Everyone was stunned.
Completely and utterly stunned.
If just a moment ago, Senju Yukika casually flicking Senju Hashirama's memorial tablet could be dismissed as merely disrespectful—
Then now, as the newly appointed clan head openly questioned whether everything Hashirama did was truly right?
That was something else entirely.
The implications were obvious.
He was telling them that even Senju Hashirama—the God of Shinobi—had made mistakes.
Disrespect?
No, this was a direct challenge to the authority of the God of Shinobi!
A confrontation against the doctrine left behind within the Senju Clan.
What did this mean?
The new clan head was opposing the old one...
The atmosphere in the ancestral hall subtly shifted.
But this silence?
It was exactly what Yukika wanted.
Was he trying to be provocative?
No—as he had said before, Yukika never acted without thinking it through.
If he had chosen to convene a clan meeting today, then he had already prepared for everything that would come next.
He would change the clan members' minds one step at a time.
He would guide them to realize their own shortcomings, and then allow them to see with their own eyes whether what he was saying made sense.
Reforming a clan came with a price.
Yukika would aim to achieve the greatest benefit at the smallest cost.
This was only step one.
And it was going far more smoothly than he had anticipated.
At the very least, despite just taking up the position, none of the clan members had tried to deliberately make things difficult for him.
Even though he was only ten years old, it was clear the clan had already acknowledged his leadership.
That mattered.
And much of the credit went to his grandfather, Senju Tobirama, whose management of the clan had been meticulous.
Even during the Warring States period, while Hashirama had been the clan head, the one truly handling affairs had been Tobirama.
The clan had a deep-rooted reverence for him.
Now, a portion of that lingering reverence had transferred to Yukika.
So even when they heard such explosive remarks, they held back, waiting for what he would say next.
With a solemn expression, Yukika gently placed Hashirama's memorial tablet back on the table.
He had achieved the effect he wanted with his shocking statement.
Now came the time to back his words with logic.
"I know many of you sitting here today disagree with me—some of you might even be outright furious."
"But I want to make it clear, I'm not maliciously belittling the beliefs that once guided our clan. I'm simply stating facts."
"Even gods can make mistakes."
Yukika's voice was still youthful, but every word carried an undeniable authority.
Sorry, Tsunade.
I'll apologize to you afterward.
He cast a brief apologetic glance toward Tsunade and Nawaki, sighing lightly.
He wasn't just speaking nonsense.
And Hashirama, being his great-uncle, wasn't someone Yukika had any reason to slander.
When it came to strength and charisma, there was no denying Hashirama's greatness.
But Yukika simply couldn't agree with some of his approaches and ideals.
For example...
"First question—Did the founding of the Hidden Villages really bring peace?"
"Everyone, please open your eyes and look. The First Shinobi World War, the Second Shinobi World War..."
"How many people from Konoha and the Senju died?"
"Yes, the number of wars decreased, but every time one broke out, tens of thousands were involved. The death toll was several times higher than in the Warring States era!"
Not a sound.
Not even a whisper.
Yukika's words...
No one could refute them.