177 New Hokage

For a moment, even Sarutobi Hiruzen was stunned by the unexpected turn of events.

The Hyuga branch house had always been subordinate to the main family, bound by strict obedience in both missions and daily life.

Every branch member bore the Caged Bird seal—a mark that ensured absolute control. Any defiance would result in instant punishment, even death.

That was why Sarutobi Hiruzen had been so confident in his victory.

Yet, against all odds, the branch house had chosen to support Hanyu Simu!

Hyuga Hiashi's face darkened as he glared at his younger brother, who had spoken mere seconds after him.

"Outrageous! Hizashi, I'll give you one more chance. Don't forget—"

"You mean the Caged Bird, dear brother?" Hizashi interrupted with a sneer.

Under Hiashi's stunned gaze, he reached up and tore away the white cloth that had covered his forehead for years.

A smooth, unmarked forehead was revealed beneath.

"This... this is impossible..."

Hiashi's pupils shook violently.

Every Hyuga branch member bore the Caged Bird seal—a cursed mark that always appeared on their foreheads.

But Hizashi's forehead was completely clear.

Had he somehow broken free?

The Hyuga clan members around them were just as shocked.

"Patriarch, I'm sorry, but we refuse to remain caged birds any longer," Hyuga Hizashi declared.

As his words fell, the branch house Jōnin behind him removed the white cloths from their foreheads.

The sunlight illuminated their bare skin—foreheads that, for decades, had been hidden in shame.

For years, they had lived like shadows, forced to conceal the mark of their servitude.

But now, they stood tall, finally free.

"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"

"Hizashi, stop this nonsense!"

Hyuga Hiashi's voice trembled with disbelief.

Frantically, he formed a hand seal, channeling chakra to activate the Caged Bird seal.

Yet—nothing happened.

His fingers shook, his face pale with panic.

"Impossible... This can't be..."

"Nothing is impossible."

A calm voice interrupted.

From beside Simu, Hyuga Lindy stepped forward.

"Lindy-sama."

Hyuga Hizashi and all the branch house Jōnin bowed in unison, showing deep respect.

It was clear, Lindy was their true leader.

Seeing her, Hyuga Hiashi's face twisted in rage as realization struck him.

"So it's you!"

His bloodshot eyes burned with fury.

Without thinking, he lashed out, swinging his palm toward Lindy.

"Oh no, the great Hyuga leader has lost his temper," Simu remarked lazily.

In a blink, he appeared before Hiashi.

A sharp flash of movement was too fast for even the Byakugan to track.

Before Hiashi could react, a powerful kick struck his abdomen, launching him backward.

He crashed straight toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The Third Hokage's eyes twitched as he instinctively reached out, catching Hiashi mid-air.

The impact made him grunt from the force.

Meanwhile, Hyuga Lindy gently placed her hand on Simu's, whispering:

"Simu-kun, I could've handled Hiashi myself," Lindy said with a playful smile.

After all, with her mastery of the Six Styles and Armament Haki, she was now incredibly strong.

Simu scratched his nose, grinning.

"Is that so? Looks like I meddled for nothing."

Lindy shook her head, her smile bright as the stars.

"But it does feel nice to be protected by you, Simu."

"Hey, you two—can you stop flirting at a time like this?" Kushina sighed, clearly exasperated.

"Master Patriarch!"

The Jōnins of the Hyuga clan quickly stepped between Simu and Hiashi, tense and alert.

Minato let out a helpless sigh.

Sure enough, the very conflict he had feared had now erupted.

Sensing the rising tension, Tsunade turned toward her teacher.

"Sarutobi-sensei, the voting is over. Shouldn't we announce the new Hokage?"

Though furious about the Hyuga branch house's betrayal, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew the result was final.

The vote had taken place in front of the entire village—there was no way to change it now.

"Alright, let's end this."

Sarutobi Hiruzen shot a wary glance at Simu before preparing to speak.

If a fight really broke out, Simu wouldn't be easy to deal with.

Thanks to the Anbu maintaining order, the scene gradually settled. But the atmosphere had completely changed.

Some Jōnin looked proud and triumphant, while others, especially from certain clans were tense, worried about possible retaliation once Simu took power.

