Naruto: Limitless Sage

Danzo was momentarily confused.

All this time, while the so-called Konoha Crush Plan was unfolding,

He hadn't stepped outside even once.

Nor had he dispatched Root to protect the village.

The reason was simple.

Because he, too, had played a role in the destruction of Konoha!

Long before Orochimaru turned traitor and defected from the village, Danzo Shimura had already been colluding with him behind the scenes.

Even after Orochimaru defected from Konoha,

It's hard to say that Danzo had truly cut ties with him.

This time, Orochimaru contacted him in advance and informed him of the plan to destroy the village—the Konoha Crush Plan.

Shimura Danzo had always hungered for the Hokage title.

So of course, he agreed without hesitation.

In his mind, as long as that man—Sarutobi Hiruzen—still drew breath,

There would be no chance for him, Shimura Danzo, to ever become Hokage.

So be it.

Decades of old friendship, shattered.

But his obsession with the Hokage seat…

It pushed Danzo to make his decision.

As long as the Third Hokage died, there would be no one left in the village powerful or influential enough to block his path.

As things stood, the only others eligible for the title of Hokage

Were himself, and the other two Sannin—Jiraiya and Tsunade.

But neither Jiraiya nor Tsunade was in the village.

Which meant…

Danzo believed himself the undisputed candidate for the Fifth Hokage!

But what he never expected—

As he remained deep within the Root base,

Waiting patiently for the operation to unfold so he could seize the moment and reap the rewards—

Was the message he received from one of the Third Hokage's ANBU.

The news was shocking.

That little Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—Uzumaki Naruto—had not only uncovered the secret of being the Fourth Hokage's son,

But somehow possessed strength on par with a Kage-level ninja!

And if that wasn't enough,

He had somehow resurrected the Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze—and his wife, Kushina Uzumaki!

Even Hatake Kakashi had turned to support them.

And now they were moving forward with a full-blown impeachment campaign against the Third Hokage!

This was a disaster—no, a complete catastrophe!

If that little brat succeeded in his impeachment…

Or even if he failed…

Either outcome would ruin Danzo's ambitions.

If Naruto succeeded—then goodbye Hokage dreams. Danzo's chances would be crushed forever.

But if by some miracle Uzumaki Naruto himself became the Fifth Hokage...

With that boy's youth and vitality,

There's no way Danzo could outlast him.

A few decades down the line?

He'd be dead and buried!

And if the impeachment failed?

Then Hiruzen Sarutobi—having survived Orochimaru and an attempted political takedown—

Would see his prestige soar to unprecedented heights!

At that point...

Danzo wouldn't even have a sliver of hope to contest the Hokage seat!

"Damn it all!"

With a grim expression, Danzo snapped back to attention.

"Notify all Root members currently on standby."

"Follow me to the Chunin Exam venue."

He spoke with grave seriousness.

Moments later, every available Root operative not currently on assignment

Was assembled inside the base—

And under Danzo-sama's command,

They all marched toward the Chunin Exam venue en masse!

Danzo knew—

He had to stop what was about to happen!

Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Building—

In a secure chamber—

The two village elders, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, were sitting in false comfort.

They hadn't expected this.

No word came of the unrest being suppressed.

Instead, they received jaw-dropping news—

That the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Naruto, was preparing to publicly impeach the Third Hokage!

And that wasn't even the end of it.

The Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze—and Kushina Uzumaki had returned from the dead.

Even the First and Second Hokage—Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju—had appeared!

This relentless barrage of news…

Left both Homura and Koharu utterly stunned.

Had the report not come directly from the ANBU under Hiruzen's own command,

They might have believed it was some misinformation campaign launched by enemy villages to destabilize Konoha.

"What do we do?"

Koharu looked at Homura beside her, her voice tinged with panic.

She couldn't make up her mind.

Homura thought for a long moment.

"Let's move."

"We'll head out first."

"We can gather our people along the way," said Homura.

There was no time to formally summon Konoha's forces—

Not even the shinobi from their own clans.

As two of Konoha's highest-ranking elders,

They had to head to the scene immediately and get a read on the situation firsthand.

Koharu nodded. "Then let's inform our subordinates on the way. No time to waste."

Soon—

With the swift movement of experienced shinobi,

And since the Chunin Exam arena wasn't far from the Hokage building—

Danzo Shimura led the Root operatives, while Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu gathered loyal Konoha ninja as they moved.

All of them arrived at the Chunin Exam venue in quick succession.

And what they saw—

Left them momentarily speechless.

The massive arena was packed with people from across the village.

As soon as Danzo, Homura, and Koharu arrived, their eyes locked onto the figure of Uzumaki Naruto, standing tall—in mid-air.

Their eyes widened in disbelief.

The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki… was floating?

How in the world was Uzumaki Naruto standing in the sky without support?

And then they saw it.

Opposite the Third Hokage stood:

The Fourth Hokage—Namikaze Minato.

Beside him, his wife—Kushina Uzumaki.

And next to them, Hatake Kakashi.

But that wasn't all.

