The sun had nearly vanished behind the Hokage Rock, its red light spilling across the carved faces of Konoha's greatest leaders. Sarutobi Hiruzen stood silently by the wide window of his office, his pipe resting unlit in his hand. The light painted his wrinkled face in shades of gold and crimson — the colors of fire and memory.
He sighed.
"Evening's getting shorter these days," he murmured to himself, half in thought, half in weariness.
Then —
BOOM.
A deafening explosion shattered the calm. The shockwave rattled the Hokage's office, shaking the floor, the papers, the very air. Hiruzen's eyes widened as he turned sharply toward the window.
From the distance, flames leapt toward the sky — near the Elders' Council Building. Smoke spiraled upward, black against the fading sun.
Hiruzen's heart clenched.
"Homura…"
Without another word, he slid open the window, vaulted through it, and vanished in a blur of movement.
---
The Site of the Explosion
The once-proud Council Building was now a smoking ruin. Rubble scattered across the streets, and the smell of ash hung thick in the air.
By the time Hiruzen arrived, a crowd had already gathered — shinobi, civilians, ANBU, Uchiha Police — all staring in horror at what remained of the Elders' quarters.
"Hokage-sama!" someone shouted.
The crowd parted instantly. Hiruzen strode through the smoke, his cloak fluttering, his eyes dark with dread.
An ANBU captain approached, bowing deeply.
"Hokage-sama, Elder Homura was inside at the time of detonation. Initial assessment — over a hundred explosive tags triggered simultaneously. There was… nothing left."
The words hit Hiruzen like a blow to the chest. His body trembled slightly, the weight of years and grief pressing down.
His voice broke.
"Who… who allowed this? Who was guarding the entrance?"
The ANBU hesitated.
Hiruzen's eyes hardened, rage flashing beneath the sorrow.
"Answer me! What are the guards doing — taking bribes? Sleeping? Am I feeding swine in this village?"
Heads lowered all around. No one dared to speak.
He took a deep breath, his anger settling into a cold, sharp resolve.
"I want a full report. Every second accounted for. Every witness questioned. And summon owl and cat divisions — now."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" the ANBU barked, and vanished into the smoke.
Hiruzen stared at the burning wreckage for a long moment. The orange light reflected in his eyes, like fire trapped in old glass.
"Homura… don't tell me this is how it ends," he whispered, before his body flickered and vanished again.
---
The Hokage's Office — Night
The air inside was heavy and unmoving. Two chairs were occupied — Koharu Utatane and Danzo Shimura — both grim, both silent. The faint sound of crackling fire outside mixed with the whisper of paperwork untouched on the desk.
Hiruzen entered quietly. His face was tired, his robes smeared with soot.
No one spoke for nearly an hour.
Then came a knock.
"Come in," Hiruzen said hoarsely.
An ANBU entered, bowed, and presented a report. "The findings so far, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen opened it, scanning the pages with a deepening frown. His hands trembled slightly. After a moment, he passed it to Danzo. Danzo read it in silence, then slid it toward Koharu. The ANBU bowed once more and left.
When the door closed, the silence returned — heavier now, almost suffocating.
Finally, Hiruzen spoke.
"Akichi Sarutobi carried the box inside. A gift — uninspected. He claimed it was from me. He used my name to threaten the guard. No one checked."
Koharu's lips parted in shock.
Danzo's jaw tightened.
"He was framed," Hiruzen continued, his voice low. "And he died for it."
A sudden shout echoed from the hallway. The office door burst open.
"Sarutobi-sama!"
It was Mitarashi Sarutobi — Akichi's father. His face was streaked with ash and grief, his voice hoarse with desperation.
"My son! Akichi was framed! I didn't give him that box! Someone handed it to him outside — someone set him up! Please… please, give him justice!"
His eyes burned red, his breath ragged. The Hokage watched him quietly — no words, no movement, just silence heavy enough to crush the air.
Finally, Hiruzen spoke softly.
"I know."
Mitarashi froze.
"I know," Hiruzen repeated. "You may go. I will see justice done."
The man's shoulders trembled. He bowed deeply, whispering, "Thank you… Hokage-sama." Then he turned and left, closing the door gently behind him — though the anger in his eyes did not fade.
Inside, silence reigned again.
Danzo finally broke it. "Hiruzen… this is no accident. It's the perfect moment to deal with the Uchiha. They're—"
"Leave the Uchiha aside for now."
Hiruzen's voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.
Danzo's single visible eye flared. "You don't understand! Their movements, their silence—this explosion could be a warning!"
"I said leave it."
Danzo clenched his fist. "You'll regret this, Sarutobi."
Hiruzen turned slowly toward him, his shadow falling across the window as the last embers of sunset died behind Hokage Rock.
"I am the Hokage."
The words hung in the room — quiet, final, unyielding.
Danzo stared at him for a long moment. Then, with a bitter snarl, he slammed the door open and stormed out, his footsteps echoing down the corridor.
Hiruzen stood alone. The light from the window had turned cold. He gazed at the Hokage Rock once more — not at his own face, but at those before him.
"Tobirama-sensei… if only your wisdom still guided me," he whispered.
---
Later That Night — The Uchiha District
Far from the ruins, in a quiet home at the edge of the Uchiha District, the world was silent.
Inside, Nanao Uchiha placed dinner on the table, her movements slow, her expression unreadable. Her husband entered moments later, his face dark with news.
"Hokage-sama confirmed it," he said, voice low. "Elder Homura… died in the explosion. They believe kumogakure enemy spies were behind it."
Nanao's hands froze. The wooden ladle clattered softly against the table.
"I see," she said quietly.
At the far end of the table, your eyes half-hidden beneath his bangs — stared down at his bowl.
For a brief second, a smile flickered on your lips.
But it vanished as quickly as it came.
You ate in silence, then excused yourself, retreating to your room. Lying on your bed, you stared at the ceiling, thoughts swirling.
The explosion had delayed the inevitable.
Danzo's plans, the tension with the Uchiha — everything would only grow darker from here.
You exhaled softly.
"Looks like I bought a little more time," you murmured.
Outside, the village still burned faintly in the night's wind.
----