Chapter 193: The New Konoha Village
“Somehow, Konoha Village doesn’t feel the same as before.”
Today’s Kakashi rarely had half a day off, holding a copy of Icha Icha Paradise that had been flipped so much its corners were wrinkled and creased. He occasionally glanced at the content in the novel, then lifted his eyelids to look at the Konoha civilians coming and going beside him.
What words should he use to describe it?
Perhaps—it was more orderly and harmonious.
Originally, some streets in Konoha Village had many small vendors setting up stalls randomly, practically blocking the entire road.
Now the Police Force has designated a specific area for these vendors to gather, so they won’t disrupt the order on the streets.
Even the street cleanliness is much better than before, because if you’re caught littering randomly by the Police Force, you really get fined.
Kakashi had heard that a Konoha Jonin was surrounded by two Police Force Ninjas just for spitting gum on the ground, and he was fined at least a thousand ryo.
And…
Kakashi also keenly noticed that no one in the village was discussing privately anymore whether Uzumaki Naruto was the Demon Fox incarnate.
This kind of bullying and isolation targeted at a child had, for some reason, been effectively curbed.
And those conspiracy theory rumors that some Konoha civilians loved the most.
They seemed to be suppressed directly by Police Force Ninjas before they could even spread. Everyone maliciously spreading rumors was thrown into Konoha Prison.
Light cases meant locking you up for half a month to reflect; heavy cases meant stuffing you straight into prison for half a year.
As for incidents involving fights, injuries, or even more serious murder cases…
The Konoha Military Police Force was even more merciless.
If criminals cooperated, fine; if not, the next second they might be killed directly by Police Force Ninjas!
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s harsh and intense methods…
Were already being emulated by many ninjas in the Police Force.
“Feels… actually not bad…” Kakashi murmured unexpectedly: “After Absolute Justice took control of the village, the atmosphere isn’t as oppressive as I imagined. Uchiha Ikeizumi seems utterly merciless on the surface, but he’s actually quite humane in some ways; he just doesn’t show it.”
Kakashi could see this “humanity” from the somewhat restrained law enforcement methods of the Police Force.
After all…
If「Absolute Justice」 were really the kind of bloody extreme rumored…
Then casually littering on the road wouldn’t just be a fine; they’d chop off your hand.
Petty theft wouldn’t just mean locking you in Konoha Prison; they’d rip your head off.
Just as Kakashi was feeling a bit emotional, he suddenly heard a very familiar voice from ahead.
“I told you! I don’t want to acknowledge you as my teacher! I don’t need you to teach me any ninjutsu! Teacher Ikeizumi can make me an excellent ninja. Can’t you stop following me around, you white-haired weirdo uncle? You’re like a stalker!”
This somewhat childish impatient voice immediately reminded Kakashi of one person—Uzumaki Naruto!
As he unconsciously quickened his steps forward.
Sure enough, he saw a small figure ahead.
That head of golden hair was still very eye-catching in Konoha Village.
Kakashi also saw a very sleazy-looking figure next to Naruto.
Looking closely…
Wasn’t this one of the Sannin, Lord Jiraiya?
……
“Naruto, Uchiha Ikeizumi is now the Captain of the Police Force and has many things to do every day; it’s unlikely he can spare time to teach you.” Jiraiya said persuasively: “Besides, with me, Sage Jiraiya, teaching you, you might become Konoha’s Hokage in the near future.”
Jiraiya hadn’t expected the Child of Prophecy, Uzumaki Naruto, to be so difficult.
He’d already been shamelessly sticking to Naruto for two or three days.
But unexpectedly, Minato’s child was neither soft nor hard to deal with.
“You’re not Konoha’s Hokage; why would I believe you can teach me to become the future Hokage?” Naruto said impatiently: “Even if Teacher Ikeizumi doesn’t have time to teach me, by following Teacher Ikeizumi to enforce justice, I can still get stronger!”
With that said.
Naruto hurriedly quickened his pace, trying to shake off this annoying sleazy uncle.
Watching Naruto’s quickly departing back, Sage Fukasaku on Jiraiya’s shoulder spoke: “This child is trickier than we imagined; he’s been heavily brainwashed by Absolute Justice.”
