"Captain, that joke isn't funny."
"The duty of the escort unit is to protect the Kage with their lives. Even if every last member of the escort unit dies, the Kage cannot die."
"What kind of logic is there in a Kage sacrificing himself to protect his own escort unit?"
Unlike his steadier brother Tekka, Inabi was blunt and straightforward. Tobirama's death was already unbelievable enough, but dying in that kind of way was downright absurd.
"Inabi, you need to understand something. Stories need logic, but reality is often absurd."
Everyone present looked at Haru's serious expression and instinctively felt that he was talking nonsense just to mess with them out of boredom.
But in the end, they still chose to believe him.
Haru's status did not allow him to casually spout nonsense in the Military Police or make up stories about the Hokage's death.
Suddenly, Tekka thought of something, and an inexplicable flame began burning in his chest.
"Captain... since the Second Hokage has fallen, has the candidate for the Third Hokage already been decided?"
That one simple sentence was like a spark hitting dry tinder, igniting the hearts of every Uchiha in the room.
The Second Hokage was dead.
So who would become the Third Hokage?
Surely it could not still be a Senju?
The Uchiha were founders of Konoha too.
Even though their ancestor Madara had defected, no one could erase the Uchiha's contribution to the founding of the village. The Senju had already produced two Hokage. No matter what, this time it should finally be the Uchiha's turn.
The breathing of the Uchiha present grew heavier.
Their captain had received the news of the Hokage's death before anyone else, and then urgently gathered them here.
Could it be that he had ideas about the Hokage's seat?
After all, there was still Clan Head Uchiha Tomita above Haru.
No one doubted Haru's strength. He had already proven himself on the battlefield.
Even Clan Head Tomita might not necessarily be able to defeat him. So wanting to bypass Tomita and become Hokage himself was not some shocking thought. What young man in Konoha did not dream of becoming Hokage?
Besides, the customs among the Uchiha had always been simple and direct.
The capable rose.
The incapable fell.
Whoever had the bigger fist got to speak.
No matter what, the seat of the Third Hokage should first rot inside the Uchiha's own pot before anyone else could touch it.
"It's already been decided."
Those four simple words from Haru were like a basin of cold water dumped over everyone's burning excitement.
Another Senju?
Among the current Senju, there were only two people capable of convincing the village.
One was Mito, the First Hokage's widow. She had lived quietly in the village for years without displaying much, but no one dared underestimate her.
The other was Toma, the First Hokage's son. His lineage was impeccable, and his strength ranked among the best in Konoha.
This is bad.
Could the captain be planning a coup?
A horrifying thought flashed through Tekka's mind.
If the captain truly wanted a coup, then he had to stop him. He could not let Haru throw his life away for nothing.
"Who is it?"
"Mito-sama, or Toma-sama?"
"This is way too unfair. The Senju have already produced two Hokage. It should be our Uchiha's turn now."
"..."
While Tekka was still thinking through Haru's intentions, Inabi had already started complaining out loud.
"Neither."
"It's Hiruzen."
Huh?
The captain was telling jokes again.
That same thought flashed through everyone's minds at once.
"Who?"
"Captain, I'm starting to suspect you've been messing with us from start to finish. If not, then maybe I should take you to see a doctor back at the clan. You're one of the Uchiha's pillars, so your brain absolutely can't have problems."
The words flew out of Inabi's mouth before his brain had any chance to stop them, and Haru immediately felt irritation rising.
He was discussing major matters concerning the Uchiha's future with perfect seriousness, and Inabi thought there was something wrong with his head?
Was it because he had been too nice to him lately, so the idiot's skin was itching for a beating again?
Haru glanced around the room and found that most of the Uchiha there actually seemed to agree with Inabi.
A couple of them even looked at Haru with sympathy.
So Haru turned his head, picked up the ninja blade he used in battle, and smiled at Inabi.
"Inabi, I think your skin is itching again. I'm discussing the Uchiha's future with all seriousness, and you think I'm sick in the head?"
"After this meeting, the two of us can go find a place and have a little spar. I'll make sure I beat you so badly you'll need the clan's medical ninja."
Seeing the dangerous glint in Haru's eyes, Inabi nervously took several steps back, then elbowed his brother Tekka, begging him to save him again.
If the captain seriously beat him up, he would probably be bedridden for half a month.
Tekka shot his idiot younger brother a helpless look.
Why did every word out of his mouth have to come out without passing through his brain first?
"Captain, don't lower yourself to his level. That's just how he is."
"Captain, what you said earlier... is it really true that the Second Hokage appointed Hiruzen as his successor?"
While trying to smooth things over, Tekka once again asked Haru to confirm whether Hiruzen really was about to become the Third Hokage.
"Of course it's true. I've been discussing this with you seriously the whole time today."
Haru let out a sigh in his heart.
Tobirama's unbelievable stunt before dying was so outrageous that even telling the truth made him sound like he was delivering deadpan jokes.
"Hiruzen? What the hell is he?"
"I, Inabi, can beat three of him by myself. He thinks he's qualified to be Hokage?"
"If he gets to be Hokage, then I'm the first one who won't accept it."
Inabi was the first to stand up.
If Tobirama had appointed Mito-sama or Toma-sama as Konoha's Third Hokage, then maybe the Uchiha could still have haggled with the Senju for a few more benefits within the village and reluctantly swallowed it.
But Hiruzen?
What was he supposed to be?
And what was the Sarutobi Clan behind him supposed to be?
Back in the Warring States Era, they had only been a small clan attached to the Senju. In those days, if the Uchiha had been unhappy, they could have wiped out the Sarutobi at any time.
And now they wanted to climb onto the Uchiha's heads?
Having the Senju above them was already unbearable enough. If a Sarutobi was added on top of that, how were the Uchiha supposed to live at all?
The Uchiha were not some minor household.
They were a great ninja clan with a thousand-year legacy.
And they cared about face.
Good.
Inabi, those words finally sound like something a human would say.
Haru glanced at Inabi and showed a satisfied expression.
The man liked talking, so at times like this, he should talk more.
"That's right. We Uchiha refuse to accept this!"
"I don't believe the Senju would accept some coward like Hiruzen becoming Hokage either."
"As part of the escort unit, he couldn't even protect the Hokage. What qualifications does he have to become Hokage?"
"..."
For a moment, the room exploded with noise.
The previously quiet Uchiha had been set ablaze.
In the eyes of the Uchiha, the person worthy of becoming Konoha's Hokage could only come from either the Senju or the Uchiha.
Anyone else was simply unqualified.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]