Konoha.
"I propose Uzumaki Naruto must abdicate. If he doesn't, how can we answer to Konoha?"
In the Hokage conference room, the two surviving elders of Konoha called an emergency meeting with all the Jonin.
Sixth Hokage Kakashi presided, his expression grave.
"Kakashi, you can't let your feelings for your former student cloud your judgment. Look at what the village has become."
Koharu pounded the table, pointing to the scorched crater outside.
The cries in Konoha still hadn't faded.
Both Homura and Koharu felt secretly relieved. Naruto's rampage had exceeded their expectations.
But people who do great things must accept sacrifices.
At least their goals were achieved, and now most of the Jonin had lost faith in the Hokage.
After all, who would trust a Hokage who could go berserk at any moment?
What if the next Tailed Beast Bomb landed on their families?
Even if he once saved them all, this was human nature.
"Kakashi, the ninja world is already on the edge—no more chaos can be allowed.
"Especially Konoha. We've suffered too much. Are we to watch as we fall from the ranks of the Five Great Villages?"
Homura's hoarse voice hammered at Kakashi's heart.
The Jonin in the room fell silent—their attitudes said it all.
They no longer trusted Naruto.
Or rather, Naruto had become a destabilizing factor.
They weren't opposing out of guilt, but out of fear of Naruto's power.
Koharu noticed this too. Remembering Naruto's terrifying rampage, she felt a chill.
To cover her fear and prevent another outbreak, she said:
"Everyone, the Seventh Hokage's contributions are known to us all, but he's now been tainted by evil energy, causing him to lose control.
"So, I suggest that while we urgently study the effects on his body, the Hokage should meditate in seclusion to avoid another incident."
She turned to Kakashi and said with a hoarse laugh:
"Kakashi, Konoha needs you to hold the fort for now."
These two old foxes were masters of internal politics.
With a few words, they achieved their goal. The other Jonin quietly agreed.
Their greatest fear was Naruto's rampage.
With everyone looking at him, Kakashi sighed helplessly. At this point, there was nothing he could do—Naruto had hurt the village too deeply.
"Alright. I'll take care of the village for now, and I'll try to persuade Naruto. Let's work together and get through this."
"Yes!"
Such a major decision was made without the current Hokage's presence. A bitter irony.
However, Naruto saw everything clearly from his office.
In the large crystal ball, he saw familiar faces, all agreeing to his temporary abdication.
Naruto's face twisted in anger.
"Damn it! Traitors! All of you!"
He slammed the desk. After all he'd done for Konoha and the ninja world—saving everyone in the Fourth Great War—this was how they repaid him.
"I'm the Hokage! Who are you to decide?!"
With a furious roar, he crashed through the conference room wall. His enraged voice echoed like a demon from hell.
The Jonin were terrified.
"Naruto, don't be rash!"
Kakashi hurried to calm him.
But Naruto slowly raised his head, his bloodshot eyes sweeping the room, making everyone gulp in fear.
Terror and panic filled the room—even Koharu and Homura were scared.
"Naruto, you're the Hokage, don't act recklessly!"
"Yes, we're doing this for the village and your own good."
Koharu nodded hastily:
"Right, it's just temporary. Once we study the energy inside you, you'll be Hokage again."
But Naruto's face was twisted. He hoarsely said:
"I am the Hokage of Konoha! Does anyone disagree?!"
No one dared speak.
Who would risk angering him and triggering another Tailed Beast Bomb in the heart of Konoha?
Konoha couldn't survive another.
Seeing their submission, Naruto's eyes filled with distrust and rage.
In his eyes, he was the Hokage, and they had betrayed him—plotting behind his back to force him out.
He had devoted his whole life to becoming Hokage. Now, after finally making it, how could he let them remove him?
Koharu and Homura were frustrated—so close to succeeding, but Naruto had proven something:
When you have overwhelming force, no one dares oppose you.
Naruto's power kept Konoha suppressed for now.
But beneath the surface, unrest had begun.
The village's heart was broken.
The entire ninja world was in even worse chaos.
Even the resource-rich Land of Fire was showing signs of unrest—after all, plenty of nobles meant plenty of targets.
…
Land of Earth, in the Temple.
"Father, with all the chaos, we've found some clues about the Kara Society."
Black Zetsu reported respectfully, shocked at the discovery.
After lurking for a thousand years, he'd never noticed this hidden group.
