Konoha.
Inside the Hokage's Office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face was twisted with rage as he glared at Mitokado Homura, who now stood on the verge of betrayal. The lines etched into his old face deepened with fury.
A miscalculation.
At such a critical time, he had been sold out—by his own teammate!
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, together with Shimura Danzō and Uchiha Kagami, had once stood at the side of Tobirama Senju. They were not just comrades; they were the last bastion of that generation's will. They had watched the Second Hokage fall before the Kinkaku Force. Bonds forged in blood and war—were they truly this fragile?
Hiruzen had expected them to stand beside him in this storm.
Yet, they had instead chosen to stab him in the back.
What a joke.
And now, even if this entire thing was just a smear campaign, even if it was the guards' scheme—he still had to face the Captain of the Guard himself.
Earlier, he'd summoned both Homura and Koharu to discuss how to counter the growing public sentiment around Kushina Uzumaki, who had recently revealed sensitive truths.
Now, before any countermeasures could be arranged, he'd been betrayed.
Worse yet, Sarutobi remained oblivious to the true scope of the situation.
Tsunade had uncovered irrefutable evidence and submitted it directly to the Guard.
Kushina had not, as he had assumed, acted out of emotional impulse or personal vengeance against him for how Naruto had been treated. She had taken the legal route—reporting embezzlement of clan property and systematic abuse.
That's what made it dangerous.
A seasoned politician like Sarutobi couldn't comprehend the simplicity of honesty. He was used to schemes within schemes.
And then there was Uchiha Itachi—assigned to spy on Bai Ye, but doing nothing substantial. His passive silence had put Sarutobi in a completely vulnerable position.
> "This is serious,"
Bai Ye said, facing Mitokado Homura, tone stern but eyes dancing with amusement.
His expression betrayed his real intent: entertainment. A front-row seat to the unraveling of a legacy.
Homura took a long, deliberate breath before standing up, tugging the sleeve of the similarly quiet Koharu.
> "There's no doubt… The Third's actions were motivated by personal revenge."
Yes—revenge.
He had known for some time now that neither Shinnosuke nor Asuma were Sarutobi's biological children. That knowledge had planted the seed of caution.
Together with Koharu, he had decided to watch—and wait.
To be fair, Homura admitted to himself, he was also seeking revenge.
Losing Shinnosuke had hollowed out his heart. No father could endure that kind of grief without desiring blood.
To him, both Hiruzen and Bai Ye were responsible.
If Sarutobi hadn't tried to let his "sons" atone through missions, they would never have clashed with Bai Ye.
They all had blood on their hands.
But he didn't yet have the strength to touch Bai Ye—so Sarutobi was the first to fall.
Just thinking of Lady Biwako's grief-stricken face twisted his gut. He hadn't even been able to pay respects. The surveillance around her was too tight.
> "He also sought revenge against Danzō,"
Homura added quickly, desperate to distance himself.
Then he glanced at Koharu.
She gave the smallest of nods.
Even she saw where the wind was blowing. The ape had fallen from the throne—clinging to power was no longer worth the cost.
> "Yes. Not only Homura and I—he even threatened Danzō's widow, Shimura Cuihua."
"I learned this from his own Summoning Beast."
There was even direct testimony from the Sarutobi clan's very own ape—Enma.
Bai Ye's smirk grew wider as he glanced at Sarutobi.
> "In that case, for transparency's sake, we request Hokage-sama to summon Enma to court."
Witness testimony, material evidence, and now the alleged instrument of crime itself?
Even if this was a political move—it was being done by the book.
But Bai Ye's curiosity was genuine.
Why would Enma even speak to Koharu?
And why would he speak of Shimura Cuihua?
This mess was unraveling faster than even he expected.
> "Utter nonsense!"
Sarutobi roared.
> "Homura and Koharu are slandering me!"
He clenched his fists, veins visible on the backs of his wrinkled hands.
If even part of this was proven true, then his days as Hokage were over.
