The Chunin Exam Participant, Me, Was Broadcast Live! Chapter 9

Tobirama Senju: I'm not entirely sure either...

Minato Namikaze: After the First Hokage passed away, the First Shinobi World War broke out. Then, when we won, the Second Hokage sacrificed himself to cover the younger generation.

It's all written in the textbooks.

But.

After that came the Second Shinobi World War and the Third Shinobi World War.

Then... in the year Naruto was born, someone claiming to be Madara Uchiha attacked Konoha, and the Nine-Tails was unleashed.

As a result, Konoha's strength took a massive hit.

Hashirama Senju: How could this happen...

Tobirama Senju: Hah... this is the truth.

Back then, the other villages only had a false peace. They feared big brother's power, so the moment he died, they immediately started a war.

So you can imagine, it was nothing but battles after that.

Hashirama Senju: I'm so sorry. We've caused so much trouble for the younger generation. Even with Madara, I didn't handle things properly back then...

Minato Namikaze: First Hokage, all of that is in the past. We can only keep moving forward.

Besides, even though the guy from the Nine-Tails Incident claimed to be Madara Uchiha, I don't think it really was him.

That's always been a doubt in my mind. I placed a Flying Thunder God mark on that man. Maybe we can start investigating from there.

Hashirama Senju: That's true. Thank you, Minato.

Tobirama Senju: Minato, you learned Flying Thunder God?

Minato Namikaze: Yes. It's incredibly useful.

Tobirama Senju: Good. This is my original technique. I used it to kill Izuna Uchiha back in the day.

When dealing with the Uchiha's dojutsu, speed is crucial.

Minato Namikaze: Understood! But... earlier, Sasuke Uchiha said he was an orphan too?

Minato Namikaze: That part strikes me as strange too... but the information I got is that Itachi Uchiha killed his entire clan six years ago. So the Uchiha Clan was wiped out.

Tobirama Senju: Are Uchiha brats that evil... wiping out their own clan. He accomplished what I never did.

Hashirama Senju: Tobirama, what are you saying! Is this how you've always looked at the Uchiha?

Tobirama Senju: ...

Tobirama Senju: I don't like the Uchiha, but I never massacred them. You misunderstand me, big brother.

After you died, I assigned the Uchiha to the Konoha Military Police.

You know how it is—these Uchiha lunatics open their eyes the moment they step onto a battlefield, kill until their eyes go red, then get paranoid and drown in negative emotions.

So to protect them, I put them in the police force, keeping them away from the battlefield. Fewer eye openings, less danger.

Hashirama Senju: That actually sounds reasonable. But how did it end up like this?

Minato Namikaze: I don't know... but there must be a reason.

Right now, Sasuke is the sole survivor of the Uchiha.

Minato Namikaze: Huh, I used to discuss Uchiha issues with Fugaku. Never thought it would end this way... Wait, Kakashi, you can join the group now?

Minato Namikaze: Right. According to the rules, I needed to give them a Bell Test. Only by passing it could they officially become Genin. Otherwise, they'd be sent back to the Ninja Academy.

But... they're all orphans... so I went easy on them.

Hashirama Senju: Ah...

The former Hokages sighed. Yes, they'd started with such idealistic goals, yet here they were—their descendants were all orphans too.

So their ideals had never been realized.

Decades had passed, and knowing this, Hashirama felt deeply saddened.

[Today's observation time for Kitahara Kaede has ended. You have earned one chance to draw a past Hokage into the group.]

A prompt suddenly appeared in the group.

Tobirama Senju: Then let Hiruzen in! I want to ask him how Konoha ended up like this!

Watching his big brother sigh, Tobirama's heart felt heavy too.

He wondered if his own choices had been wrong. Had the Hiruzen he selected failed to manage Konoha properly? Had he failed to carry on the legacy?

[Beep!]

But the system gave a notification.

[Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi cannot join the group. Because he is unworthy.]

Huh!? x4

P.S.: They announced an 8 PM power outage, but it hasn't hit yet, so I sneaked in a chapter.

P.S.: Darlings, I'm begging for data—flowers, monthly tickets, review tickets, I need them all!

Chapter 011: Naruto's Miserable Life, Minato Is Dumbfounded!

[Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi cannot join the small group. Because he is unworthy.]

The four in the group stared at the system prompt, all bewildered.

Wasn't Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi still alive? How could he be unworthy to join the small group?