On the other side, Sage Shima said: “Little Jiraiya, stop using these roundabout methods. If you really want to train the Child of Prophecy into the Savior, maybe some drastic measures are needed.”
“For example…”
“Knock him out directly and take him to Mount Myōboku. Then use a Sealing Technique to seal his memories of believing in Absolute Justice, and carefully teach and train him.”
Sage Fukasaku hesitated: “Isn’t that a bit too drastic?”
Sage Shima said earnestly: “His dad, in this situation, if we don’t take such measures… when the Child of Prophecy is completely brainwashed by Absolute Justice one day, it’ll be too late. Little Jiraiya, no need to hesitate anymore.”
Jiraiya: “……”
Jiraiya was indeed hesitating, because Sage Shima’s suggestion had always made him uneasy.
Such an extreme method—if Uzumaki Naruto’s memory seal were ever broken one day… wouldn’t he hate him to death?
It might even produce negative effects.
If it caused the Child of Prophecy to turn dark… he’d be a sinner to the entire Ninja World.
“Lord Jiraiya, what are you doing?” Suddenly, a voice from behind nearly startled Jiraiya.
Turning around to look.
Jiraiya immediately recognized the person speaking to him.
“Kakashi?”
Jiraiya basically remembered the names of the village’s excellent ninjas, especially someone as outstanding as Kakashi.
Kakashi asked suspiciously: “You seemed to be following Uzumaki Naruto just now, right? The kid looked very annoyed. Do you have some conflict with Uzumaki Naruto?”
“Cough! No!”
Jiraiya coughed awkwardly and said: “I just want to take this kid as my apprentice, but Naruto seems too stubborn and keeps refusing me.”
Kakashi was stunned.
One of the Sannin actually wanted to take a disciple, and he was targeting Uzumaki Naruto?
Could it be…
Because of Teacher Minato? After all, Teacher Minato was Lord Jiraiya’s disciple, and Uzumaki Naruto was Teacher Minato’s child.
……
Meanwhile.
Hidden Cloud Village.
“Lord Raikage, the mission to incite internal conflict in Konoha has failed.”
A Hidden Cloud Anbu Ninja knelt on one knee and said to the Raikage: “Although our people successfully turned some Sarutobi Clan ninjas, under the Konoha Hokage’s handling… the faction represented by the Konoha Hokage didn’t clash intensely with the faction represented by Uchiha Ikeizumi; instead, it was downplayed.”
“The Konoha Hokage’s indecisiveness was beyond our expectations. We didn’t expect him to be so tolerant; even with two sons and a daughter-in-law dying one after another, he didn’t completely lose his reason, just some emotional control.”
Hearing this.
The Fourth Raikage A showed little fluctuation in expression and said gruffly: “Since the mission failed, have our people withdraw first. Anyway, this was just a probe of Konoha, and by the way, a probe of that former dominant Third Hokage in the Ninja World.”
At this point, the Fourth Raikage’s tone carried some emotion: “Actually, the mission wasn’t a complete failure; at least it let me see what that Konoha Third Hokage has become now.”
“Looks like he’s gotten old after all.”
Pausing, the Fourth Raikage continued: “You can arrange for some village ninjas to infiltrate the Land of Fire. Since the Third Hokage has become weak, Hidden Cloud Village doesn’t need to hold back.”
The Anbu Ninja’s heart tightened, roughly guessing that Lord Raikage was planning to target the Land of Fire’s resources.
Sending village ninjas definitely meant plundering resources from the Land of Fire through force.
Just without starting a war.
But…
This behavior, once it provokes Konoha, could really escalate to war.
Of course, this wasn’t for a small Anbu Ninja like him to consider.
“Yes, Lord Raikage!”
……
“Hokage, are you really not going to step in to control those strange rumors in the village? Although the Police Force has been cracking down on ‘rumors’ lately, the ‘rumors’ about the Hokage seem to be ignored by the Police Force Ninjas.”
“Maybe… maybe because in their eyes, the rumors about the Hokage circulating in the village are actually very likely true.”
