Ryosuke Uchiha stood unfazed by the old Hokage's anger. His lips curved into a cold sneer.
"You still claim the Fourth's death wasn't your doing? You didn't aid him—worse, you blocked us Uchiha from lifting a hand to help him. And you call that not your fault? What was your intent, Third Hokage? Were you deliberately letting the Fourth Hokage die? Tell me—do you truly deserve the name Hokage of Konoha?"
The accusation burned hotter than flame. Hiruzen's face darkened, fury twisting his features. Of all the insults Ryosuke hurled, this one cut deepest—saying he was unworthy of the title "Third Hokage."
"How dare you slander me so!" he roared. "During the Nine-Tails' attack, that beast's eyes bore the pattern of the Sharingan! Who else could have been behind it but the Uchiha? Naturally, I had to keep you contained—who knew what schemes you were plotting?"
Ryosuke's laugh was sharp and bitter.
"Ridiculous. This village was built by the Uchiha and the Senju together. And now the Senju have been driven to near extinction by you and Danzō's machinations. That leaves us—the Uchiha—as the last surviving founders of Konoha. And you dare suggest we'd destroy the very home we built? The place we live, the place our children grow up in? What possible gain could there be in burning down our own village?"
His gaze hardened, voice like a blade.
"The truth is clear. The Third Hokage was not only incompetent, but ruled by paranoia. And it was your baseless suspicion that directly cost the lives of the Fourth Hokage and his wife. Or perhaps… was it not paranoia at all? Perhaps you wanted the Fourth gone, so that you could return to power."
The words struck Hiruzen like a physical blow. His chest heaved with outrage. How dare this upstart accuse him of plotting against Minato!
"The Fourth Hokage was like family to me!" Hiruzen snapped. "Minato was Jiraiya's pupil—my student's student! His rise to Hokage was because I supported him, because I recommended him myself. Why would I ever want him dead? You spit venom with no proof!"
But Ryosuke pressed on, relentless.
"Then why, Hokage-sama, did you not stand beside him against the Nine-Tails? Spare me the tired excuse of fearing Uchiha treachery—it does not hold. Or did you simply believe that a young and inexperienced Minato could singlehandedly face the might of the Nine-Tails?"
His voice rang across the chamber.
"No matter your excuse, the truth remains: the Fourth's death is tied to your choices. A prodigy, a genius unlike any before him, forced to stand alone in that battle—while his comrades watched from the sidelines. Do you not see? His death weakened the village. And soon after, Cloud dared test us again."
The words sent murmurs through the gathered clan leaders. Once, none had questioned the Third's choices. But now, with time to reflect, Ryosuke's arguments dug into their hearts.
They remembered how Cloud had brazenly tried to kidnap Hinata Hyūga not long ago, exploiting Konoha's weakened state. Would they have dared such an act if Minato were still alive? Everyone knew his legend: the Yellow Flash, who at the border had held back both the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki simultaneously. Alone, he had blunted an entire invasion. As long as Minato lived, Cloud would never have risked open aggression.
But he had died young. And the village had suffered ever since.
Across the hall, Fugaku Uchiha felt elation rising within him. Ryosuke's words were perfect—stripping Hiruzen's reputation at its weakest point. To condemn the Third Hokage now would not be rebellion—it would be justice. And the Uchiha would emerge not as villains, but as defenders of righteousness.
The old Hokage, bound in place, could only grind his teeth in helpless fury. This boy had twisted the tale until the Fourth's death sat squarely on his shoulders. Even if he tried to explain, no one would believe him now.
And truthfully… doubt gnawed at his own heart. Had he chosen wrongly? If he had trusted the Uchiha then, fought at Minato's side—would Minato still be alive today? The thought left his chest heavy. Perhaps, in some way, Ryosuke was right.
But Ryosuke wasn't done. His gaze sharpened as he asked the question that had haunted him for years.
"The Fourth Hokage and his wife died for this village. Their son, Naruto, should have grown up under your protection—safe, respected, cherished. Yet instead he was shunned, reviled, treated as a monster by the very villagers his parents died to save. Why?"
The question hung like a blade over the room.
"Even if the villagers are ignorant," Ryosuke continued, "how could they have known? Who told them Naruto was the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki? That secret should never have reached them. And yet it did. They saw only a demon, not the hero's son. So tell me, Hokage—why did you let this happen?"
The clan leaders shifted uneasily. Ryosuke's words hit close. Some of them remembered mocking the boy themselves. If they had known Naruto was Minato's child, never would they have dared such cruelty. The Fourth and his wife had given everything—yet their son had been spat upon. The shame of it burned in their chests.
Hiruzen's face tightened. The sudden line of questioning caught him off guard, but he forced out his defense.
"I acted to protect him. I had Kakashi deliver the message—I wanted Naruto hidden. If his true parentage were known, the enemies Minato made across the world would have come for him. Minato killed countless shinobi—do you think their villages wouldn't have sought revenge on his child? Naruto was too young to defend himself. Secrecy was the only way."
The clan heads mulled his words. There was sense in them. Minato's enemies had been many. The Yellow Flash's legend had been built on rivers of blood. If Naruto's identity had been known, assassins might indeed have come for him.
But Ryosuke's scorn cut through the reasoning.
"You silenced the truth of his lineage, yet allowed the truth of the jinchūriki to spread. Which is the greater danger—vengeance from a few enemies, or the entire shinobi world coveting the Nine-Tails' power? Any fool could see which posed the greater risk. And worse—you never protected him! In your village, he was beaten, bloodied by children throwing stones, left crying in the streets. Did you not fear he would one day turn against Konoha itself? That your neglect would plant the seed of betrayal?"
His eyes locked on Hiruzen's, cold and unforgiving.
"Tell me, Hokage—how do you justify that?"