In truth—
From the moment the Konoha Crush Plan was put into motion,
Orochimaru had already discarded any lingering respect he once held for the man known as the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
To him, that image of a wise and venerable Hokage had died long ago.
What remained now was just a man clinging to the tattered remnants of his authority—
A man blinded by power, by politics, by self-interest.
Meanwhile, in the Hidden Sand Village, even Gaara—another Jinchūriki—
couldn't help but feel a sense of empathy toward Naruto after hearing what he'd been through.
"Is this what they did to you too...?"
Gaara looked up at Naruto, who now floated in the sky,
His eyes unreadable, yet filled with understanding.
Back in Konoha, the Third Hokage glanced toward Kakashi, then shifted his gaze to Naruto.
His heart felt heavy—but on the surface, he kept his calm.
Was it this moment… this confrontation… that finally pushed Naruto to rebel against me?
Even now, he knew he couldn't admit the truth outright.
Too much had already been exposed.
But as far as Sarutobi Hiruzen was concerned,
He had no regrets about how he had handled Naruto over the years.
The only thing he truly regretted—
Was not hiding it all well enough. Letting Naruto discover the truth.
Then he opened his mouth to defend himself:
"None of this… was my original intention."
"I don't know where it went wrong."
"I never harbored ill will toward Naruto."
"But you know how rumors are... no one can control them completely."
"Maybe… maybe my mistake was not having the heart to stop it early."
"But the people of Konoha... they're innocent."
"They don't deserve your anger!"
The Third Hokage spoke with a face etched with guilt and sorrow—
But in his words, he shifted the blame to vague 'circumstances,' even going as far as excusing the Konoha villagers entirely.
And at that moment, many of those villagers, upon hearing their "beloved" Hokage speak in such a seemingly heartfelt manner,
began to nod and voice their agreement.
Their faces softened,
Their expressions turned gentle—
They forgave him.
"Third Hokage-sama, this wasn't your fault. You couldn't stop the rumors all on your own!"
"Exactly! He's sacrificed so much for Konoha. One mistake shouldn't erase everything!"
"Let's give the Third Hokage a chance to make things right!"
"He deserves it!"
In their eyes, as long as the Third Hokage was willing to admit some mistake and act remorseful—
That was enough.
He was still their good Hokage, the one they trusted.
And besides—he was only human.
Who hasn't made mistakes?
To them, Sarutobi Hiruzen was still the greatest Hokage Konoha had ever seen.
None of the others could compare.
Among the crowd, even some of the Konoha shinobi like Iruka stepped forward.
"Naruto, the Third Hokage may have made mistakes… but this isn't the way."
"Uzumaki Naruto! You're still young. Just apologize to the Hokage, and let it go!"
"You don't know how much the Third Hokage has done for Konoha! You can't treat him like a criminal over a single mistake!"
Their words flooded in,
One after another, drowning the air with voices defending the Hokage.
It was as if the entire village had turned against Naruto—
As if he were the one in the wrong.
But not everyone was fooled.
Sasuke and Sakura, standing off to the side, stared at the Third Hokage—
Their expressions grim.
They had seen enough through Naruto's eyes.
They knew the truth.
And they could see the thin veil of deception behind Hiruzen's "apology."
To them, this entire act was nothing but hypocrisy.
Near them, Hinata, Shikamaru, and the rest of the Rookie Nine were silent.
They hadn't learned as much as Sasuke and Sakura,
But still—
Shikamaru, ever the observer, watched Hiruzen…
Then turned to the villagers and shinobi who were defending him so fiercely.
Something felt wrong. Deeply wrong.
Wasn't the Hokage the one who made the mistake?
Then why… does it feel like Naruto's the one on trial here?
And more than that,
Why did all these people still speak from such a high horse—
As if they were doing Naruto a favor by offering "forgiveness"?
Across the gathering, the clan heads—Hiashi Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and others—
Exchanged quiet glances.
Their faces betrayed no emotion. They stood still, calm, unreadable.
Men in power could not afford to speak freely.
But in their hearts—
They knew better than the common villagers.
They had seen behind the curtain.
They knew the image of Sarutobi Hiruzen,
The one carefully maintained over decades,
Was just that—an image.
Not the truth.
However, the current situation…
It was painfully clear:
The Third Hokage was trying to win sympathy—
Using emotion to shield himself from responsibility,
Twisting the truth to justify his mistakes.
Yet the clan heads remained silent.
Despite what they were thinking,
None of them dared speak out freely.
Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru—the Sannin and direct disciples of Sarutobi Hiruzen—
Watched their former master make his excuses.
