Land of Fire.
At the entrance of Konoha Village.
The weather was clear, but there was a trace of melancholy in the air.
Everyone stood in silence, gazing at the scene before them.
The village's shinobi, the heads of various clans, all lined up in neat rows. No one spoke a word.
They all stared at Senju Yukika, at the ash-covered Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, at the mangled figure of Shimura Danzo, and at the now-calm Uzumaki Mito.
Some seemed to know what had happened; others appeared confused.
But regardless, everyone knew—something major was about to happen in Konoha.
Step by step, Yukika walked up to Hiruzen.
By now, Yukika no longer carried the urgency and confusion he had felt on the way back.
He had originally planned to storm up to Hiruzen in anger and beat him senseless, but seeing the broken figure of Hiruzen and the inhuman state of Danzo...
Instead, he felt a strange sense of doubt.
In less than a year, he had gone through so much.
Almost by his own strength alone, he had dragged the Senju Clan back from the brink of destruction.
The culprits were right in front of him, but Yukika didn't know what to say.
It seemed...
The current Hiruzen wasn't even worth his anger.
One village. One clan.
A person's perspective could change in an instant.
Konoha was just a tiny fragment.
Compared to the entire ninja world, Konoha was almost nothing.
"Got a smoke? From the elders in the wall."
Yukika reached out his hand as he looked toward the ancient Senju city walls.
The old man, startled, hurried over upon hearing the news.
He had already learned from the younger generation what had happened.
Now, all he had for Yukika was respect, recognition, and obedience.
He still vividly remembered how this young clan leader had once held Senju Hashirama's memorial tablet in front of everyone and solemnly declared that even the First Hokage could make mistakes.
Such a "great rebellion" had terrified them at the time.
But reality proved that the First had indeed made grave errors.
Lighting a cigarette, Yukika took a deep drag.
It was the first time since crossing into this world that he truly felt the power of this thing.
And he hoped it would be the last.
Yukika slumped in front of Hiruzen and snorted, looking at the much older-seeming Third Hokage.
Their eyes met.
The atmosphere was painfully awkward, beyond words.
Yukika understood Hiruzen; Hiruzen knew Yukika's ambition.
The contrast between victor and defeated couldn't have been clearer.
"Tell me,"
"You say it was all for the village?"
He blew a cloud of smoke into Hiruzen's face.
Yukika sighed with emotion.
"Of course it was for the village," Hiruzen rasped, his voice hoarse.
He had failed. There was nothing more he could say.
Only despair for the future ahead of him.
What was a man who had lost everything?
Hokage?
It was a joke. The man in front of him didn't care about titles at all.
Dragged to the village entrance under everyone's gaze, he endured their silent judgment.
Meanwhile, he was still pondering the last words Uzumaki Mito had said.
Senju Yukika didn't want the position of Hokage. Then what did he want?
Perhaps...
He wanted a declaration.
What did that mean?
The Senju were willing to serve Konoha, but they also needed to look after their own interests.
Roughly speaking, that was it.
And now, Hiruzen had given his answer.
For the village.
Apparently, Yukika understood this too.
"So."
"What is a village?"
Another cloud of smoke blew into Hiruzen's face.
The old man coughed, finally understanding the agony of secondhand smoke.
What is a village?
It was a profound question, yet also very simple.
Hiruzen pointed behind him without speaking.
That was the village.
"And what is the village's purpose?"
Yukika's next question floated over with the smoke.
Hiruzen's frail body twitched violently. "To protect... the village... everyone..."
"And the Senju Clan... weren't they doing the same?"
Another deep puff of smoke. Yukika raised an eyebrow.
What kind of realization was this?
To bite at the village for its sake, to strike at its members—was that protection?
What a joke!
"Seems like you wasted all your effort, old man."
"Maybe in your eyes, only the civilians mattered. And because they were so naive, you could manipulate them at will."
After sighing, Yukika realized that all his questions had been a waste of breath.
Hiruzen didn't understand the meaning of existence.
He didn't even understand what a village was!
If so...
"You don't understand the village."
"I don't even know what Hokage means, much less the significance of the village's existence."
"I don't know the pain of a broken home. I don't even understand what 'family' truly means."
Yukika stood up, flicking away the cigarette butt and gazing back at Konoha.
On the Hokage Monument, the images of his grandfather and granduncle were clearly visible.
"Then go experience it for yourself."
"In summer, feel the heat of the earth under your feet."
"In winter, feel the biting wind and swirling snow."
"Use your own body to feel this village, feel what it means to have a home."
"You'll be abandoned. You'll reflect."
"Until you die."
"Go grab a broom and sweep the village streets."
"That's your duty now."
"Naruto isn't good enough for sweeping yet, but you should manage, right?"
"Don't disappoint me."
Hiruzen trembled.
He couldn't believe it—was this truly his end?
He had never imagined this.
Why? Why not just let him die?
Why not just grant him that small mercy?