The domineering Uchiha drove the Third Hokage mad!

Chapter 30 Hiruzen Sarutobi, you are not worthy to be Hokage!

Outside the window, the protests of the villagers of Konoha grew louder and louder, and more and more people gathered.

A glint of light flashed in Shimura Danzo's eyes, and the corners of his mouth turned up almost imperceptibly.

At this moment, he secretly rejoiced: Hiruzen, now you should step down, the position of Fourth Hokage is rightfully mine! Ha~ha~ha!

Mitokado Homura pushed up his slipping glasses: "Hiruzen, now is not the time to daydream. There are already tens of thousands of people gathered downstairs. If this continues..."

As if to prove his words, a deafening explosion suddenly came from downstairs, and the entire Hokage Building shook slightly.

The glass window rattled, and several shards of glass broke off from the frame.

"Lord Hokage, they...they've started banging on the door!" A member of the Anbu rushed in to report in a panic.

Just then, there was a knock on the door of the Hokage's office: "Knock knock...knock...knock knock...knock".

This was the rhythm of an ANBU member knocking on the door. Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned and called out, "Come in!"

A ninja from the Anbu stumbled in, his face deathly pale: "Hokage-sama! Urgent report from the front! The front-line outpost has been captured by the Seven Ninja of the Mist, and the entire outpost has suffered heavy casualties... and... more than twenty medical ninjas... have been captured!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand froze in mid-air, and his face under the straw hat aged considerably in an instant.

Danzo Shimura narrowed his one eye slightly, lost in thought.

The two advisors, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, were also so shocked that they didn't know what to say.

The office was quiet for a moment.

Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his pipe and waved his hand: "I understand. You may all leave!"

Two ANBU ninjas had only taken a few steps.

Koharu's voice suddenly rang out: "Didn't we send...more than 3000 reinforcements...? Why was the stronghold still captured?"

The ANBU ninja lowered his head, his voice trembling: "More than 3000 reinforcements haven't even arrived at Shiratori Castle yet... and Kirigakure has already sent the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to attack the castle... They possess seven powerful ninja tools... The last intelligence sent back by Commander-in-Chief Hyuga Hiyori before his sacrifice... suggests... there seems to have been an intelligence leak..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly walked to the window and looked down at the dark mass of people below.

He saw angry ninjas and parents who had lost their children, crying out for an explanation.

He saw the villagers who had once been loyal to him holding up signs that read "Hiruzen Sarutobi, step down."

At the very front of the crowd, Fugaku Uchiha was surrounded by people, like a triumphant hero being embraced by the people of Konoha.

Hiruzen Sarutobi removed his Hokage hat, straightened his clothes, and said in a low, weak voice, "Prepare the amplification barrier."

Danzo Shimura suddenly grabbed his arm, feigning concern, and said, "Hiruzen! What are you doing?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook off his hand and walked towards the balcony without looking back: "I'm going to end this farce."

When Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared on the balcony, the crowd below erupted in a deafening chorus of boos.

Rotten tomatoes and rotten eggs flew in from all directions, exploding into clumps of filth on the barrier.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, you liar!"

"Give me back my son!"

"Get off the stage, you liar!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his hands to signal for quiet, but he was met with even more intense insults in response.

It wasn't until Fugaku Uchiha raised his hand, amplifying his voice with chakra, that he said, "Everyone, quiet down! Even if the Third Hokage is guilty, we must give him a chance to defend himself!"

Upon hearing this, the crowd gradually quieted down.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart tightened, and his voice echoed throughout the entire plaza: "My fellow Konoha comrades... I understand your anger..."

A ninja who had lost both arms roared, "You don't understand anything! Have you ever understood what we felt on the front lines? We crawled back from piles of corpses, only to find our young children at home had been tricked into going to the battlefield by you. You betrayed us... You don't deserve to be Hokage!"

Amidst the chaotic crowd, shouts of approval erupted continuously: "Hiruzen Sarutobi, you don't deserve to be Hokage!"

Hearing the angry roars downstairs, Shimura Danzo was secretly overjoyed: "Sensei, you were wrong after all. Only I am suitable to be Hokage. Hiruzen was far too weak. If it were me, I would have sent Root to suppress him beforehand, and this mess wouldn't have happened!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi had to raise his voice: "We... have tried our best... and I even sent more than 3000 ninjas to support the Kirigakure battlefield... but Kirigakure's attack on the city this time... was too sudden... completely beyond our expectations."

A widow holding a baby interrupted him shrilly: "My husband died six months ago! Because of our financial difficulties, I've asked you for a pension three times, but I haven't received a single penny. My child almost starved to death, and now you're pretending to be a good person?"

Cold sweat beaded on Hiruzen Sarutobi's forehead: "That's probably the logistics department. Someone's neglecting their duties. I didn't know anything about this!"

They saw Uchiha clan members distributing bread and drinking water among the crowd, and Kurama clan ninjas treating the wounded.

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt increasingly uneasy, as if all of this was a scheme orchestrated by the Uchiha clan.

His voice began to tremble: "Because the situation was urgent... I sent the children to the front lines... It was indeed a wrong decision, I admit..."

A young, scarred ninja roared like a madman, "Admitting it is enough? My sister's body is still missing... She... she was only nine years old!"

The shouts rose again, and the angry crowd began to storm the barrier once more.

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that the final moment had arrived.

He shouted with all his might, "I hereby announce! After the war ends... I will immediately resign from the position of Hokage! With this... with this... I apologize to everyone!"

The entire square fell silent instantly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi hunched over, as if those words had drained all his strength.

His gaze swept over the angry faces, finally landing on Uchiha Fugaku, whose expression was one of silent provocation.

Hiruzen Sarutobi added with difficulty, "Furthermore, I will donate all my personal savings... entirely to the village..."

The anger in the crowd seemed to have subsided somewhat, but the hatred had not yet dissipated.

At this moment, Fugaku Uchiha suddenly shouted, "Third Hokage, the most urgent task is to rescue the children who are fighting on the battlefield in Kirigakure. We should also bring back the bodies of those children who have already died in battle. Therefore, I request that reinforcements be organized immediately."

These words were like a spark falling into a haystack, instantly igniting everyone's emotions.

"Yes! Yes! Save our children!"

"Lord Fugaku Uchiha is right!"

"We're marching on Kirigakure! We want revenge!"

Seeing that the hearts of the people of Konoha had completely sided with the Uchiha, Hiruzen Sarutobi could only nod bitterly, "...Granted..."

As the old Hokage staggered back to his office, a thunderous cheer erupted behind him.

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi retreat in a disheveled state, Danzo Shimura stared at Fugaku Uchiha with a sinister gaze.

In the plaza below the Hokage's building, people spontaneously began to remove the banner that read "Hiruzen Sarutobi, you are not worthy to be Hokage!" and replaced it with a banner that read "Support the Uchiha, march on Kirigakure, save our children!"

The Third Hokage, once the most popular figure, now appears so lonely and desolate.

Starting today, the power structure in Konoha is about to change...