And with every word he spoke…
Their disappointment deepened.
If you had just owned up to your mistakes, sensei…
We might have still respected you.
But even now, faced with undeniable truth,
Hiruzen still chose denial.
Still clung to his image.
From above, even the spirits of the First Hokage, Hashirama, and the Second, Tobirama, watched with cold, disapproving eyes.
They had listened carefully to Hiruzen's accusations against Uzumaki Naruto,
And now heard his self-serving explanations.
Disappointment.
They had once believed Hiruzen was worthy to succeed them.
But now…
If we weren't former Hokage ourselves,
We might have fallen for this empty display too.
But if a Hokage cannot protect even one child in the village,
Then what kind of Hokage is he?
Shifting the blame onto the villagers—what kind of leadership is that?
If you truly cared about Naruto, Hiruzen, why didn't you raise him yourself?
Too busy? As Hokage?
That's a hollow excuse.
Meanwhile, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and the other high-ranking elders of Konoha
stood firmly behind the Third Hokage.
"Yes… we never looked at it that way before."
"Sandaime-sama devoted his entire life to the village—how could he ever mean Naruto harm?"
"Naruto… you young ones are the future of Konoha. You must understand that."
Their voices were solemn, their faces grave,
And their gazes turned to Uzumaki Naruto with forced sincerity.
They knew that, no matter what happened,
They had to defend Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Without hesitation.
With absolute loyalty.
But on the other side—Kakashi, Minato, Naruto, and the rest—
Their expressions remained cold.
Unmoved.
No excuses could undo what had been done.
Standing at the front, a woman with long crimson hair stepped forward—
Uzumaki Kushina.
Known once as the "Red-Hot Habanero,"
Her glare now carried a fury far greater than any battlefield rage.
She looked at the man she had once admired—
The man she and Minato had entrusted their only son to.
Yet even now, in front of them,
He was still spinning excuses.
Still defending himself.
Kushina's heart ached—not just from anger,
But from the realization of how deeply they had misjudged him.
We trusted him… and he failed us.
We sacrificed ourselves believing we were saving Konoha…
And this… this is the Konoha we died for?
A village that turned its back on our child? That let him suffer in silence?
If she had known it would turn out like this—
They never would've left Naruto behind.
Minato could've taken them and used the Flying Thunder God to flee this rotten village altogether.
At least then, Naruto would have known love.
Would have had a family.
Wouldn't have been raised in pain.
Her fists clenched at her sides.
Tears welled in her eyes, not from weakness, but from years of buried sorrow and rage.
And then—
Kushina exploded, voice shaking with emotion:
"You damn old man… Look at you now—acting all pitiful, as if you're the one who's been wronged."
"But don't pretend. You knew—didn't you?!"
"You knew my pregnancy was supposed to be one of Konoha's top secrets!"
Her words cut like blades.
Silence fell over the crowd.
"The only ones present that day… were you and your personal ANBU."
Kushina's voice rang out, sharp and clear.
"That alone proves everything."
"Naruto's identity—his very existence—was supposed to be classified. A top-secret matter known only to the highest echelon of Konoha."
"And yet somehow… the entire village ended up seeing him not as a hero… but as the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox incarnate."
"You want us to believe that kind of secret just leaked?"
"That the identity of the Fourth Hokage's son, the vessel of the Nine-Tails, just slipped out on its own?"
"Don't insult our intelligence."
Her eyes blazed.
"That information was in your hands, Sarutobi. Either you allowed it to happen… or you gave the order yourself."
"You let Naruto grow up in hatred and isolation, in the shadows of whispers and cruel stares."
"And why?"
"Because you wanted him to feel the darkness."
"So that you could later come in with your kind words and false compassion…"
"And bind him to you."
"You wanted Naruto—my son—to become a loyal weapon. A pawn with the power of the Nine-Tails who would serve you alone."
"Don't tell me you didn't know. Don't pretend this was some kind of oversight."
"You make me sick."
Kushina's fury wasn't just in her words—it was in the raw betrayal that laced every syllable. She had once respected the man before her. Trusted him. Entrusted her child to him.
And he had failed her.
Everyone present was shaken.
The crowd stared in stunned silence as the woman who had once carried the Nine-Tails—
The wife of the Fourth Hokage—
Uzumaki Kushina—
spoke with such venom toward the Third.
Shock rippled through the ranks.
Among the younger generation, Shikamaru and the other rookie genin finally processed what they had just heard.
Naruto… is the son of the Fourth Hokage.
And also the current Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.
That alone should have been Konoha's most tightly guarded secret.
But the entire village knew.
They'd known for years.
How could that happen—unless someone at the very top allowed it?
