Everything was going wrong!
This was the only thought racing through Danzo's mind after he stormed out of the Hokage Office.
As the Shadow of the Ninja World—a name whispered with fear across nations, enough to silence crying children—Danzo had never felt so defeated before.
Even when he had been humiliated by Soushu Hyuga during his diplomatic mission at the Fire Daimyo's court or mocked by various factions in the subsequent talks following the Campaign against Kumo, Danzo had never felt such rage.
The reason was simple. Superficial gains and losses had never concerned him; what truly mattered were tangible benefits. Even if certain hardships were endured, as long as they brought real gains or future opportunities for retaliation, Danzo would never risk a direct confrontation.
But this time was different.
The upheaval within the Hyuga Clan had come too suddenly and at an especially critical moment. Worse still, no useful intelligence emerged from the Hyuga District, leaving Danzo—who relied on thorough analysis based on detailed intelligence—in a state of extreme discomfort.
Especially with the Jonin Unit meeting approaching soon, nobody could predict how the transformed Hyuga Clan might reshape the course of this important gathering.
More crucially, the man who now controlled the Hyuga after the coup was Soushu Hyuga, a man who harbored inexplicable hostility toward the Hokage faction. If he managed to align with Sakumo Hatake during the Jonin Unit meeting and shift the balance of power, Konoha's already beleaguered F4 would find themselves in an even worse predicament!
And as for Danzo's dream of becoming Hokage—it would surely vanish into thin air.
That was precisely the reason Danzo relentlessly advocated for direct military intervention in the Hyuga District.
Unfortunately, although his proposal convinced the two advisors, it was ultimately rejected by Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
To watch the entire situation collapse helplessly...
Back at Root's secret base, Danzo secluded himself in his private chamber, reflecting bitterly on the situation that seemed to be slipping beyond his control.
Meanwhile, many perceptive individuals across the village speculated over the Hyuga upheaval and the covert meeting at Teuchi Ramen Shop, but their opinions carried no real weight in the unfolding events.
As scheduled, the Jonin Unit meeting began promptly at nine o'clock in the morning.
One of the most notable features of the venue was the group of Hyuga jonin who occupied one-seventh of all available seats—though this was far from representing the full strength of the clan, as numerous other Hyuga ninjas remained stationed across various standing ninja units, too vital and engaged to return to the village.
All eyes focused on one individual—Soushu Hyuga, wearing standard jonin attire but without a Konoha forehead protector.
When the jonin saw the bare, unsealed forehead of Soushu Hyuga, they realized the rumors they'd heard through various intelligence channels were true—the Hyuga Clan had indeed changed dramatically! The once unbreakable barrier between the Main and Branch families had truly been broken!
And when Soushu Hyuga appeared smiling and chatting happily with Sakumo Hatake upon the latter's arrival with his unit, the Hokage-aligned jonin exchanged uneasy glances, sensing that something very bad was about to happen.
Meanwhile, heads of smaller clans who had previously stood alongside the Hyuga within the framework of the Coalition of Ninja Clans found themselves confused and unsure how to proceed.
With limited time and power at their disposal, by the time they learned of the dramatic changes in the Hyuga Clan, everything was already settled. Naturally, they had no opportunity to interfere or even meet with Hyuga Soushu for direct communication. Therefore, they felt even less certain about the agenda of the upcoming Jonin Unit meeting.
"Don't worry, Sakumo-kun."
Hyuga Soushu spoke confidently without holding back, his tone natural: "As long as it benefits the village and each clan's long-term development, we will definitely give full support!"
"Then thank you very much!"
Hatake Sakumo did not lower his voice either. After shaking hands with Hyuga Soushu once more, he walked toward the seat at the top of the Jonin Unit meeting hall, while his core supporters took seats on the side of the Hyuga Clan section.
This scene caused those with sharp eyes to start thinking deeply.
Shortly after, the Uchiha Clan group whispered among themselves briefly before finally sending two individuals walking toward the Hyuga side. This unexpected move drew the undivided attention of every Jonin in the room—including even Sakumo Hatake himself.
Seeing this, Hyuga Soushu immediately stood up and slightly nodded in greeting toward the two Uchiha Jonin.
"Souju-kun."
The first person reaching out his hand toward Hyuga Soushu was Uchiha Tatsuma, the squad leader of the Policing Department's Fifth Division. Of course, most importantly, he also held another identity—as Mahiru Uchiha's father!
The other Uchiha youth carried himself with an air of premature weariness—none other than Fugaku Uchiha, the one predetermined to become heir to the clan, who was also a member of the Jonin Unit!
"Tatsuma-san, Fugaku Jonin,"
Hyuga Soushu made no attempt to act arrogant because of his status change.
After all, regardless of anything else, Uchiha Clan shinobi were still indispensable elements within his Northern Border forces, and there were numerous overlapping interests between both sides. Plus, his engagement with Mahiru-chan had received blessings from the Uchiha Clan, so there was no need to put on airs.
