"If you want to become Hokage, the greatest resistance will come from Konoha's shinobi clans. And the first among them will naturally be the Uchiha."
Hiruzen nodded.
The news of Tobirama's death had leaked through Uchiha channels. Even if he believed Uchiha Kagami wasn't responsible, that only proved one thing—the Uchiha possessed their own independent intelligence network.
They might have even known in advance that Tobirama's negotiation mission would be ambushed.
The Uchiha's hunger for the Hokage's seat had never been concealed. Even during Tobirama's tenure, radical voices within the clan calling for his overthrow had never fully disappeared.
Such people, however, always seemed to die "coincidentally" during missions or wars.
And the Uchiha could never find a shred of evidence tying their deaths back to Tobirama.
After several extremists vanished this way, the clan grew wary and gradually quieted down.
Moreover, Tobirama governed with fairness. The benefits allotted to the Uchiha were never reduced in the slightest. Over the years, Konoha's other clans had flourished and had fully acknowledged Tobirama as Hokage.
Unfortunately, Tobirama's sudden death during the negotiations had handed the Uchiha a golden opportunity to reach for the Hokage's seat.
"As for the Uchiha, I'm not overly worried," Mito said calmly. "They've always been the same—whoever has the bigger fist, they follow."
"Back then, Hashirama defeated Madara. Madara left the village, yet the Uchiha clan did not follow him."
"And now, within Konoha, there isn't a single Uchiha who can defeat me."
"Unless they completely lose their minds and throw every elite they have at me, perhaps they could kill me."
"But they don't have that kind of courage."
Her tone carried absolute confidence.
At present, there was no one in Konoha who could match her. Already terrifying in her own right—and with the Nine-Tails sealed within her—Uzumaki Mito was nothing less than a walking calamity.
Hiruzen looked at her with awe, feeling the weight and dignity of the older generation's power.
He had already experienced that suffocating pressure firsthand.
"Dealing with the Uchiha is something I can handle," Mito continued. "But the clans blocking your path are not limited to them."
"The Senju are just as unwilling to see you become Hokage."
Mito let out a quiet sigh.
The true danger did not come from the external threat of the Uchiha—
It came from her own clan.
Hiruzen's eyes widened. Subconsciously, he had assumed that since Mito supported him, the Senju would naturally stand on his side as well.
"You don't seriously think I can represent the entire Senju clan, do you?" Mito said, casting him a sideways glance.
"In ordinary times, my status lets me throw my weight around among the Senju. Even Tobirama had to give me face."
"But now Tobirama is dead, and the seat you're fighting for is the Third Hokage."
"Two Hokage have already come from the Senju. The clan has grown accustomed to that honor—to the benefits the Hokage position brings."
"They've already accepted it as an established future that the Third Hokage will also come from the Senju."
Mito spoke slowly, allowing Hiruzen time to absorb her words.
How to convince the Senju clan to accept Hiruzen—
That was what troubled her the most.
The Senju had founded Konoha. Two Hokage had come from their clan—and both had died in office. That legacy carried enormous prestige.
More than that, during the First Shinobi World War, the Senju had borne the greatest burden. Their clan head had been Hokage, so the most dangerous fronts were often held by Senju shinobi.
The Senju had never hesitated to sacrifice their lives to protect Konoha.
In the eyes of most Senju, it was only natural that the Third Hokage would also come from their clan.
Some of the more extreme members even believed that the Senju were Konoha.
Now the war was nearing its end. Victory was in sight. Senju blood had nearly been drained dry.
And yet, to let a Sarutobi clan—who in the past had merely followed behind picking up scraps—step forward and reap the harvest?
Mito didn't even dare imagine the resentment that would erupt from that.
Many of the old Senju elders from the Warring States era were still alive—men who valued the clan's future above their own lives.
Some were even older than Hashirama, possessing generations of seniority. They had devoted their entire lives to the Senju.
The kind of elders who could slap Hashirama across the face and still have him laugh it off and say, "Grand-uncle, did your hand hurt? I won't do it again."
Mito could already picture the scene if she announced that Tobirama had passed the Hokage's seat to Hiruzen.
They would explode in fury.
Even if Tobirama were still alive, they would probably curse him into the ground—let alone her.
A single sentence like, "You're an Uzumaki—what right do you have to interfere in Senju family matters?" would be enough to choke her.
When those old men were pushed into a corner, there was nothing they wouldn't dare say.
No matter how overwhelming her strength was, she couldn't simply lay hands on them.
Many of them weren't even afraid of death anymore. They would gladly bare their necks for her blade if it meant ensuring the Third Hokage remained a Senju.
"Lady Mito… this…"
Hiruzen found himself at a loss for words.
If the Senju opposed him, what could he possibly do?
He couldn't fight them. He had neither the strength nor the moral standing to oppose his teacher's clan.
"The elders in the Senju clan have already settled on a candidate," Mito said quietly. "Senju Tōma."
"He's Hashirama's son. His standing within the clan is strong. His achievements in this war are remarkable."
"He commanded an entire front line and held back the pressure from Iwagakure."
"He's already on his way back to Konoha. He'll arrive soon."
Mito studied Hiruzen carefully.
She could help shoulder the pressure from the Uchiha.
But the pressure from the Senju—
She could not.
At best, she could remain neutral.
And more than that… Senju Tōma was her own son.
He had grown up idolizing his father, dreaming of becoming Hokage and protecting Konoha.
She could not bring herself to help an outsider strike down her own child.
"If you want to become Hokage," Mito said at last, her voice steady and firm, "you must defeat Tōma."
"Defeat him openly and honorably, before the entire Senju clan."
"Only then will I have the opportunity to persuade them."
That was the absolute limit of what she could do.
How much Tōma had sacrificed for the Hokage's seat—she had witnessed it all.
Tobirama, you bastard… you're even worse than Hashirama. Always leaving me with impossible problems.
Mito cursed silently, half tempted to drag Tobirama back from the afterlife just to beat some sense into him.
"Lady Mito," Hiruzen said sincerely, "I understand. You've already done more than enough."
His gratitude was genuine.
Senju Tōma was her son.
Yet she had deliberately set aside that identity in this discussion.
She had already been as fair as anyone could reasonably expect.
And for Hiruzen—
That was enough mercy.
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