The letter Hyūga Gen delivered to Yuhara wasn't long, but the message it conveyed was earth-shaking.
All the clan heads of Konoha were gathering for a meeting—in the middle of the night, no less, at a hidden valley on the edge of the village.
If it were a normal meeting, they wouldn't have chosen such a shady, secretive place.
Which meant the topic of this meeting probably wasn't something that could be discussed openly—it might even lead to a complete shake-up in Konoha itself.
With that in mind, Yuhara didn't waste a second. After handing Karin over to Shisui, he immediately set out for the valley alone.
Konoha was actually huge. Beyond the residential area, most of it was wrapped in forests.
These forests were rumored to have been created by Hashirama Senju, but hardly anyone could confirm that anymore.
Behind those forests were either the defensive walls of the village, or natural formations like valleys that served as natural barriers.
Tonight's meeting location was in one of those valleys.
Moving quickly, Yuhara avoided a patrol and used his Sharingan to slip past some barriers, finally arriving at the destination.
After scanning the area and confirming nothing was off, he began walking toward the valley—only to stop halfway.
He looked up slightly. Someone was standing on a large rock.
The presence they gave off was powerful—clearly not someone average. Though they stood with their back to the moonlight, Yuhara recognized them instantly.
"Clan Head Hiashi, long time no see," Yuhara said with a grin. Yep, it was Hyūga Hiashi.
"Yuhara, you're late," Hiashi replied before jumping down from the rock to stand in front of him.
"I only just returned to Konoha. That was a shadow clone handling things here. Sorry for the delay."
Yuhara answered casually, not hiding anything from Hiashi.
"You weren't in Konoha?" Hiashi looked a bit surprised but quickly returned to calm, not pressing the matter.
"I see. Let's go."
He turned and led Yuhara deeper into the valley.
The valley was deep, and it had clearly been deliberately fortified. There were visible traps and barrier seals everywhere.
If someone tried to break in, those inside would know immediately and have the time to either fight or retreat.
Once Yuhara and Hiashi reached the inner area, Yuhara saw who was gathered—and he knew right then, Hiruzen Sarutobi was in serious trouble.
Besides the Ino-Shika-Chō trio, who were on good terms with Yuhara, the Aburame and Inuzuka clans were also present.
And with the Uchiha and Hyūga already there, that meant the seven most influential clans in Konoha were all gathered in this tiny valley.
Sure, there were plenty of other small clans, but in terms of real power and sway, none could compare to these seven.
The only other clans with similar prominence were the Sarutobi, Shimura, Mitokado, and Koharu's lines—who only rose because of their ties to the Hokage.
"Looks like everyone's here," said Nara Shikaku once Yuhara entered.
"The reason I gathered everyone tonight is something I'm sure you're all mentally prepared for."
"Yuhara has provided sufficient evidence that even after the Danzo incident, despite the Uchiha making their position clear, the Hokage continues to target them."
"The Uchiha are part of Konoha—one of the founding clans. For the Hokage to single them out like this is unacceptable."
"That's why we're here tonight."
Shikaku paused and looked toward Yuhara. Then he asked slowly, "Yuhara, do you remember what you told me a few months ago?"
"Of course I do," Yuhara replied, knowing some things had to be said by him personally.
Shikaku had moved faster and more effectively than Yuhara ever expected. In just two months, he had persuaded the Hyūga, Aburame, and Inuzuka clans—as well as securing the Ino-Shika-Chō alliance.
Compared to Yuhara, that guy was a political ninja.
Yuhara might have been able to sway the Hyūga due to their grudge against Hiruzen, but the other two? That would've been a challenge.
He didn't know what tactics Shikaku had used, but that didn't matter. The opportunity was right in front of him now.
If he didn't seize it, he'd be a fool.
"A few months ago," Yuhara began, "I told Clan Head Shikaku: the Hokage is Konoha's Hokage, but Konoha belongs to all of us."
"Hiruzen Sarutobi has treated Konoha like his personal property. He's placed himself above the village."
"Yes, maybe deep down he still believes he's doing it for Konoha. But his thoughts and actions have already twisted."
"That's not what a real Hokage should be. The tragedy of Hiashi's brother proved that."
"And now, with what happened to Itachi and all the intel we've received—it's clear Hiruzen is no longer fit to be Hokage."
