Danzō!
Just then, several figures appeared out of Danzō, warily protecting him in the middle.
Upon discovering their leader's disappearance, the Imperial Guard nearly went mad with worry. After sensing their leader's presence in Leaf using a secret technique, they immediately used Space Divine Ability to rush over.
No matter what, Danzō cannot afford to make the slightest mistake.
"Don't be alarmed, they are not the enemy for now!"
Danzō tried to calm his guards, preventing them from escalating into a fight and ruining the situation. He glanced at the two bodyguards beside him, who were completely concealed in their black robes, and then, a thought struck him. He said, " Nagato, Konan, this might very well be the final battle. Say what you want to say now!"
Danzō's words eased their tension slightly, but they remained wary of the Leaf people present, with two of them suddenly fixing their gazes on Jiraiya.
Upon hearing Danzō's address to the two, Jiraiya was greatly shocked. He looked excitedly at Nagato Uzumaki and Konan, who were shrouded in black robes, and ran over to give them a big hug.
" Konan, Nagato, it really is you! I thought... I thought..."
Halfway through his sentence, Jiraiya tears of joy and couldn't continue.
"You thought we were all dead, didn't you?"
A cold, mechanical voice emanated from within the black robe, and the eerie sound sent a shiver down Jiraiya's spine, giving him a vague sense of foreboding.
Nagato?
Releasing his embrace, Jiraiya stared incredulously at the figure shrouded in black robes.
The hug had made him realize something was wrong, but at first he just thought Nagato was wearing armor. However, the strange electronic voice he heard just now made him understand the seriousness of the situation.
" Jiraiya- sensei, it's been a long time!"
Tearing off his black robe, what appeared before Jiraiya was not a body of flesh and blood, but a robot forged from steel, its scarlet electronic eyes sending a chill down one's spine.
This is Nagato Uzumaki's current form!
On the other side, Konan also tore off the black robe that was covering her body. Although what was revealed was not a mechanical body made of steel, it was not much better.
Human Puppet Forbidden Technique!
Seeing Konan's expression, Princess Tsunade's demeanor turned serious.
She recognized this strange form as originating from the Human Puppet Forbidden Technique of Village Hidden in the Sand, which could create puppets from human flesh and blood. The greatest master of this Human Puppet Forbidden Technique was Sasori of the Akatsuki Organization, who shone brightly during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
It was unexpected that Konan, as Jiraiya's disciple, would also turn her own body into a human puppet.
" Konan, Nagato, what did I tell you back then? Strength is important, but learning to be a good person is even more important. It's one thing that you went astray by founding Akatsuki Organization, but why did you have to transform yourselves into this state?"
If Yahiko knew you were like this, would he be happy?
Jiraiya, enraged, questioned Nagato Uzumaki's three disciples. He had truly regarded them as his students, and now one was already gone, and the remaining two had also fallen into this state. How could he not be furious?
"As expected, Jiraiya- sensei is Leaf ninja; he simply can't understand the suffering of us nobody!"
Konan, controlling her puppet, spoke indifferently. Although she was unable to make any expressions due to the special nature of puppets, everyone could hear the utter mockery in her words.
" Konan, what exactly happened to you?"
With a furrowed brow, Jiraiya realized something was wrong; his two disciples' current state was likely not voluntary.
Could something have happened?
"Someone once warned us not to trust Leaf, but we didn't listen to that person or even take it to heart. In the end, Yahiko died, and Konan and I are now living like this, barely clinging to life."
Jiraiya- sensei, isn't that funny?
Nagato Uzumaki's mechanical eyes turned to Jiraiya, his former mentor. Although his words, like Konan's, were devoid of any emotional fluctuation, one could clearly sense the mockery and desolation within them.
They had been warned Mingdu, but out of trust in Jiraiya, they transferred that trust to Leaf, and then Leaf tricked them.
Of the three, one was completely dead, leaving no trace of his body, while the other two were reduced to this inhuman, ghostly state.
They were then deceived for over a decade, and if it weren't for Danzō's intervention, they would likely have died long ago.
Tell me, what have you all been through?
Jiraiya gripped Konan and Nagato Uzumaki's arms tightly, his eyes bloodshot.
He needed to know what his disciple had gone through.
What did Leaf do to them?
"Back then, someone claiming to be a ninja from Leaf's Root Organization carried a letter from Jiraiya- sensei, asking us to act as a bridge to facilitate negotiations between Village Hidden in the Rain and Leaf. Unfortunately, it was a trap, and I have no interest in what happened afterward."
Konan offered an explanation, a very brief one, but it struck Jiraiya like a thunderbolt, causing him to stiffen and turn to his teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
In the past, he would have immediately questioned that cunning old fox, Danzō Shimura. But after the series of events that had happened, he no longer trusted his mentor.
" Hiruzen, you are Leaf under the sunlight, I am Root in the darkness! I will bear all the darkness alone!"
As luck would have it, Danzō chimed in, indicating that he would also take the blame, which only made Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darken further. He glared at him fiercely, wanting nothing more than to kill his former best friend.
