Hokage's Office.
"..."
"Do you know what Konoha is?" Souji asked Homura and Koharu. Then he stopped releasing his chakra.
"..."
'Finally...' They all thought.
For Hiruzen, Koharu, Homura, and Kosuke. What Souji had just done was exactly what Senju Tobirama had done.
Even his aura and gaze were similar.
"..."
Cough
"Konoha is a place for clans, ninjas, and civilians to take shelter from the strong winds. Konoha is a big tree." Homura answered with a dry throat.
Souji nodded his head. "Too bad, but the true meaning of Konoha isn't that."
"..."
"Do you want to try, to look smarter and more experienced than us? We've lived long enough to witness three shinobi world wars, and you weren't even born yet." Koharu said, helping Homura.
"..."
"Then, You guys have been stupid for a long time for not knowing the meaning of Konoha." Souji said in disdain.
"Hiruzen! Look at your student! He dares to call the two advisors of Konoha stupid." Koharu said to Hiruzen.
Hiruzen sighed and shook his head. He was also curious about the true meaning of Konoha according to Souji. Not caring about his friends, Hiruzen asked Souji, "So, Souji, what is the true meaning of Konoha?"
"..."
"Family." Souji said, Suddenly His aura changed dramatically. Those who were there realized the change.
"Konoha is a family, and family is Konoha." Souji said firmly and confidently.
"..."
If Hiruzen could orgasm from words alone, then Souji's words would have made him climax.
(AN: Please don't imagine it.)
'Family!' Hiruzen thought happily.
"By considering the old man as family, I believe in him." Souji continued, "Konoha was built not only by strength, but also by bonds and trust."
"If you have lived long enough to be in a position of authority but don't understand such an important thing, I suggest you step down and enjoy your retirement." Souji said.
Koharu and Homura wanted to respond to Souji, but they were confused about what to say.
Hiruzen?
Yes, Hiruzen. He is proud of his student. Hiruzen plans to make Souji a Hokage, regardless of the results he get on the front lines.
Shikaku?
He couldn't believe that Souji was trying to understand the meaning of Konoha. Even he, a member of the Nara Clan, hadn't considered what Souji said.
Kosuke?
He promised himself that he would complete any mission given to him and protect Souji, even if it meant sacrificing himself.
What about the Anbu?
The most shaken was actually the Anbu or Itachi.
Itachi himself felt the pain, when he had to choose between the village and the clan, between strangers and his family.
However, based on Souji's words, Itachi is not a ninja from Konoha, because, he does not consider it his family.
He only considers Konoha an obligation, an interest, and the greater good.
But family?
He never considered Konoha to be his family.
In the end, he wanted to solve the problems in his clan, but he ended up with his own problems. He tried to help others without helping himself, he tried to make others aware without making himself aware.
What Itachi thought all this time turned out to be a delusion. In reality, he was unaware and drunk on his thoughts about what was happening around him, not realizing that he himself had not woken up to reality.
'Souji-sama... thank you.' Itachi thought. If Itachi were asked to choose between the village and the clan, now he would choose Konoha!
They are Konoha, a family, a village, and a clan.
The Uchiha clan?
What his father and the others did does not represent the clan. That means they are not family.
Even if it meant killing his own father, Itachi would do it. For his big family, for Konoha.
"..."
"Very good, Souji." Hiruzen said.
"Konoha is family. That's what makes Konoha survive. That's what makes Konoha strong. We are all family who help each other, fight together, and believe in each other."
The others nodded upon hearing this, except for Homura and Koharu, who could only remain silent.
Naruto?
He was really proud of his father.
"All right, it's time." Hiruzen said. He then got up from his seat and left, followed by the others.
"..."
Hiruzen arrived at a stage in front of which many ninjas and civilians had gathered.
"People of Konoha, whom I love, Konoha has been attacked again, this time by another village."
