"Uzumaki Naruto, what do you even know!?"
"You're just a brat who barely graduated from the Ninja Academy!"
"I say Uzumaki Naruto must have been manipulated by enemy shinobi! He's trying to divide Konoha!"
If Danzō had rushed in right then, he would've immediately branded Naruto a traitor—an enemy puppet sent to destroy the village from within.
He wanted to crush Naruto's move to impeach the Third Hokage.
Claim it was all part of some conspiracy to destabilize Konoha.
Right then and there—
Danzō began to speak.
His voice stirred the villagers, who already harbored deep-rooted prejudice against Naruto.
The moment he voiced his suspicions, many Konoha civilians immediately echoed his words.
"What Danzō-sama said makes perfect sense!"
"Exactly! What could a kid like Uzumaki Naruto possibly know about Hokage affairs?"
"With my years of experience, I can tell—he's clearly been influenced by foreign forces!"
"That's right!"
"Danzō-sama, we believe in you!"
Voices rose across the crowd as countless villagers began to parrot Danzō's baseless accusations.
They all acted as if they shared a righteous hatred for some external enemy.
But deep down…
Perhaps it was guilt.
Perhaps it was fear.
Despite now knowing the truth of Naruto's parentage—despite knowing he was the son of the Fourth Hokage—these villagers still didn't want to see Naruto rise.
After all…
If Naruto truly turned things around today,
If he succeeded in this impeachment…
Then what would he do to those who had bullied and shunned him his entire life?
That thought haunted them.
And so, in their small-minded fear, they prayed for his failure.
For Danzō's slander to be true.
For Naruto to never be vindicated.
Sasuke, standing among the crowd, sneered at Danzō's cowardice.
He could see right through the man.
Danzō was afraid.
Afraid of the consequences.
Afraid of what Naruto was about to reveal.
So he tried to stamp him down before it began.
Suppress Naruto—and maybe, just maybe, the impeachment would fall apart.
But Sasuke wasn't worried.
Because unlike these fools—Danzō, Hiruzen, the mindless villagers, even some of the shinobi—they had no idea…
No idea how terrifying Naruto's true strength was.
And that's why—
No matter what happened today…
Naruto would win.
Sasuke was certain of it.
And he looked forward to watching the faces of those "elders"—Hiruzen, Danzō, all of them—twist in panic.
Next to him, Sakura stood fuming.
Watching Danzō and the crowd sling baseless accusations at Naruto, her eyes filled with anger.
If Naruto had really been a traitor…
If he had been under the control of some enemy village…
Then none of them would be standing here today. They would've all died by his hand long ago.
And it wasn't just Sasuke and Sakura who felt this way.
Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, and other young shinobi watched from the sidelines—quiet but fierce.
Watching as Danzō whipped the crowd into a frenzy against Naruto.
Shikamaru furrowed his brows.
His expression darkened.
Because even he, as lazy as he was, knew—
Something was very wrong.
Of course Shikamaru understood.
Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage—Namikaze Minato.
How could someone with that lineage possibly be under the control of an enemy village?
What Danzō and those villagers were doing wasn't just foolish…
It was deliberate sabotage.
They were stirring up baseless accusations for their own ends.
But what did his opinion matter?
Even as the heir of the Nara Clan, his voice meant nothing in the chaos.
"Naruto would never be controlled by another village!" Hinata shouted, her voice trembling with emotion.
She believed in Naruto—completely, unconditionally.
He had been her hero since they were children.
He had protected her time and time again.
That Naruto… could never betray the village.
And right now—
The reanimated First and Second Hokage silently watched as Danzō stirred the crowd against Naruto.
They exchanged glances.
Frowns formed on both their faces.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
From what they'd seen of Naruto during the battle earlier, it was absolutely impossible that he was some puppet of a foreign power.
He didn't have that kind of darkness.
There was no deception in him.
Especially for the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, Danzō's actions were baffling.
The Shimura Danzō he once knew… would never have stooped to this.
Wild accusations.
Mob pressure.
Was this really what Danzō had become?
A manipulator of the people?
