Uchiha Fugaku's words sent shockwaves through the Hokage ceremony.
The Uchiha had killed the Third Hokage and seized control of Konoha—a move that wasn't exactly praiseworthy. Faced with the Uchiha's overwhelming power, no one dared to openly criticize this during the Hokage transition. For most, the best course of action was to pretend it never happened.
Yet here was Fugaku, openly discussing the death of the Third Hokage in front of everyone. What was he thinking? Was he really going to tear open old wounds for all to see?
The ordinary shinobi and civilians present were baffled. Even the ninja clans looked at each other in confusion, unable to understand Fugaku's bold move.
Scanning the crowd, Fugaku could see the surprise and confusion on their faces—just as he had anticipated.
"As the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, I stand here today to reveal the seven deadly sins of the Third Hokage," Fugaku announced.
"First, during his tenure, he was weak and incompetent," he began. "When Hinata, the Hyūga princess, was kidnapped by the Cloud Village, it led to the sacrifice of Hiashi's twin brother, Hizashi, to appease the Cloud's unjust demands."
As soon as he said this, many eyes turned to Hiashi Hyūga. The faces of the Hyūga clan members showed clear signs of anger and shame.
Even though Hizashi was part of the branch family, he was still a Hyūga. The Third Hokage's decision to sacrifice a member of the clan was indeed an act of weakness. With this sin revealed, the Hyūga felt their honor had been deeply tarnished.
It wasn't just the Hyūga who were affected. Many of the jōnin present also looked troubled. While the general public might not have known the full details, these higher-ranking shinobi were well aware of what had happened. It was a story that had been kept quiet to protect the Third Hokage's image.
When Fugaku finished listing the first sin and no one stepped forward to refute it, those who had been in the dark were left in disbelief. Wasn't the Third Hokage always talking about the Will of Fire and how everyone in Konoha was family? Yet here was proof that he had sacrificed one of his own to placate an enemy, even when Konoha was in the right.
For many, the shining image of the Third Hokage began to crack.
"Second sin," Fugaku continued, "is the downfall of Uzushiogakure. The village of the Uzumaki clan, who were our close allies, was destroyed due to Konoha's delayed aid. In the end, Konoha gained a wealth of sealing techniques from Uzushiogakure's demise."
"Third sin: During the Third Hokage's rule, the Senju clan, one of Konoha's founding families, was repeatedly sent into battle, leading to their near extinction. This is what drove Tsunade to leave the village."
As these accusations were laid out, the faces of many shinobi grew darker. Uzushiogakure's fall was one thing, but the near extinction of the Senju clan, one of Konoha's most prestigious families? That was harder to justify. The thought of how such a powerful clan had been allowed to wither away was indeed terrifying.
"Fourth sin," Fugaku's voice rang out, "Orochimaru, in collaboration with Danzo, conducted forbidden experiments, using villagers and even shinobi as test subjects. Despite knowing this, the Third Hokage allowed Orochimaru to escape, putting personal feelings above the safety of the village."
Boom! This revelation was like a thunderclap, shocking everyone present.
The real reason Orochimaru defected from Konoha was because of this? And the Third Hokage had let him go on purpose? It was as if the lives of the villagers meant nothing to him. And yet, this was the man who preached the Will of Fire?
With these sins brought to light, the once-glorified image of the Third Hokage began to shatter in the minds of many.
"Fifth sin," Fugaku continued, "he was jealous of those with talent and drove the White Fang of Konoha to his death."
Fugaku then elaborated on how the Third Hokage and Danzo manipulated public opinion, driving Sakumo Hatake to the point of suicide. With the deaths of the Fourth Hokage and White Fang, and the departure of the Sannin, the older generation of Konoha's leadership faced no threats to their power.
As Fugaku spoke, many shinobi and civilians silently nodded. Indeed, Konoha had seen a sharp decline in top-tier combat power in recent years, with a noticeable gap in leadership.
"My father's death… was because of this?" Kakashi Hatake, hearing the truth about his father's suicide and the role the Third Hokage played, lowered his gaze. Reflecting on those events, Kakashi realized that Fugaku's words were likely true.
Kakashi had always respected the Third Hokage, who had been the teacher of his own sensei, the Fourth Hokage. But learning that his father had been driven to suicide due to the ambitions of the village's leaders left Kakashi feeling utterly betrayed.
"Sixth sin," Fugaku declared, "on the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, the Uchiha could have subdued the beast with the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan. But the village leaders, fearing the Uchiha's rising influence, forbade us from participating, leading to countless deaths."
Mentioning the Nine-Tails' attack, which had occurred only seven years ago, brought back vivid memories for many. The absence of the Uchiha during that night's battle, due to the machinations of the Third Hokage and his advisors, left a sour taste in everyone's mouth.
With these sins listed, the image of the Third Hokage crumbled completely. The man who had preached the Will of Fire now appeared as nothing more than a selfish, weak leader who had sacrificed others for his own gain.
Just then, a voice rang out, "That's impossible!" Someone in the crowd shouted, cutting through the tension.
Everyone turned to see a young man, about twenty years old, a teacher at the ninja academy.
"I'm Iruka Umino, just a chūnin and a teacher at the academy," the man declared. "I don't believe what you're saying!"
"Sure, the Uchiha took over Konoha's leadership, but to slander the Third Hokage's name like this after killing him? I can't believe it!"
Iruka's voice rang out strong and clear, defying the Uchiha with a bravery that belied his rank.
For Iruka, the Third Hokage had been a guiding light during his youth, a figure who had personally reached out to him during his darkest times. To Iruka, the Third Hokage had been the perfect leader, and hearing Fugaku's accusations was something he could not stand.
"Sensei Iruka is right! The Third Hokage was a good man!" another voice chimed in—this time, it was a loud, determined shout. The owner of that voice was none other than Naruto Uzumaki, with his unmistakable blond hair.
For Naruto, the Third Hokage had always been a paternal figure, and Iruka was one of the few people who had ever shown him kindness. So naturally, Naruto stepped forward to defend the man he admired most.
"Yeah! The Third Hokage was always a great leader!"
"The Uchiha took power and now they're trying to smear the Third Hokage's name. We don't believe it!"
"Don't you dare defame the Third Hokage! The Uchiha have no right to claim the title of Fifth Hokage!"
Sometimes, all it takes is one voice to lead the charge. With Iruka and Naruto standing up first, others who still believed in the Third Hokage joined in, their voices rising in protest.
Pfft! Watching the scene unfold, Uchiha Akira couldn't help but chuckle.
To be honest, Akira had anticipated this kind of reaction. After all, the Third Hokage had spent years building up his image. It was only natural that Fugaku's attempt to list the Hokage's sins would provoke such a backlash. But what Akira hadn't expected was that the first ones to stand up would be Iruka and Naruto.
"What are you laughing at?!" Naruto snapped, glaring at Akira with a fierce determination that belied his small stature. "I remember you! You're Uchiha Akira! You graduated from the academy right after you enrolled last year!"
"I heard you're the one who killed Grandpa Third! I, Uzumaki Naruto, will defeat you someday! And I'll become Hokage, believe it!"
"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm the villain in some epic tale?" Akira thought to himself, amused by Naruto's intense declaration.
It was a strange feeling indeed.
"Naruto, why don't you try beating me first?" It was Sasuke Uchiha who spoke up, stepping forward to back up Akira. Though they were classmates, Sasuke was clearly siding with his fellow Uchiha.
"Good to know Sasuke's still on my side," Akira thought, nodding slightly as Sasuke stood up for him.
But this was hardly the time or place for children to bicker. Akira decided to speak up, turning to Naruto with a serious expression.
"Naruto, do you even know where your name comes from?" Akira asked, his tone more serious now.
"Huh? My name?" Naruto replied, caught off guard by the sudden question.
"Do you know who your parents were?" Akira continued, his voice growing sharper, drawing the attention of everyone around.
"My parents…?" Naruto muttered, suddenly feeling a strange weight in his chest. This was a question that had haunted him for as long as he could remember.
"And do you know who spread the rumors that you were the Nine-Tails' reincarnation, causing everyone to treat you like a monster?" Akira asked, his words cutting through the air like a knife.
"Who... Who was it?" Naruto's voice wavered, filled with a mix of fear and curiosity.
"Your name was given to you by one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya," Akira began, his eyes locked onto Naruto's. "Your parents were none other than the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki."
Naruto's eyes widened in shock, his heart pounding as if it might burst out of his chest.
"And as for who spread the rumors that you were the Nine-Tails reincarnated," Akira said, his voice cold, "it was none other than the Third Hokage and the rest of Konoha's leadership."
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 136 at patreon.com/Emik01.