Yuhara scanned the room, then declared firmly:
"So I told Shikaku we need a new Hokage. One who's truly capable of leading Konoha."
"At the very least, someone who understands the responsibility—not someone who treats the village like it's his own."
"We, the clan shinobi, are part of Konoha—but we have our pride and our dignity."
"Which is why I propose that we begin the appropriate course of action..."
"Impeach the Hokage!"
The moment Yuhara said it, even though everyone had mentally prepared for this—even Hiashi—they still couldn't help but react emotionally.
Impeaching the Hokage… That was unprecedented.
No one had ever dared suggest such a thing before.
Then again, thinking back—the previous Hokage never needed to be.
The First quelled the Warring States. His strength was unmatched, even if he was said to be a bit naïve.
But he had Tobirama beside him, and Tobirama's intellect was legendary.
Tobirama designed almost all of Konoha's governing systems and carefully structured the village's departments.
He had also established Konoha's education system, improved its defense infrastructure, and even proposed giving civilian shinobi greater political influence.
Most importantly, he didn't just propose these ideas—he actually followed through. He shared many of the jutsu he'd developed himself and convinced several clans to offer up less-critical techniques, giving civilian shinobi access to foundational jutsu they could learn and use.
Even though the policy hurt the major clans' interests, it undeniably made Konoha stronger. This initiative laid the foundation of Konoha's strength.
So even now, though the major clans might grumble about it, none openly oppose it—because if Konoha falls, they fall too.
As for the current Third Hokage, any fair judgment really has to be split into two phases.
In the beginning, he did okay. He knew he'd been handpicked and hadn't earned the approval of the clans, so he kept a low profile and focused on practical matters.
He even personally led troops during wartime, earning everyone's respect and showing the qualities a Hokage should have.
Back then, he was known as the "Shinobi Hero," and even the major clans had to admit he was a qualified Hokage.
But after the war, riding the momentum of victory, he began purging and consolidating power.
He promoted his old classmates and stripped many of the clans of their influence. Naturally, this drew resentment from clan shinobi.
Still, while doing this, he worked hard to expand the Second Hokage's policies. Talented civilian shinobi began popping up like mushrooms after rain.
And at that time, Hiruzen still had some sense of moderation.
Though the clans lost a lot, he compensated in other areas, so the relationship could still be maintained.
But during the Third Great Ninja War, everything changed.
He never set foot on the battlefield again. Instead, a bunch of children—some only seven or eight years old—were sent out to die.
The clan leaders admitted his battle strategies were solid, but when it came to negotiating with the Hidden Sand, Mist, and Stone villages, Konoha gained nothing.
Okay, maybe Mist was too far to squeeze anything from, and they could tolerate allying with Sand for strategic reasons.
But why get nothing from Stone?
So you could send us to die fighting Hidden Cloud?
Did that even happen?
Turns out—it didn't. But the pressure forced Hiruzen to step down. Only, when he left, he installed a new Fourth Hokage.
That Fourth was a puppet, sure—but he was young, energetic, and full of ideas. Plus, he got along well with the clan leaders.
They believed that even if he was under Hiruzen's control now, he'd eventually grow into a leader in his own right.
But reality was cruel. The Fourth Hokage died, and the Third returned—and that's when things really went to hell.
Things had gotten so bad that they had no real options left.
No one had ever dared suggest impeaching a Hokage before. The very idea shook them all.
But once it had been voiced—there was no putting it back in the box.
"I second it," said Hyūga Hiashi without much hesitation, raising his right hand.
"The Third is no longer a suitable Hokage. If this keeps up, none of us will be spared.
"He started with the Hyūga, then moved to the Uchiha—one strike after another. This isn't what a Hokage should be doing.
"It's us now. It could be you next. So I support this."
"I second it as well," said Aburame Shibi after a moment of hesitation, raising his hand too.
"The whole Danzo affair—Hokage-sama keeps deflecting and denying responsibility.
"But honestly, I can't believe none of it was his doing. Without his approval, Danzo couldn't have pulled off any of that.
"Hokage-sama is no longer the low-key, practical leader he once was.
"I support this, Clan Head Yuhara."
With Shibi voicing his support, the Inuzuka clan head followed shortly after, raising his hand in agreement.
The Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans had been onboard from the beginning, or they wouldn't have helped rally everyone here in the first place.
