The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, stood in silence, his heart weighed down by guilt.
Especially in the presence of Uchiha Fugaku, he felt the crushing burden of his past decisions. He had never directly ordered Itachi to slaughter the Uchiha clan, to strike down his parents and kin, but he had been aware of it. He had known what Danzo was planning. He had been aware of the darkness that was about to unfold—and in the end, he had chosen to remain silent.
At that time, as Hokage, he had felt powerless. Though his heart resisted it, he had acquiesced to Danzo's method. It had been the path of least resistance, and by allowing it, he had allowed the massacre.
And so, in a very real sense, Hiruzen could not wash his hands of responsibility. The sins of Danzo were, in part, also his own.
The silence was heavy. It was the kind of silence that suffocated men and made their regrets heavier than chains.
It was the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, who broke it. His sharp eyes swept across the crowd as he stepped forward, unwilling to allow his student's name to be dragged through the mud without resistance.
After all, Sarutobi had been the Hokage chosen by him, his own successor. To deny the Third Hokage now was to deny Tobirama's own judgment.
"What do you know?" Tobirama barked coldly, his tone filled with steel. "At that time, Sarutobi had no choice but to carry the burden that came with the Hokage's position. Do not underestimate how heavy that weight is! It was agony for him, sitting in that chair, and every decision tore at him!"
Sarutobi raised his hand slightly, stopping his former master from continuing. With a deep breath, he stepped forward and spoke with humility.
"Second Hokage-sama… no. It was my fault. I failed you. I failed the village. I failed the Uchiha clan. I did not live up to your expectations, and I was not the Hokage I should have been."
Tobirama frowned, his voice sharp again. "Do not take the blame so easily. If I had been alive at that time, it is not certain that I would have found a better path. I may have reached the same conclusion."
The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, remained quiet, his face heavy with sorrow.
He was deeply regretful over the annihilation of the Uchiha clan. He had always believed in them, had always considered them comrades. He had treated Madara and the Uchiha as equals, not enemies.
It was because of his bond with Madara that, in the early days of Konoha, the Uchiha had not followed Madara into rebellion. They had chosen instead to remain in the village, to coexist with the other clans. That had been the influence of his vision, his charisma.
But looking at what had happened, Hashirama could not escape the guilt that pressed down on his chest.
The silence threatened to fracture the moment. It was then that Uchiha Madara stepped forward, his eyes cold but his voice commanding.
"Enough. Fundamentally speaking, every side holds blame for why the Uchiha were wiped out."
His words drew the attention of all.
"The clan bears responsibility. The village bears responsibility. The Hokage bears responsibility. And you, Fugaku—you, too, cannot escape blame."
Fugaku bowed his head in silence. Before his ancestor, he had no right to refute.
Madara's gaze sharpened. His words were harsh, but his tone was not without a grim truth.
"As a clan, you should never have thought of seizing power by force. That path is folly. As for the village—it is true, the Uchiha were targeted and marginalized. That cannot be denied. And as Hokage, Sarutobi—your weakness, your failure to control every faction in the village, was your downfall. You could not suppress Danzo. And because of that, you failed."
Tobirama's hands twitched. He bristled, ready to strike back at Madara's condemnation of his disciple. But Sarutobi shook his head once more, signaling him to stop.
Madara was not wrong. As one of the founders of Konoha, he had the authority to speak these words.
Madara's gaze then cut back to Fugaku. "And you, clan leader—your failure may have been the greatest. If your people were being persecuted, if your clan was being pushed to the brink, why did you remain silent? Did you truly believe that a coup was the only option? Did you not once think to lead your clan away, to build a new home for them? To take them far from this cursed village?"
Fugaku's body trembled. His fists clenched at his sides. His ancestor's words pierced him.
Yes. Deep down, he had never supported the coup wholeheartedly. He had feared the bloodshed that would come of it, but in the end, he had compromised. He had bent to the will of those around him.
If only he had been stronger. If only he had chosen differently. Perhaps he could have led the Uchiha away, far from Konoha's walls, to a place where they could thrive again.
But he had failed.
Hashirama could no longer remain silent. "Madara, you are too harsh. Fugaku still carried the village in his heart. He considered Konoha his home. Otherwise, he would have led the Uchiha away long ago. He stayed because he believed there was still a chance for reconciliation."
Madara exhaled deeply, falling silent. Hashirama was right. Fugaku's generation had been born and raised within Konoha. By the Third Hokage's era, the Uchiha had been woven too deeply into the village. They had roots here, and to tear them away would have been almost impossible.
Orochimaru chuckled from the sidelines, his voice carrying a cold amusement. "These troubles were seeded long ago, during the Second Hokage's time. By the era of the Third Hokage, it merely reached its breaking point."
