Inside the Hokage's office, Nara Shikaku decisively accepted Tsunade's invitation. He even offered a suggestion.
"Tsunade-sama, although the Uchiha clan has withdrawn from the election, we cannot afford to leave them out in the cold. On the contrary, we should bring them under your banner."
Hearing Nara Shikaku's words, Tsunade fell into thought. Although she had reached an agreement with Ryōsuke, that clan had always been in competition with her own Senju clan. They had long sought to seize the position of Hokage and surpass the Senju. Even if Ryōsuke could forcibly suppress the desires of his clansmen and make them submit, the pressure on him must be immense.
'If I give them a high-level position, would it help reduce the pressure on him?'
She looked at Nara Shikaku and said, "You make a good point. Let us give them a position as a Consultant Elder. After all, they are worthy of such a seat."
Nara Shikaku had not expected his suggestion to receive Tsunade's immediate approval, nor did he expect her to be generous enough to offer the Uchiha clan a Consultant Elder position. He was a little surprised.
The position of Consultant Elder carried immense power in the Leaf Village, second only to the Hokage. One only had to look at how Danzō was able to conduct human experiments within the village without anyone noticing to see just how vast that power was. The other two Consultant Elders were equally influential, overseeing vital village affairs.
Previously, the Uchiha clan had shared power with the three clans and the Inuzuka clan. Now, by granting the Uchiha a Consultant Elder post, their authority would return to its original level—or perhaps even higher. Now that they were part of the village's high command and at the center of power, they surely wouldn't cause trouble anymore.
To be honest, even if they had yielded the Hokage position to Tsunade, the Uchiha clan still possessed enough military force to stage a coup. Shikaku was naturally still a bit worried that this might cause the new generation of Konoha's high command to act with hesitation in the future. But if the Uchiha clan were brought into the fold, they surely wouldn't sabotage their own interests.
With a smile, he responded, "Tsunade-sama, that is an excellent idea. Since you are winning over the Uchiha clan, perhaps we should bring the Hyūga clan in as well?"
The Hyūga clan was another major power in the village. If they were brought in, Tsunade's position as Hokage would be incredibly stable with the support of both great clans and his own. It would greatly benefit the peace of the village, as these clans currently represented the highest combat power in Konoha.
However, Tsunade hesitated when she heard the mention of the Hyūga clan. This wasn't because of resentment over their previous support for the Uchiha. Rather, she worried whether giving the Hyūga clan too much power would create future hidden dangers for the village. She was naturally unwilling to let her own authority be interfered with.
As for the Uchiha clan, she could influence them through Ryōsuke via pillow talk to ensure they wouldn't oppose her. One could say she already controlled the Uchiha clan through Uchiha Ryōsuke; it was an extra benefit of having 'captured' Ryōsuke. But the Hyūga clan was a different matter entirely.
"We will consider that later. We can look into it once the village has stabilized and determine if it would be beneficial or harmful to the village."
Tsunade had to ensure that the people she brought in wouldn't cause her too many headaches. Seeing Tsunade's caution, Shikaku naturally understood her perspective. The transition of power for a new generation must be handled with care. One couldn't just pick Consultant Elders randomly; if they turned out to be a poor fit later, kicking them out would only create unnecessary enmity. That would be even more detrimental to the village's stability.
"Very well, Tsunade-sama. I will send someone to find Fugaku shortly to discuss this matter. I imagine he won't refuse."
Tsunade nodded in agreement. "Let it be so."
Shikaku thought of other matters. "Tsunade-sama, I will first prepare a document naming you as the sole candidate for the Fifth Hokage and submit it to the Daimyō for approval. Then, you can officially become the Fifth Hokage. I shall take my leave."
Tsunade agreed. "Go and prepare."
This procedure was merely symbolic, a way to show respect to the Daimyō. The people of the village had already recognized her status, after all, she had been chosen openly. There was no need to worry about the Daimyō disagreeing.
Inside the Uchiha compound.
Uchiha Fugaku had just returned from the Hokage's office. Tsunade had already spoken with him, expressing her intent to promote him to the new high command of Konoha as a Consultant Elder. This had taken Fugaku by surprise. He hadn't expected Tsunade to offer such an important position. However, since the matter was so significant, he wouldn't decide on his own. He planned to consult Uchiha Ryōsuke back at the compound.
Upon hearing Fugaku's words, Uchiha Ryōsuke felt a bit helpless. He felt Fugaku should be able to decide such things for himself; after all, he was the Clan Head. He shouldn't have to come to him for every single thing.
"Fugaku, in the future, you should handle small matters like this yourself as the Clan Head. I trust you can manage it well."
Fugaku was startled. Was a matter like this considered a 'small matter'? Just what qualified as a 'big matter' in Ryōsuke's eyes? However, he also felt that asking Ryōsuke for everything made him look a bit incompetent. Ryōsuke might not have the time to manage such trivialities; he needed to focus on his cultivation.
"Alright, Ryōsuke. I will make the decision myself then."
Ryōsuke nodded. He really didn't have the time to care about such things.
Afterward, Fugaku returned to his room to carefully weigh the pros and cons of Tsunade's suggestion for the Uchiha clan. Although they hadn't secured the Hokage seat, becoming a Consultant Elder meant they would be high-ranking officials with real power, capable of deciding important village matters. This aligned with the interests of the Uchiha clan.
The clansmen would also feel more secure upon hearing this news. Even the troublemakers' dissatisfaction would likely lessen or vanish entirely. Thus, after making his decision, he personally went to the Hokage building to accept Tsunade's offer.
Tsunade was naturally pleased. Having Fugaku under her watch meant she had complete control over the clan. This meant the clan likely wouldn't be able to cause trouble in the future, resolving a major headache.
'Doesn't this make me even more capable than my grandfather and grand-uncle? It proves I really do have the talent to be Hokage.'
After Uchiha Fugaku agreed to become a village Consultant, he also made an appointment with Yatsushiro to discuss things. When Yatsushiro heard that the Clan Head had become a Consultant Elder, he was overjoyed. It seemed Ryōsuke had successfully 'conquered' Tsunade, causing her to treat the Uchiha clan with such goodwill.
Fugaku looked at Yatsushiro and said, "I called you here today not just to tell you that I've become a Consultant Elder, but also to ask you to take on more of the responsibilities for the Military Police Force's work from now on."
Yatsushiro did not decline. "Understood."
The Uchiha clan now controlled one-third of the Military Police Force. With Fugaku as a Consultant Elder, they were truly at the center of the village's power. It felt as though they were finally masters of their own house, and it was only natural to help Fugaku settle the affairs of the Military Police Force.