Hanekawa arrived early at the ANBU base.
"Lord Hanekawa," Haru knocked and entered the office, handing over a scroll. "ANBU has set up ten voting locations throughout Konoha."
Hanekawa unrolled the scroll, revealing a map of Konoha.
Ten red dots were marked on the map, evenly spaced and covering the entire village.
Yesterday was the victory celebration, and today was the voting day for the jonin and villagers.
The jonin voting was held in the Hokage building's conference room.
However, due to the large number of villagers, ANBU was tasked with managing their voting.
ANBU had set up ten voting locations, allowing villagers to cast their votes nearby.
"You've done well," Hanekawa said, closing the scroll. "Assign a squad of ANBU to each voting location to prevent any disturbances."
"Yes," Haru nodded and handed over another document. "This is the list of ANBU candidates we've screened."
"Why are there members from the Uchiha and Hyuga clans?" Hanekawa asked, puzzled, as he opened the document and saw the names on the first page.
In the original story, ANBU had never included members from the Hyuga clan.
After all, the main branch of the Hyuga clan was small, and the branch family was bound by the Caged Bird Seal, making it impossible for them to be loyal to the Hokage.
As for the Uchiha clan, although Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha had joined ANBU, they were technically double agents.
"It might be because of you, Lord Hanekawa," Haru explained. "In the past, neither the Uchiha nor the Hyuga clans would voluntarily apply to join ANBU."
Hanekawa pondered this.
He was now the teacher of Hinata Hyuga and Sasuke Uchiha, so it made sense for Hiashi Hyuga and Fugaku Uchiha to send a few members.
Additionally, it was a gesture of goodwill toward the new Hokage, Tsunade.
Hanekawa continued flipping through the document.
Besides the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, members from the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, the Aburame clan, and the Inuzuka clan had also applied.
And they weren't just any members—they were either jonin or special jonin, all of considerable strength.
"Do I really have that much influence?" Hanekawa couldn't help but shake his head.
Having too many choices was also a kind of trouble.
"Let's go with these seventeen shinobi," Hanekawa picked up a pen and, after some thought, made his decision.
He selected one member from each major clan, ensuring fairness and balance.
Even the Hyuga clan had a jonin selected. With absolute strength, the Caged Bird Seal wasn't a concern.
The only regret was that Hanekawa didn't see any familiar names.
Like Yuugao Uzuki.
But upon reflection, it was unfair to her.
She was still young, not even a chunin, let alone a special jonin. Joining ANBU would be too much of a stretch.
And Shisui Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake, who had joined ANBU in the original story, were absent.
Due to Hanekawa's butterfly effect, their teammates and sensei were still alive, so there was no need for them to join ANBU.
"Yes," Haru nodded. "I'll notify them to report to ANBU immediately."
"One more thing," Hanekawa instructed. "Compile a list of war orphans Konoha has taken in over the past four years."
"Yes," Haru replied, though puzzled, she didn't ask further.
By the afternoon, both the jonin and villager voting had concluded.
The result was obvious—unanimous approval. Tsunade would become the Fourth Hokage.
Her inauguration ceremony was scheduled for the next day.
As night fell, Hanekawa stretched and stood up, leaving the ANBU base.
The Hokage inauguration ceremony was naturally ANBU's responsibility.
He had been busy with the preparations since the afternoon and finally finished by evening.
"Sensei," Hanekawa opened the door and entered the living room.
"Why are you back so late?" Tsunade sat up, her ample chest rising as she complained. "I'm hungry, brat!"
Hanekawa's eyelids twitched as he looked at her voluptuous figure.
He had to admit—he was hungry too.
"Tomorrow is the Hokage inauguration ceremony, so it took some time," Hanekawa explained as he walked closer, her fair skin dominating his vision.
"I forgot you're now in charge of ANBU," Tsunade noticed his gaze and instinctively crossed her arms.
But the gesture only emphasized her figure.
"Sensei, what do you want for dinner?" Hanekawa forced himself to look away.
"Anything," Tsunade crossed her long legs. "I just want to fill my stomach quickly."
"Then I'll make you a simple bowl of tonkotsu ramen," Hanekawa said, turning toward the kitchen.
"Brat with wandering eyes!" Tsunade couldn't help but snort.
With her strength, her perception was naturally sharp.
At some point, she had noticed Hanekawa's tendency to stare at her.
Especially at her thighs and other areas.
