Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Invitation to be the Hokage's Assistant!
The Third Hokage's stance this time finally had an effect.
Upon hearing his words, the Uchiha clan members were moved and began whispering among themselves.
If they could acquire the land in the village center and fifty million ryō to establish some businesses, then the Uchiha would have a way to sustain themselves after giving up the police force...
They had found their path.
Seeing his clansmen enticed by these small gains, Dan frowned.
"Merely this land and money, I fear, are not enough to compensate the Uchiha," he said, his face expressionless as he looked at the Third Hokage.
"Of course..." The Third Hokage admitted, gritting his teeth. After a moment of contemplation, he added a surprising proposal, "So, I've decided, in respect of the Uchiha clan's talent, any Uchiha who has activated the three tomoe Sharingan will automatically be promoted to a Leaf Jonin, enjoying the corresponding treatment and benefits."
Upon hearing this, the Uchiha clan was stirred.
In the past, the Leaf had always deliberately suppressed the Uchiha's Jonin quota. Even if they had the strength and experience, they were intentionally held back, not allowed to be promoted.
But now, the Third Hokage not only lifted the restrictions on the Uchiha, but he also relaxed the conditions for promotion to Jonin, allowing the Uchiha to instantly gain twenty more Jonin. This even included Uchiha Izumi.
"Itachi, did I hear that right... The Third Hokage means that both you and I can be promoted to Jonin?" Izumi asked Itachi in disbelief, unable to believe it.
She had just become a ninja not long ago and hadn't even adapted to being a Genin yet. But because she had activated the three tomoe Sharingan, she could be directly promoted to Jonin. Izumi had no doubt that she would be the weakest Jonin in the history of the Leaf.
"The Third Hokage has made a great compromise to appease our Uchiha clan," Itachi quietly explained to Izumi, also sensing that after the clan received such a large benefit, things should not escalate further.
Thinking of this, Itachi looked at his uncle. He knew his uncle was a madman, always wanting to incite a rift between the Uchiha and the Leaf, and today he was about to succeed.
But the Third Hokage's appeasement of the Uchiha, making all sorts of compromises, left his uncle's plans in vain. His uncle must be very upset now.
Itachi couldn't help but think so.
He was right.
Dan's gaze suddenly turned cold, continuing to pressure the Third Hokage: "Not enough, still not enough."
He was asking for the moon.
It seemed he wanted to push the Third Hokage to a point where he had no choice but to break with the Uchiha.
And the Uchiha clan, except for Itachi, were not aware of Dan's true intentions.
They only felt that their leader was incredibly domineering, standing up to the Third Hokage for the benefit of the clan, not backing down at all.
Their leader was so cool.
Facing Dan's relentless pressure, the Third Hokage had to remain calm.
"Calm down, I must stay calm," he repeatedly reminded himself, striving to calm his emotions. Then, with a sincere face, he asked Dan: "Dan, please tell me, what else does the Uchiha need? As long as I, as the Hokage, can do it, just say it."
How patient he was.
Truly a ninja of endurance.
Dan's gaze flickered, curious to see just how patient the Third Hokage could be, so he publicly challenged him: "The series of malicious acts by the Leaf's higher-ups have long caused the Uchiha to lose trust in you. How do we know that your promises as Hokage aren't just empty words? Danzo is gone today, but perhaps tomorrow a second Danzo will emerge, continuing to covet the Uchiha's Sharingan."
These words woke the Uchiha clan members up.
Yes, the benefits the Third Hokage promised the Uchiha at this time might just be a delaying tactic.
Once the Uchiha let their guard down, they might still be persecuted by the Leaf's higher-ups in the future.
They were almost deceived by the Third Hokage's plot.
Seeing the Uchiha clan starting to stir again, the Third Hokage took a deep breath, realizing that he had to retreat to his final line and offer an unprecedented gesture of goodwill.
If what he said next still couldn't satisfy Dan and the Uchiha clan, then—
He would have no choice but to go to war with the Uchiha.
"For the past few decades, the village has always excluded the Uchiha from the decision-making layer. As Hokage, I have deeply realized that this is wrong. So..."
The Third Hokage stared intently at Dan, making up his mind.
Then, in a voice loud enough for everyone present to hear, he said to Dan: "Dan, I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, formally invite you in the name of the Hokage to serve as the Hokage's assistant. Are... are you willing?"
As soon as his words fell, the crowd went silent for a moment, then, like boiling water, erupted into an even greater uproar.
With Danzo's arrest, his position as the Hokage's assistant, which he had held for forty years, was now vacant.
This position, in the Leaf, was second only to the Hokage himself. It was far superior to the position of the head of the police force.
At this moment, the members of the Leaf's Anbu, the Sarutobi clan, the major ninja clans, and the police force were all shocked.
No one had expected that the Third Hokage, in order to appease the agitated Uchiha, would compromise to such an extent.
