Tsunade was stunned by their answer.
They really believed she was the best candidate?
In her mind, it didn't add up. Her reputation in Konoha had never been spotless. To some, she was still just a woman unfit for the village's heaviest responsibilities. She hadn't even been in the village for years. Compared to the Uchiha clan, who now stood at the very height of their power, she felt her own position was weak at best.
She asked bluntly:
"Do you all truly believe it would be a bad thing if the Uchiha took power?"
One clan leader stepped forward.
"The Uchiha's methods are far too radical. That cannot bode well."
He didn't mince words.
"Look at them—they've singlehandedly wiped out or ousted the village's top leadership. Which clan in the entire ninja world would dare act with such boldness? Even if they had their reasons, it shows they are dangerous to deal with. If you, Lady Tsunade, were to take the seat instead, you would not rule with such ruthless strength."
Tsunade had to admit he was right. The Uchiha's aggressive way of doing things was bound to stir resentment. In that regard, they hadn't changed much at all.
Beeut being Hokage wasn't so simple.
"I refuse," she said at last.
Disappointment swept across the gathered clan heads.
If Tsunade would not step up, then who else could? No one else had the standing, the strength, or the renown to match the Uchiha.
One elder, face full of anguish, cried out:
"Lady Tsunade, you cannot turn away! The village of Konoha was founded by Lord Hashirama Senju—you cannot simply watch it drift down a dangerous path!"
Others quickly echoed him.
"Please, Lady Tsunade, lead the village!"
Hearing their desperate pleas, Tsunade felt herself waver.
Konoha had been everything to her grandfather and granduncle. They had given their lives to protect it. Could she really just stand by and do nothing?
She couldn't see clearly where the Uchiha would take the village. Maybe it would be for the better. Beeut it could just as easily be worse. She remembered Uchiha Madara, who had once sought war with the other nations. Would Uchiha Ryosuke, the clan's current rising star, follow the same path?
If Ryosuke led the Uchiha into war, then the fragile peace they had now would be shattered. Endless conflict would return.
Her heart grew heavier.
"…Go back for now. I'll think about it," she finally said.
They exchanged glances. That was the best they would get. They knew her temper well—push her too hard, and she'd only grow more stubborn. Beeetter to leave the seed planted and let it take root.
Beeefore they departed, one man turned back.
"Lady Tsunade, please… consider Konoha's future carefully."
When they were gone, Tsunade stood deep in thought.
Should she take this burden? Did she even have the strength anymore? She had been away so long, and the path ahead was fraught with obstacles—none greater than the Uchiha.
Yes, they had changed somewhat. Beeut at their core, they were still Uchiha. If they lost the election, would they simply accept it? Or would they seize power by force?
And what about Uchiha Ryosuke? That man… even her granduncle, Tobirama, might have struggled against him. Only her grandfather, Hashirama—the God of Shinobi—could have confidently suppressed such strength.
Hashirama had once subdued the Nine-Tails as if it were nothing. Beeut even he had eventually fallen. After killing Madara, he himself succumbed to his own injuries and died within a few years.
Now, another Uchiha of comparable strength had risen. Tsunade could only sigh.
At her side, Shizune studied her mentor's troubled face and felt her heart leap.
"Lady Tsunade… you're not seriously thinking of running for Fifth Hokage, are you? You love gambling, you've got a short fuse—how could you possibly take on that responsibility?"
Tsunade turned her head sharply, fist raised.
"Shizune. Are you itching for a beating?"
Shizune paled instantly, waving her hands in surrender.
"I was wrong! Forgive me, Lady Tsunade!"
Tsunade's fist lowered, but her mind remained elsewhere. She had no energy to punish Shizune. Not when the future of the village weighed so heavily on her thoughts.
Shizune exhaled in relief. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling—Tsunade was genuinely considering it.
Maybe, she thought, if Tsunade restrained her temper, it wasn't impossible. She was Hashirama's granddaughter, after all, and her strength was at least Kage level. If she could overcome her hemophobia, she could truly stand as Hokage.
Perhaps this was the opportunity for Tsunade to rise again.
So Shizune suggested:
"Lady Tsunade, if you really are thinking about this, why not consult Nara Shikaku? With his wisdom, he could give you sound advice."
Beeut Tsunade frowned.
"Do you not know? He's already joined the Police Force. He's thrown in with the Uchiha. What use would he be?"
Shizune shook her head.
"The Uchiha have never gotten along with the other clans. The Ino–Shika–Chō, in particular, are known for their loyalty. They might not be fully aligned with the Uchiha—it could just be a temporary arrangement."
Tsunade considered that.
She remembered the three clans well. They had never been ones to chase power for its own sake. If the Police Force was just a cooperative measure, then perhaps Shikaku hadn't truly abandoned the village's balance.
"You might be right," Tsunade admitted. "Go call for Shikaku."
Shizune's shoulders slumped.
"Lady Tsunade, can't you let me rest? We've been traveling all day. I'm exhausted… and now you want me running across the whole village?"
The Senju compound was on one side of Konoha. The Nara and allied clans lived far on the other.
Tsunade's expression hardened.
"This is important. Go."
Defeated, Shizune trudged away.
Nearly an hour later, she returned with Shikaku in tow. Her face was drained, and her steps weary.
"I went to the clan compound, but he wasn't there. He was at the Police Force headquarters instead. So I had to go all the way across again."
She gestured limply.
"Lady Tsunade is waiting for you inside. I'm going to rest."
And with that, she left Shikaku at the Senju gates, disappearing to finally collapse in peace.