bookmarkrole Chapter 285 You old codger, your era has come to an end!
Chapter 285 You old codger, your era has come to an end!
Chapter 285 You old codger, your era has come to an end!
Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned.
He felt as if he had been struck on the head with a club, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Tsunade, unable to believe what he was seeing.
Kakashi openly defied his orders.
This was enough to shock him.
And now, even Jiraiya has stood up and seriously contradicted him?
What made his heart sink even more was the appearance of Tsunade.
As the Hokage, the morning is the busiest time of the day.
Logically, at this time, Tsunade should be overwhelmed with documents in the Hokage's office, forced to deal with all sorts of annoying official papers, and at most, she could sneak a peek at how much money she had saved up in the ledger.
There's simply no way they'd have time to wander around outside.
"In other words—"
A thought slowly surfaced, and Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a chill run down his spine.
This was not a chance encounter.
This is someone who came specifically to find him.
Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Tsunade—did they plan this together?
These guys, who should have been busy with their own things, all stood on Naruto's side.
Suppressing the turbulent emotions churning within him, he tried his best to maintain the composure of a former Hokage, but his face was so dark it was almost black.
He took a deep breath, pinning his last hope on Tsunade's identity as the "Fifth Hokage".
At least—as the current Hokage, she should be able to understand the stakes involved.
"Tsunade, do you also think—we should do this? You need to think this through. The situation in the ninja world is complicated right now, with the Akatsuki and other enemies lurking in the shadows, watching us with predatory eyes."
"The identity of the Jinchuriki has always been under scrutiny from all sides. Once Naruto's true identity is revealed, no one can predict what kind of turmoil it will cause. You are now the Fifth Hokage. If this leads to any changes in the village, you will be held accountable."
This is a reminder, but also a form of pressure.
They tried to use the responsibilities on the Hokage's shoulders and the potential disasters to force Tsunade to back down.
The air seemed to freeze slightly.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes but didn't interrupt.
Kakashi raised his eyelids but didn't say anything.
They were all waiting for Tsunade's answer.
After all, she is the current Fifth Hokage of Konoha.
"snort."
In response to Hiruzen Sarutobi, Tsunade let out a disdainful snort.
She crossed her arms, stretching her green shirt to its limit, making her look like a towering mountain pressing down on the middle of the street.
"Old man, you're making a mountain out of a molehill."
Tsunade raised her chin, her amber eyes meeting Hiruzen Sarutobi's.
"It's just revealing Naruto's rightful identity to the public; how much trouble can it cause?"
"Has Konoha become so fragile that it can't even acknowledge the descendants of heroes?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Kakashi's eyelids twitched slightly, and Jiraiya's lips twitched, but his gaze became even more serious.
A group of villagers had already gathered on the street, watching from a distance. Upon hearing the words "descendants of heroes," they couldn't help but exchange glances and whisper among themselves.
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned.
Tsunade, however, had no intention of stopping there. She shifted her gaze and coldly looked back at Hiruzen Sarutobi: "As for you, old man, I'm very curious. With all your obstruction, are you worried about the village, or something else?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi swayed slightly.
His face visibly paled, and his gaze slowly shifted to the side.
Kakashi's eyes were clear, Jiraiya's expression was unusually solemn, and Tsunade's attitude was resolute. The posture she was standing there clearly gave the answer.
The tide is gone.
Hiruzen Sarutobi realized that he had completely lost this contest over Naruto's identity.
What followed was a torrent of regret.
"Wrong—all wrong."
He let out a silent sigh in his heart.
Last night, when he made that choice in the dream theater, he thought that having a child would be easier to control than having Minato or Kushina come to reality in person.
Compared to the other two, a teenager who hasn't grown up yet is easier to guide and persuade.
But looking back now, he realizes that he had pulled a fuse that had set off a fire.
"Getting old—"
Hiruzen Sarutobi thought bitterly.
His judgment and control, which he had been proud of for many years, have been proven time and again in the past few days to be outdated.
His deeper regret, however, stemmed from a clear understanding of his own situation.
Over the past few decades, he has painstakingly built up his reputation in Konoha.
Even though he has stepped down, he still maintains a near-shadow status based on his seniority, reputation, and past contributions to the village.
