Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly shook his head, letting go of the beliefs he had held all his life.
"But we never put ourselves in their shoes. We never truly quieted our minds and understood the Uchiha Clan's obsession."
"Naruto was right. The Uchiha never cared about worldly power. They never coveted high office or authority."
"What truly mattered to them was bonds, belonging, recognition, and dignity."
"Generation after generation pursued the Hokage position, but they were never fighting for power. They were fighting to prove themselves."
The reasoning was clear, every word true, impossible to refute.
Beside him, Tsunade watched the old man's sudden awakening and curled her lip without mercy. She bluntly exposed the truth, her tone carrying a hint of weary mockery.
"It's far too late for regrets like these."
"The Uchiha Clan has already been wiped out. The dead are gone. What good does reflection or regret do now?"
"And frankly, it's only because they're gone that you dare reflect on it and admit you were wrong."
"If the entire Uchiha Clan were still alive and well, entrenched in Konoha with all their power..."
"Even if you understood Naruto's reasoning, you'd still lead the village's senior officials in keeping them under constant guard, checking them at every turn. Nothing would change."
Every word was the unvarnished truth, instantly puncturing all of Hiruzen Sarutobi's belated remorse.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face fell at her rebuke. Embarrassment spread across his aged features, and he gave a helpless, bitter laugh, unable to offer a single word in his defense.
Did she have to be so brutally honest?
But Tsunade was right.
Yes.
Caught in the game of power, bearing responsibility for the entire village's safety, they would never dare gamble on human nature or sincerity.
Even if they understood the reasoning perfectly, they