"Congratulations, Sōchō"
Following right after, Fugaku Uchiha also reached out his right hand to shake hands with Hyuga Soushu. "Please allow me to extend my father's congratulations on your victory. Unfortunately, due to health reasons, my father couldn't attend the meeting personally to express his felicitations; if there's any negligence, please forgive us."
"Commander Fugaku is too polite. I also hope your honorable father takes good care of his health."
Hyuga Soushu responded politely in kind.
What caught his attention, however, was that Fugaku addressed him as 'Sōchō'—a newly minted title within the Hyuga clan hierarchy.
This demonstrated the unique information-gathering methods possessed by the Uchiha Clan. Yet these things were better understood silently than being pointed out publicly, so Hyuga Soushu had no intention of embarrassing Fugaku Uchiha directly.
Therefore, after a few moments of small talk, Fugaku Uchiha tactfully stepped aside, handing over the floor to Uchiha Tatsuma—the almost-father-in-law.
"Soushu-kun, if you're available sometime, why not have Mahiru come home for a visit? Both of you are already eighteen now."
Tatsuma Uchiha spoke in measured tones, but Soushu understood his meaning immediately.
At last, it was time for the wedding!
Moreover, all obstacles within the Hyuga Clan had now been completely removed. The marriage of Hyuga Soushu and Mahiru Uchiha would no longer face opposition from the Main House!
"I'll send a message to the military camp in Hakone Prefecture right after this meeting," said Hyuga Soushu.
Hyuga Soushu responded accordingly.
After some idle chatter, the two Uchiha clan members returned to their faction and sat down.
Hyuga Soushu took his seat once again.
Their conversation held up the Jonin Unit meeting for about three to five minutes. Yet during that time, no one interrupted—not even Sakumo Hatake at the head of the table, who simply remained silent and waited patiently.
The slight rift previously caused by the Jonin Subdivision Bill during the Ninja Clan Summit between these two prestigious Dojutsu clans seemed to suddenly begin healing after the upheaval within the Hyuga Clan—and it was actually the Uchiha Clan, known for its stubbornness, that took the first step toward reconciliation!
To be honest, this sudden turn of events blew a lot of Jonins' minds.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
Sakumo Hatake rapped the table firmly with a wooden mallet, signaling the official start of the Jonin Unit meeting.
Instantly, a solemn silence fell over the hall as everyone instinctively slowed their breathing.
"The Jonin Unit Meeting is now officially convened. We will now begin with the first agenda item."
Sakumo gestured for the administrative ninja to distribute agenda materials to the attending Jonins while announcing, "We will reopen discussion regarding the supplementary bill on the Direct Election Act. Specific revisions and review opinions are detailed in the agenda documents. Discussion will begin in five minutes!"
The so-called supplementary bill was essentially the same Jonin Subdivision Bill that had passed overwhelmingly during the previous Ninja Clan Summit. Sakumo wasn't holding back—he dropped a bombshell right from the start.
"Hiss! Hiss!"
A wave of murmurs instantly swept through the chamber.
Even his supporters couldn't help but hold their breath nervously upon reviewing the agenda documents.
Although Sakumo's words sounded casual, the revised draft of the Direct Election of Hokage by Jonins Act included in the materials laid out detailed procedures for how the direct election process would work. It especially emphasized equal power among Jonins using bold text, although some compromises had also been made—for example, assigning half-votes to Tokubetsu Jonins while full votes remained reserved for standard Jonins.
On the surface, the Jonin Unit still followed the fundamental principle of one person, one vote. But in reality, this move marked the first time Tokubetsu Jonins—who previously only had observer status without voting rights—were included into the electoral system, albeit with their votes weighted at only half strength. However, considering that the actual number of Tokubetsu Jonins far exceeded that of standard Jonins, particularly among clans prone to producing shinobi with unique Kekkei Genkai, having their members promoted to Tokubetsu Jonin was practically guaranteed, making this compromise effectively beneficial to those families' interests as well.
Regarding the issue of "Elite Jonin" and "Veteran Jonin"—two honorific ranks proposed within the Jonin Subdivision Bill, along with their corresponding privileges—Sakumo Hatake deliberately chose to remain silent in this agenda document. Instead, he simply added a note at the end stating "Refer to aforementioned Direct Election of Jonin Bill," effectively shelving related proposals already approved by the Ninja Clan Summit, thereby expressing an indirect veto.
Now, except for the Nara Jonin who had been forewarned by Hyuga Soushu, all other clan representatives present suddenly changed expressions, clearly showing signs of displeasure.
Although Sakumo's amendment did contain appropriate compromises, compared with the original Jonin Subdivision Bill which had set such a dazzling precedent, combined with people's never-ending desires, it was natural they would develop resistance toward this revised proposal.
Before long, the atmosphere in the conference hall turned tense, broken only by the rustling of papers as attendees flipped through the agenda.
The only exception remaining completely unaffected was the Hyuga delegation.
Numerous Hyuga Jonin sat stiffly upright with impassive faces, staring straight ahead while totally ignoring the agenda documents placed before them. Only Hyuga Soushu casually flipped through a couple of pages to get the general idea before closing his eyes to rest.
