A Sage's Pursuit of Power

After finishing the surgery, Tsunade left the lab and headed back to the Hokage's office to handle her duties.

The Sharingan had been successfully transplanted onto the chakra cloak. However, it was not yet operational.

After all, the chakra cloak was not a human eye socket. Both sides needed some time to adapt to each other. Only after they fully fused would Aoba be able to proceed to the next step.

Once Tsunade left, Aoba tidied up the lab and prepared to head home. By now, the group of little rascals at home was probably enjoying their dinner.

However, as he stepped out of the lab, two people approached him.

Aoba immediately recognized them as individuals he had seen not long ago in the Sarutobi clan's compound.

"What's the matter?" Aoba stopped and asked.

 "Aoba Kamikawa, the clan leader requests your presence."

"Clan leader? I know all the clan leaders in Konoha. And you are?"

"The Sarutobi clan."

"Oh..." Aoba suddenly understood. "Did Asuma send you?"

"..."

The two messengers remained silent. Aoba acted as if he didn't notice and simply followed them without hesitation.

Not long after he left, more figures emerged from the vicinity of the lab and began surrounding Tsunade's location.

Aoba was taken to a secluded compound, where he was greeted by none other than Sarutobi Hiyan.

"As the assistant to the Hokage, if I recall correctly, your clan name 'Sarutobi' has already been revoked. So, have you established a new clan while still using the Sarutobi name?" Aoba asked mockingly, completely ignoring Nichien's expression.

"If that's the case, I must admit you've found a loophole in Konoha's laws. But no worries, I'll propose to close that loophole in the next meeting."

At that moment, Nichien Sarutobi, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

"Aoba Kamikawa, we of the Sarutobi clan have no intention of becoming your enemy."

"Hold on. If I'm not mistaken, I'm aligned with Tsunade. Our positions are..."

"Positions can change. Aoba Kamikawa, have you ever wondered why, as Konoha's strongest ninja, the position of Hokage belongs to Tsunade and not you?"

Hearing this, Aoba's expression turned incredulous, but then he seemed to consider something.

He understood that the Sarutobi clan's conservatives would never truly wage war against him in Konoha. He had investigated them before.

Among the conservatives, there were four elite jonin-level combatants and eleven regular jonin. The elders, though likely possessing considerable combat prowess, hadn't fought in years, making their abilities hard to evaluate.

Still, this was an impressive force, enough to sustain a moderately powerful ninja clan.

But everyone present knew that this level of power was meaningless against Aoba.

Once a ninja reached Kage level, sheer numbers mattered little, unless employing a strategy like Onoki's massive ambush against the Third Raikage.

A large-scale siege to exhaust and trap the opponent over time.

However, this was Konoha, and Aoba was the Hokage's assistant. If a battle broke out, it was unclear who would wear out whom.

What surprised Aoba most was that these stubborn old conservatives weren't here to fight him. Instead, they wanted to bribe him... With the position of Hokage.

It was only then that Aoba realized something. The Hokage position, which he didn't care about, was still seen as an incredibly valuable prize by many, especially these old conservatives.

After all, the Sarutobi clan's rise to prominence had been directly tied to Hiruzen Sarutobi becoming Hokage. Their understanding of the position differed greatly from Aoba's.

Aoba almost laughed. If he had wanted to be Hokage, he could have done it earlier. Offering him something he didn't care about as a bribe was laughable.

Sensing Aoba's resistance, Nichien immediately sweetened the deal.

"The Hokage position is beyond our reach for now. But you, you can take it. If you agree, we can help you deal with Tsunade. We don't even need anything in return, just allow the Sarutobi clan to maintain its current status."

After Nichien finished speaking, he noticed Aoba giving him a strange look.

"So, not only do you intend to bribe the Hokage's assistant, but you also want to assassinate the Hokage? Do you even realize what you're doing?" Aoba asked with disbelief.

"Of course we do. Konoha needs a qualified Hokage, not someone as reckless as Tsunade. Aoba, if you take the position, the Sarutobi clan will fully support you."

At this point, Aoba suddenly changed the topic.

"I'm curious, why are you taking such a risky approach and in such a hurry? Surely you know that Konoha has already conducted a purge of the ninja clans, yet the Sarutobi clan was only dismantled, not severely punished.

Why do you show no gratitude for this mercy? Instead, you're plotting treason and the assassination of the Hokage. I must admit, this is beyond my imagination."

"Hmph! If it weren't for Tsunade pushing us too far, we could have coexisted peacefully. She confiscated most of our assets and even stripped us of our surname. Such humiliation, how could the Sarutobi clan endure it?" Nichien's emotions flared, as though he were the victim of a great injustice.

But Aoba's next words almost broke him.

"But those assets were acquired illegally, weren't they?"

"...Every ninja clan operates like this, it's part of Konoha! What gives you the right to call it illegal? Confiscating clan resources and distributing them to commoners, does that even make this 'current' Konoha the same as before?" Nichien retorted angrily.

Aoba was momentarily stunned by this accusation. The sheer absurdity of it left him unsure where to start rebutting. After a moment of thought, he finally asked:

"Wait, let me clarify something. The words you just said, are they part of the Will of Fire?

Because Hiruzen Sarutobi preached the Will of Fire for decades. Are you telling me that the version preached within the clan is different from what's shared with the public?"

"Hmph! The Will of Fire is merely a tool to control the commoners. Aoba, you're intelligent, I refuse to believe you don't understand such a simple concept. So, what are you really trying to say?"

"Well..." Aoba shrugged. "What I mean is, what happens if I refuse your proposal? Will you smash your cup as a signal for your men to attack me?

No offense, but they're... not qualified."

"Hahaha! Aoba Kamikawa, I thought you were a smart man. But now I see you're just a brute. Do you know that, as we speak, a team of jonin is already heading to your home?"

"I know," Aoba replied cheerfully.

"???!!!"

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Currently on Chapter 192 - Planting a Seed of Doubt