Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 133: Tsunade is the Best Choice

In a secret chamber within the Fire Nation's capital, Oyakata Shiro handed Konoha's latest intelligence to a group of nobles seated around him.

As they read through the reports, beads of sweat began to form on their foreheads. Shiro took a sip of tea, a faint smile curling on his lips. "So, gentlemen, have you made up your minds?"

"This…"

The minor nobles exchanged hesitant glances before one finally wiped his brow and sighed heavily.

"It seems we have no other choice."

---

Tsunade gazed coldly at the Daimyo's lifeless body, the air around her filled with the clamor of battle cries and the shouts of the Daimyo's guardians. Her mind was awash with a flood of thoughts.

Did she not understand these events?

Of course, she understood.

The death of the Fourth Hokage ensured that relations between the Fire Nation and Konoha could never return to what they once were. The cracks had been exposed, and the future promised nothing but mutual suspicion.

Stability was no longer an option. In the Fire Nation, the one-country-one-village system was on the brink of collapse.

Konoha demanded an answer, and that answer required the Daimyo's life in exchange.

And the one to deliver that answer had to be her.

Only Tsunade's identity could allow her to kill the Daimyo and quickly unify the Fire Nation.

No one else could do it. The responsibility rested solely on her shoulders.

As these thoughts settled in her mind, Tsunade looked up at the darkened sky and murmured, "From now on, this nation will no longer be divided between Hokage and Daimyo. I, as the Hokage, will also be the Daimyo."

---

In the depths of the Daimyo's palace, figures stood amidst a sea of blood and corpses. They listened to the distant sounds of combat, their expressions complicated.

"Of all the Five Great Nations, the Fire Nation is the most unique. This is the birthplace of the one-country-one-village system. Logically, this should make it the most dedicated to upholding that system."

A ninja emerged from the shadows, his voice low and somber.

"But Tsunade's presence provides a buffer between Konoha and the Fire Nation."

She was the perfect candidate.

If Tsunade became Hokage, the ninjas of Konoha would unanimously support her.

If she became Daimyo, aside from a handful of entrenched nobles, the majority of the Fire Nation's citizens would not object.

After all, she was the blood descendant of the man who had created the one-country-one-village system. She was the granddaughter of the God of Shinobi. Her unique political status allowed her to take on the roles of both Hokage and Daimyo.

Tsunade was the best choice—the ideal figure to transition the Fire Nation from the old system to whatever would come next.

When Tsunade chose to oppose the Daimyo and stand against the system, Shikaku and the other ninja clans didn't try to stop her. They couldn't. Instead, they quietly began making preparations.

"Tsunade won't have children, nor will she allow the Daimyo's position to be passed down through bloodlines. Eventually, the selection of the Daimyo will likely resemble the selection process for the Hokage, perhaps even more democratic, requiring broader public support."

Second Hokage Tobirama Senju sighed deeply.

"Her ascension will transform the Daimyo's inheritance from a hereditary system to an elective one."

And in the future, the Daimyo's actions would be scrutinized by an entire nation, not just one village.

The election of a Daimyo would take into account the opinions of all parties.

Moreover, with Tsunade's precedent of overthrowing a Daimyo, any future leader who became a tyrant would know their fate was sealed.

Among the gathered ninjas, one individual spoke with a complex expression:

"This is the system Hyuga Fuji envisioned, isn't it? A nation where the highest ruler is not born into power but chosen by the people. And through this military coup, it's been made clear to future rulers that while they may delegate certain powers, military strength must remain firmly in their hands."

"Perhaps," Tobirama said with a sigh. "Many assumed Tsunade was a staunch defender of the one-country-one-village system. But Fuji never made that assumption. That's why he managed to steer the situation right under my nose, bringing us to this point."

Tobirama had predicted that Fuji would use his own death and Minato's to ignite tensions. Initially, he thought Fuji's goal was merely to exacerbate the conflict between Konoha and the Fire Nation, setting the stage for eventual reform.

But Fuji had moved far faster than Tobirama had anticipated.

And Tsunade's role in all this didn't resemble a contingency plan at all.

A woman who spent her days gambling—a granddaughter Tobirama had once deemed unfit to be Hokage, let alone a leader—had turned out to be Fuji's ultimate weapon against the one-country-one-village system.

The future "queen" of the Fire Nation… Tobirama had never seen it coming.

Tsunade had deceived them all. He hadn't expected her to take on such a monumental responsibility in the end.

"Your granddaughter didn't hold much real power before, did she?"

Hozuki Gengetsu scratched his head, frowning.

"Even as an advisor, she spent most of her time gambling, while Fuji handled interactions with the ninja clans. Honestly, it's hard to believe she's the one wrapping this all up."

"Mm."

Tobirama nodded reluctantly, his sharp eyes narrowing.

"Shikaku believed Fuji was consolidating power for himself. But we knew Fuji didn't need to. He had far more effective methods."

Another ninja chuckled bitterly.

"So Fuji deliberately kept Tsunade away from clan politics, ensuring she remained untainted by the political sphere. That's why the rebels see her as one of their own, and her lineage makes her acceptable to the clans."

Minato and Shikaku had assumed Tsunade was committed to maintaining the one-country-one-village system. They hadn't thought to ask her opinion, instead projecting their assumptions onto her.

But because Fuji had kept her out of political affairs, Tsunade had never shown any inclination to preserve the system.

In the eyes of the common ninja, Tsunade wasn't like Shikaku—she was someone they could rally behind.

This perception allowed her to easily unify the avengers, while her lineage placated the clans.

If even the First Hokage's granddaughter is ready to abandon the one-country-one-village system, what's the point of clinging to it?

Tsunade's reputation far outshone Danzo's.

In fact, if the roles of Daimyo and Hokage became similarly elective, the clans might even see it as an opportunity to rise further.

And so, under Tsunade's leadership, Konoha rebelled with little resistance. Her unique position and identity allowed her to consolidate all of Konoha's strength.

The Fire Nation Daimyo had become the ultimate loser.

"Looking back, there was that period when Fuji forced Tsunade to handle administrative affairs, despite her constant complaints. That must have been preparation for this moment."

Tobirama's gaze softened as he recalled those days.

Tsunade had always insisted she wasn't cut out to be Hokage, that such responsibilities weren't hers to bear.

Yet now, she was poised to take on not just the role of Hokage, but that of the Daimyo as well.

Her decision to do so indicated she had accepted the burden. Tobirama could only hope she would endure.

The ninjas around him noted his complicated expression, which carried a hint of pride.

And they understood why.

Destroying the very system her grandfather had built might seem unfilial to some. But Tobirama was different.

He had helped the First Hokage establish the one-country-one-village system.

If the younger generation did nothing but maintain the status quo, failing to adapt to changing times and succumbing to future reformers, then Tobirama would have been disappointed.

For someone like Tsunade—the greatest beneficiary of the current system and the descendant of its creator—to make the decision to dismantle it, that was something to be proud of.

It was a decision worthy of admiration.

Hozuki Gengetsu and the others agreed.

They, too, were Second Kage.

They had witnessed and participated in the establishment of the one-country-one-village system, transforming the Warring States Period into an era of centralized nations.

As fellow reformers, they understood.

The choice of the era always belongs to its people.

(End of Chapter)

* You can read a new translated Pokemon fic. Pokemon: With Title System. *

To read an advance 160+ chapters

Support me at [email protected]/NahinS77

Change @ to a

Or go to that website and search NahinS77