He had said something similar when he first resurrected the Hokage. His voice now only stoked the tension in the air.
It was Naruto who stepped forward, his voice cutting through the weight of the moment.
"All this hatred… it's only going to eat you alive. Everyone here has been brought back through Edo Tensei. You've already died once. If you want to fight over the past, fine—do it here and now. Fight until you're satisfied. It won't kill you. But don't let the hatred consume the future."
The words struck like a blade. The Third Hokage leapt forward, placing himself in the center of the Uchiha clan's resurrected members.
"Then let me start. Naruto is right. Today, I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, will bear the blame. If the Uchiha desire vengeance, then strike me down here!"
With that, the aging Hokage fell to his knees before the resurrected Uchiha.
Tobirama's eyes widened with fury. "Sarutobi! You are the Third Hokage! How dare you kneel!"
But Hiruzen's voice was calm, steady. "I made mistakes. I will admit them to the Uchiha clan. If this is the only way, then so be it."
The Uchiha surrounding him raised their fists, their eyes filled with old fury. Yet when the moment came… not a single blow fell.
One voice finally broke the silence. "Forget it. They're all dead. What's the point of fighting anymore?"
The bitterness in the voice spread, dulling the rage. One by one, the Uchiha lowered their fists. The anger faded, replaced by despair.
"They're right," another muttered. "What does it matter now? Our clan is gone. There's nothing left to fight for."
Laughter, sharp and bitter, rose from among them. "Never thought I'd see the day when the proud Uchiha would fall this low!"
Another voice agreed, hollow with grief. "There's hardly anyone left. What future is there for us?"
Hashirama closed his eyes, turning to Madara with deep sorrow. "I'm sorry, Madara. In my dream of a village where everyone could live together, I failed to protect your people."
Madara inhaled deeply, then let the breath out in a long sigh. "It's over. What's done is done. There is no point in talking about it further."
At that moment, Sasuke stepped forward, his Sharingan eyes glinting.
"Enough. The most important thing now is for the Uchiha to stand united. We cannot live in the past. We have to rebuild. Everyone… come with me. Let's return to Konoha together."
Fugaku rose beside his son, his voice strong. "You heard him. Follow us back to the village."
One by one, the resurrected Uchiha began to move, following Fugaku and Sasuke.
By his side walked Itachi and Shisui. Itachi's face was tense, his body rigid. Returning to the clan he had slaughtered with his own hands was suffocating. He could already imagine their stares, the unspoken accusations.
He took a deep breath. It didn't matter anymore. He had died once. Whatever they said, he would endure it.
Madara exchanged a glance with Hashirama and began walking with them. Hashirama smiled faintly. "I'll go with you."
Tobirama motioned for Hiruzen and Minato to follow. He still didn't trust the Uchiha, even resurrected, and he wouldn't risk them turning on Konoha again.
But Hashirama was confident. With him and Madara present, Sasuke would have the support he needed.
And so, the Uchiha marched in force back toward Konoha.
Watching from afar, Suigetsu sighed. "Damn, I never realized just how complicated Sasuke's family really is."
Jugo nodded. "He must be happy though… being reunited like this."
Suigetsu smirked at Karin. "Hey, those were your future in-laws just now. Weren't you going to say hello?"
Karin flushed bright red, flustered. "Shut up, you idiot!"
Orochimaru stepped forward, chuckling. "You three, pack your things. We're heading back."
Naruto walked over, bowing respectfully. "Thanks, Uncle Snake. I mean it."
Orochimaru gave him a sly smile. "It's amusing to watch Sasuke's reunion. And even more amusing to watch the Third Hokage get scolded."
Naruto couldn't help but smile. Uncle Snake was always like this.
—
Back at the Uchiha compound.
Fugaku, Mikoto, Sasuke, and Itachi stood before the ruins of their old home. Fugaku's eyes grew moist.
"So… this is what it's become."
Behind them, Uchiha who had been resurrected scattered through the district, many rushing to the homes they once lived in. Cries echoed faintly in the distance, the grief of those who realized their loved ones were gone forever.
Mikoto placed a gentle hand on Itachi's shoulder. "It's better if you don't come here often. Stay near the center of the village for now."
Fugaku nodded firmly. "There will have to be reconciliation sooner or later. If you've been given this chance, you should stay here with us."
Together, the four entered their old home.
Meanwhile, Madara walked the compound with Hashirama, Tobirama, Hiruzen, and Minato. To these Hokage, the sight was alien. The Uchiha district they remembered was gone.
Madara's expression was unreadable, but something weighed on his mind. Hashirama noticed immediately.
"Madara, what is it?"
Madara was silent for a long moment. Finally, he turned his gaze to Minato, the Fourth Hokage.
"Tell me… can your son bring my younger brother back as well?"
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