243 Chapter 243: Danzō Step Down!

Hiashi Hyūga had just spoken when...

Tap tap tap.

Accompanied by approaching footsteps, Kakashi and Orochimaru emerged from the shadows.

"You two...!"

Everyone was extremely surprised to see the pair. After all, it was known Kakashi and Orochimaru had joined the Uchiha faction and even become high-ranking members.

What was their purpose in showing up here?

Just as the clan leaders eyed them warily, Hiashi dropped another bombshell:

"The Uchiha clan has agreed to support Kakashi as Hokage."

"What?!"

The leaders couldn't help widening their eyes before leaning in to whisper excitedly amongst themselves.

"Who could've imagined Kakashi would become Hokage."

"We thought he went insane betraying the village to work for the Uchihas. But seems like Kakashi gambled right!"

"..."

Their tones were filled with emotion and envy.

The Kurama clan head then frowned and took the initiative to ask:

"Since Kakashi is set to be Hokage, meaning Danzō will step down, is there still a need for us to stage this coup?"

His question articulated the shared doubts on everyone's minds.

Kakashi took a step forward and slowly explained after sweeping his gaze across the room:

"Everyone, whether you kill Danzō or I become Hokage, Konoha's status in the shinobi world will not change. We will still be the lowest caste, subjected to oppression from the other Great Villages.

Because the Uchiha clan is unwilling to return to Konoha. They won't care about our village's present circumstances or future prospects either, simply leaving us to our own devices whether we survive or perish..."

"Then what can fundamentally save the village?!" the clan leaders interrupted to ask anxiously.

Kakashi took a deep breath before answering steadily:

"That would be getting the Uchiha clan's forgiveness and convincing them to come back to Konoha. The moment the Uchihas return, all unequal treaties signed with the Great Villages will become void. Their occupying armies will also withdraw from our lands.

This is the sole way for Konoha to regain peace and former glory."

His words left the Konoha clan heads stunned into silence as they exchanged conflicted looks.

In the past, jealousy and disgust towards the Uchihas had led them to ostracizing the clan. But now, all that remained in their hearts was deep awe, even admiration for the Uchiha. After all, defeating an allied army of one hundred thousand single-handedly was a spectacular feat proving the Uchiha to be the most powerful shinobi clan in history.

Humans possessed an innate urge to worship strength. This was especially so for shinobi. When the Uchiha were only slightly stronger than the rest, they faced much resentment. But now that the gap grew immeasurably wide, others could only look up to them.

It was that simple.

After a long pause...

"Then, what would it take for the Uchiha clan to forgive us?" the Kazahana clan head queried.

Orochimaru clenched his fists tightly. "Launch the coup, overthrow Danzō," he replied hotly, "Then petition the Uchiha sincerely on behalf of all of Konoha's citizens to move them! Kakashi and I will assist you however we can!"

The leaders exchanged looks once more. They could sense Kakashi's sincerity in wanting to save Konoha even at the cost of forfeiting the Hokage seat, just to have the Uchiha clan return.

And so after another spell of silence...

"Alright, we'll follow your lead Kakashi! Let's do this!" Chōza declared, pumping his fist. He represented agreement from the Inoshikachō clans.

"We're with you too! For Konoha's future, we stake everything on this!" the other family patriarchs echoed resolutely, faces set with determination as fighting spirit burned within them.

The next day...

Led by Kakashi's schemes, tens of thousands of Konoha citizens flooded the streets at dawn, erupting into massive protests.

"Danzō step down!"

"Expel the occupational armies! Uchiha return!"

Whipped into a frenzy, the roaring crowds marched towards the Hokage Building, seeking to overturn Danzō's rule.

Within the Hokage Office...

"Damn them!"

Danzō leapt furiously to his feet, livid as he barked harsh orders at his Anbu, "Suppress those insolent rebels immediately! Find out who's behind this! Also, send word to the Four Village armies requesting their troops assist quelling this revolt!"

"Yes sir!"

The Anbu left swiftly to carry out his commands.

