The Situation Inside the Konoha

A new day has come, early in the morning, while the Konoha was still nearly half destroying and mourning, a big funeral ceremony was held for the Third Hokage alongside all the fallen heroes during this surprise attack. The sky was still half dark and unusually cloudy for a summer day. Inside the whole Konoha, pedestrians were only wearing black clothes and cried in sorrow occasionally. The grand ceremony was being held on the first floor of the Hokage's building, inside the so-called Mission Hall, thousands of people were already gathered there to observe the ceremony and pay their respects. Jonin, chunin, genin, Anbu, civilians, everyone was there with sorrowful expressions.

Neji didn't even sleep that night. Not because of the Hokage and others, but simply because he was immersed in reading Orochimaru's notes on cellular research during the whole time, in addition to practicing that new soul technique he stole from this Hokage's house. It seems it wasn't a big deal now as they didn't even publicize the matter. And they have more important things to deal with, like the reconstruction of this village, finding a new Hokage, looking for Orochimaru, and preparing for any other kind of possible attacks coming from the other big villages now that they smelled blood.

Of course, as he just got the technique, he couldn't make his soul leave his body like Dan Kato, but he felt like the more he tried to do it and exercised in the way described in the scroll, the more powerful and strengthened his soul would become, which in turn would increase his Byakugan's power and increase his internal vision, finally breaking through the microscopic level he needed for his next part of the plan.

Regarding Orochimaru's cellular research papers, it was very complex, but also a little easier to learn for Neji, than it was for other people due to all of his knowledge from the previous world of science, and also due to his Byakugan internal vision. But still, both the microscopic vision and cellular mastery required for him to begin human experimentation would take many months to master.

'And then after I successfully master Senju cells injections to both ordinary shinobi, and then Hyuga clansmen, only then will I feel confident enough to do it on my own body!', Neji suddenly thought dangerously. He clearly planned to kidnap some guinea pigs from Konoha when the time comes.

As for why and how he brainstormed that he could awaken Tenseigan if he injected Hashirama's Senju cells inside of himself? It has to be explained from the beginning of Hamura's side of the story.

Hamura Otsutsuki originally probably had two kids, and while those two kids were never mentioned for some reason, they still had their descendants as well, it turned into two different clans later on.

The Hyuga clan which inherited Hamura's strong eyes/dojutsu and weak body. They had powerful eyes but low life force and chakra reserves. That's why they heavily relied on precision strikes, and their "Gentle Fist" taijutsu technique, with ocular assistance in the form of strong Byakugan vision.

The Hyuga clan probably stayed on Earth to guard the Ninja World, or something along those lines, while the Otsutsukis went alongside Homura to the Moon to guard the Gedo Statue.

The Otsutsuki clan, on the Moon, had weak eyes but very powerful bodies, life force, and chakra reserves. Just like the Uzumaki and Senju clans of the Hagoromo's descendants on Earth. Those two clans, Otsutsuki and Hyuga complemented each other well, they were like Yin and Yang forces. In the same way as Senju/Uzumaki and Uchiha also complemented each other in the exact same way. Yin Release equals spiritual, imaginary power and Yang Release equals physical, lifeforce, powers.

Therefore, that was the true reason why by implanting a very pure pair of Hyuga clan's Byakugan, on an Otsutsuki from the Moon, you could unlock Hamura's Tenseigan eyes afterward, Toneri did it in that different universe. However, Neji can't go to the Moon and steal his cells, reverse engineer it, and implant his cells, and then his Byakugan to turn into the Tenseigan. It was pretty surreal for him to go to the Moon now, not to mention that he doesn't even know where the portal was, or how stronger Toneri was than him, especially on the Moon while he could Hamura's heritage, the Giant Tenseiga, to the maximum. He crossed off the idea a long time ago and focused on another thing.

Kayuga clan was, for that matter, was also probably more related to Otsutski clan on the Moon, than it was to the Hyuga on Earth. But the only living member of that, Kimimaro, probably had sick and faulty, dangerous cells, so Neji didn't dare to experiment with him in any way. Uzumaki and Kaguya clans were possibly genetic offshoot clans of the Senju and Toneri's Otsutsuki clans, respectively.

Therefore, Neji thought of another plan, to implant Hashirama's Senju cells inside himself, and hope to awaken the Tenseigan in that way. Because the Senju clan was very similar to the Otsutsuki clan, from the Moon, and both were also genetically very related. Neji hoped to activate more of Otsutsuki's clan genes, from the galaxy, in that way. Of course, he would do it after extensive research and experimentation, but that plan was still an early-stage hypothesis inside of his mind. It could, in theory, help him obtain Tenseigan if they were the same as the Otsutsukis from the Moon, and had the same genes in them as Toneri for example did. It could make a necessary combination!

