"Minato… are you… are you really still alive?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly raised his hand, a trembling finger pointing toward Namikaze Minato.
Minato did not answer.
He simply looked back at Hiruzen, his eyes filled with complicated, painful emotion.
"Old bastard!"
Uzumaki Kushina finally let go of her son. She turned around and strode forward, stopping directly in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen. Her fists clenched tightly at her sides, chakra surging violently around her as if her entire body were wrapped in raging flames.
"The two of us gave everything to Konoha—and this is how you treated my son?!"
Yes.
Who could endure giving their lives, their future, everything they had to the village they loved—only to watch their children suffer like this?
In the end, neither of her sons enjoyed even a moment of peace.
One suffered more miserably than the other.
That was also why Namikaze Minato felt such deep, suffocating pain.
If this were any other situation, he would never have agreed with his son's methods. He would never have allowed Konoha to sacrifice so many lands and lives just to create the Ten-Tails.
He was still the same Minato—the sunlit Hokage, filled with warmth and hope.
But his sons…
They had lived lives of nothing but suffering.
As a father, he had no right to persuade Namikaze Kirito to abandon revenge.
"Kushina… listen to my explanation."
Sarutobi Hiruzen forced a bitter smile.
"If Naruto's identity had been revealed, it would have put him in even greater danger. As for Kirito—Tsunade has always been looking after him. Minato had countless enemies on the battlefield. Who could guarantee they wouldn't retaliate against his children?"
Those words sounded reasonable.
To the villagers who didn't know the truth, it almost felt convincing.
After all… wasn't it for protection?
But there was someone who had no intention of letting him continue acting.
Namikaze Kirito.
He walked slowly until he stood beside Kakashi.
"Hey, Kakashi," Kirito said calmly. "Want me to tell you a secret?"
"One that explains the truth… and also punishes you."
Kakashi had already been overwhelmed by the series of revelations. His thoughts lagged behind reality. Hearing Kirito's words, he turned his head, confusion written clearly on his face.
"Konoha once had a hero," Kirito continued. "A man named Hatake Sakumo—the White Fang of the Leaf."
"His sword terrified countless enemies. He was a legend on the battlefield."
"And yet, in the end, he was driven to suicide."
"Because he abandoned a mission to save his comrades."
Kirito's voice remained steady.
"Do you really believe he died because of gossip? That a man who faced death daily lacked the mental strength to endure words?"
"No."
"What killed him was humiliation."
"What killed him was the village he spent his life protecting—having no room left for him."
"They erased his honor. Ignored the achievements he earned with his life."
"And the most cruel part?"
"The comrades he saved turned their backs on him."
Kirito looked directly into Kakashi's eyes.
"Think about it. If someone saved your life, would you repay them like that?"
"No."
"So who made them do it?"
Kirito's gaze sharpened.
"The man you respect the most."
"The Third Hokage."
His words fell slowly—deliberately.
Kakashi's expression changed exactly as Kirito expected.
Shock.
Nostalgia.
Confusion.
And finally…
Resentment.
"Kakashi!" Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted urgently. "Don't listen to his nonsense! The White Fang's death was the village's greatest loss! My heart ached as well!"
But everyone present understood.
They were all intelligent people.
All it took was a moment of thought to realize—Kirito was right.
"Punishment…" Kakashi laughed quietly to himself. "That really is an appropriate word."
Of course he understood what Kirito meant.
Minato—his teacher—lost everything.
And he did nothing.
He didn't help nor did he speak out for them.
He stayed silent and complicit.
This realization crushed him.
White Fang chose his comrades over the mission.
But Kakashi… chose the village's secrets over his teacher's child.
Obito. Rin.
You must be laughing at me wherever you are.
I really am… useless.
Seeing the turmoil on Kakashi's face, Namikaze Kirito chuckled softly.
His goal had been achieved.
Then, his gaze shifted.
To Uchiha Fugaku.
Fugaku understood immediately.
He stepped forward without hesitation.
"Third Hokage," Fugaku said coldly, "you are not fit to lead Konoha."
"On the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, the Uchiha clan stood ready to support the village. Had we been allowed to act, countless lives could have been saved."
"But the order you gave me was to return to the police headquarters."
"As a result, civilians and shinobi died needlessly."
"Why?"
"Because of suspicion."
Fugaku's voice grew heavier.
"And afterward, in order to silence us, you exploited Itachi's love for the village—attempting to wipe out the entire Uchiha clan."
"If not for Kirito's intervention…"
"There would be no Uchiha left today."
The atmosphere exploded.
This was exactly what Kirito and Fugaku had planned—adjusting only minor details to expose Hiruzen's actions in the most damning, undeniable way.
With Uchiha support, the Nine-Tails incident would never have claimed so many lives.
And when suspicion took root—
The solution became silence.
The clan heads were all present.
Who among them could tolerate such conspiracies?
Put yourself in their position.
If it happened to your clan tomorrow—
What would you do?
After all…
This wasn't without precedent.
Hyūga Hizashi had already been sacrificed once.
"Itachi… no—big brother," Sasuke whispered, his body trembling. "Was all of this… really true?"
How could it be?
He had believed his brother betrayed the clan.
Betrayed their pride.
And now the truth was this cruel?
"It's alright, Sasuke."
Uchiha Itachi walked over and crouched down before him.
He raised two fingers and gently tapped Sasuke's forehead.
The familiar gesture.
The Uchiha forehead poke.
"This will be the last time," Itachi said softly. "From now on… I'll stay by your side."
Namikaze Kirito glanced at him speechlessly.
This guy is still pulling this move.
Then, Kirito turned back toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Orochimaru knows you better than anyone," Kirito said calmly. "Do you really want everything you've done over the years to be made public?"
"Shut up!" Hiruzen roared, his composure completely shattered. "Traitor! Namikaze Kirito! Orochimaru! The Uchiha clan!"
"You've all betrayed the Will of Fire!"
"Minato and Kushina are dead!" he screamed hysterically. "I watched them die with my own eyes!"
"You're all impostors!"
"As Hokage of Konoha, I command you—what are you waiting for?!"
"Seize these traitors!"
But no one moved.
The square was silent.
ANBU hesitated.
The Third Hokage stood before them.
So did the Fourth.
They didn't know who to obey.
So they chose neutrality.
The Uchiha clan, however...
They stood firmly.
Behind the Fourth Hokage.
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