Outside the Hokage Building.
After speaking these words, Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to have instantly aged ten years. His once-straight back now carried a faint hunch.
Silently, he handed over the Hokage's hat—the very symbol of power and responsibility of the Hokage—to Nara Shikaku at his side, his eyes brimming with deep reluctance.
Then, with nostalgia in his gaze, he turned back for one last look at the Hokage Tower behind him. This majestic building had borne witness to his years of toil and dedication, carrying half of his youth within its walls.
Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly descended from the platform, each step weighed down with heaviness.
He quietly looked down at the steps beneath his feet, recalling the days when he had stood there, passionately proclaiming the Will of Fire. Back then, his heart burned with ambition, and the people below looked up at him with admiration and respect.
But now, all he felt was the undisguised disgust in their eyes. That gaze was like a sharp blade stabbing straight into his heart.
Everyone silently watched his every move. No one spoke. The entire scene was wrapped in an unnatural silence.
Watching the former Hokage walk away, every villager's heart was filled with complicated emotions.
Walking slowly among the crowd, Sarutobi Hiruzen's figure seemed lonely and desolate.
Thinking back on his past achievements, Hiruzen let out a bitter smile. The confident, spirited Hokage of the past had long disappeared. What remained was a man corrupted by the desire for power, selfish and self-serving.
He could not help but sigh:"In this life of mine, I still failed to uphold the Will of Fire!"
Years ago, Sarutobi Hiruzen had already grown weary after holding the Hokage's seat for over thirty years. At that time, he felt he had already given enough to Konoha. It was time to rest.
Thus, he resolutely stepped down from the position of Hokage, and through the villagers' vote, entrusted that heavy responsibility to the young and promising Namikaze Minato.
However, once he truly stepped down, an odd emptiness filled his heart. He began to miss the busy, fulfilling days of his Hokage life. Inside, he felt hollow, as if he had lost something essential.
Worse still—ever since his retirement, no one came bearing gifts anymore! The once-crowded doorstep grew desolate, and that sudden contrast made him deeply regret his decision.
Sarutobi Hiruzen began regretting that he had abandoned the Hokage position in a fit of emotion. But there was no medicine for regret. It was already too late.
It was then he began to realize how alluring power truly was—how it could bring both honor and respect.
Now, he could only quietly accept reality, living a plain, ordinary life.
But a few years later, the Nine-Tails' Rampage suddenly struck Konoha! To protect the village, the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, had no choice but to sacrifice his own life to seal the beast.
The incident threw the village into chaos. With no one to lead, Konoha desperately needed someone to step forward and guide them.
Sarutobi Hiruzen quickly noticed this. He realized this was his chance to return to the Hokage's seat.
Thus, leveraging his seniority and reputation, he once again ascended to the position of Hokage.
This infuriated his longtime friend, Shimura Danzō. Why was Sarutobi Hiruzen allowed to serve as Hokage twice? Driven by jealousy, Danzō made trouble for him, but Hiruzen simply turned a blind eye.
To Hiruzen, regaining the Hokage position and the reins of power brought great excitement. Families who had once distanced themselves from him now returned to curry favor.
It made him realize: no matter what, he must never again give up the Hokage's seat. Even though he was already past sixty, he never thought of stepping down. He planned to hold that position until his dying breath.
But today's events snapped him out of his long immersion in the whirlpool of power. He finally recognized that over the years, his thirst for control had indeed driven him into many foolish mistakes…
But it was already too late. He had lost the people's support, and there was no way to recover it.
Sarutobi Hiruzen knew, from this moment onward, he had forever lost the Hokage's seat, becoming nothing more than a part of history.
Yet, he did not regret it. For he finally understood: the struggle for power only brings pain to more people. Only true peace can bring happiness.
With that realization, Sarutobi Hiruzen silently left the Hokage Building, leaving behind only his lonely back.
Once Sarutobi Hiruzen had completely departed, the clan heads exchanged glances with each other.
"Nara Shikaku, what do we do now?"
"Now that the Third Hokage has stepped down, who will become the Fifth Hokage?"
At this, Nara Shikaku fell into deep thought. For a moment, even he could not decide who should be recommended as Hokage…
Uchiha Fugaku's heart beat faster. He felt that this was finally the Uchiha's chance. If he could become Hokage today, then the Uchiha clan would truly rise!
Just as he was about to nominate himself, an untimely voice cut in, making Fugaku's face instantly darken.
"The candidate for the Fifth Hokage must be someone with experience and heritage, preferably someone with extraordinary ties to past Hokage.
And only one who already holds significant prestige within the village has the qualifications to be Hokage. Not just anyone can sit in that seat!"
Shimura Danzō, leaning on his cane, slowly stepped onto the platform. His voice carried both authority and a tone that brooked no dissent.
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Fugaku felt flames of fury rising in his chest.
He glared at Danzō, wishing he could tear the old dog to pieces right then and there.
But he could only suppress his anger. Now was not the time to act.
Fugaku knew that by Danzō's logic, only those with certain backgrounds and qualifications could become Hokage. This meant the Uchiha clan had almost no chance. Despite always being one of Konoha's most important forces, they had been excluded from the true center of power.
He knew that Danzō's proposal would undoubtedly win majority support. After all, when choosing a Hokage, people valued tradition and seniority the most.
Thus, the Uchiha clan lost their chance to fight for the Hokage's seat. Fugaku's heart sank with disappointment.
He had once believed that with his strength and his clan's influence, he could win them a voice at the highest level.
But now, he was forced to face reality and accept the fate of being marginalized.
How pitiful it was—for the Uchiha, one of the two clans who had founded Konoha—to not even hold a place among the village's highest leadership, let alone the Hokage's seat…
And just as Fugaku had predicted, the others voiced their approval of Danzō's words.
"That's a good proposal!"
"I support this suggestion!"
Nara Shikaku's eyes lit up. "Experienced, with heritage, tied to past Hokage, and already famous in the village… I know who this person is!"
At these words, Shimura Danzō's lips curved upward into a thin smile. He looked at Nara Shikaku with approval."As expected of the Nara clan—truly intelligent."
The conditions Danzō had laid out were tailor-made for himself. Every requirement, he fulfilled perfectly.
He had simply crafted the question according to his own answer!
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