Chapter 526: The Ninja World's New Order

The residents of Konoha woke up to find that the village had undergone a complete transformation; the position of leader, once monopolized by the Senju and Uchiha clans, had actually been pried away by the Ninja Clan Alliance.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had already prepared himself to repeat a grade, was just about to give himself a few days off to rest.

But before dawn had even broken, he was forcibly dragged out of bed by his father, who had dark circles under his eyes, and was taken, still in a daze, to attend a meeting with the noble representatives of the Land of Fire.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?"

Until the moment he walked into the Hokage's office, he remained in a stupor, looking at the Hokage's throne that had once been unreachable, subconsciously believing he was dreaming.

"Mirror, pinch me, harder!"

Thinking this, he turned his head and looked pleadingly at Uchiha Mirror, who stood beside him with a calm expression, and leaned his large face toward him.

"Uh, Hiruzen, you're not dreaming. Lord Izuna has indeed given up the position of Hokage."

Mirror hesitated for a few seconds and lowered his raised hand; the area outside the door was full of Anbu, and he felt he should leave some dignity for his good friend, lest he be seen with a pig-head face later.

"This all feels so unreal, doesn't it?"

Half-doubting, he walked to the Hokage's throne. Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes were bright with excitement as he reached out and tentatively touched the grand desk; the incredibly realistic tactile sensation convinced him that he had truly become the Hokage.

"Congratulations, Hiruzen."

Seeing this slightly ridiculous scene, Mirror couldn't help but smile, stepping forward to pat his future colleague on the shoulder. Hearing the full sincerity in his tone, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned back, a look of emotion appearing on his face.

"Mirror, thank you, I will work hard!"

"That's right, the real test has only just begun."

The news of Konoha electing a new leader quickly spread throughout the Ninja World. Upon learning that the new Hokage was the obscure Sarutobi Hiruzen, the major ninja villages collectively fell silent.

Various plans that had already been prepared to target Uchiha Izuna's succession were forced to be aborted, and they turned instead to researching the suddenly emerged Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Sarutobi Hiruzen? What kind of nonsense is Konoha pulling? Letting a third-rate character like that be Hokage—are they trying to force the Uchiha to defect?"

Inside the Hidden Stone Village, Onoki looked at the detailed intelligence in his hands, and question marks began to fill his head, which was gradually developing a bald spot.

He still had some impression of Sarutobi Hiruzen; his strength was passable, but was he qualified to be Hokage?

Onoki could only say,

You still need to train, kid.

"Lord Tsuchikage, could this be a trick by Konoha, pretending to be weak to make us lower our guard?"

A staff member nearby pondered for a moment before offering his thoughts. Onoki shook his head with great disdain upon hearing this.

"Hmph! No matter what tricks Konoha plays, in the face of absolute power, all struggles are futile."

Having said that, he turned his head to look at the tall young man standing in the corner of the office, feeling the scorching steam radiating from his body, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.

"Get ready, the war is about to begin."

Hidden Cloud Village,

"Big Brother, we're still not attacking?"

The burly Shi excitedly slapped Kinkaku's desk, his face full of flesh written with a desire for war merit.

"If you have energy to spare, go do some missions for me."

Kinkaku looked at his junior brother with some helplessness. This kid, who had inherited the warlike genes of the Yotsuki clan, had long since lost his previous submissiveness and now talked of nothing but war.

"Big Brother! Sarutobi Hiruzen is just a weakling; if we really fought, he wouldn't be a match for me in a single exchange."

Shi couldn't understand why Kinkaku was so cautious. Clearly, Konoha had fallen to the point of letting a second-rate ninja clan be the leader and was simply unable to protect the vast lands of the Land of Fire; they should just let their Hidden Cloud Village manage it on their behalf!

"Are you treating my words like wind?"

"Sigh, Big Brother, you've grown old."

Shi, who had been silenced by Kinkaku's glare, curled his lips. Looking at his big brother's increasingly graying blond hair, he whispered a complaint with some unwillingness.

"You brat, go, go, go, go to the Cloud-Thunder Gorge now, let me test your recent training results."

"Ah? No, please!"

Shi, with tears streaming down his face, was dragged away by Kinkaku by the neck; what awaited him would be an unforgettable, beautiful memory.

Hidden Mist Village,

Due to long-term overwork, Gui's temples had already turned completely gray, but for some reason, the hair on the top of his head remained pitch black and shiny, as if it were fake.

"Lord Mizukage, this is a great opportunity for us to make a comeback. As long as we take the coastline of the Land of Fire, the Hidden Mist Village can regain the glory of being the overlord of the seas."

"How could I not know the stakes involved? But, Master Gen, our current situation is not objective."

