Endure

"Excuse me... did I do well?"

Luo Lei's voice resonated with a tone that was both challenging and mocking.

In that instant, everyone present was completely stunned, paralyzed by the silence, and then, almost as if a wave of realization had hit them, their expressions suddenly changed.

So that's what it was!!

No wonder Luo Lei had killed Homura. Homura not only betrayed Luo Lei and his own village, but he was also corrupt, a traitor who accepted bribes and abused his power vilely!

As the Superhero of Konoha, Luo Lei had to despise evil! That's why he killed him as soon as he had the chance. Justice had to prevail.

Thinking of this, everyone suddenly turned their gazes towards Luo Lei, their eyes filled with respect, admiration, and an almost fanatical devotion.

"Well done, Luo Lei-sama!!!"

"Luo Lei-sama, we are with you until the end!!"

"Homura was a vile criminal, damn him!! He deceived us all! How dare he?!"

"As one of the village's advisors, Homura betrayed the Will of Fire!! He was a devil, a wolf in sheep's clothing, and Konoha doesn't need people like that!!"

The crowd was moved, deeply emotional. They couldn't hold themselves back! Shouts of indignation and support for Luo Lei fell like a storm of unleashed justice.

Observing this scene.

People like Futian, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and others were completely paralyzed, as if they were trapped in a surreal dream.

What?

How is it possible that Luo Lei managed this?!

Koharu's aged face twisted in disbelief, her expression becoming even more somber, almost unhinged. With just a few words, Luo Lei had completely condemned Homura!

The most infuriating part was that, in the face of Luo Lei's accusations, no one in the crowd had doubted for even a moment, nor had they demanded evidence.

They accepted every word as if it were the absolute truth!

For the first time in her life, Koharu felt a sensation of nausea churning in her stomach.

They, the Council, had been the ones to manipulate public opinion for so long. They had pulled the strings of the Land of Fire to their convenience and had disposed of those who stood in their way, including the famous White Fang of Konoha.

But now... Luo Lei had turned their own methods against them! With the power and influence he demonstrated on the battlefield, he manipulated public opinion and used it to attack them, without pity or remorse. Everything had taken a cruel and ironic turn.

"Homura... is completely forgotten."

Danzo's expression fluctuated, all kinds of emotions crossing his eyes. He knew perfectly well that Luo Lei was doing all of this on purpose, moving every piece on the board to force a reaction from Hiruzen.

Now, all the pressure fell on the Hokage. Would Hiruzen endure this and accept the humiliation, or would he stand up to face Luo Lei? It all depended on his decision.

"....."

At that moment, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, still maintained a neutral expression, but deep down, his heart was already filled with a blazing fury, on the verge of eruption. Every word from Luo Lei was like a burning coal falling on his patience, and he was about to explode.

He had endured Luo Lei's actions again and again, trying to maintain peace, but...

Thinking about this, he looked towards Koharu, seeking support. To his disappointment, Koharu hesitated, her eyes wavered before lowering her head. She avoided looking him in the eyes, as if she couldn't face reality.

Then he directed his gaze to Danzo, who was hiding behind him. But Danzo simply looked away, glancing anywhere but at Hiruzen. He refused to face the situation directly, something that filled Hiruzen's heart with more bitterness.

"..."

Hiruzen let out a cold snort. Then he turned his gaze to Jiraiya and Minato, hoping for something, any sign of support.

But to his surprise, those two hesitated for a moment and then bowed their heads, avoiding the Hokage's gaze.

"....."

A dark feeling took hold of Hiruzen's chest. He couldn't believe it. His own hopes, his own circle of trust... Everyone was pulling away. Finally, he turned his gaze towards Orochimaru and Tsunade, seeking some sign of support.

"Elder, too many of the Senju clan have died. It's time someone gave me an explanation!" Facing Hiruzen's intense gaze, Tsunade took a deep breath, and each word that came from her lips carried the weight of a pain she had held for too long. "Homura... that ingrate... He should have died long ago!"

Her words fell like thunder amid the tense silence.

The impact was devastating for Hiruzen.

As expected, Sakumo, that persistent shadow of the past, even after his suicide, continued to drag unexpected consequences along.

After all, only a few people knew the secrets of what Homura had done. Even if Sakumo had discovered it by accident, he still... knew it. And now, it was clear that he had told everything to Luo Lei.

Hiruzen felt as if a fist had sunk into his chest at the thought of the consequences. Now Tsunade knew the truth, and with that truth would come actions that he could not predict.

'If so, I'll endure a little longer!'

Seeing that no one took the initiative to defend him, Hiruzen suppressed his frustration. He had no choice but to endure, swallow his pride, and seek a compromise.

As Hokage, it was his duty to endure any sacrifice necessary to maintain balance.

"Hahahahaha!!"

Hiruzen let out a forced laugh. Then, with a smile, he said, "Luo Lei, to be honest, I already had in mind dealing with Homura for a long time. I was secretly gathering evidence, but, well, I didn't expect you to take action in such a... direct way. But it doesn't matter. That guy was a plague, a worm among the leaves... You killed him well."

"Homura really was a scoundrel!"

After saying this, he took a deep breath and tried to change the tone of the situation, attempting to soften the atmosphere: "Today is a good day. Let's not let Homura's death ruin it for us."

"Let's celebrate together to welcome the Heroes of Konoha!"

________

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