Chapter 47 – Two Old Fools Courting Death
The words of his younger brother, Hatake Kyūjō, struck Hatake Sakumo's heart like a hammer.
He was right…
Hiruzen Sarutobi had once been a wise and powerful Hokage in his youth. But now, in his twilight years, the old man had allowed himself to become lost in his own thoughts and tangled in political hesitation.
And if that was the case, then what about him—Hatake Sakumo?
Was he truly worthy of becoming Hokage?
At that moment, doubt seeped deep into Sakumo's heart.
Seeing his brother's conflicted expression, Kyūjō could only sigh softly and shake his head. He understood. As long as someone remained human, personal interests could never truly be erased.
Even in the modern world, self-interest persisted—how could it disappear in the world of shinobi?
The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, had quelled chaos across the ninja world through sheer overwhelming might—power strong enough to subdue every other force on the continent.
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, though slightly weaker than his brother, was still an unmatched genius of his era—decisive, pragmatic, ruthless when necessary, and sharp-minded. Under his rule, the great clans and elite jōnin were united into a single force.
Even toward the Uchiha clan he disliked, Tobirama had ruled with calculated restraint. He did not persecute them without reason.
By comparison, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, fell short of those towering predecessors.
Under his leadership, the mightiest village in the shinobi world had grown soft before external threats, and its internal growth was… mediocre at best.
As a teacher, Hiruzen had excelled. His three disciples—Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru—were legends in their own right.
But in the end? Orochimaru, his prized student, betrayed the village and nearly brought Konoha to ruin.
Yet now wasn't the time for Sakumo to drown in self-reflection.
Five days later, Hiruzen Sarutobi, now frail and aged, finally returned to Konoha under the heavy guard of his personal Hokage escorts—Teams A, B, and C.
He no longer resisted.
After learning the full truth about the crimes of his old friend Shimura Danzo and ROOT's dark deeds, shame and regret consumed him.
Once urgent matters were settled, Hiruzen summoned every jōnin and the heads of Konoha's great clans to the Hokage Tower meeting hall.
There, before everyone, citing his failing health, he officially announced his retirement as the Third Hokage and nominated "Konoha's White Fang" — Hatake Sakumo as his successor, the Fourth Hokage.
The hall immediately filled with whispers and murmurs.
But fortunately, the key figures present raised no objections.
Even if they wanted to oppose the decision, they couldn't.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, most of the elite jōnin, and ANBU—virtually all of them held Hatake Sakumo in deep respect.
Especially after his legendary stand against the combined forces of Iwagakure and Kumogakure at the frontlines.
He'd earned the title "God of War."
Who in their right mind would oppose the rise of "White Fang" as Hokage?
The two great clans, Uchiha and Hyūga, had already been approached by Kyūjō and Sakumo beforehand. Through a mix of respectful diplomacy and subtle displays of power, both clan heads agreed to support the decision—especially after being promised positions as Hokage Advisors.
Truthfully, both clans had long held frustrations toward Hiruzen… particularly the Uchiha.
During his leadership, Hiruzen had often suppressed their clan.
Why?
Kyūjō knew the answer well: fear. Hiruzen feared the overwhelming power of the Uchiha.
But Kyūjō also understood something Hiruzen never fully grasped—Uchiha were prideful, yes, but they weren't fools.
As long as the Hokage possessed absolute strength to suppress any rebellion, the Uchiha would fall in line. They respected power above all.
And just as important, they needed to be treated with dignity. Show them respect, give them acknowledgment, and they would respond.
If you chose instead to do what Hiruzen did—spread whispers, fuel public resentment, and socially isolate them—then you were the one pushing them toward revolt.
Their eventual coup in the original timeline wasn't senseless rebellion. It was desperation born from betrayal.
Kyūjō understood this all too well. If he had been treated unfairly simply because he was "too strong," he would've fought back too.
No clan was without its darkness—not even Sarutobi or Shimura. Every great clan had parasites and traitors within.
The solution was to punish individuals according to law, not to condemn an entire bloodline.
To treat Uchiha as enemies was to harm Konoha itself.
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Just as the atmosphere in the meeting began to settle, and no one seemed ready to oppose Sakumo's succession—
Two old fools stood up.
After exchanging a glance, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, the two remaining Hokage Advisors, rose from their seats.
The details of Shimura Danzo's death—killed by Kyūjō—were still top‑secret, locked away by ANBU because of the sensitive information involved.
Even after Hiruzen returned, he chose not to tell them.
So now, unaware that Danzo was dead, these two actually dared to stand and challenge Kyūjō's family openly.
They pointed their fingers straight at Hatake Sakumo, who stood there with his missing right arm still bandaged, and spoke loudly, full of righteous indignation.
"We refuse this decision! Hiruzen, have you lost your mind?!"
"Hatake Sakumo is a butcher! He slaughtered countless enemy shinobi during the battle in the Land of Earth! Now both Iwagakure and Kumogakure have mobilized troops along the borders!"
"All of this is his fault! He's dragged us back to the brink of war! Sakumo isn't a hero—he's the cause of our destruction! And you want to make him Hokage?!"
"At a time like this, we must appease Iwa and Kumo! We propose handing Sakumo over as compensation! This entire mess began with him—why should Konoha's shinobi die for his sake?!"
Their fiery rhetoric filled the hall like rancid smoke.
Kyūjō, standing beside his brother, slowly narrowed his eyes and smiled—coldly, like a predator baring its fangs.
His original plan was to investigate the two elders first before making any moves.
But now?
That plan changed.
There was no need for investigations anymore.
These two… would be buried.
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