On a cliff outside Konoha village.
Obito sat perched on the rock face, gazing down at Konoha below.
Despite his enhanced vision, he could just barely make out the crowds gathering near the Hokage Tower.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Watching the colorful flares shoot into the sky, Obito murmured, "Looks like The Fifth Hokage has already been chosen!"
Ever since the peace talks with Hidden Cloud began, the Akatsuki organization had been closely watching Konoha.
Aozora's provocations astonished them, Hizashi Hyuga's sacrifice caught them off guard, and what surprised them most was how Fugaku Uchiha used this opportunity to run for The Fifth Hokage.
As Fugaku Uchiha campaigned for Hokage, suspicions about Aozora emerged within the Akatsuki.
According to intelligence they collected, Aozora previously worked directly under Fugaku Uchiha and had always received significant attention from him.
To gauge Aozora's position, Pain specifically sent Obito and Zetsu to investigate.
Of course, if Fugaku Uchiha failed to win the Hokage position, they could also send Aozora to stir up conflict within the Uchiha clan.
Soon afterward, Zetsu emerged from the cliff wall, saying, "Unfortunately, Fugaku Uchiha became The Fifth Hokage!"
Hearing that Fugaku became Hokage, Obito's expression remained hidden behind his mask, but his thoughts were hard to decipher.
In the past, like most Uchiha, he had viewed becoming Hokage as a lifelong dream.
But in just a moment, his eyes regained their icy determination. After all, once the Infinite Tsukuyomi world was created, Rin would be reborn, and he himself would become Hokage.
Suddenly, Zetsu asked, "Do you think Aozora will betray Akatsuki? He used to be Fugaku Uchiha's assistant. Now that Fugaku is Hokage, he might rise quickly through the ranks. Will he still want to help us create a new world?"
Obito paused thoughtfully before replying, "He and Fugaku Uchiha had a simple superior-subordinate relationship. Fugaku might not even remember him. Besides, we Uchiha have our own convictions; our wills are not so easily swayed."
Listening to Obito, Zetsu seemed to recall something, suddenly letting out an eerie laugh.
"Yeah right—you even turned against your own teacher without hesitation!"
"Shut up!"
Obito let out a sharp, contemptuous snort, then said, "Anyway, in the new world, everything will start fresh again."
Zetsu finally stopped laughing and fell silent.
After a while, Obito said, "Still, he hasn't fully fallen into darkness yet. We need to stay cautious. We should test him."
...
Within Konoha village,
News of Fugaku Uchiha being elected The Fifth Hokage had rapidly spread throughout the village. Within half an hour, every villager knew about it.
"The Fifth is Lord Fugaku? The Murderous Gaze Fugaku?"
"That's right—the very same Fugaku Uchiha who defeated the Rock Ninja!"
"It's him! They say one glance from him terrified hundreds of Rock Ninja out of their wits!"
"Compared to Jiraiya-sama, Lord Fugaku seems more imposing."
...
Thanks to earlier propaganda highlighting his exploits, the villagers were already well aware of Fugaku's achievements. Therefore, none of them felt particularly shocked over his election—only happy to have such a young, powerful Hokage leading them.
Compared to the somewhat indifferent attitude of ordinary villagers, the Uchiha clan had already erupted into celebration.
As soon as word spread through the Uchiha compound that Fugaku had become the Fifth Hokage, clan members excitedly poured out from their homes, joyfully greeting familiar and unfamiliar faces alike.
Some even found red envelopes somewhere and happily handed them out to children on the streets.
Shopkeepers lined the roads shouting about today's free offerings, willing to take losses just to add more happiness to this grand occasion for the clan.
Not a chance the Uchiha would take anything for free. Instead, everyone generously pulled money from their bags and sleeves, showering shopkeepers with cash.
After paying a joyful visit to the Clan Leader's residence to offer their congratulations, everyone enthusiastically purchased fine wines and delicious dishes to cook at home.
Night fell, and the entire Uchiha compound lit up brightly. The air was filled with the rich aroma of wine and grilled meat wafting from every home. Many Uchiha stood by their doors holding plates of food. They warmly invited passing clan members to join them for dinner.
Aozora's house also had a large banquet prepared.
After attending the celebration banquet held by the village for Fugaku, Shisui returned in high spirits and continued drinking with Aozora.
They rarely shared such an enjoyable topic together, so they took turns chatting with cheerful banter.
Looking at the genuine smile on Shisui's face and listening to faint laughter echoing from the streets, Aozora felt a surge of tremendous accomplishment.
With his help, the Uchiha had finally gained a Hokage.
Although the Uchiha were the founding clan of Konoha, over the years, they had been hated by villagers and viewed with suspicion by the higher-ups, making them seem like enemies within their own village.
Now that the Uchiha Clan Leader was the Hokage, it meant the long-standing rift between the Uchiha and Konoha had finally been mended.
From now on, the Uchiha would be part of Konoha, and Konoha would truly belong to the Uchiha as well.
At this point, Aozora felt confident enough to say that as long as Fugaku didn't start acting foolishly, not only would the Uchiha avoid destruction, but they would thrive and enter a golden age of the Uchiha.
Because Shisui was in high spirits tonight, he decided to lift his own alcohol ban on Aozora, letting him join in the drinking.
After some time, when the night had deepened, a light flush appeared on Aozora's face.
He suddenly asked Shisui, "Bro, what do you plan to do in the future?"
Shisui replied, "Why are you asking? I will definitely continue being a ninja and serve the village!"
Aozora shook his head. "I mean, which department do you want to go to in the future?
The Shadow Guard Team, Anbu, Administration Department, Education Department, Police Force… or perhaps you'd like to become a jounin instructor?
Just say the word, and I'll have the Clan Leader arrange it for you!"
Seeing Aozora speaking with the mannerisms of a Hokage, Shisui frowned slightly. "Aozora, why are you bringing this up now? Now that the Clan Leader has just become the Hokage, we should try not to bother him too much. Otherwise, other villagers might gossip about favoritism."
Upon hearing this, Aozora felt a bit awkward, like a parent trying to help out their kid who just doesn't get it.
Truth be told, he wasn't much of a hard worker and had no interest in staying a ninja, even with Fugaku in charge.
But Shisui was naturally someone who enjoyed hard work. That's why Aozora wanted Fugaku to get him a job he liked, yet he hadn't expected Shisui to respond so positively.
At the same time, Aozora felt a bit alert.
If he himself had such thoughts, then what about the other clan members?
Fugaku wasn't going to enjoy the next few days nearly as much as he'd hoped!
After all, he wasn't just the Hokage—he was also the head of the Uchiha clan.
Now, he truly needed to balance the interests between Konoha and the Uchiha.
Both sides were equally important, giving him plenty to worry about.
Shisui didn't know Aozora's thoughts. He continued lecturing Aozora: "Aozora, although you used to be the Clan Leader's assistant and had a close relationship with him, you must recognize your position. You shouldn't ride on the Clan Leader's prestige now that he's become Hokage."
Aozora quickly nodded, pretending to accept Shisui's words just to get him to stop talking.
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