https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-673-Overwhelming-Power-Legendary-Strength-/12937968/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-675-Yu-Sheng-Muyue-the-People-s-Choice/12937970/
Chapter 674: Abdication and Succession?
Chapter 674: Abdication and Succession?
After the battle, Enma and his group secretly returned to Konoha.
Due to the short time, only a small number of people knew that the Hokage had left the village.
Among those who knew that Enma had left the village, only a few knew the reason for his departure.
"Ah..."
Looking at the bustling streets of Konoha, Enma, disguised, sighed softly as he returned to the village.
The Third Shinobi World War had ended, and Konoha, as the victor, had gained significant benefits.
This should have been the beginning of Konoha's ascent to a new peak, but uncertainty arose due to his mistake.
"Enma, go home and get some rest. As long as we're here, Konoha will continue to thrive and grow stronger," Mizuhoto Monen said, offering comfort upon seeing Enma's state.
He could understand Enma's feelings.
Son Ryouka's battle plan was something Enma had approved despite the opposition of the other three high-ranking officials. However, the unexpected happened, and Enma's heart was filled with regret and guilt.
This time, it was truly dangerous. If it weren't for Son Ryouka choosing to stop, most of them would have died at the border.
If it weren't for Enma's humiliating defeat, Mizuhoto Monen would have liked to say a few words to him. They had narrowly avoided a major disaster.
"Can Konoha thrive and grow stronger just because we're here...?"
Enma's expression was complicated as he headed towards the Hokage Building.
"It's still early afternoon, I don't have time to rest. I'm going to the Hokage Building to handle some matters."
Everyone was at work at this time, and how could he, as the one who made a mistake, return home to rest?
Seeing Enma heading to the Hokage Building, Mizuhoto Monen had no choice but to follow.
The Hokage had already gone to work, so how could his advisor go home?
As they reached the floor where the advisor's office was located, the two of them happened to encounter Chojirou Kamizuru, who was walking out of the office.
"Monen, Enma, you're back," Chojirou greeted them as usual, not finding it odd that they were at the Hokage Building.
After all, their trip out of the village wasn't a big deal, and there was no need to inform her in advance.
"What's the situation with Shinshu? Did they completely break ties because of Son Ryouka's death?" Chojirou casually asked.
In her opinion, Enma killing Son Ryouka was a sure thing, and the only slight concern was whether Shinshu would want to break ties with Konoha because of it.
"Hmm?"
Seeing Enma's silence, Chojirou was puzzled.
"Did something unexpected happen?"
"Ahem," Mizuhoto Monen coughed softly to get Chojirou's attention. "Chojirou, I have something I'd like to discuss with you. Let's talk in the office."
If he let Chojirou continue, Mizuhoto Monen worried that Enma wouldn't be able to sleep that night.
"Okay," Chojirou nodded.
Although she didn't know what had happened, Chojirou wasn't foolish. She could tell that something unpleasant had occurred.
"Let's talk in my office." Just as Mizuhoto Monen and Chojirou were about to leave, Enma spoke up.
"I also have something I'd like to discuss with you both."
Mizuhoto Monen had wanted to speak to Chojirou alone, to give Enma some face, but since Enma had already said this, he could only nod in agreement.
The three of them then proceeded to the Hokage's office together.
Enma pushed open the wooden door of the Hokage's office and sat down in the only office chair, while Mizuhoto Monen and Chojirou stood in front of the desk.
Enma took out his pipe, lit it, and after taking a deep puff, he exhaled a thick cloud of white smoke and said, "I lost the battle."
Chojirou's expression was one of utter astonishment, and she looked at Mizuhoto Monen, thinking she might have misheard.
Seeing Mizuhoto Monen's resigned nod, Chojirou finally dared to confirm that she hadn't misheard; this was the truth.
"Enma, it's okay. After all, you're not young anymore, and Son Ryouka had the advantage of youth and strength," Chojirou consoled him carefully.
"It's not about age. Son Ryouka is very strong, far surpassing me," Enma shook his head.
If he had only lost narrowly, and if the gap between him and Son Ryouka was minimal, he might have been able to use this reason to salvage some dignity.
Unfortunately, the reality was different. Enma was almost crushed by Son Ryouka, and he didn't even get close to touching him once.
Therefore, Enma didn't want to find excuses to belittle Son Ryouka, as it would be disrespectful to Son Ryouka's strength and a denial of his own abilities.
"Chojirou, Son Ryouka is far more formidable than you imagine. If we were to make a comparison, only the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara would likely be able to defeat him."
Mizuhoto Monen explained.
Chojirou Kamizuru's pupils constricted, instantly realizing the terrifying strength of Son Ryouka.
