Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Today, Akira, along with Shisui, Itachi, and Fugaku, walked toward the Hokage Building.
Tsunade had called for a high-level meeting, and even though Akira felt he already knew what the topic was, he still attended.
They entered the Hokage Building and reached the grand meeting hall. Dozens of seats were arranged, and most of the clan heads, elite jonin, department leaders, and decision-makers of Konoha were already present.
As soon as Akira and the others entered, they were greeted warmly. Many clan heads approached Fugaku, smiling and talking with him. Akira quietly took a seat on a lone bench.
The situation of the Uchiha clan was no longer the same as before. If one counted only Kage-level fighters, there were already more than four.
Their number of jonin and below wasn't even counted. At present, if the Uchiha clan wished, they had enough strength to take over the entire village. And since their relations with the Hokage were good, naturally all clan heads maintained stronger ties with Fugaku.
Akira waited for a while until Tsunade arrived. The room instantly quieted. She sat down, sweeping her gaze over everyone present — Akira, Fugaku, Kakashi, Itachi, Shisui, Kato Dan, Jiraiya, the Hyuga leader, Aburame leader, the Ino-Shika-Cho heads — everyone important was present.
Tsunade cleared her throat lightly even though she already had everyone's attention.
"Today, this meeting is held for two main reasons. The first is the revival of my brother Nawaki, Elite Jonin of Konoha Kato Dan and Shisui Uchiha of the Uchiha clan."
Immediately, all eyes shifted toward Akira. Everyone present already knew the truth — it was Akira who revived them.
Tsunade continued.
"So, everyone should know that the Mangekyō Sharingan of the Uchiha clan has two unique techniques — one in each eye. Akira displayed one during the Chunin Exams. The other is his ability to revive people. But there are conditions."
Everyone nodded. Of course, they understood there had to be limitations. If such power were unrestricted, the entire world would fall into chaos.
Tsunade had already discussed all this with Akira, so she continued with confidence.
"The number of people Akira can revive with his Mangekyō is limited to nine."
The room stirred with excitement — only three people had been revived so far.
But Tsunade went on.
"Although Akira can revive up to nine people, there is a cooldown. He cannot use it freely. Three people is his current limit. The next time Akira can resurrect someone will be at least six years later."
There were visible flickers of disappointment among clan leaders, yet their smiles remained.
Akira didn't know whether those smiles were genuine or fake, and he didn't care. In six years, he might truly have the ability to revive someone again. And even if he didn't, who would dare force him? So, Akira simply ignored their reactions.
Tsunade continued again:
"The second and most important reason for holding this meeting is that I am getting old, and I will retire from the position of Fifth Hokage in a few days."
Shock rippled through the hall.
The previous Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had occupied the seat for decades and had even returned after Minato's death. Everyone assumed Tsunade would remain Hokage until her death. No one expected she would step down after merely five years.
Many were shocked — but some were excited.
One such excited person was Fugaku.
He knew that now the Uchiha clan had the greatest chance of claiming the Hokage title. Except, of course, for Kakashi, who also had massive support.
To Fugaku, there were two possibilities:
Kakashi representing the civilian class as Hokage, or Itachi representing the ninja clans.
Tsunade spoke again.
"Today, we will discuss all candidates who can be elected as the next Hokage. You all can recommend names. Three days from now, we will hold the final ceremonies, and on the fourth day, the Hokage ceremony will take place in the presence of all leaders of the ninja world and the other Kage."
Excitement soared through the room.
More than two hours passed in intense discussions. Finally, Tsunade announced:
"So now, we have three candidates for the next Hokage. First — Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja of Konoha. Second — Itachi Uchiha, Commander of Roots of the Uchiha clan. And third — Akira Uchiha, wielder of the Mangekyō Sharingan."
Everyone nodded in acceptance.
Akira, however, experienced a moment of confusion. He never expected such support — nor did he want to become Hokage.
Just as his thoughts began racing, Fugaku subtly stepped on his foot. Akira looked at him confused, but Fugaku only shook his head.
Akira let it go.
Why did so many people support Akira, even though he was only eleven years old?
Akira may only be eleven, but his strength, talent, and Mangekyō abilities already stood at a level that rivaled seasoned Kage.
His powers themselves were a deterrence — other villages would think twice before crossing a Hokage who could rewrite battlefields or even resurrect the dead.
More importantly, Akira had something no other candidate possessed: real connections.
As a Uchiha, he held status, but unlike traditional heirs, he had earned friendships across clans — Hyuga, Kurama, Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi, Aburame, and Inuzuka. The next generation of clan heirs already saw him as someone they could stand beside and were friends with him.
And beyond strength or politics, Akira had proven himself. In just a year, he had taken on key missions for Konoha, innovated the Chunin Exam format, proposed reforms for the village's reconstruction, and demonstrated calm leadership.
Kakashi was too distant, Itachi carried the shadow of Root, but Akira's presence bred confidence — a leader who could protect, unite, and uplift.
Even though he was young, the elders believed someone could guide him until he matured.
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Three more days passed in a blink of an eye.
By then, the news of the Fifth Hokage's retirement — and Konoha's election for a new Hokage — had spread through the village like wildfire.
Every household, stall, academy hall, and mission center buzzed with speculation. The names and achievements of the three leading candidates were made public, and the villagers—ninja and civilians alike—held divided opinions.
Many people supported Hatake Kakashi. To them, Kakashi was the safest, most proven option.
He had participated in the Third Great Ninja War, worked across multiple departments including the ANBU and Root, and was the student of the Fourth Hokage himself — making him symbolically part of the Hokage lineage.
He carried the Sharingan given to him by a fallen comrade, winning the admiration of the Uchiha clan. Moreover, Kakashi's Team 7 was one of the strongest squads in the village. For many, that legacy alone made him worthy.
Others leaned toward Uchiha Itachi, whose reputation was no less astounding. His flawless mission records, cold decision-making, and strategic genius were already legendary.
To some, Itachi represented a disciplined, incorruptible Hokage. He also awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, a fact that had recently become public knowledge—intimidating enemies and impressing allies alike. Supporters believed that under Itachi, Konoha would be guided by intellect and silent resolve.
However, the discussion didn't end with the senior shinobi. A surprising third name stirred both curiosity and excitement: Uchiha Akira.
Despite his youth, Akira had completed missions of major strategic value for Konoha in just one year. His achievements were whispered about in training grounds, clan halls, and council chambers.
Many saw him as a symbol — a prodigy representing the future, a deterrent to hostile nations due to his power, and a bridge between clans because of his friendships across nearly every major family.
His leadership during the Chuunin Exams, his tactical mind at such a young age, and his involvement in reforms like restructuring Konoha earned him unexpected popularity. Even civilians knew his name.
And so, three candidates stood before Konoha — each representing a different path forward.
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