Damn Uchiha Hater!

Quhai's smile froze.

Hang frowned, opened his mouth as if to say something, but was stopped by Quhai raising his hand.

Quhai looked at Izuna, his gaze now carrying a hint of scrutiny.

"Interfering in internal affairs?" He repeated the word, his tone still gentle. "Lord Izuna, I'm only considering the future of Konoha."

"Considering the future of Konoha?" Izuna laughed. "Lord Quhai, you're from the Land of Whirlpools, aren't you?"

Quhai remained silent.

"The people of the Land of Whirlpools went to the Land of Land of Fire and told the decision-makers of the Land of Fire's Special Administrative Region, 'You should fight for greater power.'"

Izuna leaned forward slightly.

"What is this if not interference in internal affairs?"

Quhai's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his gentle demeanor.

"Lord Izuna, I was merely offering a suggestion."

"Suggestions?" Izuna tilted his head. "What you just said didn't sound like suggestions to me."

He started counting on his fingers.

"Now is a good time; let's seize this opportunity to gain more."

"Tennin aren't in the decision-making ranks, they'll forever remain subservient to Ordinary People."

"They've teamed up and are attacking from multiple directions; how many can you hold off?"

With each word he spoke, Hashirama's expression grew increasingly grim.

He hadn't realized it before, but now, taking those few words out of context, he finally understood the sinister intentions behind them.

Quhai was instigating and inciting him, trying to sway him with fear and profit, and make him make up his mind.

That scoundrel.

Tobirama's expression remained grim; if it weren't for the impoliteness of taking action now, he would have liked to slap the guy twice.

Now he's actually hoping that Ban will lose patience and drive all these people away.

After finishing counting, Izuna put down his hand and looked at Quhai.

Izuna smiled. "Brother, what are you planning to do?"

Quhai fell silent.

Hang finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Insolence!" He slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "How dare you, a junior, be disrespectful to Quhai?!"

Izuna didn't even glance at him.

"Sir, please sit down. Standing up might strain your back."

Quhai raised his hand to stop the old man who was about to say something more.

He looked at Izuna, the hidden condescension in his eyes vanished, and he began to take this person, who knew from the beginning how to cut off their momentum, seriously.

"Lord Izuna, isn't that right?" he began, his voice still steady, "You say I'm interfering in internal affairs. Then let me ask you, isn't Konoha one of the strongest?"

Izuna raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"Were Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha the two strongest people in the world?"

"Yes."

"If they want to take over the Land of Fire, is there anyone who can stop them?"

The air in the Meeting Room fell silent for a moment.

Hashirama frowned, and Madara's gaze fell on Quhai, his eyes carrying a hint of danger.

But Izuna smiled.

"Quhai," he said, his tone like he was coaxing a child, "You speak like a young person. I'm truly curious about how you've grown up all these years."

Quhai's expression froze.

"Yes, we're quite strong. If we really wanted to rebel, the Daimyo wouldn't be able to stop us." Izuna shrugged. "And then what?"

"And then?" Quhai repeated the word, clearly not understanding.

"Yeah, and then?" Izuna tilted her head and looked at him. "And after the rebellion?"

"After that... you will be the masters of the Land of Fire."

"Master?" Izuna laughed, a hint of sarcasm in his smile. "Quhai, do you know how many people Konoha has right now?"

"The Senju Clan, the Uchiha Clan, the Hyuga Clan, the Akimichi Clan, the Yamanaka Clan, the Nara Clan, the Sarutobi Clan Shimura Clan, the Inuzuka Clan, the Aburame Clan... and all those smaller clans, adding them all up, several thousand people."

How many people Land of Fire? Hundreds of thousands, millions.

"What we're saying is, Konoha was struggling to even be established, and you expect us to manage the entire Land of Fire?"

Quhai opened his mouth as if to say something, but Izuna didn't give him the chance.

"Ruling is not like fighting a war. In war, you just win. But what about ruling? How do you collect taxes? How do you manage people's livelihoods? How do you deal with natural disasters and man-made calamities? How do you adjudicate disputes among merchants? What do you do when nobles are dissatisfied? What do you do when commoners cause trouble?"

"Oh right, the most crucial one."

