"Three generations, you are old. It is time to abdicate."
That single sentence crashed down like a bolt of lightning, electrifying the hearts of everyone present.
Each person turned to Hui in disbelief, stunned by the sheer boldness of his declaration.
Tsunade's expression shifted immediately—she felt like she'd been set up. Why had there been no consequences for Hui acting beyond his authority? Damn it!
This… this was a coup. First, he beats down the Third Hokage, and then says this? How could it not be a coup? And what about her position? Was she now an accomplice?
"Sure enough, things aren't that simple. There's no way the price of resurrection could be so low," Tsunade muttered bitterly.
As the foremost medical-nin in the world, Tsunade naturally had deep knowledge of resurrection-related techniques. She had even toyed with the concept herself. She was well aware of Edo Tensei—the Reanimation Jutsu—which could summon back the souls of the dead into bodies. With that knowledge, it wasn't entirely unbelievable that a true resurrection method could exist—one that fused soul and body permanently. This was precisely why she wasn't shocked when Hui had resurrected Nawaki Senju. She had been surprised at his access to such a technique, not at the concept itself. It was like discovering someone else had unlocked the same forbidden truths she herself had uncovered but never acted on.
In the eyes of ordinary people, resurrection was beyond imagination. But to Tsunade, it was theoretically possible. In fact, her own technique, Creation Rebirth, was a primitive resurrection in its own right—though it required the soul to still be tethered to the body and time to perform healing.
Given enough time and forbidden research, especially using the knowledge embedded within Edo Tensei, she believed she could eventually develop a legitimate resurrection technique. She just hadn't allowed herself to go down that path. It would have required too many test subjects, too many moral sacrifices. She hadn't been willing to bear the burden.
Yet she had always known the cost would be high. She could perceive it clearly—vitality being transferred from one source to another. Resurrecting someone was a transaction of life—one soul for another. She didn't know how Hui had managed to manipulate a living ninja into fulfilling that cost, but she understood just how great the loss must have been.
Still, she misunderstood one thing: reviving Nawaki was Hui's plan from the start. It was meant to elicit Tsunade's support, to bind her into his vision for the village. And in doing so, he avoided paying the typical resurrection price.
Hui's sudden assault on the Third Hokage had been a spontaneous act.
Yes, he had always carried anger at how Hiruzen protected Danzo's depravity. He knew the manga's events well, knew what the Third had allowed to happen. But to experience it firsthand—to see the shameless protection of a man like Danzo, even after all he'd done—was a pain Hui hadn't prepared for.
He thought he'd be able to endure it. He was wrong.
Uchiha Fugaku, standing nearby, was equally stunned and confused. Hui's true intentions were elusive.
"Is he doing this for the rise of the Uchiha?"
Fugaku originally believed Hui's actions stemmed from a personal grudge—perhaps vengeance. But now, things seemed far more complicated.
"Is this a real coup? Could the Uchiha clan actually contend for the Hokage seat?"
He began to entertain the fantasy. Maybe the clan could finally ascend.
"No, no... we can't withstand the backlash. If this fails and I openly support Hui, then the Uchiha will be vilified. We'd be branded traitors once again."
He shook the thought from his head. For now, he would watch and wait.
A heavy silence settled over the field.
Before, the Third had worn a look of bitter helplessness. Now, his face contorted with rage.
Forcing the palace.
That was exactly what was happening.
Yes, he had been considering retirement. In fact, he was preparing to announce it soon. But being forced into retirement? That was something entirely different.
It would be a humiliation—a disgrace. It would undermine not only his authority but the entire lineage of Hokage. Worse, it would set a precedent.
Future generations would look back and question: why was the Third Hokage forced to step down? They would dig into the records. They would uncover Danzo's betrayal. They would see that Hiruzen shielded him—multiple times. That he had enabled a criminal.
All the accolades he had gathered—leading the village to victory, developing it into a peak shinobi power—would be overshadowed by this one shameful act. People would start to wonder: did he actually contribute anything? Did he, in fact, hurt the village more than help it?
As a seasoned politician, Hiruzen Sarutobi understood exactly what was at stake.
He turned to Hui, furious. "Hui! Do you even understand what you're saying?!"
His voice trembled—not from fear, but fury.
More ninjas had started arriving.
Despite the remote location of the Root base, the sheer magnitude of the recent battle had drawn attention. Konoha's shinobi—Anbu, clan members, even genin—were converging on the area, either out of concern or simple curiosity.
Though the battle had been loud, it had been brief.
Those arriving now saw the aftermath—damaged terrain, scattered debris, Danzo's lifeless body, and the Third Hokage wounded and breathless.
They quickly crafted their own narrative: that the Hokage and Tsunade had fought off an enemy with Hui's help, and had only just emerged victorious.
When Danzo's identity became apparent to those who recognized him, questions started to bubble beneath the surface.
"Hui, the matter with Danzo is settled. Let's return to the village. We'll talk later," Tsunade said, stepping forward in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.
Those hearing her, especially those who knew who Danzo was, began to relax. "The Danzo matter is resolved." That could only mean one thing: Danzo was the villain.
He must have committed treason, and was put down on the spot by Hiruzen, Hui, and Tsunade.
But Hui wasn't done.
"No! The Root must be dismantled! The Third must abdicate! He is no longer fit to lead us. In fact, he never was. A man who allows personal feelings to override his duty to the village... does such a person deserve to be Hokage?!"
That last sentence was shouted, loud and deliberate, for the entire crowd to hear.
"What the—did he just call for the Hokage to step down?"
"Did I hear that right? Hokage-sama was fighting with Hui, wasn't he?"
"Wait... personal feelings? What's that supposed to mean?"
All eyes turned toward Danzo's corpse.
The implications were dangerous.
Tsunade groaned internally. Hui's words were about to explode like wildfire.
She knew how quickly rumors spread among shinobi.
Hiruzen's face turned red with fury. Just moments ago, he had considered giving Hui a second chance. But now? The boy had crossed the line.
"Hui! The position of Hokage is not something you can just shout someone out of! The village council must agree. The Fire Daimyō must approve!"
"I don't care! This is war! We can't afford a compromised leader. Danzo attacked our own ninja on the battlefield, and you—you—protected him! Who would trust a Hokage who does that?!"
There was no more ambiguity now.
The crowd gasped. Some ninja immediately realized the weight of Hui's words.
Danzo had attacked village shinobi?
And the Hokage covered it up?
"How could he?"
"That's... a capital offense."
"Why protect someone like that?"
Some were shaken. Their belief in the Third Hokage began to crack.
"Hui! Enough! Stop twisting things!" the Third roared, his voice quaking with desperation.
But Hui stepped forward.
"Am I wrong? You tell me! Danzo's crimes are not rumors! He's attacked fellow ninja time and again! And each time, you swept it under the rug. You let him continue—let him retain control of Root—let him speak as an elder of the village!"
The Third Hokage had no response.
Because it was true.
Every word.
The crowd no longer needed convincing. Their silence was deafening, more condemning than any outcry.
And for the first time… they began to question whether the Will of Fire had been twisted from within.