He could now accept the choices these dozen or so people had made.
They had all once belonged to the Senju Clan, but had given up the Senju name.
No one could blame them, and no one had the right to.
They were protecting the rights they were entitled to.
The Senju Clan had given too much to this country and to Konoha.
The Third lowered his head. At that moment, he knew his plans in the Land of Fire had completely come to nothing.
"I'll write a report on everyone's stance today and inform the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and the nobles. Thank you for making your choice!"
Kazuma bowed deeply.
He had already accomplished half of what he'd come to Konoha to do.
Now all that remained was the other half: completely crushing the Sarutobi Clan's influence in Konoha.
With Kazuma's show of weakness, it seemed the inquiry had come to an end. They had obtained sufficient compensation from the Sarutobi Clan without having to give up the gains they'd made in the past.
Harmony settled over the meeting room.
The only one who had suffered was Sarutobi Hiruzen, the former Third.
The light in the Third's eyes dimmed further. He looked around the familiar meeting room at the same people. The only thing that had changed was their attitude toward him.
Their former respect and admiration had turned into hidden contempt and wariness.
His reputation lay in tatters. Anger simmered inside him, but he had nowhere to vent it. Then he thought back to where it had all begun. It seemed everything was the fault of that defiant Shinichi Hyuga.
He was always questioning him.
All he'd wanted was for Konoha to develop "harmoniously." Why couldn't Shinichi Hyuga sacrifice himself, as Hatake Sakumo had once done?
The Third still believed he was in the right. The one at fault was Shinichi Hyuga, who refused to obey him.
Minato Namikaze saw the Third's displeasure and stepped forward to offer a few words of comfort.
"Lord Hiruzen, let's leave it at that. From now on, it's up to the younger generation to work hard!"
Though Minato Namikaze had spoken gently, his words grated on the Third. Was he looking down on him, or warning him?
Even someone like Minato Namikaze had changed. He couldn't be trusted.
He still had to keep working for Konoha's prosperity.
He began considering how to maintain his former influence in Konoha.
Kazuma's next words sent him plunging into the abyss.
"The Daimyo greatly appreciates all the efforts you ninja have made over the years. Funding and missions from the Land of Fire will not be reduced in the slightest. In fact, they'll gradually increase.
"However, there are some flaws within Konoha that you must recognize and work hard to address."
Kazuma noticed the exchange between the Third and Minato Namikaze. He spoke up to draw every ninja's attention. By now, the Third no longer commanded the authority he once had.
The Sarutobi Clan had become a thorn in the side of the ninja clans. All that remained was an opportunity to pull it out.
This was the perfect chance for Kazuma to kick them while they were down.
The ninja frowned. They still didn't understand the Daimyo of the Land of Fire's true intentions. Had he really just wanted their opinions on the candidates to succeed him?
That probably wasn't all there was to it. Now it seemed the Daimyo was more concerned with problems within Konoha, especially the Third.
Kazuma's next words gave them the answer they wanted.
"During his tenure, the Third was a leader who shirked responsibility and achieved nothing.
"The First founded Konoha and formed a close alliance with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. The Fujiwara Clan is the best testament to that.
"He spent his entire life fighting for the stability of Konoha and the Land of Fire.
"The Second personally went to the Land of Lightning in pursuit of peace, hoping to end the war. In the end, he died protecting his subordinates.
"Among them was the Third, who has since resigned in disgrace.
"Only the Third!
"He was one of the Second's guards, yet the Second had to protect them.
"During the Third Shinobi World War, his poor command left Konoha facing attacks from three countries at once.
"He also caused countless young ninja to die on the battlefield.
"In the end, he willingly gave up the fruits of victory, won at the cost of countless Konoha ninja lives.
"The Third is unfit to serve as Hokage.
"So the Daimyo respects the wishes of everyone in Konoha and will not pursue the matter of what happened in the past.
"He will be stripped of his eligibility to serve as Hokage again. From now on, he must no longer call himself Hokage or serve on the Council of Elders and make foolish decisions.
"Surely no one here objects?"
Kazuma's words were like one sharp sword after another, stabbing into the Third.
Just moments ago, he had wanted to return to the position of Hokage. Only then could he use his greatest strength—political acumen—to restore his prestige.
But Kazuma had dashed that plan with a single remark.
"No! After all I've done over the years, you're just going to dismiss it so easily?" the Third roared at Kazuma in fury.
"Then do you have anything to refute?" Kazuma asked calmly, a stark contrast to the Third's rage.
Everyone present looked at the Third, who had lost his composure.
They began to reflect on what Kazuma had said.
First: Sarutobi Hiruzen had been one of the Second's guards, yet he had allowed his Hokage to be surrounded and killed. That alone was a stain on his record.
He had taken over as Third on the Second's orders, but many clans had secretly resented it.
In the end, those clans had all been quietly brought under control. Some had even disappeared by now.
The Daimyo's doubts about the Third were entirely reasonable.
Even his rise to the position of Third had been shrouded in uncertainty. If the Daimyo of the time hadn't held Tobirama Senju in such high regard, Sarutobi Hiruzen would never have become Third.
Second: his poor command during the Third Shinobi World War was a fact. Giving up some of their gains had been even more disgraceful.
The other villages' Kage had all fought on the battlefield. The Third alone had no achievements to his name in the war.
He had relied entirely on his students to hold things together.
What many people criticized most was his decision to give up gains they had already secured in the later stages of the war.
He had even given up the reparations from the Land of Wind and the Land of Lightning.
That was something no one could accept.
Third: he had sent children under ten to the battlefield.
The circumstances were that the Jonin and Chunin had suffered heavy losses, but this decision went most against the Will of Fire established by Hashirama Senju.
The Daimyo was stripping away all the momentum and glory the Third had built for himself.
Exposing the filthy, wretched soul beneath.
He had sacrificed everyone else's interests to benefit this parasite.
Everyone was left dazed.
Until now, they had gradually come to believe that although the Third was inadequate, he didn't deserve to be blamed.
At least he had preserved their own interests.
Kazuma had just condemned the Third's entire record—from the beginning of his tenure to his time in office and, finally, his resignation in disgrace—as completely worthless.
And the punishment he proposed was that the Third would never serve as Hokage again.
The ninja thought that punishment was merely symbolic.
He'd already stepped down, so why was he still acting in the name of the Hokage everywhere he went?
But then they reconsidered.
The Third had done quite a lot.
He had interfered in the succession of clan heads in the name of the Hokage, and had even tried to meddle in the contest to choose the Daimyo's successor.
They quietly agreed with the Daimyo's decision.
It had also been Shinichi Hyuga's suggestion, meant to keep the Third from making a comeback.
He didn't want that twisted, man-eating Will of Fire to continue существing.
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