The night before the inauguration ceremony, Fumori Masaki, uncharacteristically, didn't go to bed. Instead, he went to his study alone, walked to the window, and gazed outside. He wondered if everyone about to ascend to a high position felt this way, Fumori Masaki thought; before that moment arrived, it was impossible to truly calm down.
The study door gently opened, and someone entered. It was Satomi. She was about to return to her bedroom to rest but saw the light on in the study. Curious, she walked in and saw Fumori Masaki standing by the window. She asked, "Fumori Masaki, why aren't you resting yet? Tomorrow is the Third Hokage's inauguration ceremony; you can't be late."
"Don't worry, I won't be late." Fumori Masaki turned around and smiled, saying, "I just can't sleep right now."
"Hmm?" Satomi heard this, thought for a moment, and said, "Do you want me to make you some porridge?"
Fumori Masaki pondered for a moment and nodded. Seeing this, Satomi went out to the kitchen to prepare the rice porridge. During this time, Fumori Masaki remained lost in thought by the chair until Satomi placed a bowl of porridge on the table. Only then did he snap back, thank her, and begin to eat.
Satomi then sat down, resting her chin on her hand, looking at Fumori Masaki, and asked, "Fumori Masaki, you seem very restless. Is it because of the inauguration ceremony?"
Fumori Masaki quickly finished the small bowl of porridge. Hearing Satomi's question, he hesitated slightly and admitted, "Yes."
"Why?" Satomi was very puzzled.
"Satomi, do you think I can be a good Hokage?" Fumori Masaki didn't answer directly but instead asked another question.
"Why even ask? You were recommended by Lord Tobirama and all the Jonin. How could you not be a good Hokage?" Satomi seemed to have heard something amusing and shook her head repeatedly. "Leaving everything else aside, the business strategies and departmental reforms you proposed have already brought about earth-shattering changes to the village. These are things we couldn't have imagined in the past. When you become Hokage, there will surely be even more unexpected measures, right?"
"Yes, precisely because of that, I feel a sense of fear." In front of his wife, Fumori Masaki spoke frankly, "Once I become Hokage, I will no longer be just one person. A single decision could determine the future of others. Although I understood long ago that a hero and a Hokage are not the same, it's only when truly facing it that I can feel the pressure."
Satomi tilted her head and thought for a while, then said, "I am not the one becoming Hokage, so I can't understand the pressure you feel, Fumori Masaki. But I think I can understand what you're worried about. Some say a ninja is someone who can endure anything, and the Hokage is the ninja among ninjas. So far, the measures you've proposed have faced many obstacles, but you've overcome all of them, maintaining your original goals. I think this is the essence of 'endurance.' You are the most suitable person to be Hokage. At least, that's what I believe."
"Do you really think so?" Fumori Masaki asked.
"Yes." Satomi nodded heavily and said, "The measures you take in the future will surely encounter even more stubborn and troublesome resistance than before. How many people can grit their teeth and persevere? I think it's only you, Fumori Masaki. Even if it brings pressure, you won't regret it, will you?"
—Of course, I won't regret it. Once I take that step, if I regret it, I will be letting down those who paid a price in the process of reform. Either don't do it, or once done, don't regret it. And I am destined to take that step towards a new era.
Fumori Masaki had probably already made up his mind, merely admonishing himself, and Satomi's words reaffirmed his goal. Thinking of this, Fumori Masaki's mood improved somewhat. Although he still felt no sleepiness, his expression lightened, and he asked, "Are the children asleep?"
"They've been asleep for a while. Because you're becoming Hokage soon, the kids at the Ninja Academy have been asking them questions all day, which has annoyed them greatly," Satomi said, shaking her head helplessly.
"That's normal. Who wouldn't be interested in the Hokage's daughters? It's a good thing they're still young; otherwise, there would be other troubles," Fumori Masaki said.
"So, you're not the only one who feels troubled; our whole family feels the same. Stop thinking about unnecessary things and go to bed early, my dear." With that, Satomi hugged Fumori Masaki, a smile on her face, then turned and left for the bedroom.