Hiruzen's words made the people angry with the village that attacked Konoha. They thought, 'Why does that village always attack Konoha? Don't they have anything else to do?'
"But we are not daunted. We are not afraid." Hiruzen continued, "We will fight them bravely!"
"We will fight as one!"
"We fight as a family!"
"We! We are a big family! We are Konoha!"
"Konoha!"
"Konoha!"
"Konoha!"
The ninjas and civilians shouted in unison. The ninjas, their souls burned by the fire of enthusiasm.
"..."
Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction at what he saw.
"And, While I am on the front lines, I appoint my student, Tendou Souji, as the leader of the village."
"..."
Hiruzen thought this might not be easily accepted, but he was wrong.
"Souji-sama!"
"Long live Souji-sama!"
"Souji-sama! Marry me!"
"Shut up! You whore!"
"What do you mean?! Bitch!"
"..."
Hiruzen didn't expect his student to be so well-received or to be known by so many people.
All of this happened because of what Souji's shadow clones did at the Konoha Hospital. Souji healed people who had lost limbs due to accidents or defects. Word spread from those he healed, and added his status as a student of the Third Hokage, made him very respected.
Some of the people Souji healed became hardcore supporters of his, without his knowledge. They would make anyone who tried to badmouth Souji live in suffering.
What kind of suffering is that? Only they and the future know.
"..."
After that, the time came for Hiruzen and the others to depart, witnessed by many Konohagakure residents.
"Souji, I entrust the village to you."
"Of course, old man."
Hiruzen walked at the front of the ninja ranks and said, "Move!"
They then moved in unison out of the village, led by Hiruzen.
Those who saw them shouted and said goodbye.
"..."
Once the ninja troops were no longer visible, the crowd dispersed.
"Is there an important problem that needs our help, Shikaku?" Homura asked Shikaku.
"Not at the moment, Homura-sama." Shikaku replied.
"If that's the case, we'll leave. Just call if you need us." Homura said. Then, he and Koharu quickly left. They really didn't want to be in the same room with Souji.
"..."
Souji looked at Shikaku, Kosuke, and the Anbu from earlier.
"Are you Itachi-san?" Souji asked.
"Yes, Souji-sama." Itachi replied respectfully.
"Shikaku-san, Kosuke-san, and Itachi-san. Come with me to the Hokage's office now."
"Yes." The three of them replied.
"Naruto, I'm going to be busy, so I'll take you with my shadow clone. Is that okay?"
"Un. Of course." Naruto replied, nodding his head.
"All right, then. See you later, Dad!" Naruto said as he left with Souji's shadow clone.
"..."
Then, they headed to the Hokage's office.
"..."
After they arrived, Souji sat in the chair Danzo had always wanted. He gave Itachi a scroll.
"..."
"Souji-sama, this...?"
"Open it and see." Souji said to Itachi. Itachi nodded and opened the scroll.
"..."
After seeing the contents, his Sharingan activated. Kosuke and Shikaku were curious about what Itachi was looking at.
"Souji-sama, forgive me if I doubt you, but is this really genuine?" Itachi asked, holding back his anger.
Souji nodded, saying, "That information is genuine."
"..."
"Itachi, give the scroll to Shikaku."
Itachi handed the scroll to Shikaku, "Kosuke-san, you can see it too." Souji said.
Kosuke and Shikaku nodded and looked at the scroll's contents.
"..."
"This is beyond my expectations..." Shikaku said, sighing. Kosuke shook his head in disappointment at what the Uchiha clan wanted to do.
Of course, not all Uchiha agreed with this.
"Does Sandaime-sama know about this?" Shikaku asked.
Souji shook his head. "If I told him, the old man would have to stay in the village because he is bound by the actions of clan leader Fugaku and his followers."
"I'll say it clearly, Fugaku and his followers are acting on their personal desires, not those of the Uchiha clan as a whole." Souji looked at Itachi. "Am I right, Itachi?"