He had only one path left—deny everything and endure.
He had seen what happened to Danzō when caught. The shame. The loss of everything.
> "Very well,"
Bai Ye said with theatrical regret.
> "If Lord Hokage refuses to cooperate, then we'll present the evidence—including Enma's testimony—at tomorrow's public trial."
> Public trial?!
Sarutobi's face paled.
If Bai Ye had planned to arrest him, but had no grounds, then maybe resisting could have bought him time.
But now?
The trial was already set.
Not a simple interrogation—not a council hearing. A full public judgment. And the New Year's very first.
> "Announce it,"
Bai Ye said, waving lazily at Uchiha Cong.
Without hesitation, Cong stepped forward, drawing out the arrest warrant.
It wasn't even complete—he added new charges on the spot with a flourish of his pen.
> "Statement of the Guard!"
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, Third Hokage of Konoha."
> "Charged with forced assault, corruption, unauthorized assassinations, manipulation of ideological doctrine to justify murder, and abuse of minors…"
> "The Guard hereby initiates arrest proceedings!"
Click.
The chakra-sealing cuffs clamped over Sarutobi's wrists.
He didn't even get a chance to form a hand sign.
He was done.
Cong's Sharingan had already evolved past the norm. With Mangekyō active, Sarutobi stood no chance, chakra or not.
Even Homura and Koharu were stunned.
Until now, they hadn't believed Bai Ye would actually do it.
This wasn't theater. It wasn't propaganda.
It was real.
Even without the scandal Koharu and Homura had brought up—Sarutobi was being taken down.
> "I'm the Hokage! You can't arrest me!"
"If you do this—Konoha will collapse overnight!"
Hiruzen shouted, struggling like a cornered animal.
But the cuffs cut off all chakra flow.
No jutsu. No escape.
Only brute force remained.
And brute force meant nothing against Uchiha Cong.
> Smack!
A harsh slap cracked across Hiruzen's face.
> "Earth doesn't stop turning without you,"
Cong said coldly.
> "Stop acting like you're indispensable."
Bai Ye walked to the Hokage wall.
The portraits of the past Hokage—Hashirama, Tobirama, and Hiruzen himself—looked down upon the room.
Without hesitation, Bai Ye reached up, plucked Sarutobi's photo from the wall, dropped it, and stepped on it.
Crack.
The glass shattered. His boot left a perfect imprint across Sarutobi's face.
> "You really thought you were still Hokage?"
"Someone really believed that much in themselves?"
He moved to Hiruzen, placed a calm hand on the elder's head—just like the first time they met at the Guard office.
> "People tolerate children."
> "Until they turn into monsters."
Sarutobi couldn't even reach up to swat him away.
> "From this moment, Tsunade will serve as Acting Hokage."
"Have her briefed and prepped. Until a new Hokage is chosen, she'll take over."
That last order was spoken to both Homura and Koharu.
Whatever their sins, they still had value—for now.
The irony was bitter.
The man who claimed no interest in power had already prepared for the throne long ago.
He hadn't just planned this arrest.
He'd choreographed every step—from Guard HQ to Hokage Tower.
Sarutobi, still cuffed, glared at Bai Ye with pure hatred.
> Smack!
Cong delivered another clean strike.
> "You think this is a staring contest?!"
He was already imagining how to strip Sarutobi of his final jutsu.
As Bai Ye stepped out of the office, villagers and ninja alike turned to gawk.
Whispers became shouts.
It was real.
The Guard had actually arrested the Hokage.
Uchiha clansmen erupted into cheers.
This was it.
Bai Ye—the Uchiha—was now the future of Konoha.
Even Fugaku, hidden in the crowd, couldn't suppress his short breath.
Would Bai Ye truly take the mantle?
Would the Uchiha finally rise?
Bai Ye looked around, and with steady authority, declared—
> "The criminal has been arrested."
> "Tomorrow, the First Public Trial Meeting of the New Year begins."
> "The accused… Sarutobi Hiruzen."
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