For a moment, both Hashirama and Tobirama stood in silence.
But that silence carried weight.
They both sensed it—
There was a deeper rot beneath the surface of all this.
Not far from them, Jiraiya and Tsunade watched the same scene unfold.
Their expressions were grim.
They had seen this kind of tactic before.
They recognized it all too well.
A political power play.
A smokescreen used by the old guard—Hiruzen, Danzō, and their allies—to silence anyone who threatened their authority.
A wave of disgust rose in them.
This… this was not the Konoha they once loved.
The Konoha they had risked their lives for.
It had become a decaying institution, controlled by a handful of self-serving elders.
Their former teacher, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and his trusted peer Shimura Danzō, had allowed it to rot from the inside.
And in this darkness…
Only one light remained.
Uzumaki Naruto.
Only he had the strength, the courage, and the purity of heart to cleanse Konoha and guide it into a new era.
That's why…
Jiraiya and Tsunade's support for Naruto grew even stronger.
He wasn't just their student.
He was their hope.
The hope for a Konoha reborn.
Let the old ways burn.
Let a new future rise from the ashes.
—
Meanwhile, Orochimaru, standing at the edge of the crowd, observed Danzō's performance with a mocking smile.
Such familiar tactics.
Riling up the ignorant masses. Twisting the narrative. Painting enemies from thin air.
"Oh, Danzō," Orochimaru thought with quiet amusement, "this little scheme of yours… it won't work this time."
He folded his arms and continued to watch, as if enjoying a theater performance.
The stage was set.
The players were in place.
And Uzumaki Naruto?
He was about to rewrite the script entirely.
At this moment, no one seemed to care anymore about Orochimaru's original plan to destroy Konoha.
Orochimaru, observing everything with cold amusement, took in the reactions of those present.
He could see clearly:
Naruto and his allies had no emotional response to Danzo's dirty tactics.
Not even a flicker.
Which meant… they weren't afraid of him in the slightest.
Even the reanimated First and Second Hokage remained silent.
They showed no agreement with Danzo's baseless accusations.
And if even they were to side with Naruto…
Then things were about to get truly interesting.
Elsewhere, the leaders of Konoha's major clans—Hiashi Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and others—watched Danzo's performance unfold.
Disgust began to form in their eyes.
Danzo's actions were shameless.
They all knew the truth:
Uzumaki Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage, the child of the man who gave his life to save the village.
With that lineage alone, it was unthinkable that Naruto could ever betray Konoha.
And Danzo?
He was inciting the villagers, manipulating public sentiment—twisting the will of the people to serve his personal interests.
That alone made the clan heads feel a deep shame.
They were supposed to be the protectors of Konoha's values.
But now… they saw just how far their so-called elders had fallen.
One of those elders—Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage—watched as his old comrade Danzo took the lead in slandering Naruto.
His expression turned unreadable.
He made no attempt to speak in Naruto's defense.
He wasn't sure if Danzo's plan would work.
But he was willing to see it through.
After all…
This was how things had always been in Konoha.
Let Danzo speak filth, and Hiruzen simply… stood by.
But then—
Naruto laughed.
Loud and unbothered.
The kind of laugh that cut through the noise like a blade.
"Lord Danzo," Naruto said, his voice steady, "you really think you can pressure me by riling up the masses?"
He chuckled again.
"Do you think I don't know the filth you've buried behind your so-called service to the village?"
Danzo's heart skipped a beat.
Uzumaki Naruto—the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails—was standing there, speaking with conviction.
And for some reason…
Danzo felt fear.
A strange unease clawed at his chest.
Could it be?
Did Naruto… actually know something?
No. That couldn't be.
What he and Hiruzen had done all those years ago—especially involving the Uchiha and the orphaned Jinchuriki—was top secret.
Classified beyond reach.
There was no way Naruto knew the full truth of his own background.
At most, he might've learned about his parents.
But anything more?
Impossible.
Danzo forced himself to maintain composure, suppressing the dread rising in his chest.
He fixed Naruto with a righteous gaze, cold and unmoved.