So now, everyone had made their stance clear.
Even though they'd all come here mentally prepared, this still marked a historic moment.
These clan heads had just made history.
Yuhara looked at the six of them and couldn't help but smile—the hardest part of impeaching Hiruzen was done.
This step—from nothing to something—was the breakthrough that mattered most.
But removing Hiruzen wouldn't be easy. There were still many things to discuss and plan out.
Without a complete strategy, this attempt could easily fall apart.
"Clan Head Yuhara, let's hear your plan," Nara Shikaku finally said now that everyone had declared support.
Impeaching a Hokage wasn't just a slogan. Everyone backed him now, so he needed to show he was worthy of that trust.
This plan had to cover a lot.
First and foremost: what exactly were they impeaching Hiruzen for?
This was critical. Yuhara knew from his past life—when doing anything risky or controversial, the most important thing was having a just cause.
If you couldn't justify your actions, you could end up buried by public opinion.
And no one wanted to mess with that. Public outrage could destroy you in an instant.
Everyone here knew that all too well.
After all, no one had forgotten the cases of the Uchiha—or of Sakumo Hatake.
Beyond the reason, they also needed to figure out how to act, what to do, and most importantly—how to clean up afterward.
It was all complex—and this was just the beginning.
Yuhara looked at Shikaku, knowing this was a test.
It was time to prove whether he had made any real preparations.
When they first talked months ago, Yuhara had shared only vague ideas—not nearly enough.
No one liked unnecessary risk. Incomplete plans couldn't be made public, because they could doom everyone involved.
Now it was Yuhara's time to prove his worth. If he couldn't present a solid plan, these six might walk away—and all their support would vanish in smoke.
Just like Nara Shikaku said, Yuhara needed to earn their trust—something he, as the initiator, had to take full responsibility for.
"I do have a plan, and I'll need everyone's support to carry it out."
Yuhara took a deep breath, his expression turning serious. He had already considered all this carefully; the strategy was solidly formed in his mind.
"The Hokage has already handed us a valid reason to impeach him—he's no longer fit for the role.
"He had already retired as the Third Hokage. The Fourth Hokage had been chosen, but due to what may have been a 'premeditated' accident, he died.
"That's what forced the Third to seize power again. Logically, fine. Legally, he's overstepping his authority.
"Konoha should now be under the Fifth Hokage's leadership."
His words were calm, but their content made the six clan heads both nod and frown.
Yuhara never brought up Hiruzen's suppression of the clans or his targeting of the Uchiha. He kept the focus strictly on legal legitimacy.
This avoided sensitive framing, like the appearance of clan retaliation against Hiruzen.
Even if people suspected that was the true motive, they still had to play the political game.
Impeaching the Hokage based on legal grounds was far more politically correct than making it about personal revenge.
Yuhara was playing this masterfully—just like those slick politicians overseas he remembered from his past life.
But when he mentioned the "premeditated" accident, the six couldn't help exchanging glances.
Could it be that the Fourth Hokage's death wasn't what it seemed?
Or was Yuhara just trying to use this angle for political maneuvering?
Still, none of them spoke up. They chose to keep listening.
"If we're now aiming to have a Fifth Hokage take over, then we've got more prep to do," Yuhara continued, noticing their expressions but brushing it off.
"First, we need to agree on a qualified Hokage candidate. I've spoken to Minister Shikaku before—I personally support Jiraiya to become the Fifth.
"If anyone has another name in mind, we can discuss that later.
"Next, we must gather solid evidence proving the Third is unfit for leadership—not just legally, but administratively as well.
"And for that, I believe the best angle is... Shimura Danzo."
The six all nodded. Legal reasoning was one thing, but they needed heavier ammunition too.
If it were just about the legalities, Hiruzen could deflect by claiming there was "no suitable successor."
The legal basis was merely a blade's hilt—the real weapon had to be what lay beneath.
"But Danzo's dead. A lot of the evidence got buried by the Third," Aburame Shibi sighed.
Danzo was the perfect point of attack, but with him dead, it was much harder.
No one blamed Yuhara for killing Danzo—in fact, every single person here had silently cheered. If not for the need to stay discreet, they would've thrown a damn parade.
Danzo had been universally hated—charging down the path of darkness like a rabid dog, never once slowing until someone finally took him out.
