Chapter 198: Ikeizumi: “obito Is A Total Nutjob!”
“The Hidden Mist Village’s Bloody Mist Policy wasn’t like this many years ago.”
When his feet stepped onto the Land of Water’s territory, Juzo Biwa said in a complex tone: “The Bloody Mist Policy had already taken shape in the Hidden Mist Village long before the Fourth Mizukage took power.”
“But the village at that time was just using this method to select more elite ninjas, and it didn’t let this policy spread to the entire country.”
“It didn’t even make the Land of Water’s Bloodline Limit ninjas suffer repeated purges and clan exterminations…”
At this point, Juzo Biwa’s tone paused.
He looked up at the Land of Water’s gloomy weather, then glanced at the deathly still atmosphere of the Land of Water port, watching those listless port workers and fishermen whose eyes seemed to have lost their spark.
He took a deep breath and continued: “But not long after the Fourth Mizukage took power, he pushed the Bloody Mist Policy to an extreme, even more radical than before.”
“So extreme that even many of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist couldn’t stand it. So… most of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist who didn’t die in the Third Shinobi World War chose to defect.”
“And the negative extreme effects of the Bloody Mist Policy gradually spread from the Hidden Mist Village to the entire Land of Water. This caused the entire Land of Water’s national power to decline rapidly, gradually leading to a state where the people had no means to make a living.”
“I once thought all this was the evil deed of the Fourth Mizukage alone, but now I realize there’s a Uchiha Obito hiding behind the scenes.”
Juzo Biwa’s fists had clenched at some point.
If he felt very satisfied with the Hidden Mist Village’s current state, was indifferent to the Bloody Mist Policy, and turned a blind eye to all the decay in the Land of Water…
Then he wouldn’t have chosen to defect back then, nor would he have chosen to join Akatsuki.
It was precisely because Juzo Biwa loved the Hidden Mist Village and loved the Land of Water.
That he couldn’t tolerate the current demonized Bloody Mist Policy.
“Hoo…” After exhaling a heavy breath of turbid air, Juzo Biwa said with a gloomy expression: “Uchiha Ikeizumi, can I ask what the motives are of Uchiha Obito, who deliberately turned the Hidden Mist Village into this? If he wanted to extract enough benefits from the Hidden Mist Village, shouldn’t a prosperous Land of Water provide more benefits than a decayed one? I don’t understand.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi had already put away the necklace pendant.
He looked at the obviously depressing port dock and slowly said: “You don’t need to use normal people’s thinking to guess Uchiha Obito’s mindset. The purpose of everything he did is very simple—he just wants to take revenge on the entire Land of Water.”
Juzo Biwa was stunned: “Revenge?”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said: “Uchiha Obito’s unrequited love, the Konoha kunoichi Rin Nohara, was implanted with the Three-Tails by Mist ninjas controlled by Uchiha Madara. The apparent purpose was to let the Three-Tails return to Konoha and wreak havoc. Rin Nohara didn’t want Konoha destroyed by her, so she willingly let Kakashi kill her.
“Uchiha Obito watched with his own eyes as Kakashi killed the girl he had a crush on. He resented Kakashi, resented Konoha, and also resented the Hidden Mist Village. In his eyes, the culprits behind the tragedy of Rin Nohara’s death were your Hidden Mist Village ninjas.”
“So…”
“This is his so-called revenge. He doesn’t want to extract any benefits from the Hidden Mist Village; he simply wants the Hidden Mist Village and the Land of Water to feel the pain he once felt.”
The information revealed by Uchiha Ikeizumi left Juzo Biwa dumbfounded.
Because it was too detailed, so detailed that it seemed like Uchiha Ikeizumi had been a bystander to the event back then.
And…
Based on Juzo Biwa’s understanding of Uchiha Ikeizumi, he felt the other wasn’t lying; the truth was probably just like that.
No.
What kind of mental illness does this Uchiha Obito have?
Doesn’t he think about why the Hidden Mist Village would implant the Three-Tails into a Konoha ninja’s body?
Isn’t the Hidden Mist Village afraid that Konoha could turn the tables and control the Three-Tails?
You know, Konoha Village has many Uchiha Clan ninjas, and the Uchiha Clan’s Sharingan is the natural counter to tailed beasts! Those Sharingan wielders were dazzling in the Third Shinobi World War, enough to alert the Hidden Mist Village!