Tobirama Senju: This... what happened?

Minato Namikaze: I'm confused too...

Minato Namikaze: ...

Hashirama Senju: Kakashi, you explain. You sent [...]—do you have any clue?

Tobirama Senju: Big brother, you're actually sensitive at times like this. So, Kakashi, what do you know? Is it that Hiruzen's strength can't reach the Kage level? Or...

Tobirama Senju seemed to pause here, then added.

Or is it the things Hiruzen has done over the years... that don't match a Hokage?

Minato Namikaze: ...

Minato Namikaze: Actually, I attempted to assassinate the Third ten years ago.

Minato Namikaze: Assassinate the Third, huh...

Minato had a say in this, because he had worked with the Third and created the dual-Hokage governance together. He had seen how the Third worked—meticulous and serious, with no sign of negligence. So when even Kakashi said he'd tried to assassinate the Third... Minato was the most confused of all.

Minato Namikaze: Ten years ago, Teacher Minato had already passed away, and I was manipulated by Danzo into assassinating the Third. I failed, but he forgave me and kept me in the Anbu. Then Danzo was also forgiven and continued to be trusted.

Hashirama Senju: That makes the Third seem pretty good, doesn't it? He has the magnanimity to tolerate others. Like how I was once assassinated by a guy named Kakuzu, but I let him go too.

Tobirama Senju: Big brother, that "letting go" is an exaggeration. You used your ultimate move, and he ran off before it even started. But we can't look at it that way. If tolerance doesn't add points for Hiruzen, then other things must deduct heavily. For example... Kakashi, why were you manipulated by Danzo? Speaking of which, Danzo actually manipulates people? I used to think he was pretty smart, but... he's gone astray.

Minato Namikaze: My father is Sakumo Hatake, known as the Konoha White Fang, but he committed suicide.

Minato Namikaze: I know about that.

Minato Namikaze: When Danzo approached me, he told me my father's death was related to the Third. It was the result of the Third's deliberate indulgence, because back then, my father had earned too many merits during the Second Shinobi World War. He was overshadowing his lord.

Tobirama Senju: Overshadowing his lord... And the Uchiha Clan was wiped out during Hiruzen's reign, right?

Minato Namikaze: Yes.

Tobirama Senju: Hmph, then I think I understand. Hiruzen may have the magnanimity to tolerate others, but he lacks decisiveness. And decisiveness is what a ruler needs. As for your father's situation, Kakashi, I don't know enough to answer you. But adding the Uchiha Clan's annihilation... Hiruzen did poorly.

Minato Namikaze: After all, Konoha's composition is very complex. Sigh... no one wanted it to turn out this way.

Minato Namikaze: But if the Third can't join this group, I think I might know the real reason.

Minato Namikaze: Huh? You know the reason? It's not about your father, or Danzo, or the Uchiha?

Minato Namikaze: Yes... it's related to Naruto.

Minato Namikaze: ...

Minato Namikaze: Huh?

Minato Namikaze: I mentioned earlier that I just found out Naruto is the Fourth's son. But before that, Naruto was only told about his identity as a Jinchuriki.

Minato Namikaze: Sigh. He must have suffered a lot.

Kidney-Deficient Hokage: I went to Naruto's room. He has a small 13-square-meter single room.

There's food in the fridge, too.

But it's expired. Naruto's carefree, but that doesn't mean he'd buy expired stuff.

And... he doesn't have much money.

The villagers... won't sell him anything either.

Even if they do, it's always that... expired or terrible stuff.

Minato Namikaze: So you're saying my Naruto-chan... has never even eaten non-expired food?

Minato Namikaze: Kakashi, is everything you're saying true?

Minato Namikaze: Kakashi!

From Minato's earlier words, it was clear he was a kind person, gentle at heart.

But... gentle doesn't mean stupid.

Being able to understand others doesn't mean... accepting everything.

Like now—he'd been told earlier that Naruto was only announced as the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails while his identity as the Fourth Hokage's son was hidden, all for the village's sake.

To deter other ninja villages.

But!

Minato Namikaze: Before Kushina and I died, we entrusted Naruto's care to the Third Hokage.

But.

How did it come to this?

His mind already conjured the image of little Naruto, rubbing his hungry belly, only able to watch from afar as other families' kitchens wafted out the aroma of meals.

His mind conjured the image of little Naruto, naively running into a shop, only to be thrown out by someone.