"Execute them! Execute them!"
"Restore order!"
"Long live the Uchiha!"
…
Outside the Hokage Building, the roar was deafening.
The Uchiha's chants ignited the fury of the other shinobi clans as well.
"Parasites! Scum!"
"No wonder Konoha's been declining!"
"Pah! I was blind before!"
Rotten leaves and rancid eggs rained down on the Danzō sprawled on the ground.
Root members stood like clay statues—any twitch and ANBU immediately pinned them down.
When the wall falls, everyone pushes.
And what wall was more satisfying to topple than those three brothers already trampled deep into the mud?
The Third Hokage's face was ashen.
He knew it.
His old partners were finished.
The noise raged for half an hour before slowly fading.
Ren looked down at Danzō under his foot.
[Defeated Shimura Danzō. Attempting to copy trait.]
[Current copyable traits: Sharingan Collector (Black), Seal-Blocker (Black)…]
[Copy successful. Congratulations, host has obtained the Excellent trait: Wood Release Cells · Fragment (Blue): Increases physical energy, balances mental energy, but due to immature cloning techniques, using it consumes lifespan.]
A big hit.
Ren's lips curled upward.
The "Shadow Hokage" really didn't disappoint.
This "defective product" was exactly the nourishment he needed—
To patch vitality.
Or rather, to reduce the drain from his Wood Release Cells trait.
He'd already fed plenty of other traits into his existing Wood Release Cells.
The effect had been minimal.
Almost none at all.
This one, however, was his third Wood-Release-line trait.
"Stack it. Wood Release Cells."
[Stack successful. Congratulations, host has obtained the Excellent trait: Wood Release Cells (Purple): Can independently control cell division speed and restore injuries.]
It evolved.
His Wood Release Cells evolved.
That meant an automatic "cell division" switch—one he could turn on and off.
Normally, it wouldn't matter much.
Of course…
With a body blessed by light, he doubted he'd be getting injured often anyway.
Good fortune makes the spirit soar.
Ren's small hand was already drifting into his hair, unable to stop itself.
"Hiss… crap."
At the same time, Fugaku hurried over, coughing twice.
"Ahem… Ren, what do we do next—"
As he spoke, his gaze flicked toward the Third Hokage—killing intent flashing.
He had hesitated.
He had wavered.
But now?
There was only one road left, and it went straight into darkness.
Whoosh.
Before Fugaku's words fully fell, even the peace-loving Second Elder rushed in as well.
A kunai clenched tight in his hand, his eyes hard with resolve.
He didn't speak, but the posture screamed it clearly:
Say the word—we'll charge.
Even if it's the Third Hokage…
We'll kill him for you.
Clack. Clack.
Sensing danger, ANBU immediately pulled a portion of their forces back into a protective line before Hiruzen and the others.
The air instantly tightened again, sharp as drawn steel.
And yet…
Whenever those ANBU elites accidentally glanced at the small Ren—
Their eyes flickered away.
They avoided him.
It was obvious.
Whether it was that godlike domain from earlier, or the crimson chakra hands behind him—
It all left them with the illusion that he couldn't be matched.
They didn't even dare let killing intent leak.
They only looked toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hoping this undefeated old legend could guide them onto the "correct" path again.
Hiruzen: …
Why are you all looking at me?!
He wanted to yell that—but he couldn't.
Enma's sudden retreat had already planted a deep unease in the so-called Professor's heart.
This Uchiha boy…
He couldn't see through him.
So even after two of his old friends were crushed into blood mist, he only kept his face dark and said nothing.
Finally, he spoke, voice hoarse and heavy.
"Danzō and the others… were indeed my failure to supervise…"
"This time… my thanks to the Uchiha…"
As the last word fell, the old man's back slowly bent further.
Even his gaze seemed to grow cloudier.
"Just… thanks?"
Ren murmured, looking at the old man who was barely taller than him.
His eyes were full of amusement.
"Surely the Hokage-sama hasn't forgotten our slogan."
Thud.
So it was unavoidable after all.
Hiruzen's face darkened even more—
Though the wrinkles hid it.
"Third-sama…"
Seeing the situation, the Ino–Shika–Chō clan heads quickly stepped forward.
Ren's pressure was immense, but as Hiruzen's ironclad allied families, they were already bound together.
If the Third truly fell…
They might not fare well either.
"Third-sama…"
"Hokage-sama!"
One after another, more clan heads stepped out.
Danzō and the advisors were "just" high-level officials.
People respected them—but no one would bet their entire future on them.
Hiruzen was different.
He'd been Hokage for decades.
In Konoha, his roots ran deep.
In a shinobi world that relied on bloodlines and clans, that mattered more than anything.
The tangled web of power was so thick that even the Fire Daimyō was, in some ways, only a figurehead.
If the Uchiha truly moved against the Hokage tonight—
These clans might actually fight to the death.
Of the more than twenty clans that had gathered, only about half remained here now.
And at the front of them—
Was the Hyūga.
"Ahem…"
Seeing the tension spiral, Hyūga Hiashi coughed twice and spoke softly.
"Ren, if the Uchiha have demands, state them."
"I believe, for the sake of Konoha's peace, Hokage-sama will agree—as long as it isn't too excessive."
His voice wasn't loud.
But the instant it fell, many eyes lit up.
And the Third Hokage's face turned even blacker.
Even his wrinkles trembled.
State them?
He'll agree?
Hyūga Hiashi—what side are you on?!
Hiruzen cursed inside.
He knew that if he openly rejected it, he'd provoke the clans' dissatisfaction…
But if he didn't reject it—
Boom!
At that moment, a violent shockwave of compressed air blasted forward!
Thankfully, Hiruzen's instincts were still sharp despite his age.
He shifted and slipped aside in an instant.
He moved fast—
But a clan head behind him didn't.
He only had time to look up, stunned and confused—
And then—
Bang!
Psch!
The Gentle Fist strike landed, and blood sprayed from his mouth.
"Hiss…"
He sucked in a breath, pain ripping through his organs.
His furious gaze bounced between Ren and the Third Hokage, and for a moment he didn't even know who to blame.
Blame Ren for being ruthless?
Blame the Third for being too fast?
In the end, he arrived at one conclusion:
Being weak was the original sin.
It was his own fault for reacting too slowly.
After dodging, Hiruzen instantly snapped back, glaring at Ren as he barked,
"Uchiha Ren! Attacking the Hokage—what are you trying to do?!"
"What am I trying to do?"
Ren bared a grin, small mouth curling upward.
"Beat you up."
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