There was no need to mention the First Hokage. He had been a true hero.
And although the Second had gone out of his way to target the Uchiha Clan, he had devoted himself to Konoha.
He would never have sacrificed his own people to beg the enemy for peace.
Even at the very end of his life, he had resolutely stayed behind to hold them off, leaving the others a way out.
But the Third could sacrifice other people without hesitation, never even asking whether they were willing.
He was generous with other people's lives, yet still put on a false show of kindness every day.
He wanted to act the saint after doing something despicable. The sheer hypocrisy was sickening.
[ Ding! Temporary quest issued! ]
[ Quest One: Foil Kumogakure's conspiracy
Quest reward: 1000 experience points ]
[ Quest Two: Undermine the Third's authority
Quest reward: 500 experience points ]
Uchiha Ryosuke rolled his eyes. The rewards were ridiculously small.
That meant the quest would be easier.
In other words, the Third's authority probably wasn't all that strong to begin with.
"Don't change the subject!"
The Fourth Raikage's face darkened as he said stiffly, "We're talking about the missing envoy..."
"Grandpa Hokage, it hurts."
Uchiha Ryosuke pointed at the kunai in his shoulder, tears streaming down his face despite himself.
"Good boy, don't cry."
The Third looked helpless, but he had to maintain his kindly image, so he reached out and wiped the tears from Uchiha Ryosuke's cheeks.
"It doesn't hurt? Then try sticking a kunai in your own shoulder."
Uchiha Fugaku gave a string of cold laughs and sneered, "Ryosuke's been badly hurt, and you still forced me to bring him here right away, threatening to deal with me if I didn't. Now you won't even call a medic."
"..."
The Third's kindly expression froze on his face.
He wanted to curse them out. When had he ever told him to bring Uchiha Ryosuke here?
You were doing this just to embarrass him, weren't you?
"Nice!"
Uchiha Ryosuke nodded in satisfaction. The clan head really knew how to land a blow when it mattered.
"Go get a medic."
The Third took a deep breath and ordered in a low voice.
"Cut the nonsense!"
Uchiha Fugaku said coldly. "Lord Hokage, are you still the Hokage of Konoha or not? One of our Uchiha Clan members is about to have his eyes gouged out. Are you going to do anything about it?"
"I..."
The Third wanted to say they could discuss it later, but Hyuga Hiashi spoke up without warning. "And there's my Hyuga Clan. A spy just kidnapped my daughter and tried to gouge out her eyes. Lord Hokage, you'll see that justice is done, won't you?"
"..."
The Third was completely at a loss for words. He stared at the two men in disbelief.
He could understand the Uchiha Clan having a problem with him, but why was the Hyuga Clan joining in too?
Weren't they always at odds?
"Grandpa Hokage, it really hurts."
Uchiha Ryosuke became a broken record, giving the Hokage no chance to think.
"Grandpa Hokage."
Seeing this, little Hinata trotted over to the Hokage and gazed up at him pitifully.
"Are you all taking turns trying to muddle this over?"
The Fourth Raikage was furious, and he shouted, "Third, you have to give us an explanation!"
"Lord Raikage, this matter..."
The Third had no choice but to try to explain.
He truly didn't want to go to war with Kumogakure again. The cost would be too high.
"Grandpa Hokage."
Uchiha Ryosuke suddenly opened his eyes wide. His blood-red Two-Tomoe Sharingan gleamed brilliantly. "Could it be that you and the Raikage sent the envoy who tried to gouge out my and Hinata's eyes?"
"..."
The Third's expression froze completely. He forced out a smile and kindly patted Uchiha Ryosuke's head. "How could that be? I'm the Hokage. Why would I do something like that?"
"Heh."
Uchiha Fugaku gave a cold laugh, but inside, he felt wonderfully refreshed.
That old bastard had targeted the Uchiha Clan day in and day out, and now Ryosuke had left him speechless.
Uchiha Fugaku could sum up how he felt in one word—
Great. Just absolutely great.
"Since when did the Hyuga and Uchiha get together?"
The Third's heart sank. The Uchiha Clan was already a destabilizing force in Konoha.
But it was also Konoha's largest clan since the Senju.
And the Hyuga were unquestionably the second-largest clan.
What did it mean for the two great clans to join forces and pressure him, their Hokage?
"Looks like I should warn the Hyuga Clan."
The Third shot Hyuga Hiashi a cold glance. The two brothers of this generation in the Hyuga Clan...
They seemed far too strong. Someone like that—
One was enough, wasn't it?
After all, if someone was too strong, it could make life rather difficult for him, the Hokage.
"Where's the medic?"
The Third asked impatiently. All he wanted now was to get rid of Uchiha Ryosuke, that irritating Uchiha child, as soon as possible.
"So that means..."
Uchiha Ryosuke sobbed, "Grandpa Hokage, you aren't denying that the Raikage sent an envoy to gouge out our eyes?"
"Waaah, Hinata doesn't want her eyes gouged out."
The little girl's body trembled, her face full of fear, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
"I didn't fucking—"
The Third nearly lost his temper and hit someone.
What kind of nonsense was that, you little brat?
What the hell are you talking about?
"Grandpa Hokage."
Uchiha Ryosuke looked at him pitifully. "You're the Hokage of Konoha. You won't take an outsider's side, right? You'll stand up for the people of the village, won't you? Kumogakure treated us like this, so you have to teach them a proper lesson. Grandpa Hokage, why aren't you saying anything? No way, no way—don't tell me you really want to side with outsiders and bully Konoha?"
"Enough!"
The Third suddenly slammed his palm on the desk, his kindly expression turning briefly ferocious.
But soon his expression softened again, and his attitude grew cold.
"Raikage, you heard him, didn't you? Your village has to give us an explanation."
The Third said stiffly.
[ Ding! Quest One complete. Received 1000 experience points. ]
[ Ding! Quest Two complete. Received 500 experience points. ]
"An explanation? What explanation?"
The Raikage laughed in fury. "Our people have gone missing, and we're the ones who have to explain ourselves to you?"
"Heh."
Uchiha Ryosuke sneered inwardly. One looked big, burly, and honest; the other seemed kind and benevolent.
But they were both hiding a bellyful of schemes.
All they could do was bully honest people.
Before you continue