Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 198 The Selection of the Fifth Hokage

Hinata Kumokawa stopped in the open space in front of the Hokage Building.

The members of the branch family following behind him also stopped instantly, and only the faint sound of breathing echoed throughout the group.

Hinata Kumokawa turned around, his gaze sweeping over the expectant and nervous faces before finally settling on Hinata Iroha standing in the front row.

"Iroha," Yun Chuan's voice was clear and steady, "You'll come in with me."

Hyuga Iroha recently became a Jonin, considered one of the best among the younger generation of the branch family, making him a perfect fit to attend the meeting with me.

“Yes.” Hyuga Iroha’s eyes lit up, and she answered without hesitation.

A hint of undisguised envy flashed across Hyuga Takashi's face as he stood beside him.

His talent is actually quite good, but he is still too young, seven years younger than Iroha, and is still hovering between Chunin and Special Jonin, far from becoming a Jonin.

Hyuga Iroha keenly sensed Hyuga Takashi's emotions, patted him on the shoulder, lowered his voice, and grinned, "Takashi, if you keep trying, become a Jonin soon."

"Next time you attend a meeting with Lord Yun Chuan, you might be the one standing behind him."

Upon hearing this, Hyuga Takashi's spirits lifted, but soon, Hyuga Iroha changed the subject, saying with a smile, "However, you're still far from it, haha."

After chuckling softly, Iroha's smile faded, and her expression turned serious again. She quickly followed Hinata Kumokawa, who had already turned and headed towards the building entrance.

"The rest of you wait here," Hinata Kumokawa instructed without turning his head. "There are some things I need you to do after the meeting."

"Yes!" the members of the branch family responded in unison, their voices deep yet powerful, as they watched the two figures enter the building.

The other ninja clan members waiting outside also felt strange emotions upon seeing this scene.

Isn't this Jonin, known as "Takemikazuchi no Man," a little too prestigious in the Hyuga branch family?
Here, Hyuga Iroha followed closely behind Hyuga Kumokawa, stepping into the conference room that symbolized the core of Konoha's power, her heart pounding involuntarily.

This was his first time attending a formal Jonin meeting.

Konoha has a considerable number of Jonin, but not all Jonin are qualified or required to attend every Jonin meeting, and the meeting room cannot accommodate so many people.

Typically, Jonin who can attend meetings of this level are either elite Jonin from commoner backgrounds, or they often represent their respective departments.

Another type is the representatives of each ninja clan. The clan leader usually brings one or two of the most trusted Jonin from the clan to attend.

As a branch family Jonin, he could only learn about the contents of meetings through internal clan communication in the past, and he never expected that he would be able to attend one day.

Hyuga Iroha quickly scanned the room. It was a spacious and solemn room with a huge oval table in the center, polished to a mirror shine, reflecting the morning light from the window.

Portraits of the Hokage of each generation hung on the walls, and dark leather chairs surrounded a long table. Although the meeting had not yet officially started, many Jonin had already taken their seats and were talking in hushed tones.

There were only a few dozen attendees, but the atmosphere in the meeting room was so heavy it was almost suffocating, filled with an invisible pressure that made it hard to breathe.

Iroha could hear several Jonin exchanging the latest information about the "Hollow" operation in hushed tones, each of them bearing varying degrees of worry, fatigue, and solemnity on their faces.

The bloodshed of the Uchiha Night, the rampant attacks of the 'Espada', the Hollow attacks that affected the entire ninja world...

These crises, like dark clouds hanging over Konoha and even the entire ninja world, made every Jonin present feel unprecedented pressure.

This serious and solemn atmosphere also extinguished the excitement and joy that Hyuga Iroha felt from attending the meeting for the first time.

"call……"

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and his expression became just as serious.

Hinata Kumokawa remained calm and walked straight to his seat.

Iroha followed closely behind, and after Yunchuan took his seat, he consciously stood behind Hyuga Yunchuan.

However, when his gaze fell on the other side of the conference table, his body stiffened slightly.

There, directly opposite, sat two people.

Hyuga Hiashi sat upright, his face calm and composed, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Beside him was Hyuga Higo, whose face was much gloomy. When he saw Hyuga Kumokawa and the other person, a faint, cold smile appeared on his lips.

Behind Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Higo stood two Jonin dressed in Hyuga clan attire.

—Hyuga Himon and Hyuga Tokuma.

Both were members of the branch family. The former was noticed by the main family early on because of his talent and strength, and was won over by various means, becoming a loyal supporter of the main family.

Therefore, upon seeing Hyuga Kumokawa and Hyuga Iroha, the corners of his mouth turned down, revealing his undisguised dissatisfaction and hostility towards the two, especially Hyuga Kumokawa.

As for the latter, Tokuma Hyuga...

Not long ago, Hyuga Tokuma was just a special Jonin of the branch family. Although he was quite strong and specialized in tracking and reconnaissance, he was still far from being a true Jonin.

However, at this moment, he had also become a Jonin, standing behind Hyuga Higo.

