Shikaku was seen by Masashi as the most likely didate to be chosen as the Hokage Advisor.

  He possessed all the necessary qualifications.

  He was a standard-bearer of the "Hokage fa." And he was close io Minato.

  During Minato's time in the jonin team, Shikaku often provided strategic advice, earning Minato's full reition of his abilities. As long as Shikaku garhe most votes, Minato would not hesitate to appoint him as Hokage Advisor.

  The Ino-Shika-Chō alliance had flourished during the Third Hokage's era and maintained harmonious retionships with all the ninja s, ying a solid foundation for vote-gathering.

  Take the Hyūga as an example—the rgest in number.

  The Hyūga's long-standing aspiration was to be a trusted by the Hokage. Shikaku, with his close ties to both the Third and Fourth Hokage, offered a sense of reliability and capability as an intermediary.

  His main rival in the ele would likely be a nominee from the Sarutobi , anroup with strong vote-gathering ability.

  However, he was sure to first eliminate any uable factors, and the biggest uainty y ies of the civilian jonin.

  Unlike -affiliated jonin, civilian jonin voted purely based on their own opinions. Their votes were the most dispersed, yet they could also solidate uedly, being the "final straw" that tipped the scale.

  For instance, if the Hokage endorsed a nominee, civilian ninjas—unsure of who else to vote fht simply follow the Hokage's suggestion. In the absence of sudorsement, they might vote randomly.

  Rather thaing these votes scatter, it would be better for the Fourth Hokage to nominate an Uchiha, effectively nullifying those votes. That would simplify matters into a game among the s, a field in which Shikaku had a signifit advantage.

  Masashi believed that, to ehe Uchiha did not leverage the Police Force's power to wiher s, Shikaku would likely introduce additional didates to restrict the Uchiha's voting influence.

  Those adept at tactics often pyed dirty.

  Though running for Hokage Advisht not be Shikaku's personal ambition, in the world of ninja s, personal will often had to yield to collective is.

  The Ino-Shika-Chō alliance, having grown robust uhe Third Hokage's reign, had now reached a transformative stage, where quantitative growth was giving way to qualitative breakthroughs.

  Not every member of the Nara feared "trouble."

  After voig his analysis, Masashi fell silent.

  He go his side, where Shisui wore a perplexed expression—he was utterly baffled.

  The Fourth Hokage's ANBU was far less "informed" than it used to be. He likely had no insight into the Hokage Office's inner ws or the movements of its key pyers.

  However, his mental state was much healthier than in the inal timeli least he was no lued by worries of irrecible flict between the Uchiha d the Hokage.

  For now, he was simply fused.

  Seeing this, the other members began to show sympathy in their gazes toward him.

  "Shisui, maybe you should leave the ANBU," someone suggested.

  "Exactly. You don't eveo know what's going on in the vilge."

  "The ANBU doesn't suit you, Shisui. e back to the Police Force. It's doing great now."

  Hearing his smen's well-meaning advice, Shisui, though still fused, couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness.

  He began to wonder if he was indeed... rather ie.

  Uo stand the sight, Masashi stepped in to help.

  "Shisui's work is external. Such roles don't involve mutera with the higher-ups."

  "Ohhh—"

  "As expected of Masashi, so knowledgeable!"

  The smen's expressions shifted to ones of sudden uanding.

  Shisui, oher hand, hung his head dejectedly.

  Oage, Fugaku and the elders remained silent, their eyes watchful.

  Gradually, the discussions among the smen quieted. Everyone was striving to provide as muformation as possible, and a sensus was beginning to emerge.

  "Fugaku-sama, please run for the ele yourself!" someone finally spoke up.

  Ohe first voice was heard, others quickly joined in, the momentum building naturally.

  "Let's pick a representative to speak—talking all at once isn't clear," Setsuna reminded from the stage.

  "There's no need for that," Masashi interjected. "I believe most of us share the same opinion: we want the Fugaku-sama to run for Hokage Advisor."

