Chương 264: New Dawn Part 8

Tsume Inuzuka was the first to react. Her hand slammed against the table with enough force to crack the wood as the rest of the council's eyes sharpened. She rose from her seat, teeth bared like a predator already scenting blood.

"Who dared to do such a thing? Tell me so I can tear them apart." Her chakra flared instinctively, the killing intent raw and uncontrolled. Shikaku Nara sighed and pressed his forehead with his hand, but his voice remained calm and steady.

"Tsume, wait. We need the full picture before we act." Tsume Inuzuka snarled at him.

"Why think? An attack on our Hokage is a declaration of war. People like you are the reason we are seen as soft and weak." Shikaku Nara opened his mouth, clearly caught off guard by the intensity of her reaction, but Choza Akimichi spoke first.

"Tsume, we still need to know who attacked us. Otherwise we won't even know where to send our forces." Tsume clicked her tongue in irritation, but logic won. She sat down heavily, still glaring. Hiashi Hyuga spoke next, his tone cold and authoritative.

"Enough arguing." He then looked at Monkey and said, "Please continue." The weight in his voice drew every eye toward him. Every clan head immediately became more alert. Monkey scanned the room before continuing, his voice controlled but tight.

"Yesterday, we reached a conclusion that Shimura Danzo was responsible for the assassination of Daiken Senju and the attempt on Shisui Uchiha." Shock rippled across the chamber. Several people froze. Fugaku Uchiha spoke, his tone heavy but restrained.

"I knew he was capable of darkness, but to target shinobi of his own village…" His voice trailed off, the disappointment in his eyes rivaled only by the barely kept-in-check anger. Takemura Senju's hand clenched on the table, his nails digging into his palm as he struggled to contain his rage. Now he understood why he had been summoned, even with the Senju deteriorating as a clan. Shibi Aburame noticed and placed a hand on his shoulder in silent support. Takemura Senju exhaled slowly, regaining control.

Monkey continued.

"He also infiltrated ANBU. That is how he gained real-time knowledge of missions and movements that he was not directly involved with and could manipulate where certain shinobi were sent." Inoichi Yamanaka nodded, concern clear in his voice.

"That is very alarming and explains how he was able to position Shisui and Daiken where he wanted. But it also means our security has been compromised at the highest level, which is catastrophic for our intelligence apparatus." Monkey nodded once.

"We have already apprehended most of those involved. The remaining agents are being tracked. Extend our thanks to Hirotaka Yamanaka-dono for his contribution in exposing this scheme before it caused further damage." Inoichi Yamanaka inclined his head.

"I will." Internally, his thoughts were far less calm. The Yamanaka had always worked best in the shadows, guiding intelligence quietly. Yet Hirotaka Yamanaka's growing political presence was shifting that balance. His influence within the clan and the village had expanded rapidly. He was very charismatic, almost magnetic, while Inoichi himself was rigid and much more focused on his work than clan politics. Monkey drew a slow breath, forcing his emotions down before continuing.

"The Hokage confronted Danzo Shimura after he repeatedly refused to appear for questioning and remained inside Root headquarters. The Hokage entered to speak with him. We were ordered not to interfere, but we established a barrier as a precaution." His voice hardened.

"For a while it was quiet. However, unexpectedly, Danzo actually chose to fight the Hokage. A brutal battle followed, causing the entire Root headquarters to be destroyed and several adjacent buildings to be heavily damaged." Silence fell again, much heavier this time. Monkey continued, every word deliberate.

"Danzo sacrificed multiple Root operatives to activate a large-scale sealing formation. The Hokage sustained severe injuries as a result. However, Danzo was apprehended in the end. He is currently under guard and receiving treatment. The Hokage's final order before losing consciousness was that he remain alive. He possesses intelligence that may be critical to the village." Tsume Inuzuka and Takemura Senju shot to their feet at the same time, their voices overlapping with raw fury.

"He should die for his treason." The words came without hesitation, driven by instinct and emotion. Yet while their anger filled the room, everyone else was watching one person. Fugaku Uchiha remained silent, his eyes sharp, his expression unreadable. The weight of it settled over the chamber, and Shikaku Nara exhaled slowly, pressing his fingers to his temple as he thought, "Here comes another battle for the seat." The meeting began to slide toward chaos as whispers and low arguments spread across the room.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Koharu spoke at last, her voice cutting through the noise with firm authority.

"Enough. This is not the time for emotional outbursts. We will decide what to do with Danzo later. For now, we must understand the full situation." The room quieted immediately. Homura nodded and turned to Monkey.

"What is the evaluation of the Hokage's recovery?" Monkey did not hesitate.

