vacancy exists due to Danzo's betrayal."
Hiashi calmly responded, "Hokage-sama, we're not referring to the Senior Advisors — we propose creating the position of Hokage Deputy."
There were two types of Elder positions within the village: one being Senior Advisor, and the other being Hokage Deputy.
Senior Advisors acted as bridges between the Hokage and the Daimyo, primarily responsible for requesting funds from the Daimyo and reporting the village's conditions and situations. Thus, Senior Advisors required approval from both the Daimyo and the Hokage, making them difficult to arbitrarily establish.
The Hokage Deputy role differed significantly — it functioned similarly to a secretary but held higher rank, possessing authority to participate in important village decisions. As long as the Hokage agreed, multiple Deputies could be appointed.
Hiruzen understood immediately — a single Elder position would never be enough to satisfy both clans.
After pondering briefly, he declared, "The Elder position is of tremendous importance; I will only create one additional spot!"
"Two clans, two Elder seats — it seemed too good to be true.
But if both the Uchiha and Hyūga actually took Elder seats, how would the other clans react?
Moreover, although the Hokage Deputy was equal in rank to an Elder, their real power depended entirely on whether the Hokage was willing to delegate authority. If those two clans ever stepped out of line, he could simply let their chosen Elders serve as figureheads without real power.
Fugaku saw through Hiruzen Sarutobi's hidden intentions and asked coldly, "Can't we add another seat?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi replied firmly, "No!"
Fugaku sighed inwardly. The Uchiha now realized that the Third had seen through their limits and wouldn't be intimidated any further.
Exchanging a glance with Hiashi, the two reluctantly nodded.
Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi announced, "To handle numerous affairs more efficiently and fairly, this meeting has decided to add one more Elder seat. Candidates may either self-recommend or be nominated by others. The Jonin Confidence Vote will take place at next week's meeting!"
After announcing the decision, Hiruzen simply ignored Hiashi and Fugaku's cold stares and walked out.
The meeting concluded with the Hokage Faction suffering a significant loss — not only had the Anbu been severely weakened, but they had also lost two high-ranking positions.
Yet the Uchiha still hadn't completely won. Many ninja who had originally planned to come offer congratulations hesitated at the last moment.
While it seemed certain that the Elder seats were practically guaranteed for both the Uchiha and Hyūga, who wouldn't wish to become an Elder themselves — or have their own respected clan leader take the position instead?"
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