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The following is a fan-based
FICTION
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Epilogue: The Sixth
Elections. Konoha had been awaiting this very moment since those were confirmed as the new system to select an Hokage roughly a decade ago.
With the Godaime Hokage, Lady Orochisumi, pushing through her agenda for a decade and a half, the Hidden Village and (unsurprisingly) the world saw major changes. The first of which was the Fourth Shinobi War caused by some severe diplomatic cooling relations between Iwa and Konoha which prompted the former to attack the Hidden Leaf with the aid of a bitter Sunagakure.
In a rather unexpected twist of events, Konoha successfully managed to rally a large majority of known smaller villages to its side, and the war became less of the 'traditional smackdown between major ninja villages' and more the last real war to solve international disputes. Kumo's decision to join Iwa also proved to be a hasty move that backfired as soon as Konoha succeeded in reclaiming and repurposing the old village of Uzushio as a new 'extension' of Konoha itself.
With Kiri's decision to ally with Konoha after some intense negotiations which saw the Mizukage Terumi Mei (which saw a 'miracle baby' born nine months after said event), the Fourth Ninja War proved to be the straw that broke the old generations' back as they didn't yearn to see the newer generations condemned to the pains of a prolonged war.
The ousting of the Tsuchikage and the growing dissent under the Raikage allowed for the homefront to win over the militarist agenda of both countries. The popular demand was capitulation, especially when Orochisumi surprised most pacifists proposing a peace deal involving an 'end to hostile affairs' and the 'decision to omit any war reparation or territorial concession'. In simpler terms, Orochisumi cemented her role as a 'Heir to the Will of Senju Hashirama'.
The Treaty of Roots was the end result of this conflict, with the United Elemental Countries forged as an international institution that overruled even the Daimyos' powers. The war itself also confirmed a long-standing decline of the old feudal organization, with Hidden Villages finally claiming the spotlight of formal authority over the territories.
All of that, of course, at the price of democratization. Where the Hokage was able to enjoy more than a decade of power and control to reshape the country to her agenda, Iwa was the first to assemble the first democratic elections ever.
Jonin Kitsuchi became the newest Tsuchikage, representing the earnest desire of 'action diplomacy' for the village, but to reward a more 'affined generational leader' to the role befitting of his mindset. His acceptance of the Treaty further gave it legitimacy, with the Raikage ultimately forced by his brother's will to 'keep the peace for good', and Sunagakure besieged by enough instability to lead many to question its relevancy.
With the Fifth Kazekage, Ebizo, dying of heart attack following the collapse of his country at the end of the war, factions had formed to try and obtain absolute control of Suna, leading to a lengthy civil war. One that ultimately concluded with the election of Sixth Kazekage Sekka to the leadership and the establishment of the 'Open Door' program to try and see foreign assets used to rebuild the ruined Hidden Village.
As the new age of peace beckoned other villages, Konoha took a leading stance in reforming society as a whole. New roles in the diplomatic corps, a 'future unified ninja system', and educational reforms that paved the path of a safer Elemental Continent. The rise in budget for active security also took care of bandits and other criminals terrorizing merchangs and dulling away expansion.
New towns and villages were born, infrastructure was reformed and expanded, and new government positions came to be through the years... until the Godaime Hokage herself announced her 'abdication'.
"It is high time for the new generation to claim the torch and confirm the end of an age of blood and poverty. Hence why, I will not say which candidate I will support for the upcoming elections."
Indeed, these elections proved to be as surprising as some had expected. While most villagers still selected candidates among ninja, it was Konoha that took the extra step to not only offer civilian candidates, but also select a rather unusual one to the job.
And that person was none other than Bugarino Ruruko.
At 30, Ruruko had moved out of the family business and made a name for herself as a skilled diplomat for Takigakure, Yukigakure and other lesser villages who were soon further aligned with Konoha's policies. To some, the blonde had already stood out as the ideal successor to Orochisumi's politics.
Fending off against some traditional shinobi vouching for a 'strongman politics of old' and some merchants wanting to 'privatize society itself', Ruruko won through a campaign of common sense and neutrality. She proposed some economic ideas, but proposed a continuation and expansion of Orochisumi's policies. And this all proved enough to win over the majority of voters as she was elected with 64%.
Her entry in politics still stirred some questions and suspicions. It was unheard of that her adopted father was renown to have a solid presence in Konoha, but various investigations from journalists confirmed that Bugarino Jonno held back from publicizing his daughter's candidacy and made his support for her known only after her successful campaign ended in her election.
Of course, rumors still existed over the many women that circled around the famous 'Pizza Man from Konoha', but those rumors tended to be fought back with a lack of evidence as no one had ever seen or heard about those matters. The fact that Jonno was in Orochisumi's entourage during the negotiations with Kiri fueled the idea that he was the father of the first female Mizukage's daughter, but said rumors were frequently dispelled by Terumi Mei herself as 'unfound and biased conspiracies'.
Nonetheless, with Ruruko's rise to the role as Hokage, marking her as the second woman to claim the role but also the first civilian to do so, many saw this as a change of dynamics as the age of shinobi came to an end...
That being said, things may soon get interesting again as a bunny-eared woman roams Konoha with ill intention... while being unwittingly spied upon by several high-level ninja ready to put her in bindings.
AN
An Epilogue but not the 'full' epilogue as more snippets will eventually come but... the main story is now over!