Konoha: Offer your heart to the Hokage!

Danzo had a sudden inspiration and conceived an incredibly audacious idea: to assassinate Zen-in-no-Kami.

If you can't solve the problem, solve the person who created it...

Danzo considered the possibility of assassinating Zenji.

The assassination cannot happen within Konoha Village. Even if I were to kill him, the investigation would eventually trace it back to me.

But what if it's outside the village? Konoha itself represents safety, while the situation outside is chaotic, and anything could happen.

Logically, since the previous Hokage had just died outside the village, Zenin had no reason to leave. However, Danzo saw an opportunity: when the Hokage took office, he was required to go to the Daimyo's residence to meet the Daimyo.

At that time, the Zen monastery even had to leave the village.

Danzo Shimura made a decision in his heart: it would be best if Hiruzen could successfully become the Third Hokage, but if he couldn't... then he would assassinate him on the way to the Daimyo's residence at Zenin Temple!

What kind of force would be needed to kill a Shadow?

Although Zenin Shinji himself is just an ordinary Jonin with weak combat power, he is always accompanied by elite guards when he goes out. It would be extremely difficult for him to break through the Shadow Guard's protection and assassinate them at close range.

However... the battles between ninjas are never limited to direct combat.

The most classic way to overcome a stronger opponent is through [sealing techniques]!

Danzo's eyes flashed; he had an idea.

Before his death, Tobirama Senju taught him many secret techniques, one of which was called the "Inner Four Symbols Sealing Technique." The user first inscribes the four symbols within their body, and at the cost of their own death, seals away all matter around them. It is an extremely powerful technique of mutual destruction.

Since it's a move that results in mutual destruction, he naturally wouldn't use it himself.

Who will use it?

The Zange clan has quite a few "young talents" from the Shimura clan! Among them, Shimura Masayuki and others who clashed with Tsunade at the Ninja Academy two years ago have not yet officially become genin, but have already been trained by Danzo into obedient tools.

Tools should be used to their fullest potential.

Danzo devised a plan to use his clansmen and descendants as suicide bombers, to approach the Zen temple when necessary and even activate the Four Symbols Seal.

...

When Danzo was arrested and imprisoned by the police, his expression changed.

This matter... was not arranged by him.

It can only be said that the kind-hearted villagers of Konoha were too cunning; without being reminded, they spontaneously bullied Danzo.

Who could have imagined that the future renowned "Dark Force of the Ninja World," whose name could stop a child's crying and who was feared throughout the ninja world, would one day be pelted with expired milk? Is expired milk a standard item for bullied victims?

Whether you're considered the dark side or the light side of the ninja world, if your reputation is ruined in Konoha, you'll only be bullied.

What's even more ironic is that it was Fugaku's father, Kenji, who arrested Danzo. In the future, Danzo orchestrated the Uchiha clan massacre, yet he was captured by the very father of the clan leader on the night of the massacre—a capture that seems to transcend time and space.

Uchiha Setsuna was also involved in the arrest.

This guy is a heavyweight, a standard Uchiha hawk. In the original timeline, he led the hawks in the Konoha Tower assault, only to be unsurprisingly captured and imprisoned by Tobirama. Now, however, he's taken a completely opposite path.

The police stopped attacking the tower and were even praised for their good work in the commercial district.

These contrasts inevitably remind Shen Er of a classic line: "If I were promoted another half rank, everyone here would be a villain."

Now, Shinji is stuck at the "half-level" threshold. If he takes just half a step forward, the original third-generation gang, led by Hiruzen Sarutobi, will be branded as villains. The same goes for everyone who opposes him.

The same applies to the Uchiha clan; they will all be transformed from a clan inherently evil in the eyes of the Second Hokage to a clan inherently pure in the eyes of the Third Hokage.

So...

There are no inherently good or bad characters; it's simply a matter of who holds the power to define them.

Shen Er silently complained in his heart, but on the surface he maintained a fair attitude: "Just do things according to the law, don't make things too difficult. I believe that Jonin Danzo was just acting impulsively."

"Yes! Lord Shen'er is merciful!"

They didn't have time to bother with such an insignificant figure as Danzo.

There are more important things waiting for him to deal with right now.

A large number of villagers gathered in front of the Hokage Building to petition.

They spontaneously raised plaques and banners, standing in front of the human wall of the Anbu, pleading with Zenji to become the Third Hokage for Konoha, while protesting the inclusion of the Samurai ninja Hiruzen Sarutobi as a Hokage candidate.

She even specifically instructed the Anbu not to make things difficult for these "high-spirited" Konoha villagers.

Look at this, both are from the same place, but Danzo was imprisoned, while the villagers were allowed to shout and rush towards the Hokage Building.

Their shouts could be heard from downstairs:

"If Shimura Danzo dares to bully villagers in the street when he's just a fugitive ninja today, I don't even want to think what he'll dare to do tomorrow when he becomes the Hokage's assistant!"

