Emotional Manipulation from Konoha

He was like a completely different person from the original Senju Nawaki!

Orochimaru sensed an unfamiliar aura emanating from Senju Nawaki.

Had he not conducted a thorough investigation, he would have assumed the Senju Nawaki before him was an impostor disguised by another ninja.

As a master of research, he discovered that despite Senju Nawaki's disheveled appearance, his cellular vitality actually surpassed even that of Tsunade.

Orochimaru stared at Senju Nawaki with a vague, lingering gaze, trying to discern something.

What kind of experience could have caused such a transformation?

Seeing that Orochimaru did not answer his question, Senju Nawaki felt a ripple in his heart and identified the source of the problem.

His own reaction did not align with the previous personality of Senju Nawaki.

He met Orochimaru's probing gaze head-on, showing not the slightest hint of fear.

A drastic life experience leading to a change in temperament was perfectly normal.

He had no intention of continuing to present himself as the idiot he once was.

Bang...

Just as the two were locking eyes, the door was pushed open.

"Senju Nawaki, do you have any idea how much loss you've caused Konoha? Where are the other two jonin? Those were elite members of Konoha."

An Anbu wearing a monkey mask walked in and interrogated Senju Nawaki.

Senju Nawaki narrowed his eyes, trying to see clearly who this person was. How did he have the audacity to question him like this?

He was not merely a newly graduated genin; he was also the heir to the Senju Clan.

It seemed that Senju Tobirama, that idiot, had been far too indulgent.

The previous Senju Nawaki had been far too easy to control.

Recalling his upbringing, he had been constantly suppressed and told he was inferior to Tsunade.

Yet, the resources he received were also far inferior to hers.

The entire village of Konoha had cultivated the impression that Tsunade was a genius while he was a mediocrity.

Tsunade had become a tool for the Third Hokage to suppress Senju Nawaki and plunder the resources of the Senju.

After all, Tsunade's surname remained a point of contention.

Seeing that Nawaki remained silent for a long time, the Anbu ninja actually approached the bedside.

"Because of your willfulness, two jonin have sacrificed their lives. You had better think about how you are going to compensate Konoha!" The Anbu ninja's voice was filled with feigned grief.

He was pinning the deaths of the two jonin who had accompanied him entirely on Nawaki.

So that's how it is? The corners of Senju Nawaki's mouth curled up slightly as he closed his eyes, treating the Anbu as if he didn't exist at all.

The behavior of the Anbu before him, shifting all blame onto Nawaki, was clear.

It not only cleared Konoha of suspicion but also served as a pretext to exploit the Senju family for a massive profit.

This was the unscrupulous style of Sarutobi Hiruzen: he blamed others for every failure while claiming credit for every success.

If this were the old Senju Nawaki, he truly would have fallen for this Anbu's scheme.

As an idiot who dreamed of becoming Hokage, he would have surely sacrificed himself without a second thought, never doubting the village he was willing to die to protect.

He would have used the dwindling Senju resources to subsidize Konoha.

His current state as a "waste" only served to make those plotting against him in the shadows lower their guard temporarily.

Could he really survive just by accepting the fate of being a useless pawn and losing all say in his own life?

He was the victim here; why should he bow to such treacherous schemes?

"What is that attitude? Are you not afraid of being spurned by the villagers of Konoha? With an attitude like this, how do you expect to win the approval of the villagers?"

The Konoha Anbu's face remained expressionless, but his words were filled with irritation as he tried to manipulate Nawaki using the very things he had once cared about most.

In the past, whenever Konoha ninjas used this excuse, they could always squeeze a fortune out of Senju Nawaki.

Beside them, Orochimaru frowned, wanting to intervene.

Bang!

With a loud crash, the Konoha Anbu was sent flying.

A blonde girl stood there, her face twisted in anger as she rubbed her fist.

This was none other than Tsunade; though her chest was not yet as broad as it would be in the future, her violent tendencies were already fully formed.