Still, in hindsight, maybe he died too soon. They hadn't been able to extract any evidence from Hiruzen back then.
"There's still plenty of evidence—tons of it, in fact," Yuhara said, pulling two scrolls from his ninja pouch.
He tossed one to Shibi while unrolling the other himself.
"I got this from Hiruzen—he offered it in exchange for something. It's one piece of the evidence chain."
Shibi frowned but opened the scroll—and his expression changed the moment he read it.
It was the Root personnel roster.
Shibi knew exactly what this meant. It listed every member in Root by name and codename, even orphans taken in—down to their backgrounds.
With this, they could see just how massive Root had become and how many clan members had been forcibly taken.
Most clans never wanted their talented heirs sent to such a filthy, secretive place.
And no clan leader would've ever agreed to it—Danzo's tactics had trampled their dignity.
The Ino-Shika-Cho had suffered it. So had the Aburame and Inuzuka.
Honestly, besides the Uchiha and Hyūga, every clan in this room had felt Danzo's hand.
He was dead now. Some things were covered up. But this roster still proved what he did.
It was good evidence. Not perfect, but a strong piece.
Still—they weren't going after Danzo. They were targeting Hiruzen. And without solid proof of Hiruzen's involvement, this wasn't enough.
"This roster carries weight," said Shibi after finishing, passing it to the others. Nara Shikaku sighed slightly after reading it.
"But it's not enough. Not by a long shot."
"I know," Yuhara said, letting a small smile escape as he formed a hand seal.
With a puff of smoke, a pale severed arm appeared in front of everyone.
"An evidence chain needs multiple links before it becomes airtight. This roster is one—but a small one.
"When I got it from Hiruzen, it was only to get your support. I didn't expect Minister Shikaku to help me this much."
Shikaku chuckled. He now realized this kid had been scheming to depose the Hokage ever since the Danzo ambush.
"Actually, that same night I took down Danzo, I said over and over—Danzo had Uchiha power in his body.
"He also had strange, unknown chakra. I wonder if you all remember that?"
Yuhara didn't care he'd been labeled petty—because he was petty.
His words made everyone nod. They vaguely recalled him saying that at the time.
Still, back then, most hadn't taken it seriously. Some even saw the Uchiha-Danzo fight as two mad dogs tearing each other apart.
No one really understood what the Uchiha were after back then.
Now that Yuhara brought it up again—and with that shriveled, pale arm laid out—there was clearly something here worth digging into.
"This arm..." Yamanaka Inoichi frowned, sensing the strange power within it.
"I faced Danzo once inside the Root base. This arm—I cut it off during that fight," Yuhara said calmly. What followed, though, made everyone's face change.
"I noticed something wrong with it at the time, but couldn't collect it immediately since I was chasing Danzo.
"After I confronted the Third Hokage and we negotiated, I went back and recovered it.
"Once home, I had our clan's medical ninja thoroughly examine it. And you know what they found?
"This arm contains immense vitality and a power beyond imagination—yang release!
"As experts in clan techniques, I know you're all familiar with yang release. So who do you think has both immense vitality and powerful yang chakra?"
He wasn't hinting anymore—he was flat-out telling them.
There was only one answer: Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage and one of Konoha's founders.
Danzo had been using Hashirama's cells in experiments. How could he do that? How did he even dare?
All at once, everyone stared at the arm. Hyuga Hiashi even activated his Byakugan to inspect it closely.
And sure enough, they could all feel that extraordinary vitality—sense that overwhelming yang energy.
"This... this is really the First Hokage's power…" Hiashi muttered. But then his face, like the others, turned grim.
Anger surged in their hearts. Bloodline limits and secret techniques were sacred clan legacies.
To tamper with them was courting death. No clan would tolerate it.
And to experiment on the First Hokage's power? That was the ultimate taboo. Hiruzen and Danzo—both were unforgivable.
But then... they remembered what Hiruzen said months ago. He'd admitted that Danzo was doing these experiments and had denied any involvement.
And back then, they'd basically accepted his explanation.
"You should've brought this out earlier," Shikaku said bitterly, looking at Yuhara. But then he shook his head.
Even if Yuhara had shown them the arm back then, could they have done anything? Did they have the means to go against Hiruzen?
Clearly, no. They didn't.
"It doesn't matter when it's revealed. What matters is that it exists," Yuhara said, smiling faintly at Shikaku's frustration.
