"You win..."
After leaving him with those words, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly drew a sharp kunai from behind his back and aimed it at his own heart...
Five seconds passed...
He still had not acted.
Hashirama, Tobirama, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru said nothing and showed no reaction. They merely watched him expressionlessly, their eyes holding nothing but indifference.
Because of him, the three great shinobi clans passed down since ancient times had nearly all been wiped out.
For someone who had made a habit of deception, once everything was exposed, trust ceased to exist. No matter what he did, no one would believe him.
Even if he looked as though he was about to kill himself.
Seeing that neither his predecessor, his teacher, nor any of his three beloved disciples stepped forward to stop him, Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and gave a bitter, self-mocking smile:
"Heh... my life really has been a failure..."
Another five seconds passed...
The scene remained unchanged.
"Sigh..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi swung his hand.
Squish!
The kunai in his hand plunged hard into his chest.
"I'm sorry, Teacher. I've failed the care you put into training me. Today, I will atone with my death..."
Those were Hiruzen Sarutobi's final words.
The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi fell, a trace of sorrow finally appeared in Tobirama Senju's eyes, though disappointment and self-reproach outweighed it.
"I never imagined I would have misjudged him back then. I bear some responsibility for the plight of the Senju Clan, the Uchiha Clan, and the Uzumaki Clan today. Brother, I..."
Before Tobirama could finish, Hashirama gently patted his younger brother's shoulder. "Let the past stay in the past. We can start over..."
"Jiraiya, issue a public announcement. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, admitted his guilt and committed suicide today. Clearly record everything he just confessed.