"Someone… hand him the keys and the files…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's body trembled hard.
His voice came out dry and shredded. Barely a dozen words—yet it felt like he'd poured every last ounce of strength into them.
Clang—
Soon, the Hokage's secretary and several aides dragged a metal cabinet out of the rubble.
It had been thrown by the shockwave, yet—miraculously—its exterior was almost untouched.
"You're sensible, Third Hokage."
Kainodded, but he didn't move.
Behind him, Fugaku immediately understood.
One step—Body Flicker.
He appeared beside the cabinet, took the key, and unlocked it.
Clack.
Inside were thick ledgers, several antique-looking seals, and—
a scroll flickering with sealing runes.
Fugaku skimmed them, then walked back and held them out behind Kai.
"Authentic."
"Mm."
Kaididn't even look. He only nodded again, then raised his gaze to the clan heads behind Hiruzen.
"Hyūga Clan Head."
Hiashi's heart clenched at his name being called—but he stepped forward at once.
"Kai-kun."
"Trouble you—along with Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka…"
Kai's eyes moved across the heaviest names in the crowd, one by one.
"…to witness this transfer."
"From this moment onward—Konoha's financial authority is taken over by the Uchiha."
"Ledgers, seals, keys: transfer complete."
His words were short, plain, almost casual—
but the pressure underneath them was absolute.
The named clan heads all felt it: the weight, the threat, the inevitability.
Even Shikaku Nara—one of Hiruzen's most loyal pillars—only exchanged a look with the others… and finally gave a silent nod.
At this point, opposition meant nothing.
It would only invite destruction.
The Third had bowed his head.
What could they possibly do?
Replace the Third?
The Uchiha were already unstoppable.
"Alright… alright…"
Hiashi drew in a slow breath and answered on behalf of the assembled clans.
Fugaku carefully secured the items.
And just like that—
the dust settled.
Konoha's sky changed tonight.
Completely.
Kai's gaze crossed the space again, landing on the Third.
"Third Hokage."
A faint, playful curve lifted the corner of Kai's mouth.
"It's late. Old men should go to bed early."
Old men…
At those words, Hiruzen felt his blood surge up his throat.
His vision dimmed.
He nearly collapsed—only for an ANBU beside him to catch him quickly.
He forced air into his lungs and stared at that small figure.
Stared at the seals and scroll in Fugaku's hands—the symbolic lifeline of Konoha.
Stared at the clan heads' complex, fearful eyes.
Stared at Guy's silent remains in the crater.
And the dead, hushed part of his heart grew even quieter.
His back bent lower.
And under Kai's gaze—he had no choice but to retreat.
To withdraw.
To leave the stage.
A cool breeze swept through the trees, leaves whispering.
It brought a slight chill to the hundreds still standing there.
The night grew deeper.
But Konoha didn't grow quiet.
If anything, it grew busier.
Every major clan compound lit up. Emergency meetings chained one after another.
What happened tonight struck every heart like thunder.
No one could sleep.
Uchiha District — War Room
The Uchiha district blazed with light.
But it wasn't the same heavy, despairing atmosphere as earlier.
Now it was the feverish high of surviving the cliff's edge—
the surge of standing tall again.
Every time their eyes drifted to that small figure, they held worship and awe.
In the council hall, Fugaku sat at the head seat, his expression complicated.
So complicated he almost doubted his own eyes.
Who could have predicted that yesterday's "impending massacre" would turn into this?
The clan hadn't been wiped out.
Instead, Konoha's rot had been ripped out—half the upper layer smashed to pieces.
Beside Fugaku sat the Second Elder, the Fourth Elder, and the core figures.
Kailounged near the window, idly rolling that tiny "sun" between his fingers.
Honestly…
he wanted to sleep.
What he'd told the Third was not sarcasm.
Staying up late really was bad for you.
"The financial authority is… initially secured."
After a moment, Fugaku pulled his gaze away from Kaiand looked down at the ledgers, his face heavy.
"But the books are a mess. The deficit is large. If we dig deep, we'll trigger chaos."
"Tonight was too loud. The village is panicking. Every clan is watching."
"If we mishandle this money bag… it becomes a target."
All eyes turned toward the window.
Kaipaused.
"Simple."
His voice wasn't loud, but it landed clearly in every ear.
"First—relief."
"Anyone injured tonight gets compensation. Make the stance clear: we're cleaning out parasites, not targeting Konoha's ninja."
"Second—fund the rebuilding of the Hokage Tower immediately. Fast."
"Let the village see it: new order, new face."
"Third—assign a team to trace the finances for orphans and war survivors."
"Make everyone involved spit every coin back out."
He spoke a bit more, then lost interest.
What—was he supposed to stand on the Hokage Tower rubble and give a speech?
That wasted breath.
He'd rather fire off a Tailed Beast Bomb and be done with it.
Still, Fugaku was surprised… and uneasy.
"This…"
"Relief and rebuilding are fine."
"But orphans and mission pay… that touches too much. It may hit the interests of major clans…"
"Interests?"
Kaiwaved it off like it wasn't worth the air.
"Konoha has too many leeches. Cut them off and the flesh grows back onto Konoha itself."
"The Uchiha aren't seizing power for its own sake."
"We're rewriting the rules."
He stood, walked to the doorway, and his small silhouette stretched long under the lamplight.
His gaze swept the room—quiet, sharp, piercing.
And he repeated it, with emphasis:
"Restoring order isn't just killing a few people."
"If you're scared…"
"Then pull one group in, beat one group down."
Restore order.
Pull one group in, beat one group down.
Silence.
The hall went so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
No one expected those words from a boy barely ten.
Fugaku stared at his son, his eyes impossibly complex.
This wasn't the lazy, talkative child he knew.
This was something else entirely.
His son was already outshining him—
even in governance.
"I… understand."
Fugaku drew in a deep breath.
"We do it Kai's way. Now. Split up and execute."
"Yes!"
The elders snapped awake, eyes blazing again.
They saw hope.
And more than hope—they saw a road the Uchiha had never walked before.
Kaididn't interfere further. He simply left.
The Wall Under the Moon
On the outer wall, Kailay on his back with both hands behind his head.
He stared at the moon.
His fingers absentmindedly rubbed the warm little "sun" at the back of his head.
Then—
the system chimed.
[Ding!]
[Copy successful. Congratulations: Legendary Trait — Eight Gates: Gate of Death · Fragment (Purple).]
[Note: This trait is a one-time "experience" version. It contains partial mysteries of life-burning and the ultimate taijutsu principle. It can be analyzed, but cannot be directly activated.]
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