The next day, inside the Hokage Building's council chamber.
All the major clan heads, as well as the jōnin, were present.
The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.
Minato Namikaze sat at the head of the chamber.
At his upper right sat Wen Lan.
Below him was an empty seat—Sarutobi Hiruzen's former position.
Further back were the clan heads; the jōnin could only stand along the walls.
Wen Lan suddenly noticed someone unfamiliar. He frowned slightly—anyone allowed to sit should be a clan head.
He leaned toward Shikaku and asked in a low voice,
"Senior Shikaku, the third seat from the back on the right—whose clan head is that?"
Shikaku didn't turn his head, only glanced sideways with his peripheral vision—staring directly would be rude.
After recognizing the person, he paused briefly and looked at Wen Lan oddly.
"That's the Kurama Clan, whose genjutsu rivals the Sharingan. You didn't know?"
"The Kurama Clan?!"
Wen Lan froze for a moment, then suddenly remembered.
This clan was incredibly powerful.
They possessed a terrifying kekkei genkai known as Five Senses Domination, capable of turning genjutsu into reality—controlling sight, hearing, and even manifesting illusions through painting!
In the original story, the final descendant of the Kurama Clan, Kurama Yakumo, was Kurenai's disciple.
Unfortunately, this bloodline wasn't inherited by all members—only a very small number with extraordinary talent could awaken it.
At the same time, the clan's physical constitution was extremely weak.
"Then why didn't they come when Minato took office as Hokage?" Wen Lan asked softly.
"He was ill," Shikaku replied quietly. "They sent a congratulatory letter."
Kurama Sōun seemed to notice Wen Lan's gaze. He looked back and gave a gentle yet unsettling smile.
His complexion was visibly pale, as if he had only just recovered from a serious illness.
Wen Lan quickly returned the smile.
He vaguely recalled that Kurama Yakumo later developed an inner demon, which led to a massive fire in the clan compound—her parents died in that blaze.
But Wen Lan didn't dwell on it.
At present, aside from the Shimura, Utane, Mito, and Sarutobi clans, everyone else had arrived.
Wen Lan glanced at the clock on the wall—it was already nine o'clock.
He looked toward Minato, received a slight nod, and stood up.
"Alright. It's nine o'clock."
"I, Uchiha Wen Lan, in my capacity as Hokage's Assistant, hereby announce:
From this moment on, any clan that has not arrived—except for the Uchiha Clan—will have all high-level decision-making authority stripped.
Any jōnin who failed to attend will lose fifty percent of their mission pay for one year, while their mission quota remains unchanged!"
The moment his words fell, the chamber erupted into an uproar.
Everyone knew exactly who hadn't arrived yet—
only the remnants of the Third Hokage's faction.
This declaration was a heavy hammer, smashing directly into the weak point of Hiruzen's remaining power.
Bang!
The doors to the council chamber burst open.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Utane Koharu, and Mito Homura entered side by side, their faces dark.
Behind them followed Shimura Yukizō, head of the Shimura clan.
Hiruzen's sharp gaze swept across the chamber before finally settling on Wen Lan.
"Young man," he said slowly, "you have nerve."
Wen Lan replied calmly, neither servile nor arrogant,
"Third Hokage-sama, rules apply equally to everyone.
If you had arrived even one minute earlier, you wouldn't be counted as absent."
Utane Koharu snorted coldly, clearly wanting to speak, while Mito Homura frowned deeply.
"Since the four of you arrived late," Wen Lan continued coolly,
"I hereby announce: the Sarutobi, Mito, Utane, and Shimura clans are stripped of all high-level authority in Konoha!
Within three days, hand over all control of medical resources, Konoha Hospital, logistics, and related powers!
Furthermore, as punishment for disrespecting the authority of the current Hokage—
for the next ten years, all frontline garrison duties will be undertaken exclusively by members of these four clans!"
Hiruzen's pupils shrank violently.
Behind him, representatives of the four clans erupted in fury.
"You have no right to do this!" Utane Koharu snarled through clenched teeth.
"As Hokage's Assistant, I absolutely do," Wen Lan said coldly, staring at her.
"Didn't Danzō wield this much authority back then?"
Mito Homura shouted harshly,
"Wen Lan, you're forcing us into rebellion!"
"Is that so?" Wen Lan narrowed his eyes.
"Then tell me—do you even have the qualifications for that?"
"Did you notice," he continued calmly,
"that Uchiha Fugaku, the Uchiha clan head, and several Uchiha jōnin didn't attend today?"
"Care to guess where they are?"
The four of them stiffened.
At that moment, an ANBU suddenly appeared, kneeling on one knee before Hiruzen, his voice urgent.
"Third Hokage-sama! Just now, the Uchiha clan surrounded the compounds of the four clans!
Every single one of them is at least chūnin level!"
"You dare, Wen Lan!" Mito Homura roared, eyes blazing.
Suddenly—
Wen Lan drew his blade.
His body transformed into golden lightning, instantly appearing beside the ANBU!
The ANBU stiffened—
his head slid cleanly from his shoulders.
Blood sprayed everywhere as the headless corpse crashed to the floor.
The entire chamber exploded into shock.
No one had expected Wen Lan to kill without hesitation!
"Don't even know who your master is, and you dare act like a dog?"
Wen Lan planted his foot on the severed head and said coldly,
"All ANBU, listen well.
You are the Special Assassination and Tactical Unit.
Your duties are to protect the Hokage, gather intelligence, and carry out high-level assassinations.
You have only one master—the current Hokage!
If I ever see anyone among you acting as a two-faced, backstabbing dog again—
this will be your example!"
He stomped down.
Crunch!
The skull shattered, blood and brain matter splattering across the floor.
Faces throughout the chamber drained of color.
The stench of blood filled the air.
Wen Lan slowly sheathed his blade and swept his gaze across the remaining ANBU.
"Now," he asked coldly,
"who still wants to run off and report to someone else?"
No one answered.
Deathly silence filled the hall, broken only by the wind outside.
Standing in a pool of blood, Wen Lan turned his gaze toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Since you've retired behind the scenes, then enjoy your retirement properly," he said icily.
"If you dare reach out again, I'll keep chopping."
He then barked toward the wall where Uchiha Zhiyan stood,
"Zhiyan! Inform the clan head—
if anyone from the Sarutobi, Mito, Utane, or Shimura clans dares step outside their compounds, kill them on the spot!"
"Yes!"
Zhiyan immediately knelt, responded sharply, and leapt out through the window.
"Stop him!" Hiruzen shouted.
Two ANBU figures emerged from the shadows, moving to block Zhiyan.
"Kill them!" Wen Lan roared, eyes locked on Hiruzen.
Zhiyan drew his blade.
Lightning-like steel flashed—
before the two ANBU could react, bloodlines bloomed across their throats.
They collapsed.
"Wen Lan, what exactly do you want?!"
Shimura Yukizō roared, eyes bloodshot with rage.
"What do I want?"
Wen Lan slammed the blood-dripping Kusanagi sword into the floor, resting one hand on the hilt as he slowly raised his head, a cold smile on his face.
"I've said it before.
When a new Hokage takes office, some old things should stop thinking thoughts they shouldn't.
We already gave you a dignified way out.
If you don't want dignity—
then I'll help you have it."
—------------------------------
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