Analyzing the Ninja World Starting from Konoha

Chapter 232 Forcing the High-Ranking Officials to Resign!

"What did you say?!"

Tsunade stared intently at Aoba's calm face, as if trying to find a trace of a joke.

but no.

Aoba's eyes remained calm, without the slightest hint of pretense.

"I said, I can truly bring Mr. Duan back to life."

"It's not a fake resurrection like the Impure World Reincarnation, but rather giving a person who has been dead for many years a new physical body and bringing them back to this world!"

Aoba confirmed again.

"Is this really possible?!"

After the initial shock, Tsunade didn't instinctively deny it.

Because tonight, she had already witnessed too many unbelievable things.

Even though she had accepted the absurdity of time travel by people from the future, the taboo of "resurrection of the dead" touching on the realm of gods still sent chills down her spine.

But what if it's true?!

Tsunade's breathing stopped instantly.

Immediately afterwards, an uncontrollable thought welled up from the bottom of her heart.

What if it could be revived?!

Is the rope tree also...?

"no."

Seemingly sensing Tsunade's thoughts, Aoba interrupted her in advance.

Tsunade's expression froze.

"Lady Tsunade, the resurrection of the dead is not an ordinary ninjutsu. The conditions for performing this technique are extremely demanding, and the cost is far greater than imagined."

Aoba looked at her, her tone serious, "With my current abilities and resources, I can only revive one person."

Upon hearing Aoba's words, Tsunade fell silent.

In fact, even if Aoba didn't say it, Tsunade knew it in her heart.

How could there be no price to pay for bringing back the dead?

She closed her eyes, and the image of Rope Tree's innocent face and Dan's gentle smile appeared in her mind.

If you can only choose one...

Tsunade's fingernails dug deeply into her palms, yet she felt no pain.

"Lady Tsunade."

Aoba's voice rang out again, pulling Tsunade back from her painful decision.

"Among the intelligence I gathered about the future, I discovered that there are actually other forces hiding in the ninja world."

Aoba's tone became serious.

"Even that rogue ninja organization 'Akatsuki' could very well be just a pawn pushed to the forefront by the mastermind behind the scenes. The real enemy is far more powerful than we imagine."

Aoba looked directly into Tsunade's eyes and said, word by word.

"We need Mr. Duan's strength."

Tsunade was stunned.

She looked into Aoba's eyes.

For some reason, Tsunade felt relieved when she heard Aoba say that he "needed the power of Dan" instead of simply offering the resurrection Dan as a condition for the exchange.

Perhaps... this is actually better.

It wasn't for Tsunade's personal reasons, but to protect this world.

If that's the reason, then she... doesn't need to feel so guilty.

Tsunade took a deep breath, and the confusion and pain in her eyes completely disappeared, replaced by a long-lost confidence.

"it is good."

Tsunade stood up, her voice steady and powerful.

"I will strive for the Hokage position."

Aoba looked at Tsunade, and a genuine smile finally appeared on his lips.

Stable.

……

Two days later, in the morning.

The sky over Konoha Village was overcast.

The memorial stone was packed with villagers and ninjas who had come to bid farewell.

Everyone was dressed in black mourning clothes, their expressions solemn.

Shuimen's portrait was placed in the center of the altar. In the photo, he still had that warm, sunny smile, as if nothing had happened.

The Nine-Tails' rampage brought extremely heavy casualties to Konoha, with countless vibrant lives perishing on that violent night.

The atmosphere at the funeral was solemn and somber. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood at the very front, with Kushina standing beside him, her face filled with grief and tears streaming down her face.

Because of Aoba's strong intervention, the tragedy of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina was forcibly rewritten.

Minato still used the Reaper Death Seal, but Kushina miraculously survived.

Aoba stood in the crowd, her gaze calmly fixed on the portrait.

Beside him, Kurenai gently took his hand.

Aoba didn't speak, but simply squeezed Hong's hand in return.

After the funeral, the crowd gradually dispersed.

But for the Konoha leadership, the real show is just beginning.

In the afternoon, in the Konoha high-level conference room.

