"Outrageous! Uchiha Ryūjin is completely unbearable!"
"A traitor wants to become Hokage, and he expects us to clean up his mess?"
"This is ridiculous. What does Uchiha Ryūjin think we are?"
"That bastard has no shame at all!"
The moment Ryūjin left, the hall erupted. Voices overlapped in anger, curses filling the air as the gathered shinobi vented everything they had been holding back. The atmosphere grew heated, nearly explosive.
An executioner drenched in Konoha's blood wanting to become Hokage was already hard enough to accept. But demanding that the very people of Konoha support him behind the scenes made it even worse.
It was beyond absurd.
The outburst continued for several minutes before gradually dying down. Not because their anger had faded, but because they had exhausted themselves.
"Has everyone calmed down?"
Among the crowd, the most composed remained the Nara clan. Seeing the moment was right, Nara Suzaku stepped forward again.
"If not, then continue venting. No one is stopping you."
"But if you're done, then we need to talk about what comes next."
His steady voice cut through the lingering tension, bringing silence back to the hall.
"Suzaku, if you have something to say, say it." Hyuga Hizashi spoke, clearing his throat slightly.
All eyes turned toward Nara Suzaku.
"Whether you like it or not, Uchiha Ryūjin is right. Right now, Konoha needs him, not the other way around."
His words landed heavily.
"Deep down, everyone here already understands that. You just refuse to admit it."
No one refuted him.
Because he was right.
Logically, they all knew that allowing Ryūjin to become Hokage was the most stable option for Konoha. If they refused, the Uchiha clan would inevitably rebel. And if that happened, the result would not be a civil dispute.
It would be total destruction.
At the same time, Konoha's current state demanded someone powerful enough to take control.
Jiraiya had the reputation and strength, but he was not present. No one else came close.
Tsunade was also qualified, but she had been gone for years. Finding her quickly was unrealistic.
And if either of them took power, conflict with the Uchiha would be unavoidable.
Given Ryūjin's strength, that path led to only one outcome.
Konoha reduced to ashes.
From every practical standpoint, letting Uchiha Ryūjin become Hokage was the best possible choice.
The Uchiha would not rebel, and Konoha would gain a force strong enough to deter the entire shinobi world.
But understanding something did not mean accepting it.
Emotionally, most of them still struggled.
"I don't care what any of you think," Nara Suzaku continued, his tone firm. "Since we've already agreed to let Ryūjin become Hokage, then we follow through properly."
"First, each clan here will take responsibility for their Jonin and Special Jonin. Make sure there are no issues during the confidence vote."
"Second, compile a list of unaffiliated Jonin and Special Jonin. We'll divide them among ourselves and persuade them."
"Third, and most urgent, we need to decide how to explain all of this to the villagers."
That last point weighed heavily.
Although Ryūjin had slaughtered the village leadership in a brutal scene, most civilians had not witnessed it. Only a few saw the beginning before being evacuated.
By the time shinobi arrived, the area had already been sealed off.
Now, the villagers only knew one thing.
Something massive had happened.
But no one knew what.
Fortunately, Ryūjin's actions against the Hokage and the elders did have a cause. That gave them room to control the narrative.
While tension quietly spread through Konoha…
---
At Mount Myōboku.
A man wrapped in bandages lay motionless on the ground. His face was pale, his breathing faint, barely noticeable.
Without the subtle rise and fall of his chest, he would have looked like a corpse.
It was none other than Jiraiya, who had escaped using Reverse Summoning at the last moment.
Beside him stood two small toads, watching closely with concern.
They were Fukasaku and Shima.
"Pa, whoever did this… they nearly killed little Jiraiya," Shima said with a sigh.
Even now, recalling his condition when he first arrived was unsettling.
If he had been any later, he would not have survived.
Fukasaku frowned deeply.
Jiraiya had suffered such severe injuries, yet he had not summoned any toads or entered Sage Mode.
That was not normal.
"Cough… cough…"
A weak sound broke the silence.
Jiraiya slowly opened his eyes.