Was the Uchiha's anger really that terrifying?
On the Uchiha's side, the clan members were also shocked.
"The leader is actually going to become the Hokage's assistant, is this real?"
"More importantly, the Third Hokage is already very old and will have to retire from the position of Hokage sooner or later. And our leader is still so young, once he becomes the Hokage's assistant, doesn't that mean he has a chance to become the Fifth Hokage?"
"Our Uchiha clan is going to produce a Hokage!"
The crowd excitedly discussed.
The Uchiha clan, which was originally furious and ready to fight the Leaf to the death, had their anger dissipated under the Third Hokage's series of appeasement measures: serious handling of Danzo, giving land, money, Jonin positions, and proposing Dan to be the Hokage's assistant...
Even Fugaku, the clan leader who had seen the future with his Mangekyō Sharingan, couldn't help but reconsider.
In the current situation, the Uchiha were taking all the advantages. Was there still a need to fight the Leaf to the death?
What was Dan thinking?
Fugaku looked at Dan, who remained silent, and couldn't guess his brother-in-law's thoughts.
The Third Hokage was getting anxious, repeatedly signaling to Shisui and Tsunade, asking them to persuade Dan.
Shisui understood the Third Hokage's intentions and immediately stood up, passionately saying to Dan: "Dan, quickly accept the Hokage's invitation. I believe that as long as you become the Hokage's assistant, you can definitely become the bridge between the Uchiha and the village, bringing true peace to the Leaf. Only you can accomplish this great task!"
Shisui held an incredibly earnest hope for Dan.
Tsunade, who had been silent all this time, also walked to Dan's side and began to persuade him:
"Dan, the old man Third Hokage's proposal seems pretty good."
She didn't want to see the Leaf destroyed due to internal strife caused by the Uchiha.
She also didn't like the Third Hokage. If someone like Dan Uchiha became the Hokage's assistant, the Leaf's higher-ups would definitely be in chaos.
From then on, the Third Hokage would certainly not have any good days.
Therefore, Tsunade was very willing to facilitate this.
Under the tense gaze of thousands of pairs of eyes, Dan shook his head, a look of regret on his face.
The Uchiha clan was so easily fooled by the Third Hokage that it seemed the meeting today wouldn't be successful.
However, speaking of which, the Third Hokage really did make a big compromise to appease the Uchiha, almost kneeling down to them.
Was it because the Third Hokage also realized that at this critical juncture, if the Uchiha were to cause internal strife, the Leaf would also be finished?
It was strange. He, Dan Uchiha, who only wanted to see the Leaf burn, suddenly, inexplicably, was about to become the Hokage's assistant?
Thinking about this, Dan couldn't help but laugh.
"Hehe, hahaha..."
Dan couldn't help it anymore, once again covering his forehead with his hand, opening his mouth wide to reveal his teeth, and letting out a signature hearty laugh.
"Hahahaha."
His laughter echoed in the sky above the Leaf, leaving everyone present in surprise and confusion.
No one knew why Dan Uchiha was laughing, and no one could see what was going on in the mind of this madman.
Until the end, Dan's laughter gradually subsided, turning into a faint smile.
He looked at the Third Hokage across from him and said with a pleased expression: "Alright, I agree."
Upon hearing this, the Third Hokage finally breathed a sigh of relief, his tense face relaxed, and he also showed a smile.
He knew that his invitation for Dan to become the Hokage's assistant was an incredibly dangerous decision, akin to inviting a wolf into the house.
But at this moment, for the peace of the Leaf, the Third Hokage had no choice but to do so.
As a Hokage, he should be accustomed to enduring humiliation.
Seeing this matter settled, the people of the Leaf were incredulous.
You should know that just two days ago, Dan's status in the Leaf, at least nominally, was still just an ordinary villager.
He wasn't even a Genin.
But in just two days, the Third Hokage first promoted Dan to Jonin, and then even more astonishingly, publicly invited Dan to serve as the Hokage's assistant!
This rate of promotion was not only unprecedented, but also destined to be unparalleled.
Many people even suspected that in a few more days, the Third Hokage would announce his abdication, and Dan would naturally and swiftly inherit the position of Hokage.
This was simply outrageous.
As everyone was still in shock, the Third Hokage announced the conclusion of the meeting.
"Today's meeting is over. Everyone, please disperse."
With the Third Hokage's words, the crowd began to disperse, but the discussions did not stop. The news that Dan Uchiha was going to become the Hokage's assistant spread throughout the village like wildfire.
The Uchiha clan members were ecstatic. They felt that their clan was finally going to rise again. They were no longer the marginalized clan in the village, but the clan that could influence the entire village's decision-making.
On the other hand, the other clans in the village were worried. They were concerned about the rise of the Uchiha clan and what it would mean for their own status and influence in the village.
The Third Hokage, after dismissing the crowd, returned to his office with a heavy heart. He knew that he had made a risky decision, but he believed that it was the best decision under the current circumstances.