This is the highest-level Jonin tournament that will determine the future of Konoha.

The layout of the meeting room is clearly defined.

On the platform directly in front, the Konoha F4—the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane—sat high above in the main seats.

Meanwhile, the elite Jonin of Konoha sat on the ground below the stage, the atmosphere solemn.

However, today there was an unexpected figure in the audience.

Tsunade.

Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha who had been away from the village for many years, surprisingly attended the Jonin Tournament.

She sat next to Qingye with her arms crossed, her long golden hair casually draped over her shoulders, her eyes sharp, and her whole body exuding a powerful aura that kept strangers at bay.

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi on the stage showed a hint of surprise when he saw Tsunade, clearly not expecting her to come.

The meeting officially began.

Mitokado Homura pushed up his glasses and spoke first: "Everyone, although we successfully repelled the Nine-Tails in this attack, the sacrifices we made were far too great."

Koharu Utatane quickly followed up, her tone serious: "We don't have time to wallow in grief. Our most urgent task is to choose a new successor to fill the vacancy and stabilize morale!"

Clearly, today's meeting is about electing a new Hokage.

Upon hearing this, the Jonin below immediately began whispering among themselves.

Just then, Nara Shikaku, the brains of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio sitting in the front row, slowly raised his hand.

"The two advisors are right; the village does indeed need a new leader. My personal suggestion is that, since the times have changed, why not entrust the responsibility of Hokage to the next generation of ninja after Minato?"

As soon as Lu Jiu finished speaking, the atmosphere in the conference room instantly became subtle.

Swish!

Almost instantly, the gazes of more than half of the Jonin present turned to Yamashiro Aoba, who was sitting in the corner with his eyes closed, resting.

Even Danzo on the stage glanced at Aoba with a sinister look in his single eye, a deep sense of dread flashing in the depths of his eyes.

Shikaku's meaning was too obvious.

Who is qualified to be Hokage after Minato?

Although he didn't say it explicitly, who else could be the most qualified, capable, and prestigious ninja after Minato to sit in that position, besides Yamashiro Aoba?!

On the night of the Nine-Tails' rampage, who turned the tide and single-handedly suppressed the rampaging Nine-Tails?

During the Third Shinobi World War, who made outstanding contributions and killed enemy powerhouses as easily as taking candy from a baby?

In terms of strength, he is undoubtedly the strongest fighter in Konoha right now!

In terms of reputation, he is regarded as an idol by countless young ninjas.

It can be said that after Minato, Yamashiro Aoba is the most suitable candidate for Hokage!

However, despite the intense gazes of the crowd, Qingye didn't even lift his eyelids, remaining calmly seated as if none of this concerned him.

Because Aoba himself knew very well that he could not become Hokage now!

If the Konoha leadership really wanted him to become Hokage, the Third Hokage would have already met with him privately; there would have been no need to hold this meeting.

as predicted.

Without even thinking, Xiaochun, who was switching dorm rooms, immediately picked up the conversation.

"While Shikaku's suggestion makes sense, there are indeed some extremely talented Jonin among the younger generation after Minato. However, it is undeniable that they are too young and lack experience, making them simply inadequate to lead the entire Hidden Leaf Village in dealing with the complex situation in the ninja world today."

These words were practically saying that Aoba was too young and not yet ready to become Hokage.

In fact, before the meeting, the four of them had already met secretly and reached a consensus—Yamashiro Aoba must not be allowed to become the next Hokage!

Danzo already hated Aoba to the core. He knew very well that with Aoba's domineering and ruthless personality, he could uproot Danzo's "Root" the moment he became Hokage!

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado chose Aoba because they were unfamiliar with her and Aoba's behavior was completely beyond their control; allowing Aoba to take over would not be in their interest.

As for Hiruzen Sarutobi, while he admired Aoba's talent, Aoba's extreme pragmatism and overly forceful methods made him deeply wary. He feared that if Aoba became Hokage, he would disrupt the existing balance of the ninja world and even trigger a new war.

The Jonin below exchanged glances, and some couldn't help but mutter under their breath.