He doesn't directly instruct Tsunade on what to do, but if he wants to speak up, no one—not Tsunade, the clan leaders, or even the higher-ups of the Anbu—dares to completely ignore his opinion.
But once Naruto's identity is revealed, Hiruzen Sarutobi seems to have already envisioned that scene.
Everyone will naturally ask: Why did this happen? Who made the decision? Who ordered the complete blockade of news about Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki? Who tacitly approved of, or even condoned, the villagers' attitudes for so many years?
The answer—no one needs to point it out.
By then, the blame will not fall on some nameless ninja, nor on any policy of anonymity.
It will only fall into ————
A chill slowly crept up my spine from my feet.
That feeling was colder than any killing intent on the battlefield.
"I----"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something, making one last struggle.
However, Tsunade didn't give him that chance at all.
"Old man, now I am the Hokage. Don't worry about these things. Now that you've stepped down, just enjoy your retirement."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's body stiffened.
He knew that phrase very well.
In the past, when he was still the Hokage, there were stubborn old guys who were speechless when he said, "I am the Hokage."
I never imagined that one day these words would fall on my own head.
And he said it with such confidence.
He subconsciously wanted to say something harsh, like "You'll regret this," but the words just wouldn't come out.
—He was not Danzo after all.
Danzo was willing to use any means to achieve his goals and didn't care what others thought of him.
But he, a man who has carried the Will of Fire since his youth, still has some sense of pride.
Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent for a moment, then turned away without saying anything, his back slightly hunched.
Under everyone's gaze, he appeared particularly heavy-hearted, his steps faltering slightly, yet he did not stop.
He walked slowly down the street into the distance.
Tsunade watched the receding figure, her expression complex for a moment before she looked away, no longer daring to gaze at it.
"Let's go."
She and Jiraiya walked side by side, then turned and headed towards the other end of the street.
Over there, Naruto, Kaori, and the Naruto from the dream were standing in the same spot.
Tsunade stopped in front of the two boys.
Her long, golden hair swayed gently in the morning breeze and shone brightly in the sunlight.
"Tsunade-sensei."
Xiang was the first to react, and nervously bowed her head to greet him.
She came from another village, and even though she had been studying under Tsunade for some time, she still held a certain awe for the legendary Sannin and Fifth Hokage.
Tsunade waved her hand, indicating that she didn't need to be too reserved.
The fierce pressure I felt when facing Hiruzen Sarutobi has quietly dissipated.
She suppressed her Hokage aura and looked at Naruto in reality.
"Naruto."
Tsunade's voice softened.
Naruto paused for a moment, then instinctively straightened his back.
"It was my oversight regarding your identity."
Tsunade was straightforward, her eyes were open, and she neither shifted blame nor beat around the bush.
"Don't worry, I'll handle this immediately. The first thing I'll do when I get back to the Hokage's office is to issue a statement."
"I hereby officially reveal your identity as the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."
She said, enunciating each word clearly, "I want everyone in Konoha to know that you are a descendant of a hero, and that you deserve the respect you are given."
At this moment, more and more pedestrians on both sides of the street stopped and looked around curiously.
Was there a fight going on over there just now?
"Is it the Anbu? Why is even the old Hokage here?"
What started as a small-scale gathering has now erupted into a frenzy throughout the streets and alleys as Tsunade finished speaking.
"W-what?!"
"That nine-tailed brat—is the Fourth Hokage's son?!"
"Are you kidding me!"
The whispers that had been going on before suddenly rose several decibels.
Some people's expressions changed instantly, their mouths twitching violently as they recalled the look of disgust they had seen on Naruto's face when they saw him on the street over the years.
"So, back then—"
"The things he said and did—"
Someone instinctively shivered and couldn't help but turn their gaze in one direction.
Pairs of eyes, filled with complex shock and even a hint of doubt, fell upon that figure.
Hiruzen Sarutobi unconsciously quickened his pace.
It was just an ordinary stretch of road, yet it felt like a chaotic breakout from a battlefield.
"That's great!"
"Tsunade-sensei!"
Standing behind Naruto, Kaori could no longer contain herself and cried out excitedly.
Her eyes immediately reddened, and tears welled up in them.
"Naruto, did you hear that? No one will ever dare look at you like that again!"
She was genuinely happy for Naruto.
Thinking back to when he first arrived in Konoha, he witnessed firsthand how the villagers looked at this boy.
