The entire conference room was so silent that one could hear a pin drop.
For a brief moment, everyone present was completely blank-minded, staring dumbfounded at Hoshiyomi and the others. Even the most diehard opposition members, including the Uchiha clan elders, forgot to voice any rebuttal against him.
Was that some kind of joke just now?
Those terrifying auras… they were unmistakably the pressure unique to Kage-level shinobi. And just now, four of them had erupted simultaneously.
Every aura was distinct, and they could clearly sense their sources: Sakumo, Orochimaru, Hoshiyomi, and Tsunade.
Four Kage-level powerhouses!
Though Jiraiya and Shinku hadn't yet reached true Kage-level, they were both at the seme-Kage level—meaning it was only a matter of time before they too joined that rank.
No matter how the elders calculated, they had never accounted for this. They had always assumed Hoshiyomi was the only one who had broken through to Kage-level. As for Tsunade, they thought her candidacy was merely due to her Senju lineage and Hoshiyomi's desire to push her forward into the seat.
But reality had slapped them hard across the face. Tsunade was already Kage-level herself—and behind her stood three more Kage-levels, plus two nearly there.
With such power, it wasn't just about inheriting the Hokage title. If they wished to leave the village and form their own, they could probably establish a Sixth Great Shinobi Village within no time—one strong enough to rival Konoha itself.
The opposition suddenly realized how foolish they had been. To oppose Tsunade at this moment, only to have her rise anyway… no, that wouldn't do. Survival first. Better start playing it safe.
At the head of the hall, Hiruzen Sarutobi, watching Hoshiyomi stand tall, sharp and unyielding like a peerless blade, suddenly recalled his own teacher—Tobirama Senju.
As Tobirama's student, Hiruzen had attended many meetings in his youth. Whenever opposition arose, Tobirama had dealt with it in much the same way Hoshiyomi had just done.
I was exposed to this for so many years… So why, when it came to me, did I not dare to use my own power to suppress those dissatisfied voices, just like Hoshiyomi and my sensei did?
Hiruzen let out a sigh inwardly. Hiruzen, Hiruzen… it seems your term as Hokage wasn't quite up to par after all.
But it didn't matter anymore. The future no longer required him to fight tooth and nail in that seat. It was time to live as a father, to look forward to being a grandfather.
That boy Asuma was getting more and more disobedient; he had to go home and discipline him properly. He couldn't let his "new account" go to waste.
Once the room had fully calmed and Hoshiyomi had leisurely sat back down, Hiruzen swept his eyes across the assembly once more and finally spoke:
"Now then, let us begin the vote. All in favor of Tsunade succeeding as the Fourth Hokage, raise your hand."
Hoshiyomi and his companions raised theirs without hesitation. Then Akimichi Torifu, then the Senju elders, followed by the heads of the Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, and Aburame clans.
More and more hands went up. Even those still harboring dissatisfaction glanced at the six and wisely swallowed their complaints.
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado exchanged a glance. Seeing the unwillingness in Homura's eyes, Koharu shook her head slightly and raised her hand with the others.
Watching his partner, Homura let out a long sigh, silently cursing himself for being foolish, and reluctantly raised his hand as well.
The motion for Tsunade to succeed as the Fourth Hokage passed with overwhelming approval.
The hardest step—the High Council meeting—was settled. The rest would be simple.
At the subsequent jōnin assembly, Tsunade also won by a wide margin, effectively securing her position as Konoha's successor.
With the succession now confirmed, Tsunade and Hoshiyomi departed for the Land of Fire. This time, Rie also joined the entourage—not to meet the Fire Daimyō, but to visit Tsunade's mother, Moka.
As for what those two women would discuss when they met—Tsunade and Hoshiyomi could guess that easily enough.
Tsunade's father had passed away a few years earlier due to illness. That was expected—back when Hoshiyomi had first met Tsunade's parents at the age of nine, her father's complexion was already pale.
That he managed to hold on for more than ten years after that could be considered the result of Tsunade's efforts.
The audience with the Fire Daimyō went smoothly. By now, the Fire Daimyō was Tsunade's uncle. For his niece to succeed as the Fourth Hokage, he naturally raised both hands—and feet—in support. After all, one's own family wouldn't harm their own. With Tsunade as Hokage, his own seat as Daimyō would only grow more secure.
Without hesitation, he stamped the official seal of the Fire Daimyō on the relevant documents. He also readily approved Tsunade and Hoshiyomi's request for Tsunade's widowed mother to return to Konoha to live.
The three who had departed for the Land of Fire returned as four—the additional person, of course, being Tsunade's mother. During the few days they spent there, the two widowed mothers grew as close as sisters.
When it came to urging marriage, their combined pressure doubled in force.
Still, while both were eager to hold grandchildren, they kept their basic sense. With Tsunade about to take on the role of a village's Kage, marriage was out of the question for now. This matter would have to wait a few more years.
...
Roughly a month after the end of the Second Great Ninja War, Konoha welcomed another great event: Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, stepped down, and Tsunade succeeded him as the Fourth Hokage.
Before the eyes of all Konoha's villagers, Tsunade and the Third Hokage held a grand inauguration ceremony. Amidst the people's cheers, Tsunade donned the white-and-red ceremonial robes with the words "Fourth Hokage" inscribed on the back, and solemnly received the Hokage hat with the "Fire" character from Hiruzen's hands.
Placing the hat upon her head, Tsunade, looking valiant and radiant, completed her inaugural address under the villagers' enthusiastic applause. Finally, she struck the very first chisel mark on the Hokage Rock, carving her likeness, and thus officially concluded the ceremony.
That evening, after the banquet, Tsunade and Hoshiyomi—both smiling all day—returned tired to the Senju compound.
In the room, Tsunade put down the Hokage hat and rested her head on Hoshiyomi's shoulder.
"So exhausting… it's only my first day as Hokage and I already feel worn out. Honestly, I kind of regret it."
Hoshiyomi gazed at Tsunade in her ceremonial robes, finding her ever more breathtaking. With one arm around her waist and his hand gently holding hers, he whispered in her ear:
"Do you remember what we said—after the war ended, we would…? Well, it's already been a month."
Feeling the warmth of his breath on her ear, Tsunade's cheeks flushed red. After a moment of hesitation, she shyly nodded.
Seeing her nod, Hoshiyomi grew even more excited. After a moment of thought, he suggested:
"Well… since it's your first time, you might get embarrassed. How about… you keep this robe on?"
Instead of receiving a warning backed by her monstrous strength, he was met with a sultry, teasing roll of her eyes.
That night, Hoshiyomi finally realized his dream: to be the man of the Hokage.