There were those who rejoiced and those who despaired.

But none of that mattered to Simu.

Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up the Hokage hat, gazing at the young man before him with a meaningful expression.

"I hope, Simu, that you will inherit the great Will of Fire—burn brightly, and lead Konoha to new heights of glory."

As his words fell, the crowd erupted.

A wave of cheers surged through the village, shaking the air.

The Third Hokage had ruled for too long.

Many longed for fresh leadership, for new blood to guide Konoha into a brighter future.

"Better to burn yourself out, old man, and leave me out of it," Simu thought to himself.

But outwardly, he wore the perfect smile.

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Third Hokage. I will continue to work hard and bring even greater glory to Konoha."

Simu took the Hokage hat and casually placed it on his head.

"Fourth Hokage! Fourth Hokage!"

The entire village erupted in cheers, celebrating their new leader.

As Simu looked over the sea of excited villagers, an unfamiliar feeling stirred deep within him.

With the coronation ceremony complete, Konoha gradually returned to normal.

But the newly appointed Fourth Hokage, Hanyu Simu, wasted no time issuing his first order—

The formation of the Shadow Guard.

As the name suggests, the Shadow Guard serves as the Hokage's personal guard—his most trusted protectors.

Even more significant than the Anbu, the Shadow Guard members would form the core leadership of Simu's administration.

"This is the list of my Shadow Guard," Simu said, pushing a file across the table.

Sitting across from him was his former teammate and now close friend—

Namikaze Minato.

"Captain of the Shadow Guard?"

Namikaze Minato wasn't exactly dissatisfied with the role, but he had his concerns.

As one of Konoha's strongest fighters, staying in the village to guard Simu felt like a waste of his abilities especially during wartime. 

His absence from the battlefield could significantly impact the war's outcome.

Noticing Minato's hesitation, Simu smiled.

"Don't worry, I'm not some helpless Hokage who needs constant protection. I just need you to handle a few things for me."

He leaned back casually.

"When the time comes, you'll still be heading to the battlefield. I won't be keeping you tied down here, will I?"

Minato exhaled, finally reassured. He turned his attention to the list in his hands.

Aside from himself, the Shadow Guard included key members of the Ino–Shika–Chō clan—Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza.

Considering their major role in Simu's Hokage campaign, their inclusion was expected.

The list also featured Hyuga Hizashi and Uchiha Fugaku, making it clear that the Shadow Guard would be a powerhouse of elite shinobi.

To balance the different factions, Simu also included Might Dai, Shiranui Genma, Kotetsu, and other civilian ninjas in the Shadow Guard.

With this, the foundation of his future rule was set.

"In addition, Shikaku will serve as Konoha's Chief Strategist," Simu added.

Minato nodded. The intelligence of the Nara Clan was widely recognized in Konoha, so it was only natural for Shikaku to take this role.

Simu then turned to Minato.

"As for you, you'll remain as the Anbu Commander for now."

Minato let out a sigh.

"Anbu Commander… what a troublesome job."

Though he had expected it, the weight of the role still felt heavy. But he couldn't deny that if he had become Hokage himself, he would have done the same—pushing Simu to take on major responsibilities.

"I won't keep you there forever. Once Kakashi gains enough experience, I'll have him take over Anbu."

Minato raised an eyebrow.

"Kakashi? You have that much faith in him?"

After all, Anbu was a critical force, directly under the Hokage. It wasn't a position to be taken lightly.

The Anbu Commander is the Hokage's right-hand man, a position usually given to the most trusted person.

During Sarutobi Hiruzen's time, his son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, held the role.

Now, Simu wanted Kakashi to take over in the future, a clear sign that he believed Kakashi had the potential to become a top-tier powerhouse.

"Kakashi is already strong," Simu said casually, lounging in his chair. 

"Give it some time, and he might even surpass you."

Minato chuckled at the remark.

"That would be ideal."

He had always been generous and kind, never one to let ambition or pride cloud his judgment. Perhaps that was why Simu trusted him so much.

"Well then, my esteemed Captain of the Shadow Guard, how about we go settle the Hyuga Clan matter first?" 

.

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TO BE CONTINUED

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