Looking up at the steady and wise young man in front of him, Gui, feeling deeply gratified in his heart, shook his head. Currently, the Hidden Mist Village was in a stage of internal and external troubles.

Internally, there were restless Kekkei Genkai families causing trouble openly, not putting him, the Mizukage, in their eyes at all.

Externally, there was the Hidden Stone Village eyeing them covetously, with constant small conflicts and no shortage of major friction.

"The so-called wealth is sought in danger; there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests."

The young man known as Master Gen had flickering eyes. As the newly promoted strategist for the Mizukage, he had long had a plan in mind.

"You don't mean..."

Upon hearing this, Gui opened his squinted eyes, a trace of deep astonishment flowing from them.

"That's right, Onoki of the Hidden Stone Village is not only a guy with great ambition but also a rare smart person. Between the interests of future generations and past grudges, he will definitely be able to make a rational choice."

"Sister, should we send the congratulatory gift we prepared?"

Inside the Kazekage's office in the Hidden Sand Village, Ebizo asked the beautiful woman sitting on the Kazekage's throne with a face full of hesitation.

Chiyo, draped in the Kazekage's robe, put down her pen upon hearing this, raised her hand to rub her sore shoulders, and then stretched long and hard; her curvaceous figure was faintly visible under the grayish-brown robe.

Her beautiful eyes widened, and her red, full lips curled slightly.

"Send it! Why wouldn't we? It's just changing a name, it's not some major project."

As a staunch ally of Konoha, the Hidden Sand Village had long since prepared the congratulatory gift for the new Hokage, and had even engraved the words "Third Hokage Uchiha Izuna" on it.

But no one expected that Uchiha Izuna would actually abstain. The Hidden Sand Village could only modify it overnight, striving to deliver the gift before the Hokage's inauguration ceremony.

"Alright, alright, what a hassle."

Ebizo scratched his increasingly thinning hair and accepted his sister's order.

"By the way, don't forget Uncle Gin's portion."

"I'm handling it, don't worry."

"Slap!"

At the same time, deep underground in the Mountains' Graveyard on the outskirts of the Land of Lightning, Uchiha Madara, having just learned the intelligence about Konoha from the mouth of Sasuke (Black Zetsu limited edition), unleashed a General Uchiha flying kick, kicking his sparring partner, who had been struggling for half a day, flying.

"What kind of plane is that brat Izuna flying? Even a cooked duck can fly away?"

Ignoring Sasuke, who was howling on the ground, he turned and picked up the towel on the table to wipe himself, his scarlet eyes filled with resentment.

"And he even let that little monkey from the Sarutobi family pick the peach."

"Cough, cough, cough... because Uchiha Izuna voluntarily gave up, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had the second-highest number of votes, succeeded as a substitute."

Black Zetsu, who had been panting on the ground for a while, endured the surging blood in his chest, climbed up, and continued to explain to Uchiha Madara.

"Hmph! When there are no tigers in the mountains, monkeys claim to be kings."

Glaring fiercely at Sasuke, who was covered in black energy, Uchiha Madara snorted coldly.

If it had been his own brother succeeding as Hokage, he could have barely accepted it, but reality had dealt him a heavy blow.

If it weren't for his wariness of the mysterious monk Jigen lurking in the shadows, he would have already returned to Konoha to stage a Dragon King's return, leading the Uchiha to grow and strengthen, and creating glory once again.

"What is Izuna doing now?"

At the thought of his unpromising brother, Uchiha Madara became angry, wishing he could go and question him face-to-face right now.

As the saying goes, an elder brother is like a father. After their father sacrificed himself, he had always carefully taught Uchiha Izuna, striving to cultivate his only brother into a ninja who could stand on his own.

Now it seems that his years of hard work have been in vain after all; his own brother has already become a piece of trash who just lies flat and rots.

It's not like their family has some empire to inherit; if that kid doesn't manage Konoha's little plot of land well, and the Uchiha clan declines one day, he will be the sinner of the family!

"Him? Let me think, he seems to have taken a long-term mission, and should have already left the village by now?"

"A long-term mission? What long-term mission?"

Good kid, not only lying flat, but also lingering in the mountains and rivers—let me see if I don't give you a good lesson!

"Uh, I remember it was a merchant guard mission, requiring long-term stationing in the Land of Waves."

"Which merchant group?"

"Uchiha Merchant Group."

Good, good, good, he's even learned to travel on public funds. Since that's the case, don't blame me, your brother, for being heartless.

Izuna, wash your butt clean and wait for your brother!

"Achoo!"

On the bow of a merchant ship sailing through the waves, Uchiha Izuna, dressed in the standard clan uniform, felt a fishy wind enter his nose. Feeling uncomfortable, he sneezed fiercely.

