Mito Menma's thoughts raced.
It had never once occurred to him that someone would question Sarutobi Hiruzen's status. Naturally, he had made no preparations for such an angle. Caught off guard, he could only improvise.
But a man who had held the position of Konoha elder for decades was no fool. Within seconds, he found an opening.
He straightened and said, "Minister Jin, although Hiruzen is no longer Hokage, he is still the Acting Hokage."
"Until the Fourth Hokage formally assumes office, the Acting Hokage may exercise all the powers of the Hokage."
"You wouldn't deny that, would you?"
Jin smiled faintly.
"In the absence of a Hokage, an Acting Hokage may exercise the Hokage's authority. That much I do not deny."
He paused.
"But—"
Menma's heart skipped with that single word.
Jin spread his hands lightly.
"But I do not recognize Sarutobi Hiruzen as Acting Hokage."
Before Menma could protest, Jin continued calmly.
"Yes, when Hiruzen announced his intention to step down at the provisional jōnin assembly, he also mentioned becoming Acting Hokage."
"At that time, however, he was still Hokage. Until he formally reported to the Daimyō and completed the resignation process, he remained Hokage—regardless of what he declared publicly."
"One day as a monk, one day ringing the bell. Procedures matter."
"So we could treat that moment as him wanting a change of scenery. Tired of being Hokage, curious whether the 'Acting' chair felt any different."
"After all, with or without the word 'acting,' the authority was the same."
His tone sharpened.
"But now it's different."
"Now Sarutobi Hiruzen is no longer Hokage. The position of Acting Hokage is not a seat he may occupy simply because he wishes to."
Jin's gaze turned cold.
"As I recall, there are two conditions to becoming Acting Hokage."
"First: a formal proposal at a jōnin assembly, with over seventy percent approval."
"Second: recognition from the Daimyō."
He smiled again—slowly.
"At that provisional meeting, fewer than thirty percent of the village's jōnin were present. Most were still stationed along the borders."
"Such a gathering cannot decide a matter as significant as appointing an Acting Hokage. We didn't even hold a vote."
"And unless I'm mistaken, Hiruzen did not obtain the Daimyō's approval either."
"Elder Mito—"
"If he fulfills neither requirement, on what basis should I acknowledge him as Acting Hokage?"
Menma's face flushed red.
The Uchiha had laid a trap.
The so-called Konoha F4 had grown accustomed to operating above procedure. A small internal meeting was often enough to decide policy.
They had never bothered with rigid formalities.
Now those very formalities were being turned against them.
It felt like trying to bite into a hedgehog—nothing but spines.
But Jin was not finished.
He turned to Shimura Danzō.
"Elder Danzō, would you recognize such an Acting Hokage?"
"If we do, where is Konoha's law? Where are its rules?"
"Without rules, there is no order. Konoha is the strongest hidden village in the world—not a bandit camp."
Menma's breathing grew heavier.
Jin had seized the moral high ground entirely.
And then—
Danzō spoke.
"I also do not recognize Sarutobi Hiruzen as Acting Hokage."
Menma stared at him in disbelief.
"Danzō… you?!"
Danzō's face remained impassive.
"Not long ago, the Third Hokage verbally removed me from my elder position and restricted Root's activities."
"I obeyed. The Hokage's word cannot be defied."
"But to this day, no formal decree was issued."
He paused deliberately.
"Oh. That's right. Sarutobi Hiruzen is no longer Hokage. Nor Acting Hokage."
"In that case, perhaps that order was merely an offhand remark from the Third Hokage."
Menma felt as if he'd been stabbed through the heart.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
He had never imagined Danzō would flip sides so readily.
But Danzō's body was trembling—not from anger, but from excitement.
If not for the setting, he might have laughed out loud.
Genius.
Uchiha Jin was a damned genius.
By stripping Hiruzen of both Hokage and Acting Hokage status, the greatest obstacle on Danzō's path to power was suddenly… weakened.
No more official authority to suppress him.
No more leveraging "the greater good" to override his dissent.
Danzō was still an elder.
Still Hokage advisor.
Hiruzen?
At this moment?
Merely—
A civilian.
Well. A civilian who happened to be principal of the Ninja Academy, head of the Education Department, and supervisor of the Mission Office.
But what of it?
Since when did a school principal outrank a village elder?
Given time—
Danzō was confident he could push Hiruzen completely out of the game.
Menma, finally understanding, felt dread coil in his stomach.
If it were only Uchiha Jin, perhaps this could still be contained.
But with Danzō openly siding against Hiruzen—
This could become reality.
They had the leverage.
The legitimacy.
The narrative.
Menma could not afford to press further.
He forced himself to stand.
"In that case, I shall take my leave."
He paused at the door.
"Oh, and tomorrow at nine in the morning, a jōnin assembly will convene to discuss the election of the Fourth Hokage."
"Minister Jin, do try not to be late."
Jin smiled.
"I wouldn't dream of it."
Menma left in haste.
The door closed softly behind him.
Jin watched him go, the faint curve of his lips never fading.
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