Chapter 176: Juzo Biwa: “akatsuki Bullies Me! Isolates Me!”
Konoha Village.
Jiraiya found Tsunade, and he blocked her path with a very complicated expression.
Tsunade looked at him strangely and said somewhat impatiently, “If you have something to say, just say it. Don’t stand in front of me without a word, what are you being so nagging about?”
As soon as Jiraiya heard this, the corner of his mouth twitched. He took a deep breath: “Tsunade, Orochimaru… something happened.”
But after saying this line that Jiraiya thought was “earth-shattering,” he noticed that there didn’t seem to be much change in Tsunade’s expression.
Jiraiya couldn’t help but add, “Orochimaru has likely already died. This is the prophecy of the Great Toad Sage, and the Great Toad Sage’s prophecies are never wrong.”
Tsunade said expressionlessly, “Are you going to say next—is it Uchiha Ikeizumi who killed him?”
Jiraiya was stunned: “You already knew?”
“I’ve known for a long time.” Tsunade said indifferently, “Are you also trying to use this to warn and remind me—Uchiha Ikeizumi is too extreme, and Orochimaru is our close friend no matter what, so he should have captured Orochimaru alive instead of killing him?”
The corner of Jiraiya’s mouth twitched: “Your prejudice against me is too deep… I wouldn’t say something like that.”
Tsunade said expressionlessly, “Those two toads brainwash your moral values every day, so it’s reasonable for me to have this suspicion.”
Tsunade continued, “Orochimaru is dead, and that’s that. It’s the retribution he deserves, and his end was somewhat expected. If you are led astray by a few toads and commit evil like Orochimaru, there’s no need for Ikeizumi to act—I will kill you myself.”
Sage Fukasaku: “…”
Sage Shima: “…”
Jiraiya could only give an awkward laugh and say, “When do you plan to inform the old man about this? I feel like we need to wait a few days. The old man is already overwhelmed with the matter of Sarutobi Fujiko, and now the Uchiha Clan again…”
Tsunade interrupted straightforwardly, “I’ve already sent Shizune to tell the old man. He’s the Hokage—if he can’t even withstand this kind of blow, what right does he have to be Hokage? He might as well retire!”
“Moreover…”
Tsunade said gloomily, “Feeling sad about the death of a villain like Orochimaru would mean the old man can’t distinguish right from wrong. I even suspect that Orochimaru was able to escape Konoha back then because the old man couldn’t bring himself to act, allowing a villain like Orochimaru to survive and kill many innocent people in recent years.”
Jiraiya suddenly didn’t know what to say. He felt that the Tsunade in front of him had become exceptionally unfamiliar.
Tsunade seemed even more cold-blooded than before, like a creature lacking normal human emotions.
It was as if…
It was as if she was just like Uchiha Ikeizumi!
After watching Tsunade leave, Jiraiya frowned and finally just let out a soft sigh.
“Little Jiraiya, this is the flaw of absolutism.” Sage Shima said slowly, “It may indeed improve order in an area in the short term and seek justice for some innocent victims. But it will more gradually strip away a person’s emotions and kindness, turning them into a cold enforcement tool without any mercy.”
“Because if those who believe in absolutism don’t go to the extent of ‘recognizing no kin,’ they are violating the ninja way they believe in. In their eyes, that wouldn’t count as justice.”
“Tsunade is changing in that direction—you must not learn from her.”
Sage Shima said earnestly.
……
“Lady Tsunade, that toad couple from Mount Myōboku was probably saying these things about you behind your back.” A Slug Sage clone perched on Tsunade’s shoulder spoke up.
This clone was noticeably smaller than before.
Clearly, Tsunade had quietly asked this clone to split off a portion to eavesdrop on Sage Shima and Sage Fukasaku talking to Jiraiya.
“Tch, as expected, those two toads are badmouthing me again, and even badmouthing that guy Ikeizumi. The toads of Mount Myōboku seem to only have this skill for misleading people.”
Tsunade pursed her lips, naturally feeling a bit unhappy deep down.
But she didn’t want to remind Jiraiya.
Jiraiya was already an adult—if he could still be fooled by two toads into this state, then no matter how much she reminded him, it would be useless. He would only stubbornly cling to his own views.
