Chapter 123: Public Impeachment
At the end of the day, Kakashi was just a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy this year.
Even adults encountering what Kakashi had experienced might not maintain composure, much less a youth. He wasn't some naturally bloodless, tearless monster—his personality was simply somewhat cold.
"Kakashi!"
Seeing the tears streaming down the boy's face, a flash of heartache and sorrow crossed Nohara Rin's eyes.
Uzumaki Kushina similarly felt distressed. She truly loved Minato's three students as her own children. Especially the impulsive, rash Obito—he'd been her favorite. But now, seeing the normally most sensible, most worry-free Kakashi show such a grieved expression truly made her heart feel especially stifled.
Watching his student cry, Minato naturally wasn't unmoved either.
However, he restrained his emotions, maintaining that gloomy, somber expression. He said in a low voice, "Kakashi, don't be afraid. Whatever you've discovered, just say it!"
"I... hah!"
Kakashi took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing the grief and pain in his heart. His gaze swept over the many Konoha ninja gathered around. He hesitated. "Sensei, should I say it here?"
"It's fine. Say it here. As long as it doesn't endanger the village's safety, there's nothing that can't be said before everyone." Minato's voice was very calm.
The surrounding Konoha ninja's eyes flickered with excited light. They glanced at each other, all subconsciously softening their breathing, afraid that making too much noise would cause Kakashi discomfort.
Ritsu observed Namikaze Minato with some surprise.
He'd actually chosen not to disperse the crowd or move to a quiet place for private conversation. Instead, he'd chosen to let Kakashi publicly announce it. Ritsu didn't believe Minato couldn't predict that what Kakashi would say next would be very unfavorable to the Third Hokage and Shimura Danzo.
Or rather, did Minato also similarly expect the future to advance in this direction?
Thinking this, the corners of Ritsu's mouth couldn't help lifting. Things were becoming increasingly interesting!
Having received Sensei Minato's permission and support, Kakashi no longer had any hesitation or wavering. He first seriously considered whether what he was about to say would endanger the village's safety. Then he judged it wouldn't.
So he blinked, raised his hand to wipe the tears with his sleeve, and spoke in as calm yet sufficiently loud a voice as possible: "With the Hyuga Clan Head's assistance, I just used genjutsu to interrogate Hokage Advisor Shimura Danzo. Back then, it was Shimura Danzo who ordered people to spread news throughout the village that my father had abandoned his mission to save his comrades. Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu ordered people to add fuel to the fire, deliberately guiding villagers to despise my father's choice, creating a situation where everyone condemned my father. Shimura Danzo even sent people to threaten the comrade my father had saved, forcing him to speak out and criticize my father for saving him."
"In the end, Father couldn't bear the burden and chose suicide amid all the accusations!"
After finishing, Kakashi closed his eyes, trying hard to resist the urge to cry.
Both Uzumaki Kushina and Nohara Rin widened their eyes in disbelief. Though they'd heard rumors before, rumors were ultimately just rumors. But now Kakashi had interrogated the truth from Hokage Advisor Shimura Danzo's own mouth.
"This—this, this is almost the same as the recent village rumors! It's actually true? Senior Sakumo was killed by someone?"
"And Hokage Advisor Danzo did it?"
"The two advisor elders also participated!"
The surrounding crowd erupted in uproar.
This news was so explosive it left people breathless.
Everyone looked at Shimura Danzo lying on the ground like a dead dog. The awe in their eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by somewhat murkier colors.
"There's more."
Kakashi spoke again.
Instantly, the surroundings fell silent as a grave. Everyone's gazes focused uniformly on Kakashi.
Kakashi continued, "Not long ago, when fighting the Mist ninja, Shimura Danzo instructed Aburame Torune to sell the Hyuga Clan Head's intelligence to the Mist ninja, causing the Clan Head to fall into a siege by Mist ninja. Moreover, before this, they used the same methods to kill several Uchiha clan jonin."
His words had barely fallen.
Furious roars erupted from the surrounding crowd.
"I knew it! Danzo, that damned beast!"
Uchiha Izumo eyes turned crimson, the black tomoe spinning madly. Anyone could see this Uchiha clan jonin was furious to the extreme.
