[Inside the Hokage Building]
Arisu raised a hand and rubbed his brow, his eyes drifting outside. "Time really flies… it's about time I left, time to completely step down…"
He should have left long ago.
Originally, Arisu had planned to leave not long after Uchiha Madara was born, to pass away naturally.
Who would've thought Tajima would pull him back out.
So Arisu went all out in one go, founded Konoha, and experienced what it felt like to build a village.
Now, it was time to go.
———
In the blink of an eye, two years passed in a hurry.
On this day, under the name of Hokage, Arisu summoned all of Konoha's top leadership to discuss an important matter.
From officials in charge of governance, advisors involved in core decisions, and respected elders of each clan, to representatives from the ninja academy, medical division, police force, and other sectors, all rushed to the Hokage Building.
On the high platform, Arisu sat upright in the Hokage's exclusive seat. He first slowly went over the village's recent developments, then praised Hashirama, Madara, and the others.
After laying the groundwork, Arisu slowly raised his hand and cleared his somewhat hoarse, dry throat. The slightly noisy hall instantly fell silent.
"I have gathered you all here today not to discuss trivial administration, nor to respond to external threats, but to announce a matter of utmost importance."
As Arisu spoke, everyone below instantly held their breath, their eyes locked tightly on the aged figure on the platform.
Even their breathing grew lighter without them noticing, hearts uneasy as they waited for what came next.
"I have decided to resign from the position of Hokage and formally submit my request for retirement to the village leadership and all the people of Konoha."
"From this day forward, I will lay down all responsibilities of the Hokage, withdraw from the core decision-making body of the village, and no longer involve myself in any internal affairs.", Arisu spoke heavily.
That single sentence was like thunder exploding out of a clear sky, crashing through the silent hall!
The entire place instantly fell into dead silence. Thousands of gazes froze at once.
Every face was filled with disbelief. It was as if their minds went blank in an instant, completely shaken by this sudden news.
This was an unprecedented case in the ninja world.
In the old era of constant war, the heads of major clans all held their positions for life, until they died in battle or of old age. No one in power had ever voluntarily stepped down early.
And Arisu, as the founder of Konoha, the pillar recognized by the entire village and even the ninja world, was actually taking the initiative to step down and retire, breaking a rule that had been followed for hundreds of years.
It was no different from a daimyo announcing an early abdication.
The sheer impact of this completely overturned everyone's expectations.
After a brief silence, cries of shock and urgent attempts to persuade him filled the entire hall.
"Lord Hokage! You absolutely must not!"
An elder from the Hyuga main family suddenly stood up. "You are Konoha's root, the pillar holding up the entire village!"
"If you step down, the hearts of the people will surely be shaken. The consequences would be unimaginable!"
"My lord, though you are advanced in age, your mind is still clear and decisive. The village, big and small matters alike, cannot do without your guidance. Please, you must not say such things again!"
Several high-ranking advisors also stood up, their expressions filled with panic, their words full of reluctance and earnest attempts to keep him.
Representatives from all sectors showed worry as well. In their hearts, Arisu was Konoha's backbone.
As long as he was there, the village would always remain stable and secure.
The moment he left, everyone would feel like they had lost their support.
At the front of the crowd, Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, as well as Senju Tobirama and Uchiha Izuna, all wore shocked expressions. Clearly, none of them had expected Arisu to suddenly announce his resignation.
But after the initial shock, a trace of understanding rose in their hearts.
It was only natural.
This old man was already over a hundred years old. He had worked tirelessly for Konoha his entire life, pouring in all his effort. He should have set down this burden long ago and spent his remaining years in peace.
It was just too sudden.
And Arisu had been in charge for so long that people had almost forgotten he was already nearing the end of his life.
That was why this sudden announcement struck so heavily.
"The village is already stable. My life's mission can be considered completely fulfilled."
Arisu spoke slowly. As he did, he unconsciously tightened his grip on the solid wooden cane in his hand, his body swaying slightly.
"Cough, cough, cough…"
He coughed several times in succession. A faint, unhealthy flush appeared on his aged face, showing his exhaustion.
"Besides, this old body of mine can no longer bear the heavy responsibility of Hokage…"
Seeing Arisu's weak and aged appearance, guilt and self-reproach appeared on everyone's faces.
That's right. They had only thought about relying on this old man, never truly considering that he was already a centenarian whose strength was nearly spent.
He had exhausted all his energy protecting Konoha, never once enjoying a day of true rest.
At this moment, the Sarutobi clan head quickly stepped forward and asked in a solemn voice, "Lord Hokage! Then in your heart, have you chosen the candidate for the next Hokage?"
The moment the words "next Hokage" were spoken, the hall fell silent again.
Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, and the other two straightened their backs, their eyes fixed intensely on Arisu atop the platform, holding their breath as they waited for his final decision.
Quite a few clan heads subtly turned their gaze toward Uchiha Madara. According to the old era's system of bloodline inheritance and strength ranking, as Arisu's grandson and the strongest among the younger generation, the position of the new Hokage was almost already certain for Madara.
On the platform, Arisu's gaze slowly swept across the crowd below. He pondered for a few seconds.
Then he raised his hand and pointed toward Hashirama, Madara, Tobirama, and Izuna, and spoke slowly, "The new Hokage will be chosen from among the four of them."
Before the crowd could process his words, Arisu spoke again, "Abandoning old conventions, the new Hokage will be elected through a fair vote by all the villagers of Konoha!"
A Hokage elected by the people.
These words once again threw the entire hall into extreme shock. Everyone stood frozen, faces blank with confusion and disbelief, unable to trust what they had just heard.
Since ancient times, the ninja world had always respected strength above all. The positions of clan head and leader were determined by power, supplemented by bloodline inheritance. There had never been any concept of "public election."
Letting the villagers decide the Hokage was a groundbreaking move that completely overturned the rules of the ninja world.
It shattered everyone's deeply rooted beliefs. The entire hall erupted, filled with shock.
Arisu gave no further explanation. He simply bowed slightly toward everyone below, his tone sincere, "Lastly, I thank you all for granting my request for retirement."
"Meeting adjourned."
Arisu expressed his thanks.
As his words fell, the hall no longer echoed with noisy attempts to persuade him. What remained was only deep emotion and silence.
Everyone looked at the aged yet still imposing figure on the platform. The reluctance and unease in their hearts gradually turned into deep respect.
This old man who had created Konoha was not abandoning the village. He had simply completed his mission.
Everyone looked at Arisu with reluctance. This old man likely did not have much time left…
The next time they met, he might already be covered with the village flag.