"And this is just one part of the evidence chain. We're still missing the final, most critical piece. If we get that, everything will fall into place."
He was pleased with the reactions around him. All the effort, all the preparation—finally paying off.
He'd never denied being petty. Petty people always pay back what they're owed.
Yes, Hiruzen was a Hokage who loved Konoha. Yuhara acknowledged that.
But what he couldn't accept was Hiruzen treating Konoha as his personal property.
So Yuhara's revenge was inevitable. And the other clans' resentment? That was caused by Hiruzen's own actions.
Yuhara had simply lit the match—turned a passive storm into an active one.
Seeing their puzzled expressions, he chuckled and said, "You all remember Hatake Sakumo's kid?"
"Kakashi?" Akimichi Chōza asked, confused. "Isn't he in ANBU? What about him?"
"Kakashi is someone Hiruzen trusts. But don't forget—he has a Sharingan."
Yuhara's tone stayed calm, but a cold smile crept onto his face.
"That eye is a symbol of his bond with Uchiha Obito. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't trust Hiruzen as much as you think."
"You tested him?" Shikaku caught on instantly. "Wait... you're saying those intel leaks—were from Kakashi?"
"I can't confirm that," Yuhara shrugged. "But I did test him."
He hadn't seen Kakashi recently, so he couldn't be certain.
"Once, when Naruto came to the Uchiha compound, Kakashi was trailing him. I used that chance to pull him into a genjutsu, using his father and Naruto as leverage.
"I could tell—he was moved, tempted. But he stayed calm, didn't give me a straight answer.
"Still, I believe if I press further, we'll get results—because I recently ran into someone very interesting: Orochimaru.
"He told me... Kakashi knows about Konoha's secret Mokuton experiments."
The moment he said Orochimaru's name, everyone froze. They knew who that was. But how did Yuhara run into him?
Shikaku figured it out. Yuhara had left the village to do this. Still—he faced Orochimaru and came back alive?
Did that mean Yuhara's power was on the level of the Sannin?
There's no faking that. If he was lying, they'd all be dead.
As for why Orochimaru would give up intel... well, it was plausible. Orochimaru had left Konoha over his human experiments—and no one knew the details.
Maybe... he was the one doing the Hashirama cell trials?
"Do you even know what you're saying?" Hiashi's face turned dark. He stared at Yuhara. "Clan Head Yuhara, this is not something to joke about."
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Yuhara shot back seriously.
He wasn't lying. The experiments were real. Tenzo—aka Yamato—existed.
Even if he let Orochimaru take the fall, no one was about to go verify it themselves.
"I asked Orochimaru about the experiments after beating him. He got pretty excited.
"He said one test subject survived and ended up in Root. And that test subject had frequent contact with Kakashi.
"If we can get Kakashi to talk—or better, join us—we'll close the loop on all the evidence."
A living subject. With ties to Kakashi?
That got everyone thinking.
If Orochimaru wasn't lying—hell, why would he lie?—then this was it.
Crack Kakashi, and Hiruzen's fate would be sealed.
But... how?
"I do have an idea," Yuhara said before they could ask.
"Former Uchiha clan head, now elder, Fugaku once told me—he suspected something was off about the Fourth's death.
"That night, he visited Naruto's house and saw the kind of life the kid was living.
"It made him wonder... was this all Hiruzen's doing? Was it orchestrated so Naruto would bond only with the Third?
"And Danzo had ties to the mysterious Uchiha who released the Nine-Tails. That Uchiha knew everything about Kushina's delivery.
"So... could Hiruzen have leaked that info?
"If so, then maybe... the Fourth Hokage's death was part of Hiruzen's plot to reclaim power.
"Sure, he lost his wife in the chaos—but under the sway of power, people are capable of anything."
A chill swept the room. Everyone felt it—like they'd fallen into an icy pit.
And as they thought about it seriously... the pieces did seem to fit.
If it were true... the situation was far worse than they imagined.
"You tell me," Yuhara said next, voice quiet but sharp.
"If I tell this to Kakashi—not as a fact, but as a theory—what choice will he make?
"As the Fourth Hokage's student... what will he do?"
The six clan heads said nothing. But they all knew:
Yuhara's ruthlessness matched his strength.
And that was terrifying.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to 30+ at patreon.com/Emik01.