Ryōsuke marched into the Police Division headquarters with the Third Hokage bound in heavy ropes.
Fugaku and Yatsushiro were already waiting.
The moment they saw Hiruzen, they felt vindicated—justice had finally walked through the door.
But for the pig-deer-butterfly trio (Akimichi, Nara, Yamanaka) and the Inuzuka clan head, their expressions shifted sharply.
The realization struck them: the Uchiha had captured the Hokage long ago, and kept it hidden.
Perhaps deliberately, so that the other clans wouldn't resist their plan.
Seeing Hiruzen bound like a criminal, their hearts were torn. They could hardly believe it—
that their Hokage, the man who had led Konoha for decades, could have murdered his own Anbu and sanctioned Danzō's grotesque experiments.
But the proof was undeniable. The human experiments in Root's labs were too horrific to ignore. If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, they would've stopped the Uchiha immediately—maybe even fought to protect the Hokage.
Now… they had no words.
Hiruzen's gaze fell upon Shisui's body, laid out silently on the ground. His face twisted. The truth was exposed. His voice cracked with both rage and despair:
"Uchiha Ryōsuke! What do you intend to do with me?!"
"I regret not eliminating you when I had the chance. If Konoha falls into your hands, disaster will consume this village!"
Ryōsuke tilted his head, almost amused.
"Oh? I expected excuses. Is this your confession instead?"
"As for me 'betraying the village'—where exactly did that come from?" He turned to the clan heads.
"Tell me, Inoichi, Shikaku, Chōza, Tsume… do you believe I betrayed Konoha?"
Before they could answer, Hiruzen snapped, his voice like a whip:
"You conspire to usurp the Hokage's seat! You disgrace authority itself—Uchiha ambition knows no limits!"
Ryōsuke laughed openly.
"Authority? You mean you murdering my clansman, only to be captured and dragged here? Is your pride still aching?"
"Or have you forgotten why you were bound at all? Because you killed Uchiha Shisui. Have you no remorse?"
"As for the Hokage's seat—nonsense. The Hokage isn't some personal heirloom. Whoever can lead the village to prosperity deserves the position."
Fugaku nodded firmly. Yes—an Uchiha-led Konoha would thrive far better than under Sarutobi's shadow. Even the other clan heads couldn't argue.
Shisui's murder was undeniable. Even the Hokage had no right to kill a loyal ninja.
And Ryōsuke's words rang true: Uchiha had defeated the Hidden Cloud in a single stroke. Their strength now surpassed all others—no enemy would dare threaten Konoha under their watch.
But Hiruzen's fury only burned hotter.
"Cursed clan! Tobirama was right—you Uchiha are born with evil in your hearts!"
He turned on the clan heads.
"Will you stand by and join this rebellion?"
Their faces soured. This wasn't rebellion. This was justice—Hiruzen had killed Shisui first. They had only uncovered the body.
Ryōsuke smirked at the accusation.
"'Born evil'? What nonsense. The Uchiha aren't cursed—we simply feel more deeply than others. That passion fuels our strength."
Ryosuke believed Madara was misled by Black Zetsu's schemes. Even Obito was manipulated by Madara's lies, chasing after Rin. Even Itachi—yes, even he—was poisoned by the Hokage's words. Instead of mourning his friend's killer, he turned on his own clan.
His eyes hardened.
"Hasn't it ever occurred to you? The Uchiha love this village more than anyone else. Why else would Hashirama have begged Madara to join him in founding Konoha? He saw that love clearly."
Hiruzen's lips trembled. He remembered Tobirama's words, yes—but also Hashirama's.
"That love of yours," he said hoarsely, "is dangerous. Love that burns too brightly can only drag the village into ruin."
Fugaku and Yatsushiro scoffed in unison. What hypocrisy. To call them both the village's greatest lovers and its destroyers—madness.
"Enough," Ryōsuke declared.
"The Hokage admits to Shisui's murder. The question remains—how shall we sentence him?"
Yatsushiro wasted no time.
"Execution. No one, not even the Hokage, can kill our clansmen without consequence."
In his heart, he already envisioned the next step: the Hokage's chair, vacant. And who else could claim it but the Uchiha? Their long dream was finally within reach.
But Fugaku's brow furrowed.
"Not so fast. Even if he admits guilt, executing the Hokage so swiftly… the village will see only treachery. The Hokage is the highest seat in the land, while we are merely the Guard. Passing judgment alone will not be seen as legitimate."
Ryōsuke's record was one of careful, righteous action—never reckless grabs for power. He would not taint their clan's rise with a stain of illegitimacy.
The other clan heads were shaken. The thought of executing a Kage was unthinkable. In the history of the shinobi world, no Kage had ever been formally executed. Overthrown, perhaps—but never legally tried and killed.
Chōza stepped forward, his voice uneasy.
"This punishment… is too heavy. The Hokage has served this village for decades. He deserves recognition for that."
Inoichi nodded.
"Yes. If he is guilty, strip him of the Hokage title. Imprison him. That will maintain stability."
Only Shikaku remained silent, his mind replaying the image of Nawaki's corpse in Root's labs. He could not bring himself to speak for Hiruzen.
Yatsushiro slammed a fist down.
"Unacceptable! Shisui was our clan's prodigy. Murder cannot be forgiven—rank or no rank. According to Uchiha law, this crime is punishable by death."