"Hiruzen, what exactly is going on here?" Hashirama Senju demanded, his expression dark. The violent aura radiating from the First Hokage made Hiruzen Sarutobi's breath hitch.
"Lord First, I did it all for the village," Hiruzen said, bracing himself. His cheek twitched nervously under Hashirama's heavy gaze.
"What a convenient justification," Jie Uchiha said lightly, a mocking smirk on his lips. "You exposed the Nine-Tails' identity to give the village something to rally against. Fine. But what about Naruto?"
The son of a hero got no respect. Instead, he suffered endless mockery and cold stares. To most people, he wasn't a child. Just the fox."
Jie paused, his gaze sweeping over the reanimated Hokages... "No one would sell to him. Even with money, he could only afford expired milk, cheap instant ramen, and stale bread. Is this what you call acting 'for the good of the village'? Well, the village is certainly doing great."
Minato Namikaze's eyes widened. "Naruto... is this true?"
Lost in his own thoughts, Naruto Uzumaki gave a small, absent nod.
"Lord Third… why?" Minato's voice tightened.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked away, unable to meet his gaze.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Jie added, happily pouring gasoline on the fire. "After the Fourth Hokage's funeral, his entire estate was confiscated. Forget a pension. Even the mission bounties he saved up over the years were pocketed by the Third Hokage. Naruto only had money for that expired food because he received the standard orphan allowance."
Minato clenched his fists.
"The war had just ended," Hiruzen said quietly. "The village was devastated. Those funds were needed for reconstruction. I… regret the hardship it caused Naruto."
Jie's eyes flashed with ridicule. Even now, it sounded like justification
He was about to press further when a cold voice cut in.
"That's enough."
Tobirama Senju stepped forward, his tone firm. "Even if Hiruzen made mistakes, that doesn't justify the Uchiha's actions."
Jie let out a short chuckle, meeting Tobirama's gaze. 'Is he just protecting his student out of sentiment? Pushing further on Naruto alone wouldn't be enough. Time to change the angle.'
"Since you put it that way, Second Hokage… let me ask you something." Jie Uchiha's tone was calm. "What matters more—a mission, or your comrades?"
"Comrades, of course," Hashirama Senju replied without hesitation, cutting in before Tobirama Senju could speak. "Missions are just part of a ninja's duty. Comrades are worth risking your life for."
"Is that so?" Jie let out a quiet laugh.
"Then how do you explain someone who chose his comrades over a mission… only to be condemned by the village?"
He tilted his head slightly...
"Hunted down by rumors. Branded a failure. Pushed until he took his own life. And coincidentally, the one leading the witch hunt was the very comrade he saved."
His eyes landed on Danzo Shimura.
"Care to explain?"
With a thought, Jie Uchiha released the genjutsu binding Kakashi Hatake.
Regaining his mobility, Kakashi immediately body-flickered to Hiruzen's side, staring at Jie with a deeply conflicted expression.
"So it's you, Kakashi…" Minato Namikaze said softly, a faint, wistful smile forming. "You've grown."
"Minato-sensei," Kakashi murmured, his voice thick with emotion. Turning his attention back to Jie, he frowned. "I don't know why you brought up my father, but his death was a tragedy—the villagers just didn't understand. As long as I know he was a true hero… that's enough."
"Hahaha!" Jie burst into loud laughter. "Kakashi, what a good son you are. "Your father died under pressure from the very people he protected—and you're still making excuses for them."
A brief pause.
"I wonder…" his voice lowered slightly, "if Sakumo Hatake would agree with you."
Ignoring Kakashi Hatake's shifting expression, Jie Uchiha turned to the Sannin beside him. "Orochimaru, make Danzo spill the truth. I am sure you have the means."
"Of course," Orochimaru replied, a faint, cold smile curling at his lips. "I've been waiting for this."
His hands moved in a blur of seals before snapping together with a sharp clap.
A moment later, Danzo Shimura's eyes slowly opened...
"Hiruzen, why are you here? Don't tell me you lost to that brat too?" Having just regained awareness, Danzo didn't realize he was a reanimation yet.
"I told you long ago to hand Jie Uchiha over to me! I would have turned him into Konoha's sharpest weapon."
Hiruzen's face turned ashen. He never expected Danzo to expose him so bluntly—least of all from beyond the grave.
"A weapon?" Tobirama Senju's voice turned cold. "Hiruzen… Danzo… is that how you see the people of this village?"
Hearing that familiar voice, Danzo froze. His lone eye widened.
"Tobirama-sensei? …And Lord First?"
Hashirama Senju slowly closed his eyes, sensing the chakra around him.
"…I can feel my own chakra within him."
"What?" Tobirama stiffened, caught off guard.
"Oh, that's only the beginning," Jie Uchiha said with a quiet chuckle.
At a silent signal from Jie Uchiha, Orochimaru compelled Danzo Shimura to act. The seals along his right arm unraveled, and the bandages over his eye were slowly peeled away.
Under the effects of the Reanimation Jutsu, the Sharingan that had been exhausted by Izanagi burned once more—restored to a vivid crimson.
Staring at an arm entirely embedded with Sharingan, both Hashirama and Tobirama fell into dead silence.
"…You defiled my brother's body… and stole the eyes of your own people," Tobirama said at last, his voice low with restrained fury. "Danzo… are you truly my disciple?"
"This is just the beginning," Jie added calmly. "I'm curious whether the Second Hokage will still defend Hiruzen after this.""
The moment he finished speaking, the horrified look on Danzo's face vanished. It was replaced by a blank, emotionless stare. Orochimaru had taken full control. Right now, Danzo was nothing more than a talking puppet.
"Sakumo Hatake's death… was arranged by myself and Hiruzen Sarutobi," Danzo Shimura said flatly. "That S-rank mission was a fake, designed specifically to eliminate Sakumo."
"We never expected him to actually abandon the mission to save his comrades. Because of that, we were forced to spread rumors throughout the village, manipulate public opinion, and systematically destroy his reputation…his suicide was not part of the plan."
Kakashi stared at the reanimated elder in absolute horror, his entire worldview shattering.
"…Why?" he managed, his voice tight.
"Because Sakumo Hatake was too strong," Danzo replied without a hint of emotion. "His influence within the village had grown too great. He posed a risk to the Hokage's authority."
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