"..."

Seemingly sensing Iroha's gaze, Hyuga Tokuma slightly raised his head, and their eyes briefly met in the air. However, Hyuga Tokuma's eyes darted away, avoiding eye contact, his expression carrying an almost imperceptible awkwardness and stiffness.

Clearly, he himself was aware of the significance of this "Jonin" title and the delicate position he held here.

After all, he had sided with the branch family in the recent conflict between the main family and the branch family.

"Tokuma, you..."

Hyuga Iroha opened her mouth as if to say something, but was interrupted by Hyuga Kumokawa's light and casual words.

“Iroha,” he said.

Although Iroha was indignant about Hyuga Tokuma's betrayal, he obediently shut his mouth after hearing Hyuga Kumokawa's words.

Higo Hyuga also noticed the eye contact between Iroha and Toku, a cold, mocking smile curving his lips as his gloomy gaze swept over Higo Hyuga and Iroha like a venomous snake.

Hinata Kumokawa seemed oblivious to the gaze directed at him from across the room. He sat calmly in his chair, his hands clasped on the table, his eyes fixed on the head of the table at the very front of the conference room.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's spot there was still empty.

Hyuga Kumokawa was well aware that the rift between the main family and the branch family was becoming increasingly serious, and the main family was already running out of Jonin candidates who could be directly controlled and were strong enough.

Clearly, they spared no expense, using resources and connections to promote Hyuga Tokuma, originally a special Jonin, to a regular Jonin in order to bolster their own forces.

This is more like saying that the main family still holds the power to allocate resources and still has the ability to "create" the power they need.

The appointment and removal of Jonin requires the approval of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, which is undoubtedly a means for Hiruzen Sarutobi to counterbalance the Hyuga branch family.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the entire conference room became even more oppressive and subtle due to the silent confrontation within the Hyuga clan.

"Ok?"

"interesting."

"The Hyuga clan is..."

The other Jonin from different clans also sensed the unusual atmosphere to varying degrees, their gazes subtly shifting between Hyuga Kumokawa and Hyuga Higo.

Has the conflict between the main and branch families of the Hyuga clan really reached this point?

However, it hadn't been long since the last Jonin meeting, when Hyuga Kumokawa had just become a Jonin.

Now he has not only become a war hero of Konoha and has an excellent reputation among the people of Konoha, but he has also become the leader of the Hyuga clan's branch family.
Is this laying the foundation for his bid to become the Fifth Hokage?

"It's a pity..." Nara Shikaku glanced at Hyuga Kumokawa's headband and thought to himself, "No matter how strong or famous they are, the branch family is destined never to become Hokage."

Otherwise, anyone, even a Jonin from a commoner background, with Hyuga Kumokawa's current strength, reputation, and contributions, would be qualified to be a candidate for Hokage.

At least in Nara Shikaku's view, as long as the "Caged Bird Seal" factor is removed, Hyuga Kumokawa is the most promising person to succeed as Hokage.

However, it was impossible. As far as he knew, the "Caged Bird Seal" had been unsolvable from the Warring States period to the present, and even the main family of the Hyuga clan could not break it.

Therefore, Hinata Kumokawa was destined to never be in that position.

“Eh, Shikaku.”

Noticing Nara Shikaku's gaze, Yamanaka Inoichi, standing nearby, turned slightly and used his "Mind Reading Technique" to silently ask, "Who do you think has the best chance of becoming the Fifth Hokage?"

"Tsunade, Jiraiya, Kakashi Hatake, Danzo Shimura, or perhaps Hyuga Kumokawa, or someone else?"

These words could not be heard by others, after all, the Third Hokage was still in office, even though it was already destined that he would not be in that position for long.

Nara Shikaku shook his head slightly, without naming anyone, and simply said, "This has nothing to do with 'Ino-Shika-Cho.' Thinking about it so much is too troublesome."

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio have always been staunch supporters of the Hokage faction. They don't care who becomes Hokage; whoever becomes Hokage, they will unhesitatingly side with him.

This also means that whoever becomes Hokage will need the three clans and will not be marginalized, so it's the same for them.

Thinking of this, Nara Shikaku looked at the two figures sitting in the front seats.

Not only him, but everyone else also looked at the two figures.

Tsunade sat there with her arms crossed, looking displeased, while Jiraiya shamelessly fawned over her.

In Nara Shikaku's opinion, Kakashi is still too young. If these two are still unwilling to take over the Hokage position, then there really is no one else who can take on this role.

So the most likely outcome is that Hiruzen Sarutobi will step down, and a nominal acting Hokage will be chosen, while Hiruzen Sarutobi and the three advisors will still hold the real power.

In the silence as everyone was lost in their own thoughts, the conference room door was pushed open again, and all eyes were instantly drawn to it.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, dressed in a divine robe and wearing a Hokage hat, walked in slowly, his steps still seemingly steady.

But that hint of weariness that seeped from his very bones made him seem as if he had suddenly aged ten years.

(End of this chapter)