Neji also theorized that it can't be an ordinary Senju member's cells, for it to happen. It must be from Hashirama, who was genetically the strongest Senju ever, just like Toneri was the strongest Otsutsuki from the Moon ever! And he speculated that he, himself, has way more "pure" Byakugan dojutsu eyes than Hanabi, who Toneri praised the most in the original series. He thought that way because he was way more talented than Hanabi even in the original, and probably much more in this timeline. Toneri probably didn't consider taking his Byakugan, at that time, because he had Curse Mark on, or when Toneri started to think about that plan, he was already dead from that war!

Eventually, Neji had to stop thinking as Tenten slightly nudged him onto his shoulder. It was their time to pay their last respects to the Third Hokage. The rain was falling and everyone was silent. Neji, Lee, and Tenten got into a line, coming closers and closer to the large table, with Hiruzen's picture, on top of it, and a bunch of white flowers laid down below, they also carried a flower each.

Hundreds of Konoha's jonins were in the front rows, alongside some promising genin like them. Neji also spotted the so-called Hokage advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, closest to the large table. He just quietly placed his flower and then prepared to finally leave this boring ceremony. There was no time to waste now, his whole mind was occupied with those two goals.

And, just as he quietly left, after waving goodbye to Tenten and Lee, the morning light finally shone on the whole scene. It was the end of the road for some, but the beginning of the road for others, 'Kisame and Itachi should pass by the village at this time if my memory is correct, it doesn't matter...'

'Akatsuki, does guys... I hope they don't cross my path later after I defect...', Neji thought critically. He remembered that Itachi probably came around this time, also embarrassing Konoha's strongest genjutsu user, Kurenai, and putting Kakashi in a coma, because Hiruzen died and he wanted to remind Danzo and his advisors that he was still alive so they don't touch Sasuke per their agreement made all those years ago. Those four people were currently probably the only ones aware of the fact that Itachi was a double agent inside of the Akatsuki for Konoha's interests, and that he massacred his whole clan for the village in addition. Obito knew too, probably because Itachi asked him not to hurt Sasuke during the massacre or he overheard something with his Kamui.

***

Later that day, inside the Konoha Council's secret meeting room, three people were being seated. They were inside this room for hours already, dealing with a mountain of problems the village came across recently. They were the ones remaining with the highest decision power inside the village.

This council existed in order to help the Hokage govern the village and to make sure all decisions are made with the best interest of Konoha and its inhabitants in mind.

Although the Hokage always has the final say in the matter, the councilors are there to give their opinions and advice, thus making sure the decisions made are fair and taking into account all possibilities and viewpoints. All of them have decades' worth of experience and knowledge and hold a social position similar to that of the Hokage.

They exert great influence over the governing of Konoha and have garnered wide support from the village's shinobi and are regarded with the same respect as that of the Hokage.

There are two top-level councils inside the current Konoha, the Konoha Council, and the Jonin Council. However, their respective powers were much different.

Konoha's Council members could each recommend a candidate for a Hokage, after something unfortunate happens to the previous one, like in this precarious situation. While the Jonin Council only had the veto power, to stop him from being chosen, but not to vote nor recommend on any.

And Jonin Council veto powers could only be activated if the majority of their five hundred members voted for it. The current Jonin Council president was Shikaku Nara. He was always present in times of war as one of Konoha's members of the temporary battle intelligence headquarters.

The other person who could veto a possible Hokage was Land of Fire's Daimyo himself. Various clan heads and big merchants, which were usually the same, as the large shinobi clans usually owned many businesses under their names, were also important for the village, but they had no political power on their own as this village was basically a state-run autocracy that preached equality as the state ideology. As for why those major shinobi clans put up with that? Well, because this was always, throughout history, the strongest and richest shinobi village and county in the world. And it's not like they didn't have any power, they could still legally lobby the Konoha's Council with funds for the village, for their various agendas, which was usually the case. Civilians, on the other hand, didn't have that power. They were at the bottom of the social hierarchy there, but this was the world of power. The other villages were also all run like that. There were also many executive branch heads with considerable power inside the Konoha. Academy, Hospital, and Anbu directors, and leaders.

It was not always the case, in fact, right after the village's founding, the first Hokage, Hashimara Senju, was elected through the democratic vote by the whole village populace. But, Senjus only allowed it at that time in order to trick Madara, as he was always gloomy, and his whole clan was too arrogant, so ordinary villagers voted for Hashirama. And as Madara expected, after he defected because of that, they later abolished democracy and practically introduced a hereditary autocracy.