But Naruto had already seen the flicker of fear in Danzo's eyes.
He didn't care.
He just smiled and continued.
"But…"
"Now's not the time to settle scores with you."
He then turned his gaze toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Third Hokage," Naruto said flatly, "everyone's here. Let's officially begin the Hokage Meeting."
At that same moment, a gentle voice followed his.
"Third Hokage… please begin," said Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, standing beside his son.
His expression was calm, composed—just like always.
But there was no mistaking it.
Minato's presence carried authority.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart sank as he looked at Minato.
He knew there was no escaping now.
This meeting—this reckoning—was going to happen.
No matter how pitiful or regretful he pretended to be.
He let out a long sigh.
Then, wearing a sorrowful expression as if trying to gain sympathy, he finally opened his mouth.
"In that case… let us begin."
"Let the Daimyō of the Land of Fire, and all those present, bear witness."
With that, the Third Hokage turned toward the stands—toward the Daimyō, sitting at the edge of the arena.
Because no matter how much power Konoha held within its walls…
They still answered to the Land of Fire.
Though the title of Hokage was determined by the village, the Daimyō of the Land of Fire still held considerable influence over the decision.
Now, seeing even the Third Hokage fall silent, the Daimyō could only sigh.
Looking at the tense situation unfolding before him, he wisely chose to keep his personal opinions to himself.
Instead, he simply fulfilled his role.
"This Hokage Meeting," the Daimyō declared, his voice steady, "is now officially in session."
With those words, the meeting formally began.
And as planned in advance—
Hatake Kakashi stepped forward.
Without hesitation, he raised his voice for all to hear:
"Today, I, Hatake Kakashi—Jōnin of Konohagakure—on behalf of Uzumaki Naruto, on behalf of Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, and on behalf of Uzumaki Kushina, hereby submit a formal impeachment against the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen!"
Gasps echoed throughout the crowd.
Kakashi continued, unwavering:
"The charges against the Third Hokage are as follows—"
"First—he broke the promise he made to the Fourth Hokage and his wife… and abandoned their son, Uzumaki Naruto!"
The first accusation alone caused shock to ripple across the gathered audience.
Even Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a cold weight in his chest.
He had expected this.
But hearing it said aloud—he still felt uneasy.
Still, Kakashi wasn't finished.
He pressed on:
"During the Nine-Tails' attack on the village… Uzumaki Kushina, who was then the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi, gave birth to Naruto."
"Because of that moment of vulnerability, the enemy struck."
"In the chaos that followed, the Kyūbi was released, and it began to ravage the village."
"To save Konoha from destruction, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and his wife, Uzumaki Kushina, gave their lives."
"They didn't hesitate. They sacrificed everything to protect this village."
"Their courage, their spirit of self-sacrifice—those are the ideals Konoha was built on."
Kakashi paused, then raised his voice:
"But."
"There was one thing no one else knew."
"The Fourth Hokage and his wife had a son—Uzumaki Naruto."
"At the moment of their death, the Third Hokage arrived on the scene."
"Minato and Kushina entrusted their newborn child—their only child—to Sarutobi Hiruzen."
"They believed in him. They believed he would raise Naruto with love and protection."
"They believed he would honor their final wish."
"And the Third Hokage promised them—he swore—that he would."
A heavy silence fell across the crowd.
But Kakashi's voice did not waver.
"However, all of us here know how Naruto grew up."
"Not as the son of heroes."
"But as an orphan."
"As a scapegoat."
"A child shunned, scorned, and hated."
"From the moment he could walk, Naruto was treated as a monster."
"The villagers called him the demon fox, treated him like a curse. He was beaten, isolated, left to starve."
"Even a grown adult would have broken under such hatred."
"But Naruto was just a child."
"And the Third Hokage? He stood by and watched it happen."
Kakashi turned to face Hiruzen directly.
He pointed at him with a steady hand, his expression cold and unreadable.
"Tell us, Lord Third…"
"Was your inaction due to negligence?"
"Or was it something worse?"
"Did you… condone it?"
The implication struck the crowd like thunder.