This collective behavior left all attending Jonin, including those from the Uchiha Clan, totally baffled!
We're all Jonin here! And now that the Main House isn't holding them back anymore, why are those pale-eyed guys still so damn united? Don't they ever think about personal gain when picking sides?
Among them, the one feeling most envious and resentful wasn't even the Hokage faction leaders, but rather Uchiha Fugaku, who maintained quasi-ally relations.
Though officially designated as heir apparent to the clan leadership, in reality Fugaku Uchiha never received much respect within his family. Apart from senior members originating from branch families, most Uchiha Jonin basically only feigned respect outwardly toward both Fugaku and the Clan Head. Their preferred approach involved making decisions solely based on self-interest, often taking independent action at the slightest dissatisfaction. Combined with power struggles between various internal factions like Hawks and Doves, the actual influence wielded by the Uchiha Clan Head barely extended beyond serving as a mediator, nothing like the Hyuga Clan's ability to consolidate all forces into one united front ready for external challenges.
"The Uchiha Clan has to keep up with the times and push for some serious reforms!"
Fugaku Uchiha couldn't care less about continuing to read these tedious documents anymore. He started thinking about how to crack the secret behind Hyuga's reforms and bring that cutting-edge approach into the Uchiha Clan.
"Time is up, gentlemen. Let us vote!"
Five minutes wasn't long enough for these strategically-minded Jonin to solidify their positions, and yet Sakumo struck the wooden mallet again anyway.
"I object!"
The first person standing up to declare opposition was a Nara Jonin wearing his hair in a bun. His stance remained equally clear-cut: "Sakumo Jonin, your proposal shows complete disrespect toward the Ninja Clan Summit! This cannot be allowed!"
"The Jonin Unit meeting shouldn't place its authority above the Ninja Clan Summit!"
"One of the Jonins from the Shimura Clan sneered, 'Also, the Subdivision Bill serves as compensation for all senior ninja who've made remarkable contributions to the village. They should never be forgotten!'
'The bill proposed at the Ninja Clan Summit was personally submitted by the Hokage himself! Captain Sakumo Hatake, are you placing yourself above the Hokage?'
'Not to mention that, purely based on strength and standing, a blanket one-person-one-vote system isn't appropriate!'
Led by the Hokage faction, the clan Jonins ganged up on Hatake Sakumo at once.
The Hyuga representatives remained staring straight ahead, while Shirakawa Namiko and others showed visible anger; yet they were carefully watching Sakumo Hatake's expression, preparing their verbal counterattacks.
Various accusations flew nonstop for nearly twenty minutes before finally beginning to subside. Throughout this process filled with insults, curses, and baseless accusations, Sakumo Hatake remained completely silent, expressionless, and unmoved.
'Now then, let's proceed to the vote.'
Sakumo repeated his earlier words, directly ignoring all objections, debates, and curses!
'You!'
A group of clan Jonins stood up furiously, glaring angrily at the impassive Sakumo Hatake seated above them.
'Thump! Thump! Thump!'
Sakumo Hatake completely ignored these dissenters, tapping the table a few times with his wooden mallet before saying, 'Next follows the general voting on the amendment proposals, with only three options available.'
'Agree, Disagree, or Abstain!'
'Three choices: take your pick.'
'But I also hope all of you Jonin remember—the true meaning behind everything we're doing here today lies in striving for an even more glorious future for our descendants!'
'Voting starts in five minutes. For now—silence!'
Sakumo Hatake's tone brimmed with unyielding determination.
At this point, continuing pointless arguments had become meaningless. Rather than wasting time negotiating endlessly, it would be better just to enforce his will straightforwardly!
'The Jonin Unit belongs to all Jonin—it absolutely mustn't become someone's personal dictatorship!'
The Nara Jonin who first spoke still refused to back down, shouting: 'Jonin Sakumo Hatake, do you really want to...'
'Boom!'
Before he could finish speaking, Sakumo Hatake—who had moved like a ghost with the Body Flicker—punched him hard in the stomach, sending him flying backward through the air!
'Silence during the meeting. Voting shall commence in five minutes!'
Sakumo Hatake ignored the frightened but silent Jonins. His expression remained unchanged as ever: 'Anyone disturbing the meeting order will suffer the same fate!'
'That's quite good.'
Hyuga Soushu turned slightly toward his cousin, Hizashi Hyuga, sitting diagonally behind him on the left, and said, 'Sometimes, rather than seeking everyone's approval, forming alliances against opposition proves faster and cleaner—as long as you possess sufficient power, nothing cannot be enforced.'
This wasn't just for Hizashi. Although Soushu hadn't raised his voice particularly high, all the sharp-eared Jonins caught every word clearly.
'Now is the time—cast your votes in favor, fellow Hyugas!'
Hyuga Soushu directly announced his decision.
The Jonin of the Hyuga clan, who had remained seated until now, finally picked up their ballots and writing tools, clearly marking their choices with no effort to hide their favor.
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