https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-675-Yu-Sheng-Muyue-the-People-s-Choice/12937970/
Chapter 676: The Cold Winter's Extra Layer
Chapter 676: The Cold Winter's Extra Layer
After the meeting, Yuyu Mumu intended to return to his office, but he was stopped by Enma, who brought him to the Hokage's office.
"I lost to Son Ryouka," Enma sighed, admitting his defeat.
"Son Ryouka's strength far exceeded my imagination. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the strongest ninja in the Shinobi world right now."
Although Yuyu Mumu had a record of heavily injuring the Kazekage with a single punch and could use the Wooden Man Technique to reach a height of over sixty meters, there was still a significant gap between him and Senju Tsunade.
Son Ryouka, on the other hand, gave Enma the feeling of being extremely close to legendary ninjas like Senju Tsunade.
Therefore, Enma believed that Son Ryouka was currently the strongest in the Shinobi world, not Yuyu Mumu.
"I was impulsive this time. I should have listened to your advice," Enma said, his face filled with remorse.
For Enma, this was not just a defeat in battle but also a significant strategic mistake.
If they hadn't provoked Son Ryouka, Konoha could have smoothly reaped the benefits of their victory in the Third Shinobi World War, while also allowing Yuyu Mumu to develop safely.
"Since it's already a done deal, let's look forward. And if we must say someone is at fault, then we, the higher-ups, are not exempt. If we had been more persistent and tougher, the outcome might have been different," Yuyu Mumu consoled him.
Indeed, he had been quite ruthless in his actions, and although he hadn't left any irreparable injuries on Enma's body, he had likely inflicted some psychological trauma.
After all, Enma was one of the top-tier warriors in the current Shinobi world, and the fact that he was defeated without even touching his opponent's clothes despite using all his strength was a significant blow to his morale.
Seeing Yuyu Mumu's emotionally charged words and his genuine expression, Enma couldn't help but feel moved.
Even Chojirou Kamizuru and Mizuhoto Monen, his childhood friends, had some resentment in their hearts, which Enma could sense.
Of course, Enma knew he was in the wrong, so he didn't blame Mizuhoto Monen.
But when comparing the two, both being high-ranking officials and part of the group that advised him, Yuyu Mumu took the initiative to share the burden and offer comfort.
"Although his strength is no weaker than mine, he still remembers the guidance I gave him in the past," Enma thought to himself.
Yuyu Mumu was incredibly reliable, and he truly held gratitude for those who had helped him.
"I lost, but I also managed to gather some intelligence about Son Ryouka during the battle," Enma continued, sharing some details of the fight with Yuyu Mumu.
"He has a technique that creates a shield that protects his entire body, capable of defending against both taijutsu and ninjutsu attacks. However, it likely has a limit, as when I used the Five Elements Continuous Shot, he employed other means to dispel my ninjutsu."
Yuyu Mumu listened attentively, nodding from time to time.
Creating an uncrossable "infinity" around oneself using the Boundless Spell could be interpreted as a shield, and it was indeed breakable.
However, he wasn't immune to the Five Elements Continuous Shot; he just wanted to use the power of Nameless Big Cat to enhance the sense of oppression.
Breaking the Boundless Spell required more than the Five Elements Continuous Shot; the Chakra Gathering Stone or the Six Paths Sage Art would be more suitable.
"Until the election is over, Yuyu Mumu, you shouldn't leave the village," Enma advised.
Although Son Ryouka was powerful, Konoha also had many strong ninjas, and if they united, they might be able to rival Son Ryouka, as he had limited chakra.
If Yuyu Mumu left the village, the risk would be significant.
Enma didn't dare to gamble on whether Son Ryouka would take action. The fact that Son Ryouka let them go didn't mean he would spare Yuyu Mumu.
This thought made Enma feel that Son Ryouka might be trying to numb Konoha, making them lower their guard.
Yuyu Mumu nodded in agreement, knowing that Enma wouldn't know if he left the village.
The Boundless Spell was indeed powerful for long-distance travel, with a range far surpassing the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"By the way, there will be an exclusive interview with you in the Konoha Report soon. You can prepare for it in advance," Enma informed him.
In reality, there wasn't any interview scheduled, but Enma would make it happen with an order he would give soon.
However, this wasn't important. As the hero of Konoha in the Third Shinobi World War, it was reasonable for Yuyu Mumu to be featured in the Konoha Report, and it had nothing to do with his potential nomination as the Fourth Hokage.
