Chapter 30: Hiruzen Sarutobi, You Are Not Fit to BeHokage!
Outside the window, the protests of Konoha villagers grew louder and louder; more and more people gathered.
A glint flashed in Danzō Shimura's eye, the corner of his mouth rising almost imperceptibly.
In his heart he secretly rejoiced: Hiruzen, now you'll have to step down. The position of Fourth Hokage will belong to me! Haha Haha Haha!
Mitokado Homura pushed up his slipping glasses: "Hiruzen, this isn't the time to be dazed. There are already over ten thousand people gathered downstairs. If this continues…"
As if to prove his words, a deafening explosion suddenly came from below; the entire Hokage Building trembled slightly.
The glass windows made "crack crack" sounds; several shards fell from the frames.
"Hokage-sama, they… they've started smashing the doors!" an Anbu rushed in, face full of panic.
At that moment, the door to the Hokage's office was suddenly knocked: "Thump thump… thump… thump thump… thump."
This was the rhythm of Anbu members knocking. Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned and shouted: "Come in!"
An Anbu ninja stumbled in, face deathly pale: "Hokage-sama! Urgent front-line report! The frontline outpost has been overrun by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist leading the attack. Casualties are catastrophic… and… more than twenty medical ninjas… have been captured!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand froze in mid-air; beneath his Hokage hat, his face instantly aged many years.
Danzō Shimura's single eye narrowed slightly; no one knew what he was thinking.
The two advisors, Koharu Utatane and Mitokado Homura… were too shocked to speak.
The office fell silent for a moment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe and waved his hand: "I understand this matter. You may leave."
The two Anbu had only taken a few steps when Koharu Utatane's voice suddenly rang out: "Didn't we send… over three thousand reinforcements? …Why was the outpost still overrun?"
The Anbu ninja kept his head lowered, voice trembling: "The three thousand-plus reinforcements haven't reached Hakuchō City yet… Kirigakure sent the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to assault the city… They possess seven extremely powerful ninja swords… The last intelligence transmitted by overall commander Hyūga Hiyori before his death… seems to indicate… there was also intelligence leakage…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly walked to the window and looked down at the black mass of people below.
He saw furious ninjas, parents who had lost children, crying and demanding answers.
He saw villagers who once were loyal to him holding signs reading "Hiruzen Sarutobi Step Down."
And at the very front of the crowd, Uchiha Fugaku was surrounded by the masses, like a triumphant hero being embraced by the people of Konoha.
Hiruzen Sarutobi removed his Hokage hat, straightened his robes, and spoke in a low, powerless voice: "Prepare the sound-amplification barrier."
Danzō Shimura suddenly grabbed his arm, pretending concern: "Hiruzen! What are you going to do?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook off his hand and walked toward the balcony without looking back: "I'm going to end this farce."
When Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared on the balcony, the crowd below erupted in deafening boos.
Rotten tomatoes and rotten eggs flew from all directions, exploding into stains against the barrier.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi, you liar!"
"Give us back our son!"
"Get off the stage, you fraud!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi raised both hands for silence, but the response was even fiercer cursing.
Only when Uchiha Fugaku raised his hand and amplified his voice with chakra did he speak: "Everyone, quiet down. Even if the Third Hokage is guilty, we should give him a chance to explain!"
At these words, the crowd gradually quieted.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart tightened. His voice carried across the entire plaza: "Fellow citizens of Konoha… I understand your anger…"
A ninja who had lost both arms roared: "You understand shit! Have you ever understood what we felt on the front lines? We crawled back from piles of corpses, only to find you tricked our young children onto the battlefield—you betrayed us… You are not fit to be Hokage!"
The chaotic crowd exploded with agreement: "Hiruzen Sarutobi, you are not fit to be Hokage!"
Hearing the furious roars below, Danzō Shimura's heart was secretly delighted: Teacher, in the end you were wrong. Only I am fit to be Hokage. Hiruzen is far too soft. If it were me, I would have sent Root to suppress them long ago—there wouldn't be this mess now!
Hiruzen Sarutobi had to raise his voice: "We… did our very best… Moreover, I already sent over three thousand ninjas to reinforce the Kirigakure front… It's just that Kirigakure's assault this time… was far too sudden… completely beyond our expectations."
A widow holding an infant screamed: "My husband died six months ago! Because life was hard, I asked you for compensation three times—got nothing! My child nearly starved. Now you come out acting like a good person?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's forehead dripped with cold sweat: "That may have been negligence in the logistics department. I was unaware of these matters!"
Seeing Uchiha clansmen distributing bread and water in the crowd, seeing Kurama clan ninjas treating the wounded,
Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart sank deeper and deeper. It felt as though everything had been premeditated by the Uchiha.
His voice began to tremble: "Because the situation was urgent at the time… I sent the children to the front… It was indeed a wrong decision. I admit it…"
A young chūnin with a scarred face roared like a madman: "Admitting it is enough? My little sister's body hasn't even been recovered… She… she was only nine years old!"
The roar surged again; the furious crowd once more began charging the barrier.
Hiruzen Sarutobi knew the end had come.
With all his strength he shouted: "I announce! After the war ends… I will immediately resign from the position of Hokage! With this… I atone to you all!"
Instantly the entire plaza fell silent.
Hiruzen Sarutobi hunched his back, as though that single sentence had drained all his strength.
His gaze swept over the angry faces below, finally landing on Uchiha Fugaku—this Uchiha Clan Head's expression was like a silent provocation.
Hiruzen Sarutobi added with difficulty: "Furthermore, I will donate all my personal savings… entirely to the village…"
The crowd's rage seemed to cool slightly, but the hatred remained unextinguished.
At that moment, Uchiha Fugaku suddenly shouted loudly: "Third Hokage-sama, the urgent priority now is to organize rescue for the children still on the Kirigakure front. And for those children who have already fallen, we should bring their bodies back. Therefore, I request immediate dispatch of reinforcements!"
This sentence was like a spark falling into dry grass—it instantly ignited the crowd's emotions.
"Yes! Yes! Save our children!"
"Clan Head Uchiha Fugaku is right!"
"Charge to Kirigakure—we want revenge!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched as Konoha's public sentiment completely turned toward the Uchiha side. He could only nod bitterly: "…Approved…"
When this old Hokage staggered back into his office, thunderous cheers erupted behind him.
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi retreat in disgrace, Danzō Shimura stared at Uchiha Fugaku with a sinister gaze.
In the plaza below the Hokage Building, the people spontaneously began tearing down the signs reading "Hiruzen Sarutobi, You Are Not Fit to Be Hokage!" and replaced them with banners saying "Support Uchiha, Charge to Kirigakure, Save Our Children!"
The once most beloved Third Hokage now looked so lonely and desolate.
The power structure of Konoha… was beginning to change today…
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