The Hyūga elders were quie to a sensus.

  Fugaku and Hiashi had barely exged pleasantries when the elders sat up straight again, their deliberation cluded.

  Seeing this, the two leaders dropped their casual demeanor.

  "Fugaku-sama," the Hyūga elder chosen to speak for the group, Saki, addressed him. "We deeply appreciate your siy. The Hyūga will not disappoint the goodwill of the Uchiha d will do our utmost to ehe success of this alliance."

  "I uand the elders' se," Fugaku nodded. "Even if new allies are to be included, the Hyūga's opinions will be fully sidered."

  "You are too kind," Saki replied. "If my guess is correct, you are sidering alliances with the Aburame and Inuzuka s as well?"

  "The thought has crossed my mind, but it's not the right time t it up."

  "If you've already taken a, why hesitate?" Saki smiled slightly. "I have a bit of rapport with the senior elders of both s. I apany you in approag them."

  The other elders remaioic. They cared little for the possible ramifications.

  Previously, the Hyūga had adopted a cautious strategy, hoping proximity to the Hokage's administration would be their .

  However, the unique circumstances of the Ino-Shika-Chō alliance, bolstered by the Sarutobi 's provision of a Hokage, meant their strategy had not borne fruit.

  No matter how the Hyūga tried to show favor, they always seemed oep removed.

  During the era of the Third Hokage, Konoha experienced rapid development, yet this "oep removed" meant the Hyūga always gged behind, sging for leftovers. The Hokage's administration argeted the Hyūga directly but also never grahem substantial bes.

  In trast, the Uchiha trolled the Police Ford ducted lucrative arms trade with near impunity. While the Hokage fa publicly criticized them and politically suppressed them, no oruly restraihe Uchiha.

  Danzō attempted as against the Uchiha, but his efforts had minimal impact. Backed by a stable supply through the Police Force, the Uchiha simply didn't care. They expanded so quickly that Root couldn't keep up, with rading hubs sprouting across the Land of Fire.

  If Root became a nuisahe Uchiha would retaliate uhe guise of police operations, dispatg teams. The Root operatives had no ao this.

  The Hokage administration could only attempt appeasement, realizing that uhe Uchiha ht rebelled, there was no way to legally deploy the regur forces against them.

  The ANBU couldn't match the Police For strength.

  At this point, the Uchiha had solidated their power.

  Presented with this reality and the Uchiha's willio colborate for mutual growth, the Hyūga elders found themselves less swayed by the Uchiha's goodwill and more fed up with pying ckeys to the Hokage fa.

  Displeasure? Let them be displeased.

  After all these years, the Hokage's administration had yet to offer any real bes. The Hyūga's feigned rality had only bee with , not aowledgment.

  The elders believed the Aburame and Inuzuka would feel simirly—especially the Inuzuka. Among the eight major s, they had it the worst.

  If the Hyūga were nibbling oovers, the Inuzuka were left with bones.Or, as one elder put it more bluntly: They were lucky if they even got to smell the bones!

  "If that's the case, I'm deeply grateful." Fugaku, reizing Saki's influeood and bowed in thanks.

  "I must thank young Masashi for resolving my inner flicts," Saki replied, returning the bow. "Fugaku-sama, let us leave at ohose without strong resolve may already be swayed by the opposition."

  "Agreed." Fugaku wasted no time. "After you."

  The group set off immediately, heading straight to the Inuzuka 's pound.

  The Inuzuka district was located in Konoha's northern district, dominated by pet shops aed services—all operated by the Inuzuka .

  Unfortunately, despite their strong abilities, the Inuzuka's status in Konoha was hindered by the presence of the Hyūga's Byakugan and the Uchiha's Sharingan, which overshadowed their sensory and scouting skills.

  However, this was rgely a misperception. Iy, the Inuzuka were exceptional scouts, vital to Konoha's military forces, with unique chakra teiques that shone otlefield, particurly in reaissand ambush operations.