  "Even if it means failure?" Fugaku finally spoke, gazing at Masashi with sharp eyes that missed nothing.

  By now, Masashi had bee the de facto representative of the Uchiha external affairs. This was evident from how the smen fell silent the moment he began speaking.

  It wasn't merely due to his strength—Shisui was als but cked Masashi's influence.

  Ultimately, this trust stemmed from the role Masashi had pyed in improving the 's situation. Unsciously, the had pced their full faith in him.

  "Even failure wouldn't be a bad oute," Masashi replied, turning to face the smen. "The purpose of running is to make our voice heard. During the campaign, we'll have opportuo ect with many people and build deeper retionships. Through this, we more forcefully challehe stereotypes others have of the Uchiha."

  "Things might not go as smoothly as you hope, Masashi," Fugaku tered with a slight smile. "Your oppo is Shikaku."

  "Regardless of Shikaku's iions, there's ohing I'm certain of." Masashi smiled, the kind of smile that suggested he held the winning hand. "He has a fw—a very signifit one."

  "And what fw is that?"

  "Strength," Masashi replied emphatically. "Hokage Advisor is still a position of 'Kage,' and it requires corresponding personal strength. That is Shikaku's fatal fw. He doesn't have the raw power expected of a Kage-level individual."

  "The Hokage Advisor rarely o engage in direbat," Fugaku retorted with a grin. "Yument might not hold. And Shikaku isn't weak."

  "But you are stronger, Fugaku-sama," Masashi said, pointing to his eyes. "On this trip, I gained some insights. Your ocur power is on par with Shisui's—you also possess the Mangekyō Sharingan. When the gap in strength bees evident, all of Shikaku's advantages will turn into liabilities."

  Turning back to the assembly, Masashi decred loudly, "With two pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan and the Police Force finally opening up, the Uchiha has everything to gain, even in failure. What do you all think?"

  The hall fell silent.

  Moments ter, it erupted in fervent agreement.

  All Uchiha members began to voice their approval in unison, each expressing the same se despite varied w: "Whoa! Fugaku-sama, you're this amazing?!"

  The excited voices filled the room, some leaning forward on their cushions, others exging meaningful gnces.

  Even Shisui was stunned as he stared at the calm-faced Fugaku. So, he wasn't the only oh the Mangekyō Sharingan. No wonder, back then, Fugaku had asked him if he had awakened his.

  Wait... why did he feel a bit thrilled by this revetion?

  "Fugaku, is what Masashi said true?" Setsuna asked.

  "Yes..." Fugaku nodded, his expression somewhat somber. "I obtaihis power during the war."

  "Then, here es the question." Setsuna suppressed his excitement and turo Masashi. "Masashi, as an elder, I think I have some say in this matter... Only someoh a Mangekyō Sharingan sense another Mangekyō Sharingan. So, do you also have one?"

  All eyes in the room instantly locked onto Masashi. Some were filled with anticipation, others with excitement. A few of the younger members whispered among themselves.

  "Sorry to disappoint you, Setsuna-sama. I don't." Masashi shrugged.

  But Setsuna wasn't buying it.

  "I think you do," the stubborn elder replied with a mischievous glint. "You might've awake without realizing. Let's have Shisui use a Mangekyō illusion on you. That should firm it."

  What nonsense!

  Notig that Shisui looked a bit eager to try, Masashi quickly cmped a hand on his shoulder, using brute strength to keep him seated.

  "Setsuna-sama, you must be joking. The Mangekyō isn't something to mess around with."

  "Trying doesn't hurt," Setsuna remembered certain brothers from the past. "Masashi, being overly cautious make you miss opportunities. If there's a ce, you should be bold and go for it."

  "I don't feel like it." Masashi said firmly. "Stick to steady development and avoid unnecessary risks—that's my ninja way."

  "Ninja way, huh..." Setsuna looked somewhat wistful. "That sounds serious, but every time you tell us about your ninja way, it's different. Why not settle on one? Maybe set a small goal, like awakening a Mangekyō Sharingan?"

