175 Hokage Election Conference

Kushina's pregnancy had a huge impact on Simu. He spent the entire night hovering around her, unable to contain his excitement.

Of course, in the end, he couldn't resist Lindy's enthusiasm for wanting a child of her own and was eventually pulled away.

Thanks to Simu's incredible physique, even after several days of, well, "exertion," he remained physically unaffected. At most, he seemed a little mentally drained.

While Simu was enjoying his nights, the entire village was in turmoil.

Jiraiya and Tsunade rushed back, and many border ninjas were recalled, leaving only minimal defenses in place.

This made the Fire Nation's borders the weakest they had been since the start of the Third Ninja War.

But with Konoha in chaos, no one had the time or energy to worry about external threats.

Even Simu's teammate, Namikaze Minato, had returned to the village.

Meanwhile, at the Sarutobi clan's estate…

Decades of Sarutobi Hiruzen's leadership had allowed the clan's influence to grow exponentially.

Some even whispered that the Sarutobi clan had become the most powerful in Konoha.

Their Fire Style ninjutsu had even surpassed the Uchiha clan, who were once known for their mastery of it.

After a long absence, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, who had been cast aside by Sarutobi Hiruzen, returned to the Sarutobi clan's ancestral hall.

"What do you plan to do, Hiruzen?" Utatane Koharu asked.

Now was not the time for infighting. No matter their past disagreements, they had to stand together.

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head. "My retirement as Hokage is inevitable."

He glanced at his two old comrades. Once, there had been three of them.

A trace of nostalgia flickered in his eyes before he continued, "What we need to focus on now is preventing Hanyu Simu from becoming Hokage."

Understanding his intent, the two advisors immediately became more alert.

"You have a candidate in mind?"

If they wanted to stop Hanyu Simu, they needed to put forth another option.

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded.

"Namikaze Minato."

"Namikaze Minato?" Utatane Koharu repeated, considering the name.

As one of the two brightest rising stars in Konoha's new generation, Minato was well-known to both advisors. It didn't take them long to understand Hiruzen's reasoning.

First, both Namikaze Minato and Hanyu Simu came from civilian backgrounds, making it easier for them to gain the support of the village's commoners.

Second, after years in power, Sarutobi Hiruzen had built strong relationships and exchanged favors with the major ninja clans. 

With the backing of Koharu, Homura, and the Shimura clan behind Danzo, they had enough influence to push Minato into the Hokage seat.

Most importantly, Minato had no deep political roots. As a commoner, he would have to rely on the existing ninja network that Hiruzen had cultivated. 

This meant that even if Hiruzen stepped down, his faction would still retain significant control over the village.

Similar discussions were happening all over Konoha.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the village, within the Konoha Police Force headquarters—home of the Uchiha clan—another conversation was unfolding.

nAKA Shrine, the spiritual heart of the Uchiha clan, was hosting a crucial meeting that would determine their future.

As the clan leader, Uchiha Bakugo sat cross-legged at the head of the gathering and spoke calmly.

"Tomorrow is the election for the new Hokage. Tell me your thoughts."

The Uchiha clan had many elite Jōnin, making them one of Konoha's most powerful forces. However, their pride often led to arrogance.

Sure enough, someone immediately voiced their opinion.

"Patriarch, the Uchiha are Konoha's strongest clan! It's time for one of us to take the Hokage seat!"

Many others quickly agreed.

"That's right! Brother Fugaku would be perfect for Hokage!"

As the likely successor to lead the Uchiha, Uchiha Fugaku was the natural choice in their eyes.

Uchiha Fugaku, one of the more level-headed members of the clan, turned to Fugaku.

"What do you think, Fugaku?"

Despite being under twenty, Fugaku stood up confidently.

"I appreciate your support, but I do not believe I am ready to take the position of Hokage just yet."

"Instead, I urge all of you to vote for Hanyu Simu."

His words caused an immediate uproar.

"Hanyu Simu? You mean Miss Mikoto's boyfriend?"

"Even if he's Mikoto-san's boyfriend, why should we Uchiha support a commoner?"

The once orderly clan meeting quickly turned into a chaotic debate. This was a common issue among the Uchiha—so focused on their own pride and lineage that their vision often became narrow.

Under mounting pressure, Fugaku raised his hand and spoke firmly.

"Everyone, listen to me."

"You all know the position of our Uchiha clan within the village. If we only vote for one of our own, the reality is that an Uchiha will never become Hokage."

"Not only that, but such a move would further alienate us and make us a bigger target for the rest of the village."

Fugaku paused, then continued his reasoning.

"But voting for Hanyu Simu is different."

