"What an interesting scene, Sarutobi-sensei."
Seeing the Hokage bow his head, unwilling to meet his gaze, Orochimaru let out a mocking chuckle.
"During the Nine-Tails' attack, the Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to protect the village and seal the beast."
"The previous Jinchūriki, Uzumaki Kushina."
"And this Jinchūriki is Uzumaki Naruto."
Orochimaru clicked his tongue. "Tsk tsk tsk, Sarutobi-sensei, you are the Hokage—why not just imprison the entire family?"
His words struck harder than the voices of the villagers and shinobi below. Sarutobi Hiruzen remained silent, but his body tensed under the weight of Orochimaru's accusations.
Senju Tobirama shot a sharp glance at his elder brother, as if warning him to stay out of it. However, Orochimaru turned toward both legendary figures and repeated himself.
"Sarutobi-sensei, why are you—Konoha's so-called 'God of Shinobi'—so silent?"
Tobirama frowned. "God of Shinobi?" His narrowed eyes gleamed with realization.
So that was Sarutobi Hiruzen's strategy.
He had molded himself into an invincible figure, casting a shadow as vast as Hashirama's, using the image to deter rival villages after both Senju brothers passed.
But Tobirama had just sensed the entire village.
A slow smirk crept onto his face. Perhaps, in the beginning, Sarutobi truly had Konoha's best interests at heart. But somewhere along the way, he had started believing his own myth.
"The strongest Hokage?" Tobirama's question made Hiruzen's face darken, shame pooling in his eyes. A fleeting thought of seppuku flickered in his mind.
But before he could act—
Two shadows surged forward, pinning him in place.
"What a drag… Old man, are you seriously thinking of suicide?" Shikamaru muttered, disgust lacing his tone.
Nara Shikaku's sharp gaze settled on the Hokage. "Hiruzen, death won't erase your sins. They won't disappear just because you do."
Hiruzen's eyes widened in disbelief.
Shikaku had attacked him?
Receiving an approving nod from Tobirama, Hashirama blinked in confusion. "Hmm? Monkey, when did you surpass me?"
Orochimaru cackled at the absurdity of it all.
Meanwhile, Ino and Yamanaka Inoichi's expressions twisted in sheer disgust. Yet the entire exchange continued to broadcast across the village through the Yamanaka Clan's telepathic technique.
"Monkey, speak!" Tobirama's sharp voice demanded.
Hiruzen's eyes burned red with shame and fury.
"Do you still think you're the victim here? Shameless old man!" Tenten sneered.
A gust of wind blew across the rooftop as Hiruzen turned his gaze toward the bound Sarutobi Clan members, captured by the Shin Clan.
A bitter smile crept onto his lips.
"After losing Lord Tobirama and Lord Hashirama, Konoha was left vulnerable. The only way to maintain our standing… was to create another Senju Hashirama."
He took a deep breath. "That's why I cultivated the image of an invincible Hokage."
Orochimaru smirked. "So that's why you rarely took action yourself—because you were afraid of being exposed?"
His voice dropped into a taunt. "I don't know whether the other villages feared you, but I do know this: against foreign enemies, you cowered. But within your own walls? You acted like an omnipotent deity, striking without hesitation."
The disgust in Hashirama's gaze grew deeper.
Then—
Boom!
A sudden impact shook the rooftop as Tsunade landed with force.
The assembled daimyos and shinobi leaders gasped in unison.
"The big fat sheep!"
"It's Tsunade!"
"Damn it, she still owes me five million ryo!"
"Ahem! Show some respect—she's the Senju Princess!"
"I'll just suffer in silence… Lady Tsunade!"
Tsunade's face twitched.
She had expected to make a dramatic entrance, stirring awe like Nagato and Kushina before her. Instead…
The reality was far from what she envisioned.
Her irritation spiked.
With her anger at its peak, she coldly declared:
"If you weren't parading around as the so-called 'God of Shinobi'—"
"How else would you have taken all the credit for the Second Shinobi World War?"
"And the Third? That was even more laughable."
Her fists clenched. "Not only did you take all the glory, but when mistakes piled up, you conveniently resigned, shoving Minato into the role of Fourth Hokage. Yet you never gave him any real power! You ensured he remained a puppet while you pulled the strings."
She scoffed. "During the Nine-Tails' attack, you preached about the Will of Fire—that old trees must burn to nurture new saplings."
Her voice turned sharp. "And yet, from the moment you became Hokage, you clung to power, embedding your philosophy into every ninja academy textbook, ensuring the cycle of control continued."
