JOIN:- patreon.com/The_GreatRed
[20% Discount on MostHigh Membership]
AND GIVE POWERSTONES
100 powerstone = 1 bonus chapter
AND COMMENT BECOZ IT KEEPS ME MOTIVATED TO WRITE...(LOVE U GUYZ)
.[ADVANCE CHAPTER IN PATREON] (WILL BE THERE FROM TOMMOROW)
.
.
...
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Tsunade glared fiercely at Danzo, Homura, and Koharu. Her fists clenched so tightly the wood of her desk cracked.
"How dare you!" she roared.
The three elders met her fury with cold, blank expressions. Danzo's single visible eye narrowed slightly as he spoke.
"What we dared, Hokage, was necessary. The truth of the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki could not be hidden forever."
Tsunade's voice shook with rage. "It's Lady Hokage to you, Danzo! And don't you dare twist this. You broke the Third's law! You betrayed his will! Who do you think you are?!"
Danzo's lips curled into the faintest smirk. "It was the council's decision. We acted the moment Hiruzen fell, before you ever wore the hat. As for who we are—we are the Council of Konoha, given authority by the Third himself. We have every right."
At that, Tsunade's heart clenched. She cursed her late sensei for giving the council so much power, power that now chained her position. As Hokage, she should be the ultimate authority, but the reality was clear—the council had far too much influence. And now, their meddling was hurting the one child who least deserved it—Uzumaki Naruto.
Her anger flared to the point she almost smashed the entire desk to pieces.
Then Homura leaned forward, his voice calm but cutting. "Tsunade… the boy is finally exposed. The entire village knows. I suggest it is time we discuss his punishment."
Tsunade's eyes widened. "What did you just say? His punishment? Are you insane, Koharu?! The one who deserves punishment is Sasuke! He deserted the village—ran straight to Orochimaru, the very traitor who killed the Third Hokage Surely, that crime cannot go unpunished."
Danzo, however, only shook his head. "Hokage-sama… it seems you are misinformed. Uchiha Sasuke's actions were influenced by Orochimaru's Cursed Seal. It is clear that Orochimaru was manipulating him. Thanks to Jiraiya, the seal has already been suppressed. There is no longer a threat. To punish Sasuke severely would be unjust—and the council will agree with me."
Tsunade slammed her hand on the table, glaring at him. "Don't twist the facts, Danzo! Sasuke willingly abandoned the village. He chose to run to Orochimaru. That is betrayal, no matter how you phrase it. And now you want to protect him by pushing the blame onto Naruto—an innocent child?!"
Her teeth clenched in frustration. She had come to see Naruto almost like family—like a son or grandson. To see the council target him instead of Sasuke filled her with fury.
Koharu adjusted her glasses and spoke with calm authority. "We have already summoned the clan heads and the civilian council members. You will be present, Lady Hokage. If you refuse, the council—according to Konoha law—will pass judgment without you."
Tsunade cursed under her breath, anger burning in her chest. Again, she silently cursed her old sensei, Hiruzen, for allowing the council to gain so much power. If this were Tobirama's time, no one would dare defy the Hokage like this. But then again, it was Tobirama who had created this damned council system in the first place.
She shook her head, taking a deep breath. "Fine… I'll attend. But mark my words, this won't stand."
In truth, she was hoping the council would settle on a lighter punishment for Naruto—perhaps a suspension from missions for a month or two, nothing severe. After all, even as Hokage, her authority had been clipped by the power the council wielded. She needed to find a way to restore the Hokage's true position. Right now, the council had far too much influence.
Still, she held on to one small hope: as long as she cast her vote, Naruto wouldn't be banished. The council wouldn't be able to execute him either. She prepared herself to speak—
But then Koharu's voice interrupted sharply. "What are you doing, Lady Hokage?"
Tsunade frowned. "What does it look like? I'm casting my vote."
Koharu's eyes narrowed. "It seems you are misinformed… Lady Hokage."
Tsunade froze. Something about Koharu's words set off alarms in her head. Her instincts screamed that this was something she didn't want to hear.
Danzō's voice cut through the tense silence.
"Well, according to the laws of Konoha… in the case of one becoming a missing-nin, or when the Council decides on exile, execution, or banishment—" his smirk deepened, "—the Hokage has no say in the matter. After all, the Hokage represents the village, and cannot be allowed to act with bias."
Tsunade's eyes widened, fury and disbelief rising in her chest. What the hell was my sensei thinking all these years? She cursed her late mentor in silence. Tobirama had created this entire Council system, but in doing so, he had stripped the Hokage of real authority in critical matters. So this is the power I inherited? Hokage… yet practically powerless.
She glanced around the chamber. Some of the clan heads looked conflicted, their expressions grim. Others—particularly the elders and several civilian council members—wore smug smiles. Tsunade's mind went blank for a moment. Her fists clenched beneath the table.
Meanwhile, outside…
Naruto walked through the village streets, ignoring the usual glares and muttered insults. He had grown used to it. Still, the weight in the air never truly left.
Eventually, he stopped at Training Ground 7. Standing silently, he sensed the presence lurking nearby.
"I already know you're there," Naruto said flatly. "Come out."
In a blur, Kiba Inuzuka landed before him, Akamaru by his side. Both were glaring at Naruto, tension radiating off them.
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What do you want, Kiba?"
Kiba snarled, his fists shaking. "You already know what I want, demon. Don't play dumb with me. I know your secret now. You won't fool me anymore."
Naruto froze. That word—demon—cut deeper than any blade. He had heard it from strangers, villagers, enemies… but from someone he considered a friend? From one of the kids who had grown up with him, along with Shikamaru and Chōji? Even if Kiba was often a loudmouth and a jerk, he had never expected this.
Naruto grit his teeth. "So… I'm a demon now, huh?" His voice was low, almost trembling.
"Shut up!" Kiba barked, eyes blazing. "You don't know what I've lost because of you! You'll pay for your crimes, demon. I won't let you keep walking around like nothing happened!"
With a growl, Kiba charged forward, Akamaru leaping beside him. Naruto cursed under his breath. He wasn't fully healed yet, his chakra still unstable from the last battle. Still, he had no choice.
He created several shadow clones in a burst of smoke, spreading them out to confuse Kiba. But the Inuzuka wasn't fooled so easily; he and Akamaru weaved between the clones with practiced precision.
The fight was short but fierce. Naruto's movements were sluggish, his body still battered. Then—suddenly—an enormous hand crashed down, slamming into Naruto and hurling him across the training field. Dust exploded into the air.
Naruto groaned, struggling to rise. What the hell…? He hadn't even sensed the attack coming.