The Uchiha's Path to the Top, Starting from Konoha

Chapter 33: Let's begin the vote for the Third Hokage.

"Nonsense! I saw you killing someone the moment I arrived!"

The deaths of two Kage-level squad leaders have made the already short-handed Senju Forest even more stretched. Now, when Mito Uzumaki heard that Uchiha Takeo dared to turn the tables on her, she was so angry that her eyebrows stood on end.

"What a joke! You're allowed to kill my Uchiha clan, but I, the Uchiha, am not allowed to fight back?"

Uchiha Takeo crossed his arms and sneered disdainfully, "Let's settle things right here and now, and see if those ANBU deserve to die!"

"Uchiha Takehiko!"

"My lords, perhaps I could help you sort out the situation."

Seeing the atmosphere of battle rising again on the field, Nara Shikamei glanced at the four Kage-level members of the Uchiha clan who remained silent, completely entrusting the fate of their clan to Uchiha Takehiko.

His heart was trembling, and he hurriedly spoke up.

The others also began to offer kind words of advice, fearing that the two would start fighting. No one wanted to risk their entire family's wealth and lives for a civil war that would bring little benefit.

At the very least, we must buy time to give the vulnerable a chance to evacuate safely.

"Everyone here is a hero of Konoha, and indeed the entire ninja world. There's no need for further words. Let's begin the election for the Third Hokage after assessing the ins and outs of this riot!"

Considering that Tsunade, the only heir the Senju clan could rely on, might not have escaped safely, Mito Uzumaki withdrew her Adamantine Chains and took a step back.

They also wanted to take this opportunity to unite the other ninja clans and suppress the Uchiha clan in one fell swoop.

She then closed her eyes, fully activating Kagura's Mind's Eye and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's ability to perceive good and evil.

First, she paid attention to the situation in the Uchiha clan's territory and found that there were still a large number of clansmen there. She felt relieved. As long as a conflict broke out, even if it was inhumane, she would make sure that the Uchiha clan suffered heavy casualties!

We absolutely cannot allow the Uchiha clan to have another chance to surpass the Senju clan.

Then, the Senju clan, whom she had notified in advance, began to prepare for war and evacuate in an orderly manner according to the wartime regulations of the Warring States period. Tsunade was being evacuated out of the village by a Senju ninja.

Finally, the faction of the Shadow-level powerhouses in the arena is determined.

Apart from the five Kage-level Uchiha, the other dozen or so Kage-level opponents all had some degree of goodwill towards them, which undoubtedly greatly increased their chances of winning.

"You were the one who said seven days, and you're the one who said immediately. You Senju of the Forest really think the power of the Hokage is your own property."

"It doesn't matter anyway, I'll let you show off your Hokage power one more time."

Uchiha Muan withdrew his Susanoo and stood with the Kage-level members of his clan. His eyes swept around, and he could clearly feel the varying degrees of malice emanating from all around him.

(A bunch of opportunists.)

Uchiha Muan didn't care at all. Without an external enemy at hand, they were all people who wouldn't do anything without a profit.

As long as the Uchiha don't demolish the house, other things are not off-limits for discussion.

"Lord Mito, stop using your Kagura mind games. My Uchiha clan is upright and honorable, and we disdain to resort to underhanded tricks like you."

"And we won't have to trouble Chief Nara to waste everyone's time."

Uchiha Wu'an waved to the back, and Sarutobi Sasuke, who had been watching the battle closely, understood and stepped forward, immediately attracting everyone's attention.

Mito Uzumaki's expression changed slightly; she suddenly realized that she had subconsciously overlooked something—

The whole thing started because the Uchiha clan thought they were going to wipe out the Sarutobi clan. Now the Sarutobi clan is basically intact. So what will Sarutobi Sasuke say next?

"etc!"

Mito Uzumaki raised her hand to interrupt Sasuke Sarutobi, who had just spoken, and pointed at the Sarutobi clan members being held captive by the Uchiha clan, "To ensure fairness, those Sarutobi clan members must be released."

"Can."

"Young Master!"

"Don't be impatient. Whether they arrest or release us is irrelevant now. We have already achieved our initial goal."

"Furthermore, our Sarutobi clan chief is a promising talent I have high hopes for."

After comforting the three Uchiha elders who looked puzzled, Uchiha Takeoshi issued an order to those behind him.

Sarutobi Sasuke watched as his terrified clansmen, one by one, hunched over and ran quickly past him toward Mito Uzumaki. Many of them had their lower bodies covered in bruises and grime.

Upon hearing Uchiha Takeo's use of the word "talented person" again, his feelings were incredibly complex and difficult to describe. In the end, he rationally put all impossible fantasies to the back of his mind.

