The Village Hidden in the Leaves, also known as Konohagakure, has always been the strongest ninja village in the Naruto and Boruto series. This is the village created by Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha together, and the legacy has been carried on by many other Kage who have come after them.
Traditionally, the Kage of a Village is always the strongest ninja. In Naruto chapter 700, which was officially released on November 10, 2014, in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue 50, the protagonist of the series officially ascended to this position and became the representation of its strength. Now, 12 years later, Konoha is electing a new Hokage who is going to represent the village as the face of its strength on a global scale. This new ninja is set to be Konohamaru Sarutobi, who is going to take the position of Eighth Hokage, following the dismissal of Shikamaru Nara from the temporary Hokage position.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 37 Is Setting Up New Strongest Shinobi Election In Konoha
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex chapter 37 was officially released on September 18, 2026, and it was significant for the plot progression pertaining to the politics within Konoha. As things stand, Naruto Uzumaki is the last official Hokage of the village, and we know that in Boruto Chapter 79, which was released officially on March 19, 2023, in V-Jump Issue 5, Naruto Uzumaki was declared dead. For 3 long years, Konoha did not elect any permanent Hokage. Instead, Shikamaru Nara, who served as the right-hand man of Naruto, was installed as temporary Hokage until a permanent solution was found. Shikamaru was also compelled to take the position permanently in this period of turbulence, but he refused to do so for various reasons.
“It has been three years, the period that you yourself designated. Stop dallying and accept the position of 8th Hokage formally. You’re weakening our position, not just within the Land of Fire but with the other villages as well.” — Konoha Elders confront Shikamaru over 8th Hokage Position
Now, Shikamaru faces quite a lot of trouble, as Kobu, who works for the daimyo of the Land of Fire, believes him to be a traitor to the country. Kobu previously confirmed to us in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex chapter 36, on July 18, 2026, that he will get Shikamaru dismissed from the position of Hokage. Now, in the latest release of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex chapter 37 on September 18, he has found irrefutable evidence that will facilitate Shikamaru’s removal from the position of Hokage. That, when combined with Kashin Koji’s vision, confirms to us that Shikamaru’s removal is going to happen in the next few chapters, and a new strongest ninja in Konoha will rise. This ninja is none other than Konohamaru Sarutobi, the man whom Naruto trained himself and dreams to become the Hokage of the village.
“Thanks to you, I’m persisting with the investigation undeterred, and a certain piece of testimony has just come to light. It is the kind of evidence that conclusively proves your wrongdoing. Isn’t that right, Nishi?” — Kobu confirms Shikamaru’s impending dismissal, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #37
Why Konohamaru Sarutobi Will Be Made The New 8th Hokage
Konohamaru Sarutobi is set to be chosen as the Eighth Hokage of Konoha in a new election, and the reasons for this are quite simple. The primary reason is that Konohamaru is one of the only two ninjas who want to become the next Hokage, following in Naruto’s footsteps. Konohamaru confirmed his dream to become the Hokage in Naruto chapter 2, which was released over 20 years ago now. This dream has to be fulfilled sooner or later, and now is the perfect opportunity for Ikemoto and Kishimoto to do so.
Even more importantly, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 36 gave us a Prescience vision from Kashin Koji. In this vision, Shikamaru was seen being dismissed from the Hokage position and cooking together with Jura in a wooden cottage. Meanwhile, Konohamaru Sarutobi was seen in the Hokage office next to the Hokage cape.
This is a very strong indication that Konohamaru is the one who replaces Shikamaru as the 8th Hokage and stands as the new strongest in Konoha in the absence of Naruto Uzumaki. This new development is significant for the Boruto series because it will finally give us the official 8th Hokage, something that fans have been eagerly waiting to see. Furthermore, it will also confirm to us that Naruto Uzumaki will never go on to become the Hokage of the village ever again, given that, following Konohamaru, this title is set to be passed on to Sarada Uchiha, the daughter of Sasuke.
Konohamaru’s New Power Upgrade After Rise To Hokage
Konohamaru Sarutobi is a character that splits opinion among the fans, and this is largely because of how he has been handled in the Boruto series. In Naruto, Konohamaru was one of the most beloved side characters, but in Boruto, he has been nothing short of disappointing. Despite being the leader of Team 7, he has hardly played any major role in the story. When he has been in combat, he has been largely outclassed on every single occasion and has been used as a stepping stone by the author to allow the young generation to shine, which is a shame because he holds a lot of potential.
“When someone talks about me or is calling me, all they ever see is the Hokage’s grandson. Nobody sees me as me. That’s why I want to become the Hokage!” — Konohamaru reveals his dream to become Hokage, Naruto Chapter #2
It goes without saying that Mikio Ikemoto has failed Konohamaru, just as he has many other characters from the Naruto generation, but now is his chance to fix that error. Given that he is now becoming the 8th Hokage of the village, as a Hokage, he has to have enough strength to defend the village and stand as its strongest ninja. This is the perfect opportunity for Ikemoto and Kishimoto to give him major power upgrades, be it through nature transformations, Kekkei Genkai, or abilities like Sage Mode.
One way or another, Konohamaru has to grow in terms of strength and play a significant role in the story moving forward. Konohamaru achieving the Hokage position cannot be just for show. He has to involve himself in major battles in the future and show why the village chose him as the most mature, trustworthy, and strongest ninja. Above all, he has to live up to the standard set by Naruto Uzumaki, and to do that, he has to prove his strength in battle. Hopefully, Mikio Ikemoto and Masashi Kishimoto will deliver upon this and make him a worthy Hokage. We absolutely cannot wait to see his rise to the Hokage office in the next few months as the post-Mamushi arc of the Boruto series continues at a blistering pace.
The latest chapters of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex by Mikio Ikemoto and Masashi Kishimoto are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.