Chapter 179: The Final Veil is Torn Away

The resounding accusation brought a dead silence over the arena packed with thousands.

It took a long moment before anyone reacted.

"What Orochimaru said… it actually makes sense. I don't think I've ever heard of the Third Hokage going to the battlefield," someone muttered.

"As the Hokage's guards, they didn't give their lives to protect him. And as the Hokage, he stayed in the safest part of the village…. Yet every day, he preached about the Will of Fire. Now that I think about it, it's ridiculous."

"I used to think the Third Hokage was the best Hokage in the world. Turns out it was all an act. It's disgusting."

"Hiruzen Sarutobi is nothing but a hypocrite, a petty man standing on a moral high ground, pointing fingers at others!"

The shinobi of Konoha erupted into angry jeers, hurling curses at Sarutobi. After learning so many dark truths, the glorious image he had built over the years crumbled completely.

The higher the climb, the harder the fall.

In the eyes of Konoha's people, Sarutobi had fallen from a revered Hokage to a reviled figure, akin to a rat everyone wanted to stomp.

Shinobi from other villages, having overheard the revelations, couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for Konoha's people.

"To serve so loyally under such a man… truly pitiful."

"Indeed. I once envied Konoha's shinobi for their ideal environment. Now, I'm just horrified."

"Hahaha… after all, who would want to become a test subject for their own village's experiments?"

Amidst the jeers and sneers, disdain flashed across the faces of the Fourth Raikage and the Third Tsuchikage. Orochimaru had a point: every Kage present had earned their title through blood and battle. Yet Sarutobi… he had remained in the safety of Konoha, never stepping onto the battlefield.

If not for Konoha's strong foundation, could someone like Sarutobi have possibly defeated them in the Great Ninja Wars?

Such a cowardly and petty man, who had won two wars only to shamelessly boast of being the strongest Hokage….

Strong? Nonsense!

Onoki and the others had long been annoyed by Sarutobi's self-praise. But being Konoha's defeated rivals, they had no grounds to argue. Now that his true nature was exposed, they finally felt vindicated.

Inside the barrier, Orochimaru watched the crowd's reaction and raised an eyebrow at Sarutobi.

"Sensei, look at them. They'd rather see you dead."

Sarutobi's anger flared, his eyes filled with hatred. He never expected that the image he had painstakingly maintained over his lifetime would shatter so completely in such a short time.

The way the villagers stared at him… even someone as seasoned as Sarutobi couldn't help but feel panic. Death itself wasn't frightening. What terrified him was dying amidst the venomous curses of the people he once led.

And judging by the current state of affairs, even in death, he might not find peace. The villagers' anger would likely drive them to desecrate his corpse.

But Orochimaru wasn't done.

Under Mirai's orders, Orochimaru had been instructed to orchestrate Sarutobi's downfall meticulously. This was to be no ordinary conclusion.

With a smirk, Orochimaru clapped his hands. The barrier surrounding them, the Four Violet Flames Formation, dissipated.

Sarutobi and Orochimaru stood exposed before the entire village. Strangely, no one moved to rescue their Hokage.

"Sigh…" Hashirama's sigh echoed faintly.

Though Sarutobi's actions ran counter to his ideals, seeing his former subordinate fall so far filled him with sorrow.

Tobirama clenched his fists tightly, his anger simmering. Teaching a student like Sarutobi was a stain on his legacy.

Sarutobi knew it was over. The removal of the barrier symbolized the loss of his final shred of dignity. When the barrier had stood, he could still tell himself that no one could save him because of it. But now….

Everyone stood coldly by, unwilling to act.

Clutching his chest in agony, Sarutobi understood that from this day forward, his name would be etched on Konoha's pillar of shame.

Meanwhile, the other Kages exchanged somber looks. If any of them faced such a fate, death would be a mercy.

No… even death would be too late. A Kage brought to such disgrace… it was better to have never been born.

Sarutobi's hollow eyes reflected a man aged decades in mere moments. Suddenly, his gaze locked onto a familiar figure below: Uchiha Mirai, watching him coldly.

"Uchiha Mirai! This is all your doing!" Sarutobi shouted. "You and Orochimaru conspired against me!"

Though defeated, he was determined to drag Mirai down with him.

Sarutobi's outburst shifted the crowd's focus to Mirai.

Mirai sneered. "Conspired? You mean having him reveal your crimes?"

The villagers turned their rage back to Sarutobi.

"Shut up! Don't slander Mirai-sama!"

"Mirai-sama saved this village! How dare you?"

"The moment Orochimaru acted, Mirai-sama rushed to protect us. Unlike you, he's honorable!"

The people's anger reached a fever pitch. If Sarutobi had tried this earlier, he might have sown doubt. But now? It was laughable. To them, Mirai was a hero—a man who saved Konoha during the wars, reformed the Police Force, and championed equality for civilian shinobi.

With Mirai's accomplishments, how could he possibly ally with someone like Orochimaru?

Sarutobi stared, incredulous. He had once been the celebrated leader, while the Uchiha were shunned. Now, the roles were reversed. He was the outcast, and Mirai was the people's champion.

Why? Why the Uchiha?!

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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