The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju…

And the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, were also present.

Even Orochimaru was standing among them.

And in the stands—

Jiraiya and Tsunade had also appeared.

To make matters more intense,

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire was present…

As well as the Daimyo of the Land of Wind—and other important dignitaries from across the elemental nations.

But now was not the time for formalities.

There was no chance to exchange greetings.

Shimura Danzo, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu

Quickly made their way to Sarutobi Hiruzen's side.

Danzo was the first to speak, unable to hide his irritation.

"What the hell is going on here!?" he snapped, his eyes scanning the surreal scene.

Homura and Koharu wore similar expressions—shock, confusion, and a hint of fear.

Behind them,

Several other high-ranking officials of Konoha had arrived.

Their expressions echoed the same disbelief.

After all—

Everyone knew Danzo had always coveted the position of Hokage.

That ambition was an open secret among the upper ranks.

As for the others—like Homura and Koharu—

They had long since given up any real claim to the title.

Instead, they remained close to Hiruzen,

Leveraging their connection with the Third Hokage to quietly secure their power and benefits within the village.

But now—

Everything they had built was being threatened before their eyes.

If the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, were to be impeached—

Wouldn't that be the same as dragging them down too?

What if—by some unimaginable twist—

Naruto actually succeeded?

He's not Sarutobi Hiruzen.

If that brat really became the next Hokage…

And he took power by overthrowing the Third in such an aggressive, public spectacle—

Would he really keep the old guard around?

Impossible.

Absolutely impossible.

The senior Konoha officials—Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and the like—understood this clearly.

Their positions, their influence, their benefits in Konoha—

All came from their long-standing alliance with Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Without that bond?

They were nobodies.

It was easy to imagine.

Over something as basic as profit-sharing and influence,

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu would absolutely stand firmly with the Third Hokage.

Only Hiruzen Sarutobi could protect their interests,

And ensure the continued prosperity of their clans.

—

Just then—

The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, turned his gaze toward Danzo, Homura, and Koharu.

He couldn't help but remark, "Danzo, Homura, Koharu… you're all old now."

Back in the day,

Sarutobi, Danzo, and the rest had been his students.

Promising juniors in whom he had placed his trust.

And now?

Even those young faces had grown aged.

Time spares no one…

A sigh of nostalgia welled up within Tobirama as he studied them.

At that moment,

Homura, Koharu, and the others stared at the youthful face of the Second Hokage—

A man who had long since become a part of Konoha's history.

For a moment, it felt like they had been pulled back into that era.

But the scene before them—

This chaos, this impossible gathering of the dead and living—

Reminded them:

Those days were long gone.

What mattered now was the present.

"Lord Tobirama… what exactly is going on here?" Homura asked, unable to contain his confusion, speaking on behalf of Koharu and the others.

Upon hearing the question,

The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, simply shook his head.

He said nothing more.

"Just watch for now."

That was all he said.

And with that…

He fell silent.

Naruto glanced briefly at the touching reunion between the Second Hokage and his former disciples.

Then his gaze shifted—

To Danzo Shimura, who had just shouted at him moments ago.

His face remained emotionless.

At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, felt a surge of relief upon seeing his political allies arrive—Danzo, Homura, Koharu, and the others.

His back straightened.

His confidence returned.

Seizing the momentum, Hiruzen turned to Naruto, who now stood at the center of everything—hovering in the sky, commanding the crowd's attention.

He spoke gently, with the tone of an elder extending mercy:

"Naruto, it's not too late. If you stop now, I can overlook what happened here today."

"Afterward, we can sit down and talk—properly."

His voice was calm, even benevolent.

And among the crowd, many Konoha villagers were visibly moved.

To them, it was proof once again that the Third Hokage was truly noble.

Even after everything Naruto had done—causing chaos, calling for impeachment—Hiruzen still offered forgiveness.

Such was the wisdom and compassion of the Hokage.

But—

Kakashi remained silent, his expression unreadable.

Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki stood quietly, offering no reaction.

And Naruto?

His face was like stone.

He spoke in a cold, unyielding tone:

"Drop the act, old man. It's pathetic."

"That's exactly why we're here today."

"Because of your mistakes."

"Because of your inaction."

"Because you—along with Danzo Shimura, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu—"

"You selfish, power-hungry parasites…"

"You betrayed Konoha."

"You betrayed the hopes the First and Second Hokage placed in you!"

Naruto's words echoed through the vast Chunin Exam arena.

Every corner of the venue fell into stunned silence.

Many couldn't comprehend what they were hearing.

Uzumaki Naruto—

Accusing the Third Hokage and other senior officials like Danzo and Koharu—

As if they were criminals.

But to the villagers of Konoha, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo had always been revered as protectors of the village.

It was unthinkable.

Yet, that disbelief only highlighted how deeply the Third and Danzo's long-running propaganda had embedded itself in the public mind.

They had carefully shaped public opinion for years, if not decades.

Meanwhile—

The First and Second Hokage listened intently to Naruto's indictment.

And for the first time, doubt flickered in their eyes.