Danzō forcibly suppressed the rage churning within. Calming himself, he walked to the bay windows overlooking the streets - now flooded by masses of shinobi and riled up villagers.

Just who was orchestrating all this behind the scenes?

Most likely suspects in Danzō's mind were the leaders of clans like the Hyūga and Ino-Shika-Chō. They held enough sway to whip Konoha's citizens into revolt.

Hmph! These fools must be tired of living to so quickly forget the lesson dealt to the Sarutobis...

With that thought, killing intent flashed across Danzō's eyes.

He resolved to utilize the four villages' armies for another purge within Konoha. This would thoroughly cement his position as Hokage.

Yet this time, Danzō was fated to miscalculate.

Although the occupational forces swiftly mustered upon receiving his plea for aid, ready to mobilize for action...

Two figures suddenly appeared before them.

"Gentlemen," Kakashi greeted placidly, "Konoha's internal affairs should not involve outsiders. I advise you against meddling lest you come to regret it."

Stepping forth, Orochimaru supplemented coolly, "Feel free try your luck if you're not afraid to die."

As his voice fell, his hands rapidly formed seals before slamming down. The ground rumbled loudly as countless wooden spikes burst forth, obstructing the path of the four armies.

Disturbance rippled through their ranks. Many paled, stricken by fear.

Yet it wasn't Orochimaru's Mokuton or Kakashi's warning that intimidated them, but rather the pair's identities.

It was widely known that Kakashi and Orochimaru had already defected to the Uchiha clan and held considerable positions as Uchiha high-rankers.

Now, with Konoha gripped by internal strife and the two showing up right here and then. Were they acting independently or under the Uchiha clan's orders?

The foreign shinobi didn't dare gamble finding out.

After all, anyone hindering the Uchihas would surely not leave alive.

And so...

Under Kakashi and Orochimaru's deterrence, the four village armies silently withdrew their weapons and retreated back to camp.

Their bluff worked.

Kakashi breathed out in relief. He instructed Orochimaru, "Leave this to Lord Hiashi and the others."

Half an hour later...

"Charge!"

A thousand Konoha shinobi alongside tens of thousands of rioting villagers surrounded the entire Hokage Building, trapping Danzō inside.

Without backup from the occupational forces, Danzō's meager subordinate stood no chance. They were swiftly routed and captured by the coup forces.

Left isolated, Danzō cut a lonely figure.

All eyes turned towards the roof as Danzō appeared, leaning on his cane while glaring down contemptuously at the shinobi and commoners packing the streets below.

"Surrender quietly Danzō. You've already lost!" Hiashi and the clan leaders stepped onto the rooftop as well, tightly encircling Danzō and demanding his unconditional surrender.

"Hmph!"

Danzō just gave a cold snort. Then suddenly raising his voice, he shouted, "As Hokage I order you to cease this preposterous coup at once! Otherwise I'll detonate every paper bomb buried in the village and bury all of Konoha!"

Yet his threats proved ineffective.

Striding forth, Hiashi bored holes through Danzō with blazing eyes, venting all the hatred and rage pent up in his heart:

"You've completely lost the people's support long ago Danzō. You're not worthy of the title Hokage, much less being a Konoha shinobi! Lord Orochimaru's explosives have already been dismantled by my clan. In other words - you've lost, Danzō!"

You've lost.

Those four words sent a shudder through Danzō's body. It was as if he had awakened from a long, blissful dream all of a sudden.

Gazing upon the ice-cold stares of the amassed shinobi and hearing the enraged cries of the villagers, Danzō only felt his hands and feet turn icy-cold as tremors wracked his form.

Why...why did things turn out like this?

"No! I will forever remain Konoha's Hokage!" he screamed hysterically, face twisting in madness. "You traitorous rebels seek to wrest Konoha from my hands, but I will never allow it!"

No sooner had he finished yelling than Danzō lifted his cane and slammed it heavily onto the floor.

Next second...

Boom boom boom!

Deafening rumbles of detonation instantly came from Mt. Hokage behind them - Danzō had triggered Orochimaru's paper bombs.

Not good!

Hiashi and company paled. If the mountain collapsed, the proximity meant they along with the entire Hokage Building would be buried.