Can you please stop causing trouble?
" Jiraiya, you know the situation back then. The Land of Rain cannot afford to have another Demigod, or even a true god. For the sake of Leaf, I had no other choice!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi still insisted that it was for Leaf's sake; compared to others, he Jiraiya a disciple.
"Tsk tsk... This scene is so similar to the battlefield of the Land of Whirlpools back then. As expected of the Third Hokage! But compared to the Uzumaki Clan, which was wiped out, you two at least survived, which is already quite good."
Orochi Hime gave an evil smile; this scene of exposing the cunning old fox's true colors was just too entertaining!
Orochimaru, his other half, has been tricked quite a bit by his mentor over the years, so it's quite satisfying to see the old guy get his comeuppance.
Orochi Hime, what did you mean by what you said earlier?
At this moment, Sasuke Uchiha up. After what had just happened, he had already processed what his older brother called the truth.
He had to admit that the so-called truth was indeed perfect, but too perfect, so perfect that he couldn't refute it.
He preferred to hear what this woman, who bore a striking resemblance to Orochimaru, had to say.
" Sasuke!"
Itachi Uchiha glared unhappily at the gloating Orochi Hime, then looked worriedly at his foolish younger brother.
He really didn't want his younger brother to know the rest of the truth, after all, his foolish older brother had just gotten a perfect family and a precious daughter.
If he knew the truth, the whole family would likely fall apart, which was not what he wanted to see.
"Shut up!"
Suddenly turning his head and glaring at his "good brother, "Sasuke Uchiha he no longer wanted to believe his brother's lies.
He was fed up with living like a fool in a fake world; he wanted to know the truth.
Scolded by his foolish younger brother, Itachi Uchiha, who was in the late stages of his brother complex, remained silent and dared not say anything more.
"To be honest, the Third was a very competent Hokage. Putting yourself in Danzō's shoes, even if he were in the Third's position, he might not have done a better job!"
After picking a slightly sour fruit and taking a bite, Orochi Hime, contrary to her usual behavior, gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a positive evaluation.
"..."
Everyone fell silent, silently cursing in their hearts.
Weren't you so enthusiastic about bashing the Third of outcasts before? Why the sudden change of heart?
To their shock, Danzō didn't refute Orochi Hime's words at all, appearing to acquiesce. Was the Third Hokage really that competent...? No way!
" The Third did a great job in many ways. Although it would be a lie to say he had a clear conscience, he did do everything for Leaf. The only pity is that his talent and strength were too poor."
According to Dan-kun, the Hokage represents the highest level of Leaf, the limit of Leaf's power. If the Hokage is strong, Leaf will naturally prosper, but if the Hokage does not reach the ultimate level of power, it will become a disaster for the entire Leaf.
As someone in power, one would not tolerate the existence of anyone who threatens one's position and strength. Therefore, any genius who is more talented and stronger than the Hokage is a target to be eliminated.
This was true of the Senju Clan, the Sakumo Hatake White Fang of the Leaf, Shisui Uchiha, and indeed, the entire Uchiha.
It is precisely because of this that Leaf has fallen from its position as the number one ninja village in the Shinobi World, ridiculously now sitting on equal footing with other ninja villages.
What's even more ridiculous is that this tradition of turning against one's own people is a legacy from our First Hokage. So Danzō was right before; the First Hokage was indeed unsuitable as a leader, and his actions easily led to unpredictable consequences...
Everyone in the Hokage's office remained silent. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, though his expression was quite unpleasant, did not refute Orochi Hime's words.
The First Hokage Hashirama Senju was caught in the crossfire, squatted down, held his head in his hands, and remained silent, completely questioning his existence.
"So the Uchiha was wiped out because we were too strong?"
The crimson color in his Sharingan intensified, Sasuke Uchiha felt like crying and laughing at the same time; it was just too ridiculous!
The real reason why their Uchiha Clan was wiped out back then was so ridiculous. They were like idiots who recognized a thief as their father and served as Leaf's dogs for so many years!
" Sasuke!"
Naruto Uzumaki reached out to pat his best friend on the shoulder to comfort him, but Sasuke Uchiha him away.
" Naruto, for your sake, I will not seek revenge against Leaf, but I, Sasuke Uchiha, will sever all ties with Leaf from this day forward."
He removed the scratched Leaf headband from his waist, and with a flash of Chidori Current Lightning Release, the Leaf headband turned to dust and was completely destroyed.
He had already left Leaf years ago, but Naruto brought him back. But this time it won't happen!
Having said that, Sasuke Uchiha had no desire to stay in that disgusting place any longer, so he pushed open the office door and walked out.
" Sasuke!"
As a brother-obsessed individual, Itachi Uchiha Naruto Uzumaki silently at the pile of dust on the ground. Although he was single-minded and often not very bright, he deeply understood today that the bond between him and Sasuke had been completely severed!
Even if Sasuke detained, it would only trigger a war.
"Did he do that for Leaf back then?"
After a long silence, Princess Tsunade asked in a daze, looking lost.