Chapter 177: Suppressing the Clans, The Fall of the Senju

"Is this… the real truth behind Sakumo's suicide all those years ago?"

"I never thought the Third Hokage could be such a two-faced monster!"

"Come to think of it, Sakumo-sama's death did seem suspicious. I mean, villagers hurling rotten eggs and vegetables at his door, and the whole village acting like it wasn't happening? That was bizarre."

"Back then, I always wondered why someone as strong as Sakumo would take his own life. Honestly, if it were me, I wouldn't have been able to take it either."

"You guys might not know this, but when the news of Sakumo's death spread, we shinobi from rival villages actually celebrated for an entire day."

"Damn you, Sarutobi Hiruzen! How could you do this to the village—to us?!"

Amidst the rising chorus of outrage, Nohara Rin, Yūhi Kurenai, and Might Guy instinctively turned their eyes to Kakashi Hatake.

Kakashi stood silently, his fists clenched and his head bowed.

The memories of that dark time resurfaced, unbidden.

He had been so young then, swept up by the storm of public opinion. He had even argued fiercely with his father, calling him a disgrace. For years, he convinced himself that Sakumo's death was merely atonement for his failure.

But now...

So, it had all been a conspiracy? His father's influence had been perceived as a threat to the Hokage's rule, and for that, he had been cast into hell?

Hiruzen—how could you?!

"Disgusting. Hiruzen's actions tarnish the very title of Kage!"

"Exactly! If he felt threatened, he should've worked harder to improve himself—not resorted to such despicable schemes."

"No wonder so many of Konoha's strongest either abandoned the village or became rogue shinobi. Turns out Sarutobi was pulling the strings all along."

"Shameful!"

Ōnoki and A nodded in agreement, their expressions filled with disdain for Hiruzen's methods.

As Kage, one must possess the breadth of mind to accommodate others. Without it, how could a village prosper?

Yet, despite their scorn, there was a trace of envy.

Even under the rule of someone like Sarutobi Hiruzen, Konoha had managed to win the great shinobi wars. That foundation and legacy—it was something to covet.

Uchiha Mirai watched the growing dissent with satisfaction. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He had orchestrated all of this for this exact moment.

Sure, he could easily crush Konoha's "Four Elders" with sheer power, but where was the fun in that? Why should the Uchiha, one of Konoha's founding clans, forever bear the stigma of rebellion?

No. The Uchiha deserved to claim the village's power openly and honorably.

And besides, if Sarutobi Hiruzen were to die, exposing his misdeeds afterward would carry no weight.

Killing a man is easy. Destroying his reputation while he still breathes? That's true vengeance.

"Sakumo was just the beginning. Jiraiya and Tsunade leaving the village? It's the same story."

"Sensei, if you'd been more forgiving of a talent like Sakumo, Konoha wouldn't have had to rely on unethical human experiments to fend off its enemies, would it?"

"Persecuting the village's strongest shinobi—this is your second crime!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen froze, as if plunged into an icy abyss. Orochimaru's sardonic smile only deepened his despair.

"No matter how powerful Sakumo was, he alone wouldn't have changed anything," Hiruzen muttered weakly, shaking his head as if to deny it all.

"Of course not," Orochimaru replied smoothly. "But what if the clans you suppressed—or outright annihilated—had been united under one banner? Would the outcome have been different?"

He shifted his gaze, briefly glancing at Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama. The two Hokage looked puzzled.

"Orochimaru, why are you looking at us? Just spit it out already," Hashirama said impatiently.

Orochimaru's voice dropped to an ominous tone.

"Because the first clan to fall… was the Senju."

"What?!"

Hashirama's jaw dropped in disbelief.

The Senju… annihilated?

Impossible! They were the strongest clan in the shinobi world. Who could have destroyed them?

And Sarutobi, Tobirama's disciple, would never turn against them… would he?

Tobirama frowned deeply. "Orochimaru, during my tenure, I implemented a policy encouraging the Senju to integrate with the rest of Konoha. Are you referring to that?"

Orochimaru shook his head. "If it were only about losing the surname, I wouldn't have brought it up."

"The Senju clan… no longer exists."

Tobirama shot to his feet. "Explain yourself!"

Orochimaru began to recount.

"After your death, Hiruzen Sarutobi took power. To consolidate his rule, he began targeting Konoha's clans. The first and most significant was the Senju.

"Many Senju, having abandoned their surname, were scattered throughout the village as civilians. Yet, the clan's influence remained strong, with members holding key positions.

"To eliminate this threat, Hiruzen exploited your policies and sent the Senju to the frontlines in every war.

"Over time, the casualties mounted. Even the most loyal Senju grew weary, wishing only to rest. But divided and leaderless, they had no choice but to follow the Hokage's orders.

"In the end, the Senju's numbers dwindled to near extinction. The few survivors who clung to life never spoke of their heritage, and within a few generations, their descendants had forgotten their origins entirely.

"Without a name, without traditions, and with their bloodline diluted through marriages with other clans…

"The Senju have become nothing more than history."

Orochimaru paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.

"And it wasn't just the Senju. The Uchiha faced the same suppression. Moved to the village's outskirts, excluded from positions of power, and sent to the Mist Village frontlines during the Third Shinobi War—where their fire release and Sharingan were countered by the Mist's water release and hidden mist techniques.

"Anyone with even basic knowledge could see the absurdity of that decision. What were you truly thinking, Hiruzen?"

Hiruzen had no chance to answer as Orochimaru pressed on.

"The Hyūga, the Aburame, the Kurama… all faced varying degrees of suppression. Once-thriving clans, now shadows of their former selves.

"If these clans had remained at their peak, how could Konoha ever have feared invasion from rival villages?"

Orochimaru's words left the room in stunned silence.

The shinobi of Konoha reflected, their hearts sinking as they realized just how much power their village had squandered.

Meanwhile, shinobi from rival villages were struck by the irony.

The strongest clan in the shinobi world—reduced to nothing not by enemy forces, but by the betrayal of their own.

All eyes turned to Hashirama and Tobirama.

As the founders of Konoha and former leaders of the Senju, what would they say to this revelation?

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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