How could the Hidden Mist Village take such a risk and inexplicably throw something as dangerous as the Three-Tails into Konoha? There’s a certain probability it would be like buns beating a dog—nothing achieved, and possibly letting Konoha Village control two tailed beasts!
No one with a brain would do such a thing!
Anyone with a brain could see something was very off here!
Juzo Biwa was stunned for a moment.
He expressed that he didn’t understand.
“…The Ninja World is truly dark enough.” In the end, Juzo Biwa could only say this.
All sorts of conspiracy plots that even hearing them made his scalp tingle left Juzo Biwa a bit numb.
The key was that these conspiracies seemed to be real.
He couldn’t figure out why that real Uchiha Madara would scheme so many plots from behind the scenes.
What was his purpose in grooming Uchiha Obito?
What did he want to do to the entire Ninja World?
Uchiha Madara… that man who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Konoha’s First Hokage, is he still alive now?
“Meow, you’ll get used to it.” Kijiro squatted on Uchiha Izumi’s shoulder, yawning as he said: “Don’t think that a mental patient’s mindset is the same as yours, a normal person. That Uchiha Obito, if he were even a normal ordinary person, wouldn’t dream of opposing Ikeizumi-sama.”
“But meow…”
Kijiro glanced at Juzo Biwa and said: “Uchiha Obito only accelerated your Hidden Mist Village’s decline. If you blame everything on Uchiha Obito, that means you haven’t truly realized where the problem lies, meow.”
Kijiro’s words made Juzo Biwa fall silent.
Indeed, he had intentionally or unintentionally shifted all the blame to Uchiha Obito, as if avoiding something, as if denying that the Hidden Mist Village had been rotten to the core from the start.
A mental illness patient like Uchiha Obito just found an opportunity to make the roots even rottener.
Thinking of this…
Juzo Biwa couldn’t refute.
Izumi pursed her lips and said: “Uchiha Obito, strictly speaking, this guy is my father’s killer. Because on the Night of the Nine-Tails, it was because he released the Nine-Tails Demon Fox.”
“His revenge against Konoha Village and Konoha is completely illogical. He’s simply venting, simply antisocial, simply… maybe his brain has some issues.”
“People like him and Uchiha Itachi are probably the same type.”
The girl gave this evaluation of Uchiha Obito.
At least from her stance, Uchiha Obito’s actions made him just this kind of person.
……
Konoha Village.
With Tsunade’s words “Shizune, see the guest out,” Shizune could only steel herself and try to escort this Third Hokage out.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen still sat motionless in place, making cold sweat bead on Shizune’s forehead.
No way!
Is there really going to be some kind of armed conflict?
What should I do then? If I help Lady Tsunade deal with the Hokage, does that make me a Konoha rogue ninja? But if we take out the Hokage, will Lady Tsunade become Konoha’s next Hokage?
Just as Shizune was lost in wild thoughts, cold sweat dripping from her forehead, tense to the extreme.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had been silent for half a day, finally slowly stood up.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Tsunade.
He didn’t speak, but turned and walked toward the door.
When he reached the door.
With his back to Tsunade, Sarutobi Hiruzen said in a hoarse, deep voice: “Then let’s compete. Tsunade, I can’t turn a blind eye to your willfulness. Unless you can say in front of me that you’ve clearly drawn a line with Absolute Justice.”
“Of course, this doesn’t mean I’m making you an enemy of Absolute Justice. But at least you can’t govern Konoha with Absolute Justice’s ideology, nor let Absolute Justice replace the Will of Fire.”
Having said this, Sarutobi Hiruzen left without looking back.
Tsunade’s face showed some complexity.
She rubbed her brow and sighed: “Looks like the old man won’t admit defeat or step down. Avoiding Ikeizumi is like avoiding the plague god. He’s getting serious now; this really is a break!”
Shizune swallowed hard: “Lady Tsunade, what do we do next?”
A serious expression flashed across Tsunade’s face as she said: “Since the old man made this decision, how could I be afraid of him? If he wants to compete, then we’ll compete and settle it.”
“Shizune, tomorrow come with me to visit those Konoha ninjas who are close to the old man, have some fame in the village, and still have some strength.”
Shizune nodded quickly: “Who’s the first to visit?”
Tsunade thought for a moment and gave an answer: “Kakashi!”
……
Sarutobi Hiruzen was also taking action.
He didn’t return to the Hokage’s Office Building or to the Sarutobi Clan.