Fumori Masaki chuckled softly, resting his hand on his face, his gaze fixed on Konoha Village outside. He seemed to see its future appearance... The next day, Fumori Masaki arrived at the Hokage Office Building early. Uchiha Kagami was already there, directing the Anbu to deploy, arrange security measures, and position the crowd. Seeing Fumori Masaki enter, Uchiha Kagami temporarily put down his work, walked over, and said with a smile, "Yo, good morning, Third Hokage."
"Don't call me that so early; the inauguration ceremony hasn't even started yet," Fumori Masaki said, amused.
"What's the big deal? The recommendations from the Daimyo and the Jonin have already passed. You've been the village's Third Hokage for a while; the inauguration ceremony is just to confirm it in front of everyone," Uchiha Kagami said.
"That's true," Fumori Masaki felt that his former fellow student calling him the Third Hokage, though technically correct, still felt a bit awkward, as if it created a slight distance between them.
"Hurry inside. Go over the procedures with Lord Tobirama. We can't have any mistakes with something like this," Uchiha Kagami stepped aside, urging Fumori Masaki.
"Alright, alright." Fumori Masaki agreed as he went upstairs to the Hokage's office.
In the office, Tobirama was looking at Hashirama's portrait, muttering softly, "Brother, the Third Hokage's position will soon be established. The village can be considered to have achieved long-term peace and stability. Fumori Masaki was also watched over by you as he grew up. This boy will surely lead the village to even greater heights. When I join you over there in the future, it will be a satisfactory account to you."
Hashirama in the portrait smiled brightly, as if pleased with Tobirama's decision. Tobirama let out a long sigh, then re-framed Hashirama's portrait and hung it on the wall. After he finished this, he heard Fumori Masaki's voice requesting entry at the door, so he let Fumori Masaki in.
Fumori Masaki walked in, and Tobirama nodded slightly at him, saying, "You're here. Come and see the Hokage's robe I prepared for you. It was made by the tailor who has always made robes for the Hokage."
Tobirama solemnly took it out of the box and placed it in front of Fumori Masaki. In terms of style, it was similar to Minato Namikaze's Hokage robe. It was tailored to Fumori Masaki's temperament, and Fumori Masaki indeed liked this style of Hokage robe, touching it with interest.
Perhaps it was psychological, but when Fumori Masaki touched the robe, he could feel a certain power contained within it.
"Haha, no rush. It's not too late to wear it when the inauguration ceremony begins. Let everyone in the village see your heroic demeanor," Tobirama said with a rare laugh.
"No, I just feel that once I put on this robe, I will have other responsibilities," Fumori Masaki said.
"That is the awareness a Third Hokage should have. Let's discuss the details of the succession," Tobirama said.
Time slowly passed, and a large crowd had gathered outside the Hokage Office Building. Many people hoped to catch a glimpse of the new Hokage's face. Even with the Anbu's street arrangements, many people were pushed to the back. Fortunately, the Hokage Office Building was tall, so they weren't completely unable to see.
"Seriously, there should be a wider space here," one Uchiha clan member complained.
"There's nothing we can do. Who would have thought that more and more people have been entering the village in recent years? Ultimately, this is also due to the Third Hokage who is about to take office," another Uchiha clan member said.
Due to the prosperity of commerce, while boosting the ninja village's economy, its population also gradually increased. One of the Anbu's tasks was to inspect and register the village's population. They clearly knew how much the village's population had grown in recent years, which was no longer comparable to the early days after the Warring States period.
Regardless, the Anbu still needed to ensure the stability of the populace, preventing them from becoming too crowded. Once they finally managed to get things in order, the inauguration ceremony officially began. Everyone spontaneously fell silent, looking up at the Hokage Office Building.
At this moment, Tobirama's figure appeared there. Looking down from above at the bustling crowd, he felt satisfied with the village's prosperity. He then cleared his throat and began to speak. He mainly talked about everything he had done since becoming Hokage, inevitably mentioning Fumori Masaki. This was, of course, to emphasize Fumori Masaki's importance, and Fumori Masaki was indeed a crucial figure in all of it.
After mentioning his declining health and decision to step down, Tobirama let out a soft breath and said, "Therefore, I have decided to pass the position of Third Hokage to Fumori Masaki. He has been approved by the Daimyo and many Jonin, and he is undoubtedly capable of bearing the heavy responsibility of Hokage. Now, let our Third Hokage step forward."
With that, Tobirama turned sideways and looked behind him. Fumori Masaki, already dressed in the Hokage's robe, slowly walked over, his steps steady, appearing calm and dignified. When he saw the crowd below, he could feel all their gazes fixed on him. Those gazes carried emotions like curiosity, yearning, and admiration. Because he could sense the public's expectations for him, Fumori Masaki felt that he must do something meaningful.
"Villagers and ninjas of Konoha Village, I am Fumori Masaki, who is about to succeed as the Third Hokage." Fumori Masaki began to speak, his voice calm, not unstable due to inner excitement. He spoke about his past, mentioning the earnest teachings of the First and Second Hokage, which made him understand what a village was and what a village's ninja was. Upholding the First Hokage's ideals, he fought bravely in the Ninja World War, upholding the righteousness of the just war, and the policies adopted so far were all for the sake of peace, and so on.
"In the past, the First Hokage established the village hoping that children could live in peace. I will not forget this goal. As the Third Hokage, I will certainly strive for the lives of everyone in the village, doing my utmost to create a prosperous, stable, and equal living environment for all of you. If anyone attempts to disrupt it, as Hokage, I will make them pay the price they deserve. No one is allowed to destroy peace, no matter which country. We will not actively start wars, but we will never fear war." Fumori Masaki concluded with these words.
The crowd below erupted in earth-shattering cheers, celebrating the ascension of the Third Hokage. What pleased them most was Fumori Masaki's promise of peace. Having experienced the brutal Warring States period and the Ninja World War, no one didn't yearn for peace, and their greatest hope was that peace could be maintained indefinitely.
After the inauguration ceremony, Fumori Masaki immediately took over all of Tobirama's work. He wasn't in a hurry to deal with it but first issued some new orders. First, he stopped the carving of the Hokage statues, reasoning that he believed a Hokage worthy of everyone's admiration must be someone with great merits—the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, ended the chaotic era and established Konoha Village; the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, led Konoha ninjas to victory in the Ninja World War and planned the village's basic system. These were achievements worthy of eternal renown—and as the newly appointed Hokage, Fumori Masaki had no outstanding political achievements worth showcasing and was not yet worthy of everyone's admiration.
Regarding the redefinition of the Hokage Rock, Tobirama, who had retired to the background, said nothing. He felt that this seemed to be a good explanation, not a taboo. Moreover, the current Hokage was Fumori Masaki, and since he issued such an order, he, the former Hokage, had no right to interfere.
Afterward, Fumori Masaki established a new organization called the Cabinet. Its main members were the six fellow students, including Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzō Shimura, and Kagami Uchiha, who served as consulting advisors. These advisors were not the advisors from the original work who could influence the Hokage's orders; their main responsibility was to participate in decision-making and offer opinions, but only the Hokage had the final say. Their power was not very great, so Fumori Masaki retained the six individuals' other positions as compensation.
The other people's positions remained largely unchanged, the only exception being Danzō Shimura. He had previously been an important member of the Anbu. Now, Fumori Masaki removed him from his Anbu duties and made him the head of the intelligence department. One reason was the hope that Danzō could leave the underground environment and openly reside in the ninja village, which might improve his mindset. Another reason was the desire to prevent this skilled peer from influencing the Anbu. The Anbu was directly subordinate to the Hokage, essentially a private force, and if Danzō were to create another Root, it would be more trouble than it was worth.
Next, Fumori Masaki met with the heads of the various ninja clans in the village, large and small, for a deep conversation. Currently, the ninja village still needed the support of these individuals, so Fumori Masaki needed to strengthen his ties with them, and the ninja clans naturally would not refuse contact with the Hokage.
Fumori Masaki hoped to instill a sense of security in the ninja clans. He quite agreed with the "theory of reassurance" spoken by a character in an anime: people live in fear of certain things, and everything they do is in pursuit of reassurance, whether it's personal life or the pursuit of power by royalty and nobility. The purpose of this move was to lay the foundation for new policies. The reason conservatives rejected new policies was precisely because they had no sense of security regarding their status within the new policies; therefore, they had to oppose them.
Once these matters were resolved, Fumori Masaki officially began to handle state affairs. With the assistance of the six consulting advisors, he found it much easier to manage. And after becoming Hokage, he could truly implement some of his ideas. Thus, he set his sights on the Land of Rain; it was time for that stubborn leader of Amegakure to step down.