However, clearly none of those dead jonin had been especially close to Uchiha Teyaki. The three tomoe merely spun rapidly without any signs of fusion or evolution.
He and Uchiha Teyaki walked toward Shimura Danzo without prior agreement.
However—
"Teyaki, please calm down."
Ritsu extended his hand to stop them.
He smiled at Uchiha Teyaki. "Now isn't the time to act rashly."
Uchiha Teyaki stopped advancing. He looked at Shimura Danzo collapsed on the ground, then at Ritsu, slowly nodding. "Hyuga Clan Head, I hope this beast Danzo receives his due punishment!"
"After thoroughly determining exactly what Danzo has done, I believe there will be a fair and reasonable outcome."
Uchiha Teyaki and Uchiha Teyaki both nodded silently without moving again, only redirecting their gazes to the youth Hatake Kakashi.
At this moment, Minato spoke up again. "Kakashi, is there anything else to say?"
"Also, recently Shimura Danzo sent people to spread rumors attempting to frame the Hyuga Clan Head and Senior Hiruko for privately researching forbidden techniques, thus starting the war with the Mist ninja!"
Whispers spread through the surroundings.
"Anything else?"
"Today, just as the Hidden Mist Village's diplomatic delegation arrived in the village, Shimura Danzo sent people to contact the Mist ninja's chief envoy Hyakubei. In exchange for freely returning Samehada and other ninja tools and releasing Suikazan Fuguki, he wanted the Mist ninja to publicly accuse the Hyuga Clan Head and Senior Hiruko of being the culprits who provoked war between the two villages."
The surrounding clamor grew louder and louder. Hokage Advisor Shimura Danzo had repeatedly colluded with Mist ninja to frame village comrades—such matters were truly shocking!
If not for Hatake Kakashi's earnest expression that didn't look like he was lying, many would have found it hard to believe. Or rather, many among them were half-believing, half-doubting.
"Nothing else?"
"I only had time to ask this much."
Kakashi answered softly.
Minato nodded slightly without saying more to Kakashi. Instead, he directed his gaze toward Ritsu. "Hyuga Clan Head, can you now explain your situation? Why did you fight throughout the village? Your behavior is tantamount to rebellion!"
"No choice. The Third Hokage summoned my teacher and me to the Hokage building. The moment we met, he pinned the crime of provoking war between Konoha and the Mist ninja on us and prepared to dispose of us in exchange for the Mist ninja's magnanimity!"
The corners of Ritsu's mouth revealed a mocking smile. "Honestly, that situation made me feel like I hadn't woken up properly. The side beaten into crushing defeat and fleeing at the frontlines wasn't the Mist ninja but us, Konoha."
"Hyuga Clan Head, please speak properly. Don't be sarcastic."
Minato said coldly.
Hearing this, Ritsu shrugged. "Fine! In short, I couldn't accept the Third Hokage's decision that had absolutely no fairness—it was complete political persecution targeting my teacher and me. I didn't want to end my own life like Senior Sakumo, so I could only resort to force to ensure my own safety."
"Of course, if you think your student and I conspired together to slander the Third Hokage and our Hokage's advisor here, you're welcome to invite someone from the Yamanaka clan to verify the truth."
"I will."
Minato answered in a low voice.
Though he basically already believed what Kakashi said—because he trusted Kakashi wouldn't deceive him—under full public view, he had to give a more rule-compliant answer.
Then he continued, "However, before that, we must first restore order to the village's situation. Clan Head Hyuga, please release Lord Hok—"
"I won't release Sarutobi Hiruzen."
Before Minato could finish, Ritsu decisively extinguished certain of Minato's ideas. He declared loudly, "Sarutobi Hiruzen is no longer suitable to be Hokage. Here, in my capacity as Hyuga Clan Head, I impeach Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen for being incompetent and foolish, jealous of the talented, shielding criminals, and selling out the village's interests for personal gain!"
These words shook the four wilds.
Almost everyone around fell into a dumbfounded state.
But Minato remained unmoved. He quietly watched Ritsu.
And Ritsu also met Minato's gaze, continuing, "Minato-senpai, I think you'd best make the hard journey twice—go bring back Jiraiya-senpai, Orochimaru-senpai, and the clan heads and department heads whose people are at the frontlines. Let's all discuss together the matter of the Third Hokage's abdication and selecting the Fourth Hokage!"
