Splat—
The Third Hokage, unwilling to accept defeat, continued to manipulate the Shinigami's hand to seize Uchiha Fugaku.
But the Fugaku before him vanished in a puff of smoke—it was just a Shadow Clone.
At the same time, another Fugaku walked forward, but that too turned out to be a clone.
"I will not accept this…"
The Third Hokage let out an enraged, unwilling roar and once again directed the Shinigami's hand to shatter the clone. His own body, however, lost all strength and collapsed stiffly to the ground.
This time, the real Uchiha Fugaku emerged.
He walked up to the fallen Hokage, a cold smile tugging at his lips.
To assassinate the Third Hokage—ever since his eyes had awakened into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan—would have been easy at any time.
But an assassination like that would never feel as satisfying as forcing him from the Hokage's seat first and then watching him die.
Shua, shua, shua!
The battle inside the Hokage Tower had ended. The few clan heads who had sided with the Third Hokage were all captured.
Those who had supported Fugaku, as well as the neutral clan leaders, soon arrived.
Seeing the lifeless body of the Third Hokage lying on the ground, their expressions were filled with shock.
Some frowned, feeling that Fugaku's methods were far too ruthless.
Even if the Hokage had defied the Daimyō's command, killing him outright seemed excessive.
After all, if even Orochimaru could be subdued, surely Fugaku could have captured the Third Hokage without killing him.
"Clan Head Fugaku… did you kill the Third Hokage? "
Nara Shikaku asked with a frown.
The Ino–Shika–Chō trio had remained neutral.
They hadn't sided with Fugaku, but they also hadn't supported Hiruzen.
Their bonds were stronger with the Fourth Hokage, and Hiruzen's treatment of the Fourth's orphan had left them deeply disappointed. Neutrality had seemed the only path.
But now, seeing Fugaku apparently kill Hiruzen, dissatisfaction arose. Fugaku's approach felt too merciless.
"It wasn't me who killed him. He used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, intending to take me down with him. But he failed.
If you don't believe me, you can examine his injuries."
Fugaku explained calmly.
And he was right—if it looked like he had killed Hiruzen directly, resentment would grow. People would call him too brutal.
Yes, his power was more than enough to suppress dissent. But that would only harm his future rule over the village.
Now, with the Hokage dying from the backlash of his own forbidden jutsu, Fugaku's hands were clean. It was the best outcome.
Yamanaka Haichi, skilled at analyzing corpses, stepped forward to inspect Hiruzen's body. After a moment, he stood and said,
"There are no mortal wounds. The cause of death resembles that of the Fourth Hokage—it seems he too used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal."
Hearing that Hiruzen had indeed used the forbidden jutsu in a failed attempt to take Fugaku with him, the clan heads let go of their earlier resentment.
If Hiruzen had chosen that path himself, then no blame could fall on Fugaku.
"You all must have heard the Daimyō's decree earlier. For now, I will serve as Acting Hokage until a new one is chosen. None of you have objections, I assume? "
Fugaku's eyes swept across the room.
"No objections."
"None here."
"…We agree."
All the clan heads shook their heads. With the Daimyō's written order, Fugaku serving as Acting Hokage was natural and within regulations.
And in this situation, opposition would be meaningless anyway.
The Third Hokage was dead—who was left to stand against Fugaku?
"Good. Since no one objects, I will assume the duties of Acting Hokage."
A smile spread across Fugaku's face.
For now, the title carried the word "Acting." But he was certain those two characters would soon vanish.
Carrying the Third Hokage's corpse, everyone returned to the Hokage Tower.
The captured clan heads who had supported Hiruzen saw his body, and their last defenses crumbled. All thought of resistance drained away.
Hiruzen was dead. His era was over. Fighting any longer was pointless.
Continuing to resist would only bring destruction upon themselves and their clans.
Only the Sarutobi, Mito, Koharu, and Shimura clan heads glared at Fugaku with fury, shouting:
"Uchiha Fugaku—you, you actually killed Lord Hokage?! "
Their ties to Hiruzen ran too deep. There was no reconciling with the Uchiha.
Even if they tried to surrender, Fugaku would never spare them or their clans.
"Though I don't owe you an explanation, I'll give you one. The Third Hokage was not killed by me. He used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal in an attempt to drag me down with him but failed."
Fugaku said flatly.
Bearing the accusation of killing Hiruzen would undermine his claim to leadership, so he bothered to clarify.
"You lie! The Hokage-sama must have been killed by you! "
The Sarutobi clan head roared.
He refused to believe Hiruzen had died in such humiliation—failing to kill Fugaku with a forbidden jutsu and instead dooming himself.
Fugaku's gaze shifted to Yamanaka Haichi.
Feeling the weight of that gaze, Haichi cleared his throat and spoke:
"Based on my examination, the Third Hokage did not die from external injuries. His death appears to be the result of backlash from a forbidden technique."
Throughout the conflict between Fugaku and Hiruzen, he had remained neutral. Fugaku likely wouldn't target him or his clan afterward.
And now that Fugaku was acting Hokage—and very likely to become the Fifth Hokage—Haichi saw no harm in offering a convenient confirmation.
Besides, he wasn't lying. Hiruzen had indeed died from a forbidden jutsu's backlash.
"Earlier, because of differing allegiances, I did not blame you. Now, with the Third Hokage dead, as long as you abandon those old ideas, I am willing to let bygones be bygones."
Fugaku's gaze shifted away from the four hardline clans and toward the other leaders.
Unlike the Sarutobi, Mito, Koharu, and Shimura, these clans weren't deeply tied to Hiruzen. They could still be won over.
"Thank you, Clan Head Fugaku—no, Acting Hokage—for your mercy."
"Yes, thank you, Acting Hokage, for your leniency."
"…We are grateful."
These leaders, already stripped of the will to resist after seeing Hiruzen's corpse, immediately pledged their allegiance.
"Good."
Fugaku nodded with satisfaction.
At least some of them knew when to bend. Those who didn't would join the Sarutobi, Mito, Koharu, and Shimura in their downfall.