"The medical nin believes recovery will take a long time. Even then, he will not return to full strength. His age and the damage he sustained make complete recovery unlikely. Their recommendation is that we begin preparations for a new Hokage." Hiashi Hyuga spoke next, his tone cold and precise.

"Is anyone outside this room aware of this?" Monkey shook his head.

"No. The treatment is being handled by trusted ANBU personnel. The battle site has been concealed and secured. However, we cannot maintain this secrecy forever. Sooner or later, the absence of the Hokage will be noticed." Fugaku Uchiha leaned forward slightly, his voice deep.

"Is the Fire Daimyo aware?"

"Yes," Monkey replied.

"He will be here in two weeks to give us time to decide on the next Hokage and arrange everything. He is being considerate by giving us the time we need and also by not rushing to the village and raising suspicions, but he is equally careful not to remain here during a period of instability, one he clearly hopes will not last long." Shikaku stroked his chin, his eyes narrowing in thought.

"Even after the appointment, we should keep the Hokage's condition hidden. Lord Third is a deterrent by himself. If he appears in public later alongside the new Hokage, it will strengthen that Hokage's legitimacy and make the other villages hesitate to act." Choza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka nodded in agreement. Hiashi Hyuga and Fugaku Uchiha met each other's gaze, the silent tension between them impossible to miss. The rest of the council noticed. Takemura Senju spoke immediately.

"Lady Tsunade should be the next Hokage." No one objected. Some believed it was the most logical solution. Others knew she would refuse and did not want to weaken their image for an already known variable. Koharu nodded.

"She has already been contacted. She refused, as she has in the past. The same is true for Jiraiya. However, he has agreed to return to the village to provide support and stability if needed." Shibi Aburame spoke for the first time, his voice calm and quiet.

"Then who will we recommend to the Fire Daimyo?" Shikaku's eyes became sharp and observant, waiting for a political chess move, but he did not expect a hammer. Tsume spoke without reservation.

"If I am to recommend someone, then I will choose those with balls and a backbone, and the only one I know here who can actually scare the other villages is Fugaku." Takemura Senju responded at once.

"While Fugaku is powerful, Hiashi is more suitable for maintaining stability." Hiashi gave him a small, thankful nod. Shikaku Nara thought quickly. Stability and balance mattered the most in this relatively peaceful era. He also disliked how Hirotaka and his wife were backing up Fugaku. Such moves were aggressive and suspicious in his eyes, and he genuinely felt uneasy whenever he interacted with the merchant or his wife.

So he spoke with confidence, deciding to strike while the iron was hot and build on the momentum.

"I also recommend Hiashi Hyuga." Choza Akimichi followed his old teammate's always sage decisions without hesitation.

"I agree. Hiashi Hyuga is the more suitable candidate." A faint smile touched Hiashi Hyuga's lips, though he controlled it quickly. Fugaku Uchiha remained motionless, offering no visible reaction. His composure alone commanded respect. Shikaku Nara turned toward his longtime teammate.

"Inoichi?" Inoichi Yamanaka sighed softly, remembering the conversation he had only recently had with Hirotaka. The man had never said it directly. He did not need to. Every word had been wrapped in courtesy and respect, yet the meaning had been clear. If Inoichi chose to stand against the direction the clan was moving toward, his position as clan head would not remain secure for long. Hirotaka had promised unity and full support if he aligned with him. If not, the clan would eventually choose someone else.

With that weight pressing on his shoulders, Inoichi replied with a heavy tone.

"I recommend Fugaku." Both Shikaku Nara and Choza Akimichi were caught off guard. They fell silent, disbelief clear on their faces as their old teammate disagreed with them for the first time, and on such an important decision. Shibi Aburame spoke again.

"I also recommend Fugaku. I have served with him during the war. He possesses the judgment, wisdom, and power this village requires." Hiashi Hyuga's faint smile faded. All eyes turned to the elders. Homura and Koharu felt the pressure clearly. At last, Homura spoke.

"We will follow established procedure. The village jonin will vote." However, everyone knew that based on the jonin's tendency to favor strength, as well as their experience fighting alongside Fugaku, who had been far more active than Hiashi during the Third Shinobi War, and the Uchiha's recent achievements, they were likely to support him.

After a brief silence, Koharu spoke, "To maintain fairness and not to cause any fractures or influence others, we will cast our votes only after the jonin decision is finalized." The small smile on Hiashi Hyuga's face vanished completely. He understood the implication. And for the first time since the meeting began, a faint, controlled smile appeared on Fugaku Uchiha's face. A/N: can't wait to read the comments on this one 😈