Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 122: Too Late
FIRE DAIMYO POV
Raiken was not someone who believed in respecting the Daimyō blindly.
In his eyes, the feudal system had both advantages and flaws. While it provided structure and resources, it also allowed certain rulers to act without accountability. Some daimyō in this era treated human lives as expendable and wars were often nothing more than tools to serve their interests.
This war was no different. As Raiken steadily expanded his influence and gathered intelligence, he uncovered something disturbing, the Fire Daimyō had secretly supported other villages.
That alone was unacceptable fact. Each hidden village belonged to its own land, under its own daimyō. Interfering in such a way was not only dangerous but also destabilizing. Yet, shortly after that discovery, multiple villages suddenly increased their military strength and launched coordinated attacks on Konoha.
To Raiken, the connection was obvious.
This was no coincidence but deliberate act by the Daimyo.
That was why, when Hatake Sakumo won the vote to become the Fourth Hokage, Raiken made a decisive move.
He prevented Sakumo from meeting the Daimyō.
"The vote has already been cast," Raiken had said. "There is no need to seek approval and we are in war."
In the original system, the Daimyō held significant influence over the appointment of a Hokage. Even after a candidate was chosen within the village, the Hokage would still meet the Daimyō for formal recognition, reinforcing the political hierarchy but Raiken cut that process off completely.
With a single decision, he removed the Daimyō's authority over Konoha's leadership.
Meanwhile, in the Fire Daimyō's castle...
The atmosphere was tense.
Fire Daimyō Rengoku stood at the center of the hall, his expression dark with fury. The moment he finished reading the report in his hands, he threw it violently onto the floor.
"What do you mean a new Hokage has already been chosen?" Rengoku demanded, his voice echoing through the chamber.
The ministers flinched.
"Hiruzen has gone missing, Your Excellency," one of them replied carefully. "In response, Konoha held a vote and selected a new Hokage."
Rengoku's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Then explain this to me," he said coldly, pointing at the document on the floor. "Why does this report say that the Fourth Hokage has already assumed the position… without meeting me?"
Silence filled the hall. No one dared to answer immediately.
Even the ministers were shocked. Traditionally, once a Hokage was chosen, they would travel to meet the Daimyō. That meeting was not just a formality, it was a public acknowledgment of authority. Only after that would the new Hokage position be officially announced to the entire village and the outside world.
It was a system that maintained balance.
But this time... Konoha had skipped that step entirely.
Hatake Sakumo had already taken the position of Hokage and made it known to the village… without seeking the Daimyō's approval.
To Rengoku, this was more than disrespect. It was defiance to his kingdom.
HIRUZEN POV
Sarutobi Hiruzen had remained in hiding for several days.
Although he was concealing himself from potential enemies, he did not stay in the same place for long time. Each day, he forced his injured body to move slowly and carefully through the forest, always adjusting his position to avoid being tracked.
It was exhausting with the injury on his body, every step drained what little strength he had left, but he had no choice. Remaining in one place for too long would increase the risk of being discovered by enemy scouts.
At the same time, he gradually made his way back toward Konoha.
Hiruzen used this period not only to hide but also to recover. He rationed his food carefully, regulated his chakra and allowed his wounds to heal as much as possible using medical ninjutsu that he had mastered. Day by day, his condition improved slowly and he had become much stronger.
By the time he felt capable of moving at a faster pace, he decided it was time to return without hiding.
However, just as he prepared to move, his senses picked up something. Chakra signatures from multiple people.
Hiruzen immediately stilled his breathing and lowered his presence, instinctively preparing to hide. Even in his weakened state, his experience allowed him to conceal himself effectively.
'Enemy scouts…?' thought Hiruzen.
But as he focused, his expression changed.
The chakra signatures felt familiar and he had felt it for a long time.
His eyes narrowed slightly. 'These… are Konoha shinobi.'
More specifically, they were elite operatives, intelligence-gathering shinobi who had worked under his command.
After a brief moment of consideration, Hiruzen made a decision.
He allowed his chakra presence to become more noticeable.
Not enough to alarm them but enough to be detected.
Moments later one of the elite shinobi landed infront of him.
"Hokage-sama!"
A voice called out as a shinobi rushed forward.
Another quickly pulled out a flare and ignited it. A bright blue light shot into the sky, signaling to nearby units that the target had been found.
From multiple directions, other Konoha shinobi began converging on the location.
"Muraki…" Hiruzen said, recognizing the man in front of him.
Muraki immediately asked for forgiveness. "Hokage-sama, I apologize for our delay. We've been searching for you for several days, but we only managed to locate you now."
Hiruzen nodded slightly.
"I see."
Muraki continued, "We searched the original battlefield extensively, but you were no longer there. We had to expand our search area while moving cautiously. Kumogakure patrols are still active, and we couldn't risk a direct encounter."
Hiruzen understood and the delay was reasonable.
Still, something about Muraki's tone felt… off.
Hiruzen looked at him carefully.
"It's fine," Hiruzen said calmly. "Tell me, what is the situation in Konoha?"
Muraki hesitated for a brief moment before answering.
"Konoha… was forced to hold a vote for a new Hokage."
Hiruzen expression stiffened.
For a split second, the atmosphere seemed to grow quieter.
"Who… was chosen?" Hiruzen asked, his voice steady, though it required effort to maintain that composure.
"It was Hatake Sakumo-sama."
The words landed heavily. Hiruzen felt something tighten in his chest, a strange mixture of emotions. Sakumo was a capable shinobi, a loyal protector of Konoha, and a man Hiruzen himself respected and yet there was bitterness.
A faint, uncomfortable feeling that he could not ignore.
Sakumo prestige, his achievements, his rising influence… all of it made him a natural successor. Too natural.
For a fleeting moment, a dark thought crossed Hiruzen's mind.
Should he be removed?
The thought shocked even himself.
Hiruzen closed his eyes briefly, forcing that idea down.
'No. This was not the time and the village was still at war.'
The Third Raikage remained a threat, and now that burden had been passed on to Sakumo.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly.
"…I understand," he said quietly.
What he could do now was limited.
He would return to Konoha, observe the situation, and reclaim whatever influence he could before deciding his next move.
By then, the rest of the rescue team had arrived. Some of them immediately took out Level Three Healing Scrolls, activating them without hesitation.
Warm chakra enveloped Hiruzen body.
His wounds closed rapidly, pain fading as his strength returned.
Within minutes, his condition improved dramatically.
"Prepare to move," Muraki said.
Hiruzen nodded.
Together, the rescue team escorted him back toward Konoha.
As they traveled through the forest, Hiruzen's thoughts remained occupied, not with his injuries, not with the war but with Sakumo.
And in that moment of distraction, he forgot something important. He never asked about Danzō, the traitor who had left him alone in the jungle.
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There is 30 advanced chapter on my patreon.
Chapter 147: Minato Feeling
Chapter 148: Disciple
Chapter 149: Senju Dilemma
Chapter 150: Brother
Chapter 151: Hyuga Conflict
Chapter 152: Abuse Of Power
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