Later on, during Hiruzen's era, it was even more obvious after Tobirama introduced his other students, and Hiruzen's previous teammates and old friend, as the honorable elders with the exclusive right to later vote and select Hiruzen's successor. And, yes, once the Hokage gets elected, there is basically no mechanism that could remove him from the office outside of his own free will, or some natural occurrences like that death, which happened in this recent case. It was truly an autocracy.

And hereditary because Tobirama trained Hiruzen, Hiruzen trained Jiraiya, who rejected to become the Hokage himself, but Jiraiya trained Minato, who in turn agreed to become the Fourth Hokage.

And it was like that again during this time. Danzo recommended himself to become the next Hokage, after Orochimaru killed Hiruzen, however Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado nominated Jiraiya and then voted in favor of him in a two-to-one vote against Danzo himself.

That was within Danzo's calculation. Those two were always closer to Hiruzen than to him, both in ideology and personal connections. They felt that he was too extreme to become the Konoha's leader.

Fortunately for him, Jiraiya rejected the offer again. And as he expected again, Tsunade was next.

But, Tsunade currently had hemophobia and not too many great memories of this village, seeing as how she didn't come back for decades. In Danzo's opinion, it was even harder for them to persuade Tsunade than it was to persuade Jiraiya. However, the two elders still insisted on the matter. So, they made a comprise. If Jiraiya couldn't bring her back in two months, Danzo would become the next Hokage. At that point, truly, even those two didn't think that they were other suitable candidates.

However, they didn't guess the influence Naruto Uzumaki could later make on her, as Jiraiya did, that was why the boy was the only person he brought with him along the journey of finding her.

'Jiraiya took the Nine-Tails monster with him? What could he accomplish? Well, maybe he just wants to train him out of guilt for all those years...', Danzo sipped tea from the table and calmly analyzed.

"Well, since we agreed on that matter about Jiraiya and Tsunade, let's talk about the next issue, what about the Sunagakure, how much are they willing to pay in compensation?", Danzo asked a bit arrogantly, in a majestic tone, apparently already regarding himself as the next Hokage in front of the duo. He personally wanted to seek some kind of humiliating revenge against Sunagakure immediately, however, Koharu and Homura out-voted him again, on that matter, for now at least.

Having realized that something had happened to their Kazekage, Sunagakure scoured the Land of Wind looking for him. They found his body and, realizing they had been manipulated into the invasion by Orochimaru, immediately informed Konoha of what had happened. They surrendered to Konoha and offered their apologies, which Konoha accepted. The two villages formed a peace treaty and Sunagakure was inclined to make amends, and would thereafter come to Konoha's aid if ever there was a need.

And, it's not like Homura and Koharu accepted their surrender due to a good heart. They were now certainly among the weakest big villages inside the whole Ninja World, and only by aligning together with the even weaker Sunagakure, they could hope to divert any possible invasions from the other stronger villages who smelled blood, not to mention attacking Sunagakure now, that was a suicide. They lost Hiruzen, Minato, Kushina, Orochimaru, Tsunade, and White Fang, today was the weakest point in the whole history since they existed. And they have enemies all around them, who were always jealous of Konoha's previous long-lived national power, these were truly dangerous times. They needed now to rebuild the village, and the trust of the big clans, inside, not to posture.

Now certainly wasn't the best time for Konoha. They were always a thorn in the eye of other big villages, as they were frankly always jealous of them. And due to geographical reasons, their nation didn't have any kind of natural barriers preventing foreign invasions as the other nations did. Sunagakure dry deserts, Kirigakure endless seas, Iwagakure and Kumogakure high mountains. That's why they could rely on their shinobi military strength, however, they were now weaker than ever before. They were also sandwiched just in between those other four big villages, making them at crossroads. So they always liked to gang up on Konoha in the past even when Konoha was much stronger than now. Therefore, Danzo and his Root, who always stirred trouble between the other four great ninja villages, and diverted attention just from Konoha, was one of the most important fundamentals in the village's external policy. It was another reason why Danzo was so tolerated.

Homura and Koharu looked at each other and sighed at Danzo's attitude toward them. They may have to deal with this forever after he really becomes the Hokage two months later. Eventually, they answered him, before turning the conversation to the Otogakure, Orochimaru, movements of other great ninja villages, that mysterious organization called the Akatsuki, and eventually to the dead Anbu at the Hokage's personal residence building during the time of the invasion. In the end, however, they also blamed it all on Orochimaru and his people. This matter was at the bottom of their current priorities, they just decided to tightly guard and relocate the Scroll of Seals afterward.