Had Sarutobi, Danzo, and the others truly failed Konoha?

Among the ninja clans present, the clan heads began to reflect.

Hiashi Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, and others—

Each recalled moments when the Third Hokage had made decisions that placed their clans at a disadvantage.

Hiashi, especially, couldn't help but think of his brother—

Hizashi, who had died under questionable circumstances as a political scapegoat.

Among the Sannin—

Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade stood in silent shock.

Their former teacher, the man who raised and guided them, was now being unmasked before the entire village.

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.

He remembered his own past—

A rising star in Konoha, once competing with Minato for the title of Fourth Hokage.

But for reasons he never understood,

The teacher he had once idolized—

Sarutobi Hiruzen—had begun to fear him… perhaps even resent him.

Forced into exile.

Branded a traitor.

And now, standing here, Orochimaru wondered if the roots of his fall had been deliberately planted.

Jiraiya's reaction was quieter.

After Naruto revealed everything he'd learned about Sarutobi Sensei…

Jiraiya couldn't help but reevaluate the man he thought he knew.

He realized—

He had never truly seen Hiruzen for who he was.

Tsunade's heart weighed the heaviest.

She had long known of the systematic dismantling of the Senju clan under Hiruzen's watch.

Her younger brother, Nawaki—

Full of dreams to become Hokage—had died in battle far too young.

And now?

Of the once-great Senju clan, only she remained in public view.

She had no power left to stand against the village's elders…

No strength to challenge the Hokage who had once been her mentor.

As for the shinobi of Sunagakure—

They stood frozen, observing Naruto's fierce condemnation.

Not one of them dared to speak.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire listened to Naruto's accusations—

And found himself completely lost.

What in the world had Sarutobi Hiruzen done…

To provoke the son of the Fourth Hokage into calling for his impeachment?

To the Daimyo, it was unfathomable.

A political scandal of this scale—

In front of dignitaries from multiple nations—was a disgrace.

Shameful.

Even though Konoha was technically under his jurisdiction as the ruler of the Land of Fire…

Right now, the Daimyo didn't dare to say a word.

In the audience—

Among the younger generation of ninjas—

Shikamaru Nara and the rest of the Konoha 11 had been listening closely to Naruto's fierce condemnation of the Third Hokage.

Perhaps because of his sharp intellect,

Shikamaru was the first to put the pieces together.

He recalled Naruto's past—

How the boy had grown up shunned, hated, treated like a pariah.

Despite being the son of Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage—a war hero who saved the entire village—

Naruto had suffered alone for years.

And during all that time…

He hadn't even known he had parents.

He hadn't known his father was the very man the village revered as a legend.

Now, with that truth finally uncovered…

Of course Naruto would be angry.

Raging, even.

And Shikamaru couldn't help but suspect:

The Third Hokage must have known the truth all along.

If that was true—

If Hiruzen had allowed Naruto to suffer like that, all while keeping his parentage a secret—

Then no one could blame Naruto for exploding like this.

On the central platform, Sarutobi Hiruzen stared silently at Naruto.

Every word Naruto said had a hidden weight.

Each sentence exposed more than just anger—it exposed truths.

Truths Hiruzen had long tried to bury.

And now…

His worst fear was coming true.

The truth about Naruto was out.

And he had no way to stop it.

His gaze swept the gathering.

He saw Jiraiya and Tsunade among the crowd—both of them expressionless.

That alone told him everything.

They already knew.

They may have returned to the village in secret—

Just to stand by Naruto's side.

Next, Hiruzen looked toward Orochimaru—

That once-favored student of his, now standing freely among the resurrected Hokage.

He could practically see the satisfaction in Orochimaru's smirk.

Then he turned to the First and Second Hokage—

But their expressions were unreadable.

Hiruzen dared not guess what they were thinking.

Finally, his eyes drifted to the villagers of Konoha… and then to familiar faces like Iruka and various loyal shinobi.

Seeing the confusion and concern on their faces…

Hiruzen felt a flicker of hope.

As long as the villagers stood with him, as long as the majority of loyal Konoha shinobi supported him—

Then Naruto's impeachment attempt…

Would fail.

At that moment,

Danzo Shimura—standing right beside Hiruzen—could no longer stay silent.

Hearing Naruto's damning words, his voice rose sharply in defense:

"Uzumaki Naruto, what do you know!?"

"You're just a brat fresh out of the Academy!"

"You think you understand more than us? Than the leaders who have carried this village for decades?"

"You've clearly been manipulated by enemies of Konoha—rogue ninja trying to destabilize us from within!"

"You're being used to destroy the village from the inside!"

Danzo's accusations rang out through the venue.

And many among the crowd—

Especially the uninformed villagers—

Nodded in agreement.

To them, it sounded plausible.

How could Naruto—a Genin—be right?

Surely, Lord Danzo must be telling the truth.

They began to voice their support.

But—

Naruto simply sneered.

Perfect.

This was exactly the moment he had been waiting for.

It was time—

To expose Konoha's darkest secrets.

Right here.

In front of everyone.

...

TN:

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