Inside the Hokage's office, the atmosphere was suffocating.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane stood arrogantly at the front, backed by a large group from the four major families.
Minato Namikaze and Shikaku Nara faced them with grim expressions. ANBU operatives lined the walls.
The other clans had already been blocked from entering by the four families.
The tension was razor-sharp.
"You are no longer advisors," Minato said calmly, though his voice carried undeniable authority. "You have no right to interfere with the Hokage's decisions."
"Minato," Koharu sneered, her aged face full of mockery, "do you really think you can continue sitting in that seat peacefully?"
She stepped forward slightly.
"Let me tell you something. Shisui awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. His technique is called Kotoamatsukami—it can control a person's will."
"His eyes have already been taken by Hiruzen. One eye controls Uchiha Fugaku. The other controls Wen Lan."
"If you know what's good for you, hand over the Rinnegan. We don't mind letting you remain Hokage."
"But if you don't…" her voice turned cold, "don't blame us for being ruthless."
Minato and Shikaku's expressions changed slightly.
The situation was far worse than they had anticipated.
"Impossible!" Minato snapped. "Nagato is Kushina's clansman. I will never let you take his eyes!"
"He's just a Nine-Tails jinchūriki," Koharu scoffed. "Hiruzen was too soft. A jinchūriki is nothing but a humanoid weapon!"
"If she dares complain," she added icily, "I wouldn't mind sealing her in a dungeon."
"You dare?!"
Minato slammed his hand onto the desk and rose to his feet.
The warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced by killing intent.
He was gentle—but only toward those worthy of it.
"Yellow Flash" had not earned his name through kindness.
"Minato," Homura said stiffly, "if you cooperate, we won't take it that far."
Shikaku narrowed his eyes.
"Clan Heads Koharu, Homura—don't forget. If the Hokage wishes it, you would both be dead right now."
Silence fell.
For a brief moment, the two elders seemed to wake from their arrogance.
They had been intoxicated by the thought of regaining power—forgetting that the man before them had once turned the tide of a world war single-handedly.
But Koharu quickly regained her composure.
"Even if you kill us," she said coldly, "Wen Lan is already under control. You cannot change that."
Minato's gaze sharpened—
Then suddenly shifted past her shoulder.
A strange, profound ripple of ocular power filled the air.
The office doors creaked open.
A lone girl stepped inside.
Wherever her presence touched, the four families' ninja collapsed to the ground as if their strength had been drained from them.
Koharu and Homura turned—
—and their pupils shrank in horror.
Outside the doorway, countless ninja had already fallen.
Standing beneath the doorway's shadow was a young girl—
Mangekyō Sharingan spinning in her eyes.
"Relax," Uchiha Hikari said softly. "I only drained their chakra."
Eight Thousand Spears.
Her Mangekyō ability.
Anyone marked by her seal could have their chakra and spirit linked—and drained—regardless of distance.
The mark required only a single medium.
And Wen Lan had chosen the Hokage Monument as that medium.
Anyone who had ever looked upon the monument—
Had been marked.
Her Mangekyō spun like a crimson abyss.
"Another Mangekyō?!" Homura gasped, face draining of blood.
Koharu staggered backward.
"Uchiha… hiding such power… Who are you?!"
"Me?" Hikari tilted her head slightly. "I am Uchiha Hikari."
After a moment of thought, she added calmly:
"In the Warring States era, I was known as the Uchiha's human weapon."
"Warring States?!"
Not only Koharu and Homura—even Shikaku and Minato were shocked.
Minato suddenly remembered.
When Wen Lan had studied the Warring States Sealing Records, he had mentioned bringing back a Kage-level powerhouse.
Minato had assumed he meant Tsunade.
Clearly—
He had been wrong.
"I'm grateful Wen Lan unsealed me," Hikari continued softly. "Grateful that I have seen an era of peace."
Her dark red Mangekyō gleamed with killing intent.
"But if anyone tries to destroy that peace… or destroy what Wen Lan wants to protect…"
"I will crush them before they're even born."
Chakra surged outward like a tidal wave.
The entire Hokage building trembled violently.
At this moment, Hikari's chakra exceeded even that of the Uzumaki clan.
She had absorbed the combined chakra of the four families' ninja.
"Light! Konoha doesn't have the budget to rebuild this building!" Minato hurriedly shouted.
"Ah?"
Hikari blinked, her chakra stalling in confusion.
Suddenly—
Laughter rang from outside.
"Hahaha! It's fine, Hikari! Play as much as you want! If it collapses, we'll just build another!"
Minato turned.
Wen Lan walked in casually.
Zhi Yan followed behind, holding unconscious Asuma in one hand—
—and in the other, a rope.
The rope was tied around Hiruzen Sarutobi's neck.
The former Hokage looked like a beaten stray dog.
Both arms gone.
Face drained of blood.
The surrounding ninja outside the Hokage building witnessed everything clearly.
"You're back!" Hikari's eyes lit up as she stepped beside Wen Lan.
"Yeah," Wen Lan said lightly, patting her head. "Heard the village was in trouble. Came back at full speed."
His gaze swept across the room.
"It's time to settle some debts."
His voice was soft—
—but cold as winter steel.
"H-Hiruzen?!" Homura trembled at the sight of him.
Koharu's legs gave out slightly.
"This… this can't be… We calculated everything perfectly!"
Wen Lan flipped a chair around and sat beside the Hokage's desk, smiling faintly.
"Have you never heard this saying?"
"In the face of absolute strength—"
"All schemes and conspiracies are nothing but laughable tricks."
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