Tsunade thought for a moment, then suddenly asked tentatively, “Katsuyu, do you think those two toads’ evaluation of me is correct?”
Among so many acquaintances or summoned beasts, Tsunade would probably only be polite to Katsuyu.
Katsuyu said slowly, “No. What they said to Jiraiya is avoiding the main point. They emphasize that believers in absolute justice abandon emotions and self. But they don’t mention why believers in absolute justice have to harden their hearts to do so.”
“Although I am not human, I can boldly comment—those who make believers in absolute justice commit acts of slaying kin usually do so because their kin committed unforgivable evil deeds. The two toads ignored this ’cause’ and only stated the ‘effect.'”
“They also didn’t mention why the ninja world gave rise to absolute justice. When an extreme ideology appears, there must be another extreme ideology in existence. The fact that absolute justice can thrive in the ninja world means the ninja world harbors absolute evil.”
“That’s my view on this matter.”
Tsunade sighed, “Maybe you, Lady Katsuyu, should open a thought correction school in Konoha and throw all the problematic people in the village inside to let them know why the ninja world needs justice.”
“I’m not good at teaching.”
Katsuyu said gently.
……
Hokage’s Office Building.
Shizune, who had informed Sarutobi Hiruzen about the intelligence on Orochimaru, fidgeted uneasily with the hem of her clothes while carefully watching the Hokage whose expression had suddenly become dazed.
Shizune was first worried about the Hokage’s emotional state—after all, that Sannin Orochimaru was the Hokage’s disciple no matter what.
The news the Hokage had just received was of his disciple’s death.
Second, she felt a bit guilty because she remembered Lady Tsunade drunkenly saying nonsense last night, and loudly at that—probably heard by all the neighbors.
—The old man was fine when young, but in old age, he doesn’t measure up as Hokage at all! Even if I became Hokage, I’d do better than him! Tying a dog up there would do better than him!
Though she had quickly covered Lady Tsunade’s blabbering mouth.
She didn’t know if Konoha’s Anbu had heard.
Or if they had reported it to the Hokage.
Fortunately, Shizune’s worries were unnecessary. Sarutobi Hiruzen took a slow deep breath and waved his hand, saying, “I understand. You can withdraw now.”
“Yes, Hokage!”
Shizune hurried away.
“……Sigh.” Soon after Shizune left, a heavy sigh echoed in the Hokage’s Office. Sarutobi Hiruzen rubbed his brow—it was absolutely impossible to have no feelings or attachment toward Orochimaru, otherwise he wouldn’t have been soft-hearted and let Orochimaru go back then.
Now learning of Orochimaru’s death gave Sarutobi Hiruzen a sense of a white-haired person sending off a black-haired one. And what saddened him was that this feeling had happened more than once.
“Hokage…”
At that moment, a voice came, and the familiar tone made Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes sharpen instantly.
He cast aside his inner lament and sorrow, looked toward the voice, and saw Kakashi had slipped in through the window at some point.
Kakashi, wearing an Anbu mask, said, “We’ve uncovered another Sarutobi Clan ninja secretly cooperating with Hidden Cloud spies. This one was captured alive. And because we had sealing team ninjas ready in advance, we prevented the curse mark in his brain from activating.”
“Through investigation by Yamanaka Clan ninjas in Anbu, we obtained the most important intelligence.” At this point, a hint of complexity appeared in Kakashi’s flat tone.
And Sarutobi Hiruzen also detected something off in Kakashi’s tone.
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s heart sank.
He only heard Kakashi continue, “The masterminds trying to stir conflict between you, Hokage, and Uchiha Ikeizumi are indeed Hidden Cloud Village spies. And the ones deeply involved number three Sarutobi Clan ninjas. One died due to Anbu’s mistake, another is the one I just mentioned to you, Hokage, and the last one…”
“Is Sarutobi Fujiko.”
The words stirred up waves—Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes widened, and he abruptly stood up from his chair, an incredulous exclamation instinctively escaping: “Impossible!”
Kakashi’s expression didn’t change, as if he had anticipated Sarutobi Hiruzen’s agitation. He said slowly, “But that’s the fact. If you don’t believe it, Hokage, you can arrange another Yamanaka Clan ninja to check the memories of that Sarutobi Clan ninja colluding with the Hidden Cloud spy.”