Some couldn't help but mutter under their breath, "If not from the younger generation, who else could they choose?"

Just then, Aoba, who had been resting with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them.

He slowly stood up, dusted himself off, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips.

"Since the two advisors feel that we young people lack experience..."

Aoba's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire conference room: "Then I'll recommend someone."

Swish!

All eyes turned to Qingye once again.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado on the stage also frowned, staring intently at Aoba, afraid that the boy would say something inappropriate.

Danzo gripped his cane even tighter, a dangerous glint flashing in his single eye.

Ignoring the gazes from the stage, Aoba stretched out his hand and pointed directly at Tsunade, who was sitting next to him.

"I recommend Lady Tsunade!"

The room fell silent upon hearing this.

"In terms of status, position, experience, and prestige, Lady Tsunade is the most suitable candidate. She is the granddaughter of the First Hokage, one of the Legendary Sannin, and participated in the Second Shinobi World War. In terms of combat experience and leadership ability, no one here is more qualified than her."

At this point, Qingye paused, a slight smile playing on her lips, her tone laced with undisguised sarcasm.

"We can't let those old fogies from the past climb back to power, can we? The ninja world is progressing, and Konoha should move forward too."

Upon hearing this, the expressions on the four old faces on the stage were incredibly interesting.

A sinister glint flashed in Danzo's single eye, Koharu Utatane's lips twitched slightly, and Homura Mitokado's brows furrowed into a knot.

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned as he looked at him.

While everyone was still processing Aoba's words, Tsunade stood up.

The legendary Sannin, the princess of Konoha, had an unprecedentedly serious expression at this moment.

She stood there, exuding a powerful aura that commanded respect without a hint of anger.

"Konoha is in a time of crisis."

Tsunade's voice was calm and powerful, echoing throughout the hall, "If there is no more suitable candidate, I am willing to step forward."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"I am willing to succeed as the Fifth Hokage, to carry on my great-grandfather's legacy, and to protect this village!"

Wow!!!

Tsunade's statement was like a bombshell, instantly causing a huge uproar in the venue!

The entire conference room erupted in chaos!

"Lady Tsunade actually agreed to become Hokage?!"

"That's great! If it's Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, she'd definitely be up to the task!"

"The princess of the Senju clan, she is rightfully entitled to be one!"

The Jonin below were in high spirits, clearly showing their strong approval of Tsunade's resume and prestige.

The F4 members sitting on the stage looked even worse than if they had swallowed flies!

They had calculated everything, anticipating that Aoba might argue his case, that Aoba might lose his temper, and even prepared various excuses to suppress Aoba.

But what they didn't expect was that Aoba would play by his own rules and directly bring out Tsunade!

What's even more damning is that Tsunade, who used to avoid the Hokage position like the plague, actually took the initiative to accept the challenge today!

This instantly rendered all their prepared drafts useless!

Seeing that public opinion had completely turned in favor of Tsunade, Danzo knew he couldn't wait any longer.

He suddenly stood up, his one eye fixed on Tsunade, his cold voice like the hiss of a venomous snake.

"I object!"

Danzo's voice drowned out all the other whispers. He looked at Tsunade with a cold smile and mercilessly exposed her most fatal wound.

"Tsunade's prestige and experience are certainly sufficient, but don't forget, she has a fatal flaw!"

Danzo's voice was chilling and piercing: "Tsunade suffers from severe hemophobia!"

Upon hearing this, Tsunade's face turned pale instantly, and she clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.

The entire venue fell silent instantly.

Everyone knows what fainting at blood means to a ninja.

"How can someone with such a fatal psychological flaw, someone who trembles at the sight of blood, become the village's savior?!"

Danzo pressed on relentlessly, questioning loudly.

Just as Tsunade was gritting her teeth, unsure how to refute,

Aoba's voice rang out again.

"Advisor Danzo, are you getting senile?"

Aoba crossed her arms and coldly looked at Danzo on the platform: "The Hokage is the leader of the village. What's needed is a broad perspective, sufficient experience, and a position that commands respect. Hemophobia at most only affects her ability to use medical ninjutsu. What does that have to do with her becoming Hokage?"

