Kazuma's calm retort left the Third with no way to argue back.
What he said was all true, and everyone knew it.
But in the Third's heart, he had done all of this for Konoha.
If he wanted others to believe in the Will of Fire, he had to believe in it himself. When a man like him became ruthless, he always had to fool himself first.
The light faded from the Third's eyes, and his whole spirit seemed to drain away.
Then he suddenly recalled something and straightened up.
"I may have made some mistakes. But I doubled Konoha's territory and increased the number of Konoha's jonin severalfold. Doesn't that count as an achievement?"
The Third stopped dwelling on the wars beyond the village. He had performed "poorly" in them and had even earned people's contempt.
He recalled what he had mainly done during his time in office. Hadn't he "built up" Konoha? The cultivation of talent and the expansion of Konoha's territory were all to his credit.
Surely the Daimyo couldn't pretend not to see that?
His words stirred a wave of discussion among the many shinobi.
Only a very small number thought the Third had a point.
Several clever people wore strange expressions.
Shikaku Nara approached the Third, looking conflicted. "Lord Hokage, let's stop here! Don't keep arguing. This is already the best outcome for you."
His eyes gave the Hokage repeated hints to stop pressing the issue.
In ordinary circumstances, the Third would have accepted Shikaku Nara's advice.
But now, blinded by anger and jealousy, he was determined to reclaim the glory he believed was his.
"Shikaku, do you also think I've been an unworthy Hokage?"
The Third waved his sleeve, signaling Shikaku Nara to be quiet. He couldn't understand it. Was even the Ino-Shika-Cho Clan, the people who should have supported him most, going to betray him?
Seeing that his advice had no effect, Shikaku Nara could only step back.
That single retreat told him that the Sarutobi Clan could never return to its former glory.
Kazuma's expression turned strange. Shinichi Hyuga's smiling face appeared in his mind, and he took out a scroll.
It contained information Shinichi Hyuga had given him earlier. The Third's words had given him the perfect chance to bring it out.
"This information answers your question!
"During your time in office, Konoha grew to twice its original size.
"But half of the newly added area was managed by the Sarutobi Clan. As a result, Konoha's center gradually shifted from the areas controlled by the various clans to the territory controlled by the Sarutobi Clan.
"This harmed the interests of all the clans. The Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan suffered the greatest losses.
"As for the number of jonin you mentioned, the Sarutobi Clan was the clan whose shinobi increased the most.
"That achievement wasn't yours, Sarutobi Hiruzen. It belonged to the Senju Clan.
"The Second decided to put policies in place that distributed large numbers of secret techniques and resources to civilians. But your Sarutobi Clan took the opportunity to seize some of them.
"You used them to strengthen your clan. What a shameless thing to do!"
Kazuma's voice grew increasingly harsh, and in his final remarks, he cursed Sarutobi Hiruzen for his shamelessness.
He took out the information Shinichi Hyuga had prepared and held it up for everyone to see.
The comparisons it contained were even more detailed and clear.
Many recalled the two maps Shinichi Hyuga had shown them the day before and realized they must have been part of this information.
The shinobi from the various clans only needed a quick glance to understand what it revealed.
Many of these clans had already uncovered a lot of the information themselves the day before.
Shikaku Nara was among them. That was why he had tried to dissuade the Third.
The Third truly had no achievements of his own. He had merely repeated what others had done, feeding on the Senju Clan's blood and flesh.
Worse, he had tried to weaken the Senju Clan's influence. That was something many people couldn't accept.
"Impossible! This isn't true!
"It's not like that. I did all of this to make Konoha stronger, to strengthen Konoha's clans and shinobi!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen rushed forward, desperately trying to explain, and knocked the information from Kazuma's hands.
Then he looked around at the other shinobi, hoping they would agree with him. But not one of them responded.
Kazuma looked at the Third with pity. This time, he had lost completely. Along with him, the Sarutobi Clan's fortunes for the next several decades had been ruined.
In his mind, Kazuma pictured Shinichi Hyuga, who wasn't present today but had orchestrated everything.
"Enough! I had wanted to leave you with a final shred of dignity, but you still won't stop arguing!
"Since Konoha was founded, twenty-three clans have disappeared! Every one of them during your time in office!
"Their ninjutsu and wealth were all absorbed by your Sarutobi Clan. Can you really claim to have a clear conscience?
"If the shinobi of your Sarutobi Clan want to learn a technique, all they need is your word.
"You turned the village's public property into your clan's private property. That's what sets you apart from every other Hokage.
"Those Senju shinobi who gave up their surname have to exchange merit for the right to learn even the basic techniques they once knew!
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, your heart has never belonged to all of Konoha.
"You're not fit to compare yourself to the two Hokage from the Senju Clan!"
Seeing the Third still trying to accuse him, Kazuma had never encountered anyone so shameless.
He had taken the best resources in Konoha for himself, yet sought to wipe out the Senju Clan, the very clan that had founded Konoha—and even erase its spirit.
Every sentence was a question directed at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The words struck Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart like a giant hammer, forcing him to examine himself.
"Pfft—"
The Third's face turned the color of liver. When he tried to speak, a mouthful of black blood spilled from his lips.
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