"Being weak is the original sin."
The small-clan head clutched his chest, coughing up blood as he collapsed to the ground.
Any thought of getting involved was completely extinguished.
That palm strike hadn't just injured him—it had crushed the last shred of courage in those wavering clans that still dared oppose the Uchiha.
Aside from clans directly tied to the Hokage—like the Ino–Shika–Chō—no one else dared open their mouth.
Even with the Third Hokage standing right there.
The air grew heavier, thicker.
Before the Hokage Tower, the only sound left was Sarutobi Hiruzen's slightly labored breathing.
After a moment's silence, he chose to ignore Kai's blatant disrespect and tried to negotiate.
"What slogan…?"
Whoosh!
The instant he spoke, every gaze snapped to Kai.
Did they really not remember the slogan?
No.
They just wanted to see what this boy intended to do next.
"Slogan?"
Kai tilted his head slightly, his youthful voice cutting cleanly through the silence.
"Purge the court, execute the traitors—the court's been purged, the traitors executed."
"Now—it's time to set things right."
He stepped forward.
The crimson chakra wrapped around his body rippled gently.
Two fox tails, condensed from chakra, swayed like hands stirring the air.
And in the next instant—
The air detonated.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Explosions rippled outward.
Danger. Danger. Danger.
The invisible pressure forced even the ANBU shielding the Third Hokage to retreat half a step unconsciously.
"Financial authority."
Kai's voice was decisive, leaving no room for discussion.
"Konoha's purse strings—it's time to change hands."
"All ledgers, seals, and permissions once held by the advisors Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane are to be transferred to the Uchiha—immediately."
So this was it.
Clan heads exchanged looks.
This was the Uchiha clan's true objective.
"Outrageous!"
A clan head aligned with the Hokage faction finally couldn't hold back.
"Finance is Konoha's foundation—how can it be placed in the hands of a single clan?"
"You're trying to—"
BOOM!
His voice cut off mid-sentence.
A compressed air round—faster, denser than before—shot from Kai's fingertip without warning.
Like a sniper round.
One hit. One kill.
That small-clan head didn't even have time to react.
He was smashed backward as if struck by an invisible siege hammer.
Bang!
His body slammed into the Hokage Tower wall and slid limply to the ground.
"See?" Kai glanced at him, shaking his head.
"When adults are talking, kids shouldn't interrupt."
Then he looked at the others, his gaze an unmistakable threat.
"So—who's in favor?"
"And who's against?"
"The Uchiha have always loved democracy. If anyone has concerns, feel free to raise them."
"I guarantee—I'll resolve them."
Hearing that, and then looking at the clan head whose condition was unknown—
Every face darkened.
The Ino–Shika–Chō leaders looked especially grim.
Nara Shikaku's eyes flickered rapidly as thoughts raced.
In the end, he firmly held back Akimichi Chōza and Yamanaka Inoichi.
This was no longer a level they could interfere with.
Force it?
The outcome was right there in front of them.
Hyūga Hiashi lowered his eyelids, hands clasped behind his back, lightly nudging the stone tiles with his foot.
He looked like he was studying the floor.
Yet the corner of his mouth curved upward almost imperceptibly.
Good. Very good. About time these old bastards got beaten down.
As one of Konoha's vital clans, the Hyūga had taken plenty of abuse from these minor families.
And they couldn't push back openly.
Now?
Someone else was doing it for them.
Crack. Crack.
Under his cloak, Sarutobi Hiruzen's fists clenched so tightly they creaked.
Humiliation.
An unprecedented humiliation in Konoha's decades of history.
In all his years as Hokage, when had anyone ever forced him into a corner like this—in public?
Yet Kai's unfathomable strength left him with no confidence at all.
Seeing Kai's unrestrained behavior, an ANBU captain finally snapped.
Threatening their leader right in front of them.
Forcing him to hand over power.
Who could tolerate that?
Without hesitation, the captain shouted:
"Everyone attack together! That Uchiha kid is young—he must be running low on chakra by now!"
"That's right! If we all work together, he can't possibly kill all of us!"
"For Konoha! For the Hokage!"
For the Hokage.
For Konoha.
In that instant, the ideals drilled into ANBU for years won out.
More and more of them stepped forward, ready to die.
"No—you—"
The Third Hokage's expression changed.
His hesitation vanished as he tried to stop them.
Whatever his private motives—
These ANBU were Konoha's backbone.
Every loss was painful.
He didn't want this.
But before he could speak—
Another air palm blasted out.
Whoosh!
Crack!
The strike smashed into a nearby tree, snapping it clean in half.
Hiruzen froze, then looked up—
To see the small boy staring at the ANBU with eyes shining.
"Can't kill you all…?"
Kai inhaled deeply.
As he looked at the hundred-plus ANBU before him, a flame named desire ignited in his eyes.
Talking for ten minutes was exhausting.
But beating people up?
Fast.
Efficient.
And with this many chives—
If he didn't harvest them all tonight, he'd wake up at midnight and punch himself in regret.
So when he saw the Third Hokage trying to interfere—
He didn't hesitate.
One air palm, straight at him.
Don't touch my chives.
Seeing the Hokage attacked again, the ANBU finally exploded.
"All Earth-style users—cast with me!"
"Fire-style team—on me!"
"Water Release—charge!"
Over a hundred shinobi attacked simultaneously.
Layers of jutsu overlapped, their combined power skyrocketing.
"Perfect."
Kai waved for the Uchiha to stand down.
He alone stepped forward to meet them.
Smack!
A massive crimson chakra hand came down like a slap.
Smack!
One ANBU was sent flying.
Smack! Smack!
Two more were slammed straight into the ground.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Against the raw power of the Nine-Tails, even elite jōnin crumbled in moments.
And before Kai's eyes, system notifications flooded in like rain.
Traits dropped one after another—
Like finding money in a dream.
Again.
And again.
[Defeated Sarutobi… obtained Common Trait: Fire Starter (White) — proficient with all kinds of lighters.]
[Defeated Yamanaka… obtained Fine Trait: Weight Suppression (Green) — when falling from above, your weight doubles.]
[Defeated Aburame… obtained Rare Trait: Roadside One (Blue) — your presence is a bit low-key, like a dog by the roadside.]
"…Huh?"
Kai froze.
Staring at that last trait—
He went completely still.
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