Hiruzen Sarutobi silently picked up the pipe that had fallen to the floor, but his fingers trembled uncontrollably.
He had believed he already held Uchiha Kai in the highest regard possible.
Reality, however, had shown him that what he had seen was merely the tip of the iceberg.
The child he had watched grow up had become a terrifying existence beyond his understanding—someone he could only look up to.
And yet, the source of all this fear, the boy named Uchiha Kai, acted as though he had done something utterly insignificant.
He leisurely finished the last bite of his apple, casually tossed the core into a trash bin, and dusted off his hands.
Then he looked around at the frightened Kage who had once stood at the pinnacle of the shinobi world.
"Much quieter now."
His voice was calm.
Yet it struck every soul in the room like a massive hammer.
"It seems you've all misunderstood something about the way I do things."
A playful smile appeared at the corner of Kai's lips.
"I'm not discussing this with you."
"I'm not asking for your opinions."
"I'm simply... informing you."
Walking to the center of the office, his gaze swept across Ōnoki and Rasa before finally settling on the unconscious Raikage embedded in the wall.
"The era of the Five Kage standing as equals is outdated."
"And terribly inefficient."
"The endless infighting, suspicion, and conflicts between villages have wasted far too many resources and lives."
"As of today, all of that ends."
He spread his arms.
His voice carried the authority of a divine proclamation.
"I hereby declare the establishment of a new organization that stands above all hidden villages."
"Its name... is the Divine Court."
Divine Court?!
The words struck Ōnoki and Rasa like thunder.
What an arrogant name.
What overwhelming ambition.
Ignoring their shock, Kai continued.
"I, Uchiha Kai, will be the sole ruler of the Divine Court."
"In other words... your future Divine Lord."
He pointed casually at himself.
Despite his youthful appearance, his expression carried the detached authority of a god.
"The purpose of the Divine Court is simple."
"First."
"To end all meaningless conflict throughout the shinobi world."
"All villages must abandon their old grudges and accept the unified management and authority of the Divine Court."
"Anyone who dares to provoke conflict without authorization, regardless of who they are, will be considered an enemy of the Divine Court."
"And they will receive the harshest punishment."
His eyes grew distant.
As though he were gazing beyond the office ceiling and into the stars themselves.
"Second."
"To unify all power within the shinobi world."
"Ninja."
"Resources."
"Technology."
"Even the Tailed Beasts."
"Because beyond this world lies a threat far greater than anything you can imagine."
"You so-called Kage are still fighting over scraps of land."
"You're no different from frogs at the bottom of a well."
A greater threat?
Both Ōnoki and Rasa felt their hearts tremble.
For a brief moment, they sensed they were brushing against an enormous secret.
Could it be that this young man's actions were not driven solely by ambition?
Could there truly be a greater purpose behind everything he was doing?
The thought appeared briefly before being crushed by reality.
Regardless of his motives, he was conquering the entire shinobi world through overwhelming force.
That fact would not change.
"I..."
Ōnoki struggled to speak.
His voice was hoarse.
"Why should Iwagakure—"
Before he could finish, Kai's cold gaze landed on him.
"Why?"
Kai smiled.
A smile devoid of warmth.
"Because I can erase Iwagakure from the map with a single thought."
"Is that reason enough?"
A naked threat.
Direct.
Unfiltered.
Without the slightest attempt at concealment.
Ōnoki stiffened.
Every argument died in his throat.
He had no doubt.
The young man before him possessed both the power and the willingness to do exactly what he claimed.
Resistance meant destruction.
He had devoted decades of his life to Iwagakure.
He could not watch it perish because of his pride.
"I... understand."
In that instant, Ōnoki seemed to age another ten years.
Slowly descending from the air, he lowered the head he had held high for an entire lifetime.
"Iwagakure... is willing to follow the commands of the Divine Lord."
Seeing even the stubborn Tsuchikage submit, the last trace of hope within Rasa vanished.
He was a practical man.
And a realist.
Sunagakure was already struggling to survive.
Perhaps serving such an overwhelmingly powerful existence was not the worst possible outcome.
"Sunagakure... is also willing to obey the Divine Lord's command."
Rasa bowed deeply.
His posture was even more respectful than Ōnoki's.
In the corner of the room, the Fourth Raikage slowly regained consciousness.
Just in time to hear the humiliating exchange.
His first instinct was to roar in fury.
But the movement aggravated his injuries.
A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips.
Looking at the godlike young man.
Looking at the humbled Tsuchikage and Kazekage.
His eyes filled with endless humiliation and unwillingness.
In the end, all he could do was release a low growl and remain silent.
He knew it.
From this day forward...
The shinobi world had changed forever.
"Excellent."
Kai nodded in satisfaction.
As though this outcome had been inevitable from the beginning.
Turning toward Hiruzen Sarutobi, he spoke casually.
"The Divine Court's headquarters will be established in Konoha."
"Grandpa, you can keep the title of Honorary Advisor."
"Spend the rest of your days enjoying retirement."
Though the words sounded respectful, they were in reality an unquestionable order.
With a few sentences, Kai had effectively stripped Hiruzen of the last remnants of his authority as Hokage.
Hiruzen merely smiled bitterly and nodded.
What else could he possibly say?
Finally, Kai's gaze shifted toward the man waiting quietly outside the office.
His father.
"Father."
"Starting today, you will serve as the Divine Court's first Chief Executive."
"You will oversee the organization's daily affairs and coordinate resources among all villages."
Uchiha Fugaku's body trembled violently.
A brilliant light erupted within his eyes.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward.
Then, before everyone present, he dropped to one knee.
In a solemn voice, he declared:
"Fugaku will never fail the Divine Lord's trust."
At that moment, the ambitions and desires that the Uchiha Clan had suppressed for decades finally reached fruition.
And they had achieved it in a way far beyond anything they had ever imagined.
They now stood at the very summit of power in the entire shinobi world.
After the enormous entity known as the Divine Court was born within the small confines of the Hokage's Office, the atmosphere inside the room grew increasingly strange and oppressive.
Ōnoki and Rasa—two men who had once stood as equals to the Third Hokage and ruled entire nations—now looked like students who had been caught making mistakes.
Heads lowered.
Silent.
Afraid even to breathe too loudly.
Both struggled to process the sudden upheaval.
Their minds raced as they wondered how they would explain today's events to the proud elders and shinobi waiting back in their villages.
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