In the first month of the 53rd year, the speeches of the Hokage Advisor didates began as scheduled.

  The stage was set up at the interse of the southern, northern, aern districts, where there le open space.

  From early m, the area was crowded with people.

  Everyone was waiting food show.

  To the audience's anticipation, the current Hokage, the former Hokage, and the two advisory elders arrived together, apanied by the four didates.

  The crowd fell silent, all eyes drawn to their leader.

  "Citizens of Konoha," Minato's voice rang clear across the pza. "Today marks an important step in our vilge's goverhe position of Hokage Advisor carries great responsibility—they must embody both the will of the people and the strength to protect our future."

  He gestured to the four didates lined up to his right. "These four have stepped forward to serve. Each brings their own vision for Konoha's future. Listeo their words." His blue eyes swept across the crowd. "The final decision will refleot just my judgment, but the will of our vilge."

  With a brief nod to the didates, he tinued, "We'll proceed in order of didacy registration. Hiryū, you have the floor."

  Hiryū approached the steps with steady strides, his gray hair gleaming in the sunlight. He paused at the bottom, turning first to the audience.

  "If you'll indulge an old man for a moment," he said with a gentle smile. Several vilgers nodded, some of the older ones returning his smile.

  At the top of the steps, he faced the dignitaries. His borecise, her too shallow nor too deep—the bow of someone who had spent decades navigating politics.

  "Hokage-sama, Sandaime-sama, honorable elders," his voice carried the weight of years, yet remained clear and strong. "Thank you for allowio speak today."

  Only after both Hokages had aowledged him with slight nods did he turn to address the gathered crowd.

  "My fellow vilgers, on this momentous day... I stand before you not as a representative of any single , but as someone who has withe growth of our vilge through its brightest and darkest days."

  He paused, his eyes sing the crowd with grandfatherly warmth. "The strength of Konoha lies not in any single or individual, but in our unity and shared love for this vilge. I have seen how this unity has saved us tless times. When the ails attacked, it wasn't just the Fourth Hokage who protected us—it was every citizen, every , w as one."

  "Some say the era of s is ending," Hiryū tinued, his voice growing stronger. "But I disagree. The s aren't obstacles to unity —they're the pilrs that support it."

  "Ea brings its own strengths, its own traditions, its own way of loving and proteg Konoha. Just as a forest isn't weakened by having different types of trees, our vilge is strengthened by its diversity."

  His words resonated particurly with the eion. A safe choice, but delivered with genuine vi, some ninja in the crowd whispered. But perhaps that's exactly what the Shimura need right now.

  "The past ot be ged," he said, his tone growing solemn. "But the future is ours to shape. Let us move forward together, learning from yesterday but not being bound by it. This is the path to true unity and sting peace."

  It wasn't revolutionary, but it carried weight. Every word felt sidered, measured—the voice of experience speaking to both tradition and progress. When he finished, he received enthusiastic appuse from both the audiend those on stage.

  After all, while ordinary vilgers might not uand the nuahe ninja audienew he was merely running as a formality. Despite this, the old man showed no dissatisfa. On the trary, he cooperated fully and caused no unnecessary disruptions among the didates.

  His nominal "oppos" respected him greatly.

  Hiryū had achieved his goal: dispelling part of the stereotype associated with the Shimura due to Danzō.

  These stereotypes, although seemingly minor, maed in sayings like "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" and "like father, like son."

  Some people believed that if the Shimura could produce a "big vilin" like Danzō, there must be some i darkness in the family.

  Hiryū's only motivation for participating in the ele was to challehat notion.

  As he stepped down from the stage, everyone perked up.

  The professional pceholder had pleted his role perfectly. Now, it was time for the real tenders.

  The xcitement was high.

  Though it might seem like they were watg the drama unfold, everyone was genuinely eager to hear Fugaku's speech. The crowd's attention shifted noticeably, like a pass needle finding north.

  Traditionally, the Uchiha had pyed the role of "formal partits."

  But this time, the Uchiha had shown remarkable strength. The Inuzuka had openly decred their support for the Uchiha, and although the Hyūga hadn't explicitly stated their position, their as suggested otherwise.

  It was rumored that the Hyūga had a saying: "Whoever Elder Shijime supports, we support."

  And Shijime had publicly decred her personal support faku.

  So, he had bee the dark horse.

  Now, in Konoha, mentioning Fugaku brought two impressions to mind: his mediocre calligraphy skills and his strong didacy as a Hokage Advisor.

  The first impression of his amateur hobbies stuck with people because it resonated with them. After all, who doesn't have a hobby they're terrible at but still enjoy?

  As a result, people felt closer to the Uchiha .

  They were no longer seen as aloof but rather as approachable etriot at all unlikable.

  With this mi, when people saw that the sed person to take the stage was Shikaku, they were visibly disappointed.

  They still had to wait.

  How dull.

