Uchiha's personal opinion

Whether it was gaining control of the northwestern border defense forces through war, or demonstrating strategy and foresight in the reform of the police department, the Uchiha clan was impressed by him.

Moreover, Uchiha Tokumitsu's military achievements are the most illustrious among the contemporary Uchiha clan members.

Some clan members have even openly proposed abolishing the ancestral system of succession by the eldest son and making Uchiha Tokumitsu the next clan head.

Even with Elder Setsuna's repeated promises and assurances, the current clan leader, Uchiha Yomo, remained deeply concerned.

He even thought that if Uchiha Tokumitsu were to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan one day, he would probably be forced into the position of clan leader by his clan members, even if he himself was unwilling.

Something has to be sacrificed to stop Uchiha Tokumitsu from having any further ambitions for the clan head position...

The Uchiha clan leader was experiencing both pain and pleasure...

……

Sakumo Hatake's Jonin squad quickly coordinated with the various departments of Konoha to determine their respective specific powers and responsibilities, and also established the Jonin squad's supervisory and auditing authority.

This result is definitely not good news for Konoha's F3 after Danzo's death.

"The Uchiha have actually come to the North District to show off their power!"

Koharu Utatane felt extremely annoyed as she stood in front of the Hokage's office window.

After the powers and responsibilities of the various departments in Konoha were clarified, the department in charge of political affairs, which she led, was the most affected.

Previously, matters with slightly ambiguous ownership and responsibility were all placed under the jurisdiction of the all-powerful Ministry of State Affairs. Now, with each department having its own ownership and responsibility, and no interference between them, the Ministry of State Affairs has much less room to maneuver.

To gain additional jurisdiction, it must be approved by a vote at the Jonin meeting and signed by the Hokage.

"What's done is done, so let's not complicate things further..."

Mitokado was also quite helpless.

As an advisor and elder of the village, he felt deeply humiliated to be forced to act as the Hokage's envoy and negotiate with ninjas from the same village. However, after reaching a reconciliation with Uchiha Tokumitsu and Hatake Sakumo on the conditions agreed upon by the Hokage, the price he paid resulted in resentment from various departments whose interests had been harmed.

The department whose original rights were most constrained by style was the political affairs department of Koharu Tsutomu.

"We need a new benchmark for Jonin..."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, put down the documents in his hand, took out his pipe, and said calmly.

"The Uchiha clan is ultimately too narrow-minded; Sakumo Hatake is the real threat..."

Mitokado and Koharu Utatane both agreed.

Although the Uchiha clan is strong, they have virtually no chance of becoming Hokage unless they stage a coup; the reason is simple: the Uchiha clan is just too strong.

If a Hokage were to emerge from the Uchiha clan, given their strength and population, they would inevitably erode the existing division of interests. Therefore, regardless of which side one supports or chooses, other ninja clans or commoner Jonin would spontaneously resist the Uchiha.

However, Hatake Sakumo was different. He came from a minor ninja clan. Apart from Sakumo himself, the other members of his clan were not known for their strength. Moreover, Sakumo himself was known for his benevolence and righteousness, and was highly regarded by Jonin and Chunin.

With such a background and reputation, coupled with his extraordinary strength and the support of the Uchiha clan, he is almost certainly the template for the next Hokage.

But no one is willing to give up power, even if they know that power will eventually need to be handed over to the next generation.

If the position of Hokage is destined to be handed over to someone else, why can't it be given to someone you trust?

"It would be better if Orochimaru's image were more approachable..."

Xiaochun sighed as she turned to her new room.

Among the three disciples of Naruto, Orochimaru is the strongest and whose background best fits Konoha's current "political correctness." Moreover, he has led the ninja army in battle as the commander-in-chief many times, achieving remarkable results and having a number of followers in the village.

But personal image is a big problem.

Orochimaru is too cold.

He even gives people the feeling of not being human. There are rumors among the lower-level ninjas in the village that Orochimaru is a venomous snake in human skin.

With such an image and strength, he would be perfectly qualified to be the head of an organization like the Anbu, but he is far from being able to become Hokage.

"If Jiraiya weren't so carefree, he would be a pretty good candidate..."

Mitokado Homura mentioned another member of the other three Sannin.

