Kaito Akaden (Kaito)

Kaito Akaden Chapter 122

Kaito replied, "You're not just a Sannin; you're also the granddaughter of the First Hokage. On top of that, you're widely respected as the best medical ninja and have saved countless shinobi during the Second and Third Ninja Wars. Even the Uchiha clan respects you, despite you being a Senju."

He took out a scroll and placed it on the table. "We're offering you 500 million ryo if you agree to become the Fifth Hokage."

Shizune's eyes widened at the amount of money being offered.

Shikaku raised an eyebrow at Kaito, clearly curious about where he got such a large sum.

Tsunade glanced at the scroll and said, "Do you really think putting me in the Hokage's seat will magically solve everything?"

Kaito shook his head. "I never said it would. I know that even with you as Hokage, convincing the Uchiha clan will be tough. But I've come up with two ideas that might help restore their reputation and integrate them back into the village."

….

Tsunade eyed Kaito intently, taking a sip of her sake before asking, "And what are these ideas you've come up with?"

Shikaku turned to look at Kaito as well, clearly curious since Kaito hadn't shared his plans with him yet.

After a small sip of his tea, Kaito began, "One way to better integrate the Uchiha clan into the village is by allowing other clans and shinobi to join the Uchiha police force."

Tsunade let out a snort, setting her cup down and reaching for the sake bottle. "Heh… good luck with that, kid. The Uchiha clan would never go for it. Their pride's tied to that police force."

Kaito nodded, placing his own cup on the table. "True, but the Uchiha have to realize the police force is also one of the reasons they're so resented right now."

Tsunade's brow furrowed slightly as she listened. "Go on,"

He continued, "The Uchiha police force is a double-edged sword, something the Second Hokage put in place. On the one hand, it gave the Uchiha clan a sense of power, a role that seemed important within the village. But on the other hand, it created a lot of resentment. It placed them in a position where they were constantly enforcing rules and handing out punishments, which put them at odds with the rest of the village. And let's be honest, it was also a way to keep them under surveillance, to keep them 'in check.'"

As Kaito explained, Kushina, Hotaru, Shizune, and Tsunade listened closely, Shikaku, arms folded across his chest, gave a small nod, clearly following Kaito's reasoning.

Kaito continued. "By allowing other clans and shinobi to join the police force, it changes the dynamic. It becomes a shared responsibility. It stops being something that isolates the Uchiha and instead becomes a position that's respected by the whole village. It could foster cooperation, break down the barriers between the Uchiha and everyone else."

Tsunade looked at Kaito and gave a thoughtful nod before speaking. "While it's true the police force is part of the problem, there's still the issue of convincing the Uchiha to allow others in. They'll see it as the village stripping away more of their power."

Kaito acknowledged her point with a nod, then continued, "That's why, even if other clans and shinobi are allowed to join, the police force should still remain under Uchiha control. That way, they won't feel like they're losing authority. It'll be a compromise they can accept."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow but motioned for him to go on.

Kaito explained further, "We could also offer the Uchiha clan the position of the Sixth Hokage. By the time that happens, their reputation within the village will have improved. It shouldn't be too hard to sell the idea."

He paused briefly before adding, "As for candidates, there are two Uchiha who would make excellent Hokage—Itachi and Shisui. Both of them have the qualities and the potential to lead the village."

Kushina looked contemplative, her brow furrowing slightly, "Itachi-kun?" After a moment of thought, she nodded.

Kaito nodded in agreement. "Itachi may be young now, but he's already showing the qualities of a good leader. In a few years, he'll be at Kage level." Kaito thought to himself, 'A few years? He's already practically there.'

Hotaru chimed in with a firm nod. "I agree. Itachi-kun could definitely make a good Hokage."

Shikaku stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... I can see it happening. Itachi's calm, and intelligent, and in a few years, he'll be more than capable of handling the role. As for Shisui, while I haven't spent as much time with him, every time we've crossed paths, he's been level-headed and has a solid reputation."

Tsunade, however, remained skeptical. "You really think they'll just agree to this without any guarantees, kid? If so, you're a fool."

Kaito nodded, his expression serious. "not if the fifth Hokage announces Itachi and Shisui as candidates, it will work."

