Faced with the forceful, overbearing Gengetsu before him, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew very well that this was their first confrontation.
He could not back down, or at least not easily.
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to say something-
Boom!!!
An utterly terrifying surge of chakra suddenly erupted from Gengetsu!
His overwhelming presence whipped up a gale inside the conference room, making everyone's clothes flap loudly!
At the same time, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Gengetsu's eyes spun wildly, instantly joining into a complex, mysterious hexagonal pattern!
These were none other than Gengetsu's Mangekyō Sharingan.
Gengetsu stared down at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his Mangekyō Sharingan radiating terrifying killing intent as he kept his gaze fixed on him.
He looked ready to strike at the slightest disagreement!
"You!... Your eyes!..."
Seeing the strange hexagonal pattern in Gengetsu's eyes and feeling the terrifying killing intent radiating from his entire body-
Hiruzen Sarutobi was momentarily cowed!
His pupils contracted sharply, and a fine sheen of cold sweat even appeared on his forehead.
When it came to political maneuvering, Hiruzen Sarutobi was exceptionally adept.
With his underhanded political methods and moral coercion, Hiruzen Sarutobi had originally been extremely confident that he could easily keep this teenage boy, Gengetsu, under his thumb.
But!
What Hiruzen Sarutobi had never expected was that Gengetsu would refuse to play by the rules!
Gengetsu would have none of his politics or compromises. He simply overturned the table, adopting the stance of someone ready to fight to the death!
What shocked Hiruzen Sarutobi even more was the terrifying power emanating from Gengetsu's eyes.
Wasn't this the Uchiha Clan's legendary Mangekyō Sharingan?
As a former student of the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew very well how terrifying the Mangekyō Sharingan was.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had thought that, with Madara Uchiha's death, no one in the Uchiha Clan possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan anymore.
Yet he had never imagined that Gengetsu would have awakened the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan.
As for Gengetsu!
He naturally had his own reasons for daring to act so forcefully in the conference room, even to the point of being willing to attack.
I've activated the Strongest Hokage System, and I just received a reward and awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. My strength has undergone a complete transformation!
If I still have to play at political compromise with these old bastards, wouldn't activating this system have been a waste?!
More importantly, Gengetsu was absolutely confident that Hiruzen Sarutobi would never dare to openly fall out with him at this moment!
Konoha had just suffered a devastating blow from the Nine-Tails. If a battle between Kage-level fighters broke out within the village now, Konoha would be utterly finished.
Besides, even in the worst case, if Hiruzen Sarutobi really lost his mind and decided to openly fall out with him, Gengetsu had nothing to fear!
I have the Mangekyō Sharingan now, and with it, the strength to overwhelm him completely!
What's more, I still hold the Fourth Hokage's dying wishes, giving me an absolutely righteous cause!
With strength and a righteous cause on my side, I have an absolute advantage no matter how you look at it. Why should I back down?!
"Third, it seems you don't intend to move aside!"
"In that case..."
Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was still seated there, Gengetsu's chakra surged once again, as though he was about to strike.
Feeling the chakra coursing through Gengetsu, Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart gave a violent jolt.
He knew Gengetsu was not joking. Gengetsu really dared to attack right here!
"Wait!"
Just as Gengetsu was about to make his move, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly shouted.
Then, under everyone's incredulous gazes, the darkness on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face instantly vanished, and he stood up with a smile.
"Fifth, you're right! This seat is indeed yours!"
"I'm getting old! My mind is a little muddled. I nearly remembered incorrectly!"
Smiling, Hiruzen Sarutobi rose of his own accord from the seat at the head of the table that symbolized the Hokage.
"What!?"
"How is this possible!"
"Lord Third actually backed down!"
"How is this possible?! Lord Third actually bowed to a teenage boy!"
"Not only did he give up his seat, but he even personally acknowledged Gengetsu as the Fifth Hokage!"
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi take the initiative to back down, the surrounding jonin and clan heads were inwardly shaken, and the entire room erupted into an uproar!
Standing nearby, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō, whose face was swollen on one side, were so shocked that their eyes nearly popped out!
Their faces were filled with disbelief. They simply could not believe their eyes.
They had been waiting for Hiruzen Sarutobi to use his prestige as the Third Hokage to put Gengetsu firmly in his place and trample him underfoot!
How had Hiruzen Sarutobi not only failed to bring Gengetsu to heel, but instead been brought to heel himself by Gengetsu's overwhelmingly forceful attitude in the blink of an eye?!
This first direct confrontation between the new and old powers had actually ended in a complete victory for Gengetsu, achieved in an utterly domineering fashion!
"Sarutobi, you!..."
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi in utter bewilderment.
Rather than explain, Hiruzen Sarutobi rebuked them in a low voice.
"Enough! Wait until the meeting is over! I'll explain then!"
At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was filled with bitterness.
He had not wanted to back down either, but he had no choice!
Was he really supposed to fight Gengetsu, who possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan, at a time like this over a seat?
Regardless of who won, Konoha would suffer a devastating blow, and he, the Third Hokage, would lose all dignity.
More importantly, Gengetsu appeared to have awakened the Uchiha Clan's legendary Mangekyō Sharingan. That terrifying power filled Hiruzen Sarutobi with apprehension, and he had no confidence at all that he could defeat Gengetsu as he was now.
Thus, he could only swallow his anger and back down for the time being.
Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi obediently relinquish his seat, Gengetsu's Mangekyō Sharingan slowly faded, his eyes returning to black.
"Good! You'd better remember this next time, Third!"
Gengetsu spoke coldly, without the slightest courtesy.
Then, under the gazes of everyone present, filled with both respect and fear-
Gengetsu sat straight down in the Hokage's seat at the head of the table, symbolizing Konoha's highest authority, and swept his gaze over the people before him.
Feeling Gengetsu's oppressive gaze, everyone seated below, whether elite jonin or clan heads, immediately assumed a solemn expression and straightened their backs in unison.
Seeing their attitude, Gengetsu cleared his throat and continued.
"Everyone, it is with a heavy heart that I must bring you some bad news!"
"The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, has fallen!..."
"To protect Konoha, to seal the Nine-Tails, Lord Fourth faced the Nine-Tails alone..."
With a look of sorrow and remembrance, Gengetsu recounted the news of the Fourth Hokage's death.
Hearing Gengetsu's words, everyone present, whether jonin or clan head, wore a sorrowful expression. Tears even spilled from the corners of some people's eyes.
There was no telling whether their feelings were genuine or feigned.
After everyone had spent a few minutes honoring his memory, Gengetsu knew he had laid enough groundwork, and his tone abruptly changed.
"However, though Lord Fourth has left us, the Will of Fire will never be extinguished!..."
"I will succeed him as the Fifth Hokage of Konoha!..."
The moment Gengetsu finished speaking, Danzo was the first to jump out and declare loudly.
"I object!"
Before you continue