If the Third Hokage didn't know…
If he didn't give permission…
Then what was the point of having a Hokage at all?
The only possible conclusion was bitter and undeniable:
That secret never would've leaked unless the Third allowed it to.
Even the First Hokage, Hashirama, and the Second, Tobirama, slowly nodded in understanding.
From their vantage, they too saw through the smoke and mirrors.
The heads of the major clans—the Hyuga, Nara, Yamanaka, and others—
though silent, had their own thoughts.
And in their hearts, many of them leaned toward Naruto.
They had long suspected that something was wrong.
Now they had heard it from someone who would know.
As for Iruka and the other Konoha ninja—
And the countless villagers in the audience—
they stood frozen.
Eyes wide. Mouths agape.
This is the Third Hokage?
This is the man we revered for so long?
It was like hearing a stranger speak from a familiar face.
But even so…
Many still hesitated to believe.
Their faith in the Third Hokage ran deep.
And they waited, watching, hoping for some kind of denial.
Some kind of answer.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi… said nothing.
He looked at Kushina, face pale, lips pressed into a tight line.
Silence.
Because he knew—admitting it would mean condemning himself completely.
If he told the truth…
One: He would be exposed as the Hokage who leaked one of the village's greatest secrets—a gross dereliction of duty.
Two: He would be admitting, publicly and irrevocably, that he had tried to manipulate Naruto.
To raise a child in pain so that his loyalty would belong only to him.
And even though that second truth was…
well, true—
Hiruzen knew he could never admit it.
So he said nothing.
Instead, his eyes subtly shifted to one figure standing nearby—
Shimura Danzo.
He gave the faintest signal. A silent cue only the two of them would recognize.
Forgive me, Danzo. This time… you'll have to take the fall.
Danzo, standing just behind him, noticed it immediately.
He knew that look. That twitch of the brow. That slight narrowing of the eye.
It was their old, secret method of silent communication—honed over decades.
And he understood at once:
That damned old man wants to pin this on me again!
Danzo swore under his breath, his face unmoving.
Unbelievable.
Throwing me under the bus again, are you, Sarutobi?
But even as the anger boiled in his chest,
Danzo understood the stakes.
He and Hiruzen were in this together—like it or not.
If Sarutobi fell…
Then Danzo, the Hokage's longtime advisor, would fall with him.
Especially now, with Uzumaki Naruto at the center of it all.
Especially now, with the truth finally breaking free.
To completely bind Uzumaki Naruto, they had aimed to root his loyalty deep into the foundations of the village—
To indoctrinate him from the ground up.
So how could this happen now?
How could Naruto be rebelling?!
Yes—at this very moment, Danzo Shimura understood something critical:
There could be no internal conflict between him and Sarutobi Hiruzen. Not now.
The threat was greater than any rift between old allies.
To suppress this dangerous development—
To stop Uzumaki Naruto, who had dared to publicly impeach the Third Hokage—Danzo had to act immediately.
And just as importantly—
He had to stop Naruto's side from revealing even more explosive truths.
Without hesitation, Danzo Shimura stepped forward.
Clutching his ever-present wooden cane,
He cast a severe glance at Naruto, then turned toward Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage.
His face was cold.
His posture was straight.
His voice was righteous and sharp:
"Enough of this nonsense!"
"The Third Hokage has been far too lenient—tolerating your disgraceful behavior until now!"
"This farce ends here!"
"I, Danzo Shimura—head of the Root division—hereby declare the actions of Uzumaki Naruto as treason."
"This is no longer a dispute. This is rebellion against the Third Hokage… and against Konohagakure!"
Danzo stood tall, his bandaged eye hidden as always, his cane tapping against the stone floor.
His words echoed across the entire Chūnin Exam arena like a blade drawn from its sheath.
In that moment—
The air shifted.
The tension that had been building suddenly exploded into chaos.
Until that point, there had still been a possibility for reconciliation.
A slim chance that Naruto's side and the Third Hokage's side could come to some understanding.
But now?
With Danzo, the most notorious loyalist of the Third Hokage, officially declaring Naruto a traitor…
There was no going back.
It was a complete severance.
An unbridgeable divide.
A declaration of open opposition.
There would be no peace now.
Only a final confrontation.
The announcement sent the gathered Konoha villagers, and even many Konoha shinobi like Iruka, into turmoil.
Danzo's words shook the foundation of their beliefs—
But also gave them a clear directive.
They began whispering among themselves.
Maybe the Third Hokage wasn't at fault after all…
Even if he was, surely he never meant any harm…
But Naruto—how could he act like this toward the Hokage?!