Yet just as they prepared to flee...

Crack! A loud snap resounded as the Third Hokage's visage on the cliff side developed a huge fissure before...nothing else happened.

The other Hokage faces remained pristine without the slightest damage. No signs of the mountain collapsing either, let alone burying Konoha village entirely.

So Orochimaru's words were untrue from the very start. Even Danzō had been deceived.

"Everyone charge together! Take Danzō down!" Hiashi ordered the moment he recovered his wits.

At his command, the Konoha shinobi swarmed forth. Within seconds the struggling and screaming Danzō was swarmed under a pile of grabbing hands and wrenched to the floor, his Hokage haori forcefully stripped from his body.

Danzō had fallen.

This news instantly spread throughout Konoha, met with sensational response. Citizens rushed onto streets in revelry, celebrating jubilantly as if the new year arrived early - finally freed from Danzō's long shadow of oppression.

That night...

Within Anbu Prison, the gloom of solitary confinement was pierced only by the rhythmic pounding of pushups.

"Nine hundred ninety three...nine hundred ninety four...nine hundred ninety five..." Might Guy dutifully counted under his breath, culminating his daily thousand single-arm handstand pushups.

His training was complete for today. Rising up with a towel wiping sweat, Guy sat on the bed entering meditation. Movement and stillness combined was the way of self-cultivation.

"Quite carefree aren't you..." An sudden voice sounded from outside his cell.

Hm? Guy's eyes snapped open. To his astonishment stood the familiar form of Kakashi, casually leaning against his cell door with arms crossed, eyeing Guy up and down lazily.

"Kakashi?!" Guy cried out joyously. He rushed forth in disbelief, "How'd you get in here? Weren't you...a wanted man in Konoha?"

The underground prison isolated its inmates from the world. Since his incarceration Guy barely got any news from outside. He only knew about Kakashi's wanted status after overhearing the guards chatting one day. Guy spent quite some time afterwards worrying for his rival turned missing-nin. At least now Kakashi wouldn't end up locked away accompanying him.

"Seems like you're rather out of touch down here," Kakashi replied, shaking his head while unlocking the cell door.

"Just what is going on?" Guy was completely confused by everything.

Only after hearing Kakashi outline events - the Uchiha Clan defeating the Shinobi Alliance then Konoha citizens toppling Danzō - did he gape in astonishment.

"So I missed out on all that? What a shame..." Guy murmured regretfully.

Seeing Guy's reaction prompted Kakashi to give him a reassuring pat on the back. "Bring him in," Kakashi called towards the darkness.

Jingling noises followed as a disheveled and defeated looking Danzō was led stumbling forth in cuffs by Orochimaru. Dressed in prisoner garb, the former Hokage now stared blankly at the floor without uttering a word.

"Get in," Kakashi stepped aside, tone aloof as he addressed Danzō.

Danzō threw a sideways glance at Kakashi yet said nothing. He limped into Guy's former cell.

Guy was dumbstruck witnessing this reversal of fortune. By the time he came to, Kakashi's face took on a grave expression:

"Guy, Konoha's clan heads and I will soon depart the village for an extremely important task tied to its destiny. I'll have to trouble you with guarding Danzō alongside Orochimaru so he does not escape under any circumstances until we return."

Guy was taken aback but quickly nodded resolutely, thumping his chest. "You can count on me Kakashi! I swear no one will even approach this cell before you come back, much less set Danzō free."

"That puts my mind at ease." Kakashi smiled before striding purposefully out of Anbu Prison, leaving its security in Guy and Orochimaru's hands.

The next dawn...

Gathered at Konoha's gates were a dozen clan leaders awaiting Kakashi's arrival - Hiashi Hyūga, Chōza Akimichi, Shikaku Nara, Tsume Inuzuka and more.

"Is the petition prepared?" Kakashi inquired upon arrival.

Shikaku and Chōza exchanged looks. Together they unfurled an enormous scroll almost ten meters long, densely packed from top to bottom in names written in crimson...

For each villager had signed the petition in their own blood.