Hiruzen Sarutobi's face turned pale.
"Sensei..."
"Speak."
That single word made Hiruzen's back stiffen instantly.
He dared not hide anything.
He spoke of everything from the end of the First Shinobi World War to his succession as the Third Hokage.
From the subsequent Shinobi World Wars to the shifts in power within Konoha High Command.
From the Ninja Academy system to the existence of the Anbu and Root.
Tobirama listened in silence.
But the quieter he was, the more anxious Hiruzen grew.
Zhang Yu held his wineglass and listened with great interest.
Then Hiruzen mentioned Hatake Sakumo.
"White Fang?"
Tobirama Senju frowned.
"I heard you mention that name earlier."
Hiruzen's voice grew quieter.
"Hatake Sakumo was an outstanding ninja in the village, both powerful and highly respected."
"Later, during a mission, he abandoned it to save his comrades."
"After the mission failed, public opinion in the village turned against him. Even the comrades he saved..."
Hiruzen could not bring himself to continue.
Tobirama Senju's expression had turned frighteningly cold.
"Go on."
Hiruzen gritted his teeth. "In the end, he couldn't bear the pressure and killed himself."
Smack!
Tobirama Senju slammed his palm on the table.
A crack split the wooden table on the spot.
Hiruzen trembled.
"You fools!"
Tobirama roared, "A Konoha ninja abandoned a mission to save his comrades. The village could have held him accountable, reviewed what happened, or punished him. But who gave you the right to let public opinion drive a hero to his death?"
"Hiruzen, you were the Hokage!"
"The villagers might not understand, and ordinary ninja might not understand, but did you not understand either?"
[ Ding! ] [ Tobirama Senju has effectively reprimanded Hiruzen Sarutobi. Gold coins +150. ]
Zhang Yu's eyes lit up.
Well, would you look at that.
The coins are already coming in?
More cold sweat broke out on Hiruzen's forehead.
"Sensei, I handled that matter poorly."
"Handled it poorly?"
Tobirama sneered.
"A White Fang of Konoha who could strike fear into enemy nations was driven to suicide by his own village."
"And you call that handling it poorly?"
[ Ding! ] [ Reprimand intensity increased. Gold coins +200. ]
Zhang Yu raised his glass, enjoying the wine more with every sip.
Izuna stood nearby, his gaze growing colder as he looked at Hiruzen.
Tobirama Senju continued questioning him.
"What about the Sannin?"
"I heard my brother Hashirama mention that three of your disciples were outstanding."
"How are they now?"
Hiruzen's lips moved.
"Jiraiya has spent years traveling outside the village. Tsunade left because of the wars and the deaths of her loved ones. Orochimaru..."
Tobirama's gaze darkened.
"What happened to Orochimaru?"
Hiruzen said with difficulty, "He conducted human experiments and researched forbidden techniques. Then he defected."
The tavern fell silent at once.
Tobirama Senju stared at Hiruzen as though meeting this disciple of his for the first time.
"Human experiments."
"Forbidden technique research."
"Defection."
With each phrase he spoke, Hiruzen lowered his head a little further.
"Hiruzen."
"I developed forbidden techniques for war, to protect the village in the worst possible circumstances."
"I sealed those books away because I knew they were dangerous."
"And look at you."
"Your disciple experimented on Konoha's people right under your nose, and you actually let him defect alive?"
Hiruzen's voice grew hoarse.
"At the time... I couldn't bring myself to do it."
"Couldn't bring yourself to do it?"
Tobirama shot to his feet.
"Is the Hokage's position meant for someone so indecisive?"
"I entrusted the Hokage Position to you because you were willing to step forward and cover our retreat in a moment of crisis."
"I chose a ninja willing to take responsibility, not an old man who glosses over problems and lets dangers fester!"
[ Ding! ] [ Tobirama Senju has severely reprimanded Hiruzen Sarutobi. Gold coins +300. ] [ Current accumulated rewards increased. ]
Zhang Yu nearly laughed aloud.
What a windfall.
This is even faster than selling wine.
Hiruzen's face was deathly pale from the scolding, and he could not utter a word in rebuttal.
Just then, footsteps came from the backyard.
Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha emerged, one behind the other.
The two had just finished sparring in the Dispute Arena. Neither was injured, and both were in high spirits.
As soon as Hashirama entered the hall, he saw Hiruzen standing before Tobirama with his head lowered.
He studied him curiously for a moment.
"Tobirama, is this the monkey you chose back then?"
Hiruzen went rigid.
The First Hokage!
Madara Uchiha!
And there's the Second Hokage in front of me and Uchiha Izuna beside him.
Hiruzen felt his vision darken.
One Tobirama Senju was terrifying enough.
Now Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, the founders of the Shinobi World, had come out too.
Would he even be able to leave this tavern alive today?
Hashirama walked halfway around Hiruzen, rubbed his chin, and said seriously, "You've changed so much."
"You look quite ordinary. I almost didn't recognize you."
Hiruzen's face twitched violently.
Embarrassing.
This is so embarrassing.
But the person saying it was Hashirama Senju, and he did not dare voice the slightest objection.
Tobirama said coldly, "Brother, you came at just the right time."
"You should hear what Hiruzen has done with Konoha over the years."
The smile slowly faded from Hashirama's face.
"Hiruzen, say it again."
Hiruzen's entire body stiffened.
"Lord First..."
Hashirama looked at him.
"Speak."
Hiruzen could only steel himself and recount the story of Hatake Sakumo's suicide, the Sannin leaving the village, and Orochimaru's human experiments and defection.
The more Hashirama heard, the darker his expression grew.
By the time Hiruzen finished, Hashirama's fists were clenched.
"I founded Konoha in the hope that children would no longer have to go to war."
"Not so the village could drive its own heroes to their deaths."
"Not so the Hokage's disciples would grow estranged from the village, one after another."
"And certainly not so experiments with forbidden techniques could take place in the village!"
Madara Uchiha stood nearby and sneered.
"Hashirama, this is the village you wanted."
Hashirama did not argue as he usually would.
Because this time, he could not.
Tobirama stepped forward and seized Hiruzen by the collar.
"Come on."
Hiruzen's expression changed.
"Sensei, where are we going?"
"The backyard."
Tobirama's voice was icy.
"There are some things we can't settle in the hall."
Hashirama also came over and placed a hand on Hiruzen's shoulder.
Hiruzen's legs went weak.
He wanted to back away.
But Tobirama Senju was in front of him, and Hashirama Senju was beside him.
Madara Uchiha was also watching coldly from a distance.
He had no way out.
A notification immediately sounded in Zhang Yu's mind.
[ Ding! ] [ Accountability dispute between Hokage master and disciple detected. ] [ Temporary settlement for the Backyard Dispute Arena activated. ] [ Dispute fee: gold coins +800. ] [ Accountability intensity continues to increase. Gold coins +600. ] [ Current gold coin balance has exceeded 3,000. ]
Zhang Yu nearly dropped his wineglass.
This one visit from the Third was worth more than ten ordinary customers.
Before long, Hiruzen's stifled grunts came from the backyard, along with Tobirama Senju's reprimands, each colder than the last.
"Who approved that decision?"
"Danzo overstepped his authority. What were you doing as Hokage?"
"Why didn't you investigate thoroughly before Orochimaru defected?"
"After the White Fang of Konoha died, what explanation did you give the Hatake Clan?"