Even though the experiments had technically been authorized by her grandmother years ago, Tsunade's eyes darkened whenever she thought of the familiar faces—her kin—who had perished on those tables.
"My apologies, Tsunade. That was out of line," Hiruko said, his apology sounding sincere.
In truth, he didn't care all that much, but he lived by the principle that "fewer troubles are better than more." He had no desire to provoke Tsunade. After all, he still had designs on her; those "legendary twin peaks" of hers were a permanent fixture in his mind.
Inside the Hokage's office, the Third was clearly ready to talk business. Everyone reigned in their personal grievances; Tsunade wasn't about to start a brawl and cripple Hiruko right then and there.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Alright, now that everyone is here, let's get to the point. The main reason for this gathering is to determine the candidate for the Fourth Hokage."
The room went deathly silent.
Taking a deep breath, Hiruzen continued, "I am getting older, and I find myself lacking the stamina I once had. It's time for me to retire. The village needs a succession; it needs a younger, stronger Hokage to bring fresh vitality and lead Konoha to even greater heights."
His words were earnest. He truly felt the weight of his years. In the ninja world, once you hit middle age, your overall strength begins a slow decline. Energy wanes, and the mind loses that razor-sharp edge of youth. Chakra is a powerful force, but using it is essentially trading away one's life force.
Hiruzen was acutely aware that he was no longer the decisive leader he once was. He had lost the boldness required of a Hokage and had grown increasingly indecisive. Rather than clinging to power and rotting into incompetence, he preferred to bow out gracefully and leave the future to the youth.
Unlike Danzo, Hiruzen wasn't obsessed with the seat. He had already tasted the glory. Now, his only concern was the village's survival and the passing of the Will of Fire. He was more than happy to hand over the reins to the next generation—unlike that old man Danzo, who had become so fixated on the title it bordered on a mental illness.
Hiruko, however, found this whole display of ceremonial politics mind-numbing. It was a total waste of valuable research time. Especially Hiruzen—the man had been an official for so long that he couldn't stop himself from lecturing the room on "The Will of Fire" and "The Sacrifices of Our Forefathers."
Just get to the point, old man. Who's the lucky winner?
"Old man, stop dragging your feet and get on with it!" Tsunade snapped. Ever since Nawaki's death, her fuse had become dangerously short.
In all of Konoha, only the "Slug Princess" would dare to publicly cut off the Third Hokage mid-speech.
Hiruzen shook his head helplessly, rubbing his temples as he glanced at his boisterous student. He felt a deep pang of sympathy for her; he had raised her, after all. If not for Nawaki's death, Tsunade wouldn't have spiraled into this semi-shut-in state of alcoholism and mental instability.
In fact, Hiruzen's first choice was Tsunade. She was the granddaughter of the First Hokage, the founder of the medical ninja system, and a decorated war hero. More importantly, the Senju clan had effectively dissolved into the village, meaning she posed no political threat to the civilian-born ninja.
From a political standpoint, she had absolute legitimacy.
But a Hokage is the helmsman of the village, responsible for its rise or fall. A person struggling with psychological trauma simply couldn't shoulder that burden. Hiruzen couldn't gamble the village's future on someone so unstable.
"Everyone, I have decided to nominate Minato Namikaze for the position of Fourth Hokage! Who seconds this, and who objects?"
Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk, his gaze sharp as a hawk as he swept it across the elders.
The sudden announcement sent a ripple of shock through the room. Most had assumed the next Hokage would be one of the Sannin. No one expected Minato to be the frontrunner.
Orochimaru watched Hiruzen with a calm, unreadable expression. He wasn't surprised. Even during the Third Great War, he had seen Hiruzen paving the way for Minato. In the past, he might have contested the seat, but now, thanks to Hiruko...
A mere Hokage title meant nothing to him. Truly! Absolutely nothing! After gritting his teeth and chanting that mantra in his head, Orochimaru retreated into his thoughts, planning an experiment he had scheduled for later that day.
The clan heads, after a moment of deliberation, realized Minato was actually the perfect choice. He was "red and expert"—a true-blue Konoha loyalist, a civilian-born ninja rather than a clan elitist, and his war record was peerless. He was beloved by his peers and held immense prestige in the village. Plus, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was now his wife, which added a massive layer of strategic stability.
Even the Uchiha patriarch, whose face usually looked like he'd swallowed a lemon, showed a hint of joy. He was on good terms with Minato, and their wives were close friends. If Minato became Hokage, the Uchiha's situation would surely improve, allowing them to finally integrate into the "big family" of Konoha.
Hiruko, meanwhile, took a long look at the young man standing before him. That spiky blonde hair was undeniably stylish, yet it screamed "2000s anime protagonist"—the "Shanzhai" aesthetic was strong with this one.
Sensing Hiruko's gaze, Minato Namikaze turned and offered a warm, sun-drenched smile.
Their eyes met—one searching for the secrets of life, the other radiating the warmth of the village.