Ren returned to the village not long after Kakashi had ended Danzo's last Izanagi attempt. By the time his footsteps crossed the outer perimeter, the sun had already begun its slow rise over the rooftops, painting the sky in dull shades of orange and gold. Roosters crowed from somewhere deeper inside the village, loud and insistent, trying their best to announce the arrival of a new day.
But the village did not wake the way it usually did.
Doors remained shut. Windows stayed barred. Only a handful of people dared to peek outside, and even they did so cautiously, as if the night itself might lash out at them for being careless. Whatever had happened while most of them slept had left a weight in the air, one that didn't disappear just because the sun was rising.
Ren didn't slow down.
He dragged Danzo straight through the streets without bothering to hide him. By now, Danzo was barely conscious, his body responding more out of habit than will. Ren didn't spare him a glance. His destination was clear.
The Hokage Tower.
When Ren reached it, he moved efficiently, almost clinically. Danzo was hoisted up and bound facing outward, positioned high enough that he overlooked the village itself. Ren stripped away the last traces of chakra from his body, sealing it completely, then layered seal after seal over him, complex arrays, suppression marks, restraints so dense that they rivaled the protections carved into the tower itself.
By the time Ren was done, Danzo wasn't just restrained.
He was displayed.
As dawn spread, people began to gather.
Clan heads arrived first, drawn by urgency and instinct. Department heads followed, faces grim and unreadable. The two elders came together, unusually quiet. Several high-ranking jonin who hadn't been deployed with Kakashi appeared soon after, their expressions tight with confusion and unease.
Tsunade was there too.
The moment they saw Danzo hanging from the Hokage Tower, bound and powerless, the entire group slowed to a halt.
For a brief moment, no one spoke.
That single image, Danzo Shimura, exposed and helpless, hanging from the symbol of the village's authority sent a chill down more than just Konoha's spine. Hidden among the crowd, spies from other villages froze in place. Some instinctively reached for concealed communication methods… then stopped.
No one dared send a message.
Not now.
Not when the Leaf felt like it might turn on anyone foolish enough to move at the wrong time.
Soon after, Kakashi returned with the army.
The shinobi poured into the village in disciplined formations, exhaustion visible on their faces, blood still drying on armor and weapons. They halted below the Hokage Tower almost instinctively, eyes drawn upward to the man suspended above them.
No one cheered, no one whispered, but they knew that because they completed their part of duty, the people inside were able to complete theirs.
Kakashi and Choza broke off from the formation and headed straight for the council room. By the time they entered, nearly everyone was already there, every seat filled except for the Hokage's and the Daimyo's.
The silence inside the room was oppressive and no one dared break it.
Words felt dangerous right now, as if saying the wrong thing might tip the balance one way or another. Every person present understood that this morning would decide the shape of the village's future.
Then the doors opened again.
Fugaku and Itachi entered together.
They didn't linger near the entrance. Instead, they made a straight line toward the core group where Ren stood, their presence commanding attention without effort. Shikaku turned slightly toward Fugaku and spoke in a low voice, careful not to disturb the fragile calm.
"How was it?"
Fugaku paused for just a fraction of a second.
Then he nodded.
"It's done."
That was all he said.
But it was enough.
A collective breath escaped the room, not relief exactly, but release. Tension that had been wound tight for years finally loosened, if only a little. Some shoulders sagged. Some eyes closed briefly. No one smiled openly, but the weight pressing down on everyone eased.
The night was over.
And whatever came next, judgment, rebuilding, consequences, it would happen in the open, under the light of a new day.
~
Ren used the brief lull to signal Utakata with a small tilt of his head. The man noticed immediately and followed without a word. Tsunade rose from her seat a heartbeat later and joined them as well. Ren's gaze flicked toward her for a moment, but he didn't comment. If she wanted to come, she would come, trying to stop her would only waste time.
They moved through the Hokage Tower in silence and locked themselves into one of the inner rooms, the kind layered with privacy seals and thick walls meant for sensitive discussions. The moment the door shut, Tsunade turned on Ren, her eyes narrowing with that familiar, dangerous focus.
"Show me."
Ren sighed quietly. There was no point pretending. He lifted his shirt slowly, exposing his torso. The room fell silent as the injury came into view, a deep, ugly gash across his stomach and chest. The wound looked wrong in a way that was hard to explain. It wasn't just torn flesh; the edges seemed warped, as if space itself had bitten into him and never quite let go.
Tsunade stepped closer at once, her expression darkening as she studied it. She didn't touch it immediately, only observed, eyes tracing the wound with clinical precision.
"Did you get this while fighting the masked man?" she asked.
Before Ren could answer, Utakata shook his head, already understanding.
"No," he said calmly. "This resembles the injuries Minato suffered while practicing the Flying Thunder God." He paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "But it's not the same. This one… feels different."
Ren nodded, jaw tightening. "Yeah. That bastard isn't capable of hurting me like this. I got it from the space itself, or something in it. Even I don't fully understand how right now."
He turned toward Utakata then, seriousness replacing his usual casual tone. "Sensei, I can't heal this injury. Can you?"
Utakata didn't hesitate. He nodded once. "Yes. I learned to treat spatial injuries because Minato injured himself repeatedly while developing the technique. But I won't lie, it'll take time. A lot of it."
Ren let out a slow breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "That's fine. As long as it can be healed."
