"Don't count me in. I don't want to be stuck in an office all day dealing with village affairs like Sarutobi-sensei."
Hearing this, Tsunade raised her hand as well.
"Me too."
Both Tsunade and Jiraiya are more laid back.
They like to travel everywhere.
It's just that one likes wine and women, and the other only likes gambling!
Of course, Tsunade's situation had changed—thanks to Simu.
It wasn't that Simu directly influenced her.
Rather, by indirectly saving Kato Dan's life, he gave her something to hold on to.
Once this heart has a home, it will not go out to wander casually.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed in frustration at his two unreliable students.
Being carefree was one thing, but even at a time like this…
Facing the Jōnin who are arguing endlessly.
Sarutobi Hiruzen could only make a decision.
"Let's vote."
"A vote?"
The meeting room suddenly fell silent.
They exchanged glances, realizing that a vote might actually be a good idea.
Although Konoha technically had a voting system for selecting the Hokage, it was rarely used in practice.
After the First Hokage, it had never been formally implemented.
When Hashirama died, his brother Senju Tobirama took over directly.
Later, when Tobirama fell in battle, he verbally entrusted the position to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
This decision sparked significant controversy at the time.
Unlike Tobirama, whose strength commanded unquestioned respect, young Sarutobi Hiruzen lacked the same authority.
If not for Danzo and others rallying support from various clans, securing his position as Hokage wouldn't have been so easy.
After all, without an official process, simply declaring oneself Hokage wouldn't be enough.
Fortunately, Hiruzen's strength grew rapidly over time, solidifying his role.
He proved his strength through countless battles, earning title "Ninjutsu Professor"
By implementing a balanced strategy, he maintained order in the village—forming alliances, suppressing the Uchiha, and keeping power in check.
That's how he remained Hokage for decades.
Now, restarting the voting process seemed like a reasonable choice.
"What do you think?"
The Third Hokage looked at Simu with his slightly clouded eyes.
Scratching his head, Simu replied, "Doesn't matter. I can do it."
Hiruzen sighed.
This guy was still as lazy as ever.
Sometimes, he wondered—if he had exiled Hanyu Simu back then, would things have turned out differently?
But with Simu's strength at the time, Konoha might not have been able to contain him.
It could have even created a powerful rogue ninja instead.
Fate truly had a way of playing tricks.
Hanyu Simu was no longer someone they could control.
"Since there are no objections, let's proceed with the arrangements."
Soon, the entire village of Konoha was buzzing with discussion. Restarting the Hokage voting process was no small matter.
Elite Jōnin began their campaigns, and the village quickly became lively.
At Konoha Tavern, the atmosphere was electric. Everyone was debating who should be the next Hokage.
"Who do you think is the best choice for Hokage?" a villager asked, slamming his hand on the table while holding a copy of Icha Icha Paradise.
"Obviously, Lord Jiraiya! He's one of the Sannin—strong and famous!"
But his words were met with scoffs.
"That pervert? Just last week, he was caught peeking at the women's bathhouse!"
"Yeah! He got chased for miles by a bunch of furious bathhouse customers."
"My wife was there that day! There's no way Jiraiya should be Hokage!"
The crowd in the tavern suddenly became angry.
The villager who had been reading the little yellow book quickly stuffed it into his pocket and trembled as he lay on the table.
"Uh... how about Princess Tsunade?" he suggested.
"She's the granddaughter of Hashirama-sama, has noble lineage, and is a strong ninja!"
This choice immediately gained support.
After all, being the First Hokage's granddaughter carried a lot of weight. To the villagers, Tsunade had always been seen as a princess—a stark contrast to Jiraiya, the infamous bathhouse peeper.
However, someone hesitated.
"Tsunade is great, but... her former partner…"
Everyone knew who he meant—Orochimaru.
With Orochimaru's crimes now fully exposed—especially his horrifying human experiments—fear and distrust had spread through Konoha.
Even Tsunade and Jiraiya, his former teammates, couldn't escape the shadow of his actions.
