Chapter 70.2- One Thousand Hands

“Okay then. Who do you think would vote against us?” I tried.

“Definitely the Sarutobi and Shimura Clans for one. The Onikuma clan have some old business with Hiruzen. I couldn’t get the specifics, but they owe him. The Aburame are wildcards like ever— seconding Danzo only to end up voting for you in the first vote just goes to show that it’s impossible to tell what happens in their heads. The Inuzuka don’t blame you for Kuro, but they also don’t have much good to say about you either. The Fuma clan will do whatever will cause them the most in the moment. you said that we should not count on your Cousin’s vote so we only have five assured votes. We hope Kizuru’s aunt would vote with us, and the same with Choni’s uncle but they are not assured.” She said, laying out our cards.

“So for most people, it’s just impossible to tell?” I asked with a sigh. She nodded.

“Five sure votes for us, three certain ones for Hiruzen. Then seven votes in the air that we can’t tell how they’d land” I surmised our chances. She nodded again. It was clear that she didn’t want to take the gamble either.

“Okay, so what do we do to stack the deck in our favour?” I asked.

“A medical report officially declaring that Hiruzen will never be able o be a shinobi again would go a long way”

“My cousin would never make us one. Not for the purpose of trying to coup the man. She’s too loyal for that.” I declined instantly. Tsunade would never fold to being ordered into line, and she was too politically powerful to be pressured into doing anything she didn’t want to.

“And it’s not like we could get someone else to step in and do it. Tsunade would break their backs before letting them touch him” I said.

“Good thing she isn’t the head of the hospital then” Uraume had a smirk.

“That old coot? No chance she does that. Does she even leave her house these days?” I asked. The Head of the Hospital was a Nara, Nara Kagame, a woman in her eighties who had been chosen to set up the hospital in the first place, and now remained in the position more out of respect for her past achievements than what she was presently doing. She spent her days on frolics of her own and almost never involved herself in hospital business. Even back when my Granduncle was Hokage, she’d been basically retired.

“She hangs around the Nara forest most of the time, but I think you have a good chance of convincing her to to do the examination if you ask” She said, smirk building on her face.

“There’s something you’re not telling me” I accused. She had that look on her face.

“It’s unconfirmed but there’s gossip that she and your Granduncle used to make the beast with two backs. Let’s hope that some of her sweetness for him gets passed down” She said, and I felt the urge to puke in my mouth. Why the hell would she put tat image in my head? Also, wasn’t she like decades older than Granduncle had been? Oh Tobirama, you bad bad boy.