And just like that,
Public opinion tilted sharply.
Danzo's firm declaration was exactly the kind of direction the unsure masses needed.
"That's right! Great job, Danzo-sama!"
"We support you!"
"Take down the rebels!"
In the contestant seating area—
Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, and the others stared in disbelief.
Their minds reeled.
Danzo had just branded Naruto a traitor.
Officially.
And under the current rules of the village…
Any ninja labeled a traitor—especially one declared by the top leadership—
Was to be hunted down without question.
Obedience to that command was absolute.
No matter who it was.
Which meant—
Every Konoha shinobi present,
Every villager in the stands,
Every chūnin examiner,
Even they, the very classmates who fought alongside Naruto—
were now legally considered his enemies.
"Naruto…"
Hinata whispered, her voice trembling.
Her hands balled into fists, torn between fear and desperation.
Shikamaru and the others were speechless.
This was wrong. All of it.
They didn't see Naruto as a threat.
They understood who he really was—his loyalty, his pain, his strength.
But the law didn't care.
And now, the village they had pledged to serve…
Had officially turned its back on one of its own.
But while many in the crowd were now stirred into hostility, a quiet group remained composed.
Sasuke, standing beside Sakura, Hinata, Shikamaru, and the others, watched the chaos unfold.
He looked at the shouting villagers, the shinobi rallying behind Danzo, the way Naruto was being condemned.
And then—
He smirked.
A cold, mocking smirk.
Turning slightly, he scoffed under his breath:
"Don't worry."
"That old relic Danzo is about to learn what real power looks like."
His voice was full of contempt.
Sure, technically every ninja in the village had just been ordered to treat Naruto as an enemy.
But did that scare Sasuke?
Not even remotely.
He wasn't worried.
Not when he'd seen firsthand what Naruto could do now.
If anything—he found it laughable.
Sakura, standing at his side, nodded.
She turned to Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, and the rest—who were visibly tense and uncertain—and reassured them:
"It's okay. Just stay calm."
"You'll see. Naruto's got this."
Their voices weren't loud, but they carried weight.
Seeing Sasuke and Sakura so confident helped the others breathe just a little easier.
Hinata, still clutching her hands together, slowly exhaled.
Shikamaru, brows furrowed, remained silent—but thoughtful.
Even Ino, usually outspoken, found herself speechless at how surreal the situation had become.
Meanwhile, from a higher vantage point, two legendary figures of Konoha watched it all unfold.
Jiraiya and Tsunade—the two remaining members of the Three Sannin—stood silently.
Their eyes narrowed as Danzo Shimura formally declared Naruto and his companions to be rebels.
They couldn't believe it.
Yes, Danzo was technically their senior.
A former elder, a high-ranking official.
One of the oldest forces in Konoha's command chain.
And yes—he had power.
He had always ruled from the shadows with ruthlessness and secrecy.
But…
That kind of power?
It was outdated.
Once, not long ago, even Jiraiya and Tsunade hadn't fully understood how much Naruto had grown.
But now?
They could see it.
Naruto's strength… it's on another level entirely.
Danzo's tactics, his cruelty, his obsession with control—those belong to the old world.
Trying to suppress Naruto now, with the same brutal means he once used in the shadows…
It's suicide.
And from a shadowed corner of the arena, another Sannin watched with… amusement.
Orochimaru.
His pale eyes glinted with interest as he observed the spiraling situation.
"Heh…"
"This melon just keeps getting sweeter."
That sinister grin curved across his lips.
Danzo had played his hand. Declared war in all but name.
And now?
It was Naruto's move.
Orochimaru's gaze lifted, following the others—
To the boy floating in the sky.
To the center of it all.
To the one who once was a loud, lonely outcast…
And now stood as a storm waiting to break.
Well then, Uzumaki Naruto…
Let's see how you respond.
...
TN:
I just love how the Third Hokage's first instinct, the moment trouble arises, is to throw the blame on Danzo.
Honestly? It's a pretty valid strategy in my eyes.
If you're aware of how Konoha's inner workings operate and something shady is happening in the village, you can just close your eyes and say "It was Danzo"—and you'd be 99.99% correct.
Sure, there's a tiny chance it's some other rogue element or hidden faction…
But odds are they're somehow connected to Danzo anyway—"for the good of the village," of course.
He even has a fitting nickname for this particular trait: [Pot King]. (in Chinese fanfics)
Why? Because he's the perfect scapegoat to carry the "pot" (blame) for any underhanded or morally gray action in Konoha.
Hokage? Elders? Anyone in the know?
They'll probably believe it was Danzo without question and won't even bother looking further.
…
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