Chapter 303 – The Fall of the Old Order
In the shinobi world, Sarutobi Hiruzen had once been revered as the "Professor of Ninjutsu," a Hokage who stood at the pinnacle of Konoha. Yet now, whether in his own village or across the entire world, his name carried nothing but scorn.
He was like a rat running through the streets — everyone who saw him wanted to throw a stone.
If not for the fact that his body was bound by Reanimation (Edo Tensei), many shinobi might have already rushed forward to strike him down. But even so, the looks thrown his way — filled with contempt, disgust, and ridicule — pierced deeper than any blade.
Some even muttered aloud:
"Look at him… he's no different from that shameless Great Toad Sage."
Hiruzen's withered face twitched, but he forced himself to remain calm. His heart seethed with humiliation, yet his lips curved into a hollow smile.
"Endure… I must endure. If even the Great Toad Sage can kneel and survive, then so can I."
There was no room left for dignity. Resistance was pointless. In front of the overwhelming might of Uchiha Yuta, the Fifth Hokage, all he could do was bow his head like a broken man.
Above them, Yuta's energy projection shimmered with godlike radiance. He didn't even glance at Hiruzen. To him, the Third Hokage was already nothing more than a defeated relic of the past.
Why waste words on trash?
And yet, Yuta had not erased him. For now, Hiruzen still had his uses. Sometimes, the cruelest punishment was not destruction, but letting one live long enough to drown in humiliation.
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In Konoha, the scene broadcast through the projection left the entire village buzzing. Civilians and shinobi alike couldn't hide their smirks.
"The Great Toad Sage kneeling… and Hiruzen slapped to the ground by Hashirama himself. What a show!"
"Hahaha, the so-called 'God of Shinobi,' reduced to a clown. How ironic."
"The Great Toad Sage and Hiruzen… they really do look like brothers in disgrace."
"The Fifth Hokage, Lord Uchiha Yuta, truly stands above all! Compared to him, those fossils are nothing but jokes."
Laughter echoed across the streets of Konoha. Where once people had looked upon the Great Toad Sage with awe, and upon the Third Hokage with respect, now they only saw two fallen idols groveling in the dirt.
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On the battlefield, the atmosphere grew heavier. For generations, Mount Myōboku had been considered a sacred place, and the Great Toad Sage was revered as a prophet. Sage Mode itself was the dream of countless shinobi.
But now?
The mighty sage had collapsed into disgrace, kneeling and kowtowing before Yuta without hesitation. He had fallen from his pedestal, and the world was watching.
"Hmph… how pathetic," a deep, hissing voice echoed.
From the shadows appeared the White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave, his serpentine eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. Having long since pledged loyalty to Yuta, the snake radiated smug satisfaction.
"Once, even I resisted," the White Snake Sage admitted, flicking his tongue. "But as Lord Yuta's power grew, I understood. Strength rules this world. To cling to false pride is to court death. The Great Toad Sage is living proof."
His words dripped with venom, yet also with relief — he had chosen wisely by surrendering early.
A moment later, a warm, soothing chakra filled the air. From the distance, the Slug Sage of Shikkotsu Forest emerged, its soft voice carrying an edge of disdain.
"The Great Toad Sage has always sided with the Sage of Six Paths, scheming behind the scenes. But this time… he will not escape the consequences."
The Slug Sage's tone was calm, yet its words struck like thunder.
"The balance has shifted. Ryūchi Cave and Shikkotsu Forest will no longer play second to Mount Myōboku. Lord Yuta has brought the tide. The era of the Great Toad Sage is over."
The White Snake Sage chuckled darkly, nodding in agreement. Together, their presence was like a death knell tolling for the old order.
---
Across the shinobi world, countless watchers trembled. The image was burned into their minds:
The Great Toad Sage — kneeling.
The Third Hokage — slapped down like a child.
And above them all, untouchable, stood the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yuta.
At that moment, it was no longer just Konoha that revered him. The entire world saw the truth:
The old gods had fallen.
A new era had begun.
And at its center stood Uchiha Yuta — eternal, unshakable, divine.
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