Then, someone raised a new idea.
"Why are we only looking at these older ninjas?"
"I think the new generation's golden duo is a great choice!"
This suggestion quickly gained traction.
Young, strong, and full of potential—many villagers were excited about a fresh start.
These two names—Simu and Minato—had become synonymous with power and talent.
"Namikaze Minato-sama is so handsome…" one starry-eyed villager sighed.
But most of the villagers focused on Simu.
"Say what you want, but Simu-sama's achievements over the years are unbelievable."
"First, he killed the Third Kazekage—said to be the strongest Kazekage—during the war with Sunagakure. Then, he crushed Kumogakure at the Battle of Kikyo Mountain."
"Next, he secured victory against Iwagakure."
"In the Land of Rain, he single-handedly defeated the combined forces of Iwa, Ame, and Suna, fought Onoki, and even captured Hanzō of the Salamander—the so-called demigod—alive."
"And as soon as he returned, he took down both Orochimaru and Danzo."
"Honestly, if you list everything, it's just insane."
Simu's record was nothing short of legendary.
While Namikaze Minato was undeniably young and talented, he simply couldn't compare.
As for Uchiha Fugaku?
Though strong, the villagers dismissed him almost immediately—simply because he was an Uchiha.
The villagers continued their heated discussions, and the major ninja clans were even more lively.
After all, whoever became Hokage would directly influence each clan's power and influence in the future.
Meanwhile, the man at the center of all this—Hanyu Simu—was strolling home leisurely, hands in his pockets, completely unbothered.
He pushed open the door.
Waiting inside were three stunning women, each with their own unique charm.
Kushina was fiery and full of life.
Mikoto carried an air of intelligence and grace.
Lindy was the quiet type, but at the right moments, she could be surprisingly passionate—something that had even caught Simu off guard the first time.
"Simu, welcome home!"
Mikoto and Lindy greeted him sweetly.
Kushina, as usual, dashed forward, ready to throw herself into Simu's arms.
But just two steps in, Lindy quickly grabbed her, stopping her in her tracks.
Kushina suddenly seemed to realize something, her face turning red as she hesitated.
Simu was puzzled.
Normally, Kushina hugging him was nothing unusual.
Why was Lindy stopping her this time?
Did they have a disagreement?
But judging by their smiles, that didn't seem to be the case.
Besides, the three of them had always gotten along well—hardly ever arguing.
Simu was at a loss.
Then, Mikoto gently took his hand and led him toward Kushina.
The soft light behind him cast a warm glow on Kushina's red hair, highlighting her delicate features and flushed ears.
Mikoto gently guided Simu's hand and placed it on Kushina's belly.
"This is…?"
Simu's expression changed as he looked at Kushina.
His Observation Haki spread out, carefully sensing her body.
A tiny yet faint presence was growing inside her.
Though still small, it was full of life.
Simu froze.
Seeing him in a daze, Kushina pouted in dissatisfaction.
Finally, she dropped all pretense and pinched his ear.
"What's with that reaction? Are you not happy that I'm pregnant?"
"Happy! Of course, I'm happy…"
The sharp pinch snapped Simu out of his trance.
Without hesitation, he spread his arms wide and pulled Kushina into a tight hug.
But then, a thought crossed his mind, and he slowed his movements, gently wrapping his arms around her instead.
"I was just so happy that I got a little carried away," Simu said sincerely.
Even though he had always known this day would come, now that it was real, an indescribable feeling filled his heart.
At that moment, everything felt... complete.
"What do you want to eat? I'll make it for you," Kushina offered with a pout.
"Forget it, I still prefer Mikoto's cooking," she added, clinging to Mikoto's arm.
Mikoto only smiled softly in response.
From behind, Lindy slipped her hand into Simu's palm.
"Simu… I want a child too."
Simu grinned, then burst into laughter.
"No problem! Let's have lots and lots of them!"
.
.
TO BE CONTINUED
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