"What kind of Jonin would do something as tasteless as peeping into a women's hot spring bath!" Koharu Utatane shouted angrily.

"Why is Jiraiya still staying in the Land of Rain?"

Mitokado Homura suddenly thought of something and asked the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"According to him, he needs to stay for a while to teach his disciples." The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, found it a bit difficult to say. "And... he also needs to fulfill the entrustment of Mount Myōboku and find the chosen one of the ninja world."

"What an utterly absurd reason!" Koharu Utatane snorted coldly to show her dissatisfaction.

As for Tsunade, who was the most suitable among the Legendary Sannin, neither of them mentioned her.

Since the Senju clan has chosen to retire, whether out of their own free will or for other reasons, there is no need to promote the descendants of the Senju family when there are still other candidates.

If the Senju clan were to rise again, those who would suffer the most would likely be those who took over high-ranking positions according to the arrangements of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

The Uchiha clan is too powerful, and the Senju clan is too prestigious. These are the dilemmas and troubles that the two founding ninja clans of Konoha have brought to the current ruling elite of Konoha.

“Orochimaru should go to the Anbu first…” The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, silently took a few puffs of his pipe. “I’ve had Shinnosuke leave the Anbu, so Orochimaru can take over some of the Anbu’s work.”

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance. Neither of them knew the inside story regarding Sarutobi Shinnosuke's latest arrangements.

However, Orochimaru's style of doing things and his level of trustworthiness are indeed suitable for the Anbu.

Furthermore, appointing ANBU members was the Hokage's sole prerogative, so the two advisors didn't say much.

"As for Jiraiya, let him continue his temporary posting in the Jonin class. He's not suitable for anything else..."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, narrowed his eyes, carefully considering how he should arrange his hand.

"Tsunade's words..."

At this moment, even the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, hesitated.

He didn't want Tsunade to wield too much power, nor did he want this exceptionally talented descendant of the Senju to be idle.

“Let’s leave the medical department to Tsunade,” Koharu Utatane suggested. “Tsunade has saved countless wounded and poisoned ninjas on the battlefield in the Land of Rain. She is highly respected at the grassroots level, and her medical ninjutsu skills are among the best in the village. She is the perfect person to take charge of the medical department.”

"And didn't the Uchiha even create a bizarre police hospital? Theoretically, all village hospitals should be under the jurisdiction of the medical department..."

Mitokado Homura also agreed, saying, "It'll be a good opportunity for her to have a good talk with the Uchiha police department."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the third generation leader, found the suggestions made by his two old advisors reasonable and readily agreed.

At the same time, I feel very satisfied.

As expected of an old friend, he was considerate and thoughtful in his words and deeds, recommending disciples he had taught. This proved that the nickname "Professor of Ninjutsu" was well-deserved, and that he was indeed quite accomplished in judging people and teaching.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, felt he was the epitome of 'recommending the worthy regardless of personal relationships'.

"Then let's draft the imperial edict!"

Chapter 123 The Interests of the Ninja Clan

The Uchiha clan and its supporters reaped enormous profits, but the ninja clans that had originally been aligned with the Hokage began to feel dissatisfied.

The truth behind the destruction of Root could not be hidden from the ninja clans closely connected to the Hokage lineage.

Especially the Nara, Yamanaka, and Aburame clans.

Among the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, apart from the Akimichi family whose secret techniques caused too much of a commotion and were disliked by Danzo, many members of the Nara and Yamanaka clans worked for Danzo, either voluntarily or under duress.

However, with the destruction of Root and the subsequent purge carried out by the Hokage's son, Shinnosuke Sarutobi, not a single member of their Root clan survived.

Although they say that joining the Root means they will have nothing to do with the family anymore, they are still descendants of the same family. They are all human, and it's impossible for them to really not care.

Uchiha Tokumitsu and Hatake Sakumo not only wiped out the entire Root organization in one fell swoop, but also openly used their private power to gather border troops to put pressure on the Hokage. However, instead of being punished, the two gained huge benefits and power from it.

Therefore, the leaders of the ninja clans would always find a way to subtly complain to the Hokage.

The Hyuga clan was the ninja clan with the most internal grievances.