  "Setsuna-sama, we focus on the real issue here?"

  "Alright..." Setsuna turned back to Fugaku. "What's your take on this?"

  "Actually, I've been sidering this for a while," Fugaku said, standing up from his tatami mat. The movement drew all eyes to him.

  As he sed the faces of his smen, he saw their expressions. Young and old, eager and cautious—they all waited for his words.

  "Perhaps you all remember, back whehered here before, how powerless we felt about our circumstances. At that time, some of you wanted me to run for the position of Fourth Hokage. But as we all saw, even if I could get nominated, no one would vote for us."

  The previously excited smen grew calm, recalling those days. Some of the older members shifted unfortably, the memory still fresh in their minds.

  "Back then, I asked everyoo endure. I endured as well. Even after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, I didn't dare reveal it because I feared it would cause us to lose hope and patieh the vilge. After all, we know best what the power of the Mangekyō entails."

  Everyone listened silently.

  "When did things start to ge? It was during the ails' rampage. That was when the Uchiha became heroes. Oh, and before that, we held the Uchiha Id Snow Festival. Perhaps you didn't notice, but from that moment, the vilgers' perception of the Uchiha began to shift."

  As he spoke, the smen started thinking back. Whispered versations broke out among small groups, recalling the gradual ges in how vilgers greeted them, how children no longer ran away when they passed.

  "This time, I will reend myself to the Hokage to nominate our for the position of Hokage Advisor. As a gesture of siy, I won't hide the existeny Mangekyō Sharingan from the Hokage's office. Additionally, I pn to further open up the Police Forot just its anizational structure, but even the headquarters. "

  "This time, it won't be limited to ninja s but will also include civilian ninjas. I hope you prepare yourselves for this."

  He looked around the room, carefully the ges in their expressions.

  Most of them didn't resist, though some were fused. A small number, however, were visibly excited.

  "If we've decided to be part of this, we must be resolute!" Fugaku decred loudly. "Think about it! What do we want the vilgers to feel during this campaign?"

  "Fugaku-sama, what do we want them to feel?" someone asked.

  "Not 'The Uchiha are running for Hokage Advisor,' but rather, 'The Uchiha are returning to the vilge.' That, I believe, should be oal," Fugaku answered. "Some of you may leave the Police Force, but you will gain a broader space to grow. Don't you have fiden this?"

  "Of course we do, Fugaku-sama!"

  "Exactly! Staying in the vilge all the time has been b anyway!"

  The room erupted with lively chatter.

  In the Warring States Period, the Uchiha had always been known for their fighting spirit. When faced with challehis had an exceptional ability to adapt. The more tumultuous the situation, the strohey became.

  It was stagnation that made them zy, weak, and proe issues.

  "Well said," Fugaku nodded approvingly. "But we must proceed step by step. The Police Force remains crucial to us. I won't easily give it up. Over time, I'll gradually reform its anization. You'll also o get used t alongside non- members."

  "Don't worry, Fugaku-sama! We're ready!" someone in the crowd immediately responded.

  By now, no one was uain. Everyone was motivated, energized by the prospect of ge.

  Some of the more imaginative individuals had already begun "dreaming about the future."

  "Anything else you want to add?" Fugaku asked, turning to Masashi.

  "Nothing, Fugaku-sama," Masashi replied.

  He didn't care about the oute of the campaign itself, only about how the Uchiha approached it. And it seemed Fugaku had been pnning this for a long time.

  He really was a master actor, deceiving the younger geion so vingly.

  "Alright. I have one suggestion for you," Fugaku said. "Spend more time ment Shisui. You two will o support each other iure."

  "Uood, Fugaku-sama."

  "Then, the matter we're voting on today is..." Fugaku paused for dramatic effect, meeting the expet gazes of everyohen, in a clear voice, he decred, "From today, the Uchiha will fully it to running for the position of Hokage Advisor. Those in favor, raise your hands."

  Whoosh!

  Every single person, including the elders behind Fugaku, raised their hands high.

  "Voting is cluded. Unanimously approved!"