Hokage Building, top-floor conference room.
The atmosphere was grave.
Konoha's jonin filled both sides of the long conference table. Every one of them was a prominent figure in the village.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head of the table, with Mitokado Homura beside him. The two old men formed the last line of defense for the old era.
Across from them sat Uchiha Yao.
Once everyone had arrived,
Uchiha Yao rose to his feet and spoke.
"I called everyone here today for one reason only."
Uchiha Yao's voice reached every ear in the room.
"To remove the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, from office."
The room erupted in shock.
Even though everyone had anticipated it, hearing those words stated so bluntly still made the jonin present catch their breath.
"Uchiha Yao! How dare you!"
Mitokado Homura slammed his hand onto the table and shot to his feet, furious beyond measure.
"This is Konoha's jonin council, not the ancestral hall of your Uchiha Clan!"
Uchiha Yao ignored Mitokado Homura, his gaze fixed on Hiruzen Sarutobi's shocked and enraged face.
"Third Hokage, you're old."
"Your ideals and your methods have already fallen behind the times."
"You!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi trembled with rage.
Uchiha Yao snapped his fingers.
Uchiha Kenji, standing behind him, stepped forward and gently placed a stack of documents in the center of the conference table.
"First, Orochimaru."
"Konoha's S-rank Rogue Ninja. He conducted forbidden human experiments and harmed countless villagers and ninja. I believe everyone here knows that better than I do."
"Third Hokage, you were the one who let him go."
"That... that was because..."
"Because of that laughable bond between master and disciple?"
Uchiha Yao cut Hiruzen Sarutobi off.
"Or are you saying that your so-called Will of Fire stands above the village's laws and its people's lives?"
"Second,