"What's the result?"
"How many young lives has Konoha sacrificed over the years just to sustain these blood-sucking old trees?"
"Grandfather, Second Grandfather, do you know?"
"Didn't you create Konoha for the sake of peace?"
"Even if peace is unattainable and war is inevitable, wasn't it our duty to protect the next generation?"
"Then ask him!"
"How did he do it?"
"How many children died on the battlefield?"
"How many were pushed to the front lines before they even graduated from the Academy?"
"I've seen Konoha's casualty records..."
Tsunade's voice trembled, her fury giving way to anguish. Tears streamed down her face as she turned toward Hashirama and Tobirama.
"Grandfather... Second Grandfather... Ugh... Nawaki was killed because of their schemes... They even plotted against me! When Nawaki died, his organs had been hollowed out… all in the name of researching our Senju bloodline!"
"The direct descendants of the Senju Clan were thrown into the meat grinder of war, while the shinobi from the four major clans barely stepped onto the battlefield!"
Tsunade's sobs filled the rooftop, her grief washing away the last sliver of hesitation in Tobirama's heart. Whatever reluctant mercy he had for Hiruzen was obliterated, replaced with a storm of fury.
"There's more... This old beast has done far worse..."
Tsunade broke down completely, sobbing uncontrollably. Hashirama, usually so full of life, looked utterly lost, like a child unable to process the pain before him. Tobirama, on the other hand, moved to comfort her—only to be sent flying by a devastating punch.
"Why did you die so early?!"
"Why did you give the Hokage seat to him?!"
"Why did you make me his student?!"
Her angry, grief-stricken accusations echoed through the air as Tobirama lay sprawled on the ground, unsure whether to get back up. Even Orochimaru remained uncharacteristically silent.
Nawaki's death had taught him how fragile life could be.
However, his silence didn't spare him. A moment later, Tsunade's fist sent him flying as well.
"Kushina!"
"Yes, Sister Tsunade!"
With a single command, Kushina's adamantine chains shot out, wrapping around Orochimaru and yanking him back.
"Orochimaru!"
"Did you really think I wouldn't hit you just because you stood there quietly?"
"Are you still enjoying the thought of your failed plan to destroy Konoha?"
"Do you admire this decrepit old man so much?"
"Did you want him to die as a hero?!"
Orochimaru coughed, rubbing his bruised face. "Ahem... Don't worry. I regret a few things too... but if you keep hitting me this hard, I'll start bleeding, and your hemophobia will return."
Hashirama and Tobirama froze.
The Senju Princess... their cherished little niece...
Afraid of blood?
They exchanged glances, sensing the overwhelming force of Tsunade's emotions.
Moreover, a distinct Yin Seal mark adorned Tsunade's forehead.
Such a person—one of Konoha's legendary Sannin—had been tormented to the point of developing hemophobia?
"Tsuna... are you suffering from hemophobia?" Senju Hashirama asked in disbelief.
"Grandpa, Nawaki's death planted the seed... It took root then."
"But it's fine now. My good disciple cured me!" Tsunade declared, pulling Naruto over with a proud smile.
"I see... Uzumaki Naruto, you truly are remarkable. I misjudged you... That day, I should have... ahem, never mind." Hashirama coughed, choosing to drop the subject.
At this moment, the Hokage still attempted to salvage the situation.
"Tsunade, I didn't know about these things... Besides, I've always said that if you wanted to be Hokage, I would step down immediately..."
But he couldn't continue.
Because everyone was staring at him.
The same villagers and shinobi who had once loudly clamored for war had suddenly fallen into an eerie silence.
In the distance, Kakashi smirked and glanced at Jiraiya. "Jiraiya-sama, what's wrong? Try to struggle a little, so I can at least play the villain here. Oh, and Lady Tsunade is over there—why don't you go persuade her to take up the mantle of the Fifth Hokage?"
Shff!
"Hmm... the so-called strongest Hokage, are you planning to make Lady Tsunade the Fifth Hokage just like me?" Minato asked, his tone carrying a sharp edge.
"Another puppet Hokage?"
His playful demeanor faded as he continued.
"The son of the Fourth Hokage was treated like this by the village."
"Old man, where is the Will of Fire you always spoke of?"
"You know, when Naruto awakened me—when Kushina and I watched his childhood from an outsider's perspective... there wasn't a single moment I didn't want to kill you and destroy all of Konoha!"