Shikaku considered this, then nodded slowly. "It might work, but both Itachi and Shisui are quite young. They'd need at least another 5 to 10 years to be ready for the position."

Kaito agreed, "I know. That's why I have another idea. We could create a new position directly under the Hokage—essentially, the second-in-command of the village. It would be a hereditary role for the Uchiha clan, similar to the police force. Think of it as a 'Shadow Kage' position. This could be the best way to convince the Uchiha clan. They'd likely agree to it."

Tsunade snorted, taking another sip of sake. "You're planning to create a new position? That's just going to destabilize Konoha and widen the rift between the clans."

Shikaku looked at Kaito with a thoughtful expression. "Lady Tsunade's right, Kaito. The other clans won't be happy about this, especially with giving the Uchiha's a permanent position."

Kaito shook his head firmly. "Why not? The Uchiha clan is one of the founding clans still around. They've fought for Konoha countless times. This could help prevent the current situation from recurring and ensure stability."

Kaito turned to Tsunade, his expression resolute. "The opinions of the other clans wouldn't matter if the position was granted to the Uchiha by the new Hokage as a gesture of goodwill. It would be an acknowledgment of all the mistrust the village has placed on them. Plus, the Third already did something similar with Danzo."

Shikaku shook his head, frowning. "But that's exactly the problem. It's already led to the situation we're in now."

Kaito remained calm. "We limit the power of the position. Anything major would still need the Hokage's approval. And it would serve a practical purpose too—when Konoha loses a Hokage, like with the Fourth, there would be someone ready to take charge until the next Hokage is chosen. It would stop power vacuums from happening."

Tsunade snorted again, her amusement clear. "That's still giving too much power to the Uchiha clan. If one of them were to become Hokage, they'd have full control over Konoha. I doubt the other clans would ever agree to that."

Kaito shook his head, determined. "That's why they should be given a choice. If the Uchiha decide that Itachi or Shisui should be the Sixth Hokage, then there's no need for a 'Shadow Kage' position. But if they choose the Shadow Kage role, they forfeit the chance for any Uchiha to ever become Hokage."

He paused, then continued thoughtfully, "In the long run, I believe the Shadow Kage position would be better for them. Even if a Uchiha became Hokage, there's no guarantee we wouldn't face the same problems down the line. But a permanent position of power within Konoha's government would not only give them influence, it would also stop them from being so isolated."

Kaito leaned forward slightly. "That brings me to my next point. Uchiha clan members should be allowed into the ANBU and other divisions. It would help them integrate more into the village. I still don't understand why they haven't even been allowed to work in the hospital."

He thought 'It's probably because the Second Hokage wanted to keep them contained in the police force,'. Through his research, Kaito had found that no Uchiha was ever part of the other key departments ANBU, the barrier division, the hospital, or even T&I. They were restricted to the police force and the regular shinobi ranks.

Shikaku thought for a moment, stroking his chin. "Hmm... Allowing the Uchiha to integrate into the village, while also giving them a position of power… it might just work."

Tsunade downed the rest of her sake, then smirked slightly. "Well, it seems I'm not needed after all. The two of you have everything figured out for this plan to succeed. And I'm guessing you've already got other candidates lined up for the Fifth Hokage as well," she added, standing up with a nod.

Shikaku turned to her, his tone cautious. "Lady Tsunade…"

Before Shikaku could finish speaking, Tsunade cut him off. "As I've said before, I'm not interested in becoming the Fifth Hokage," she snapped, not even looking at them. "You're wasting your time and mine." She turned towards the door. "Come on, Shizune, we're leaving."

Shizune hesitated, torn between following Tsunade and staying with the others. She glanced at them, then back at her mentor.

Kushina, tired and a little disheartened, softly called out, "Tsuna-nee…," her voice trailing off.

Tsunade sighed heavily and looked at Kushina. "kushina…I'll send you the medicine with Katsuyu."

Shizune, clearly conflicted, bowed her head in apology and stood up, hurrying to follow her sensei.

Kaito sat quietly, his gaze fixed on his tea, deep in thought, his expression serious.

Just as Tsunade's hand grasped the door handle, Kaito's voice cut through the silence. "What if I told you that the decline of the Senju wasn't just bad luck?"

Tsunade froze, her fingers tightening around the handle as Kaito's words echoed in the room.

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