He leaned forward slightly.

"With so many old families, how are we going to divide the cake?"

"Lord Quhai, please teach me?"

Quhai fell silent.

Izuna leaned back in his chair, his tone returning to its usual lazy manner.

"And when you said those things, did you consider the situation inside Konoha?"

He pointed to himself, then to Madara and Hashirama.

"Here, how long have the Senju and Uchiha reconciled? Half a year. Even now, the clan members are still reluctant to leave their clan territory."

"Children who have lost loved ones are just beginning to play with other children."

"Young people are only now beginning to try cooperating with rivals they used to fight to the death with."

He looked at Quhai, his gaze carrying something indescribable.

"Those hatreds have only just been suppressed; they haven't completely disappeared yet."

"At this point, you come to us and tell us to go to war, to rebel, and to fight for greater power?"

"Are you trying to help Konoha, or destroy Konoha?"

"Lord Izuna, what you're saying—"

"What did I say?" Izuna interrupted him. "We finally managed to convince everyone that this is a place where we can live peacefully. And you, with just a few words, try to incite us to create unrest."

Hang tried to change the subject again.

"Lord Izuna! We are just—"

"Just what?" Izuna looked at him, revealing a smile that seemed gentle but was actually contemptuous. "Old man, if we say less, I can save you some face. Alright, be good, go stand over there."

Hang's face flushed red again.

Izuna ignored him and looked back at Quhai.

"Lord Quhai, you are from the Land of Whirlpools. I know nothing about the Land of Whirlpools, nor do I want to know. But you come here and point fingers at us, telling us we should do this or that."

Do you know what this is called?

Quhai stared at him, his eyes filled with apprehension.

"That's called instigating rebellion."

"It's even worse than a rebellion itself. If we succeed, that's fine, but what if we fail?" Izuna leaned back, a hint of laziness in his voice. "Should we go and cause trouble for your Land of Whirlpools?"

Quhai's expression finally changed. "Lord Izuna! Watch your words!"

"--Oh dear, did I say something too harsh?" Izuna interrupted him, looking at Quhai and smiling.

But for you all, I really can only say--

He raised his hand, gave a thumbs-up, and then slowly gestured downwards.

Goodbye.

The air in the Meeting Room seemed to freeze.

Hashirama lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.

I'm trying not to laugh.

He bit his lip hard, his face turning red, but he couldn't suppress the rising smile.

Izuna's words were like knives, cutting those people from the Land of Whirlpools to pieces.

Especially the last thumbs-down gesture --

Hashirama's shoulders trembled even more violently.

No, I can't laugh, I have to hold it in.

Tobirama stood to the side, taking a deep breath, then another.

His face was tense and expressionless, but the smile in his eyes was almost overflowing.

He had never seen the people of the Land of Whirlpools so humiliated.

Those guys, usually relying on their Uzumaki Clan status, act all high and mighty wherever they go. Today they've finally met their match.

I never expected Izuna to have such abilities.

Tobirama's lips twitched, and he barely managed to suppress the slight smile.

As for freckles...

He had no intention of tolerating it.

He laughed openly, the curve of his lips soaring to the heavens, shoulder to shoulder with the sun. Looking at the four men with ashen faces, he couldn't be happier.

Hang's face turned as red as a pig's liver, his lips trembled, and he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Quhai's face was also very pale, but he still forced himself to maintain a semblance of composure and did not become hysterical.

One of the young men was pale-faced, and the other looked completely bewildered.

Especially the anxious child, who was now looking down as if he wanted to shrink into a crack in the ground.

Quiet.

A deathly silence.

Finally, Hashirama raised his head.

He still had a slight, barely suppressed smile on his face, but at least he could speak normally.

"Um..." He cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound normal, "Lord Quhai, let's leave it at that for today."

Quhai looked at him without saying a word.

"You've come from afar, you must be tired." Hashirama's tone was gentle. "Go back and get some rest. We can talk about anything tomorrow."

Quhai paused for a moment, then bowed slightly.

"Lord Hashirama, farewell."

He got up and walked towards the door.

Hang followed behind, giving Izuna a fierce glare before leaving.

Izuna waved at him with a smile.

