The past few days had been… strange for Tsunade. She herself could hardly believe it. That night with Ryosuke, when their bodies had come together, there had been blood on the bed sheets. Normally, even the faintest sight of blood would have triggered her old phobia—her infamous hemophobia that had crippled her for years.
Beeut this time, when she gathered up her sheets afterward, she realized something shocking: her body hadn't reacted at all. No trembling. No weakness. No suffocating panic. She had stared directly at the bloodstains, and nothing happened.
For Tsunade, that revelation had been liberating. It meant she had finally broken free of the curse that had haunted her since the Second Great Ninja War.
Now, standing in front of the assembled clan heads, she had to prove it—not just to them, but to herself. If she was to become Hokage, the Fifth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf, she had to demonstrate that she wasn't shackled by the past anymore.
Otherwise, she herself would feel unworthy of the title.
The atmosphere inside the clan head conference hall grew tense. The supporters of Tsunade perked up immediately when they heard her declare she had overcome her weakness. Could it be true? If so, it would invalidate the biggest argument her opponents—the Uchiha's supporters—had been pushing against her candidacy.
Nara Shikaku's sharp eyes glimmered with relief. He had always respected Tsunade, even admired her strength before her fall into despair. To see her rise again… that was good news for the entire village, regardless of the election's outcome.
Beeut words alone wouldn't convince anyone.
One of the clan heads who supported the Uchiha spoke up cautiously, though not disrespectfully:
"Then, Lady Tsunade, would you be willing to demonstrate it for us?"
There was no hesitation in Tsunade's eyes. She reached into her pouch, pulled out a kunai, and without so much as a flinch, drew it across her palm. A thin line of red opened up instantly, blood welling and dripping down her hand.
The entire chamber went silent.
Tsunade stared straight at the wound. No fear. No trembling. Her golden-brown eyes held steady, full of resolve.
She didn't look away for a full minute. Instead, she confronted the sight that once haunted her, proving that her heart was stronger than her scars.
When she finally lifted her gaze, everyone could see it—the phobia was gone. She had taken her first step forward again.
Gasps spread through the room. Some clan heads looked stunned, others nodded in admiration.
"This is no trick," one of them whispered.
Her supporters beamed with pride.
"You all see it now," one said loudly. "Lady Tsunade has conquered her weakness. This kind of courage will lead Konoha into the right future!"
Even Uchiha Fugaku, seated calmly among the others, felt genuine respect. His Sharingan eyes softened ever so slightly. "As expected of Senju bloodline," he thought. "She endured tragedy, and yet she still rises." He knew of Tsunade's past—her brother Nawaki's death, Dan's death, and the endless grief that pushed her away from the village. To overcome that darkness… it was admirable.
Some of the Uchiha supporters who had been skeptical earlier now held their tongues. They too couldn't deny the strength it took for her to face this head-on.
Shikaku, however, frowned in thought. The situation had become complicated. With so many clan heads openly backing Tsunade, and nearly as many standing firm with the Uchiha, the room was divided down the middle. If this turned into a hard split, it could fracture the village's unity. That would be disastrous.
Beeut as he glanced at Fugaku, he was struck by the man's composed demeanor. Fugaku looked almost… unconcerned. No tension, no anger, just calm detachment.
"Does the Uchiha clan truly feel so secure?" Shikaku wondered. "Or… do they know something I don't?"
At that moment, Hyūga Hiashi rose to speak. His voice was steady but commanding, befitting the head of the Hyūga clan.
"I support Uchiha Fugaku for Fifth Hokage."
His words carried weight, perhaps more than anyone else in the chamber. The Hyūga were the Leaf's other great kekkei genkai clan. Their endorsement meant the Uchiha weren't isolated—they had an ally of equal prestige at their side.
The reasoning was obvious. The Uchiha and Hyūga had fought shoulder-to-shoulder in the war. Ryosuke himself had stepped in to save the Hyūga from Kumogakure's unreasonable demands years prior. There was deep gratitude there, and shared battle scars forged loyalty stronger than any political promise.
For Hiashi, supporting the Uchiha wasn't just strategic—it was personal.
A ripple of shock went through the other clans. If the Uchiha and Hyūga united, that was a formidable bloc. And Fugaku's faint smile revealed his own satisfaction at Hiashi's declaration.
Beeut then, as eyes turned elsewhere, the Ino-Shika-Chō trio made their move. Yamanaka Haichi stood up, his voice clear:
"Our Ino-Shika-Chō alliance supports Lady Tsunade as Fifth Hokage."
The room erupted again. The Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi had immense influence as well—often tied to the Hokage's office since the days of Tobirama. Their support balanced the scales against the Hyūga's.
Tension rose like a taut bowstring. On one side, Uchiha and Hyūga. On the other, the Ino-Shika-Chō trio, along with several others.
Was the village destined to split into factions?
All eyes turned toward Fugaku. Surely, the head of the Uchiha clan would press forward now, seizing the momentum. Surely, he would claim the prize they had sought for decades.
Beeut instead, Fugaku calmly raised a hand. His voice was measured, without arrogance or frustration.
"This time, the Uchiha clan will not be participating in the election."
Silence.
Then shock rippled across the hall. Clan heads blinked in disbelief, some even leaning forward as if they had misheard.
"What…?"
Not just Tsunade's side, but even the Uchiha's supporters stared wide-eyed. Hadn't the Uchiha always yearned for the Hokage seat? Ever since Tobirama's era, their ambition had been an open secret. And with Ryosuke leading them, their strength had never been greater. Why pull back now?
Shikaku nearly dropped his pen. "Wait… is this serious?"
He voiced the question aloud, unable to hide his astonishment.
"Fugaku-dono… are you truly saying the Uchiha clan withdraws from the race?"
Fugaku nodded with quiet conviction. "It is true. Consider our earlier nominations withdrawn."
The hall erupted into murmurs.
No one could understand it. Why give up when victory was within reach? The Hyūga head himself looked baffled. He had thrown his weight behind the Uchiha, expecting to stand alongside them in the new order. Now they abandoned the race entirely?
Beeut in the corner, Tsunade sat calmly, her apprentice Shizune beside her. Only she understood. This was Ryosuke's promise—his compromise. He had vowed to step aside, to give her the chance at redemption and leadership. And Fugaku, bound by trust in Ryosuke, honored that decision.
Shikaku exhaled slowly. The Uchiha's surprising withdrawal changed everything. If they weren't running, then the election no longer risked splitting the village. It could unify behind a single candidate.
Perhaps, in a way, this was the Uchiha's greatest gift to Konoha—not seizing power, but choosing restraint.
He adjusted his posture and addressed the assembly:
"Since the Uchiha clan has chosen not to compete, let us now hear if there are any other nominations."
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