"Little Jiraiya!"
Both sages rushed closer.
"How are you feeling?"
Jiraiya's voice was hoarse, but urgent.
"Things are bad. Konoha… is on the verge of destruction."
Shima froze.
"What are you saying? Are you delirious from your injuries?"
"Konoha's leadership is gone," Jiraiya said, forcing himself upright. "The Hokage, Homura Mitokado, Hyuga Hiashi, Inoichi Yamanaka… all dead. Dozens of Anbu and Jonin killed. The village is in crisis."
Silence fell.
Fukasaku and Shima exchanged looks.
They could hardly believe it.
Yet they also knew Jiraiya would never lie about something like this.
"Great Sages, I need you to…"
Jiraiya stopped mid-sentence.
Even if Mount Myōboku intervened, it would not change anything.
It would only lead to more deaths.
Ryūjin was simply too powerful.
"What's wrong?" Fukasaku asked quietly.
Jiraiya clenched his teeth.
"The enemy is too strong. Even Mount Myōboku can't make a difference."
For the first time, despair showed clearly on his face.
Fukasaku and Shima were shaken.
They had never seen Jiraiya like this.
"What happened?"
Jiraiya took a breath and spoke.
"It's Uchiha Ryūjin…"
He recounted everything.
The Rinnegan, the Tenseigan, the Flying Thunder God technique, Magnet Release Gold Dust, the Rasengan, multiple dōjutsu, and overwhelming power.
The annihilation of Konoha's leadership.
The sheer scale of it forced the two sages to interrupt repeatedly in shock.
Only after confirming everything again and again did they finally accept it.
Now they understood.
Mount Myōboku would not be enough.
"Unless the First Hokage returns, no one in this world can stop him," Jiraiya muttered bitterly.
His words lingered.
Then Shima spoke.
"Pa… at this point, we have no choice but to use that method."
Fukasaku looked at her for a long moment before nodding.
"You're right."
Jiraiya's eyes lit up.
"You still have a way?"
"There is one," Fukasaku said slowly. "But it goes against natural law. We never wanted to use it."
"Forget that! Konoha is about to fall!" Jiraiya snapped.
After a pause, Fukasaku sighed.
"There is an ancient technique recorded in Mount Myōboku. It can blur the boundary between life and death."
"Borrowing Body Reincarnation."
"It summons a soul from the Pure Land and binds it to a prepared body, allowing the dead to temporarily return with their memories and power intact."
Jiraiya's expression changed.
"That sounds like Edo Tensei."
"It is similar," Shima replied. "Tobirama Senju developed Edo Tensei by imitating this technique."
Jiraiya went silent for a moment.
Then excitement surged.
"If we bring back the First Hokage…"
Hashirama Senju.
The God of Shinobi.
No matter how strong Ryūjin was, he could not surpass Hashirama.
"Then let's do it," Jiraiya urged.
Fukasaku shook his head.
"It's not that simple. Preparing the vessel alone will take days."
"At the fastest, one week."
"A week…" Jiraiya muttered, clenching his fists. "Then start immediately."
---
Back in Konohagakure.
Morning arrived.
Sunlight spread across the village, bringing warmth and life. Trees swayed, birds chirped, and the peaceful scenery seemed unchanged.
But at the central plaza, the mood was completely different.
The area was packed.
Villagers filled every inch, gathered under official orders.
"What happened last night?"
"I heard people died. Even the Nine-Tails was involved."
"The destruction… I could still smell blood this morning."
"All the shinobi were mobilized. It must have been something huge."
"I saw Uchiha Ryūjin fighting Jiraiya-sama. What is going on?"
Whispers turned into waves of unrest.
Anxiety spread through the crowd.
Everyone was waiting for an explanation from the Hokage.
But instead of the Hokage, those who appeared were:
Koharu Utatane,
Kushina Uzumaki,
Ibiki Morino,
and Hyuga Hizashi along with other high-ranking shinobi.
The absence of the Hokage only deepened the unease.
Something was very wrong.
===
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