"Akira, what did you say? Uzumaki Naruto is the Fourth Hokage's son!?"
With the revelation of the seventh sin, Uchiha Akira exposed Uzumaki Naruto's true identity, leaving the entire Uchiha leadership in stunned silence.
The Uchiha leaders were well aware of how much Naruto was despised in the village, being treated as the incarnation of the Nine-Tails.
They knew that being a jinchūriki—like Naruto—meant being seen as a monster, and this wasn't unique to Konoha but was true across the entire shinobi world.
Due to the Uchiha clan's sensitive position within the village, they had never paid much attention to Naruto, let alone suspected his true identity as the Fourth Hokage's son.
The revelation that Naruto was actually the child of the Fourth Hokage came as a massive shock to them.
The other sins that Akira had listed—like the downfall of Uzushiogakure and the Senju clan—were major failures of the Third Hokage's reign, but they were not entirely definitive. The suicides of White Fang and the forbidden experiments of Orochimaru lacked solid evidence.
Even the Uchiha's exclusion from the Nine-Tails incident, or the Hokage's softness toward the Cloud Village, weren't fatal flaws.
However, the fact that Naruto, the village's hero's son, was deliberately kept in the dark and made to live as an outcast was an unforgivable sin.
The Fourth Hokage was held in high esteem within the village, and the widespread hatred of Naruto only intensified this betrayal. When the truth of Naruto's parentage was revealed, it would surely shake the entire village to its core.
As the one who orchestrated all of this, the Third Hokage's reputation wouldn't just be tarnished—it would be utterly destroyed. He wouldn't be seen as fit to be Hokage, or even to be considered a decent human being.
"Akira, are you certain about Naruto's identity? This isn't something to take lightly!" one elder questioned, though the revelation clearly left him shaken.
"Now that you mention it, Naruto does have that same blond hair as the Fourth Hokage."
"Remember the night of the Nine-Tails attack? That was the same night the Fourth's child was born. The timing fits perfectly with Naruto's age!"
"And the surname—Uzumaki. To hide his identity, they must have given him his mother Kushina's surname."
"Exactly. The Uzumaki clan is known for their strong life force and are ideal for sealing tailed beasts. Over the years, Naruto has never had an issue with the Nine-Tails running wild."
Even though Uchiha Akira had a reputation for being trustworthy, the revelation was so shocking that the elders couldn't help but express some skepticism. However, as they analyzed the situation—the matching ages, physical resemblance, the use of the Uzumaki surname, and other factors—they began to realize that it all made sense.
If this were true, it would be the biggest black mark on the Third Hokage's record, a sin that could never be washed away.
Just like how Uchiha Itachi's massacre of his clan could never be forgiven, this would be an indelible stain on the Third Hokage's legacy.
The meeting of the Uchiha leadership wrapped up shortly after this shocking revelation. They discussed the next steps, which included gathering solid evidence to back up these claims, especially regarding Naruto's true identity.
Half a month passed, during which the entire shinobi world was thrown into turmoil.
Konoha, the leading nation among the Five Great Shinobi Countries, had seen its most powerful clan, the Uchiha, launch a coup.
The Third Hokage and Danzo, with their elite forces of the Anbu and Root, had tried to wipe out the Uchiha but were instead killed by Uchiha Akira, a mere seven-year-old genius.
This news sent shockwaves throughout the entire shinobi world.
"Konoha's Third Hokage must have been out of his mind to target the Uchiha, the strongest clan in the village. Look at how it backfired! The Uchiha were one of the most formidable clans even during the Warring States Period."
"Who would have thought that Uchiha Akira, a mere child, could kill the Third Hokage and even Danzo? And he's only seven years old!"
"This is terrifying. In ten years, the Uchiha clan might produce another Madara!"
In the Hidden Sand Village, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, mocked the Third Hokage for his foolishness. But beneath his sarcasm was a deep sense of unease about the power that Uchiha Akira had displayed.
"That old monkey was killed by a seven-year-old? The Uchiha are still as fearsome as ever!"
"Are we witnessing the rise of another Uchiha Madara?"
In the Hidden Stone Village, the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, was both amazed and fearful of Uchiha Akira's strength. Memories of the past, when he had once seen a figure as fearsome as a god—Madara Uchiha—began to surface.
"Uchiha Akira? Impossible! When he took part in the Chunin Exams, he was skilled, but how could he have become strong enough to kill the Third Hokage in just six months?"
"If I had known his talent was this terrifying, we should have ended his life when he was in the Hidden Cloud Village!"
In the Hidden Cloud Village, the Fourth Raikage was filled with regret upon hearing of the events in Konoha. The Uchiha's coup was certainly noteworthy, but Uchiha Akira's achievement of killing the Third Hokage at such a young age was what truly shocked the world.
From the moment of the Chunin Exams, his genius had spread across the shinobi world. But to think he could reach such heights in just six months was truly alarming.
The Raikage was now filled with regret, wishing he had eliminated Akira when he had the chance.
Because of Uchiha Akira's achievements, everyone in the shinobi world was reminded of the legendary Uchiha Madara. Comparing the two, it was clear that Akira's future held the potential to rival even Madara's power.
With memories of the distant past when Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju alone had suppressed the entire shinobi world, the prospect of Akira reaching such heights was terrifying. The First Shinobi World War had only erupted after the deaths of these two titans.
As a result, the attention of all the other villages focused intently on Uchiha Akira, even more so than on Fugaku, the current head of the Uchiha clan.
Meanwhile, several other villages were beginning to harbor strange thoughts in response to the Uchiha's coup.
The upheaval in Konoha sent shockwaves through the shinobi world, and even the major villages of the Sand, Stone, and Cloud were beginning to stir in response.
However, the Hidden Mist Village seemed largely unaffected. At that time, the Mist was engulfed in the dark period known as the Blood Mist, dealing with its own internal strife. With the Mizukage under the control of Uchiha Obito, the village was on the verge of collapse and had little attention to spare for Konoha's affairs.
But as the other villages reacted to Konoha's coup, half a month had passed, and the official document of appointment from the Fire Country Daimyo finally arrived in Konoha.
With this document, Fugaku's succession as the Fifth Hokage became even more legitimate and recognized.
Although the Daimyo lacked military power, he controlled much of the village's economy, making his endorsement crucial.
As soon as the appointment document reached Konoha, the inauguration ceremony for the Fifth Hokage was swiftly organized.
However, unlike previous ceremonies, this one was notably subdued.
Most of those attending were from the various ninja clans, with many of the civilian ninjas and villagers choosing not to participate.
This response left the Uchiha clan visibly displeased.
It was clear that the absence of many villagers and civilian ninjas was a silent protest against the Uchiha's coup and the killing of the Third Hokage.
However, this was something the Uchiha leadership had anticipated.
"That's why the Third Hokage's 'Will of Fire' was so effective."
"At least in terms of public sentiment, he managed to keep everything tightly under control."
"But once the seven deadly sins are revealed, we'll be able to completely turn things around."
As Fugaku donned the Hokage's hat, marking his official ascension to the position of Fifth Hokage, Akira silently noted the cold atmosphere.
After the inauguration ceremony, Fugaku, now officially the Fifth Hokage, made a formal address. He reflected on Konoha's past glory and shared his vision for the future.
Finally, Fugaku said, "Regarding the death of the Third Hokage, today, as the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, I intend to make a formal statement."
These words sent shockwaves through the entire assembly.
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 136 at patreon.com/Emik01.