Senju Tsunade and Uchiha Madara were the only two legendary ninjas acknowledged by the entire Shinobi World. This legend was not something the Three Sages could casually associate with; it was a true legend etched into the histories of various nations.
She now understood why Monkey Leap Koto had remained silent in the other floors.
When your teammates thought you had won, but in reality, you suffered a crushing defeat. How could she explain this?
Chojirou Kamizuru was worried about stepping on another landmine and didn't want to speak. Mizuhoto Monen didn't know what to say, and the atmosphere became a little awkward for a while.
"I want to pass on the Hokage position to Yu Sheng Mu Yue," Monkey Leap Koto said after a moment of silence.
He felt that he had failed as a Hokage and was no longer fit for the role.
Mizuhoto Monen argued that the main responsibility lay with Uchiha Danzo, but Monkey Leap Koto knew that even if it was Danzo's fault, he couldn't escape blame.
If he hadn't been overly lenient towards Danzo before, ignoring some of his mistakes, how could Danzo have dared to do such a thing?
Therefore, Monkey Leap Koto decided to change his plan and pass on the position to Yu Sheng Mu Yue ahead of schedule.
However, to avoid disrupting Yu Sheng Mu Yue's cultivation, Monkey Leap Koto thought he could retire a little later and continue to serve in the upper echelons after stepping down, sharing some of the pressure with Yu Sheng Mu Yue.
"It's not that serious," Mizuhoto Monen hastily advised.
Monkey Leap Koto had made a mistake, but in Mizuhoto Monen's opinion, he didn't need to step down for this single error.
In the battle against Son Ryouka, not a single Leaf Village ninja had died, and the loss was only theoretical.
"Yu Sheng Mu Yue is still too young. It would be better for him to stay in the position of an advisor for a few more years. You can't underestimate yourself because of one setback, Day Cut."
"That's right. The Leaf Village is at a critical stage of development, and it needs an experienced Hokage like you to steer it, rather than a new one," Chojirou Kamizuru added.
She didn't want Monkey Leap Koto to step down now, both for the village and for personal reasons.
"He may be young, but Yu Sheng Mu Yue has the ability to command respect. As for experience, you can't gain it without trying, and we'll be there to guide him," Monkey Leap Koto rebutted.
The reason he decided to pass on the position was that Yu Sheng Mu Yue's performance was too outstanding, and even if he passed on the position now, there wouldn't be any opposition within the Leaf Village.
"You can't be so stubborn again. You have to consider everyone's opinions," Chojirou Kamizuru said, a little anxious.
This time, Monkey Leap Koto didn't argue with Chojirou Kamizuru but fell into deep thought.
Indeed, the battle against Son Ryouka was the result of his stubbornness.
Would his persistence be right this time? Monkey Leap Koto wasn't sure.
"Chojirou Kamizuru's words are a bit harsh, but they make sense. Don't make a hasty decision, Day Cut. Think it over carefully," Mizuhoto Monen continued.
Monkey Leap Koto hesitated, and finally, he relented, saying, "I'll think about it some more."
Mizuhoto Monen and Chojirou Kamizuru breathed a sigh of relief.
Monkey Leap Koto had been handling affairs in the Hokage Office until 7 PM before returning home.
"Welcome back. You must be tired. I'll reheat your dinner," Monkey Leap Koto said, standing up as she saw Monkey Leap Koto return.
She and Asama had already finished dinner at 6 PM.
Monkey Leap Koto nodded, removed the Hokage hat and his outerwear, and headed towards the room to change into casual clothes and take a bath.
He was still wearing his combat uniform from his mission and battle.
"Did you leave the village? Is something important happening?" Asama asked, hearing footsteps approaching and seeing Monkey Leap Koto before he entered the room.
He was well aware that the Hokage needed to stay in the Leaf Village.
Monkey Leap Koto paused but didn't answer Asama's question.
How could he explain this? Should he say that his old man had foolishly challenged someone and got crushed? Or that, at his age, he had acted impulsively and caused a big problem for the Leaf Village?
Facing Chojirou Kamizuru, an old friend who knew the truth, Monkey Leap Koto could admit his mistake without making excuses.
Facing Yu Sheng Mu Yue, whom he considered the future Hokage, Monkey Leap Koto was also willing to reveal the truth.
But Asama was his son, and they had a bit of a strained relationship. If he told Asama, would he still be able to earn Asama's respect in the future?
"This is a Leaf Village secret," Monkey Leap Koto replied.
"You could have said that earlier," Asama said, rolling his eyes.
He had just been worried about Monkey Leap Koto's unusual behavior, and after all that time, he simply replied with 'secret.'
Monkey Fly Hashirama opened the door and was about to enter when he thought of something and turned to Asama, asking, "What do you think of my performance as Hokage?"
