At the scene.
The moment Danzo finished speaking, the dozen or so Root shinobi beside him flashed into the space between the Anbu shinobi and the three members of the Hatake Clan.
Inside the Anbu's perimeter, they surrounded Ling Tian and the other two, watching White Fang like predators.
Root answered to only one superior: Danzo. They paid no heed to the Hokage's orders.
It was laughable, really. The Third, who valued power above everything, had allowed Danzo to meddle in internal affairs.
Yet Danzo had never understood where he truly stood in his old classmate's eyes.
He had never considered whether any of his actions that harmed the Third's interests had ever succeeded-or whether those that did succeed had only done so because the Third allowed them.
Just like this time. Without the Third's tacit approval, he could never have ordered his men to surround White Fang.
In life, knowing your place was everything!
At that moment, White Fang looked at the Root and Anbu shinobi surrounding him. With his younger brother's words in mind, he slowly reached behind his back.
With the Chakra Short Blade in hand, he looked at the Third and Danzo and said expressionlessly, "There are two reasons to defect from a village. One is disappointment in an incompetent leader."
White Fang paused before continuing, "The other is when a Kage forces a shinobi to rebel, leaving him no other choice."
He looked at everyone present. "Today, I, White Fang, swear this: if I don't get an explanation today, the village and I will be enemies from this day forward."
His words fell.
A chill ran through everyone.
The situation now was that Danzo wanted to kill the Hatake Brothers, and seemingly drag the Uchiha into it too.
The Third wanted to settle the matter, but refused to take the blame.
The Hatake Brothers, meanwhile, refused to let it go without a resolution, even if that meant defecting.
So the Third had now tacitly approved Danzo's move against the Hatake Brothers.
The question was, could they actually stop White Fang from escaping?
If they couldn't, the word "enemies" would be no empty threat.
But refusing to participate would offend the higher-ups.
The Third's earlier words might have sounded nice, telling White Fang to go home first, but if they refused to participate now, their lives would certainly become difficult later.
As for resigning to take responsibility, only an idiot would believe that.
Even if he stepped down as Hokage, Danzo was out of the question. Who else could take over?
It would still be someone chosen from among his three students.
So whatever they did, they would offend one side or the other.
But no matter how they looked at it, the Third's side held the advantage right now, even if the higher-ups were in the wrong, even if White Fang was the victim.
Danzo swept his gaze over the shinobi who no longer even dared meet White Fang's eyes after his declaration. With an air of righteousness, he said, "Are you going to the front or not? He's already threatening to defect! If you refuse to act, then all of you leave. I'll cut him down myself today."
Do you think we don't want to leave?
But your words don't count!
Can't you have a little self-awareness, Danzo?
Everyone was silently complaining.
We want to leave too!
But the Hokage hasn't said anything yet!
Seeing everyone turn to him after Danzo's speech, the Third still frowned and said, "Sakumo, go home first. Let me handle this."
When White Fang remained expressionless, he could only wave his hand. "Everyone, stand down. Protect the civilians."
Orochimaru glanced at his hypocritical teacher, then suddenly stepped forward. "Xianyu, you did nothing wrong. I imagine they wouldn't be shameless enough to go after you and your nephew when neither of you poses any threat."
"Orochimaru!" At those words, Jiraiya could still do nothing but roar helplessly.
"Shut your mouth, idiot."
Orochimaru turned his head. "Xianyu's father died on the battlefield protecting the village. Big Brother White Fang has gone to war several times more than you have and completed over ten times as many missions. Jiraiya, what gives you the right to act so high and mighty at a time like this?"
"I..."
Jiraiya opened his mouth and murmured, but couldn't get anything else out.
He simply had no argument!
Everyone's attention now shifted to Orochimaru.
That included the Third and the three advisors.
"Jiraiya, shut up. Can't you see who's in the wrong?"
Apart from Jiraiya, who still stood firmly by his teacher, even Tsunade,
could no longer stomach it. Like Orochimaru, she had gained a deeper understanding of the Third's shamelessness. She turned to White Fang. "Senior White Fang, we haven't forgotten what your father gave for the village, and we never will."
Seeing her response, Orochimaru smiled. "Xianyu, we're heading to the front. Come with us, and bring Kakashi!"
Tsunade turned to the main force preparing to head to the front. "Let's go. If we delay any longer, the Sunagakure shinobi will be here. Are we supposed to stay here and crush our own people while begging outsiders for peace?"
After speaking, she cast a disdainful glance at Ling Tian.
You were so full of yourself earlier, but now you still need me to help you, don't you?
If it weren't for everything your brother and your father had done for the village, I'd be the first to beat you to death.
Clearly, Tsunade had made the same decision as Orochimaru.
They couldn't defect alongside White Fang right now, but neither could they join their shameless teacher in forcing White Fang into rebellion.
From beginning to end, White Fang had only wanted an explanation. Yet the Third would rather see him rebel than give him one. If they stayed in the village, helping White Fang would amount to defecting, but they truly couldn't help their teacher suppress him.
Leaving the village now was their best option.
As for Jiraiya, he was still hesitating.
To be fair, even though he knew this was wrong, he wasn't close to White Fang!
Wasn't he supposed to listen to his teacher at a time like this?
Jiraiya wasn't Orochimaru. He didn't have such a strong sense of responsibility, nor did he identify all that much with the Hokage's role.
He wasn't Tsunade either. The village wasn't the fruit of his family's blood and sweat.
Even knowing what was right and what was wrong, he would still stand by his teacher.
Because he owed everything he had today to the Third and Mount Myōboku.
And the Third had chosen him before Mount Myōboku did.
Neither side was wrong. Each had made its own choice.
Their dreams differed, and so did their allegiances. That was all.
Besides, Tsunade and Orochimaru had the standing to be proud and stubborn. At this point, Jiraiya really didn't.
Meanwhile, Ling Tian stared at Orochimaru and Tsunade, who had spoken up for him, a little dazed.
He had known Orochimaru would help him.
That didn't surprise him.
But Tsunade...
He hadn't expected that.
After all, he and Hongsi had just insulted her.
And... to be honest, he had always looked down on Tsunade.
After a moment's thought, he set it aside. Now wasn't the time to dwell on this.
He could only admit that Tsunade was a generous woman, and he had been petty before.
At that moment, Ling Tian looked at his nephew. "Kakashi, are you scared?"
"Second Uncle, I'm not scared."
Four-year-old Kakashi shook his head firmly.
To him, his second uncle hadn't lied, and his father had done nothing wrong. That was enough.
"Good. That's the spirit of the Hatake Clan."
Ling Tian nodded.
He had planned to entrust his nephew to Orochimaru, but now that Tsunade was willing to step forward too, it would be even safer.
Fuck the coup!
Fuck joining forces with the other clans!
If I can't take it anymore, then I won't!
You're forcing me to rebel.
Then I'll rebel today.
[Strongest Choice System 0.4] "Detected the host's intention to defect alongside White Fang. The following choices have been triggered." ①: Join the village in condemning your older brother. Reward: Reconcile with the higher-ups. ②: Defect alongside your older brother. Reward: Status as a rogue shinobi of the Leaf Village. ③: White Fang defects while you remain behind to continue orchestrating the coup. Reward: Unlock one random gourd. Note: This choice is a phased mission,
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