Any remaining dignity had long since been scattered to every corner of the shinobi world by the sky projection.
Stepping down early was less about "preserving face" and more about being forced by the unavoidable spoilers of fate—making one final, reluctant attempt to salvage a shred of pride.
Tsunade and Jiraiya fell silent.
They understood Hiruzen's feelings all too well.
And as the three of them watched the political storm brewing over Konoha in the projection, none of them doubted that in that "future," Kakashi's motion of removal had ultimately succeeded.
The proof was simple:
When Pain invaded Konoha, it was Tsunade who sat in the Hokage's seat.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had not appeared at all during that catastrophic crisis.
The projection continued, like pages turning in a book.
Amid the political tempest initiated by Kakashi, Hyūga Neji—and the Hyūga Clan behind him—strictly followed Hiashi's warning to remain neutral and observe.
The storm arrived fiercely and dissipated quickly.
Within days, word spread:
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had voluntarily stepped down.
Tsunade, long absent from Konoha, was brought back by Jiraiya and formally appointed as the Fifth Hokage.
The transition of power occurred with relative stability.
Kakashi's proposal seemed to have acted as a catalyst—applying pressure that forced the Third to make his final decision.
The massive machinery that was Konoha rattled violently for a brief time, then resumed operation—only with a new hand at the helm.
For Neji, the change in Hokage did not immediately alter his daily life.
He remained one of the Hyūga Clan's promising young Jōnin, leading missions and guiding Hinata's training.
But as a Jōnin with access to mid-level authority and briefings, Neji perceived more than the average shinobi.
Gradually, he sensed a quiet but thorough restructuring taking place within Konoha.
At intervals, news of personnel changes surfaced—from the Hokage's office, ANBU divisions, critical departments, even logistical and intelligence posts that once seemed insignificant.
Familiar faces withdrew from the core.
New and unfamiliar ones stepped in.
Neji understood: under the Fifth Hokage Tsunade, this was a large-scale reorganization and consolidation of power.
Hiruzen's influence receded like a falling tide, steadily and irreversibly withdrawing from the village's center of authority.
Neji observed calmly—neither overly optimistic nor unduly anxious.
Until one day, a blond figure approached him at the training grounds, carrying an unprecedented weight of sorrow.
"Neji…"
Neji lowered his stance and turned.
The sight made him frown.
Uzumaki Naruto—usually brimming with inexhaustible energy—stood before him with dim blue eyes and slumped shoulders, shrouded in grief and confusion.
"What happened?" Neji asked, a hint of concern in his steady voice.
He had rarely seen Naruto like this.
Naruto lifted his head. His lips trembled before he managed to speak hoarsely.
"Jiraiya-sensei… he's… dead."
"What?!"
Neji's pupils contracted sharply.
Jiraiya of the Sannin—the legendary shinobi who had trained Naruto—dead on a mission?
The news was almost impossible to accept.
Through Naruto's broken account, Neji learned that Jiraiya had infiltrated a mysterious and extremely dangerous organization alone—and never returned.
His body was never recovered.
Jiraiya's death fell upon Konoha like a stone into newly stilled waters.
The village entered mourning.
And beneath the sorrow burned a sharper tension—a hunger for answers and revenge.
Konoha's machinery accelerated once more. Reconnaissance and pursuit missions were dispatched in large numbers. Elite teams spread across the shinobi world, seeking intelligence and retribution.
As one of Konoha's most capable Jōnin, Neji received a high-risk tracking assignment and departed with his squad.
Yet midway through their mission, a highest-priority emergency recall arrived.
Along with it came a message that froze their blood.
Konoha… had been invaded by an unknown enemy.
Nearly reduced to rubble.
Neji's team rushed back at full speed.
When they finally reached the village's former location, even Neji—battle-hardened and disciplined—felt a chill seep into his bones.
Ruins.
Endless ruins.
The familiar streets, buildings, training grounds—even the Hokage Rock—
All symbols of Konoha's prosperity and pride had been erased.
It was as though divine punishment had descended.
And yet—
Amid that sea of despair, two figures stood as symbols of hope and miracle in the eyes of the survivors.
One was Uzumaki Naruto.
The other left Neji in stunned disbelief—
Uchiha Sasuke.
The missing-nin who had abandoned Konoha, who had once allied with Orochimaru—the very comrade Naruto had sworn to bring back.
He had returned.
And judging by the murmurs among the survivors, Sasuke had played a crucial role in the defense, fighting alongside Naruto to repel the invader.
A former defector… hailed as a hero?
The irony and reversal were staggering.
Reconstruction followed disaster.
Amid the busy yet solemn atmosphere, Neji found Naruto sitting alone atop a broken wall, staring into the distance.
"Naruto," Neji said quietly as he approached, "you've achieved part of your goal. Everyone acknowledges you now. You're a hero of Konoha."
He meant Naruto's lifelong dream—to become Hokage, to be recognized.
In this catastrophe, Naruto had proven himself beyond doubt. He had earned the trust and respect of the village.
But to Neji's surprise, Naruto did not grin proudly as he once would have.
Instead, he merely tugged at the corner of his mouth, forcing a faint smile—one heavy with exhaustion and something deeper… something Neji could not immediately name.
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