"Does the Hokage have to personally go to the front lines and fight the enemy every day?"

Danzo, enraged by Aoba's public insult that he was called a "senile old man," retorted, "Nonsense! The Hokage is someone who must stand up and protect the village in crucial moments! With such an obvious weakness, if the enemy exploits it, the entire village will be doomed!"

"Oh? Is that so?"

Aoba scoffed, retorting without backing down, "According to Danzo's theory, why bother with qualifications and experience when choosing a Hokage? Just set up a tournament in the village, and whoever has the biggest fist and the strongest will be the Hokage!"

"If that's the case..."

Aoba narrowed his eyes slightly, and a terrifying pressure of chakra instantly emanated from his body. "Then, shouldn't I be the one to become Hokage?"

Gudong.

Feeling the suffocating pressure emanating from Aoba, many Jonin subconsciously swallowed.

Danzo was rendered speechless by the retort, and could only grit his teeth and curse, "Yamashiro Aoba, stop with your sharp tongue!"

"I'm just stating the facts."

Aoba calmed his breathing and shrugged. "Besides, hemophobia is just a psychological trauma, not a terminal illness."

At this point, Aoba turned his head to look at Tsunade, a confident smile playing on his lips.

"Furthermore, I have found a way to cure Lady Tsunade's hemophobia."

What?!

These words stunned not only the F4 on stage, but also Tsunade herself.

She looked at Aoba in surprise, her eyes filled with shock.

When did this kid find a cure for hemophobia? I've never heard him mention it before.

But Tsunade quickly realized that this was definitely a bargaining chip that Aoba was throwing out to help her clear the obstacles!

The Jonin below started discussing it again.

"If Lady Tsunade's hemophobia could really be cured, then she would definitely be the perfect candidate for Hokage!"

"Yes, the princess of the Senju clan, one of the Legendary Sannin, who could be more suitable than her?"

Seeing that the situation had completely spiraled out of control, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been silent all along, finally couldn't sit still any longer.

He knew that it was impossible to suppress Tsunade today. Aoba was pressing them relentlessly and had already cornered them.

If we forcefully obstruct them, it will only provoke resentment from the entire Jonin class.

So, the third generation resorted to his most adept political tactic—playing both sides.

He slowly stood up and smiled.

"Alright, everyone, calm down."

The Third Hokage looked at Tsunade and said gently, "Tsunade's qualifications and abilities are evident to all. As the First Hokage's granddaughter, she is indeed qualified to inherit the title of Hokage, and I fully support her becoming the Fifth Hokage."

Upon hearing this, Danzo turned to look at the Third Hokage, his one eye narrowing slightly.

However, the third generation then changed the subject.

"However, Danzo's concerns are not without merit; hemophobia is indeed a potential problem."

The Third Hokage looked intently at Tsunade and Aoba, and offered a compromise.

"How about this, I propose that until Tsunade's hemophobia is completely cured, I will temporarily assume the duties of Hokage and handle the village's daily affairs."

"Tsunade, on the other hand, serves as the Hokage's assistant and participates in the village's high-level decision-making."

"Once Tsunade's hemophobia is cured, I will formally hand over the position of Hokage to her."

The Third Hokage's words were perfectly worded, appeasing those who supported Tsunade while preserving his temporary power.

As expected, the Jonin below the stage nodded in approval as soon as the suggestion was made.

After all, the prestige of the third generation was still very high at this time, and it was indeed the safest transition plan at present.

Looking at the Third Hokage's righteous and awe-inspiring appearance on the stage, Aoba sneered inwardly.

An old fox is an old fox; he'll do anything to keep power in his hands.

However, Aoba did not refute this further.

Because he has already achieved his goal.

Once Tsunade enters the core of Konoha's power and becomes the rightful "Hokage's assistant" and "prospective Fifth Hokage," it won't be so easy for the Third Hokage and Danzo to do anything underhanded behind their backs.

Aoba turned his head and met Tsunade's gaze.

The two exchanged a knowing glance.

……