"Cough, cough!"
Tsunade cleared her throat twice, trying to cover up her embarrassment.
But the expression on her face gave everything away.
No one in the room dared to say anything.
After all, she was the Hokage—regardless of what they might be thinking, no one would dare voice it.
Looking at the clan leaders seated at the long conference table, Tsunade straightened her posture, regaining her composure. Then she began to announce the most critical decision of the meeting.
"To ensure the stable development of the village and to prevent it from heading down the wrong path—"
Sarutobi Hiruzen, seated toward the back, instinctively lowered his head as soon as those words left her mouth.
She didn't even need to name him—everyone knew exactly who she meant. She was one sentence away from calling out his ninja registration number.
Tsunade continued.
"The three former Hokage's advisors—Shimura Danzo, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado—"
"—are all officially dismissed for abuse of power."
Although most of the clan heads had already guessed this outcome, hearing it spoken aloud still left them stunned.
Since the founding of Konoha over sixty years ago, a Hokage advisor had never been formally dismissed.
The most they'd seen was someone like Danzo, who existed in a sort of Schrödinger's advisor state—fired one day, reinstated the next.
Tsunade's move was a bold warning shot at the entire table.
Her message couldn't have been clearer:
[Do your damn jobs. I can change the Hokage's assistant at will—who the hell do you think you are?]
Most of the clan leaders were already filling in the rest of that sentence in their heads.
Meanwhile, Hyuga Hiashi's expression began to stiffen with unease.
He had been the first to lead the Hyuga Clan into an alliance with the Uchiha.
But considering the long-standing rivalry between the Hyuga and Uchiha—each vying for the title of Konoha's strongest kekkei genkai—he couldn't help but worry.
Would this alliance cost him the position of Hokage's assistant?
Tsunade let the silence stretch, heightening the tension.
Then finally—
"Hyuga Hiashi. Uchiha Hikaru."
"From this moment forward, the two of you will serve as Konoha's new Hokage assistants."
As soon as Tsunade finished, Hiashi felt a wave of relief crash through him.
Followed by a rising tide of pride.
For years, the position of Hokage's assistant had been out of reach for the Hyuga Clan—largely due to the internal issues surrounding the main and branch families, and the limitations of the Caged Bird Seal.
If mobilized in war, the main family risked losing Byakugan to the enemy. It had happened before.
During the Third Great Ninja War, a Hyuga clan leader's Byakugan was taken and is still in the hands of Ao of Kirigakure. That loss has always been the Hyuga Clan's deepest shame.
Since then, Konoha grew cautious with Hyuga assignments.
Even when Kumogakure tried to abduct Hinata, the village forced Hiashi's twin brother Hizashi to take the fall and die under the guise of peace.
Now, after all those years—after the fall of the Third Hokage—Hiashi had finally earned his clan their rightful recognition.
Konoha's border security specialists now had a voice at the highest table.
Hiashi glanced toward Uchiha Hikaru with deep gratitude.
Because everything he had today—all of it—came from choosing to follow him.
The Caged Bird reform. Restored dignity. A legitimate seat at the table.
Of course, this was all Hiashi's own inner reflection. He would never say such things out loud.
Meanwhile, the other clan heads weren't even looking at Hiashi.
Their eyes were on Uchiha Hikaru, seated to Tsunade's right.
The seat of honor.
It was an unspoken rule that dated back to the Warring States era: the person on the right had precedence.
And Uchiha Hikaru was sitting there—not just as a clan head, but as the Hokage's assistant.
Several of the clan leaders who had schemed against the Uchiha under Hiruzen's reign now found their foreheads covered in sweat.
Uchiha Hikaru sat quietly in his seat at first.
His hand, however, had wandered beneath the table, idly exploring the texture and elasticity of Tsunade's deep blue cropped pants.
But then—he felt a wave of eyes on him.
His good mood was cut short.
A sharp glint flashed in Hikaru's eyes, and that familiar nuclear-grade smile crept onto his face.
"Why are you all staring at me?"
"I know I'm a bit handsome—even for an Uchiha—but there's no need to look at me like that."
As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone's gazes scattered awkwardly.
Then Hikaru's expression darkened, and his tone turned cold—laced with subtle threats.
"Or maybe… you don't dare to look me in the eye."
"Because you're guilty of something?"
"After all, it's not my fault I'm this good-looking. I only said a few words and suddenly you all went silent."
"Are you embarrassed?"
"Or is there something you don't want to admit?"
The air in the conference hall thickened with tension.
Tsunade glanced at the heads of each clan—all of whom had lowered their eyes—and felt pride surge in her chest.
That's my man.
So domineering.
Not only was he more powerful than her great-grandfather Hashirama was in his youth, but politically and mentally, he was already a match for her granduncle Tobirama.
Without realizing it, her legs lifted under the table, crossing leisurely.
Hikaru suddenly felt his hand get clamped—like he'd brushed against a cold northern forest.
Tsunade swiftly yanked his hand away.
He blinked, surprised, and turned to look at her with a curious expression.
Thankfully, no one noticed.
Uchiha Hikaru kept his composure and tone, unflinching.
"I'm not going to dwell on the past."
"But if I ever find out that any of you are doing harm to our fellow villagers again…"
"Well—I'm sure you all remember what happened to Danzo."
Threat.
Uchiha Hikaru just threatened us— blatantly.
Everyone understood exactly what he meant.
"Fellow villagers"? Please. He was obviously talking about the Uchiha.
Just like that, everyone's earlier pride about securing influence vanished into a cold sweat.
Then, without another word, Hikaru grabbed Tsunade's hand and helped her to her feet.
He turned and walked out of the room with her in tow.
The meeting had gone on long enough.
And while his hand was still warm from hers, he figured… might as well go home and settle things properly.
Tsunade's face flushed as she followed him, her thoughts still spinning from the rush of emotion.
Everyone watched the pair leave, and a single realization struck them all:
She wasn't just cautious of Hikaru's power.
She admired him.
As a man.
So cool...
Maybe you didn't need to become Hokage to be the with the kind of man who could make others silent.
-------
Send Power Stones
Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
---------------------
Join my Patreon and get access to 50+ early chapters before anyone else! 🔥
https://www.patreon.com/UK21
Your Support is Truly Appreciated 🫂