The rain pattered against the Konoha's watchtowers, as if providing accompaniment to the constant stream of bad news from the distant front lines.
At the village bulletin board, several Genin- faced ninjas responsible for relaying messages were updating the latest battle reports. The words "Heavy casualties" and "Defense line in dire straits" on the still-wet paper were painfully obvious. Inside the ramen shop, the usually bustling diners were now silently shoveling noodles into their bowls, no one speaking, only the soft clinking of chopsticks against the rim of their bowls. The air was thick with anxiety and oppression, heavier than the broth itself.
"Have you heard? Yesterday, communications with the White Tiger Corps suddenly went down..."
"Isn't the White Tiger Corps positioned at the northernmost defensive line? That's one of Konoha's elite main forces, how could they...?"
"Don't guess wildly, maybe it's just a bad signal..."
Whispers spread like wildfire throughout the village, but no one dared to voice the most terrifying speculation—the front lines might already be crumbling.
Just then, the sound of rapid chariots and orderly footsteps approached from afar, breaking the suffocating silence of the village. The guards at the village entrance instinctively tensed up, then their pupils contracted sharply—the fluttering flag was clearly the insignia of the White Tiger Corps!
"It's the White Tiger Corps! They're back?!"
"That's great! They must have won a great victory and are just coming back to rest!"
A brief moment of surprise erupted in the crowd, with many villagers even getting teary-eyed with excitement, rushing towards the direction the procession had come from. However, when they saw the size of the procession, the smiles on everyone's faces froze.
There were no triumphant cheers, no medals of victory. The ninjas of the White Tiger Corps were all expressionless. The blood on their armor was not from the enemy, but rather from the dust of a long march. Their ranks were terrifyingly disciplined, carrying an aura of grim determination, as they marched straight through the street, their destination clear— the Hokage's office building.
At the very front of the procession sat a ninja dressed in dark ninja attire, his hair trembling slightly in the rain. This was none other than Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Minister of the Administrative Department. Beside him stood Mitokado Homura, clad in military uniform, his eyes sharp as knives, scanning the crowd on both sides with undisguised authority.
" Sarutobi? Lord Mitokado Homura? How come they've returned with the White Tiger Corps?"
"Wait a minute... the situation at the front is critical, how can the main force go back to the village?"
Doubt quickly turned into panic. The White Tiger Corps didn't reinforce any of the damaged defenses, nor did they go to the medical points to relieve the wounded. Instead, they directly surrounded the Hokage's office building, while simultaneously dividing their forces to control several key locations in the village—the training grounds, the armory, the teleportation array...
"Everyone, return to your residences. Do not leave unless absolutely necessary!" Mitokado Homura's voice, amplified by his Ninjutsu, echoed throughout the village, cold and devoid of emotion. " The White Tiger Corps has been ordered to take over Konoha's defenses. Any resistance will be considered treason!"
"On orders? On whose orders?" someone in the crowd couldn't help but shout, " The Secretariat's leaders are still on the front lines, what are you doing?!"
His response was the Kunai raised by the ninjas and the flashing light of Chakra.
Panic erupted instantly; cries and screams mingled with the sound of rain echoed across the village. The heart of Konoha, defended at the cost of the lives of its frontline soldiers, was pierced from within by its own most elite troops.
Inside the Hokage's office building, the elders temporarily in charge of village affairs and the heads of various clans were "invited" to the conference room. The moment the door closed, Nara Shikanei was the first to slam his fist on the table and stand up. "Lord Sarutobi! Lord Mitokado Homura! What exactly are you trying to do?! The White Tiger Corps is the backbone of the front lines! If you bring them back, what will happen to the front lines?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the main seat, his fingers lightly tapping the table. His face showed no remorse, only the composure of someone long accustomed to a high position. "Minister Shikanei, please calm down. I know the situation at the front better than you do; the enemy has temporarily retreated."
"Retreat? Can't you at least call back the main force?" Uchiha Bi icy, his Sharingan showing signs of movement. " Hiruzen Sarutobi, are you committing treason?!"
"Treason?" Hiruzen Sarutobi his eyes, a fierce glint flashing in his cloudy eyes. " Uchiha Bi, watch your words. The Fourth Hokage Kagami Uchiha, has fallen on the front lines, and the village is leaderless. As a veteran of Konoha, shouldn't I stand up to stabilize the situation?"