Soon, Hanekawa returned from the kitchen with a bowl of tonkotsu ramen.
"There's something I forgot to ask you," Tsunade picked up her chopsticks. "It should have been discussed in the Hokage's office, but you were at the ANBU base all day."
"What is it?" Hanekawa asked curiously.
"The Uchiha," Tsunade said after taking a sip of the ramen broth.
"Sensei, what's your opinion on the Uchiha clan?" Hanekawa thought for a moment and asked in return.
"Although the Uchiha clan tends to be extreme, they are still Konoha shinobi," Tsunade twirled her noodles and took a bite.
"It seems you don't agree with Danzo's methods," Hanekawa smiled.
"His methods would only push the Uchiha clan to rebel," Tsunade frowned slightly. "But the Uchiha clan's reputation in Konoha isn't great, especially because of the Konoha Military Police Force."
The Konoha Military Police Force was somewhat like the urban management officers from his previous life.
Coupled with the Uchiha clan's inherent arrogance and inflexibility, they enforced rules strictly, often even more harshly than necessary.
Over time, it was no surprise that the villagers disliked them.
"Granduncle Tobirama gave the Uchiha clan the Konoha Military Police Force to help them integrate into the village," Tsunade shook her head. "But it seems it hasn't worked."
Hanekawa's lips twitched.
Tobirama's move was clearly calculated.
But as Tsunade said, he had given the Uchiha clan a chance.
It was just that the Uchiha clan couldn't possibly succeed.
"The Konoha Military Police Force has become the Uchiha clan's institution," Tsunade said bluntly. "I want to reclaim some of its authority."
Hanekawa nodded slightly.
From the Hokage's perspective, he understood Tsunade's reasoning.
"But it won't be easy to implement," Tsunade rubbed her forehead. "And the Uchiha clan suffered heavy losses on the Land of Frost battlefield."
"Are there vacancies in the Konoha Military Police Force?" Hanekawa's eyebrows rose at the latter part of her sentence.
"Yes," Tsunade looked at him. "Do you have a way to make the Uchiha clan willingly accept non-Uchiha members into the Konoha Military Police Force?"
"There is a way," Hanekawa stroked his chin. "For example, promise them the Hokage position."
"What kind of nonsense is that?" Tsunade rolled her eyes. "The Hokage position is earned through strength and achievements. It can't be promised."
"All we need to do is give the Uchiha clan the opportunity to compete for the Hokage position," Hanekawa smiled. "As expected of my sensei, even rolling your eyes is beautiful."
"Brat!" Tsunade couldn't help but kick him. "Do you want to die?"
"Ahem," Hanekawa returned to the topic. "What do you think of my suggestion?"
His plan was simple—dangle a carrot.
But it wasn't entirely a carrot.
Of course, he wasn't talking about the Fifth Hokage, but the Sixth, Seventh, or Eighth Hokage.
In the original story, the Sixth Hokage was Kakashi Hatake, the Seventh was Naruto Uzumaki, and the Eighth was Shikamaru Nara.
Hanekawa thought one of these positions could easily go to Sasuke Uchiha.
The only issue was the wait.
But the Uchiha clan had waited for so many years; a little more time wouldn't hurt.
For them, having the hope of becoming Hokage was enough.
"Is it really that simple?" Tsunade thought for a moment and couldn't help but ask.
After all, theoretically, every shinobi in Konoha had the right to compete for the Hokage position.
"It's that simple," Hanekawa smiled. "After the inauguration ceremony, I'll talk to Fugaku Uchiha and take on a student."
"Do you want to take Itachi Uchiha as your student?" Tsunade's heart stirred.
She didn't know Hanekawa had already discussed taking on a student with Fugaku Uchiha.
Since Sasuke Uchiha hadn't been born yet, Hanekawa hadn't mentioned it to Tsunade.
"That's not a bad idea," Tsunade continued without waiting for his answer.
Hanekawa was already seen by many as the next Hokage.
If the Uchiha clan had a student of the Hokage, it would naturally soothe their tensions.
In exchange, the Konoha Military Police Force could accept non-Uchiha members.
"It's not Itachi Uchiha," Hanekawa explained. "I just received word from ANBU that Mikoto Uchiha is pregnant again."
"Are you worried Itachi's talent is too high?" Tsunade asked, surprised.
Although Itachi Uchiha was only four years old, his reputation as a genius had already spread.
If anyone in the Uchiha clan had the potential to become Hokage, it was undoubtedly him.