  Seeing the audiehoughts pinly on their faces, Shikaku could only sigh helplessly. This is such a drag, his expression seemed to say.

  Especially when even Minato looked openly regretful, he almost burst out in frustration.

  Get serious... You're the Hokage!

  "Troublesome. I'm really unpopur, huh…" he began with a self-depreg ent.

  The crowd burst into ughter. At least he was self-aware.

  "We do like you, but your timing's just bad," someone from the audience called out, triggering another wave of ughter.

  Even the fnitaries on stage chuckled, thhly eained.

  Minato ughed the loudest, though his eyes held a knowing look.

  Despite being someone who hated trouble, Shikaku t at handling any situatiourned his apparent awkwardness into a masterful performance. "Since I'm already the most troublesome didate up here, I might as well be ho," he said, scratg his head. "Most of you probably think I'm just filling a slot. The Nara 's representative, right? Well, you're n."

  The crowd chuckled, but Shikaku's eyes sharpened slightly. "But being troublesome and being useless aren't the same thing. You know what's really troublesome? Thinking we've achieved peace just because we're strht now."

  He gestured broadly. "Look around. Beautiful vilge, right? Strong ninja, advaeiques, solid alliances. Very fortable." His voice took on a more serious edge. "Almost too fortable. You know what happens to deer when they get too fortable? They fet to watch for wolves."

  The ughter had died down, repced by attentive silehe previous geions worked themselves to exhaustion building what we have. The First Hokage's Wood Release teiques still protect us. The Sed's water jutsu still flow through our pipes. The Third's students became legendary. The Fourth..." he g Minato with a slight smirk, "well, he's still causirouble."

  Mhter, but thoughtful this time. "My point is, their work isn't fi's entrusted to us. Sure, it's troublesome. Sure, it'd be easier to just enjoy what we have. But that's not what Konoha stands for."

  His voice carried clearly now, all traces of ziness gone. "We o stay true to our inal iions, and keep an eye oure. Not just the easy parts—all of it. The hard training, the stant vigihe willio work together eve's troublesome. Because the shinobi world doesn't get less dangerous just because we wish it would."

  He looked around at the silent crowd. "That's all. Too troublesome to say more." As he turo leave, he added almost casually, "Besides, I hear the speakers are more iing anyway."

  His speech resonated with the ninja audience, who nodded in agreement, while the vilgers felt reassured. Trust Shikaku to make even serious warnings feel light, several jōnin ented quietly.

  The audience's serious mi, however, sted only until Shikaku bowed and stepped down.

  No one lingered on formality; the real show was still to e!

  pared to the first two didates, the atmosphere surrounding the pair was much tenser.

  Fugaku and Tazuna locked eyes.

  "Tazuna, you seem a little nervous," Fugaku said with a smile.

  But inwardly, he was far from calm, as he saw the fire in Tazuna's eyes—an all-or-nothing resolve.

  This guy clearly po stir up some major drama, likely involving that subject.

  Fugaku recalled the letter from Masashi, which had been both reassuring and perplexing.

  How did Masashi know so much about the Sarutobi ?

  Moreover, the boy had a habit of withholding critical details. Fugaku hadn't anticipated this sario at first.

  Sometimes, he couldn't tell if Masashi was a meticulous strategist or just impulsive.

  Strategiing didn't seem to fit Masashi's public persona. Fugaku personally leaoward the tter.

  "Would you mind if I went first?" Fugaku asked, carefully gauging his oppo's rea.

  "Well, I actually do mind," Tazuna replied with a stern face, only to break into a smile. "Just kidding. We're not enemies. Let's each give it our best."

  In Tazuna's eyes, the fire never wavered. The friendly words couldn't mask his resolve.

  "Then I'll take the lead," Fugaku said. He o Tazuna and stepped onto the stage.

  He was immediately met by tless pairs of shining, eager eyes.

  It almost uled him. The weight of expectations, vilge politics, and personal ambition all verged in this moment.

  Turning first to greet the fnitaries, Fugaku saw Minato and Hiruzen smiling kindly and encingly, while the two advisors wore measured expressions.

  For some reason, he recalled something Masashi had jokingly said while asking for funding.

  "Some bee Hokage because there's no higher position to give them. Others bee advisors because it's the only position they hold."

  Though the statement was clearly biased, Fugaku found it surprisingly accurate in this moment.

  Pushing the thought aside, he turo the expet crowd and spoke.

  "People of Konoha. I'm Fugaku, and I—"

  Before he could finish, someone shouted from the crowd.

  "o introduce yourself! We all know you're bad at things but love doing them. Just get to the point!"

  Fugaku's fastantly darkened.

  You idiot! How dare you say that in front of everyone?

  I implore you to be kind!

  "What... what bad... I don't even like calligraphy!" he stammered, his carefully prepared opening crumbling.

  The crowd roared with ughter.

  The same teasing voice called out again. "We weren't talking about calligraphy! Just get to the main point—we've been waiting forever!"