The title "Fifth Hokage" struck a chord deep within Danzo's heart. Hearing those words didn't just please him, they settled over him like a warm blanket. It felt absolutely right.
"Hahahaha..."
Danzo burst into laughter, an unspeakably arrogant sound, reminiscent of a lodramatic villain whose master plan had finally co to fruition.
A heavy sense of foreboding settled over the two Advisors.
'Fifth Hokage?!'
'What kind of sche is Danzo hatching now?!'
They were both shocked and furious, but Danzo paid their internal turmoil no mind. He strolled leisurely toward the assembled ninja clans and the visiting Daimyos, while the Root operatives behind him lted seamlessly into the larger formation of his forces.
The clearing was effectively split in two factions: the isolated Advisors on one side, and Danzo, backed by Root and the gathered clans, on the other.
"Could it be..." The Advisors dread intensified.
'Impossible,' they thought. 'When did Danzo acquire such influence?'
To have dozens of clans submit to him? If Danzo had possessed such ability earlier, Hiruzen's position would never have been secure.
At this mont, Danzo could no longer suppress the ecstasy swelling in his chest. "The Sunagakure have betrayed the alliance," he announced. "And Hiruzen... the Third Hokage... has tragically t his end."
"However, the village cannot survive a single day without a Kage. Therefore, we must select the Fifth Hokage imdiately."
Hearing this, the Advisors hearts skipped a beat.
Danzo paused, scanning the crowd to gauge the reaction of the gathered shinobi. He took a mont to relish the anxious expressions on Koharu and Homura's faces, before continuing with a triumphant sneer:
"I never expected the Daimyo to place such value on an old soldier like , entrusting the heavy burden of the Fifth Hokage to ."
Danzo had even won over the Daimyo... Since when did he have the political acun for this?
"However, I feel that a matter as grave as the succession requires careful consideration."
"For the sake of fairness, let us vote by a show of hands."
"Who is in favor? And who opposes?"
Danzo was speaking so bluntly he might as well have shouted that 'he' was the Fifth Hokage.
In terms of subtlety, he simply couldn't compare to the Third.
But being simple and crude had its advantages, it was a sharp blade to cut the Gordian knot and settle matters quickly.
"I object." Naturally, the pair of Advisors stood up in opposition. Homura was the first to speak. "Danzo, you are unfit to serve as the Fifth Hokage."
Despite their usual habit of fence-sitting, saying "Hiruzen is right" one mont and "Danzo is right" the next, they always sided with Hiruzen whenever Danzo gained too much ground.
Especially regarding the issue of the Hokage. It was the unanimous consensus of the Konoha high command that Danzo could not take the seat.
They were praying to anyone who would listen that this had to be a joke. They had been companions for decades, did they not know exactly what kind of person Danzo was?
He lacked the temperant, the capability, and the qualifications.
"We have a more suitable candidate."
"Tsunade is the true successor!"
Even knowing the situation was dire, they had to bite the bullet and stand their ground.
"Very well..." Danzo said, his face reddening.
"I..." The second person to speak was Hattori of the Shipping Company. Under the bewildered gazes of the two Advisors, he declared, "I naturally pledge my full support to Danzo-sama as the Fifth Hokage."
"If financial backing is required, our Shipping Company will be the first to help. We are Konoha's staunchest allies, after all."
Homura and Koharu stared at him, eyes wide with disbelief.
Following Hattori's declaration, the Daimyos of other nations spoke up one after another.
"We of the Land of Snow also support Danzo-sama becoming the Fifth Hokage."
"Hozuki Castle as well."
"The Land of Demons concurs."
One should never underestimate the weight of foreign allies. A single ally might not an much, but the support of a dozen was a different matter entirely.
They might not be able to dictate Konoha's internal politics.
But with their support combined with the Fire Daimyo's, Danzo's claim to legitimacy was far stronger than anyone else's.
Next, the ninja Clan Heads expressed their stance one by one.
"The Hyuga Clan stands with him."
"The Akimichi Clan as well."
"..."
The stance of the ninja clans was even more critical, as it represented the unanimous will of Konoha's middle class and military backbone.
As for the lower-class civilians... well, there were no civilians here right now.
Of everyone present, only a few Anbu and the two Advisors had not stated their position, essentially, the isolated attitude of the traditional Konoha high command.
Seeing the tide turn so violently against them, the two fence-sitters imdiately prepared to fold.
Unfortunately, they were a step too late.
*Squelch!*
Root blades pierced their hearts from behind. The speed was so fast that almost no one present could track the movent.
"Those who disrespect Danzo-sama... must die!"
Fugaku's voice echoed across the vast clearing.
The two opened their mouths to speak, but could only produce wet, gurgling sounds.
Lightning release paralysis locked their tongues.
Their strength was actually not weak, after all they had been under Tobirama's command and he wouldn't tolerate anyone under Elite Jonin level as his guard, but sitting in high positions for so long had caused them to lose their edge. Coupled with their old age, significantly declined physical condition, and the sheer unexpectedness of a sneak attack by Fugaku, they were silenced in a single strike.
Just as the Anbu attempted to take action, the blades of countless Root ninja were already pressed against their throats.
"What a pity..." Danzo said, his tone dripping with false regret. "I grew tired of you pointing fingers at long ago."
He felt nothing for the deaths of Koharu and Homura. Anyone who beca a stumbling block on his path to the throne had to die. To beco Hokage, to sit on that seat, Danzo had beco obsessed.
It was the fixation of his entire life.
"It seems the position of Fifth Hokage belongs to none other than ."
His face finally revealed an expression that seed to say, 'How embarrassing, but I will kill anyone who tries to stop .'
Danzo formally beca the Fifth Hokage of Konoha.
That is, if the current village could still be called Konoha.
With the village unanimously approving Danzo, everything proceeded with terrifying logic.
A crude ceremony, a second-hand Hokage robe (Hiruzen's old robe).
None of these things mattered.
Danzo's trembling hands accepted the Straw Hat inscribed with the kanji for 'Fire'.
In this mont, Danzo's heart burned hot.
A cherished desire of decades was finally being realized today.
Placing the Straw Hat on his head, Danzo proclaid loudly, "From this day forth, I am the Fifth Hokage."
"Danzo-sama." Just as the ceremony ended, Hattori called out to Danzo and whispered in his ear, "I have one more great gift for you!"
Then Danzo saw him: Hiruzen, clinging to his final breath, his vitality drained.
"Hahaha!"
At this mont, Danzo was incomparably triumphant. He could not wait to show off to his old partner.
He leaned close to Hiruzen's ear and whispered with imnse pride, "Hiruzen... I, Danzo Shimura, am the Hokage."
Hiruzen closed his eyes in sorrow, but Danzo interpreted it as an unwillingness to accept the truth, fueling his rampant, maniacal laughter.
"Soone co, escort the Fifth Hokage down to rest."
Imrsed in the joy of his ascension, Danzo did not notice the impropriety of Naruto's command, nor did he see the pity in the eyes of the ninja Clan Heads, or the open mockery on the faces of the small nations Daimyos.
===============
Dear Readers and Fans,
For those eager to dive into next chapters earlier before others, I invite you to join us on Patreon. By becoming our Patron, you not only gain access to exclusive advanced chapters but also help us continue this endeavour and expand it further.
spat reon/8Ashes8
(no space)
You can read upto 7 Chapters in advance.
User Comments
0 comments from readers