"Yes, Souji-sama." Itachi said.
Shikaku and Kosuke nodded upon hearing this.
"Do we need to prepare? The Uchiha Clan cannot be underestimated, because they are the strongest clan in Konoha after the Senju Clan declined." Shikaku said.
"Well, we don't need to prepare anything for them. It's just..." Souji looked at Itachi. "Itachi, do you know the punishment for a village traitor?"
"..."
"Death."
"..."
Shikaku and Kosuke fell silent when they heard that, because Itachi was the son of Fugaku, who now wanted to stage a coup.
"Souji-sama, do you have a plan?" Shikaku asked.
"..."
Souji nodded.
"Itachi, do you want your father to die as a hero? Or as a traitor?" Souji asked Itachi.
"..."
"I... I want my father to die as a hero." Itachi replied.
"Good." Souji nodded. "Now, I will tell you an important piece of information that has to do with the Uchiha clan."
The three of them nodded. "On the night of the Kyubi attack on the village, the officials suspected the Uchiha clan because they saw the Sharingan in Kyubi's eyes. Is that true, Shikaku-san?" Souji asked.
"Yes, Souji-sama." Shikaku replied.
Souji nodded again. "However, the main perpetrator of the attack was not the Uchiha clan in the village."
"..."
"The perpetrator was someone with the Sharingan who wore a mask. He claimed to be Uchiha Madara."
"..."
The three of them fell silent when they heard what Souji said.
"Souji-sama, hasn't Uchiha Madara been dead for a long time?" Itachi asked.
"I don't believe it was Madara. It's possible he was just a someone who claiming to be Madara."
Shikaku nodded. "That sounds more reasonable, but..." He asked hesitantly, "Is this information accurate, Souji-sama?"
"Yes, because I asked Kushina and Kyubi."
"..."
"Wait... Kushina and Kyubi? Isn't Kushina dead?" Shikaku asked, surprised that Souji knew about her.
"I tried to access the seal on Naruto and ask Kyubi some questions. But before I could get much information, I sensed someone's chakra on Naruto's seal. That's how I met Kushina and learned the truth about the Kyubi attack on the village." Souji boasted with great confidence.
"..."
"So it's true. Naruto is the child of the Fourth Hokage." Shikaku said.
"You couldn't possibly not know that, could you?" Souji asked.
"I wasn't sure, but I had a hunch." Shikaku answered.
Kosuke and Itachi were surprised to learn that Uzumaki Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage.
"I hope you keep this a secret for a while because I'll announce it publicly later." The three of them could only nod. Even Shikaku doubted whether Souji really needed his help. Initially, Shikaku also doubted Hiruzen's decision, but now?
There was no doubt in his heart.
"So, do you intend to tell the public as well as Fugaku and the others?" Shikaku asked.
Souji shook his head. "Suspicion will disappear easily, but hatred?"
"Itachi, are you sure that those carrying out the coup will stop hating the village if they know this information?" Souji asked, looking into Itachi's eyes, which had returned to normal.
"..."
Itachi doubted it himself, but he was sure of his answer, "No, their hatred won't disappear, nor will their desire to carry out the coup."
Shikaku was shocked by Itachi's answer, while Kosuke remained silent, doubting his ability to help in such a situation. Of course, if he were told to do something, he would do it.
"..."
"My plan is simple. I will become a masked man and kill Fugaku and his followers." Souji said.
"..."
"And you'll tell the public that Fugaku and the other Uchiha ninjas died, trying to capture the main perpetrator of the Kyubi incident that attacked the village." Shikaku said.
Souji nodded. "As I expected, Shikaku, you understand it immediately."
"So, do you agree with this plan, Itachi?"
"..."
"Yes." Itachi replied confidently. Itachi believed his father was beyond saving, so dying as a hero of Konoha was better than dying as a traitor.
'Forgive me, Father. But I have to do this.' Itachi thought.
"..."
"..."