Yuyu Mumu thanked him and left the Hokage's office, heading to his own office to continue his work.
Enma watched Yuyu Mumu leave, then silently took out his pipe, lit it, and took a deep puff, releasing a faint white mist as he exhaled, his expression filled with relief.
After a few minutes, Enma collected himself and continued handling official matters. Until the formal handover, he was still the Hokage.
When it was time to clock out, Enma promptly left the office and returned home.
Coincidentally, Asama had just returned from training at the training ground and was lounging in a chair in the living room.
"You're back," Asama said, glancing at Enma.
"Yeah," Enma nodded, removing and placing his Hokage hat properly.
After that, they didn't exchange many words.
Asama didn't have much to say to Enma, and Enma had something to say but couldn't speak openly at the moment.
During dinner, Enma took the initiative to chat with Monkey Leap Koto about his recent work.
"I've finally had some free time lately. In the past few days, I've been busy evaluating and discussing ninjas who made significant contributions to Konoha in the war. The meetings never seemed to end."
"It's good that you're done. You're not young anymore, so you should pay attention to rest and not overwork yourself."
"I have no choice. As the Hokage, I must personally oversee such important matters. I'll be busy again soon, and I'll need to contact the Daimyo."
Upon hearing the word 'Daimyo,' Asama, who had been silently eating, couldn't help but show a puzzled expression.
The Daimyo didn't interfere in ninja village affairs, so even Asama rarely heard about them from Enma.
"What's this important matter that requires constant high-level meetings and communication with the Daimyo?" Asama wondered.
Asama was a man of action, so he asked directly, "What's this big deal that's causing so much trouble?"
"Just eat quietly. You're not at a high enough level to know about this," Enma replied, not answering Asama's question.
Moreover, after Asama's question, Enma stopped the conversation and focused on eating.
Asama was puzzled, even though he knew Enma was telling the truth. It still made him feel uncomfortable.
If he didn't want to talk, he didn't have to. Why did he have to mention Asama's rank?
Even if Asama wasn't at a high enough level, he was still Enma's son. Didn't he deserve some trust?
"Not young, assessing ninjas, contacting the Daimyo..."
After dinner, Asama's mind kept replaying Enma's words from the dinner table.
"Could it be that the election for the Fourth Hokage is really about to begin!" A flash of insight crossed Asama's mind, connecting all the dots.
Enma had denied the matter of succession yesterday, but Asama felt that Enma might not have been entirely truthful in his response to his inquiry.
On the contrary, the complaints and rants at the dinner table seemed more credible.
Moreover, Enma had also let slip yesterday that Yuya Mumon might not have as much time to see him in the future.
The more Asama thought about it, the more excited he became.
He looked around, took the Hokage hat that Enma had placed on the rack, and put it into a scroll before leaving the house.
It wasn't unreasonable for him to borrow the old man's hat for a while, considering how bluntly he had spoken to him.
"Why did you take my Hokage hat?" Enma walked out, speechless.
He just wanted to hint to Asama about this matter, letting him know and then bringing the news to Yuya Mumon.
Yuya Mumon already knew that he was going to be nominated, but Asama didn't know that Yuya Mumon knew.
In the public's perception, the nomination for the Hokage election was supposed to be announced by the Hokage during a Jonin meeting.
As it involved the position of Hokage, even though Yuya Mumon was already aware of this information, and even if he could guess that Enma had intentionally orchestrated it, Yuya Mumon would still have a better impression of Asama.
After all, Asama was unaware of the situation, and from his perspective, he was taking a risk by informing Yuya Mumon in advance.
How could a teacher not develop a better impression of such a devoted student?
Enma didn't expect Asama to be cultivated by Yuya Mumon to become as strong as the Fourth Kazekage; that level of strength would be sufficient for the Monkey Leap Clan to continue prospering.
...
After leaving home, Asama went straight to Yuya Mumon's house in the main city.
Upon knocking and entering, Asama discovered that Teuchi and Zhi Shui were also at Yuya Mumon's house.
Zhi Shui seemed to be consulting Yuya Mumon about some issues, while Teuchi was chatting with an unknown creature with wings and an onion-like head.
"Teacher Yuya, good evening," Asama greeted them individually.
"Yeah, come and sit down," Yuya Mumon smiled and invited him.