Take care, old man.

Hang twitched his mustache, but ultimately left without saying a word.

The two young men followed behind them, filing out one after another.

The door closed behind them.

The Meeting Room fell silent for a second.

Then Hashirama suddenly turned his head and looked at Izuna.

"Izuna--!"

He spread his arms and pounced on Izuna with an unstoppable momentum.

"You're amazing!!"

Before Izuna could react, he was enveloped in a huge, tight hug.

"Grumble--!"

He let out a short scream as he was being hugged, looking completely bewildered, like a small animal being pinched.

"That was so cool, Izuna!" Hashirama's face beamed with a radiant smile; he was incredibly excited. "What you just said! It was amazing! Those words! That gesture!!"

As he spoke, he hugged Izuna even tighter.

"How did you come up with that?! How could you think of those things so quickly?! I had no idea! I was just annoyed! But after you said it, I understood why I was annoyed! You're amazing! Izuna, you're amazing!"

Izuna was so tightly held that he could barely breathe.

"Let go, let go— Hashirama -san—I'm going to die—"

Hashirama ignored him and continued to hold him and rock him back and forth.

"How can you be so smart! So amazing! So--"

"Hashirama."

A chilling voice came from the side.

Ban stood there, the temperature in his eyes had dropped below freezing.

It exuded a black aura and looked terrifying.

"Let go."

Hashirama.

But he didn't release it.

"Wait a minute, Ban, I just want to hug you--"

"Let go."

Ban's gaze grew even colder.

Hashirama shrank back, but his arms remained tightly wrapped around Izuna.

Just for a moment! Let me express my excitement!

Hashirama's arms tightened Hashirama, causing Izuna's eyes to roll back in his head.

"Hashirama- kun... he's really... going to die..."

"No, no, no!" Hashirama like a child, his hair tossing back and forth. "Izuna, you're amazing! Let me hold you a little longer! Just a little longer!"

Ban's complexion grew increasingly dark.

He took a step forward.

Hashirama immediately took a step back while holding Izuna.

"Ban, don't come any closer!"

"Put him down."

"I won't let go!"

"Lay down."

"I won't let you go! Unless you admit that Izuna is the strongest!"

Ban's expression instantly relaxed, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Do I need to admit it?"

Hashirama blinked, then smiled.

"Oh yeah, that's what you always thought." He looked down at Izuna in his arms, "Izuna, your brother admits you're the best!"

Izuna: "... Let me go first."

"I won't let go!"

Izuna looked at Tobirama in despair.

Tobirama stood there, arms crossed, a slight smile playing on his lips, watching the scene with an air of schadenfreude.

Izuna's eyes were filled with "Save me."

After Tobirama met that look...

Pretend you didn't see it.

Let's keep watching the show.

Izuna: "..."

That white-haired guy!

It was absolutely intentional!

He gritted his teeth, cursing Tobirama Senju a hundred and eighty times in his heart. But he dared not say a word, because if he angered Tobirama now, he would really have no one to save him.

"Hashirama- kun," he changed tactics, his tone softening, "Let me go first, I still have something to say."

Hashirama looked down at him.

What did you say?

"It's about... that... the afternoon rehearsal..."

Hashirama's eyes lit up.

"Rehearsal! Yes! Rehearsal!" He finally let go of her hand. "Izuna, can we watch the rehearsal this afternoon? Can we watch everyone? You said you were prepared, what exactly are you prepared? Can you give us a little hint?"

The moment Izuna was released, she immediately took two steps back and quickly hid behind Madara.

Madara reached out and shielded him behind him, his eyes filled with a clear warning as he looked at Hashirama.

Hashirama scratched his head, grinning innocently.

"I only gave him a hug..."

"He grabbed half an incense stick at once," Ban said coldly.

"It can't take that long..."

"Have."

Hashirama shrank back, not daring to speak again.

Izuna peeked out from behind Madara and gave Tobirama an accusing look.

Tobirama met that gaze, the corners of his mouth curved upwards slightly.

"What are you looking at me for?" he said, his tone laced with a hint of smugness. "You're blaming me for not struggling yourself?"

Izuna: "..."

Bad guy! Big bad guy!

Damn Uchiha!