Xiang's fists hardened.
Now, at least in name, all of this is coming to an end.
"Grandma Tsunade—a lecherous woman—"
Naruto opened his mouth, his voice thick with nasal tone.
His emotions surged, a jumble of surprise, grievance, excitement, relief, and joy—making his chest ache.
My nose tingled, my eyes welled up, and tears streamed down my face.
"Hey, you little brat, what are you crying about?"
Jiraiya may have complained, but he couldn't hide his tenderness.
Standing beside Naruto, the dream Naruto, who had been calm throughout, finally let out a long sigh of relief.
He could tell, of course, that Tsunade's words weren't meant to impress anyone, but rather she genuinely wanted to seek justice for Naruto.
Moreover, the two elders in front of him, whether in the manner of their words or in the way they looked at Naruto, were almost no different from the two elders in his own world.
However, the Naruto in reality took a much more tortuous path.
"That's good."
Naruto thought to himself in his dream, a gentle and sincere smile appearing on his face.
He stepped forward, faced Tsunade and Jiraiya, and solemnly bowed deeply: "Tsunade-senpai, Jiraiya-senpai."
"Thank you both for making such a fair decision. Thank you."
These words startled both Tsunade and Jiraiya for a moment.
Immediately, a look of admiration flashed in both of their eyes.
"Oh?"
Jiraiya stroked his chin and looked at the boy from the dream.
"They're both Naruto, but this kid's brain is definitely much sharper."
Tsunade couldn't help but hug her arms tightly, carefully looking Naruto in her dream from head to toe, and said with great emotion, "Tsk, it's Naruto too, but this kid is so sensible that you can't find fault with him. He's really excellent."
As she finished speaking, she couldn't help but glance to the side, where Naruto was haphazardly wiping his face with his sleeve.
Then look at Naruto, the dream of someone else, so close at hand.
In contrast, a surge of frustration and anger welled up inside Tsunade.
And then the next second.
"Bang!"
A familiar, heavy punch landed mercilessly on Naruto's head.
"Ouch—! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts—!"
Naruto let out a miserable howl and squatted down on the ground, clutching the rapidly bulging bump on his head with both hands.
He looked up with teary eyes, his face clearly showing his incomprehension.
"Ouch, Granny Tsunade! Why did you hit me all of a sudden?!"
Tsunade's temple throbbed.
"I'm beating you, you good-for-nothing brat! Look at you, always talking about 'grandma, grandma,' do I look old?"
"You should learn from them what manners are!"
Startled by her shout, Naruto covered his head and stood there stunned. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to retort, but his survival instincts stopped him in time.
Xiang, who was wiping away tears, burst out laughing at the punch and the shout.
Even Kakashi, who usually has no expression, chuckled softly.
Jiraiya laughed even more exaggeratedly.
"Exactly! You two are both Naruto, so how come there's such a huge difference between you two?"
"ah?!"
Naruto was so aggrieved he was about to explode. He grabbed the big bump on his head with both hands, grimaced and gasped for breath, his eyes twitching from the pain.
"Fairness! This is so unfair! Why?! He's Naruto, and I'm Naruto! We're the same person, this isn't fair!"
"Um?"
Tsunade's eyebrows shot up suddenly.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, like a lioness eyeing her prey; the danger emanating from her was almost palpable.
The gaze was fixed on Naruto, who instinctively shivered, and all the complaints instantly ceased.
He suddenly shrank his neck and hid behind the dream Naruto in a flash.
"Puhahaha—"
—
Seeing Naruto's lightning-fast change of expression, Xiang, who was standing to the side, laughed even harder.
Naruto in his dream world paused for a moment amidst the laughter.
The wind blowing through the streets carried the aroma of freshly baked bread from the bakery that morning, along with the usual hustle and bustle of the woods.
He looked at the familiar yet heartbreaking scene before him, and the corners of his mouth turned up, eventually transforming into a relaxed and radiant smile.
The tension that had been building up finally eased completely at that moment.
He knew that the hardest part was over.
However, amidst this relaxed and joyful atmosphere, Naruto's smiling gaze inadvertently swept across the end of the street.
There, Hiruzen Sarutobi's somewhat desolate figure, leaning on his pipe, disappeared around the corner with heavy steps.
