"Wait... Are they choosing the Fifth Hokage now?"
"Idiot! Lady— ahem—Lady Tsunade is already preparing for her inauguration!"
"Does that mean the crisis is over?"
The gathered daimyos and shinobi leaders were left in stunned silence.
They had come to watch the Chunin Exams, expecting nothing more than intense battles and a showcase of young talent. Instead, they had witnessed an upheaval that had nearly cost them their lives.
Now, with the dust settling, safety seemed assured… for the moment.
"Orochimaru invades Konoha... then Konoha's Jinchuriki unites the major clans to overthrow the rule of the Third Hokage and his faction... and now the Fifth Hokage is taking office? Do you really think we'll be allowed to walk away from this unscathed?"
The Fire Daimyo, seated at the highest vantage point in the stadium, furrowed his brows.
"The Godaime Hokage?" he muttered. "The Third Hokage is being pushed aside... But, has anyone even asked for my opinion? I am the Daimyo of the Land of Fire."
Whoosh!
"Ah... I nearly forgot."
The previous generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio had arrived, stepping onto the spectator platform.
Once, they had looked upon the Daimyo with respect. But after all the revelations—Sarutobi Hiruzen's dealings, the truth behind Konoha's past—it was gone. Whatever meager goodwill remained had now turned to cold indifference.
"Come with us."
Soon, the Daimyo, alongside the shinobi leaders, was led to the rooftop.
He glanced at the elders, the so-called "F4" of Konoha, and noted the mixture of sympathy and contempt on their faces. His gut twisted.
He already felt like an outsider in his own land.
Meanwhile, Tsunade had donned the Hokage robes and returned with Naruto in tow.
"Everyone, please gather here."
At the sound of Hashirama Senju's voice, the gathered dignitaries turned their attention to the source—
And froze.
"You... You're the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama?!" the Fire Daimyo gasped.
Hashirama chuckled. "Last I checked."
"But... But you died a long time ago!"
The Daimyo had assumed it was some elaborate genjutsu, yet the man before him felt real—too real to be an illusion.
"Any objections?" Senju Tobirama interjected coolly.
The Daimyo swallowed hard. "So the Nidaime is here as well... Then that means... the Third Hokage has been deposed?"
The question hung in the air, unanswered, but the silence was enough of a confirmation.
The Daimyo's gaze drifted to Jiraiya, another legendary figure, before resting on Tsunade.
"The Sannin are all gathered… and the Fifth Hokage is Princess Tsunade..."
The reality of the situation dawned on him. This wasn't just a political shift—this was a complete restructuring of power.
"Very well!" he declared suddenly, his voice carrying over the assembled crowd. "I acknowledge Tsunade Senju as the Fifth Hokage!"
But no one reacted.
His words, once powerful enough to influence the fate of nations, now meant nothing.
The truth was clear—Konoha didn't need his approval.
His role had always been financial. The village relied on the Daimyo for funding, but after everything that had transpired, Konoha had outgrown that dependency. His presence here was merely ceremonial.
He was being humored.
Naruto, watching the scene unfold, smirked.
The shift in power was undeniable. The once mighty rulers, who had dictated shinobi affairs from the safety of their castles, were now reduced to mere spectators.
Still, the Fire Daimyo, unwilling to accept his diminished role, scoffed, "Have you even asked for my opinion, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire?"
His voice carried a hint of defiance, but as Naruto's gaze fell upon him, his confidence wavered.
The Daimyo hesitated, regretting his outburst almost instantly. Why had he spoken so boldly? Wouldn't it have been wiser to stay quiet?
The surrounding shinobi leaders and lords subtly distanced themselves from him, sensing the shift in power dynamics.
Naruto's smile widened.
It was easy to picture what would happen next. The villagers who had once scorned him would soon find themselves under the new regime. Some would resist, demanding the privileges they had taken for granted.
But Konoha had changed.
Those who refused to accept the new order would be cast out. And in time, when faced with the harsh reality of a world without the protection of the village, they would beg to return.
Would Konoha take them back?
Perhaps.
Perhaps not.
Meanwhile, the Daimyo and his ilk would be left scrambling, forced to exploit their dwindling influence just to maintain relevance.
"The Fire Daimyo," Tobirama interrupted, breaking Naruto's train of thought. "Do you have any objections?"
Naruto might have handled things more drastically, but Tobirama preferred a controlled approach. There was no rush. The Daimyo could be discarded at any time, but for now, formalities had their place.
The Daimyo, realizing his precarious position, shouted hurriedly, "I agree! Where are the documents? Bring them to me at once!"
The Hokage inauguration ceremony proceeded swiftly, skipping unnecessary bureaucracy.
At last, Hashirama and Tobirama handed Tsunade the Hokage hat.
"The Fifth!"
"Hokage-sama!"
A thunderous cheer erupted from the assembled shinobi and villagers.
Even the most ignorant among them recognized the shift in power.
At this moment, it became clear—Naruto Uzumaki had the influence to appoint or remove a Hokage with a single word.
As the ceremony concluded, it was time to lay the groundwork for the new era.
Naruto stepped forward beside Tsunade, facing the eager crowd.
Yamanaka Inoichi acted as a voice amplifier, ensuring his words reached every ear.
"From today onward, all Anbu operatives will resume their official shinobi status."
A murmur ran through the audience.
"The Anbu will no longer serve as the Hokage's personal force."
A hush fell over the crowd.
"From now on, the Anbu belong to Konoha—not the Hokage."
Gasps rippled through the gathered shinobi.
"And those who made sacrifices in the shadows… the ones who gave their lives for this village but were never honored—"
Naruto's voice grew firm.
"Their names will no longer be hidden. They will no longer be treated like ghosts who lurk in the darkness."
The silence was shattered by an overwhelming cheer.
