Since the jonin attending the Jonin Unit meeting had collectively gone to Akimichi's Yakiniku Q for drinks and revelry, the Revised Draft of the Direct Election of Hokage by Jonins Act proposed by Hatake Sakumo, along with its voting results, were merely submitted to the Hokage Tower by administrative ninjas. This gave Konoha's F4 plenty of time to get ready for what was coming.
Upon learning the outcome of the Jonin Unit vote, Danzo, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane immediately rushed toward the Hokage Office, only to be stopped this time by Anbu guards stationed there.
"The Hokage has ordered that no one shall enter the office without permission!"
The Anbu squad captain blocking the three elder advisors spoke in a rigid tone.
"Shinnosuke! You should understand what kind of consequence will arise if the current situation continues evolving like this!"
Danzo directly called out the name of the Anbu captain, who was none other than Sarutobi Shinnosuke — the eldest son of The Third Hokage!
"No entry without permission. Please forgive me, Honorable Elders."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke's tone slightly softened upon being directly addressed, but his stance remained essentially unchanged.
"Hiruzen!"
Danzo's expression darkened. Ignoring Shinnosuke's obstruction entirely, he shouted at the door of the Hokage Office:
"Come out already! Ignoring things won't change the facts — this is a death sentence!"
"Elder Danzo, please don't push it!"
Shinnosuke attempted to block him:
"This is the Hokage Tower — this isn't Root's base where you can act as you please!"
Although the Third Hokage had ordered that no one be allowed into his office, as the political center of Konoha, there were still numerous administrative ninja, clerical staff, and even prominent merchants seeking special missions passing through other floors of the Hokage Tower. Danzo shouting recklessly would easily cause negative implications.
Those looking to submit high-stakes missions would definitely take notice. Visible conflict like this might make them question Konoha's future — and whether it's worth putting their trust here.
"Shinnosuke, why don't you go inside and tell Hiruzen?" Homura sighed, waving for Danzo to calm down. "As Hokage, he can't afford to act so recklessly. No matter what he's feeling right now, he shouldn't have to carry all this pressure alone. We're here for him — we've got his back completely."
This reasoning clearly demonstrated much better sense than Danzo's reckless outburst, which seemed to slightly move Sarutobi Shinnosuke.
A little convinced? Sure. But that wasn't nearly enough. Ultimately, he still chose to shake his head in refusal, albeit less firmly than before in both expression and gesture.
But none of it really mattered in the end.
Although Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi refused to receive visitors, it didn't mean he was unaware of everything occurring outside his office. After all, the title of Professor of Ninjutsu hadn't been awarded lightly. The complete lack of movement within the office at this moment indicated clearly enough that the old monkey truly had no desire to entertain company.
"Shinnosuke!"
Homura's expression also turned grim as he glared at Sarutobi Shinnosuke:
"Do you genuinely intend to obstruct us elders — your own uncles and mentors?"
"This is Third Hokage Sarutobi's order."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke looked helpless, yet still stubbornly upheld his duty.
Danzo directly pulled out a kunai from his sleeve, gripping it backward as if preparing to forcefully charge into the Hokage Office.
The Anbu ninja immediately drew their weapons and prepared themselves!
Everyone knew Danzo was famous for his recklessness; none of them dared to gamble whether he truly intended violence or not.
"Enough!"
Suddenly, a voice rang out from within the Hokage Office: "Are you planning a rebellion?"
The three elder advisors immediately recognized the voice. Danzo immediately shouted, "Don't act like—"
"Silence!"
Before Danzo could finish speaking, the voice from within the Hokage Office cut him off: "Come back in three hours!"
"Fine!"
Though annoyed at being scolded, Danzo and the others accepted the result.
After all, it was only three hours; they could wait.
At that moment, Yakiniku Q had become a joyous place for the Jonin assembly.
Even Sakumo Hatake, seldom known to break the Ninja's Three Taboos—the traditional prohibitions on drunkenness, indiscipline, and emotional display—joined the celebration by sharing a drink with several prominent members of the Jonin assembly.