Behind her stood the white-haired Jiraiya.

"Get out! You are not allowed to disturb Nawaki," Tsunade barked sharply.

She was deeply dissatisfied with the Third Hokage; how could he send someone to harass the injured Senju Nawaki at a time like this?

Could he not even manage his own direct Anbu unit?

Tsunade ignored him further.

The Anbu ninja's eyes flickered, and under the gaze of the newly famous Sannin, he slunk away in defeat.

"Nawaki? Are you alright?"

Tsunade checked Nawaki's body while glancing toward Orochimaru.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and upon seeing his mangled legs, she could no longer hold them back as they streamed down her face.

Orochimaru stood to the side, his gaze fixed on Senju Nawaki.

The series of abnormal behaviors from before made him realize that Senju Nawaki had undergone a massive transformation.

He recalled the events at the Konoha camp and Nawaki's request that he not let him out of his sight.

Was he worried that someone might try to harm him?

This Konoha needed to change.

"Nawaki! Don't be so willful in the future. It doesn't just implicate the village; it implicates your sister, too. This time, she abandoned her mission entirely just to come and see you."

White-haired Jiraiya wore a look of concern, but his words made Senju Nawaki sneer.

"Sister, don't worry. In this state, I won't be able to be a ninja anymore anyway." Senju Nawaki pushed away Tsunade's probing hands, a twisted smile on his face.

Aren't ninjas just dogs for the nobility?

He had no intention of continuing as a ninja.

The Sannin simply assumed Nawaki was having trouble accepting reality.

After her examination, Tsunade found that while Nawaki was missing limbs, his bodily functions had not suffered significant damage.

In fact, the cells in his body were even more active than before.

"The Anbu ninja from just now blamed the entire fault on me. How do you think I should handle that?"

Senju Nawaki shifted the topic.

He didn't know how to face Tsunade right now.

Many of Tsunade's actions proved that she had already become a blade for the Third Hokage—a blade used to keep Senju Nawaki in check.

Yet, her feelings for the original Nawaki were undeniably sincere.

Senju Nawaki swept his gaze over the three people present.

These future pillars of Konoha were still somewhat green, but they already held significant influence among the ninja, which would determine Senju Nawaki's future schemes.

"I will speak to the Old Man. It's not entirely your fault; he won't do anything to you, so just rest easy!" Tsunade comforted him.

She assumed Nawaki was afraid of punishment from Konoha. In her eyes, Senju Nawaki was still her thick-headed, good-for-nothing younger brother.

She even somewhat agreed with Konoha's handling of the situation, never suspecting that Konoha had been pulling strings behind the scenes.

After all, the Senju Clan was wealthy and powerful; it was only a matter of time before they were fully integrated into Konoha.

Influenced by those two swindlers, Senju Tobirama and Sarutobi Hiruzen, she had become a qualified "Konoha" ninja, her clan identity long since washed away.

Everything was for Sarutobi Hiruzen's Konoha.

Beside them, Orochimaru's lips curled upward, though he did not join the discussion.

He saw a strange, cautious wariness in Senju Nawaki's eyes—he didn't even trust his closest sister, so whatever she said would certainly not influence him.

He didn't want to make a fool of himself, but there was always someone lacking in social awareness.

"Nawaki, you were a bit willful this time, causing the deaths of two jonin. But with your sister here, the Old Man will surely forgive you."

Jiraiya grinned widely, echoing Tsunade's words.

Thoughts churned in Senju Nawaki's mind, and his eyes revealed a sense of disgust.

Was Sarutobi Hiruzen's control over Konoha really this absolute?

In just one day, he had convinced them that the failure of this mission was entirely Senju Nawaki's responsibility.

Even Jiraiya and Tsunade, who had just returned, believed that he, the victim, was the one at fault.

"I was wrong? How is this incident being reported out there?"

Nawaki asked in a low, involuntary voice.

The question was directed as much to himself as it was to the Sannin around him.