The new Konoha had begun.
After this order was issued, all the Anbu operatives below removed their masks and shouted Naruto's name.
Among the crowd, a figure dressed in purple stood quietly, her captivating eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Tsunade turned to face the former elders, her tone firm. "You all have no objections, right?"
Silence.
"If you don't say anything, I'll take it as consent."
F4: "..."
"The Root division will be integrated into the Anbu." Tsunade continued. "As for the so-called 'Will of Root'... it is no longer needed."
At this moment, Senju Tobirama spoke up. "Tsuna, Konoha's era of darkness ends here. I don't want to see another Danzo rise."
"Got it. I'll handle things properly." Tsunade nodded.
Naruto, however, interjected. "You can keep your Root, but major changes are needed."
He then turned to Orochimaru. "Aunt Snake, would you be interested in leading the new Root division?"
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. "Since you're so sincere..."
"Enough nonsense!" Tsunade snapped, cutting him off.
Orochimaru smirked. "Ahem, then of course, I'm greatly interested."
"Then I'll leave the details to Nidaime and Aunt Snake." Naruto said. "After all, they're both pioneers in the ninja world."
Senju Tobirama sighed, looking at Naruto—who was shielded by Tsunade—and shook his head helplessly. "Even the dead don't get to rest."
"Hahaha!" Hashirama burst out laughing.
But mid-laugh, he suddenly paused, realization dawning upon him. "Wait... I'm dead too, aren't I?"
Naruto ignored their exchange and moved on. "The Sand Village remains our ally. Although they participated in the Konoha Crush, they withdrew in the end and even helped us overcome the crisis."
He turned back to Orochimaru. "Aunt Snake, you killed the Fourth Kazekage. You'll need to compensate them. Of course, the Sand Village will also owe compensation to Konoha."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, but after a brief pause, he nodded. "Fine. Let the diplomats sort out the details."
Naruto simply smirked. He had no intention of handling the logistics himself. That was their problem.
"What a pain..." Shikamaru sighed dramatically.
His father, Shikaku, chuckled. "Shikamaru, don't stress over just this one thing."
"Konoha is changing," he continued. "History will be divided into two eras. Don't you want your name recorded in the new pages?"
Shikamaru groaned. "I know, I know... Just venting."
With the major affairs settled, it was time to deal with F4.
Sarutobi Hiruzen would be relegated to menial labor, experiencing firsthand what it meant to walk the streets under the judgmental eyes of the people.
As for the two elders, Koharu and Homura? They would remain in Konoha under surveillance. After the villagers who had supported their rule were expelled, they'd be left at the mercy of the remaining populace.
And their assets?
Confiscated.
Naruto suddenly remembered something. "Ah, I almost forgot about Kurama."
With a flick of his hand, the restraints binding F4 were undone.
Sarutobi Hiruzen kept his head bowed, not daring to make eye contact.
Utane Koharu and Mitokado Homura stood in silence, their aged expressions unreadable.
Only Danzo was different.
He glared at Naruto, his eyes filled with venomous hatred. His fate had already been sealed once before.
If he didn't resist now, was he supposed to simply wait for death again?
"Uzumaki Naruto, I told you... You will regret this!"
Danzo sneered and lowered his head, covering his right eye. Then, a cruel grin stretched across his face as he tore away the bandages.
A scarlet Sharingan gleamed in the light.
Instantly, Sasuke activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, his gaze locking onto Danzo with deadly intensity.
Danzo's right eye was fully exposed.
Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Kotoamatsukami!"
Danzo smirked, his voice laced with amusement. "Become my puppet. And for clearing my obstacles, I should thank you."
"Kotoamatsukami!"
A surge of immense ocular power erupted from Danzo's right eye, directly targeting Naruto.
"Careful!"
Neji moved to intercept, but he was stopped by the Yondaime.
"It's fine. Trust Naruto."
The Nidaime frowned, his gaze locking onto Danzo's smug expression. His fists clenched tightly.
Uchiha Kagami… killed by this worthless scum.
Tobirama felt nothing but regret as he looked at Danzo, recalling the old days.
Meanwhile, Danzo watched Naruto fall silent, his laughter growing wilder.
"Hahaha~"
"Uzumaki Naruto! You are mine now! Everything you have belongs to me!"
Naruto didn't speak. He simply observed. He wanted to see if his eyes could resist Kotoamatsukami.
As it turned out—nothing happened.
The technique failed.
Naruto had instinctively used his Mori-Mori no Mi powers to absorb the genjutsu before it could take effect.
But as he looked at Danzo's face, a strange thought crossed his mind.
If Hiruzen's face and Danzo's face were swapped… would their reputations be reversed?
"Ah—!!!"
Suddenly, Danzo clutched his right eye, blood gushing out uncontrollably.
"This… this is impossible!"
"Why isn't Shisui's eye working?!"
Whoosh—
Naruto ignored Danzo's outburst and appeared in front of him in an instant.
With a single movement, he lowered Danzo's hand, revealing Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan.
He already had Kotoamatsukami, but it was only right for Shisui to reclaim his stolen eye.
"Actually, there's no need to overthink how many lives he has left."
"Izanagi… a single Sharingan grants Danzo one minute of invulnerability. During that time, we can kill him as many times as we want."
"However, be cautious of his Four Symbols Sealing Technique."
"Just leave his final life. Don't kill him outright."
Naruto's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan glowed as he shifted his gaze toward Danzo.
"Izanagi."
Puff—
Naruto's hand pierced straight through Danzo's throat.
"The hunt begins."
As Naruto spoke, Tobirama and Hashirama appeared beside him, eyes locked on Danzo as he reformed, his body recovering due to Izanagi.
"Tobirama-sensei…"
Hashirama's expression darkened.
"Brother, let me kill him first!"