"If Hiruzen Sarutobi becomes Hokage, what will become of Konoha? (Sobbing)"

"For everyone's sake, please become Hokage, Master Zenin!"

The Hokage Building staff, who were handling their business, looked at each other in bewilderment.

Someone couldn't help but speak up again: "Lord Shen, please participate in the Hokage election!"

Clearly, the operators had tried to persuade Shen more than once to announce his candidacy.

This is both everyone's simple wish and a way to quell public anger.

"Sigh...this...you've really put me in a difficult position." Shen Er shook his head, feigning difficulty. "Now that things have come to this, it seems I have no choice but to step in."

Chapter 172 I Will Run for Election: A Gathering of Responses

Zenji really didn't want to be Hokage...

But there was nothing he could do; everyone was trying to persuade him.

His wife, Chiri, tried to persuade him, but he refused; the staff at the Hokage Building tried to persuade him, but he still refused; the villagers of Konoha blocked the door and shouted for him to run for office... This time, he couldn't refuse.

He didn't want it, but they insisted on giving it to him.

The three refusals and three concessions are traditional Chinese virtues.

Shen Er may have many bad habits, but what he hates most is forgetting one's roots!

Therefore, we must not forget the teachings of our ancestors.

Let the shuriken fly for a while. Now that they have struck the sensitive and fragile hearts of the Konoha villagers, it's time to make a move!

If not now, when?

After changing into her haori, she slowly walked downstairs and went straight to the entrance of the Hokage Building.

Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar faces outside the secret defense line, Shen Er felt a surge of emotion.

Sixteen years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Sixteen years have passed since he first arrived and announced his candidacy for Hokage. He has also transformed from a handsome, fit eighteen-year-old into a fit, mature man who looks eighteen.

Although he is actually over thirty years old, he doesn't look old at all, and the villagers also look much "younger".

However, their youth is a generation apart.

Many of their elders, who were born in the Warring States period, are already dead.

The elders of the Sengoku period, including Tobirama and Hashirama, remembered him primarily as an elder. From now on, however, the younger generation of Konoha will begin to remember him as the Third Hokage.

Shen Er raised his hand and greeted them: "I... I've kept you waiting for too long, villagers!"

He was met with a deafening roar, which was enough to show his exaggerated popularity in Konoha.

"Lord Shinji, for the sake of Konoha, please become Hokage!"

In the crowd, someone cried out loudly, tears streaming down their face.

Shen Er recognized the other party at a glance; he had no choice but to. This was one of the parasites he had planted in the village, and at this moment, he was controlling it to act as the leader of the Konoha villagers.

With this leader taking the lead, there were even more petitions and calls for action, seemingly trying to force even the Hokage to become the Hokage through public opinion.

"it is good!"

Even a single word carries an undeniable, authoritative magic.

The noisy and bustling scene immediately fell silent.

"For Konoha, and for everyone in the village..."

"In the name of Elder Zenin Jinji of Konoha, I nominate Jonin Zenin Jinji as a candidate for the Third Hokage!"

It may seem a bit convoluted, but it is actually watertight.

He would formally nominate himself as a Hokage candidate, acting as a "senior" to challenge his junior, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

This moment is just like that moment. Someday in the future, Orochimaru, as a senior figure, will compete with Minato Namikaze for the Hokage position, only to suffer a crushing defeat.

This time, it's another contest between elders and younger generations.

However, the ending was destined to be the opposite.

Unlike Minato, who needed to borrow the power of the previous Hokage, he himself is Konoha's greatest asset at the moment.

Even though he did not announce his candidacy for Hokage immediately after Tobirama's death, despite his strength being more than enough to do so, he was more concerned about his reputation after acting for so long, and he habitually wanted to maintain his image of being gentle, humble, and not power-hungry.

So, we waited for three whole days.

When everyone wanted him to become Hokage, he stepped forward naturally; everything was so natural.

The scene fell silent at first, and then the emotions that had been building up for three days began to boil over in the next second.

Uchiha Sosuke, Kenji, and others who were responsible for maintaining order on the perimeter clenched their fists and pressed them to their hearts, leading the way in shouting: "Offer your hearts to the Third Hokage!"

"I'll give my heart to the Hokage!"

"Sandaime! Sandaime!"

Shouts rose and fell in front of the building.

Shen Er shook his head helplessly, perfectly portraying his embarrassed and restrained demeanor: "You guys have really made things difficult for me."

...

The news that Zenji had announced his candidacy for the Third Hokage spread quickly and sparked heated discussions in Konoha.

The prison guard, Shinobu Yamanaka, also brought this news to the Konoha prison. After discussing it with his companions, they decided to cast their votes for the prison department for Zenin Jinji. Although none of them were Jonin, as a major department in Konoha, they still had votes to cast.

Behind the iron bars, Danzo, who was imprisoned, overheard their entire conversation.