Hiruzen persuaded me to die

A few days later.

Boom!

Boom!

Salutes thundered through the skies.

All of Konoha seemed to tremble with excitement.

Crowds surged through the streets, the village square packed shoulder-to-shoulder with shinobi and civilians alike.

"I heard Lord Naraku is going to be the Fifth Hokage!""He still needs to pass the Jōnin vote of confidence, right?""Come on! Of course he'll pass!""Even Lord Jiraiya is overseeing the vote. He already withdrew from the race himself!""With Jiraiya's endorsement, the result is basically guaranteed!"

As one of the heroes of the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars, Jiraiya had long earned the village's respect. Among the legendary Sannin, only Orochimaru had betrayed the village—while Jiraiya and Tsunade remained beloved symbols of strength and legacy.

Even though their teacher, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had been revealed as a traitor, no stain had touched Jiraiya or Tsunade.

Both had served as battlefield commanders—Jiraiya with his unmatched combat prowess and charismatic nature, and Tsunade as a miracle-working medical ninja who saved countless lives.

And of course...

Jiraiya had also been the teacher of the late Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.

In truth, Jiraiya and Tsunade could have become Hokage years ago. But neither had ever truly desired the seat.

Now, the village gathered near the Hokage Building.

The area near Sector 09 overflowed with people.

"Don't push! Give some space!""There are more people here than when Minato-sama became Hokage!"

The Uchiha Police Force struggled to maintain order, but there was a noticeable difference in their attitude compared to the Fourth Hokage's inauguration.

Back then, the Uchiha had no say—Minato was backed by Sarutobi Hiruzen, while Orochimaru was Danzō's choice. The Uchiha were sidelined entirely.

But today... things had changed.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was gone. Danzō, Homura, and Koharu—the inner circle who once opposed the Uchiha—were dead or missing.

Only Hiruzen remained, and he was now a wanted fugitive.

More importantly, Hyūga Naraku had never treated the Uchiha with suspicion or contempt.

Quite the opposite.

Before the coup, he'd assured the Uchiha:

"Leave Sarutobi Hiruzen to me."

And he'd delivered on that promise. With Hiruzen overthrown and exiled, the Uchiha's reputation had skyrocketed.

Now, even villagers treated the once-feared Police Force with warmth.

To the Uchiha, Naraku wasn't just a candidate—they saw him as a kindred spirit.

Soon, Jōnin from across the village—both from noble clans and civilian backgrounds—arrived at the Hokage Building.

Jiraiya stood before them.

"Everyone's here. Let's begin the vote."

Though Naraku was the only nominee, protocol demanded that the Jōnin vote of confidence still be held.

Years ago, during the Fourth Hokage election, Orochimaru had lost to Minato—despite having deeper experience and power.

Why?

Because Minato, the "Little Sun," was beloved. His warmth, humility, and sincerity had won hearts in ways Orochimaru's cold ambition never could.

Now, the same process was being repeated.

Even if Naraku stood alone, he still needed to win the village's will.

And then—

"The entire Uchiha clan's Jōnin unanimously support Hyūga Naraku as Fifth Hokage."

Uchiha Fugaku stepped forward, placing a thick bundle of ballots into the box.

"Are all of those from the Uchiha Jōnin?""They really came out in full force.""Even the proud Uchiha are unanimously behind Naraku-sama!"

Whispers buzzed through the crowd.

Even Jiraiya looked momentarily stunned.

"As expected of the Uchiha. A clan whose sheer strength once made the village uneasy."

But that fear... no longer existed.

Now, they stood with the village.

"So they're all in.""That's one worry resolved," Jiraiya thought.

He had once hoped that Minato would mend the village's fraying relationship with the Uchiha.

But Minato died too soon—just over a year into his term.

When Hiruzen reclaimed the position, things deteriorated rapidly.

Jiraiya had always feared that if someone else became Hokage, tensions with the Uchiha might return.

But with Naraku...

"It seems those bridges were rebuilt long before he ever took this stage."

"The Hyūga Clan unanimously supports Hyūga Naraku as Fifth Hokage,"declared Hyūga Hiashi, stepping forward.

No one was surprised.

"The Aburame Clan supports Naraku-sama."

"The Nara Clan."

"The Yamanaka Clan."

"The Akimichi Clan."

"The Inuzuka Clan."

One after another, every major clan leader stepped forward.

All in favor. No abstentions. No dissent.

Even Hatake Kakashi, wearing his ever-present mask, stepped up quietly.

"Hatake Kakashi—supporting Hyūga Naraku as Fifth Hokage."

For a moment, memories drifted back.

He had once stood here, voting for his own teacher, Minato.

Now... he voted for a comrade of the same generation.

And in that moment, a shadow passed through his mind—

Uchiha Obito.

The boy who had once shouted so loudly:

"I'm going to be Hokage!"

"And me!"shouted a loud, unmistakable voice.

Might Guy flew through the crowd, somersaulting dramatically.

"Might Guy supports Naraku being elected Hokage! With all my youthful might!"

Laughter spread through the crowd. A flash of green. A spirit unbroken.

"All Jōnin present have voted. The result—unanimous approval."

Jiraiya looked across the crowd in awe.

"Not a single 'no'?" he muttered to himself.

Even with his faith in Naraku, this had surprised him.

He turned to the young man now approaching from the stairs.

"Looks like your reputation is even greater than I imagined."

Hyūga Naraku gave a quiet nod.

Even he hadn't expected this level of support. It had only been a few years since he'd emerged onto the main stage of the village.

Now, he stood at its center.

He wore the white robe with red flames—the symbol of the Hokage—and stepped slowly toward the rooftop of the Hokage Building.

Behind him stood the Hokage Rock, carved with the faces of his predecessors.

In front of him—the entire village.

He had seen this place before in books, in vision, in history.

This was the rooftop where Pain once floated above the city...

But this time, no destruction would follow.

Only rebirth.

Naraku reached the front edge, looking out over the sea of villagers below.

Their faces turned up, waiting.

A thousand hearts holding one breath.

And then—

"From today forward... I am Konoha's Fifth Hokage."

The silence cracked like thunder.

Applause roared. Cheers erupted.

All of Konoha trembled in celebration.

And yet—Naraku wasn't finished.

He raised his voice again.

"As my first decree—Sarutobi Hiruzen is hereby listed as a Konoha S-rank missing-nin."

"Furthermore, we will issue a formal request to Kirigakure:Surrender Sarutobi Hiruzen, or face consequences."

Gasps swept through the crowd.

But Naraku still wasn't done.

He turned his back to the villagers and faced the Hokage Rock.

Specifically—the third statue.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's likeness.

Raising his palm, chakra surged.

With perfect control, Naraku unleashed his Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm—a focused wave of devastating force.

BOOM!

The statue of Hiruzen shattered into rubble.

And yet, the statues of the Second and Fourth Hokage on either side remained perfectly untouched.

The symbol of the past—destroyed without hesitation.

The crowd was stunned.

For a moment, silence held them all.

And then—

"Good!!!"

A roar of approval surged from below.

Applause exploded.

Not just cheers.

Liberation.

This was no longer Sarutobi's village.

This was Konoha reborn.

Under the Fifth Hokage—

Hyūga Naraku.