"Father, it's a bit cold outside, you should come into the cabin."

Uchiha Fuyao, who was in the warm cabin, poked his head out and called for his father to come in and rest. Uchiha Izuna rubbed his sore nose, his eyes full of doubt.

He was a natural Fire Release saint, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he possessed a top-grade Fire Spirit Root; how could he catch a cold from a mere sea breeze? But the chill that suddenly emerged from the bottom of his heart just a moment ago—what was that about?

"Exactly, exactly, little cousin, if you don't come in, we won't wait for you to start eating."

Just as Uchiha Izuna was pondering, a lazy voice came from the cabin, and immediately after, he smelled something spicy, which made his mouth water instantly.

"Coming, coming!"

Hot pot is a good thing, especially in this environment; eating hot pot has more atmosphere.

"Big Cousin, you haven't been out on a mission for a long time. Why did you insist on coming with us this time?"

Walking into the cabin, the air instantly became hot and dry, forming a sharp contrast with the damp cold outside. Uchiha Izuna fixed his gaze on the curly-haired man beside the hot pot and asked curiously.

"I'm just worried about you~"

Skillfully flipping the ingredients in the pot, Uchiha Gin, who was asked, raised his head and replied solemnly.

"It's just a mere guard job, and besides, this is our Uchiha industry."

Recalling the familiar faces in the merchant team, Uchiha Izuna shook his head gently. The Uchiha Merchant Group already had many capable clansmen escorting them.

Ordinary pirates, upon seeing the Uchiha clan emblem hanging on the merchant ship, would wish they could row away with their hands.

And the reason he took this mission was mainly to vent his anger for his son and to give a good warning to that old pervert Daimyo who coveted Uchiha Fuyao's "beauty."

"I'm not worried about that."

Looking at his little cousin who didn't care at all, Uchiha Gin didn't know how to explain.

Actually, it wouldn't be impossible to tell him the truth early, but he always felt it would be less fun.

I'll have to wrong you, little cousin~

"Are you afraid I'll beat that old pervert to death? Don't worry, I have my own sense of proportion."

Mistaking Uchiha Gin's worry for fear that he would cause trouble and bring unnecessary trouble to Konoha, Uchiha Izuna chuckled, picked up his chopsticks, and struck precisely, steadily clamping a fish ball rolling in the red oil hot pot.

"One word: handled."

A mere Daimyo of a small country—even if he has some dirty money, so what? Under the great power of his Sharingan, he'll have to obediently call him Daddy.

"Hehe."

I hope you keep this arrogant face; don't cry and call for Daddy when the time comes.

At the Land of Waves Daimyo's mansion, upon learning the news that Uchiha Izuna was about to arrive, everyone in the mansion moved, busily preparing for the welcome party.

"Sigh, Izuna, that kid, I haven't seen him for a few days."

Uchiha Tajima, sitting in the main hall, was a bit restless, his old face full of anticipation.

Uchiha Gin had already given him a heads-up in advance that he could recognize Izuna this time.

He was now over seventy years old, at an age where he longed for a house full of children and grandchildren. Being able to recognize his second son, whom he loved the most, how could Uchiha Tajima not be excited?

"Report! Young Master Izuna and the others have arrived at the port!"

"Quick! Prepare quickly."

Uchiha Tajima urged his clansmen to hurry; he wanted to prepare a unique welcome party for his child to make up for the fatherly love he had missed all these years.

After the Uchiha merchant ship docked, Uchiha Izuna, led by his son, stepped onto land he had never reached before. Looking up at the tall buildings standing around, he commented with a sour tone.

"This is the Land of Waves; it looks just so-so."

After years of careful management by the Uchiha clan, the modernization of the Land of Waves had long surpassed other countries. While people in other countries were still living in adobe houses, the residents of the Land of Waves had already begun to move into concrete-poured buildings.

"Father, I was the same as you when I first came here. You'll adapt after staying for a while."

Discovering the hidden amazement in Uchiha Izuna's eyes, Uchiha Fuyao, who had been living in the Land of Waves for a long time, said with a smile.

"Hmph! I won't stay in this broken place for long!"

Envy is envy, but at the thought that his roots were still in Konoha, Uchiha Izuna immediately shook his head and refused righteously.

Just then, a Land of Waves official who had been waiting for a long time stepped forward with a smile.

"Welcome, representatives of the Uchiha Merchant Group. The Daimyo has prepared a welcome banquet; please move to the venue."

Uchiha Izuna turned his head upon hearing this, his gaze sweeping over the officials dressed in gorgeous clothes, and finally landing on the old man leading them, a flash of realization crossing his eyes.

"You... have we met somewhere before?"

(End of chapter)