After making the rounds and receiving a toast from each representative, even though he actively used chakra to burn off the accumulated alcohol in his body, Sakumo was clearly starting to feel the effects after so many cups of sake.
Yet still, after personally thanking each Jonin representative for their support, he moved toward the dining area where the Hyuga Jonin were gathered.
Unlike those Konoha Jonin who indulged freely in noise and playful chaos, the assembled Jonin of the Hyuga Clan simply sat quietly eating roasted meat and fried dishes, remaining completely sober except for Soushu Hyuga.
"Soushu-kun, thank you again this time for your full support,"
Hatake Sakumo expressed his gratitude right away. "Without your encouragement, I probably wouldn't have decided so quickly."
"You chose your own path; how would that have anything to do with me?"
Still unwilling to take credit, Soushu Hyuga replied, "Besides, whether the Hyuga Clan supports you or not won't really affect the final vote. It's what the people have always demanded—equality!"
"As if it were that simple."
Slightly drunk, Hatake Sakumo looked sorrowful.
The reason why he hadn't rushed straight to the Hokage Tower to confront Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was precisely to give the old monkey some time to absorb the shock—to avoid an immediate confrontation that might end in irreparable conflict.
"Everything lies within human effort; bloodshed and sacrifice are unavoidable."
Soushu calmly comforted him. "Besides, those pests have already lost power; unless we start a civil war directly, they'll be powerless to stop things."
"This reflects the collective will of Konoha's Jonin," Sakumo said.
Sakumo understood that well.
However, unlike Soushu Hyuga—who the Martial Faction viewed as its current leader—Sakumo truly believed in resolving conflicts through love and understanding, but circumstances had left him with no choice but to assert his beliefs through force.
Even so, Sakumo Hatake still hoped for others' understanding because in his mind, these were merely extraordinary measures for an extraordinary time. Once the plan could truly be implemented in the future, he wouldn't adopt such coercive methods again.
Hyūga Soushu also understood the meaning behind Sakumo's words, but he didn't press further. Instead, he poured two cups of sake and pushed a small cup toward Sakumo.
"Have a drink. No need to stay tense all the time."
"I've already had nearly one hundred cups."
Sakumo grinned but still picked up the cup, clinked it with Hyūga Soushu's glass, then downed it in one gulp.
"Oh, by the way, where is Hizashi?"
Putting down the cup, Sakumo glanced around at the Jonin from the Hyūga clan quietly eating their meals and asked somewhat surprised.
"I sent him back to the Eastern Coastal Defense Garrison already."
Hyūga Soushu replied casually, "He'll assemble a thousand-strong battalion. If any sudden change occurs in the village, the border forces will return to set things right."
"What?!"
Sakumo's face changed dramatically, his drunkenness instantly gone. "That won't do at all, Soushu!"
"Just preparing for every possibility."
Hyūga remained unconcerned as he refilled Sakumo's cup once more. "Moreover, I've also instructed Mahiru-chan to mobilize the Shinsengumi Ninja Force along the Northern Border Forces."
Sakumo was momentarily at a loss for words.
"Of course," Hyūga explained, "unless something unimaginable happens, those emergency units won't act rashly. But unlike you, I've never believed that people would fully abide by the rules."
"Do you suspect something?" Sakumo paused briefly before asking.
"The three of them, including Orochimaru, are already on their way back to the village. Also, there have been unusual movements within the Northern Expeditionary Ninja Force stationed in the Land of Lightning."
Hyūga dropped a bombshell: "Sakumo, those who benefit from the current system won't easily abandon their interest claims. Without sufficient deterrence, public opinion and voting are just empty formalities!"
"Is that all?"
Rubbing his temples trying to sober himself up, Sakumo asked.
"The Hyūga Clan's interests must be guaranteed."
Unbothered about eavesdroppers, Hyūga directly stated his demands, "The two standing overseas military units along the Northern and Eastern fronts are our fundamental base. Regardless of what happens, the village must not interfere with them!"
"That soon?"
After calming down, Sakumo understood exactly what Hyūga meant.