“So the Police Force, upholding Absolute Justice, doesn’t crack down on rumors about the Hokage.”
One of the few Anbu Ninjas still utterly loyal to Sarutobi Hiruzen reminded and advised him.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed: “Some conspiracy theories are deeply imprinted in many people’s hearts… Even if I step in to stop the spread of rumors, it would probably be futile.”
“They can avoid discussing it openly or privately, but they’ll think about it in their hearts, and I can’t curb their thoughts.”
“But…”
After hesitating, the Anbu Ninja finally reminded: “If these statements continue to spread, they’ll cause very bad negative impacts, leading some in the village to believe that you, Hokage, are no longer suitable to be Konoha’s Hokage.”
“There’s even public opinion— the Third has sat in the Hokage position for so many years. Logically, after the Fourth fell, the Fifth should take over. Why does the Third continue to control Konoha? When will Konoha’s Fifth Hokage be selected?”
The Anbu Ninja took a deep breath and boldly said: “Hokage, if this continues… maybe some people in the village will really launch an election for the Fifth Hokage.”
The words “some people” seemed pointed.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was silent for a moment, then shook his head and said hoarsely: “The Fifth Hokage isn’t that easy to be; no one in the Police Force is suitable.”
He added: “Even Ikeizumi isn’t suitable for the Hokage position, let alone others.”
But at that moment.
Another Anbu Ninja knocked and entered, reporting to Sarutobi Hiruzen: “Hokage, Lady Tsunade had her disciple Shizune spread a message in the village. In less than two hours, the news has spread throughout half the village.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen caught the complexity and shock in this Anbu Ninja’s tone.
This gave Sarutobi Hiruzen a bad premonition.
“Tsunade…” Sarutobi Hiruzen asked: “Isn’t she setting up a new Medical Team? What message did she spread?”
The Anbu Ninja said with complex tone: “Lady Tsunade’s disciple said—Lady Tsunade has decided to inherit the Fourth’s will and become Konoha Village’s Fifth Hokage. She even said she wants to sweep away all of the old Konoha Village and establish a new Konoha Village.”
Crack—
Vaguely, the Anbu Ninja heard something being crushed.
He could feel that in this brief instant, the Hokage’s emotions had fluctuated intensely.
“Tsunade… wants to become the Fifth? And openly announcing it to all of Konoha… That’s really her style, bold and unrestrained, not bound by rules.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly took a deep breath.
In the past, if Tsunade had actively wanted to succeed him, Sarutobi Hiruzen would have been quite pleased. He would have been willing to train Tsunade as Konoha’s Fifth Hokage.
After all.
The village ultimately needed a young person to lead it; he was getting on in years.
The problem was… that was the old Tsunade. The current Tsunade was no longer worthy of his trust.
Because Tsunade now stood on the side of Absolute Justice!
If she became Konoha’s Fifth Hokage, what difference would it make from Uchiha Ikeizumi becoming the Fifth Hokage?
She was purely the type of disciple who leaned outwards!
“…Many people in the village have heard Tsunade’s message?” Sarutobi Hiruzen rubbed his brow and asked.
“Yes.” The Anbu Ninja nodded: “At least all the ninja clans in the village know, and most Konoha Ninjas have heard it; probably only ordinary civilians are unaware.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a strong sense of urgency.
The immense pressure made it hard for him to breathe.
……
Somewhere in Konoha.
“Lady Tsunade explicitly stated she wants to inherit the Fourth’s will.” Yamanaka Inoichi said slowly: “She didn’t mention the Third, meaning in her eyes, the Third isn’t a Hokage in the strict sense.”
Nara Shikahisa interjected: “More precisely, Lady Tsunade is aiming her spear at the Third Hokage this time. She must have discussed it with Ikeizumi; she’s contributing to justice in this way.”
Choji Akimichi sighed deeply: “This is openly forcing the Third Hokage to step down! Lady Tsunade is too straightforward and brutal.”
Nara Shikahisa’s mouth curved up: “Maybe it’s this straightforward and brutal method that catches the Hokage off guard. Didn’t Ikeizumi use this way to make the Hokage retreat step by step?”
“Sometimes, there’s no need for schemes.”
……
……
