High above Konoha, the two black-robed figures watched the chaos unfold, their eyes sharp and unblinking. One of them, hidden behind a mask, was Hatake Sakumo. This village was the place he had been born, the home he had once fought to protect. But that was a lifetime ago. Ever since the incident that branded him a traitor, the love he held for Konoha had turned to ash.
He had remained in the shadows for years, restrained by the will of his master, Tsukihiko. But now, his master had chosen to intervene personally. The time for restraint was over. Throughout the history of the Shinobi World, many had dared to oppose Tsukihiko. Very few had lived to tell the tale. Hiruzen Sarutobi, the so-called "God of Shinobi," didn't even have the right to stand in his master's presence.
…
"It seems you're pleased with your gift, Third Hokage," Hatake Sakumo's voice, distorted by his mask, echoed from the sky.
With a flick of his wrist, he sent the severed heads of Sarutobi Shinnosuke and his wife hurtling through the air. Their target was not the ground, but the great stone monument carved into the mountain overlooking the village.
"Oh no…" "That's the Hokage Rock! It's the most sacred place in our village!" "Damn it, what are they trying to do!?"
The shinobi below watched in horror as the two heads slammed into the monument. They struck the carved face of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, a symbol of an era that had spanned decades—an era of cunning, compromise, and quiet oppression that had kept Konoha at the forefront of the Shinobi World. The monument also bore the faces of his predecessors, the First Hokage Hashirama Senju, the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, and his successor, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze. It was the face of Konoha's pride and strength.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The heads exploded with unimaginable force. The terrifying impact sent a deafening roar across the village. The stone face of Hiruzen Sarutobi cracked, splintered, and then shattered completely. Countless tons of rock rained down from the mountain, and the entire village was plunged into a shocked, stunned silence.
…
"No… no, why?" Hiruzen whispered, his voice trembling. The sight before him made his world spin. "Why is it like this?"
He had given his life to Konoha. He had worked tirelessly, schemed endlessly, and sacrificed everything to maintain its power and influence. The Hokage Rock was the symbol of his glory, his legacy carved in stone for all time. And now, with one terrifying explosion, it had all been turned to dust.
…
"My god… this is… this is terrifying." "The Twelve Divine Moons did this, but it's the will of Lord Tsukihiko." "They say his power is absolute. He's a forbidden legend in the Shinobi World, an invincible being."
Throughout Konoha, the leaders of the great clans watched, completely stunned. They knew that ever since Hiruzen had taken power, the direction of the village had shifted. The two founding clans, the Senju and the Uchiha, had been sidelined and suppressed by his iron-fisted, behind-the-scenes rule. Other clans, seeing his immense political power, had no choice but to compromise and fall in line.
But compromise did not mean acceptance. Their resentment toward Hiruzen's rule had been growing for years, accumulating day by day like a gathering storm. And now, watching his monument crumble, that storm had finally reached its peak.
…
"Sarutobi Hiruzen," the voices of the two figures boomed from the sky one last time. "Remember this. In three days, Lord Tsukihiko will hold you accountable. Don't even think about running. There isn't a corner of this world you can hide in."
As they spoke, a brilliant light enveloped them. A surging wave of energy washed over the sky, and an immense, suffocating pressure fell upon the entire village. The next moment, they were gone.
…
It wasn't until their presence had completely vanished that the shinobi of Konoha finally dared to breathe again. A collective sigh of relief was quickly replaced by a new, creeping dread. They had to admit, the power radiating from those two figures was overwhelming. And yet, they were merely subordinates, members of the Twelve Divine Moons under Tsukihiko. If they were this powerful, how strong were the others? How powerful was Tsukihiko himself?
If that legendary being were to descend upon Konoha, then even the full might of the Land of Fire—perhaps even the entire Shinobi World—would be crushed as easily as an ant.
"They're… they're finally gone." "But only for now. In three days, they'll be back." "And Lord Tsukihiko himself will likely be with them."
Within the compounds of the Ino-Shika-Cho, the Hyuga, and the Uchiha, a grim realization set in. They could feel it in their bones—a revolution was coming. The era of Hiruzen Sarutobi and his Will of Fire was about to be shattered.
With the fall of the Hokage's Office, Konoha would be forced into a new and uncertain era. The question now was how their clans would survive it. They had already been swept up in the tide of history; they no longer had the luxury of choosing a side. At a time like this, there was only one thing they could do.
Follow the strongest.
It was their only choice.
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