A shudder passed through the Konoha villagers.
Earlier, they had followed Danzo's lead—mocking Naruto, casting suspicion on him, speaking with such confidence.
But now…
Now that someone was calling out the truth…
Now that there was no one to hide behind…
They began to lower their heads.
Shame was written across their faces.
The weight of guilt crushed their pride.
And they stayed silent.
No one dared to speak.
No one dared to defend what they had done.
In the silence that followed, the First and Second Hokage exchanged glances.
Their expressions were dark.
This was not the Sarutobi Hiruzen they once knew.
Tobirama Senju in particular looked furious.
The Fourth Hokage and his wife had sacrificed everything for the village.
They gave their lives willingly.
And their only son?
Left to suffer.
Humiliation. Isolation. Hatred.
Even if Uzumaki Naruto hadn't been the son of the Fourth Hokage…
Even if he were just an ordinary child born in Konoha…
He still should never have been treated that way.
No child should grow up like that—alone, reviled, treated as something less than human.
And yet… the one who stood at the top, who held the title of Hokage—Sarutobi Hiruzen—did nothing.
Nothing.
What kind of Hokage was that?
The First and Second Hokage didn't even try to hide their anger anymore.
There was no sympathy in their eyes.
No deference.
Just fury.
Neither Hashirama nor Tobirama Senju could stay silent.
They didn't even pretend to give Sarutobi face.
They were livid.
And honestly?
It was no surprise that Naruto was standing here, calling for Hiruzen's impeachment.
No surprise at all.
Among the younger generation—Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, and the others—the reaction was immediate.
Hearing Kakashi speak so plainly about Naruto's life, about the truth they'd never known, they couldn't contain their emotions.
Rage. Disgust. Guilt.
Shikamaru, who had long suspected there was more to Naruto's story, still found himself stunned.
He'd imagined many possible truths.
But he hadn't expected this.
That the Third Hokage—the so-called wise and benevolent leader of Konoha—was the very man who stood by while Naruto was tossed aside.
And they weren't alone.
Even the clan heads—Hiashi Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka—were visibly shaken.
They had not expected the accusations to be so direct.
So damning.
Kakashi had come out swinging—no hesitation, no diplomatic buildup. He'd struck the Third Hokage down with a single truth:
He made a promise to the dying Fourth Hokage… and broke it.
Worse yet?
He allowed the child of a hero to become a target for the village's ignorance and fear.
Even many of the shinobi in the crowd—those who had quietly gone along with the rumors, who had avoided Naruto, ignored him, whispered behind his back—began to realize…
They'd been wrong.
It wasn't just the civilians.
Even they had looked at Naruto and seen only the Jinchūriki—the "Nine-Tails"—not the boy.
That failure rested with Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Jiraiya and Tsunade stood in silence, their faces pale with shame.
For Jiraiya, the pain cut deep.
If Naruto hadn't come searching for him…
He would never have even known that his own student—Minato—had left behind a child.
His godson.
If he had known earlier…
If someone had just told him…
He would have done anything to stop this from happening. To protect Naruto.
Naruto.
That name—Minato chose it from the protagonist of Jiraiya's novel, Tale of the Gutsy Ninja.
It was a name born from hope. From faith. From a dream to raise a child strong and kind and unyielding.
And that child was thrown into a world of cruelty.
Jiraiya clenched his fists.
He had failed—not only as a teacher, but as a guardian of Minato's legacy.
Now, he could only pray he had time to make it right.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru stood at a distance, watching Kakashi's accusations unfold.
His golden eyes gleamed with amusement… and something darker.
He hadn't expected this.
But hearing it now, it all made sense.
He chuckled under his breath.
"Sarutobi-sensei…" Orochimaru mused silently.
"Looking back on it now, I guess I shouldn't be surprised you'd do something like this."
There was no admiration in his tone.
Only cold satisfaction.
For all his lofty words about "the Will of Fire," Sarutobi had allowed a child to suffer in silence.
And in the eyes of someone like Orochimaru…
That wasn't just failure.
That was weakness.
…
TN:
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