As for Dan, he left the meeting place with a mysterious smile on his face. He knew that he had achieved his goal. He had successfully stirred up the situation in the village and gained a position of power.
But what he was going to do next, only he knew.
As everyone was still in shock, the Third Hokage, taking advantage of the crowd, made two more major announcements.
First, he issued a public bounty on Uchiha Obito in the name of the Leaf Village, exposing Obito's information to the entire ninja world based on the information provided by the Uchiha clan.
Second, he formally declared war on the Hidden Rain Village and the Akatsuki organization in the name of the Leaf Village!
The Third Hokage knew that his compromise with the Uchiha today would inevitably cause dissatisfaction among many people in the village. The villagers could not understand his good intentions, nor could they understand the difficulties of his position as Hokage.
At this time, to divert internal conflicts, he had to rely on external conflicts.
The war between the Leaf and the Hidden Rain was inevitable.
Finally, the Third Hokage solemnly instructed Dan: "Dan, tomorrow at ten in the morning, I will convene all the Jonin of the Leaf Village. In their presence, I will officially confer upon you the position of the Hokage's assistant. Please be sure to arrive at the Hokage Building on time to attend this ceremony."
After saying this, the Third Hokage, along with hundreds of Anbu and members of the Sarutobi clan, escorted the already unconscious Danzo and several Root members, and turned to leave.
"Let's go." Hyuga Hizashi said in a low voice, also leading the people of the Police Force to leave in a hurry, fearing that if they left too slowly, they would be held accountable by the Uchiha.
He didn't want to end up like Danzo.
The people of the major ninja clans in the Leaf also dispersed after discussing for a while.
They all realized that they had to instruct their clansmen to change their attitudes and ways of interacting with the Uchiha clan.
Because from today on, with the Third Hokage's compromise, the Uchiha had become the only super clan in the Leaf Village. Their status was supreme.
"Shizune, let's go to the Leaf Hospital to see. There should be many injured people who need our help." Tsunade instructed her disciple.
She had voluntarily revealed her identity, so she didn't need to hide anymore. Compared to the troubles between the Uchiha and the Third Hokage, what she cared more about were the innocent villagers who were injured.
She had to try to treat as many injured people as possible before her creditors found her in the Leaf Village.
This was Tsunade's idea.
A doctor's benevolence.
Dan watched Tsunade's figure stride away.
He retracted his gaze, returned the Gunbai to his brother-in-law, and then walked towards the clan's territory with a lack of interest.
It was a pity that he couldn't see the Uchiha and the Leaf go at it today.
The good news was that there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.
The Uchiha clan members also followed Dan, rushing back to the front of the Body Refinement Department building.
Suddenly they realized that due to the hasty retreat of the Police Force, the two troublesome brothers, Fujin and Raijin, were actually left behind.
"We're hungry!"
At this moment, they were demanding food from Samui, threatening to...give her a good beating.
"Dan!"
Samui retreated in horror, seeing Dan return, she felt like she had seen a ray of light in the darkness.
Seeing this, Dan stepped forward, crossing a distance of more than ten meters, and came to the two brothers.
Then, under their puzzled gaze, he raised his left and right hands, aimed at the two, and flicked his fingers.
Boom!
True monstrous strength erupted.
The large bodies of the two brothers were suddenly sent flying, crashing heavily onto the ground.
"Big Brother Dan, we won't do it again, please spare us."
"Big Brother Dan, don't kill us."
They immediately became obedient, begging Dan for mercy while mimicking comical lizard crawling, trying to make Dan laugh.
Fugaku came over, frowning and saying: "I'll arrange for someone to send these two troublesome guys back to the Police Force right away."
Dan, however, slightly shook his head, stopping his brother-in-law, and suggested:
"The Body Refinement Department is just short of two security guards. Why not leave these two brothers to guard the gate? After all, as long as they are well-fed, they'll be fine."
Fujin and Raijin were good prospects for bodybuilding, potential disciples of the Muscle God Sect. Dan saw this at a glance.
That's why he made this suggestion.
"Great idea, Dan."
The Uchiha clan members heard this and began to flatter him.
While Shisui, once again took over the task of "childcare", after Guruguru, he was now responsible for teaching these two gluttonous brothers.
No one noticed.
In the distance, Obito watched the entire process with a gloomy face.
He saw Danzo being defeated by Dan, the confrontation between the Uchiha and the Third Hokage, and thought that the Leaf Village was finally going to have internal strife, but it ended up being a great victory for the Uchiha.
Uchiha Dan even became the Hokage's assistant.
Obito was furious, shaking with anger.
"Obito, it's time to leave." Black Zetsu reminded.
Obito took a deep look at the Uchiha Body Refinement Department standing there, then gritted his teeth and activated Kamui, leaving the place.
His current priority was to figure out how to explain all this to Pain.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone