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"Sarutobi Hiruzen, you are no longer fit to be the Hokage of Konoha Village."
"..."
Upon hearing the words from the crowd, Sarutobi Hiruzen gripped the large pipe in his hand.
The gazes and words of countless people weighed heavily on him.
In that moment, Orochimaru, who had not yet left, raised a strange and cunning smile, his cold eyes gleaming with mockery. He looked on with amusement at the scene unfolding.
The words of the ninjas on the battlefield today, calling for the Hokage's resignation, were all part of a chain of events Sarutobi Hiruzen had inadvertently set in motion. Orochimaru, with a single push, had tipped the scales.
"Tsk tsk tsk, my dear teacher, you will have this day, huh? You truly deserve it."
"Why am I so moved and happy?"
Orochimaru mocked his former teacher, but Sarutobi Hiruzen understood there was no way to change the outcome.
He slowly placed the lit pipe in his mouth, inhaling deeply before exhaling the smoke. The tension in his chest seemed to ease, but his sharp eyes remained fixed on the mocking Orochimaru.
He didn't speak, only giving a cold snort before turning his gaze toward the battlefield where Konoha's flames of anger were burning bright.
At this moment, Kirito stood at the center of the battlefield, his power having decisively suppressed Orochimaru and Uchiha Obito. The other battles had also concluded, and all the ninjas of Konoha Village had dropped their weapons.
The center of the village echoed with loud shouts of discontent. The voices of the villagers and ninjas expressed their dissatisfaction and anger at Sarutobi Hiruzen's actions.
"They're right."
"The Fourth Hokage should indeed step down."
"Step down, abdicate…"
The old Hokage slowly lowered the pipe from his mouth and waved his hand weakly. His gaze swept over the crowd, and despite their anger, there was still a modicum of respect for the Hokage.
Even with Sarutobi Hiruzen's strange behavior, the onlookers were momentarily stunned into silence.
Orochimaru remained quiet, not mocking his fallen mentor any further. Hoshigaki Kisame and Uchiha Itachi exchanged glances, both silently observing how the Hokage, who had ruled Konoha for so long, would handle the situation.
Might Guy, who had once held unwavering faith in Konoha, now found himself deeply disappointed by the actions of the Hokage. He had always believed that youth should be protected, but Sarutobi Hiruzen's failure to care for the next generation, especially Naruto, disillusioned him.
"Youth shouldn't be burned like this."
"The village shouldn't be left in the hands of someone like him."
Might Guy's voice carried regret, and Kakashi, still reeling from Obito's actions, also found himself filled with anger.
He had long known of Naruto's hardships, but the more he heard from Iruka and Kurenai, the more it became clear how much Naruto had suffered alone.
Naruto, the son of his beloved teacher, Namikaze Minato, had lived a life of isolation, rejected by the villagers and treated like a monster. The child had endured more than anyone should have to.
Kakashi could not hold back the rising anger inside him. The thought that Naruto, the son of the hero Minato, had been treated with such cruelty filled him with indignation.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, how could you do this?"
"Why didn't you tell me that Naruto is my teacher's son?"
"How could I, Kakashi, ignore him?"
The words rushed out, filled with fury. Kakashi's eye, the Sharingan, glowed as his anger grew.
Even Uchiha Dai, who had ignited this whole incident, turned his cold gaze on Sarutobi Hiruzen, silently demanding an explanation.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, faced with the overwhelming anger from everyone, exhaled deeply.
"Fine, this is all my fault."
"Enough arguing."
"After today, I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, will step down as the Hokage of Konoha Village."
"But before I step down, there's one final matter."
At this, the crowd fell silent, their confusion growing. What was Sarutobi Hiruzen about to say?
The old Hokage's sharp eyes shifted toward Kirito, who was standing calmly at the center of the battlefield. The sight of him, calm and composed like a pillar of strength, was enough to silence even the most outspoken ninjas.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze locked onto Kirito, and the atmosphere thickened with tension.
Kirito, sensing the Hokage's attention, frowned slightly, unsure of Sarutobi Hiruzen's intentions.
Finally, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke, his voice grave and deliberate.
"After I abdicate…"
"The position of Hokage will be passed to Konoha's Golden Flash, Kirito."
"Where Konoha's fire burns, the village will continue to thrive."
"Kirito, what do you think?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes glimmered with the hope that Kirito would accept this mantle, but the young warrior was unbothered.
Kirito, shaking his head calmly, responded without hesitation, "I am not interested. You should look elsewhere."
Inside, Kirito was grumbling about Sarutobi Hiruzen's manipulative tactics, even pulling this kind of stunt right before stepping down.
But his calm rejection shocked everyone.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed, his hopes dashed. Despite the tense situation, he knew there was little more to do. Instead of forcing Kirito into a role he didn't want, he promoted him to Elite Jonin, securing a guardian for the village, though the Hokage position remained uncertain.
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