"First, he is the strongest candidate to become Hokage in this election. Supporting him would put us in his favor and help integrate the Uchiha into the village's power structure."

"Second, as you mentioned, Hanyu Simu is married to an Uchiha. If the Hokage himself has an Uchiha wife, how do you think the rest of the village will react?"

"This would undoubtedly improve our clan's relationship with Konoha, building understanding and bridging the gap between us and the rest of the village."

"Only when the people of Konoha truly understand the Uchiha can we have a real chance at producing a Hokage of our own."

Though the Uchiha were currently sidelined, Fugaku's words carried weight.

The situation hadn't yet reached a breaking point, so many still believed in the village and sought to integrate into it.

After Fugaku's analysis, most began to feel that… it actually made sense.

Moreover, many Uchiha had either been saved by Simu on the battlefield or had witnessed his strength firsthand. This made them less resistant to the idea of him becoming Hokage.

With the firm stance of Uchiha Bakugo, any remaining dissenting voices were quickly silenced, and a consensus was reached.

Finally, amid great anticipation, the Hokage selection meeting was held on schedule.

The previous Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had resigned in disgrace, presided over the gathering.

However, due to Danzo and Orochimaru's defection—and Hiruzen's actions during Orochimaru's escape—many in Konoha now viewed their former leader with skepticism.

Faced with their scrutiny, Hiruzen could only sigh.

The battle between him and Orochimaru had been witnessed by many, and after some editing and exaggeration, rumors had spread throughout the village.

This nearly shattered the prestige he had built over decades.

Though he could claim he had been caught in Orochimaru's genjutsu, the truth was plain to see.

With doubt firmly planted in people's minds, Sarutobi Hiruzen had no chance of reclaiming his former authority.

He cleared his throat and slowly stood up.

Before him was a restless crowd—nearly the entire village had gathered for this grand event.

Behind him stood the Hokage Rock, etched with the faces of Konoha's past leaders.

For now, only three were carved: Senju Hashirama, Senju Tobirama, and his own.

The thought of being the first Hokage in history to step down in disgrace made Hiruzen uneasy.

However, he quickly composed himself and spoke in a solemn, heartfelt tone:

"People of Konoha, I am your old friend, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen."

"In the blink of an eye, decades have passed since I first took on this role."

"Through these years, the village has grown stronger under the Will of Fire."

He framed his leadership as a time of progress, implying that Konoha's prosperity was due to his dedication and the ideals he upheld.

Then, his tone grew heavier.

"But in recent days, Konoha has faced grave betrayals."

"Sannin Orochimaru, once a proud son of our village, turned his back on Konoha, conducting forbidden experiments and murdering his comrades. He was ultimately captured and killed."

"Elder Danzo, a man once respected, was found guilty of colluding with enemy villages and betraying his own people. The evidence was undeniable, and he too was also killed."

Sarutobi Hiruzen maintained a stern, impartial expression, as if he had been the one to personally bring Orochimaru and Danzo to justice.

To those unaware of the full truth, it almost seemed like their downfall was his doing.

Yet, he made no mention of Simu, the one who had actually captured them.

"I never expected Orochimaru and Danzo to betray the village, despite being raised under the Will of Fire"

"As Hokage, I bear responsibility for their actions. And at my age, I can no longer continue in this role."

He swept his gaze across the crowd before removing his Hokage hat and placing it on the table.

Then, with deliberate solemnity, he bowed deeply.

"I hereby step down as Hokage and will oversee the selection of my successor."

The villagers were unsurprised—rumors of his resignation had already spread.

Some even felt sympathy for him, believing he had dedicated his life to Konoha only to be betrayed by his own disciple and comrade.

This was precisely the effect Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted.

Though he could no longer remain Hokage, his reputation still mattered.

If he could preserve his honor, a future comeback wasn't entirely out of the question.

"What an old fox," Kushina murmured, lightly squeezing Simu's hand, her face full of disdain.

Simu had originally forbidden her from coming, but a Jōnin's vote carried the weight of twenty ordinary ninja votes.

Kushina insisted on being there to cast her vote for him.

Noticing Simu's concerned gaze, she smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry, the baby and I are fine."

Simu gently pulled her into his arms.

"As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to you."

Kushina's cheeks flushed, and she quickly pushed him away.

"Not in public!"

Simu grinned, scratching his head.

"Then can I hug you when we get home?"

Kushina huffed, turning away with a cold snort, ignoring him.

.

.

TO BE CONTINUED

_________________

Noted : if you guys want read advance chapter, you can check at my P@treon : patreon.com/MoonEater18