“If you no longer trust the Yamanaka Clan ninjas, Hokage, you can personally interrogate that Sarutobi Clan ninja. Anbu has already broken his psychological defenses—he will answer any question you ask truthfully.”
With Kakashi putting it this way, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew that no matter how much he couldn’t believe it, this was ironclad fact.
He sat back down blankly.
The chair’s backrest seemed unable to support his spine, his posture involuntarily hunching slightly.
Sarutobi Hiruzen asked in a dazed tone, “Why? What were their motives?”
Kakashi replied, “The motive was to use you, Hokage, against Uchiha Ikeizumi. In their eyes, your hesitation to act against Uchiha Ikeizumi is too weak. And your clansmen all harbor hatred toward Uchiha Ikeizumi. They have never forgotten the hatred and always keep it in mind.”
“They believed that if this continued, you, Hokage, might forget how Uchiha Ikeizumi ‘persecuted’ the Sarutobi Clan. Well, at least in their eyes, Uchiha Ikeizumi’s acts of enforcing justice are a form of persecution against the Sarutobi Clan.”
“The only special one is Sarutobi Fujiko.”
Kakashi paused, then continued, “Her cooperation with the Hidden Cloud spy was because she wanted revenge for her husband. Her motive was that simple.”
“Her death as an elite jonin without a sound wasn’t because her attacker was too strong, nor was it some clansman of the Sarutobi Clan who killed her.”
“The one who killed her was her own shadow clone. The other two Sarutobi Clan ninjas only arranged the scene after her death to direct suspicion toward Uchiha Ikeizumi.”
“She used her own death to trigger this chaos in Konoha, forcing you, Hokage, to part ways with absolute justice.”
Kakashi didn’t continue, because he knew the Hokage before him had realized Sarutobi Fujiko’s revenge had failed.
Because this Hokage, who usually appeared indecisive in old age, showed exceptional resolve and wisdom at crucial moments.
“……This is the truth, then?” Sarutobi Hiruzen tilted his head slightly, staring blankly at the ceiling above.
He could manage all the village’s affairs, big and small.
But he couldn’t grasp the hearts of every person in the village.
“Let me be alone for a while…” Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured.
“Yes, Hokage.”
……
Kakashi, leaving the Hokage’s Office Building, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The pressure from investigating this matter had been immense lately.
Perhaps the truth he uncovered wasn’t what the Hokage wanted to hear most, but facts were facts.
Overall, had he cleared Uchiha Ikeizumi’s absolute justice of suspicion? Though that guy Uchiha Ikeizumi probably wouldn’t care about such a minor thing.
……
At the same time.
Land of Rain.
Juzo Biwa grumbled unhappily, “That woman pretends not to mind me bringing you here, but in reality, she completely distrusts me and didn’t take me to Akatsuki’s core base. She says she’s treating me as a formal Akatsuki member, but which formal member gets sidelined like this!?”
Juzo Biwa hadn’t expected that even after joining an extreme group like Akatsuki, he’d still face workplace bullying!
Damn it…
Damn bastard woman!!!
As he spoke, Juzo Biwa vigilantly glanced at Uchiha Ikeizumi’s wood style clone beside him.
And involuntarily edged a bit farther away.
Fearing that in Uchiha Ikeizumi’s eyes, he had already lost his usefulness—and no one knew better than a ninja from the Hidden Blood Mist Village what fate awaited those who lost their value.
“No rush.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s wood style clone said indifferently, “Perhaps without you actively seeking Akatsuki’s core base location, the main body’s goal for this trip will be achieved.”
Juzo Biwa looked puzzled.
“The main body learned from Orochimaru that Akatsuki has listed him as a top hunting target. In other words, they will come looking for the main body themselves.”
“And the main body’s goal is to purge the evil within Akatsuki. Now, that evil is about to deliver itself to the door.”
The wood style clone explained.
Juzo Biwa was stunned: “Huh? You’re wanted by Akatsuki, and I, an Akatsuki member, didn’t know?”
Juzo Biwa realized right after saying it.
His face turned ashen.
Workplace isolation!!!
Workplace bullying!!!
Juzo Biwa’s favor toward Akatsuki instantly dropped to rock bottom.
……
……
