In Konoha: Starting Off by Slapping White Fang

Calling himself a rat?

That damned brat!

"Calm down, Danzo."

Hiruzen Sarutobi could see Danzo's anger at a glance. After all, they had known each other since they could speak. He soothed him, saying:

"Where there is light, there must be darkness. You chose to hide in the shadows and silently protect the village for Leaf Village's sake. You are a hero beyond reproach."

Only after Hiruzen Sarutobi showered him with praise did Danzo's anger finally subside by more than half.

Danzo thought of something else, and a sinister smile appeared on his wrinkled face, no less lined than Hiruzen Sarutobi's. "But don't worry. Although Hatake Sakumo didn't die, he can forget about becoming Hokage."

Spreading his hands, Danzo wore the look of someone whose scheme had succeeded. "Because of him, the failure of the war against Sunagakure has spread throughout the ninja world. He has completely lost the people's support."

"So, you were behind Konohamaru's actions, weren't you?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed and relit his extinguished pipe.

"Isn't this exactly what you wanted, Hiruzen? Were you really willing to watch Hatake Sakumo take your position instead of giving it to your son or disciple?"

Danzo shot back.

That was right. Danzo had been the one to send people out to spread the rumors.

That included instigating Sarutobi Shinnosuke to verbally humiliate Hatake Sakumo.

"Sakumo nearly killed himself."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice grew heavier.

Danzo nearly burst out laughing. If you hadn't agreed, could these rumors have ever taken hold?

If anyone were to be held accountable, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, who had held everyone back, would have to bear at least half the blame.

"It doesn't matter if White Fang is gone, does it? Leaf Village's victory in this war is already inevitable."

Danzo smiled faintly.

Leaf Village had plenty of geniuses at this point anyway.

One or two deaths meant nothing.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not answer again.

To be fair, he had never intended to kill White Fang.

But he had indeed wanted to ruin his reputation and prevent him from ascending to the position of Hokage.

In Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart, the ideal successor would be his own sons, Konohamaru or Asuma.

Failing that, one of his disciples, Orochimaru or Jiraiya.

Tsunade had originally been one of the candidates as well.

However, last year, due to a Leaf Village Intelligence Department "mistake" during the war, the Senju Clan's ninja had been almost entirely wiped out. The clan was now all but gone.

As a result, Tsunade's relationship with Hiruzen Sarutobi had fallen to rock bottom.

Tsunade was no longer among the candidates.

"In any case, I can still serve for a few more years. Tell your people to stop spreading those rumors."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe and slowly exhaled smoke.

"Heh, fine. The goal has already been achieved anyway. Forcing White Fang to kill himself probably isn't possible either. I'll call my people back."

Danzo vanished from the office with the Body Flicker Technique.

Yet inwardly, he silently remembered the name "Hatake Gengetsu."

That brat actually dared to speak of him like that!

"That man is White Fang!"

"That's right. Our war with Sunagakure should have ended long ago. It was his mission failure that caused the war to break out again."

"What a criminal of Leaf Village."

"Exactly. Why doesn't Lord Hokage arrest him?"

The brothers Genetsu and Hatake Sakumo hurried all the way from the Administrative Building toward the village gates.

Any Leaf Ninja wearing a flak jacket would whisper a few words like that.

And their voices were neither too loud nor too soft—just loud enough for Hatake Sakumo to barely hear.

"How realistic, big brother."

Genetsu entered a Dango Shop and sat down, smiling at Hatake Sakumo. "You made countless contributions to Leaf Village, yet because of one failed mission that wasn't even your responsibility, they're cursing you as a sinner for all eternity. Hahaha~"

Because of one failure, all his past achievements seemed to have vanished.

With a pack of ungrateful bastards like that, plus those four old fossils in power...

Genetsu suddenly wondered whether Orochimaru's destruction of Konoha in the original story had been because he had seen through it: under the Elder Council's leadership, Konoha would eventually be ruined by them anyway.

So he had launched a plan to kill his teacher, all to tear Konoha down first and let it be reborn from the ashes?

Damn, Uncle Snake really had good intentions!

Hatake Sakumo gave a bitter smile and shook his head. Then his expression suddenly turned solemn as he asked, "Genetsu, back in Lord Hokage's office, why did you ask Konohamaru and the others to act with us?"

