Black Naruto: Shadow Moon

Orochimaru was touched after hearing Yingyue's words.

He had already seen that Shadow Moon was not the kind of person who coveted power, but was more willing to share responsibilities and achievements.

In addition to the years of cooperation between the two, he knew that Yingyue would not be alone in the position of Hokage, but would be willing to let him continue to develop his own research.

"Perhaps, you are the most suitable candidate." Orochimaru sighed in his heart, Yingyue not only possesses unparalleled strength and prestige, but also has tolerance and foresight beyond ordinary people.

In comparison, Orochimaru is well aware that he is inferior to Shadow Moon in interpersonal relationships and political skills.

Then, Orochimaru made an important decision. He said to Yingyue: "I have decided to give up the election for Hokage this time. I think you are more suitable to be the Hokage of Konoha than me."

Orochimaru's decision quickly spread throughout Konoha Village.

Before the Jonin confidence vote, Orochimaru officially announced his withdrawal from the Hokage election.

This move made Kagezuki's victory almost a foregone conclusion, as most of the jonin in Konoha Village voted for Kagezuki without hesitation.

However, this decision made Shimura Danzo furious.

He had originally hoped to weaken Kagezuki's influence through the competition between Orochimaru and Kagezuki, and even help Orochimaru ascend to the position of Hokage through secret manipulation.

But Orochimaru's withdrawal completely frustrated Danzo's plan.

"Orochimaru, you traitor!" Danzo slammed the table in anger, and the teacup in his hand shattered.

He originally thought that Orochimaru would pursue the position of Hokage at all costs, but he didn't expect that he would choose to give up at the critical moment.

Orochimaru's withdrawal put Danzo in a dilemma.

In the jonin vote, Uchiha Kagezuki received overwhelming support. Almost all the jonin chose to support Kagezuki, except for Danzo's Root ninja who chose to abstain from voting. Kagezuki became the Fourth Hokage of Konoha without any suspense.

Faced with Kagezuki's victory, Danzo knew that he could not prevent Kagezuki from becoming Hokage through normal means.

But he was not willing to accept this. He understood that if Kagezuki successfully became Hokage, his Root would lose more power and influence, and might even be completely eliminated from the political core of Konoha by Kagezuki.

Even though Kagezuki won the jonin vote and Orochimaru's withdrawal made his position as Hokage almost certain, he knew that the crisis within Konoha was not over.

Yingyue did not trust Danzo, he knew that this old rival would not easily give in to the status quo.

Danzo's roots are still operating secretly in Konoha, ready to launch a bigger conspiracy at any time.

Yingyue has also noticed all of this. He knows that becoming Hokage is not just a political victory, but more about how to consolidate his power and eliminate potential threats.

As the inauguration ceremony of Hokage approaches, Yingyue begins to prepare for the challenges ahead.

Not only does he have to face the political struggles within Konoha, but he also has to deal with possible challenges from the outside world and undercurrents of opposition forces.

Although Yingyue is close to the position of Hokage, the real test has just begun...

After Uchiha Kagezuki won the vote of confidence from Konoha's jonin, his path to becoming Hokage was almost a foregone conclusion.

Next, he must go to the capital of the Fire Nation, meet the Daimyo of the Fire Nation, and formally obtain the Daimyo's recognition and support.

Uchiha Kagezuki, together with the outgoing Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, embarked on a journey to the capital of the Land of Fire.

Along the way, Sarutobi Hiruzen showed his trust and support for Shadow Moon, and warned Shadow Moon during the conversation: "Becoming a Hokage not only means great power, but also learning to keep a clear head in the game of power. The attitude of the Fire Country Daimyo towards Konoha is extremely important. You must win his complete trust in this meeting."

Yingyue knew very well that although he had won the support of most ninjas in Konoha Village, the recognition of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire was the key to formal succession.

The Dawn Organization also paved the way for Shadow Moon to have this meeting by bribing officials and ministers of the Fire Nation Daimyo.

When they arrived at the capital of the Fire Nation, Kagezuki and Sarutobi Hiruzen were brought to the daimyo's mansion, where they were greeted by the daimyo and a group of Fire Nation officials and ministers.

Under the influence of these ministers, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire had long known about Uchiha Kagezuki.

The Aurora Organization used huge bribes to ensure that the ministers constantly spoke well of Kagezuki in front of the daimyo, calling him the strongest ninja in Konoha and the most suitable Fourth Hokage.

The Daimyo smiled during the meeting, clearly impressed by Shadow Moon's reputation and abilities.

When the meeting officially began, the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke first and expressed his support for Kagezuki to succeed him as Hokage.

He emphasized Kagezuki's bravery in the war and his outstanding leadership skills, saying that Kagezuki was the best person to lead Konoha into the future.

After hearing this, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire also stated: "Uchiha Kagezuki is indeed the pride of Konoha Village. It is an honor for Konoha and a blessing for the Land of Fire to be able to succeed the position of Hokage." The Daimyo announced on the spot his support for Kagezuki to succeed the Fourth Hokage and wished Kagezuki to lead Konoha to a more glorious future.

This announcement made it almost certain that Uchiha Kagezuki would become the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, with only the formal succession ceremony remaining.

Kagezuki thanked the Daimyo and Sarutobi Hiruzen for their support, knowing that his succession to the Hokage was a foregone conclusion.

After the meeting, the conversation between the Fire Nation Daimyo and Shadow Moon went a step further.

The Daimyo raised a question that had been bothering him recently: "Shadow Moon, what do you think of the recent uprisings of some people in the Land of Fire?"

Uchiha Yingyue thought for a moment and decided to answer truthfully.

He knew that these rebellions were not without cause and that there were complex reasons behind them.

Yingyue replied: "Daimyo, the reason behind the rebellion is often because the people can no longer survive. The tax burden is too high, and people's lives are difficult, so they are forced to revolt. This is not a simple rebellion, but a necessity for survival."

These words made Daimyo frown slightly, obviously this was not the answer he expected.

So the daimyo continued to ask: "So, do you think we should reduce taxes and improve people's lives?"

Yingyue knew very well that this issue was very sensitive.

Reducing taxes is one way to solve the problem, but it will also directly affect the interests of the Fire Nation's aristocracy.

Yingyue answered firmly: "In peacetime, appropriately reducing taxes and alleviating the burden on the people will indeed contribute to the long-term stability of the country. Only when the people's hearts are stable can the country be truly strong."

However, Shadow Moon's answer made the ministers of the Fire Nation unable to sit still.

Those ministers accumulated their wealth through exploitation of the people and high taxation, so naturally they do not want to see the tax burden reduced.

So, a minister immediately stood up to object, saying, "Daimyo, you should rule the world with the ninjas, not with those rebellious people! These people who revolted do not understand your kindness and are rebellious. You should not compromise with them."

Another minister also echoed, "The people's rebellion is ignorant of the overall situation. We must use a strong hand to suppress it. We can't let them think that they can gain benefits by rebelling. The new Hokage Yingyue is the most suitable person to suppress these rebellions and ensure the stability of the country."