With the defeat of the 1000 Iwa-nin, the war was all but won on that front, and with the writing on the wall, Kumo knew that the war was ending too. Kiri's main gamble had failed as well, and they lost the Three-Tails along with it. Sunagakure had been quiet for a while, but that couldn't be investigated right now with the villages stretched thin resources.
Onoki sent a request for a peace a few weeks later, which, much to Danzo's chagrin Hiruzen accepted wihtout hesitation.
"Danzo," he said, "this is the second war I have presided over, and I wish nothing more than to stop it at any means necessary."
"But you're just letting them go!" Danzo shouted, "No terms! No punishment! No tribute! It's as if we lost!"
"There is peace, Danzo," Hiruzen said in a flat tone, "that is all that matters to me."
Danzo left the Hokage's office with a huff, fuming, though still hopeful that his next plan would succeed.
With the end of the war in sight, Hiruzen announced to his staff and advisors that he would be stepping down.
"I am getting old," he said, "and it's time for someone else to lead Konoha, hopefully in ways that avoid the tragedies I couldn't."
While collected on the outside, Danzo was bubbling over with excitement. His big play was coming up in a moment.
Later, in a meeting with the Fire Daimyo, the lord asked the attendants for their nominations for the Lord Fourth.
"I nominate Orochimaru!" Danzo said immediately.
The Daimyo considered it, and muttered, "Disciple of the Third, one of the legendary Sannin, also a hero in this recent conflict...I think he is suitable."
The other advisors nodded their heads and murmured in agreement, which made Danzo quite satisfied. He knew Orochimaru had no real interest in the position, but their partnership would allow Orochimaru access to all the materials he needed for his experiments, and would allow Danzo to control Konoha from the shadows. But before he could bask in his victory, Hiruzen's voice rang out:
"Orochimaru cannot be trusted to protect the village or the interests of the Land of Fire, Daimyo." He continued, "As his instructor, I have always seen a greed and vicious ambition behind his eyes."
"Well," the Daimyo asked, "do you have anyone in mind, then?"
Hiruzen stayed silent for a moment before answering, "Namikaze Minato!"
A brief look of surprise flashed over everyone there, before the Daimyo began listing his accomplishments off to himself like before,
"A genius ninja, whose contributions to this war are second to none, known as Konoha's Yellow Flash...I see no issue with it."
"Lord, please," Danzo said, "How old is he? 21? He's too young for the position."
"Danzo," Hiruzen said resolutely, "I was around his age when Nidaime elected me Hokage, I know you remember that."
The Daimyo interrupted their spat, saying "All in favor of Namikaze Minato?"
Seeing all of the advisors hands raise, including the Daimyo's, Danzo had no choice but to agree to it through gritted teeth.
-
A month later, news traveled across the village that the successor to the Lord Third had been chosen. Minato himself got a top secret summons from Hiruzen, where the Sandaime told him that he carried the Will of Fire brighter than anyone else in his generation, and asked him whether or not he was prepared to give everything he could for the sake of the village.
"Of course, Hokage." He replied
"Then you better put on your dress shoes, Minato. You've been named the Fourth Hokage!"
A look of shock struck Minato, before he solemnly accepted the position and thanked Hiruzen for giving it to him.
"It's the least I could do to get my retirement," Hiruzen said with a smile, "now run along, I bet that wife of yours would like to know why I took her husband from her so abruptly."
Minato smiled and returned home, telling Kushina of the good news.
-
As the news traveled, life in Konoha sprung up again. After years of wartime gloom and sobriety, a joy erupted across the streets, both for the nearing end of the war, but also the new Hokage.
For Kannin, he was pulled off the line a month ago as Kumo forces retreated back to their village. When he returned, it was as if Konoha had become an entirely new place. As someone who grew up and lived through war, he had never seen the village this elated. He knew why, of course, and felt no need to avoid it.
The first thing he did when he got back was visit his mother, of course. When Uzumaki Usagi saw heard the knock at the door, she scrambled to it and opened it with a fury. Seeing the image of her son, now aged into his mid teens, with longer, somehow shaggier hair, and taller than her, she had no words.
"I'm back." Kannin said, "for good this time."
Usagi cried a little harder at that; these last few years had been hard on her with Kannin away for so long. She had more grey hairs on her head than before, and the stress lines on her face had deepened significantly, but she was glad to have her son back.
Kannin attended his fair share of parties and get togethers after that, especially with his old team. Being able to sit with Shin, Tetsu, and Warai at a table without needing to discuss strategies, enemy locations, or new intel was like a breath of fresh air.
He visited Kushina and Minato after a while to congratulate them in person. Before he did, though, he had to figure out what to get Minato for his promotion.
'Hmmm,' he pondered, 'it can't be something too small, or too big. What could I get him...'
The next day he knocked on Minato and Kushina's door
"Kushina-sensei!" He said with a smile, "Where's Minato? I need to give him his gift!"
The door creaked open, and he saw the familiar and relieving sight of Uzumaki Kushina peering through.
"Don't tell me you don't recognize me anymore, Kushina." He said with a smirk
The door opened more fully, and Kushina hugged him, "You've grown so much! You're taller than me!"
Laughing, he said, "I hit a growth spurt about a year ago. I hadn't managed to get back in that time, so apologies for the strange appearance."
While he was enjoying the hug, which reminded him a lot of his mother's, his head was suddenly crushed by the weight of a thousand suns. When he looked up, he saw Kushina fuming at him with a dark aura emanating out from behind her.
"A whole year, and not one letter!" She shouted, "I thought better of you young man!"
Nursing the new lump on his skull, he said,
"Sorry, sorry. I was really busy, Kushina. It slipped my mind!"
"You're lucky we're family or else I'd pummel you into next week!"
Apologizing profusely, he entered their home and they talked to each other about the last year and how things were going for the both of them.