Seeing that the Daimyo had spoken right to the point all the people started looking at each other. They wanted to see who would volunteer to become the Hokage. Although being the Hokage was a big thing, it came with a lot of headaches and restrictions. Some of the elders sitting at the table didn't want that kind of life. Now they were retired and just wanted a peaceful life. But they still had their opinion on who should and shouldn't become the Hokage.
"I would like to nominate myself to become the Hokage." Danzo said in his usual gruff voice. He didn't have much interaction with the other people at the table so no one had any comment about him neither good nor bad. Everyone knew him as the Hokage's teammate who had usual scuffles with him.
The Daimyo looked at Danzo for a few seconds and asked "Danzo although I do appreciate you standing up for the responsibilities of your friend Hiruzen, I do not know much about you." Danzo himself had blocked any information about him or the Root to come out into the light. They were supposed to be Konoha's darkness and even most of the elders were unaware of it.
"I protect Konoha from the dark." Danzo said with a little proud tone.
'I would have gotten support from Homura and Koharu if they were alive. I could get started even with little support. But now due to their absence at this table, I don't have any allies here.'
One of the elders sitting at the table reacted to Danzo's arrogant command and said in a mocking tone "Then where were you when the village was attacked a couple of days ago? When we lost 2 of our elders? We had such a major intelligence failure. Who is answerable?"
Danzo just felt that his one sentence had suddenly given everyone the leeway to make him the scapegoat. Before he could reply, another one at the table asked "What did you do when our people were attacked by that animal at the border? What would have happened if Lord Daimyo was there?"
Danzo curled his fists under the table as he heard this. He could tell that this elder was trying to pull in the Daimyo. If Danzo is seen to the responsible for all these failures, forget about becoming Hokage Danzo could lose the current position he holds.
The Daimyo looked at the one who pulled him in making the elder nervous and look down. The Daimyo was not a shinobi but he knew how to talk and manipulate others for their gain. So he understood what the elder was trying to do.
'This Danzo gives me a creepy feeling. I don't know why Hiruzen keeps him close. Whatever it may be choosing him won't do any good. I don't know him so keeping him under my word would become difficult.
One of the old ones at the table knocked on the table once getting everyone's attention and said "Lord Daimyo I believe what the village needs now is a boost in morale and what better than making one of the heroes of the previous war the next Hokage? He is widely known as the toad sage." the old man said as he pointed toward Jiraya. All this time Jiraya was bored to death listening to all these people. He couldn't even find any good-looking woman in the entire council building. Now when his name popped up and everyone was looking at him, he was suddenly woken up. He looked around at the people gawking at him as if trying to gauge him.
The Daimyo also looked at Jiraya and said "You are right elder. Jiraya is one of Hiruzen's students and one of the legendary sannin. In fact, he is also one of the few people in the entire shinobi world who has accomplished becoming a Sage. What do you think Jiraya? Will you take over your Sensei's responsibilities?"
Danzo banged his hand on the table and said "Lord Daimyo how can you say this? Jiraya has been outside the village for so many years. How can we give the reigns of the village in the hands of someone like him?"
The two guards of the Daimyo standing behind him moved one step ahead. They wanted to threaten Danzo for talking with the Daimyo like this but two root shinobis also jumped down from the ceiling and stood beside Danzo.
Danzo cursed both of his old friends Koharu and Homura for dying on him at such a crucial time.
'I didn't think I would face such opposition here or else I would have declared myself Hokage the day of the invasion under the pretense of stabilizing the village and then taken care of the obstacles. But now I will have to go with what they all decide until I can make a different move.' Danzo thought.
The Daimyo waved his hand indicating for his men to back off. Seeing them blackout, the root shinobis also vanished. He wanted to give Danzo a befitting reply and teach him a lesson at the end but Jiraya decided to butt in.
"Let's not get too much into this." Jiraya said to cool the Daimyo down. He then looked at the other elders and then at the Daimyo and said "What Danzo is saying is right. And I myself feel like I am not worthy to become Hokage. And about saving people during the invasion, it's just my village and I don't expect anything in return. I'd like to suggest another name though."
Everyone nodded at what Jiraya said. There was some truth in it and they decided to keep these things among themselves.
"Speak up Jiraya. Your opinion matters a lot more than others." one of the elders said giving a stinky eye to Danzo.
"I think Tsunade would be a better choice for the Hokage's seat. As for strength and skills, she is way stronger and smarter than me. She is also the best healer in the 5 shinobi nations and she is the granddaughter of Lord 1st."
The daimyo suddenly stood up and said "YOU ARE RIGHT...why didn't I think of that? But I have heard that she doesn't have any interest in all this."
"You can leave that to me. I will convince her. Not for herself but for the village, she can do this." Jiraya said.
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