  Hyūga elders and the Uchiha leader were no ordinary visitors in Konoha, so it wasn't long before the Inuzuka leadership came out to greet them.

  "Saki, what brings you here today?" The Inuzuka representative was a woman about Saki's age, named Rin.

  "'t old friends visit without ulterior motives?" Saki replied smoothly.

  "In our world? Never," Rin ughed.

  "I'm just surprised; you rarely go out," Rin replied with a wry smile. She turo Fugaku.

  "Fugaku-sama, wele!"

  "Long time no see, Rin," Fugaku said with a polite nod.

  "e, let's not talk here. It's not proper Inuzuka hospitality to stand ireet; people will mock us!" Rin waved her hand eically. "Hey, stop standing around and show uests the way!"

  "Rin, it seems you're expeg more visitors," Saki remarked suddenly.

  "Hmm?" Rin turoward the street and spotted a familiar figure approag.

  "Ha…"

  With a cold ugh, Riured to a member beside her. "Stop him. Tell him we have important guests and no time for other visitors."

  Fugaku and Masashi also noticed the newer: Tazuna, the head of the Sarutobi .

  Tazuna, walking briskly, overheard Rin's instrus.

  "Rin, am I truly so unwele?"

  "You heard me, didn't you?" Rin responded with a look of annoyance. "I 't stand persistent men."

  "Well, as Fugaku and I are rivals, it's only natural for us to make simir moves," Tazuna said with a hearty ugh, though inwardly, he was uneasy.

  He had e straight from the Aburame , only to enter this se. If Saki had sided with Fugaku, the Hyūga vote would be out of his grasp.

  How had Fugaku vihe Hyūga? The police department alone couldn't be enough, could it?

  The Hokage's favor was more important, right?

  "Favoritism, Rin? Why not at least hear me out," Tazuna pressed.

  "There's nothing to hear. I have no i in anything you offer," Rin dismissed him ht. "We've endured enough from your stinginess!"

  Tazuna's smile faltered, and his gaze swept over the group. He turned a without another word.

  ---

  The ele for Hokage Advisor unfolded in ways that surprised many.

  Tazuna and Shikaku were ned neck, and the expected sario of other didates merely being spectators did not materialize. The biggest variable came from the Hyūga and Inuzuka s.

  When Tazuna visited the Aburame , everything seemed normal. However, he couldn't evehrough the Inuzuka 's gate—they made it very clear that they did not support him.

  The Hyūga , oher hand, gave no direct respoo either of the Hokage fa's didates. Their reply was, "We warmly wele your visit. Your requests have been duly noted. We will duct a thh study and provide feedback as soon as we reach a clusion."

  It was both lengthy and perfunctory. Their stance appeared to muddy the waters entirely.

  The Hokage fa believed this to be a tactic to increase their bargaining power. If bes weren't offered, the Hyūga would not cast their votes for them.

  Some scoffed at this idea.

  In their view, the Hyūga were no true variable. This agile and calg would ultimately vote for whoever appeared most likely to win, and their current behavior was just p.

  The Hokage fa saw o share bes.

  This perspective was mainly shared by the Ino–Shika–Chō alliance.

  It was well-known that the alliance's core business in the Land of Fire revolved around pharmaceuticals, particurly health supplements for physical rehabilitation.

  However, only the Akimichi specialized in Yang Release teiques, while the other two s focused on Yin Release. There was no doubt their products were not the best in Konoha.

  The Hyūga, oher hand, produced superior health supplements of the same materials, always a grade above. If the Hyūga ehe Land of Fire's pharmaceutical market, the alliance's products would be immediately squeezed out.

  The Hyūga would eat the lion's share, leaving the alliao sge the leftovers.

  Opening this el to the Hyūga was out of the question.

  The Inuzuka was indeed a variable, but their influence was minor. As long as the Aburame were kept in check, the Hokage fa would still have the advantage.

  The alliance sidered the Aburame a share of the medial herb supply 's profits and assigning them ma of Konoha's forestry resources. Sihis was essentially still w for the allia table.

  The alliance, wealthy from its pharmaceutical business, had long thrived in Konoha.

  That was, until this year, when they had to start paying Uchiha.

  Still, they found it tolerable, as the funds allowed them to expand produ capacity and colborate further.

  Thus, the alliance bore no hostility toward the Uchiha. Within the Hokage fa, the Sarutobi—especially Tazuna—harbored the most rese.

  This time, all variables seemed tet Tazuna directly.

  The Hyūga refrained from ht supp him, the Aburame might split their votes between him and Shikaku, and the Inuzuka had ht blocked him—right in front of the Hyūga and the Uchiha.

  Tazuna didn't see Fugaku as a major threat.

  If Fugaku's votes in the first round even slightly threatehe Hokage fa, the fa would unite in the sed round, solidating their votes behiher Tazuna or Shikaku.

  A united front of four s had never lost a vote in Konoha. The only way to defeat them was for all votes outside the four s to solidate behind a single didate.

  For the Hokage Advisor, the position would ultimately be his.

  Shikaku had no real iion of peting. He was relut to serve as Hokage Advisor in the first pce. As head of the jonin corps, his position was equally signifit and couldn't be left vulnerable.

  Tazuna didn't personally dislike Fugaku, but he despised the Uchiha . Their arrogaoward the Hokage fa and involvement in arms dealing and finance were intolerable to him.

  Selling ninja tools and explosive tags externally? Wasn't this treason? When the vilge was short on supplies, shouldn't they sell to the vilge at a dist out of loyalty?

  And lending mohe i rates charged to the Hokage fa were the same as for outsiders. eous!

  With so many pressing financial needs in the vilge, funding for the Hokage fa should be prioritized over allog funds to the Police Force. Such waste should be redirected to support the Hokage fa's development instead of rewarding ingrates.

  As for that so-called Association of Banking and Trading, it was nothing but a corrupting influence.

  It should be banned.

  How could something so crucial be left in the hands of private banks? Such operations belonged under Konoha's trol or the daimyō's authority. The Uchiha's refusal to share this teology was nothing short of malicious.

  If the Sarutobi had developed such a system, they would have ha to the Hokage without hesitation.

  The Hokage Advisor o be a person of iy.

  Yes, during his speech, he would emphasize this as a key criticism. If even ninja s had to pay i, how much more would ordinary vilgers suffer? This could lead to families being torn apart outside the vilge walls.

  Tazuna wouldn't allow such corruption to persist. He would restore order and justice.

  He nostalgically recalled the era when Danzō was still alive. Back then, everyooed the line, except for the ever-rebellious Uchiha.

  With these thoughts, Tazuurned home after pleting his first round of campaigning to begin preparing his speech.

  Meanwhile, after visiting the Inuzuka, Fugaku stopped by the Aburame but made no further visits. His measured approach spoke volumes.

  Hiryū, however, had been busy visiting every Shimura household ttheo him, preserving the Shimura 's legacy was the top priority.

  ---

  "These are the current developments."

  In the Hokage's office, Shikaku hahe collected information to Minato.

  The weather leasant on the first day of the New Year, and many were enjoying a te start to the day. Shikaku, however, had been up early, heading straight to Minato.

  "Thanks for your hard work, Shikaku," Minato said cheerfully, accepting the dots. His eyes showed uanding of the burden he'd pced on his friend.

  The two were old acquaintances, with Shikaku being slightly older.

  "Don't give me such troublesome tasks, Minato..." Shikaku sighed, dropping into a chair. "Being head of the jonin corps is already plicated enough."

  "There's no one else I rely on like you," Minato replied with a pyful grin. "Sorry for taking time away from Shikamaru."

  He patted the stack of dots. "This is a lot. It'll take time to gh. you summarize it for me first?"

  "Ugh..." Shikaku's expression was one of exasperation, but his eyes held a hint of fondness. "Really, there's nothing more troublesome than having your friend bee Hokage..."