He lowered his shirt and straightened, rolling his shoulders slightly as if testing his limits. "We'll deal with it after Danzo's execution. I can handle a few more hours."
Tsunade clicked her tongue softly, clearly displeased, and stepped closer again. This time she placed her hand just above the wound, chakra gathering in a controlled, precise flow.
"I'll set up a barrier over it," she said. "You'll need to keep a constant supply of chakra feeding into it. If it collapses, the injury could worsen."
Ren nodded without argument. "Got it. Thanks, big sis."
He could have done it himself, he knew that, but this wasn't the time for pride. Tsunade's medical judgment and Fuinjutsu surpassed his, and both of them knew it. He stayed still as she worked, teeth clenched briefly when the barrier settled into place and the dull ache shifted into something sharper, then steadied.
When Tsunade finally withdrew her hand, she took a step back, arms crossing. "Don't push it more than you already have," she warned.
Ren gave a lopsided smile. "I'll try."
With that, the three of them left the room and returned to the council chamber. Conversations paused the moment they entered. Curious gazes flicked toward them, subtle and restrained, but no one spoke. No one dared.
Ren took his place as if nothing had happened, his expression calm, unreadable.
But beneath the surface, the village stood on the edge of something irreversible, and everyone in that room could feel it.
~
The Daimyo and the Hokage arrived soon after, stepping into the tower almost in unison. They didn't come alone. The Daimyo was flanked by his personal guards, their armor polished and expressions rigid, while Hiruzen was accompanied by his ANBU guardians, silent shadows that blended into the corners of the hall the moment they entered.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Every person in the chamber stood the moment the two figures appeared. Chairs scraped softly against the floor, armor plates clinked, and even the more seasoned shinobi straightened their posture out of habit. Hiruzen raised one hand almost immediately.
"That won't be necessary," he said calmly. "To your positions. We'll begin the execution shortly."
For a heartbeat, no one moved. Then, as if a single breath had been released, everyone bowed their heads.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
The room broke into controlled motion. The hierarchy reorganized itself without a single spoken command. The core figures, the true heavyweights, moved together, Hiruzen, the Daimyo, Tsunade, Ren, Fugaku, Itachi, Hiashi, and Shikaku. They ascended toward the roof of the Hokage Tower, while the rest of the gathered officials, jonin, and clan representatives filtered down and out, taking their places in front of the tower.
As they reached the rooftop, the ANBU stationed there struck the gong once more.
The sound rolled through the village like a wave.
At first, there was hesitation. Doors creaked open only a fraction. Curtains shifted. Faces peeked out cautiously. The fear of the night were still fresh, too fresh, and fear hadn't yet faded.
But then they saw them.
Silhouetted against the morning sky, the figures on the Hokage Tower stood tall and unmoving. The Hokage himself, The Daimyo, Clan heads, heroes whose names were spoken in whispers and prayers. Slowly, confidence returned to the villagers' steps. People stepped out fully now, gathering in the streets, then flowing toward the tower like a river finding its course.
Within ten minutes, the entire village had assembled below.
Children clung to their parents. Elderly shinobi leaned on canes. Civilians and ninja alike looked upward, eyes fixed on the bound figure hanging from the railing above.
Danzo Shimura.
This time, Hiruzen stepped forward himself. The Daimyo made no attempt to assert authority, no demand to speak first. He had already been briefed by his guards, and the knowledge sat heavily on him. If anything, he looked uncomfortable standing so close to the edge of events he barely understood. His gaze flicked, more than once, toward Ren, then away just as quickly.
At this moment, all he wanted was distance and the safety of his palace walls and his gold bed.
Hiruzen rested both hands on the railing and looked at Danzo for a long moment, then he sighed.
He turned to the village.
"Good morning, everyone."
His voice carried effortlessly, steady and warm, the same voice that had reassured the village through wars, disasters, and loss.
"I know last night was… difficult. Many of you slept with fear in your hearts. Some of you may not have slept at all." He paused, letting the words sink in. Then he smiled gently. "But I assure you, everything has been resolved."
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
"In my capacity as the Third Hokage," Hiruzen continued, his tone firming, "I swear to you that from this moment onward, you may once again sleep peacefully."
That murmur grew louder, tinged now with relief.
"I also know that you are confused. Worried about what comes next." His gaze swept across the crowd. "You are right to be. Many things will change starting today."
The smile faded, replaced by solemn resolve.
"You will see new faces in positions of authority. Old systems will be dismantled. New paths will be forged. The village will move forward, slowly, carefully, but for the better."
The crowd quieted completely.
"And the one who will lead this change," Hiruzen said, turning slightly, "the one who will carry this village on his shoulders after me… the one I have chosen as my successor…"
He raised a hand and motioned forward.
Ren stepped up.
For the first time that morning, the crowd truly reacted. Whispers burst out in every direction. Surprise, confusion, awe, recognition. Some had seen him fight. Some had heard rumors. Some only knew the name.
Hiruzen placed a hand on Ren's shoulder.
"The blood of the man who founded this village," he declared. "The grandson of the Second Hokage. The Azure Dragon of the Leaf."
He gave Ren a gentle push forward.
"Ren Senju."
~~~~~
{The next chapter, Ren would finally address the village as a whole for the first time and after that we'd move forward with the execution, and I promise it would be quite simple, because what comes after that would be the real surprise.}