"Not great," Asama replied without hesitation. "My advice is to step down early and let Teacher Yuya Mumon take over as Hokage."
"Is that so..."
Asama saw that Monkey Fly Hashirama was actually pondering, and after a moment, he changed his mind and said, "Of course, saying it's not great doesn't mean you're doing poorly. It's just that I feel Teacher Yuya Mumon would do an even better job as Hokage."
Asama was giving an objective evaluation. Monkey Fly Hashirama's performance wasn't bad; if it were, he wouldn't have so many supporters in Konoha, and so many ninjas wouldn't genuinely aspire to become Hokage.
"But Teacher Yuya Mumon has never been Hokage. How can you have that feeling?" Monkey Fly Hashirama asked.
Indeed, he should seek more opinions from others.
"Because Teacher Yuya Mumon excels at everything he does, whether it's teaching at the ninja academy, running training programs, or leading on the battlefield," Asama listed Yuya Mumon's various achievements.
"Do you think Teacher Yuya Mumon is doing a poor job as Hokage Advisor?" Asama asked in return.
Monkey Fly Hashirama shook his head; of course not. Yuya Mumon's performance as an advisor felt very proficient, and this might be what an all-around talent was like.
It couldn't be that his leadership skills were honed solely during his time at the ninja academy; that would be too far-fetched.
"Then it's settled. If Teacher Yuya Mumon can do a good job as a young Hokage Advisor, why wouldn't he be a capable Hokage? When the Second Hokage served as an advisor, he essentially performed the duties of a Hokage. It shows that an exceptional advisor can seamlessly transition into the role of Hokage." Asama argued convincingly.
"That's a different matter," Monkey Fly Hashirama chuckled.
It would be chaotic to let the First Hokage handle political affairs alone; Senju Tsunade had many strengths, but also his fair share of weaknesses.
"Anyway, if you ask me about the Hokage, I can only say that I'd definitely choose Teacher Yuya Mumon!" Asama declared his stance.
"Then go and find Teacher Yuya Mumon more often. Maybe he won't have as much time for you in the future." Monkey Fly Hashirama entered the room to choose his clothes.
Asama's eyes lit up instantly, and he quickly followed, asking, "Are you really going to pass on the position?"
He wasn't sleepy anymore when talking about this.
Monkey Fly Hashirama looked at Asama with a mix of exasperation and amusement. Was he that happy about his old man stepping down? He had just said that Monkey Fly Hashirama's performance wasn't bad.
"Stop guessing; I don't even know myself, and you've already guessed," Monkey Fly Hashirama said as he opened the wardrobe.
Mizuhoto Monen and Chojirou Kamizuru were too adamantly opposed, and he hadn't decided yet.
"Hehe, if you ask me, it would be the right choice to pass it on to Teacher Yuya Mumon. He was the one you promoted back then; you have a keen eye for talent." Asama, breaking his usual demeanor, praised.
Monkey Fly Hashirama's mouth twitched. He had just argued with him not long ago.
However, Monkey Fly Hashirama still didn't pay attention to Asama. After packing his clothes, he went to take a bath.
"Tsk," Asama, ignored, returned to his usual attitude towards Monkey Fly Hashirama.
After his bath, Monkey Fly Hashirama started eating.
Although Monkey Leap Koto didn't eat, she sat at the table with Monkey Fly Hashirama, serving him tea and pouring water.
"What do you think of Yuya Mumon as a person?" Monkey Fly Hashirama asked after eating half-full.
"I won't casually give my opinion. I don't know him well, but from what I know, he's a teacher highly respected by his students," Monkey Leap Koto recalled after a moment.
She hadn't interacted much with Yuya Mumon, but out of politeness, they had exchanged a few words. Nonetheless, Monkey Leap Koto had a good impression of Yuya Mumon.
After being taught by Yuya Mumon, Asama's strength improved faster, and he became more sensible.
Apart from Asama, whom she had personally witnessed, Monkey Leap Koto had also heard about Yuya Mumon from other Monkey Leap Clan members, and they were all praises.
Among the students taught by Yuya Mumon, both the under-ten Genin and the adult Jonin held him in high regard.
Monkey Leap Koto believed that someone recognized by so many people couldn't be bad.
"Mmm," Monkey Fly Hashirama seemed to understand Monkey Leap Koto's opinion of Yuya Mumon.
Although she didn't explicitly praise him, for someone with her personality, it was already a good evaluation.
PS:
This is yesterday's update; there will be more today.
I've been sleeping poorly lately, and I was extremely tired while writing yesterday, dozing off as soon as I hit the bed.
I woke up dissatisfied with what I had written last night, so I revised and deleted two thousand words, bringing it to its current state.
My apologies, everyone.
【Little Orange Apologizes】
(End of Chapter)
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