"So, Kara has finally shown a weakness," Shirou smiled. "But Black Zetsu, only your clones should investigate further—the true mastermind is Otsutsuki Isshiki."
At these words, Kaguya's pupils shrank.
"So, Isshiki is still alive..."
Kaguya was tense—Isshiki had come to this world with her, intending to use her as a sacrifice for the God Tree, but she had turned the tables at the last moment.
She hadn't expected Isshiki to survive.
"But it doesn't matter now."
Having found the outer members of Kara, Shirou smiled lightly.
"Black Zetsu, since there's such a threat to the ninja world, let's leave it to the Child of Destiny. Giving them these leads will be interesting."
Black Zetsu grinned excitedly.
"Father's plan is brilliant! Let them fight among themselves. With all the chaos, every kind of monster is crawling out of the woodwork.
"It's the perfect chance to rewrite the ninja world's rules and change everything."
As Shirou planned his revolution, his vanguard, Kurotsuchi, had become a fervent crusader.
Wearing an armband symbolizing fire, she rallied the people, and with the Land of Earth's preparations, this ideology spread like a virus across the ninja world.
Uprisings and reform movements arose everywhere.
If it were just ordinary rebellion, the Five Great Villages could stamp it out. But with so many missing-nin, the rebels formed their armies.
The ninja world grew ever more unstable.
…
Konoha, Hokage Office
"Naruto, you can't stay stubborn like this. That energy is affecting you more and more. I trust you, but no one can guarantee you won't lose control again."
Kakashi consoled Naruto, urging him to meditate at Mount Myoboku, but Naruto adamantly refused to leave his office.
"Kakashi-sensei, do you doubt all my efforts too?!"
Naruto glared at his teacher.
To him, being Hokage was his lifelong dream—he couldn't let anyone ruin it.
"Naruto!"
Kakashi felt powerless. Boruto had defected, and recent intel said he'd joined a group of missing-nin, forming an anti-Konoha organization.
Most of its members were ninjas whose families had been destroyed by Naruto's Tailed Beast Bomb.
They were driven by hatred and despair.
Seeing Naruto's stubbornness, Kakashi could only sigh.
"If that's the case, Naruto, promise me you'll restrain yourself. I'll help you handle the village's affairs and speed up Konoha's recovery."
That was Kakashi's real goal.
He knew Naruto would never abdicate. By helping him, Kakashi was effectively taking power.
But Naruto, with no political sense, didn't see it.
…
Konoha's Root, Secret Lab.
Dozens of researchers, once under Danzo, worked anxiously on the data.
Koharu and Homura looked anxious.
"How's the research going?"
"Elders, our studies confirm that the Seventh Hokage has developed a special energy inside him. It's vast, with powerful abilities, making his cells highly active..."
Koharu snapped impatiently:
"Don't tell me the details! I just want to know—has Naruto's body changed enough for immortality?"
The researchers looked at each other, then nodded and shook their heads, making the elders even more anxious.
"Elders, Naruto's body is undergoing some kind of mutation, but we can't guarantee the outcome.
"Our research isn't thorough enough, but while we can't say immortality, his cells are so active that he could easily live for hundreds of years."
Hearing that, Koharu and Homura were disappointed—then suddenly excited.
"Hundreds of years!"
Sharing a greedy look, they left for a private room.
"With the chaos in the ninja world and the village, only we can take charge. But our bodies need this power."
Koharu was obsessed—she thought everything she did was for Konoha.
Homura nodded firmly.
"All for Konoha. But even though we know about this power, how can we get it?"
Homura looked gloomy.
"Our bodies may not last until the research is done."
Despairing, they realized they might die before seeing the results.
Suddenly, Koharu's eyes brightened with madness.
"No! We still have a chance!"
Homura was desperate:
"What do you mean?!"
"Homura, do you remember Kabuto Yakushi?"
"Kabuto?!"
Homura looked confused. Koharu explained darkly:
"Before the Fourth War, after Orochimaru's death, Kabuto used Orochimaru's techniques—by transplanting genes into himself, he gained great power.
"More importantly, remember the reports? Kabuto could acquire anyone's abilities!"
Homura's eyes lit up.
"That's right! If we can get other people's powers, we can get Naruto's life-extending ability too!"
With greedy smiles, they found their path.
If they could trick the little fox and get more of his blood and genes, they could live for centuries.