The room was silent after Andrew's offer.
He had rejected the seat of Hokage without hesitation. Instead, he proposed to serve as an advisory elder with oversight over Uchiha's funding—a move that bewildered the entire council.
Third Hokage Hiruzen furrowed his brows in thought. As an old strategist, he instinctively suspected deeper motives. Uchiha had just turned down the most powerful position in the village… yet offered their money, manpower, and monitoring?
What was their angle?
"In that case," Hiruzen said cautiously, "why not accept the Hokage role? That way, you'd oversee Uchiha's funds directly and lead the village's recovery…"
"No, no, no!" Andrew interrupted with a small laugh. "The position of Hokage carries too much baggage. I'm not here to gain power. I just want to ensure Uchiha's investment is used properly—not stolen or wasted."
Tsunade, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up. Unlike the older advisors, her stance was clear: she genuinely supported Uchiha's nomination.
"I was serious when I said Uchiha should lead. I have no bias against them. With your wealth, strength, and connection to the people, the village would benefit if you took the hat."
But before she could finish her reasoning, Andrew cut her off.
"What are you implying? That we'd misuse our own money?" His gaze swept over the elders.
Koharu and Homura's faces darkened. They immediately bristled.
"That's not what she meant—" Koharu began.
Andrew didn't back down. "You know how much effort it takes to raise this kind of funding? We have a whole clan to feed. Our money isn't growing on trees."
He turned, addressing the whole room now.
"Let me be clear: Uchiha will contribute to Konoha's rebuilding, but we're not funding your private projects. We won't stand by and let our ryo become your luxury upgrades."
Then he faced the Hokage directly. "And personally, I think the Hokage shouldn't change."
A murmur of surprise passed through the chamber.
"Third Hokage-sama may have erred in judgment—but much of that blame lies with Danzo. He took advantage of your trust." Andrew said respectfully. "And in many ways, you've been a victim too. If we set aside those mistakes, your leadership is still stable and respected."
"I support the Third Hokage to continue leading."
The statement hit hard—especially because it came from the one man with the leverage to replace him.
Koharu looked furious but had no argument. The logic was solid, and Andrew's delivery was calm and deliberate.
"The Hyuga clan supports Lord Third Hokage as well," Hiashi added, stepping in with a brief nod toward Andrew. "The village is in a delicate state. Changing Hokage now could destabilize the people."
Hiashi didn't fully understand Uchiha's motives, but he knew enough to follow their lead—for now.
As for the various clan leaders and elder council, their silence showed agreement. Deep down, many of them preferred Hiruzen to stay in power—not for his leadership, but because he protected their status and legacy. If a new Hokage took over, especially from outside their circle, it could upend everything.
And so, without another vote, the room accepted the unspoken truth:
Hiruzen would stay Hokage. And Andrew would now be an elder.
"Then I ask Elder Andrew to support us moving forward," Third Hokage said with a bow of his head.
The title "Elder Andrew" was formalized in that moment—and everyone knew what it really meant. Uchiha, while refusing the hat, had just taken the high ground politically and economically.
---
Later that day, at a quiet restaurant near Konoha's central plaza, Tsunade and Jiraiya dragged Andrew out for a meal.
It had been a long day of politics and subtle battles. The smell of grilled meat and fresh sake filled the air.
"Still can't believe you turned them down so casually," Tsunade said as she poured herself a drink. "You do realize most clans would kill for that seat?"
Andrew smiled. "We've moved past that now. Power without control isn't power—it's a leash."
"I get that," Jiraiya added. "But you made some big waves today. Got the elders twisted in knots."
Andrew picked up a skewer, nodding. "They needed a wake-up call."
Tsunade leaned forward, eyes sharp. "But seriously—why did you do it? I mean the whole thing. Refusing Hokage, funding the village, acting like a father figure…"
Andrew glanced at her. "You mean why did I choose not to clean up the village's mess?"
He took a slow bite, chewed, and continued.
"We Uchiha are doing well. We have a rhythm, a future. Hokage comes with burdens, enemies, and expectations we don't need. Konoha's top brass created their own problems. Now they can fix them."
"The hat's a hot potato. Let someone else burn their hands."
"Calling Konoha a mess seems a little harsh," Tsunade frowned.
Andrew shrugged. "You and Jiraiya just came back. You haven't seen what I've seen. The politics, the secrets, the lies—they go deeper than you think."
He looked at both of them seriously now.
"I'm not trying to stir things up. But if you really care about this village, I suggest you dig around yourselves. What you find might surprise you."
Jiraiya was quiet. His instincts, honed over years of war and espionage, told him Andrew wasn't bluffing.
He filed that away for later.
---
The topic shifted, and Andrew turned to Jiraiya.
"How's Naruto doing?" he asked with interest.
Jiraiya chuckled. "That kid? He's on fire. Just mastered the Rasengan. Minato would be proud."
Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Already? Didn't it take him ages to get that right in the original timeline?"
Jiraiya blinked. "Original what?"
Andrew waved it off with a smirk. "Never mind. Just happy to hear he's progressing."
"You should've seen him," Jiraiya said proudly. "He broke through Nine-Tails' interference and used chakra control like a natural."
"As expected from the child of destiny."
Tsunade scoffed from across the table. "You two sound like proud dads. Both of you are single and childless, yet you're acting like doting uncles."
Jiraiya laughed. Andrew rubbed his forehead.
"Hey! I'm not that old. I'm barely old enough to be Sasuke's older brother, let alone his dad!"
Still, a strange warmth filled him. Sasuke, Naruto… they were both on the rise. And somewhere, the spirit of the Sage of Six Paths was probably nodding approvingly.
---
Tsunade finished her drink and leaned in again. "So, Elder Andrew…" her voice teasing now, "when are you reporting to Uchiha's medical HQ? You've got me listed as chief medical consultant, remember? I've been on 'leave' for weeks."
Andrew snorted. "Time to report back, Dr. Tsunade. There's paperwork piling up. And don't think I forgot your absence."
"Damn it," she muttered under her breath.
Jiraiya laughed, patting her on the back. "You walked into that one."
But behind the laughs, a new tension brewed beneath the surface.
Jiraiya made a mental note to investigate deeper. His past research on Danzo had shown him only part of the picture. With Andrew's warnings fresh in his mind, he realized the village's political shadows might be larger than even he suspected.
And now, Uchiha wasn't just watching. They were part of the game.
---
Important Highlights Recap (Bolded):
Andrew formally declines the position of Hokage, citing Uchiha's stability and disinterest in cleaning up Konoha's mess.
He volunteers to become an advisory elder to supervise the use of Uchiha's funding.
He publicly supports the Third Hokage remaining in power, shifting the political tide.
Hiashi and others follow Andrew's lead, maintaining Sarutobi's leadership without conflict.
Third Hokage thanks Andrew and confirms his new title: Elder Andrew.
Andrew, Tsunade, and Jiraiya share drinks post-meeting, reflecting on Naruto and Sasuke's progress.
Andrew warns Tsunade and Jiraiya about Konoha's deeper corruption and urges them to investigate.
Jiraiya silently commits to uncovering the truth about Konoha's inner workings.
Tsunade is reminded of her duties as Uchiha's medical consultant, much to her annoyance.
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