At this moment, all the powerful ninja clan members, including the Hyuga clan, felt a heavy weight in their hearts.

The monkeys that fly today may very well become the people of my race in the future.

The Uchiha clan now has one Mangekyou Sharingan user, four Kage-level ninjas, and nearly a hundred Jonin.

This strength compels them to think more deeply; they also understand the principle that failing to kill a snake will only result in harm to the snake itself.

Moreover, they have no chance of becoming Hokage. Is it really a good idea to openly support the Senju and oppose the Uchiha?

The Senju of the Forest have Mito Uzumaki supporting their gates, what do they have?

With the Sarutobi clan in front of them, if the Uchiha focused their attacks on them, their deaths and the extermination of their clan would almost certainly be a foregone conclusion.

So, should we support the Senju or the Uchiha?

The balance they once held was beginning to tip.

After sensing that Sarutobi Sasuke was not under any genjutsu except for the sealing technique, Mito Uzumaki also noticed the subtle changes in the attitudes of the Kage-level powerhouses around him. Without hesitation, she broke the sealing technique on Sarutobi Sasuke.

Along the way, Uchiha Muan waved to stop Uchiha Setsuna of the martial arts faction, his face beaming with a smile, showing no sign of urgency whatsoever.

It was entirely about getting Mito Uzumaki to save the Sarutobi clan.

"Clan Chief Sarutobi, now we can say without any reservations that the Senju of the Forest are the strongest support for everyone in Konoha."

(A solid support?)

His newly reattached right hand still throbbed with pain, and he could hear his grandson's soft sobs in the distance. Sarutobi Sasuke, disheveled and covered in dirt, gave Uzumaki Mito a meaningful look.

He slowly exhaled, then knelt down with a thud, his hoarse, low voice echoing around him under the influence of chakra.

"This is all our tribe's fault!"

Once Sarutobi Sasuke uttered those words, nothing else mattered.

Mito's fists clenched and unclenched beneath her sleeves, and things were finally spiraling out of control in a direction unfavorable to her.

If the Uchiha clan attacks without cause, the other ninja clans might stand behind them out of a sense of shared fate. However, if there is a legitimate reason, the attitude of the other ninja clans will be ambiguous.

even if……

Sarutobi Sasuke is telling an obvious lie!

As can be seen from the fate of the Sarutobi clan, the Uchiha's goal has always been the Senju of the Forest and the position of Hokage!

As long as they remain neutral, there is a very high chance they will not be targeted by the Uchiha.

If they continue to act recklessly, the Sarutobi clan will be captured, and they might die!

(The Senju clan suffered too many casualties in the war with Kumogakure!)

(Tobirama, Tobirama, were your measures against the Uchiha right or wrong?)

Mito Uzumaki, realizing the fickle nature of human nature and that she was powerless to reverse the situation, felt utterly lost.

Uchiha Takeo clapped his hands, the crisp sound accompanied by a calm voice.

"The truth has come to light. Our clan's security force was legitimately exercising the sacred and inviolable rights granted to us by the Second Hokage."

"The Anbu, which did not receive authorization from the Hokage, ignored the warnings from our clan's security department and launched an attack on our clan's security department."

"Lord Mito, do you think these people deserve to die?"

Watched by the two remaining Kage-level figures, Tiger and Elephant, Mito Uzumaki, who could not possibly abandon them, roused herself and spoke sharply.

"The Security Department's exercise of power is subject to the jurisdiction of the Dark Guard, and the conflicts all stem from the Security Department's excessive actions!"

"Lord Mito, the Security Department clearly stated from the beginning that they were carrying out a classified mission, as everyone has heard. How can such information about treason be easily known to others? Moreover, the results will be reported to the Hokage Building!"

Uchiha Muan's gaze swept over the tiger and elephant, clearly harboring ill intentions. "Or is it that the Anbu has fallen into corruption, with someone colluding with enemy countries, and you're worried that the Uchiha might discover something within the Sarutobi clan?"

Once such a baseless accusation is leveled against someone, their fate is certain death.

"I can vouch for every member of the Anbu in Konoha; not one of them would betray the country."

Mito Uzumaki, worried that Uchiha Takeoshi had instructed Sarutobi Sasuke to maliciously frame him, directly vouched for him.

"Since Lord Mito has vouched for us, we'll put the matter of the Anbu aside for now."

Uchiha Takeo didn't expect this to make Uzumaki Mito hesitate. His eyes swept around like swords and spears. "Now, everyone, let's begin the vote for the Third Hokage!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the scene fell silent.

(End of this chapter)