As one of the only two powerful clans in Konoha and even the entire ninja world with the power of dojutsu (eye techniques) and bloodline limit, the Hyuga clan has always harbored the ambition to compete with the Uchiha clan for the title of the number one ninja clan.

However, although the Hyuga clan has a long and profound taijutsu tradition, they are always a step behind the Uchiha clan, who are almost fully developed.

Moreover, given the characteristics of the Hyuga Byakugan, even on the battlefield, they mostly perform non-combat missions such as reconnaissance and guard duty. In terms of killing enemies, they are far inferior to the Uchiha.

The branch family system of the main family further restricts the largest branch family members, and the Gentle Fist inheritance is also kept secret from the branch families. As a result, generation after generation, the inheritance is gradually eroded. The fragmented and incomplete Gentle Fist inheritance that ordinary members of the branch families have access to further limits the possibility of the Hyuga family producing geniuses.

Compared to the Uchiha clan, which has chosen to open up the inheritance of ninjutsu beyond the ultimate level to its members, the Hyuga clan really doesn't have many outstanding figures to boast of.

In the past, the Uchiha clan suffered a lot of suppression, and the police department often had difficulty acting. The Hyuga clan, on the other hand, had a psychological advantage over the Uchiha clan, who were trusted and favored. They often competed with the Uchiha students at the Ninja Academy, and there were wins and losses.

However, as the young members of the Uchiha clan gradually left the village's ninja academy and chose to enroll in their own police training school, the Hyuga clan lost its point of comparison.

Later, after Uchiha Tokumitsu defeated Kirigakure in the Battle of the Uzumaki and led his clan's ninja army to a worthy victory over Iwagakure and Sunagakure on the battlefield, no one in the Hyuga clan ever brought up the debate about 'who is the number one ninja clan' again.

In the early days, some of the older Hyuga elders ridiculed Uchiha Tokumitsu in internal meetings for squandering the clan's resources on the merciless battlefield. However, as news of the Uchiha's victories frequently came back, coupled with the countless benefits gained from the war and the Uchiha clan members who had further awakened their bloodline powers after being tempered on the battlefield, the Hyuga clan began to feel uneasy.

However, the historical inertia of powerful clans over thousands of years is almost impossible for an individual to change.

Even if the Hyuga clan head wanted to reform, he couldn't act under the suppression of the clan's elders.

Having finally quelled the turmoil within the Root clan, the Third Hokage immediately faced the growing discontent of the ninja clans.

Although vague and not explicitly stated, it is a genuine expression of dissatisfaction.

As the cause of Danzo's death gradually became known to the ninja clan leaders, the ninja clans' discontent grew.

In particular, the police department's rampant expansion has encroached on the interests of many ninja clans.

The Nara clan's deer farm was raided three times a day by the Uchiha police from the police department for allegedly raising deer without a license.

Many of the flower shops owned by the Yamanaka clan have also been shut down because of reports that they were causing pollen allergies among villagers.

The Shimura clan went even further. After losing Danzo, a high-ranking member of the clan, even the shady businesses that the Shimura clan secretly ran outside the village, such as casinos and ransomware stores, were all shut down by the police department. All those involved were arrested and detained by the police department. Not only were huge bail money extorted, but fully armed Uchiha gangs also stormed into the Shimura clan's territory and took away an elder of the Shimura clan on trumped-up charges.

Faced with the menacing Uchiha ninjas who were glaring at them with Sharingan eyes, not a single member of the Shimura clan dared to resist.

Among the ninja clans associated with Root, the only one that did not suffer retaliation from the Uchiha was the Aburame clan.

According to the police department's investigation, most of the Aburame clan members who joined Root were either coerced by higher-ups or had their talents taken away by Danzo from a young age due to their outstanding abilities. Their subsequent actions had little to do with the Aburame clan; on the contrary, the Aburame clan was one of the victims.

However, the ninja clans generally acquiesced to or welcomed the expansion of power of the Jonin teams led by Sakumo Hatake.

The reason is simple—because the Jonin team is not a one-man show where Sakumo Hatake can dictate everything.

Having experienced major events such as Danzo's death, the destruction of Root, and the large-scale expansion of the police force in a short period of time, the ninja clans urgently need a new reliance.

Apart from the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, who are deeply intertwined with the Hokage lineage, other ninja clans have more or less harbored other ambitions.