"What do you mean, why? I just wanted a few more helpers~"

Genetsu picked up a skewer of dango and replied while taking a bite.

Hatake Sakumo's expression became that of a husky.

As if anyone would believe that.

Please send more support, everyone. Thank you.

In Konoha's prime residential district stood the Senju Clan Grounds.

Like the Uchiha Clan Compound, the walls on both sides bore the Senju Clan's crest.

But now, the area felt vast and empty.

Last year, due to a "mistake" by Leaf Village's Intelligence Department, the Senju Clan's ninja had nearly been wiped out. Fewer than one in ten remained.

Many of the homes stood vacant.

Before long, the Konoha leadership would surely demand that the Senju Clan surrender their grounds to the village.

The surviving Senju clansmen would then be scattered throughout different districts of the village, cutting off their connections.

At that point, the Senju Clan would truly exist in name only.

For now, at least, Tsunade, a Kage-level ninja, had not left Konoha, and Senju Nawaki, Senju Hashirama's direct grandson, was still alive.

No matter what, Hiruzen Sarutobi and his group did not dare openly target the Senju Clan.

They still had to save a little face.

"Brother-in-law, I heard some unpleasant rumors at school today."

Inside the Senju clan head's residence, Nawaki poured Genetsu a cup of wine.

At a time like this, he had no mood to ask Genetsu for advice on picking up girls with green peppers.

He recounted some of the rumors he had heard among the ninja instructors at school that day.

They were basically the same as what Genetsu and Hatake Sakumo had heard on the street earlier.

Nothing more than claims such as, "White Fang's mission failure is why the war couldn't end," "White Fang is a criminal of Leaf Village," and "A ninja who cannot complete missions is nothing but trash."

"This is outrageous! Don't they know how many contributions Lord Sakumo has made to the village? They're condemning him like this over a single mission failure? This is too much!"

Nawaki spoke with righteous indignation.

"Heh."

Genetsu did not rush to pick up any food. After taking a sip of wine, he smiled faintly. "That's reality. Running your mouth has never required taking responsibility, especially when a whole crowd is doing it. The law does not punish the masses."

"My sister used to love telling me about how wonderful things were when Grandpa Hashirama and Grandpa Tobirama were Hokage, but now I can't feel any of that..."

Nawaki pressed his dry lips together, drained the liquor in his cup, and gave a bitter smile. "Honestly, I've even thought about defecting."

"Defecting?"

The moment Genetsu heard those words, he laughed. "What decent person defects?"

"Huh?"

Nawaki was dumbfounded.

Genetsu asked in return, "After two consecutive Ninja Wars, do you know why other countries have always been the ones to attack the Land of Fire, while the Land of Fire has never taken the initiative to start a war?"

Nawaki scratched his head. After thinking for a long time, he barely squeezed out an answer through clenched teeth. "Because Lord Hokage values peace?"

Genetsu immediately rapped him on the forehead with his chopsticks, wearing an expression that said he was beyond saving. "Bullshit. It's because the Land of Fire already possesses the most fertile land in the world. It has no reason to invade other countries."

Among the Five Great Nations' territories,

the Land of Water was an island nation separated from the ninja continent by the sea, making trade extremely inconvenient.

The Land of Lightning was at too high an elevation, and those with weaker constitutions easily fell ill.

Though the Land of Earth was rich in minerals, mountains occupied too much of its territory, making agriculture difficult to develop.

As for the Land of Wind, there was even less to say.

In all three Ninja Wars, not once had anyone actively attacked it.

That country was such a mess that it had no value worth invading.

Only the Land of Fire enjoyed springlike weather year-round, abundant resources, and vast fertile fields.

That was why it became the target of every other nation during each Ninja War.

"You won't find a place as good as Konoha anywhere else in the ninja world. Everyone else is trying everything they can to squeeze in, and you want to defect? Are you sick?"

Genetsu laughed.

Nawaki covered the spot where he had been struck, as if to say, Master, I understand now.

But even so, the rulers were too incompetent.

No matter how solid Konoha's foundations were, they could not withstand such reckless squandering.

The Senju Clan had already become the first sacrifice.

Who would be next?

"Just wait and see. Before long, I'll bring you some good news."