"Sorry for disturbing you."
"It's no disturbance; Zhi Shui and the others have just finished asking their questions."
Zhi Shui had come to seek Yuya Mumon's help regarding some issues concerning the Uchiha clan.
Teuchi had encountered Zhi Shui in the Uchiha clan's territory and had also wanted to ask Yuya Mumon some theoretical questions, so they came together.
Asama didn't sit down in the chair but walked behind Yuya Mumon and took out the Hokage hat from the scroll, placing it on Yuya Mumon's head.
"Teacher Yuya, it's getting cold; you should wear a hat," Asama said matter-of-factly.
Yuya Mumon's expression was subtle, wondering what Asama was up to. Was he trying to rally support for him to ask the Third Hokage to step down?
"The Hokage hat!"
Teuchi's eyes widened, and he looked at Yuya Mumon excitedly, instinctively taking out his camera to take a photo.
Snap! Snap! The next moment, two transparent energy blasts struck Asama and Teuchi on their heads.
Yuya Mumon then removed the Hokage hat, as he didn't have any particular attachment to the Hokage.
"Asama, where did you get this hat? It looks exactly like the one the Hokage usually wears," Teuchi asked curiously, skillfully touching his head.
He had always wanted to wear a hat like this for his graduation photo, but he couldn't find an exact match, not even a high-quality replica.
"Haha, who knows? I picked it up," Asama laughed it off.
It wasn't an exact match because this was the hat that Enma usually wore.
Zhi Shui's expression became pensive.
Custom-made? Which clothing store dared to take on the task of making this, considering it looked exactly like the real Hokage hat?
Combining this with Asama's identity, Zhi Shui concluded that it must be the genuine Hokage hat.
Asama picked up the Hokage hat and put it back into the scroll. He wasn't genuinely planning to give the hat to Yuya Mumon right now; he would return it after going home.
Seeing Asama's hesitation, Yuya Mumon spoke to Teuchi and Zhi Shui:
"There are some materials I usually organize upstairs; you can go and take a look."
It was clear that Asama had something he wanted to say to Yuya Mumon but was hesitant due to the presence of Zhi Shui and Teuchi.
Yuya Mumon understood this; Asama and Teuchi were just good friends, not like the lifelong bond between Kakashi and Teuchi.
"Teacher Yuya, it's fine," Asama thought for a moment and then directly conveyed Enma's words and his own speculations.
Initially, Asama had thought that the fewer people who knew about this matter, the better, given its significance.
However, upon further consideration, he realized that Teuchi and Zhi Shui were not unknown figures in the village and could help Yuya Mumon during the election.
Moreover, given their characters, Teuchi and Zhi Shui would not betray Yuya Mumon and leak the information.
"The Fourth Hokage!" Teuchi's eyes lit up.
With the invincible Yuya Mumon as the Hokage, the Leaf Village would undoubtedly soar to new heights.
"Asama only said that you might be nominated; how did it become a certainty in your mouth?" Yuya Mumon knocked on Teuchi's head again.
"This is a sign of trust in you," Teuchi chuckled.
Zhi Shui nodded inwardly, knowing that with Yuya Mumon's current influence in the Leaf Village, the probability of him becoming the Hokage was high.
As for the Fourth Hokage in the original history, Wave Gate, his current influence couldn't compare to Yuya Mumon's.
"If Aunt Tsunade is also nominated, the outcome is hard to predict. But we can start preparing now to seize the initiative," Asama said.
This was his purpose for coming; by obtaining the information in advance and preparing, they could maximize their efforts to secure votes.
Among all the potential nominees, Asama was most wary of Tsunade.
Tsunade had too many advantages: she was the granddaughter of the First Hokage, the most legitimate member of the Leaf Village, and a disciple of the old man.
Additionally, Tsunade, as the strongest medical ninja in the Shinobi World, had treated numerous ninjas, officials, and nobles, giving her an extensive network of connections.
Although Tsunade didn't participate much in the Third Great Shinobi War, she had established remarkable achievements during the Second Great Shinobi War.
When all these factors were considered, Tsunade was a formidable contender in the election.
"How about hiding a stone engraved with 'Leaf Thrive, Moon Shadow' inside a fish corpse?" Teuchi suggested enthusiastically.
"We can organize a class reunion to rally the students Yuya has taught in the past and unite everyone's strength to support him," Zhi Shui proposed.
(End of Chapter)
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