Chapter 54: Konohagakure

The first year of Konohagakure,

The newly established Konohagakure already bears a resemblance to its future counterpart. The slightly familiar street lamp and the familiar scenery begin to overlap in Masahiko's memory.

Masahiko was wandering around the freshly built village. seeing Hashirama and Madara who stood on the future Hokage Rock, and with opened arms, and announced the official establishment of Konohagakure and welcomed the dawn of the new era.

The name Konohagakure was given by Madara, while Hashirama was has chosen the name of the leader.

The establishment of Konohagakure has brought Masahiko a full of 100 witness points. In addition to the previous, now he yields 130 witness points. He felt satisfied by that and didn't feel the urge to gain more. He planned to lay back for a while and rest, after all, he won't need to worry about anything for a long time.

"It would be fascinating to see Madara's expression now…" Masahiko chuckled.

In Konoha's new meeting room, and the soon to be the Hokage building, a plenary meeting was being held to select the chief of the village, the First Hokage. Masahiko and most of the others already knew that no one deserves this position other than Hashirama.

Several medium-sized clans have other suggestions, but the clan led by Sasuke Sarutobi will give their support to Hashirama. The Uzumaki Patriarch, of course, will support his son-in-law. But no matter what, no one will support the Uchiha.

"No, Hashirama will definitely support Madara to be the Hokage…" Masahiko palmed his face.

Unconsciously, Masahiko circled around the village several times; however, he couldn't find the building he most wanted to see, the infamous ramen stand, Ichiraku's Ramen.

"Can't be helped, I can only believe that the Konoha's Legendary Ramen Shop will eventually open its doors to us…"

No ramen shop was found, but Masahiko found several barbecue shop. Konoha is now a collection of different cultures. The appearance of this weird food stall, especially the rotisserie, confused Masahiko. When he gets closer to the rotisserie, his face got dark.

"It turned out to be the Akimichi clan…" Masahiko snorted, as he remembers the big man who reached the height of more than one hundred feet tall during the Mine War.

If it weren't for the Akimishi Clansmen's 'Special Genetics,' Masahiko would have really wanted their technique so that he would have the chance to be Sun Wu Kong when he used The Between Heaven and Earth technique.

(T/N: A technique used by Sun Wu Kong in Journey to the West to increase its body size.)

"Between Heaven and Earth?" Masahiko whispered, "I must be crazy!"

After taking a stroll around the village, he went back to the Hokage building. And he saw that people are leaving the building one after another.

The first to come out was the patriarchs of the smaller clan, except Sasuke Sarutobi and Shimura Ken. Later the patriarchs of the six-medium clans, all of them were the ones Masahiko is familiar with, the one whom he fought in the Mine War.

Masahiko sighed, "All of them are so old, yet none of them retired. It seems the younger generation lacks talent and ambition."

At the end of the Warring States Period, the decrease in the Shinobi's campaign and strength was something inevitable.

But in the next three ninja wars, each war will produce a great figure, which somehow proves that war is essential for the Shinobi's improvement itself.

"It has ups and downs…" Masahiko didn't say anything to the six patriarchs. "Now Konoha is powerful, its power beyond any country or clan I've ever seen… Not to forget that there are 2 Kage level Shinobi here. Wait, including me, make it two and a half, and at least 10 Patriarchal level Shinobi, and not to mention countless Elite Jonin."

Masahiko stood about 100 meters from the six patriarchs, watching them walk away, chit-chat with each other, and such. Surprisingly they didn't notice Masahiko.

"Oy, am I so insignificant here?" Masahiko looked up and frowned. Then the Hyuga's Patriarch passed by, "Even this old man didn't notice me?"

Then came out the Senju and Uzumaki patriarchs, and noticed finally noticed Masahiko.

"Why are you so angry?"

Fifteen minutes later…

At the Akimicihi's barbecue shop.

"So, they chose you as the Hokage, and now you want me to give you some ideas?" Masahiko chewed the food and said that out of the blue.

"You think you can fool you Second Grandpa with such a barbecue?" Masahiko kept chewing and swallowing his food.

Hashirama scratched his head and nodded embarrassedly.

"So, no one has supported Madara…" Masahiko sighed. "He can't be the Hokage, you will have to think of giving him another suitable position…"

"What about… Konoha's Foreign Exchange Ambassador?"

Hashirama felt speechless, but he started to think that he wasted this barbecue for nothing. This position is clearly not suitable for Madara.

"In the meeting, I saw his expression; he didn't seem to be happy with the way the meeting went. I propose to decide the matter by vote." Hashirama sighed, "Now when I think about it, it seems even more inappropriate."

"Oh…!" Masahiko almost spit his barbeque, "To vote? Don't you think that not have support is not enough? Jeez man, voting will only humiliate him further."

Hashirama looked depressed, Masahiko also felt terrible for saying this; thus, he tried next to comfort him, "Well, you are the Hokage now, why not make Madara the grand elder? Let the other patriarchs chose their elders. If you don't choose your brother, Madara won't object."

This doesn't mend the situation, Hashirama got more depressed, now that he remembered the hostile relation between Madara and Tobirama.

"One of them is my younger brother, and the other is my great friend, it's really hard…" Hashirama said.

"Why are you so gay?"

"No, I'm not! I said, great friend…"

Masahiko ate a satisfying meal; he even ate some from Hashirama's plate.

"Akimichi must have some kind of special recipe. If not, then how can I not stop eating this? I have to know…" Masahiko thought about it, completely forgetting Hashirama's depressed state.

A week later, unsurprisingly, Hashirama got selected as the Hokage, with an overwhelming advantage, and watching Madara's expression was really satisfying for Masahiko.

Masahiko didn't really know the process of this election. Also, the night before the vote was announced, Masahiko heard the conversation between Tobirama and Hashirama. Tobirama was against the idea of giving Madara the leadership and revealed to his brother the secrets behind the Uchiha's Eternal Sharingan.

After the Hokage was elected, they determined the number of the elders. The final number was four people, Uchiha Madara, Hyuga Tenjin, and Nara Patriarch, and Masahiko…

As for why Masahiko was chosen and not the Uzumaki Patriarch because the former needed to be at the clan all the time to manage its affairs.

It was surprising to see that Masahiko has become a member of the elders. The elders' group already has Madara as the Kage level powerhouse, so they choose Masahiko mostly because of his excellent relationship with the Shimura and Sarutobi.

As for Tobirama, he did his brother's escort as expected, and established the first generation of Konoha Military Police Force.

When all is set, the village began to get busy again. And they prepare the "Tengji" ceremony for the first ascension of the Hokage.