From this day forward, my will shall be the Will of Fire!

The next morning, the sunlight was exceptionally piercing.

Konoha awakened in a heavy silence, yet the scent of blood and traces of scorched earth lingering in the air signaled the turmoil of the previous night.

On the streets and in the alleys, villagers gathered in twos and threes, whispering in heated discussion.

"That giant last night... it was terrifying..."

"I saw it clearly. That giant first appeared in the Uchiha compound, and then it actually appeared at the Hokage Building! It was like a nightmare."

"That's not even the half of it! Go look over by the street; there are still bloodstains on the ground, and they haven't even finished clearing away the remains..."

A villager was in the middle of an animated account when he caught a glimpse of ninjas in Anbu uniforms approaching from afar, led by Hyuga Hiashi.

His expression shifted, he immediately clamped his mouth shut, lowered his head, and walked away, pretending nothing was amiss.

Hyuga Hiashi's gaze was heavy as he scanned his surroundings, while the Anbu remained on high alert, occasionally watching the passing pedestrians.

Uchiha Yoru may have killed to his heart's content last night, but the mess left behind has all fallen onto their shoulders.

Hyuga Hiashi sighed inwardly.

Although Uchiha Yoru had issued an order for them to be responsible for maintaining order within the village, there had been no other instructions beyond that.

He had originally assumed Uchiha Yoru would further control public opinion, or at the very least, order a news blackout.

Yet, he hadn't.

The villagers' discussions grew louder, panic and speculation continued to spread, and there was simply no sign of it abating.

Since Uchiha Yoru hadn't issued an order, he could only continue to lead his men on patrol to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the chaos.

As for those whispering villagers...

They aren't disrupting Konoha's order; how can one punish them just for talking?

A sense of powerlessness washed over Hyuga Hiashi.

However, at that moment, a black shadow flickered, and a ninja in an Anbu uniform quietly appeared beside him, kneeling on one knee.

"Clan Head Hyuga, the Fifth Hokage summons you."

Hyuga Hiashi was slightly stunned, a flash of complex emotion crossing his eyes.

Is he finally going to start implementing his new policies?

Uchiha Yoru's slaughter last night had shaken all of Konoha; in just one night, the situation had been completely rewritten. Now, there was only one voice left in Konoha.

But strangely...

"The Hokage Rock?"

Upon hearing the location of the summons, Hyuga Hiashi's brows furrowed slightly.

"Why not the Hokage Building, but the Hokage Rock?"

Oh, the Hokage Building was blown up yesterday...

Hyuga Hiashi answered his own question in his mind. He waved his hand to let the Anbu continue their patrol, then stepped forward, transforming into a blur as he sped toward the Hokage Rock.

At the summit of the Hokage Rock.

The iconic statues of Konoha stood silently in the morning light, yet the atmosphere at this moment was more oppressive than ever before.

The statue of the Fourth Hokage shimmered in the morning sun, as if watching over the future of this village.

The high-ranking members of the various ninja clans had already gathered on the Hokage Rock, their expressions varied.

The representatives of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans stood among the crowd, their heads bowed. Last night, the heads of all three clans had died in battle, but faced with Uchiha Yoru's overwhelming power, they had no room to resist. To preserve their clansmen, they had no choice but to submit, quickly promoting new representatives to come and await orders.

The heads of the Aburame Clan and the Inuzuka Clan wore complex expressions; although they had not actively participated in the fighting last night, they knew deeply that the landscape of Konoha had changed completely.

Everyone's gaze turned, as if by unspoken agreement, toward the top of the Hokage Rock.

There, Uchiha Yoru stood quietly atop the statue of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.

He looked down at Konoha beneath his feet, his gaze deep and profound, as if scrutinizing the entire village.

The sunlight spilled over him, his black hair fluttering gently in the breeze, and his scarlet Sharingan appeared even more demonic against the backdrop of the sun.

His face was sharply defined, with high brow bones and deep eye sockets outlining keen lines; his nose was straight, his jawline clean and distinct, blending a sense of youth with a mature temperament.

This was an existence that was both terrifying and impossible to ignore.

But if one hadn't experienced the slaughter of last night, it would be hard for anyone to imagine that this sixteen-year-old boy was a terrifying figure who killed without blinking, and would even crush the corpses after killing.

Yet now, standing on the Hokage Rock, a faint smile hung on the corners of his mouth.

"What is a true dream?"

Uchiha Yoru murmured in a low voice, as if talking to himself, or perhaps posing a question.

At that moment, he sensed movement behind him, tilted his head slightly, and the smile in his eyes deepened.

Hyuga Hiashi and the other high-ranking members of the ninja clans arrived one after another, all of them stopping at a distance from him without exception.

They had no excessive words, nor any questions, and they didn't even dare to cast a single strange look his way.

When Uchiha Yoru turned around and his gaze swept over those present, everyone lowered their heads almost subconsciously.

"Lord Hokage."

Accompanied by a uniform, synchronized sound, the crowd bowed in salute.

At this moment, the corners of Uchiha Yoru's mouth curled upward, his smile carrying a hint of playfulness.

"Not bad. It seems you are all very self-aware."

He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze as cold as if looking down upon ants, yet his voice seemed to carry a soul-captivating power.

"After last night, the order of Konoha has been reshaped. I want you to understand—"

"The Hokage is no longer a mere symbol, nor is it the so-called 'inheritance of will' that you old fogies keep spouting."

"From this day forward, My will is the Will of Fire!"

As he spoke, Uchiha Yoru's Sharingan slowly rotated, the blood-red light flickering and causing everyone present to feel an indescribable sense of oppression.

"First."

Uchiha Yoru raised his hand slightly, his voice calm yet beyond reproach.

"Starting today, the Anbu will be under the direct control of the Hokage. The original Anbu directly under the Hokage is officially disbanded, and all members will be reorganized."

"As for those who refuse—"

"They shall be treated as rogue ninjas and executed without mercy."

The hearts of those below trembled; no one dared to voice an objection.

"Second."

Uchiha Yoru scanned his surroundings, his gaze pausing for a moment on Hyuga Hiashi.

"The Hyuga Clan will assist in maintaining order in Konoha from now on."

Hyuga Hiashi took a deep breath and bowed in response: "I shall strictly follow the orders of Lord Hokage."

"Third."

Uchiha Yoru's gaze swept over the representatives of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, his voice as cold as a blade.

"The Ino-Shika-Cho clans performed poorly during last night's rebellion, but considering you did not actively revolt, I have decided to give you a chance."

"Effective immediately, the three clans must unconditionally provide their elite members to assist in Anbu operations until I deem your sins atoned for."

"The head of the Nara Clan shall serve as a Konoha advisor to assist the Hokage in his work."

The representatives of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans dared not offer any rebuttal, merely bowing their heads in compliance.

"Finally."

Uchiha Yoru's mouth curled slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

"Regarding the next steps for Konoha's development."

He raised a hand to point toward the distant Hokage Building, his gaze burning like a torch.

"Those decaying systems are no longer applicable. I intend to build a truly powerful Konoha."

"One no longer bound by the so-called Council of Elders."

"One no longer manipulated by those who claim to be righteous."

"Only strength is the sole authority."

Uchiha Yoru's voice echoed over the Hokage Rock, shaking the hearts and minds of everyone present.

The crowd lowered their heads in silence, with only an irresistible pressure looming over their heads.