Utatane Koharu's fierce but cowardly shouting was still drifting in the night wind. Her forcefully maintained dignity seemed particularly ridiculous against the background of firelight and bloodstains.
Kaze didn't even look at her, his gaze calmly sweeping over their feigned composure as if sweeping over dust on the roadside.
"Uchiha Kaze, did you hear clearly?"
"We are Konoha advisors appointed by the Fire Daimyō himself!"
"What you did today is rebellion! It's treason! The Land of Fire will never recognize..."
"Puchi."
Utatane Koharu's chattering came to an abrupt halt.
A fine line of blood appeared on her neck.
Her eyes were wide and round, seeming to want to say something more, but her throat could only emit "He he" air-leaking sounds.
Immediately after, her head separated from her body and rolled to the ground.
In those gradually dilating pupils, the astonishment and disbelief of the last moment were still frozen.
Mitokado Homura didn't even have time to make any reaction before the kunai in Uchiha Nagasawa's hand pierced his heart like a venomous snake.
His body stiffened, and he looked down at the sharp blade sunk into his chest.
He opened his mouth but couldn't make any sound, collapsing softly to the ground.
Two elders who had held Konoha's authority for decades died just like that, dying like two insignificant ants.
Uchiha Kaze raised his head and looked towards the eastern horizon.
The night was fading bit by bit, and gray-white skylight struggled to penetrate the pervasive smoke and dust.
Signaling that the long, bloody night was about to end, but the new dawn might not necessarily bring hope.
"Nagasawa."
"Here!"
Uchiha Nagasawa immediately knelt on one knee, his eyes full of unconcealed fanaticism and awe.
In one night, this young clansman killed the Sandaime Hokage, destroyed Root, erased Uchiha Itachi, executed the Konoha higher-ups...
The power and decisiveness displayed by Uchiha Kaze had completely conquered all surviving Uchiha.
"Notify all existing ninja clan heads, Jōnin, and department heads in Konoha."
"One hour later, a meeting will be held here."
Uchiha Kaze's voice wasn't loud, but it had a unique penetrating power.
Their action this time was decisive and swift.
Some ninja clans participated in it.
Others wanted to wait and see, but didn't expect it would end so quickly.
The Konoha higher-ups had all been beheaded, so next, it was time to properly reorganize the power of the entire village.
"Tell them, those who don't come will be considered traitors to the village, and the Uchiha will personally visit to invite them."
After a slight pause, Kaze spoke again to add.
"Yes!"
Nagasawa nodded heavily, then turned into a black shadow with several clansmen, quickly disappearing into the streets interwoven with ruins and morning light.
Kaze stood in place, closing his eyes to rest.
The battle of just a few hours brought not only the death of Konoha higher-ups but also the rebirth of the Uchiha.
Hyūga Clan Grounds.
"What, the Hokage and the advisors are all dead?"
Hyūga Hiashi looked at Uchiha Natsume in front of him and stood up abruptly.
"Clan Head Hyūga Hiashi, please come to the meeting as soon as possible."
Uchiha Natsume didn't explain anything and left with a Body Flicker.
He still had to notify other ninjas.
Ino-Shika-Chō had already gathered together when the Uchiha started the Kyūbi Incident.
So, they were very clear about the situation at the Hokage Building.
"Shikaku, we..."
Yamanaka Inoichi spoke somewhat with difficulty; Uchiha Nagasawa had just been there.
"Let's go, let's go and see."
"The Uchiha... are different from before."
Nara Shikaku sighed slightly and slowly stood up.
As the brain of Ino-Shika-Chō, he was very clear about the current situation.
When the ninja clans sat on the sidelines and watched, the opportunity to confront the Uchiha was already gone.
Besides these ninja clan representatives, Hatake Kakashi, Might Guy... a group of ninjas also received the notice and were moving quickly towards the original site of the Hokage Building.
When the first ray of relatively bright sunlight barely pierced the smoke and shone on the shattered Hokage Building.
Figures began to appear in the ruins.
As time passed, the surrounding air became so stagnant it seemed water could be wrung from it.
The heavy smell of blood and scorching filled the air, lingering.
Many people present even had bandages wrapped around them.
Signifying last night's battle.
Everyone's eyes were on the center, on Uchiha Kaze, who was closing his eyes to rest.
Uchiha Kaze, dressed in black Uchiha clan robes stained with dust and dark red blood.
There was no monstrous killing intent, no violent Chakra released outward.
But just this calm standing made everyone feel incomparable pressure!
"Everyone has arrived."
Kaze slowly opened his eyes. His voice was plain but clearly reached everyone's ears.
"Then, let the meeting begin."
He paused, straightened up, his scarlet Mangekyō gazing into the void, as if declaring something perfectly normal.
"The first item, and the only item that needs discussion."
"From today on, I, Uchiha Kaze, will become the Godaime Hokage of Konoha."
As his voice fell, the air in the meeting room seemed to be instantly sucked out.
Although they had a premonition, when this sentence was really spoken from Uchiha Kaze's mouth.
That naked, unquestionable declaration still hit everyone dizzy like a heavy hammer.
The Uchiha who dragged Konoha into a hell of blood and fire overnight... now want to become the Shadow of this village?
Absurd! Crazy! Unacceptable!
Countless thoughts rolled in everyone's hearts.
But looking at Uchiha Kaze's terrifyingly calm black pupils, looking at the ruins still burning around, looking at the Uchiha guards with cold eyes who had quietly appeared at the meeting room door at some point...
All dissatisfaction, anger, and questioning were forcefully suppressed back into their throats.
Yes, under Sarutobi Hiruzen's leadership these years, they seemed to have almost forgotten.
In the ninja world, strength is the only, permanent right to speak.
And Uchiha Kaze had just used one night to prove who possessed absolute strength.
After a brief deathly silence, finally, someone couldn't hold back.
"Bang!"
Hyūga Unchū slammed the table fiercely and stood up.
"Uchiha still wants to be Hokage? Impossible!"
"Last night you Uchiha launched a rebellion, released the Kyūbi, destroyed the village, and killed the Hokage and many higher-ups!"
"What qualifications do you have to become Hokage?!"
His white hair trembled slightly from agitation, veins pulsed on his forehead, and those pure white eyes stared fixedly at Kaze, his voice becoming sharp due to extreme suppression of anger.
"Bad, this idiot!"
At this moment, Hyūga Hiashi's back felt cold.
Byakugan also activated subconsciously because of overly agitated emotions.
This damn guy, with so many people present, did you have to stand out like this?
The current Uchiha won't talk rules with you.
What he wants...
"Is this... also your meaning, Clan Head Hyūga Hiashi?"
Kaze ignored Hyūga Unchū and turned to look at Hyūga Hiashi.