"Hiashi, what do we do?"
"We probably shouldn't have come. Is there really any point in continuing this so-called Jonin Meeting?"
"We need a plan—fast. You're the Hyūga Clan Head!"
"…"
Several Hyūga Elders began to speak in hushed, anxious tones.
At first they'd been delighted: while Konoha's high command and the Uchiha wrestled for power, the Hyūga could sit safely on the sidelines, never needing to join either fray—especially as they watched clan after clan bullied by Root or forced into the Uchiha camp, they could still watch coldly and even offer a quiet sneer.
The Hyūga's Bird in a Cage seal had suffered so much injustice; this crisis suddenly made them feel their Ancestors had been prescient.
It was precisely because of the seal that the Hyūga had dodged disaster.
Even a villain like Danzō of Root had no appetite to trouble them.
But now?
After today's scene, the Hyūga instantly found themselves stuck—utterly stuck.
There was no way out.
Every other Ninja Clan had skipped this Jonin Meeting; the Hyūga alone now stuck out like a sore thumb.
Hiashi: "…"
His face was ashen; he couldn't help rolling his Byakugan-white eyes.
What to do?
How should he know?
He'd planned to watch how the Uchiha would clash with Konoha's high command, maybe even wait for both camps to court the Hyūga.
With options in hand, he could simply Vote for the eventual winner once the dust settled.
But damn it—
Uchiha Jin's faction boycotted the meeting, leaving the Hyūga awkwardly exposed. Were they really supposed to throw in with the Village high command now?
No—absolutely not.
Siding with Konoha's high command would only offend the Uchiha camp.
Abstain?
That wouldn't work either.
If the Hyūga refused to Vote while Uchiha Jin's camp stayed absent, they'd instantly sour relations with the Village high command.
Should that side win later, the Hyūga would suffer for it.
What to do?
Hiashi was trapped between two cliffs of choice.
Cold sweat dotted his forehead; his heart twisted in knots, and for a moment he had no answer.
Meanwhile—
Hiruzen Sarutobi had no mind for the Hyūga dilemma; he was tangled in his own.
The Uchiha camp staying away was actually a blessing in disguise.
It meant Jiraiya could ascend as Fifth Hokage unopposed.
Yet without Uchiha participation, could Jiraiya truly command respect as Fifth?
So… should he "invite" the Uchiha camp?
After long thought, he decided it wasn't necessary.
If Jiraiya couldn't win universal respect, that suited Hiruzen fine—pulling strings from behind the curtain would be easier.
"Hiruzen, what's the call?"
"Should we send for the Uchiha camp?"
"It's already time—do we wait a bit longer?"
As Hiruzen pondered, Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado both spoke up.
Clearly,
they too couldn't make up their minds.
Even Jiraiya glanced over instinctively.
To which,
Hiruzen, after a brief pause, calmly replied, "I see no need to wait. We notified them in advance; if they choose not to attend, that's their decision—consider it an abstention."
"Let's begin."
With that,
a resolved Hiruzen signaled the Anbu to close the doors, rose, and delivered his farewell speech.
It was textbook boilerplate.
First he listed his achievements as Hokage, then admitted a few mistakes, and finally declared that age compelled him to step down and oversee the election of the Fifth.
Immediately after,
the voting began.
Everyone present was a die-hard loyalist of Hiruzen, so every ballot naturally read "Jiraiya."
Only the Hyūga were wracked with headaches.
Choose whom?
For the Hyūga, it was a brutal choice.
Normally Jiraiya's victory seemed certain, yet the Uchiha camp's absence gnawed at Hiashi with unease.
What exactly were the Uchiha scheming?
Until he knew, he dared not back Jiraiya.
"Clan Head, we have to decide!"
"Who do we support? We must choose now."
"Vote Jiraiya? Or Vote Uchiha?"
"…"
Hyūga clansmen pressed him.
Almost everyone else had voted; every eye in the hall turned toward the Hyūga.
So,
of course they were anxious.
Hiashi, sweat beading on his forehead, finally spoke after a long silence: "Abstain."
"…What?" The Hyūga were stunned.
However,
before anyone could object, Hiashi gave his reasons.
"The Uchiha camp is acting too strangely; they must be plotting something."
"I simply can't believe they'd surrender so easily—they've been at each other's throats with Konoha's high command."
"So, abstain!"
"Stay neutral between Konoha's high command and the Uchiha."
"Whoever takes power can spurn our Byakugan—so be it."
"At worst neither side will favor us, but that's still cheaper than backing the loser."
The Hyūga could only sigh in resignation.
They had to admit their Clan Head was right.
Perhaps for the Hyūga, this was the safest path.
After all, the Byakugan was too vital to the Village—especially in wartime, no other technique could replace it.
Whether sensory Ninjutsu or the Aburame Clan's secrets, neither could truly substitute for the Byakugan, so whichever faction won could do no worse than squeeze the Hyūga a little.
Nothing more than that.
And so, one by one, the Hyūga Jonin all cast Abstention Votes.
Half an hour later,
after the Village tallied every ballot, the victor was unquestionably Jiraiya.
Hiruzen cleared his throat.
He shot the Hyūga a cold glance, then rose and solemnly announced,
"Everyone, the results are in."
"Let us congratulate Jiraiya—the Fifth Hokage of the Village!"
"Tomorrow morning, the new Hokage will be inaugurated!"