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The situation had backed even Hiruzen Sarutobi into a corner. The elders, Koharu and Homura, were in an even more precarious position.
Hiruzen's gaze settled heavily on Qianyu. The man before them was no longer a figure they could push around. With his wings fully spread, Qianyu had slipped from everyone's control. His pointed, public challenge could no longer be ignored.
Hiruzen's eyes flicked toward Danzō beside him. Danzō saw the look. His fists clenched tight. His expression curdled into pure resentment. The meaning in Hiruzen's glance was crystal clear. You started this. You fix it.
But to defuse this now meant agreeing to Qianyu's terms. Dissolving Root was unthinkable. But the position of Hokage Advisor… Was it worth giving up that title just to have annoyed Qianyu? What a pathetic trade. Then again, the title itself was just that—a title. His real power came from Root. Even without the official name, he could still wield an advisor's influence. With Hiruzen, Koharu, and Homura on his side, he could always reclaim the position later.
Yet, the bitterness remained. Why did he have to take the fall alone? But the current atmosphere left him no choice. Like it or not, he had to swallow it.
Danzō took a deep, steadying breath. "Regarding the matter of Qianyu," he announced, his voice stiff. "I had my suspicions, but no concrete evidence. My approach today was… insufficiently rigorous. I have held the position of Hokage Advisor long enough. Today, I announce my resignation. It is time to pass this duty to a younger, more capable generation."
Hiruzen seized the opening immediately. "Since Danzō has chosen to step down voluntarily and recommends a successor from our talented youth, so be it. This matter is closed." He shifted the focus, his tone turning brisk. "Now, we return to the purpose of this assembly: discussing the candidate for the next Hokage."
Danzō, Koharu, and Homura retook their seats. Hiruzen remained standing, his eyes fixed on Qianyu, who was also still on his feet.
Qianyu offered a thin smile. "If the Third Hokage says the matter is closed, then who am I to argue?" He spread his hands in a gesture of mock humility. "After all, I'm just an ordinary, insignificant shinobi of Konoha."
He finally sat back down. Hiruzen's eyes darkened as he met Qianyu's gaze before finally sinking into his own chair.
A collective, barely audible sigh of relief passed through the gathered clan heads. For a moment there, with Qianyu's aura sharp as a drawn blade, they'd genuinely thought he might resort to force.
Insignificant? They almost scoffed in unison. Him? The man who had just openly confronted the village elders and forced the Hokage's own advisor to relinquish his title? Everyone in the room understood the source of Qianyu's boldness: sheer, undeniable power. The law of the jungle ruled the shinobi world. Without that strength, all his prestige would be meaningless. Would Danzō have conceded so easily to mere words?
Hiruzen's gaze found Nara Shikaku. The Jonin Commander understood. It was his cue to steer the discussion.
"Perhaps," Shikaku proposed carefully, "we should consider the generation after Minato."
In truth, his initial choice had been Qianyu. On paper, he was the most qualified candidate in Konoha. But after the spectacle they'd just witnessed, that path was sealed shut. Hiruzen and the elders would never allow it. The same went for Orochimaru.
Moreover… Shikaku had begun to see the real purpose behind Hiruzen calling this meeting.
The generation after Minato meant Kakashi's age group. None of them were ready. They were too young, too inexperienced.
Just as Shikaku predicted, Koharu Utatane spoke up. "While there are certainly excellent shinobi among them, we cannot deny they lack the experience needed to lead the entire village."
Shikaku played his part. "Then, who else is there?"
Danzō's eyes glinted. Was this his opening? He'd just vacated the advisor's seat. The Hokage's chair was the perfect replacement. His argument was ready: unparalleled familiarity with the Hokage's duties, allowing for an immediate, seamless transition.
A flicker of worry crossed his mind. What if Qianyu used the earlier incident against him? He hadn't known the full agenda of this meeting beforehand. The moment the Fifth Hokage election was mentioned, his first instinct was to attack Qianyu's credibility, to eliminate his strongest rival. Because Danzō knew—in terms of qualifications, achievements, and raw power—Qianyu was the frontrunner. Even Orochimaru paled in comparison now.
If he'd known Shikaku would make such a weak-sounding proposal, he'd have held his tongue. Now, he felt like the fool who'd dropped a rock on his own foot.
But his dilemma was short-lived.
Hiruzen Sarutobi rose to his feet once more. "If there is no other way… if these are truly extraordinary times," he declared, his voice imbued with grave resolve, "then I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, am willing to shoulder this burden once more."
Homura Mitokado was quick to chime in. "You would return to the helm?" Koharu added her support. "If you are willing to accept the duty…"
Danzō stared, disbelief hardening into cold fury. He saw it now. The whole play. Hiruzen, Koharu, Homura… they were running their script again. And once more, he wasn't in it.
This entire meeting was a staged performance to legitimize Hiruzen's return. A formality.
So what had his grand accusation against Qianyu been? A desperate, pointless gambit that only cost him his own title?
Every time. They isolated him. Every. Single. Time. Why?!
"You once abdicated the position," Danzō interrupted Koharu, his voice tight with suppressed rage, aimed squarely at Hiruzen. "Do you truly believe you are still capable?"
His gaze sharpened into a blade. "In fact, during the Nine-Tails' rampage, you arrived at the scene yet were trapped outside a barrier. You were rendered utterly useless!"
Homura scowled. "Danzō! That's too far! There was nothing Hiruzen could have done!" Koharu turned on Danzō, her own accusation ready. "And where were you at that time—?"
"Koharu!" Hiruzen's sharp command cut her off. He had just maneuvered that particular issue into the shadows. The last thing he needed was Koharu dragging it back into the light. He should have briefed her and Homura about the Uchiha situation before the meeting.
His eyes darted subtly toward Qianyu. The young man wore a mocking smile, watching them like they were court jesters. Hiruzen's simmering displeasure toward Qianyu deepened another degree.
Hiruzen forced a hearty, self-deprecating laugh. "Perhaps this old man is overestimating himself! Very well. Consider me merely a placeholder. A transitional figure, until the next true Hokage is ready to lead. Would that be acceptable?"
Danzō shot one last, venomous look at Hiruzen. He could taste blood where his teeth ground together. He had gained nothing. And he had thrown away his title for nothing.
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