Kai was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected the Fourth Hokage to be elected.
But thinking about it, it made sense. The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, was unmatched in the ninja world, so his position as Hokage was unquestionable. The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, being Hashirama's brother, had no rivals in terms of prestige or strength, making him the natural choice for Hokage. The Third Hokage was chosen during wartime, leaving no room for elections.
Now, with the Third Ninja War over, Konoha was flourishing with talent. It was impossible to appoint someone arbitrarily, as it would be difficult to maintain the position without popular support.
Hearing the Third Hokage's words, a flash of anger crossed Danzo's eyes. If the Fourth Hokage were to be decided by election, Danzo would be at a disadvantage. Since the Second Ninja War, Danzo had rarely appeared in the village, and few knew of Shimura Danzo outside the older generation.
Danzo's gaze lingered on Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Minato, and Kai, his thoughts unknown.
"Alright, I will inform the entire village about the Hokage election. This meeting is adjourned," the Third Hokage said, unable to hide his melancholy, his voice lacking energy.
Upon hearing the Third's words, the Jonin standing by began to leave, followed by Kai and his companions, leaving the Third Hokage alone in the meeting room, silent for a long time.
In just two days, the news of the Fourth Hokage election had spread throughout the village. From the elderly to the children just entering ninja school, everyone was talking about it.
At the Konoha Tavern:
"Who do you think will be elected as the Fourth Hokage?" a chubby ninja asked a slender ninja beside him.
"It'll definitely be Lord Orochimaru. He's the best disciple of the Third Hokage," the slender ninja replied.
The chubby ninja shook his head, "No, no, no, I think it'll be Lord Kai Mitarashi. He's known as the 'Grim Reaper of Konoha' by other villages. He's participated in battles everywhere except the Land of Earth and even defeated the Third Raikage."
The slender ninja looked conflicted, "But Lord Kai is still so young."
"Hmph, so what if he's young? That just means he'll become even more powerful and ensure Konoha's strength," the chubby ninja said, clearly admiring Kai.
"You're right," the slender ninja finally agreed, nodding.
As Kai walked down the street, people frequently stopped him for autographs or to give him gifts, making him feel overwhelmed.
"Kai, I didn't expect you to be so popular in the village," a teasing voice reached Kai's ears.
Seeing who it was, Kai called out, "Minato, you have the nerve to say that? Come help me." Kai was carrying a pile of gifts.
"Ha ha," Minato laughed, taking some of the gifts from Kai. "I'm envious of you, Kai. Right now, you and Orochimaru-senpai have the highest support for the Fourth Hokage."
"Come on, I never thought about becoming Hokage," Kai replied, rolling his eyes.
"Huh! Kai, don't you think becoming Hokage is the best thing?" Minato asked, surprised.
Hearing Minato's words, Kai didn't even bother to roll his eyes. After five years as teammates, Kai knew Minato's personality well. Becoming Hokage was Minato's lifelong pursuit.
Seeing Kai not responding, Minato continued, "Even though you're my best friend, Kai, I won't give up. I will become Hokage." He smiled brightly.
Kai had never considered becoming Hokage. Although it might help accumulate prestige, it would waste a lot of time. The system's help was undeniable, but Kai wouldn't rely solely on it. Who knew what the unreliable lottery would yield next time?
Moreover, the prestige gained from becoming Hokage was insignificant compared to the billion points needed for the ultimate lottery.
In terms of ability and bloodline, Kai was already at the top in the world of Naruto. He just needed time to hone and master his power, understanding that overreaching could be counterproductive.
Just then, the sound of hurried clogs echoed, and Jiraiya, with his white hair, rushed past Kai and Minato, not even acknowledging them.
"What's wrong with Jiraiya-sensei?" Minato asked, puzzled.
"Judging by the situation, it's not good... Damn!"
Kai seemed to realize something, suddenly alarmed, and quickly followed Jiraiya.
There were only a few things that could make Jiraiya so anxious, especially considering the upcoming Fourth Hokage election.
It could only mean that Danzo had acted against Orochimaru, and Orochimaru was about to defect!
And right now, Anko was with Orochimaru.
Because of Shishio Mitarashi, Anko had become Orochimaru's disciple after graduating from the ninja academy. Kai, being on the battlefield in the Land of Lightning, only learned about this after returning to the village recently.
Connecting the dots, and remembering how Orochimaru had marked Anko with a curse seal during his defection in the storyline, Kai couldn't suppress his killing intent.
The murderous aura emanating from Kai was so intense that the temperature within dozens of meters dropped below freezing.
"Orochimaru, if you dare harm Anko, I will kill you!"
Soon, following Jiraiya, Kai arrived at a dense forest outside the village.
In the forest, Orochimaru was facing off against the Third Hokage, while Anko sat on the ground, her face filled with helplessness and tears.
Orochimaru's neck suddenly elongated, his head bending in an arc, about to bite Anko's neck.
"Orochimaru!"
A deep growl erupted from Kai's throat, his killing intent spreading, startling all the birds in the forest.
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