The Third Hokage's words silenced the entire office.
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado sighed quietly, while Tsunade and Jiraiya hesitated to speak.
Everyone understood that after this battle, the conflict between the Five Great Shinobi Villages and Akatsuki had escalated once more. The next battle might very well decide life and death.
In such circumstances, Hidden Leaf couldn't afford to let a one-armed, seal-incapable invalid continue leading as Hokage.
After a moment, Tsunade said, "-Sensei, with our current technology, the success rate for transplanting an arm is quite high!"
Jiraiya nodded in agreement. "Yeah, old man! It's just one arm. That's nothing for you, right?"
Sigh.
The Third let out a soft sigh.
The lost arm was only one reason for his decision to step down. The real catalyst was his growing sense of powerlessness.
As Tsunade said, with Hidden Leaf's current technology, transplanting an arm wasn't difficult.
But if he couldn't protect the village even with both arms, what good would a new one do?
He declared, "I've decided to retire. This has nothing to do with transplanting a new arm. The village needs a strong, vibrant Hokage, and I'm too old!"
Seeing the Third's resolve, Koharu and Homura exchanged a glance.
It was clear to anyone that the most suitable candidates to succeed the Third were Tsunade and Jiraiya.
As for others, like themselves, they were either as old as the Third or too young and inexperienced to command respect.
The problem now was that if Tsunade or Jiraiya became the Fifth Hokage, the village's power structure would shift. As advisors who had worked alongside the Third, they risked being sidelined from the village's highest echelons.
But with the situation deteriorating and the Third having lost an arm, selecting a new Hokage was both reasonable and necessary. Even as advisory elders, they couldn't directly obstruct it.
At that moment, the Third pointedly declared, "Jiraiya, you'll inherit the Hokage title! I'm your -sensei, Minato was your student—now it's time for you to take on the responsibility!"
Jiraiya stepped back. "Old man, my personality isn't suited for being Hokage!"
The Third frowned. "At a time like this, you're still making excuses?"
Jiraiya shook his head. "I'm really not fit for it. If I became Hokage, I'd mess up the whole village!"
Beyond his free-spirited nature, another key reason Jiraiya refused was his mission from the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku to find the 'Child of Prophecy.'
If he became Hokage, he'd lose the chance to roam the shinobi world in search of the prophesied one.
Seeing Jiraiya's repeated refusals, the Third coughed in frustration. Cough cough. "You disappoint me!"
Jiraiya grinned. "There's a much better candidate right beside me. Why not choose her, old man?"
Tsunade shot him a look. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Jiraiya shrugged. "Tsunade, if we held a trust vote among the Jonin, you'd get more votes than me, wouldn't you?"
The Third paused, considering.
By his preference, he'd choose a man to bear the Hokage's burden, as all four prior Hokage had been male.
But with Jiraiya adamantly refusing, Tsunade becoming the Fifth Hokage wasn't unacceptable.
He fixed his gaze on Tsunade. "Tsunade, what's your opinion?"
"I…"
Tsunade hesitated.
For herself, she didn't care about the Hokage title. As the 'Princess of Hidden Leaf,' she had little interest in such honors.
But things were different now. She had a beloved student. If she became the Fifth Hokage, it would pave the way for Yakumo to one day become the second female Hokage without obstacles.
Seeing Tsunade's interest, the Third sighed in relief. "Then it's settled. The situation is dire—we don't have time for a prolonged election. I nominate Tsunade as Hidden Leaf's Fifth Hokage. In three days, the Jonin will hold a trust vote!"
Koharu and Homura exchanged another glance.
The Third left them no room to object or question. Once the Jonin trust vote passed in three days, Tsunade would be the Fifth Hokage.
Knowing they couldn't remain passive, Koharu said to the Third, "Our losses this time were too great. The Anbu alone lost at least a dozen members, with entire squads wiped out! Now with your arm gone, our strength is further weakened. Should we consider letting Danzo return to serve the village?"
Homura quickly followed, "Danzo's strength and loyalty are unquestionable. Rather than letting him sit idle, why not let him redeem himself through service?"
"This…"
The Third tapped the desk with his remaining hand, seemingly deep in thought.
One Hiruko and one Ranmaru had nearly thrown Hidden Leaf into chaos. If not for Akatsuki's 'A' intervening, the village might have collapsed first.
Considering the elite ninja army's defeat by Akatsuki's main force, the Third had to admit the Five Great Shinobi Villages needed every bit of strength available—even Danzo.
After a moment, he said, "In principle, he can return to service!"
Tsunade, soon to be the Fifth, stated firmly, "He can return, but the Root must not be rebuilt. He'll have advisory power only—no command over the ninja forces!"
Koharu nodded. "I agree!"
Homura added, "So do I!"
Their aim in proposing Danzo was to repeat their old tactic of using him to balance the new Fifth Hokage.
Just as they couldn't block Tsunade's rise to Hokage, Tsunade, as the incoming Fifth, couldn't block their proposal to reinstate Danzo—not when the situation left no room for internal strife.
After Koharu and Homura left, Jiraiya hesitated several times to speak.
The Third asked, "What are you trying to say?"
Jiraiya tested the waters. "If we're talking about redemption through service, what about Orochimaru…"
The Third raised his hand, cutting him off. "His crimes must be judged by the village. It's not something we can decide lightly!"
Jiraiya promptly shut his mouth, knowing full well the magnitude of Orochimaru's transgressions.
Tsunade, standing nearby, had a glint in her eyes.