The Anbu personnel went down.
Rengoku tapped on the table, drawing everyone's attention, "The management of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, you all can slowly discuss that."
"Now, let's return to my matter."
"I, Uchiha Rengoku, have made such a contribution to Konoha, therefore I propose myself for promotion to the position of Advisor Elder."
"Who agrees, who opposes?"
As soon as Rengoku opened his mouth, it was a bombshell, everyone gasped in shock.
The Uchiha is actually aiming for the position of Advisor Elder.
This is a position second only to the Hokage.
It can even interfere with the Hokage's handling of political affairs.
The Third Hokage's eyes darkened, here it came. All of Uchiha Rengoku's buildup before had led to this final move.
He put on a bureaucratic tone and said, "Rengoku, although your strength is great, you are still young and lack experience in political affairs."
"The Advisor Elder position requires handling many matters you're completely unfamiliar with. It's not very suitable."
Rengoku sneered, "Third Hokage, the position of Advisor Elder was originally created by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, to prevent the Hokage from having too much power."
"Unfortunately, back then, Second Hokage Senju Tobirama died suddenly and appointed you to succeed him as Hokage."
"At that time, there were many who opposed your becoming Hokage. You secretly handed the Advisor Elder positions to your teammates."
"Now the entire Konoha Village has become a one-voice hall of Sarutobi Hiruzen. You've secretly raised over a thousand combat personnel for the Sarutobi clan."
"Are you planning to turn Konoha Village into 'Sarutobi Village'?"
The Third Hokage's face changed drastically. He didn't expect Rengoku to directly impeach him.
"UTTER NONSENSE!"
He snorted angrily, "Back then, Second Hokage Tobirama died suddenly, and the situation was chaotic."
"Homura and Koharu hurriedly took on the roles of Advisor Elders to stabilize the situation in Konoha."
"Allowing us to safely get through all these years."
"Homura and Koharu, the two Elders, have diligently managed the mission system and medical system all these years."
"They became Advisor Elders purely based on their own abilities! Their appointments were legitimate and in accordance with the rules."
"The number of combat personnel developed by the Sarutobi clan is our own business, unrelated to internal village matters."
Koharu and Homura also straightened their posture, putting on a dignified front.
Rengoku didn't take the bait against the Third Hokage's strawman-style fallacy.
He just sneered, "Since Koharu and Homura had no experience back then and still became Advisor Elders—"
"My request to be promoted to Advisor Elder is also legitimate and in accordance with the rules. You have no right to block it."
Only then did the Third Hokage realize that Rengoku had led him into a trap.
He took a deep breath, "Then let us vote."
The Second Hokage Senju Tobirama had already set up a related system.
The Elder Council of high-level meetings was exactly for this purpose.
Konoha has a total of 21 honorary elders, three advisor elders, and one Hokage.
If there is a vacancy among the Advisor Elders, the honorary elders can propose promotion to Advisor Elder.
However, it requires a vote. Each honorary elder has one vote, each Advisor Elder has two votes.
The Hokage can only make suggestions and has no authority to interfere.
After all, the position was originally designed to balance the Hokage's power.
Rengoku spoke with full confidence, "Everyone knows how much damage the previous Advisor Elder Shimura Danzo caused to Konoha."
"If not for certain people pretending to be deaf and blind, Danzo would never have been so arrogant."
"I, Uchiha Rengoku, today formally request to be promoted to Advisor Elder."
"Those in favor, raise your hands."
The Third Hokage's face looked a bit ugly. He knew this was trouble.
After all, ever since Danzo became Advisor Elder, he'd been completely corrupt, offending almost everyone in Konoha.
There had indeed been favoritism on his part, only that's how things had stayed peaceful all these years.
Now that Uchiha Rengoku used Danzo's past conduct as a breakthrough point, most elders were likely to agree.
Sure enough, right after Rengoku finished speaking, members of the Ino–Shika–Cho trio all raised their hands in agreement.
After that, other honorary elders also raised their hands one after another, most of them had suffered under Danzo.
Some fence-sitters, seeing the Ino–Shika–Cho trio had all raised their hands, also quickly raised theirs.
The reasoning of the Ino–Shika–Cho trio was very simple. The reason no one noticed Sarutobi Hiruzen's private army was because all the Advisor Elders were his old teammates, all on the same side. The other ninja clans naturally received no intel.
Now, everyone needs someone not on Sarutobi Hiruzen's team to enter the highest decision-making body of Konoha.
Although Rengoku is young, being an Advisor Elder is not the same as being Hokage. Being young is not a problem.
Besides, Uchiha Rengoku defeated Kumogakure's top combat force, captured Sunagakure's Jinchuriki alive, and resolved troubles from Iwagakure and Kirigakure.
To request promotion to Advisor Elder for such merits, reasonable, legal, legitimate, and aligns with everyone's expectations.
Out of 21 honorary elders, a total of 17 votes were in favor.
Though two Advisor Elders and four other honorary elders didn't vote in favor, regardless of abstentions, the opposing votes were not enough anymore.
Rengoku also declared loudly, "Lord Hokage, looks like I have the people's support."
The Third Hokage glanced at the gloomy-faced Homura and Koharu, and could only grit his teeth and accept, "Since that's the case, Uchiha Rengoku is hereby promoted to Advisor Elder."
Hearing this, the honorary elders below all began applauding.
The one with the most excitement on his face was Uchiha Fugaku.
How long has it been? Since Rengoku took over leading the Uchiha clan, in just such a short time he achieved the dream the Uchiha clan had pursued for decades.
Now, the Uchiha clan has officially become part of Konoha's absolute leadership.
Rengoku nodded to everyone with great composure.
Then gently waved his hand, and the applause gradually subsided.
Rengoku pressed the advantage and said, "Since I've now become Advisor Elder, then I request to reorganize and take control of the Root organization."
The Third Hokage's eyes sharpened, 'So Rengoku is indeed aiming for this.'
In the past, just relying on the name of Root, Danzo was able to extort a bunch of elites from various clans.
If Rengoku reorganized Root, wouldn't that be terrifying? He had the backing of the Uchiha clan.
He didn't even need to go to other ninja clans to find people, his own clan had plenty.
The Third Hokage didn't even need to think and immediately refused, "The previous Root organization brought a great deal of uncontrollable risk to Konoha."
"Now our village has already disbanded the Root organization, and individual jonin freely recommend people into Anbu."
"Root cannot be reorganized."
Upon hearing this, Rengoku's eyes narrowed slightly, "Lord Hokage, as an Advisor Elder, I naturally have the right to participate in Konoha's affairs."
"You disbanded the very position of the Advisor Elder's duty, are you just planning to give me an empty Advisor Elder title to brush me off?"
[T/N: While they were playing chess, MC was playing 3D Chess]
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