Logically speaking, with the power held by Danzō and Homura, they shouldn't have been able to stir up much trouble in front of Hiruzen.
However, the vast majority of Konoha's elite forces had been sent to the front lines and had yet to return.
Many of the clan ninjas who hadn't gone to the frontlines chose to adopt a wait-and-see attitude toward this sudden and inexplicable internal conflict, opting not to get involved. This alone reflected just how far Hiruzen's prestige had fallen.
A few hours later, the civil strife in Konoha finally came to a halt. But it didn't stop because a victor had emerged. Rather, as the battle escalated, many buildings and civilians in Konoha were inevitably affected.
Looking at the devastation and the angry cries of the villagers, both Hiruzen and Danzō were deeply troubled.
One was trying to salvage his reputation, while the other was trying to build his own, if the infighting led to greater losses, it would only benefit Tsunade.
So, even though Homura still wanted to fight, Hiruzen and Danzō tacitly agreed to issue a ceasefire, forcing Homura to follow suit.
In front of the Hokage Building, gazing at the collapsed buildings nearby, Hiruzen felt not sorrow but relief.
There was no doubt that this conflict would make the people of Konoha hate him even more.
But as long as it thwarted the plans of Homura and Danzō to ruin his name, it was worth the cost.
After all, he had already decided to step down and pass the position of Hokage to Tsunade, a move that would undoubtedly help him restore his reputation.
He even fantasized that by taking the initiative to concede, he might mend fences with Tsunade and Shin, and perhaps even remain influential behind the scenes, with a chance to make a comeback in the future.
So as long as his name wasn't utterly ruined, Hiruzen didn't mind.
"Danzō, what exactly are you trying to do?" Once the two factions were separated and standing on either side, Hiruzen suddenly shouted angrily, "I never imagined you would be so impatient, or that you'd stoop to such lengths to achieve your goals."
The sudden outburst stunned Danzō.
What?
At this point, the civilians had distanced themselves, after all, this level of fighting was too dangerous to be near.
But Hiruzen's roar echoed across half of Konoha, heard clearly by tens of thousands.
Many immediately turned their angry eyes toward Danzō, especially those whose homes had been affected by the fighting, their expressions were furious.
After all, Hiruzen was still the Hokage, while Danzō was nearly synonymous with "villain." Faced with two evils, the people were more inclined to believe it was him who had started the trouble.
Once he realized what was happening, Danzō's face turned ugly.
He was nearly driven mad.
Wasn't it you who started this whole thing?
Now, thanks to that one shout of yours, anyone with a brain would think I was the one who instigated it.
Originally, his plan was to take advantage of Hiruzen's absence, first smear his name or rehabilitate his own image, then seize the Hokage title.
The order mattered greatly.
Danzō knew very well what his reputation in Konoha was like. To put it bluntly, there were many in Konoha who wanted to see him torn to pieces.
Before he could prove that he had always been Hiruzen's scapegoat, and gain sympathy as a victim, he knew that even if he took the Hokage position, he would lose it the moment Tsunade returned.
His plan had been well thought out.
But unexpectedly, Hiruzen returned right on time, just as his scheme was beginning, disrupting the entire process.
Fortunately, Homura reacted quickly and also shouted, "Hiruzen! You clearly launched a sudden attack on my clan's territory. Your own ninjas can testify to that. And now you're pretending to be the victim? Do you think everyone's blind?"
Hearing the public shouting match from afar, the villagers were dumbfounded.
Huh?
Wasn't Danzō the one who started all this? Why is Homura getting dragged in too?
This just goes to show that a good reputation does matter.
Homura had always been known in Konoha as a low-key and honest figure. Though he had little presence among the higher-ups, his reputation among the villagers was quite favorable, far better than either Hiruzen or Danzō, and that immediately shifted public opinion.
But would Hiruzen just take that lying down?
He immediately shouted, "Yes, yes, I attacked you!"
The villagers of Konoha gasped in shock, but Hiruzen's voice continued, "But why don't you tell them the reason? You and Danzō conspired together, planning to launch a coup while I was away, to make Danzō the next Hokage and you his advisor."
"As the Hokage, I received information and evidence of this plot. Am I not supposed to act?"
Homura snorted coldly and retorted, "That's because your actions have made you unworthy of continuing as Hokage. Do you really think the things you've done will stay hidden forever?"
"I'm unworthy, but Danzō is worthy?" Hiruzen snapped angrily. "He's done far more disgraceful things than either of us. Do you want me to start listing them one by one?"
"Just his incompetence alone has already cost Konoha dearly in this war, he is unforgivable. So stop pretending you're some noble hero. Everything you've done is just to fulfill your own ambitions."
Hiruzen's words left Homura momentarily stunned.
As someone who had known Hiruzen for years, he thought he understood him well. He knew Hiruzen cherished his reputation greatly, and that using public image as leverage was often enough to make him back down.
But now, Hiruzen was taking an unprecedented approach, openly engaging in mutual destruction without a care in the world. That, more than anything, made Homura furrow his brows in concern.
Just as he was about to say more, Danzō suddenly stepped forward and blocked him.
"Homura, shut up!" Danzō growled under his breath.
Only then did Homura snap out of it.
So… you're still here?
Moments earlier, he had been so fixated on Hiruzen that he forgot Danzō was involved at all. If he kept arguing, and if Hiruzen really went all in regardless of the consequences, the one who would suffer most might not be Hiruzen, it could very well be Danzō.
Danzō's reputation was already in the gutter, and he hadn't had the chance to clear his name. If things escalated further, he'd be completely disgraced.
Meeting Danzō's furious yet pleading gaze, Homura finally came to his senses.
Yes, he very much wanted to kill Hiruzen to avenge Koharu. He also wanted to see Hiruzen's name ruined beyond redemption.
But at this point, neither was realistic.
After all, Hiruzen was still the Hokage. If Danzō and Homura really tried to kill him, plenty of people, even those reluctant to get involved, would be forced to take sides.
As for ruining Hiruzen's reputation… that would be a case of hurting the enemy by 800 while injuring yourself by 1,000. It wasn't worth it. This needed a longer-term strategy.
"Danzō, Homura, surrender! Stop being so obstinate!" Hiruzen shouted loudly when he saw the two fall silent.
He knew very well they wouldn't comply, but as Hokage, it was something he had to say.
Yet in his heart, he was furious.
So many clan ninjas had remained neutral during the battle, they hadn't been sent to the front lines and were supposed to be guarding the village, yet they chose to sit on the sidelines and watch. That was a huge blow for him.
He wanted to command them to join the fight, but he knew his authority no longer carried weight. Even if they pretended to obey, they would likely put in minimal effort.
If it weren't for that, how would Danzō and Homura have risk acting so arrogantly?
What Hiruzen didn't know was that Danzō, too, was seething with resentment and unwillingness to accept this outcome.
If Hiruzen had returned just one day later, his entire plan could have gone smoothly.
But did Hiruzen really think he had no backup plan?
Danzō was silent for a long moment. Then, steeling himself, he stepped forward and said coldly, "Do you really think I can't do anything to you?"
"Go ahead, I'd love to see what you think you can do."
"Fine!" Danzō growled through clenched teeth.
With that, he suddenly pulled out a storage scroll.
But before he could even open it, one of Hiruzen's bodyguards suddenly sprang into action.
Seizing the moment while Hiruzen's attention was on the scroll, the guard drove a short blade straight through Hiruzen's back, piercing his heart from behind at lightning speed.
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Completed at Chapter 278!