"Does stabilizing the situation require surrounding the office building? Does it require controlling the entire village?" Chozan Akimichi asked in a deep, muffled voice, his thick hands already clenched into fists.
Mitokado Homura stood up, his hand on the Ninja Blade at his waist. "Gentlemen, now is not the time to argue about these things. The defeat at the front is inevitable. Holding onto our main force there will only lead to Konoha's complete annihilation. We recalled the White Tiger Corps to preserve the foundation of Konoha!"
"Nonsense!" roared the Momiji Yamanaka. "You're taking advantage of our misfortune! You're trying to seize power!"
"A power grab?" Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly stood up, a powerful aura suddenly erupting from him, causing many present to gasp for breath. "If this is called a power grab, then I admit it. But everything I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, have done is for the good of Konoha! The village needs a strong leader now, not a bunch of clan chiefs who only know how to argue!"
He walked up to Shikanei, the head of the Anbu- Japanese Military and Political Department), and lowered his voice. " The Nara Clan has always been known for its wisdom and strategy. Shikanei, you should understand the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.' If the front line collapses, none of us will survive. But as long as we stabilize the village and preserve our strength, we still have a chance to negotiate with the Oni (demon) Oni Clan. After all, the human world is not suitable for the Oni Hell Oni Clan. Do you want to see the children of Konoha and the Nara Clan die on the front line?"
Then, he turned to Uchiha Bi: " The Uchiha Clan's strength is indispensable to the village. As long as you support me, once the situation stabilizes, the Konoha Police Force and the Black Tortoise Corps will still belong to the Uchiha, and I will make the Uchiha great again. You don't want your clansmen to have sacrificed in vain, do you? Too many of your Uchiha Clan have died this time!"
Finally, he looked at Chozan Akimichi and Momiji Yamanaka, his tone unwavering and firm. " The Akimichi, Yamanaka, and Nara clans have been on friendly terms with my Sarutobi Clan for generations. Wouldn't it be better if we prospered together? Now the White Tiger Corps is in my hands, and I decide the defense of the village. Will you stand with me to protect Konoha, or will you oppose me and let your clans perish with me? The choice is yours."
Using both coercion and enticement, employing both soft and hard tactics, Hiruzen Sarutobi's political maneuvering was on full display at this moment. A deathly silence fell over the conference room, the expressions of the various clan heads shifting uncertainly. They hated Hiruzen Sarutobi's opportunism, but they had to admit that he held real power, and... the situation on the front lines might indeed be worse than they imagined.
"What do you want to do?" Shikanei finally broke the silence, asking in a hoarse voice.
A smug glint flashed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes. He knew the most crucial step had been taken. "It's simple," he said, surveying the crowd, "I will temporarily Hokage Position, becoming the Fifth Hokage, and will unify and command all the village's forces. At the same time, I will send envoys to negotiate with the Hell Oni Clan, ceding the three northern kingdoms to them in exchange for a ceasefire and a period of respite."
"What?! Ceding territory to sue for peace?!" Uchiha Bi stood up. " Hiruzen Sarutobi, are you insane! Were the blood of those fallen ninjas shed in vain?!"
"No bloodshed? Are you only satisfied when everyone dies?" Hiruzen Sarutobi retorted, " The Oni Clan is too powerful; a direct confrontation will only lead to our death. Konoha will soon be filled with teenagers and children. Konoha has tens of millions of children, and in another ten years, the number of ninjas will increase tenfold. Only by preserving our strength can we have a chance to completely eliminate the Oni Clan and exact our revenge! This is the most rational choice!"
"Rationality? I think you're senile! Do you think the Oni Clan will give you time?" Uchiha Bi furious, but seeing the unfriendly looks from the White Tiger Corps captains brought by Mitokado Homura, he ultimately held back.
Ultimately, under political pressure from Hiruzen Sarutobi and the military intimidation of the White Tiger Corps, the various clans were forced to compromise. That afternoon, Konoha issued a statement: Hiruzen Sarutobi the Fifth Hokage in a time of crisis, taking full control of village affairs.