Ryosuke was more than satisfied with the outcome.
Appointing Nara Shikaku as interim advisor had been a deliberate move—Shikaku's intellect was unmatched, and if anyone could manage Konoha's affairs during this fragile transition, it was him.
The day's business was done.
The Uchiha had achieved their goal without lifting a blade: Hiruzen Sarutobi was dead, by his own hand, and the clan bore no direct blame.
Perfect, Ryosuke thought. He died guilty, but not by our swords. Who could accuse us of murder now?
He gave the order for the Uchiha to return to their compound and the Police Headquarters.
Both Yatsushiro and Fugaku followed without complaint, equally satisfied with the results—though Yatsushiro still simmered with resentment.
The Sarutobi and Shimura clans had long been allies to Hiruzen and Danzō, and their schemes had nearly destroyed the Uchiha. To Yatsushiro, letting them walk free felt unjust.
But this was neither the place nor the time. The clan's unity came first. Any reckoning could wait until they were back on their own ground.
Those left behind in the council hall traded uneasy glances. Today had shaken them to the core.
Konoha's sky was changing color; the age of the Senju's descendants and their protégés was ending.
For generations, the Hokage line had been rooted in the Senju legacy:
First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tobirama's disciple.
Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen's student's student.
But the future? That belonged to the Uchiha.
And truthfully, most of the clan heads found themselves willing to accept it.
The Uchiha had proven their strength, their reputation now unmatched. If any clan had the ability to lead Konoha, it was them.
Soon, news of Hiruzen's suicide spread across the village like wildfire. Every detail of the council's revelations leaked into the streets, stunning the villagers.
Yes, they already knew Shisui had been killed.
Yes, they already knew Danzō had conducted horrific experiments.
But to hear it confirmed that the Hokage himself had permitted it, and worse, betrayed the village to Cloud—that was unthinkable.
The public erupted into whispers and outrage:
"Did you hear about the clan meeting? The Third knew about Danzō's experiments all along—how could he not?"
"Human experimentation? On children? That's not just forbidden, that's monstrous."
People shuddered as they recalled the rumors. Dozens of infants, used as test subjects. Attempted fusion with the First Hokage's cells. Every one of them died in agony.
Even Orochimaru's crimes paled in comparison.
"The textbooks always called Hiruzen the 'Professor,' the strongest Hokage… what a joke. Strongest? More like the weakest excuse for one."
Another voice cut in with bitter venom:
"Strongest my ass. You haven't heard the worst of it—he wasn't just incompetent, he was a traitor."
That turned heads immediately. The crowd pressed closer, eyes wide.
"A traitor? What do you mean? Say it clearly!"
The man spat out the truth as he'd heard it from others:
"When Konoha was at war with the Hidden Cloud, the Third leaked military intelligence to them. That's why the Cloud deployed their elites against the Uchiha and Hyūga. If not for the Uchiha's overwhelming victory, the entire village would've been crushed!"
Gasps spread like wildfire. Anger, disbelief, fear—all tangled in the villagers' hearts.
The Hokage they had revered for decades, the so-called guardian of the Will of Fire… was now remembered as a coward, a conspirator, and a traitor.
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