In the Face of Justice, What is a Hokage?

"They are cowards who only know how to prey on the weak. If they want revenge, the target will surely be you."

Because Uchiha Kurohane knew the plot, he said this with full confidence.

However, shortly after parting ways with Kushina Uzumaki, he retracted that statement.

Uchiha Kurohane's judgment had been wrong; Pineapple Head really did intend to take revenge on him.

It wasn't because he had courage, but because he was too stupid to recognize that Uchiha Kurohane was a powerhouse.

Pineapple Head still believed that Uchiha Kurohane was a dead-last, a total weakling.

He refused to believe Uchiha Kurohane had defeated them with actual skill, insisting it was merely the use of crow summons.

Resentful of this, he sought out his older brother, Pumpkin Head, and demanded he help him take revenge on Uchiha Kurohane.

After learning about the nature of their fight, Pumpkin Head was wary of Uchiha Kurohane's crows and dared not go alone.

Instead, he recruited his two teammates, Watermelon Head and Winter Melon Head, and the four of them set out to track Uchiha Kurohane.

Uchiha Kurohane discovered this through his crows, smiled helplessly, and immediately changed his route home, heading toward the woods on the outskirts of town.

Being a kind and merciful person, Uchiha Kurohane thoughtfully walked to a place where no one else was around, giving them a chance to take their revenge.

Uchiha Kurohane reached the edge of the woods, felt the timing was right, and suddenly turned around to ask, "Why have you all been following me?"

No sooner had his voice fallen than three youths appeared before him.

They were relatively tall, looking to be about fourteen years old, and their hairstyles were just like the three delinquent students from before—bizarre, non-mainstream fruit-shaped cuts.

One had an orange Pumpkin Head, one a green Winter Melon Head, and one a black Watermelon Head.

Though their hairstyles were ridiculous, they all wore genin headbands, indicating they were all genin.

Ignoring Uchiha Kurohane's question, Watermelon Head said to Pumpkin Head, "This kid never once looked behind him, yet he still discovered he was being followed. It seems he has some skill."

On the other side, Winter Melon Head said dismissively, "So what if he has skill? Even if he's strong, he's just a student. Do you really think he can win against us in a three-on-one?"

At that moment, another person jumped out. His head was wrapped in bandages; it was none other than Pineapple Head, whose head had been stomped into the dirt by Uchiha Kurohane yesterday.

"Watch out for the crows he summons! Their beaks are sharp and their talons are like blades. Yesterday, they almost bit my little bits off!"

Pumpkin Head grinned and said confidently, "Don't worry. Your brother is a professional genin; those cheap tricks are useless against us."

Pumpkin Head then slowly walked toward Uchiha Kurohane.

"You injured my brother and his two friends yesterday, and they are still lying in hospital beds. You went too far, and I am going to avenge them!"

Uchiha Kurohane coldly retorted, "Your brother and those two guys teamed up to bully a new girl. Don't you think scum like that deserves a beating?"

Pumpkin Head frowned. He also felt that such behavior was low and deserved to be punished, but since the perpetrator was his brother, he couldn't admit it.

"That girl is an outsider; who cares about her? You attacked Konoha comrades for her sake—you are a traitor to Konoha!"

"Wrong. Kushina is from the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools, and we are allies. Since she has come to Konoha, she is our comrade. Helping her is justice."

"Pah! What Village Hidden in the Whirlpools? Those weak losers have no right to be our Konoha allies!"

Those losers have no right to be our Konoha allies!

After the fall of the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools, the young ninjas of Konoha didn't reflect on why Konoha hadn't sent help; instead, they mocked the incompetence and weakness of the village.

They blamed them for holding Konoha back.

This was the reason the delinquent students bullied Kushina.

Fundamentally, they believed the destruction of the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools had brought shame upon Konoha, so they harbored deep hatred for its people.

Uchiha Kurohane countered, "Stupid. An ally is an ally. Regardless of their strength, as long as they are allied with Konoha, they are our comrades."

"To abandon someone just because they are weak—do you even have any humanity?"

"Or let me put it another way: your brother is so weak, why haven't you abandoned him?"

Uchiha Kurohane's words struck a nerve with both of them.

First was Pineapple Head, who gritted his teeth in anger, his face turning purple.

"Idiot, who are you calling weak? You were the one who didn't dare to duel me one-on-one and used summons to gang up on me. That was a dishonorable victory!"

The other was Pumpkin Head, who felt deeply embarrassed that his brother had been beaten up by a classmate in a three-on-one fight. A flash of brutality crossed his eyes as he said angrily, "Idiot, do you understand the state of the world? Not sending ninjas to support the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools was the decision of the Hokage. Are you questioning the Hokage?"

Pumpkin Head brought up the Hokage's name, thinking it would scare Uchiha Kurohane out of his wits.

But in Uchiha Kurohane's eyes, the current Hokage—Sarutobi Hiruzen—was nothing more than a weak and incompetent man.

Only he could pull off the maneuver of winning a war and still paying reparations.

As a leader, incompetence and weakness were sins, and Uchiha Kurohane did not fear him in the slightest.

"We signed an alliance treaty with the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools; they are our allies. This is an objective fact that no one can deny!"

"Anyone who denies this is a shameless, despicable villain and an enemy of justice!"

The four youths all gasped in shock upon hearing this.

Was he actually implying that the Hokage was a shameless, despicable villain?

Had he lost his mind?

The people of the Uchiha clan were truly lunatics!

Pumpkin Head idolized Sarutobi Hiruzen, and hearing his idol belittled filled him with intense rage.

"You're wrong, that's complete nonsense! To think you would stand against the Hokage's position—the Uchiha brats really are all evil. Pay the price for your ignorance!"

Pumpkin Head drew a kunai from the pouch at his waist, assuming a combat stance.

Meanwhile, hiding nearby, Kushina Uzumaki had heard their entire conversation and was deeply moved by Uchiha Kurohane's words.

Kushina had never understood why the Konoha ninja hadn't sent reinforcements to the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools, and even when she asked her grandmother, Uzumaki Mito, she would only remain silent.

Now she knew the answer; it turned out that the current Hokage and the ninja of Konoha viewed the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools in such a light.

They were all treacherous, shameless scoundrels.

Only Uchiha Kurohane was different.

He was just a young child, yet for the sake of the justice in his heart, he spoke up for the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools and even refuted the Hokage's decision.

He was so noble!

Kushina was won over by Uchiha Kurohane's noble convictions, her eyes welling up with tears of emotion.

At that moment, she made a decision: she would follow Uchiha Kurohane from now on and willingly become his subordinate!

With a swish, Kushina leaped out from the woods, bravely stepping in front of Uchiha Kurohane.

"Kurohane-kun, thank you for speaking up for me and the Village Hidden in the Whirlpools. I caused this, so let me protect you this time!"

Kushina's expression was resolute, her gaze stern, looking as though she were ready to die for Uchiha Kurohane.

But in Uchiha Kurohane's eyes, she was just trying to steal his kills.

After gaining the favor of Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Kurohane had acquired the bloodline of the "second pillar" and awakened the Sharingan.

He wanted to test the power of his Sharingan, and Kushina jumping out like this was nothing but a nuisance.

He pressed his hand on Kushina's shoulder and pushed her to the side.

"You're my subordinate, so just obediently accept my protection and stay to the side."

Kushina was a bit dazed by the push, feeling quite aggrieved.

Why did he never listen to a word she said?