However, Shiyu Uchiha, known for doing things his own way and having an unshackled nature, would never allow himself to be looked down upon. Without hesitation, he personally arranged a grand celebration to commemorate his own victories, boldly declaring his legendary deeds on the battlefield.
Faced with such a powerful and domineering member of the Uchiha clan, those who were angry could only swallow their rage and keep their mouths shut. After all, no one had the courage to provoke this renowned expert whose accomplishments were genuine and in no way exaggerated.
Although peace had just been restored, the situation remained unstable. Therefore, large numbers of shinobi forces remained deployed along the border regions as a precautionary measure. Nevertheless, it was believed that after some time passed and the situation fully stabilized, most of the ninja forces would be able to safely withdraw from the front lines and return home to reunite with their families.
At present, while some troops remained at the front, many battle-hardened commanders had already returned to Konoha Village. As a result, the whole of Konoha felt as if warmed by a gentle spring breeze, permeated with a joyful sense of revival and renewal, as people looked forward with great anticipation to the arrival of a bright future.
Yet at this very moment, those with keen perception could already sense something else in the air of Konoha—the anguished cries of shattered hearts. For Konoha, this Great Ninja World War had undoubtedly brought an immense catastrophe.
Although ultimate victory had been achieved, the cost paid was unbearably heavy. Such severe losses could not be easily concealed. Precisely for this reason, it had become necessary for someone to take responsibility and bear the pain and consequences brought by this war.
At this critical moment, hidden tensions began to stir among the upper echelons of Konoha leadership. Danzo Shimura, who had always harbored ambitions of becoming Hokage, seized the opportunity to manipulate public opinion and launched a fierce attack against Hiruzen Sarutobi. He directly targeted Sarutobi with his accusations, mercilessly condemning his ineffective leadership that had caused heavy damage to Konoha, strongly demanding that Sarutobi resign from his position as Hokage.
Faced with Danzo Shimura's aggressive stance and the unbearable losses suffered by Konoha in the war, after much careful consideration, Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to bravely shoulder this responsibility. Thus, he firmly announced his resignation as Hokage in front of everyone.
Not long afterward, during a crucial Jonin meeting, Sarutobi officially and solemnly announced this decision. At the same time, another critical matter concerning Konoha's future—the election of the Fourth Hokage—was also placed on the agenda.
At that time, the initial candidates for the position of Hokage naturally focused on Konoha's famous legendary Sannin: Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya.
Surprisingly, however, neither Tsunade nor Jiraiya seemed particularly enthusiastic about becoming the Fourth Hokage. They both rejected the offer outright from the start and quickly found excuses, leaving the village without hesitation, as if afraid of getting dragged into the whirlpool of power struggles.
However, before their departure, both had already laid out meticulous plans long in advance.
They issued clear orders and task assignments to their direct subordinates, demanding these loyal followers fully support Orochimaru. This decision was like throwing a stone into still water — it immediately sent shockwaves of controversy through the village.
In no time, calls for "Orochimaru to become The Fourth" surged like a tidal wave across the village. People enthusiastically discussed his extraordinary talents, formidable strength, and the glorious achievements he had accumulated over the years. At the center of the storm, Orochimaru couldn't help but feel some truth in their words.
In comparison, although Shiyu Uchiha had also gained recognition through his remarkable accomplishments, his following seemed pale and insignificant when measured against Orochimaru's overwhelming momentum.
Of course, the core reason behind this situation lay in Shiyu Uchiha himself—who appeared to have little enthusiasm for competing for the position of The Fourth.
Furthermore, the Konoha leadership clearly intended to downplay Shiyu Uchiha's influence, making his already limited number of supporters dwindle further, eventually resulting in what could only be described as a niche following.
Those who firmly supported Shiyu Uchiha were mostly subordinates who had fought alongside him during the Great Ninja World War. Fully understanding their sentiments, Shiyu Uchiha personally gathered several key figures among them, calming their concerns and building a group with common goals.
As for the other subordinates, he made proper arrangements for each of them as well. After all, a leader must never let his loyal followers feel cold or disappointed.
At this moment, Shiyu Uchiha truly had no intention of vying for the position of The Fourth. Just managing the Uchiha Police Force alone had already driven him to the brink of desperation. If he really ascended to become Konoha's Village Headman, the political battles awaiting him would only become more numerous and complicated.
Moreover, it was easy to foresee that the road to becoming Hokage would inevitably be filled with numerous hardships and formidable resistance. Thinking about this made his head hurt, worried he might just snap and flip the table in frustration.
In fact, stepping back at this moment was not without its benefits. Whether Orochimaru or Minato became the Fourth Hokage, it wouldn't bring significant negative consequences for the Uchiha Clan, as both possessed remarkably open-minded and inclusive dispositions.
Additionally, the reappearance of Madara Uchiha had once again reminded Shiyu Uchiha of his own shortcomings in strength. Otherwise, during the incident involving Obito, he wouldn't have pretended to be ignorant and dared not continue his investigation. Even though that guy had serious flaws in intelligence, his power had been real and undeniable. Even now, with Madara old and frail, Shiyu Uchiha still had no desire to test him.
Therefore, Shiyu Uchiha had already resolved to focus entirely on cultivation and power enhancement. Recently, after fully absorbing the fruits he had gained from the Great Ninja World War, he had already begun putting a completely new concept into practice—developing a unique bloodline limit perfectly compatible with the Sharingan.
However, precisely because of this, he would be swamped for a long time to come, with no time or energy to spare. This undoubtedly cut off all possibilities of him ever ascending to the Hokage's throne.
Because of this crucial incident, when Renga Uchiha and other clansmen came back from the battlefield in triumph, Shiyu Uchiha was compelled to bring forward the clan meeting.
However, before the official clan meeting began, Shiyu wanted to make sure his plan would go smoothly. So he first brought together five key figures—Renga Uchiha, Mikoto, Fugaku, Qingyuan, and Tiexin—for a smaller, private meeting to win their support.
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