Shisui Uchiha could also be a candidate, but he was unlucky enough to be born in the same era as Hanekawa, losing his chance.
Hanekawa choosing an unborn child puzzled her.
The only explanation was that he didn't want Itachi Uchiha to become Hokage.
"No," Hanekawa shook his head. "I just want to remain your student for a few more years."
"What are you talking about?" Tsunade glared at him. "Would taking on a student mean you're no longer my student?"
"I mean I'll wait a few more years before becoming a jonin," Hanekawa coughed lightly. "By then, Itachi Uchiha would be too old, and it wouldn't be worth delaying him."
"Do as you please," Tsunade thought for a moment and decided it wasn't a big deal.
"If this succeeds, it will further boost your reputation, sensei," Hanekawa smiled.
Tsunade was momentarily stunned.
She hadn't thought of that.
But Hanekawa was right.
This move would demonstrate her governance style as Hokage.
If she could tolerate the Uchiha clan, other clans would naturally receive favorable treatment.
Once this idea spread through Konoha, more shinobi would feel at ease under her leadership.
"This is what Granduncle Tobirama envisioned," Tsunade snorted. "It's just that Danzo was too foolish, messing everything up!"
Hanekawa thought to himself that it wasn't just Danzo who was foolish—Hiruzen Sarutobi's indecisiveness and leniency had also contributed to the Uchiha clan's eventual downfall.
"Sensei, I'm heading back. See you tomorrow," Hanekawa said after dinner and washing the dishes.
"Wait," Tsunade hesitated for a few seconds before speaking. "Stay and sleep here."
"Huh?" Hanekawa looked up at her, surprised.
"Tomorrow is the Hokage inauguration ceremony. There are still some things I need to discuss with you," Tsunade explained, feeling a bit nervous under his gaze.
"Alright," Hanekawa walked over and sat across from her. "What is it?"
"Not urgent. Let me organize my thoughts," Tsunade said calmly.
She stood up and returned to her room.
After closing the door, Tsunade let out a sigh.
She had only come up with that excuse on the spot and didn't actually have anything specific to discuss.
Now it seemed she had to improvise.
Hanekawa didn't rest but went outside instead.
He took the opportunity to practice his Wood Release techniques.
As he was about to form hand seals, he suddenly had an idea and used single-handed seals instead.
Wood Release: Great Forest Technique!
His right arm transformed into multiple wooden vines, which he controlled to surge forward, wrapping around a nearby tree like snakes.
Hanekawa nodded slightly.
Single-handed seals were slower than double-handed ones, but they freed up one hand and could confuse or ambush enemies.
For example, forming seals with one hand hidden behind his back.
In the ninja world, few shinobi used single-handed seals, so most wouldn't be on guard against it.
For now, Hanekawa didn't need it—his double-handed seals were fast enough.
Unless the D-rank talent "Three's Company" could be upgraded, as a 30% increase in single-handed seal speed was still too slow.
As the night deepened, Hanekawa wiped the sweat from his forehead and exhaled.
He returned to the living room, puzzled.
Why was Tsunade still in her room?
Hanekawa glanced at the clock on the wall—it was already 10 p.m.
He had been training for nearly three hours.
Hanekawa walked over to Tsunade's room.
The door was slightly ajar.
He peeked inside and saw Tsunade lying on the bed.
She was on her side, her fair and smooth legs exposed, catching his eye.
Hanekawa thought for a moment, then walked over to her.
He bent down, picked up her feet, and tucked them under the blanket.
Just as he was about to leave, he raised an eyebrow.
He realized Tsunade was awake but pretending to sleep.
What was going on? Didn't she say she had something to discuss?
Was she pretending to sleep to avoid work? But she was the one who brought it up.
Hanekawa blinked, then walked around to the other side of the bed and lay down.
He shifted closer until he was facing Tsunade's back, thinking to himself that he'd see what she was up to.
After some time, Hanekawa heard steady breathing.
Was she really asleep?
He was momentarily stunned.
But then he realized something—Tsunade hadn't kicked him out.
Hanekawa's heart stirred, and he slipped under the blanket.
He glanced down and saw that Tsunade was still dressed, having only removed her outer coat.
From his angle, he could see her ample hips.
He thought of Samui.
After comparing, Tsunade still came out on top.
A faint fragrance filled the air.
Hanekawa closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Tsunade wasn't Samui, and he didn't want to be kicked out. This was already significant progress.
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