Let all the villagers elect the Hokage?
This statement shocked everyone present, including members of the Hyuga clan.
Even Hyuga Hizashi, standing behind Makoto, was in disbelief, stunned by such an unconventional idea.
Konohagakure, though called a village, was essentially a microcosm of a small nation.
The villagers were the governed populace, while the Hokage wielded the absolute authority of a king.
Since when did villagers have the right to elect the Hokage?
But after the initial shock, many felt a sense of excitement.
Aside from the clan ninjas present, there were also several civilian ninjas who saw this as an unprecedented empowerment granted by Makoto.
Even the clan ninjas weren't entirely opposed to the idea.
The most significant advantage was that it could break the monopoly on the Hokage position.
As for the notion of villagers electing the Hokage, it merely sounded fair.
"What do you think, First Hokage?" Makoto turned to Senju Hashirama after finishing his statement.
Hashirama finally snapped out of his daze.
As he glanced at the crowd, he noticed their gazes toward Makoto had completely changed.
If Makoto had directly told the villagers, "You will elect the next Hokage," they might not have grasped the significance, perhaps only finding it novel.
Proper guidance would be required to help them understand what democracy truly meant.
However, the ninjas present were far from ignorant.
They had experienced battles and participated in missions that influenced national decisions, fully aware of how power operated.
Hashirama saw a fervor in their eyes—not admiration for Makoto, but excitement for the future Makoto had subtly painted.
Could he reject this?
Hashirama's throat tightened as he swallowed, his gaze toward Makoto filled with a mix of astonishment and complex emotions.
Is this really just a teenager? What kind of experiences must he have gone through to develop such ideas?
"I think... this is a very good approach," Hashirama finally said.
Makoto turned to the crowd again and asked, "What does everyone think?"
This simple question—What does everyone think?—stirred the emotions of everyone present.
In the past, the question was always Does anyone have objections?
The shift felt like both the good and bad aspects of governance were being magnified to the extreme.
Immediately, many people spoke up in agreement, and the heads of various clans nodded in approval as well.
With a smile, Makoto said, "Since everyone thinks so, I will draft the detailed rules and procedures."
Hashirama was filled with indescribable feelings.
He didn't feel anger, just disbelief.
This Hyuga Makoto was different from anyone he had ever met.
You could say he coveted the position of Hokage, but it might be kinder to frame it as aspiring to become Hokage.
This was a term often used to describe people like Namikaze Minato.
Many in the village dreamed of becoming Hokage.
Even at the ninja academy, there were countless children with the ambition to hold that title.
Could they be accused of simply craving power?
Those types of people only focused on constantly improving themselves, believing that once they reached a certain height, becoming Hokage would naturally follow.
But Makoto was different—he understood how to actively strive for it, which made his ambition seem more deliberate.
Yet Makoto was undeniably a person of skill and wisdom.
The only thing that made people question him was his age.
But having served as Hokage's assistant for so long, and managing the village in an orderly manner all on his own, Makoto had already proven everything.
Hashirama now somewhat understood why this young man had abandoned all pretense after that trial meeting—because he already held the winning hand.
As the First Hokage, Hashirama posed no threat to him whatsoever.
Unless he physically eliminated Makoto, but that was an even more impossible course of action.
After leaving the Hyuga residence, many people came up to Hashirama, actively engaging in conversation and expressing their heartfelt hopes and aspirations, their faces filled with excitement.
Hashirama smiled and chatted briefly with each person before bidding them farewell.
The night was deep, but Hashirama felt no drowsiness.
He wandered around the village for a while and eventually decided to go to Tsunade's place—after all, spending the night on the streets wasn't ideal.
Although Makoto had arranged accommodations for him and Tobirama, neither of them had gone.
At Tsunade's house, there were only two people—Tsunade herself and a little girl with black hair, who was the one to open the door for him.
In the living room, Tsunade lay drunkenly on the sofa, the coffee table covered with empty bottles.
"Little Tsuna," Hashirama called softly.
"Grandpa… hiccup..."
Tsunade scratched her messy hair. "Are you planning to stay here? Shizune, go tidy up the guest room."
Hashirama sighed helplessly and sat down across from her.
He picked up a bottle of sake with some remaining contents and took a sip, though he couldn't taste anything.
He set down the bottle and let out a soft sigh.
After all, he had been a bit of a drinker himself.
Across from him, Tsunade chuckled at the sight and, lying on her side, asked, "What's wrong?"
Hashirama smiled. "Nothing."
Tsunade asked again, "You just went to that meeting with Hyuga Makoto, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
"So, do you think the village is a complete mess now?"
"…I wouldn't say that."
"If they handed me this mess, I wouldn't be able to clean it up," Tsunade said as she took another swig from her bottle.
The sake wasn't exactly low in alcohol content, and her drinking was quite bold.
Hashirama pondered for a moment before asking, "Do you really hate the idea of being Hokage that much?"
Tsunade pursed her lips at his words, looking down at the bottle in her hand.
The liquid, spilling from her ungraceful drinking posture, left her hand sticky and wet.
"That kid," she suddenly motioned with her lips toward Shizune, who was tidying up the room.
"Her name's Shizune. Her uncle wanted to be Hokage but died on the battlefield."
"And your grandson, whom You never even met, also wanted to be Hokage and ended up dying on the battlefield."
Hashirama was stunned.
He hadn't expected the conversation to turn so heavy so suddenly.
Tsunade continued, her gaze lowered. "Not just anyone should be Hokage—not those who don't even know themselves."
Taking another swig of sake, she muttered bitterly, "They're all fools!"
Hashirama fell into silence for a moment before speaking again.
"I don't think you should dismiss them like that."
"No matter how strong someone is, if they aspire to be Hokage, it's because they understand the responsibilities that come with it. They all have a desire to protect the village, and that's something that can never be dismissed!"
"No one is born a Hokage. Self-improvement is a long journey, and it's not just about reaching the destination. The journey itself has meaning. Their deaths, as tragic as they were, were a testament to their worth as shinobi. The village is lucky to have such people. Even if they weren't Hokage, their contributions to the village are just as significant."
Tsunade fell silent, clearly disliking such lofty, noble rhetoric.
Praising the value of the dead — could that really ease the pain of the living?
What she cared about wasn't whether Nawaki and Dan's deaths had meaning.
What mattered to her was that they had left her behind.
"And what about Orochimaru?" she asked suddenly.
Hashirama's face darkened. "Tsunade, merits and wrongdoings can never cancel each other out. Orochimaru already enjoyed all the rewards and glory his achievements brought, so he should also take full responsibility for his crimes. We're talking about thousands of lives! Death is already the best outcome for him!"
Tsunade stared blankly at the ceiling for a long time.
Yes, thousands of lives—who could possibly forgive him?
Even if she were Hokage, she should have executed Orochimaru without hesitation.
Orochimaru... you really are a damned bastard!
Tsunade threw the empty bottle aside and rubbed her face in frustration.
"Ugh, this is so annoying."
She stood up, glanced at Hashirama sitting there, and had a sudden thought.
"Grandpa."
"Hmm?"
"How about playing a couple of rounds?"
Hashirama was momentarily stunned, then watched as Tsunade pulled two dice cups from under the table.
His eyes lit up.
Not only was he a drinker, but he was also a compulsive gambler.
Tsunade inherited all these fine "traditions" from him.
"Lady Tsunade, I've prepared the clothes for you to wear at the Third Hokage's funeral tomorrow..."
Shizune walked out of the room only to find the grandfather and granddaughter engrossed in their gambling game, having the time of their lives.
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