This precautionary move wasn't just a display of power against the Hokage Tower. It was also a quiet warning directed at him—the freshly crowned leader of the Jonin Unit, and recently triumphant in the Jonin Unit meeting. Reform was fine, but there was one clear rule: don't touch the established privileges of the Ninja Clans!
This was an irreconcilable contradiction.
As everyone knew, Konoha was a Hidden Leaf Village divided sharply along an 80-20 line.
Less than two-tenths of Konoha's population belonged to ninja clans, yet they controlled over eighty percent of the village's resources. Due to restrictions on cultivation resources and inheritance of ninjutsu techniques, the heimin ninja, those without clan heritage, faced a far steeper climb toward advancement than their clan-born counterparts. If this unequal distribution of interests remained unbroken, Konoha would inevitably fall into a vicious cycle of internal competition with no escape. This was the very future Sakumo Hatake dreaded the most.
His efforts were aimed not only at the Hokage faction currently in power, but also at eventually reforming the ninja clans themselves. However, unlike the current Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, he intended to adopt gentler methods, favoring compassion and understanding to dissolve the clans' resentment toward the village, thus transforming Konoha into a true paradise within the ninja world.
But Hyūga Soushu's sudden counterattack came too quickly and unexpectedly for Sakumo Hatake to figure out an effective response.
"Sakumo-san, all I desire is to protect my existing interests."
Hyūga Soushu emphasized, "Not crossing boundaries or expanding internally—that itself is already the greatest kindness I can offer the village."
"But your occupied territories and tax regions…"
Sakumo mentioned the abnormal situation under Soushu's control.
Hyūga Soushu had directly swallowed up fifteen southern districts in the Land of Lightning, and everything happening within this vast territory continuously fed resources into Konoha's ninja clans and their affiliated interest groups. This formed the very foundation that allowed the Coalition of Ninja Clans to maintain its united front.
"They are spoils of war."
Soushu's answer remained firm.
For once, Sakumo had no words to counter.
After Soushu usurped leadership of the Hyūga Clan, it wasn't as if the idea of eventually parting ways over profit distribution hadn't crossed his mind. However, events unfolded too rapidly—changes that should have unfolded slowly over years through patient persistence had been abruptly finalized within just two days, leaving Sakumo no time to properly think.
Moreover, his character wouldn't allow him to take any action detrimental to an ally before Soushu revealed his hand. After all, without the Hyūga Clan leading the way during the Jonin Unit meeting's critical vote, the result would likely have barely scraped through.
Yet Soushu laid down his cards far too soon, catching Sakumo completely off guard.
"The village always needs someone to do what's right… and someone else to do what must be done."
Raising his cup in a toast, Soushu spoke, "From now on, you manage internal affairs while I handle external ones. How does that sound?"
"Let's table this for now."
Sakumo sighed helplessly before reluctantly raising his cup in return.
Ultimately, the more pressing issue ahead was facing the sharp confrontation before the Hokage—compared to which, the shock Hyūga Soushu had delivered, though staggering, at least wasn't the most pressing issue at hand.
"The village has suddenly become so desolate."
Orochimaru and his two companions, summoned in secret to return to the village, stood on top of the Kage Rock, gazing down at the unnaturally silent Konoha below, their minds heavy with conflicting thoughts.
Tsunade, of all people, was the least keen to get dragged into this kind of mess. But she had no choice; urged by their teacher's strong demand and two classmates' persuasion, she had to reluctantly leave behind her beloved fiancé Dan Kato, and the three of them returned to the village together.
"The White Fang kid and that Hyuga brat have really stirred things up,"
Jiraiya muttered.
Sure, he came back too at their teacher's urging, but that didn't mean he opposed Sakumo Hatake getting the top spot directly—sometimes ideals just have to give in to reality, whether you like it or not.
"Once we set things straight again, the village will soon return to its former glory!"
Orochimaru leaped forward, heading toward the Hokage Office beneath the Kage Rock.
"What do you think?"
Jiraiya cast his gaze toward Tsunade.
"So long as we don't end up in a full-blown civil war, things should stay manageable!"
Tsunade also jumped toward the Hokage Tower.
"Wait for me!"
Ever the hopeless flatterer, Jiraiya hurried after her, leaping down right behind her.
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