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly in his dream.
"This matter—is probably not over yet."
The choice made by that former Hokage must have triggered a chain reaction.
But what to do next is no longer his concern.
He gently shook his head, putting those thoughts behind him.
Seeing that Naruto had calmed down, Tsunade felt it was time to get back to the main topic.
She cleared her throat and assumed the Hokage stance once more.
"Alright, enough with the chit-chat."
Her gaze swept over the two Narutos before naturally settling on the real Naruto: "Naruto, your main task today is to fulfill your duties as a host and take this, um—" She looked at the dream Naruto, thought for a moment, and added, "to let this guest from afar have a good time exploring Konoha Village."
Naruto pouted and said, "I would have done this even if you hadn't told me, Granny Tsunade."
"snort."
Tsunade snorted coldly, completely unconvinced.
"You better really think that way, and listen to me carefully: you're taking people sightseeing, not leading them around causing trouble, especially your—unpredictable daily activities."
In short, one sentence
"Treat your guests well."
"Don't lead others astray."
"9
"Did you hear me?"
"Lead them astray—?" Naruto was taken aback at first, then burst out in a tirade, "Ahhh, Granny Tsunade, what do you mean by that? Am I that kind of person?!"
However, he protested.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, and even Kakashi, as if they had planned it beforehand, all crossed their arms and nodded in unison.
Looking at these three faces that seemed to say, "Don't you know your own limitations?", Naruto felt as if he were being stabbed repeatedly in the heart.
He scratched his head, realizing for the first time that his image in everyone's eyes seemed to be in serious jeopardy.
"hateful----"
Naruto thought sullenly, then quickly turned his gaze to the Naruto in his dream, trying to salvage some dignity: "Don't believe it! This is slander! Defamation!"
Naruto in his dream looked at him, who was pacing around anxiously, and simply shook his head, smiling without saying a word, feeling more relaxed than ever before.
Deep down, a hint of envy stirred within him—an envy he couldn't quite put his finger on.
"That's really great!"
Naruto in his dream watched all this, silently reflecting on his situation.
He clenched his fist and looked up at the azure sky.
Just then, he suddenly felt dizzy, and a sense of déjà vu washed over him.
Following this, some inexplicable scenes also appeared.
night.
The ground was covered with scorched earth and piles of rubble.
Pale moonlight streamed down through the broken clouds.
A stone face lay sprawled out from the collapsed pile of boulders.
Only half a sheet remains.
With a broad forehead, rugged brow bones, and stone braids hanging down the rock face, even in its incomplete state, one could still discern the former man's spirit.
Hashirama Senju.
-
In the center of these ruins, two figures stand facing each other from afar.
The old man was wearing tattered armor, his outer robe torn beyond recognition, and the armor on his chest was dented and deformed, with blood still wet seeping from the cracks.
He was the Third Hokage of Konoha Village, known as the "Hero of Shinobi," Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi held the Vajra Staff tightly in his hand.
The ape demon's true form had transformed into a heavy iron rod, one end of which was deeply embedded in the cracked ground.
"————Cough, cough————"
His throat tightened, and sweat mixed with blood slid down his graying temples, flowing down his wrinkles and dripping little by little onto the gravel at his feet.
But he no longer had the strength to wipe it clean.
Opposite him stood a black-haired boy.
The black-haired boy was only vaguely visible from behind.
He stood quietly, wearing a short jacket that was being lifted by the night wind, the hem of which swayed slightly in the air.
What truly makes him impossible to ignore is what he's holding in his hands.
A purple energy ball floated above the boy's palm.
It resembled a miniature purple crescent moon, spinning rapidly.
Chakra churned and compressed wildly within it, and layers of light halos rapidly moved across the surface of the sphere, each rotation leaving a deep trail of light.
"Om one"
The old Hokage looked up, his pupils reflecting the whistling purple light.
The black-haired youth's disdainful voice rang out clearly amidst the roar: "Old geezer!"
"Your era has come to an end."
At this moment, Naruto in his dream finally saw the other person's face clearly.
She looks exactly like him.
However, the arrogant look on his face still made him stand out from the rest of the world, different from Naruto.
This is----
Naruto in the dream instantly got goosebumps all over his body. The intense headache made him sway and almost collapse, and the scene ended there.