Instead, he found Jiraiya, who was trying to tail Uzumaki Naruto.
“Jiraiya!”
The moment Sarutobi Hiruzen’s smiling voice sounded from behind Jiraiya, Jiraiya’s whole body stiffened, and his expression became unnatural.
Jiraiya pretended not to hear, yawned as if wanting to go back to the inn for a nap, and walked in one direction wearing wooden clogs.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen didn’t give him a chance to slip away.
He directly blocked his path.
On Sarutobi Hiruzen’s wrinkle-covered old face, he barely squeezed out a kindly smile: “Jiraiya, although you’ve been back in the village for a while, we master and disciples haven’t really caught up.”
Jiraiya’s mouth twitched imperceptibly.
He scratched his head with an awkward laugh: “Hahaha! It’s you, old man! I vaguely heard someone calling me just now, but the voice was too soft; I thought I misheard…”
Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled politely and greeted Sage Shima and Sage Fukasaku on Jiraiya’s shoulders.
Immediately after.
Under Jiraiya’s somewhat stiff expression, Sarutobi Hiruzen got straight to the point: “Jiraiya, you should have heard some of the recent rumors in the village, right?”
Jiraiya laughed awkwardly: “Yeah, I heard the Konoha Police Force’s enforcement procedures have gotten really strict. If you’re caught gathering material in the women’s bathhouse, you might end up in jail.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn’t mind Jiraiya’s attempt to change the subject.
He brought the topic back himself: “You should also have heard that Tsunade wants to become Konoha’s Fifth Hokage, right? Jiraiya.”
With the conversation already at this point, Jiraiya knew pretending to be clueless was useless.
Jiraiya took a deep breath and said helplessly: “Old man, don’t drag me into this. You know… I’m not interested in this stuff. Plus, it involves Tsunade; how could I persuade her?”
Jiraiya’s face was complex: “If you really want to keep being Hokage, you should talk to her. She’s your disciple after all; if you’re nicer, maybe she’ll listen.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen said: “I’ve already met with Tsunade once.”
Jiraiya: “…”
Now Jiraiya knew he didn’t need to ask how it went.
Since the old man came to him, it meant the talk with Tsunade probably ended very tensely.
Maybe it almost came to blows.
Jiraiya pondered: “Perhaps… it’s time for the village’s outstanding young people to take over Konoha. After all, you can’t stay in the Hokage position for decades or centuries, right?”
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head: “I’m not the type to cling to power or be obsessed with authority. Handing Konoha to the young ones is something I naturally want.”
“But…”
“As for exactly which young person to hand it to, I should have my own choice. People overly obsessed with Absolute Justice, in my eyes, are not suitable to lead Konoha.”
With that said.
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s gaze was solemn: “Jiraiya, I hope you support me openly and spread the word of your support throughout Konoha, letting everyone in the village know. Because as one of the Sannin, you can rally quite a few ninjas to follow you.”
“Or…”
“You run for Konoha’s Fifth Hokage. If you become Konoha’s Hokage, I have no objection. I’ll fully support you then and help you suppress Tsunade.”
Jiraiya’s mouth twitched.
He knew the old man coming to him at this critical juncture meant no good.
This was too offensive.
If it was offending people from other ninja villages, Jiraiya wouldn’t care much, but offending his own village’s people was a big problem.
If the old man lost to Tsunade in the end, wouldn’t he be in big trouble and get settled by Tsunade?
He didn’t even know how many ribs Tsunade would break.
Tsunade could be very petty sometimes!
And very vindictive!
“Hoo… old man.” Jiraiya said: “I don’t have time to get involved in this right now. My gaze is now on the entire Ninja World. The Ninja World needs a special change to return to how it should be. And this change requires the Child of Prophecy foretold by the Great Toad Sage.”
“That’s what I need to do. Until I train the Child of Prophecy, I won’t let other things distract me.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned: “Child of Prophecy? Great Toad Sage’s prophecy? What does that mean?”
He really didn’t know about this.
Jiraiya could only give a simple explanation, which made Sarutobi Hiruzen’s frown deepen, even casting scrutinizing, suspicious glances at Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima.
“Jiraiya, is this prophecy of yours… reliable?”
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s furrowed brow skepticism stunned Jiraiya for a moment.
How come even the old man doesn’t trust the Great Toad Sage’s prophecy?
……
……
PS: Forgot to post the chapter after writing it; I thought I had in my memory, good thing I checked…