"Alright."
Minato directly agreed.
This single word made those around who'd wanted to raise objections instantly close their mouths, staring wide-eyed at Minato in disbelief, not understanding why Minato would agree to Ritsu's such crazy, disrespectful demand.
This—this was pushing the Third Hokage into a fire pit!
But Ritsu smiled faintly.
In his heart, he was thoroughly certain that Namikaze Minato was very happy to see Sarutobi Hiruzen's downfall. Perhaps he wouldn't actively help push, but he wouldn't stop Ritsu from pushing Sarutobi Hiruzen down from the Hokage's seat. Nor would he refuse opportunities to go with the flow.
Was it because of his student Kakashi?
Or because of something else?
For a moment, Ritsu also couldn't fathom what Namikaze Minato was thinking. But actually, this wasn't important. What mattered was that Namikaze Minato wouldn't obstruct, wouldn't sabotage, and was willing to cooperate—that was enough.
"Hyuga Clan Head, while I'm finding people—"
"Rest assured, Minato-senpai! The battle has already ended. The village absolutely won't descend into chaos again. I also won't allow anyone to fish in troubled waters. Our Hyuga clan will forever be Konoha's Hyuga clan. This will never change."
Ritsu once again declared his position decisively.
Simultaneously, Hiruko's side had also finished battle. With his wood clones' coordination, the two advisor elders Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, plus the Mist ninja diplomatic delegation's chief envoy Hyakubei, had all been captured alive. Like Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo, they'd become prisoners.
The village's last battlefield had been extinguished.
The next instant, as a flash of yellow light flickered faintly, Minato's figure disappeared from everyone's view. The surrounding many Konoha ninja momentarily fell into confused bewilderment.
Now—should they continue executing the Third Hokage's orders or not?
Many muttered internally.
But seeing no one take the lead to attack Ritsu, they could only suppress all their thoughts deep in their hearts. The clever ones already sensed that Konoha's sky was probably truly about to change.
They just didn't know who would be Konoha's new sky in the future.
At this moment, Hiruko hurried over. "Ritsu, where's Minato?"
"Minato-senpai went to find Jiraiya-senpai and Orochimaru-senpai."
"Oh? Does that mean the talk went smoothly?"
Hiruko was somewhat surprised.
He'd been worried earlier that Ritsu and Minato would start fighting the moment they met.
"Minato-senpai is reasonable. I neither spoke irresponsibly nor acted unreasonably. Naturally, Minato-senpai wouldn't act rashly either." Ritsu answered with a smile.
"Good that it went smoothly."
Hiruko breathed a sigh of relief.
His gaze also swept in a circle, feeling the scene's atmosphere that was so complex it defied simple verbal description. He let out another long breath. Things had developed to this point—it should be stable. No need to worry about any unexpected changes.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's rule was rapidly crumbling.
The Hokage's seat was awaiting a new master.
At this moment, Minato and Jiraiya's figures appeared in everyone's view. He'd brought back Jiraiya from the Land of Hot Water frontlines.
"Jiraiya-sensei."
Uzumaki Kushina immediately stepped forward to greet him.
"Kushina."
The white-haired Jiraiya nodded to his student's wife. His expression lacked its usual ease, as serious as if about to engage in a life-or-death battle.
Immediately after, many around greeted Jiraiya.
As Sarutobi Hiruzen's student, one of the Legendary Sannin, and the Sannin with the best temper and easiest to approach, Jiraiya enjoyed high popularity in the village.
Jiraiya nodded randomly, responding incoherently, his gaze roaming and shifting. In an instant, it locked onto Ritsu. Those eyes couldn't quite restrain the killing intent emerging.
"Sensei, I'll make another trip to the Eastern battlefield's frontline camp to bring back Orochimaru-senpai and the others." Minato's voice extinguished the killing intent in Jiraiya's eyes.
The white-haired middle-aged man nodded repeatedly, waving his hands. "Minato, go quickly! Don't worry, I won't create any unpleasantness with the Hyuga Clan Head."
Hearing this, Ritsu smiled faintly without speaking.
Minato's figure once again disappeared. In about a minute, Orochimaru, Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, Akimichi Choza, Aburame Shibi, and many others were brought back in batches.
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