Chapter 95: Naruto: “grandpa Hokage Is A Bad Guy???”
In Hiruzen Sarutobi’s mind, the word “justice” had almost become synonymous with Uchiha Ikeizumi.
When he heard Naruto’s rather emotional statement.
Hiruzen Sarutobi realized he was late.
He also realized what Ikeizumi intended to do to Naruto.
Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn’t describe his current feelings; perhaps it was shock, or anger, or regret… But one thing he was sure of was that he absolutely could not let Naruto believe in any kind of justice!
Especially Uchiha Ikeizumi’s absolute justice!
He pulled at the stiff smile frozen on his old face and said earnestly to Naruto, “Naruto, leave the investigation of the killer villain to Konoha’s Police Force. That is their duty, and they will investigate it thoroughly.”
“You are still young, just a child, and you’ve only been in the Ninja Academy for less than two months. This world of adults is not something you can get involved in right now. We can talk about it when you grow up.”
“But…” Just as Naruto was about to say something.
A sharp voice with a strange intonation suddenly interjected, “Why is it that at this point, you only know that a seven-year-old kid is a child, meow?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned and glanced over. He was startled for a moment, only to realize that the speaker was a ninja cat.
This orange ninja cat…
seemed to belong to Ikeizumi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly had a bad premonition.
“Meow, that guy Uchiha Itachi was thrown onto the battlefield of the Ninja Wars when he was four years old. At that time, why didn’t anyone say that a child of that age was a child?”
Kijiro the cat’s face was full of disdain, and he mocked without hesitation.
“Uzumaki Naruto is already seven years old, three years older than Uchiha Itachi was at the time. Just because he wants to carry out justice with Lord Ikeizumi, you then say he’s too young?”
“Your intentions, even I, a ninja cat, can see clearly! Humans are truly calculating, meow!”
Hiruzen Sarutobi: “…”
He never expected to be ridiculed by a ninja cat one day.
But for the dignified Third Hokage to argue with a cat… would be too embarrassing!
The key was that he didn’t know how to retort. Should he openly say Naruto was a Jinchuriki?
No.
This secret must not be told to Naruto, at least not yet.
He was still too young.
Uchiha Ikeizumi said indifferently, “Uzumaki Naruto, make the choice that is in your heart. Don’t worry about anything. Even if your choice goes against my expectations, I won’t kill you. But if your choice matches my expectations, they won’t be able to take you away.”
This statement made Koharu Utatane’s eyes widen. She clenched her fists and squeezed out one sentence word by word: “Uchiha Ikeizumi, do you know what you are doing right now!?”
This was Koharu Utatane’s first time interacting with Uchiha Ikeizumi face-to-face at such close range.
This was also the first time she realized how stubborn this guy was, how little he respected the Konoha higher-ups.
She finally understood how much suppressed frustration and anger Hiruzen Sarutobi endured when facing Ikeizumi.
She also somewhat understood why Danzo wanted to kill Uchiha Ikeizumi.
Although the Uchiha Clan had many troublesome individuals.
daring to say this in front of so many Anbu, in front of the Hokage, and in front of her, a High-level Advisor.
Uchiha Ikeizumi was absolutely the first!
Koharu Utatane already had a fleeting urge to order the Anbu Ninja and Root Ninja to take down Uchiha Ikeizumi together.
“Uchiha Ikeizumi, you…” Just as Koharu Utatane was about to say—you have no right to force Uzumaki Naruto to make a choice.
Hiruzen Sarutobi next to him suddenly said, “Naruto, I know your dream is to gain the recognition of everyone in the village, to become the future Hokage of Konoha. You need to make the right choice. Because when you make the wrong choice, it will be difficult for everyone in the village to recognize you.”
“And Ikeizumi…” Hiruzen Sarutobi said, “Although he has done many things for Konoha, his methods are too extreme and too thorough, and he has never gained the recognition of the majority from beginning to end.”
“Naruto, this is contrary to your dream.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi no longer held back. In front of Uchiha Ikeizumi, he criticized Ikeizumi in front of Naruto.
Hearing this, Izumi immediately furrowed her delicate brows.
She mumbled and wrote down Hiruzen Sarutobi’s name one after another in her notebook, with such force that she even tore through the paper.
“But…”
To Hiruzen Sarutobi’s stunned expression, he saw Naruto’s eyes visibly redden, and tears slowly fell from his moist eyes.
“Grandpa Hokage…”
Naruto tried to wipe away the uncontrollable tears. He lowered his small head and sobbed with a dejected mood, “You never intended for me to gain the recognition of everyone in the village either…”
Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned.
“Everyone in the village says I am the embodiment of the Demon Fox. Sometimes, when they see me, they think they’ve had a terrible day. These are rumors spread by that person named Danzo, aren’t they?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s pupils trembled.
“Grandpa Hokage knows about this… Grandpa Hokage also knows who the mastermind behind me being disliked by everyone is. But why is Grandpa Hokage protecting that person?”
“Doesn’t Grandpa Hokage not letting everyone know the truth… just make everyone in the village believe even more that I am the ’embodiment of the Demon Fox’?”
“Why can’t you tell them—that the Nine-Tails Demon Fox was sealed inside me without my knowledge?”
The moment Naruto’s question fell.
It wasn’t just Hiruzen Sarutobi whose reaction was subtle; even Koharu Utatane looked at Naruto with disbelief.
Uzumaki Naruto…
How did he know that the Nine-Tails Demon Fox was sealed within him?
Who told him?
Uchiha Ikeizumi?
“The Nine-Tails’ rampage that night caused pain and disaster to Konoha, and it had nothing to do with me… Why does everyone in the village hate me and isolate me because of those rumors? Why couldn’t Grandpa Hokage help me explain? Why did he let the misunderstanding between me and everyone in the village deepen?”
“Grandpa Hokage…”
“I don’t understand.”
Naruto’s tears fell with a “pat-pat” sound. A seven-year-old child couldn’t organize his words and logic well, and could only rely on his instinct of being wronged to keep questioning Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He didn’t show anger towards Hiruzen Sarutobi because he knew Grandpa Hokage had indeed been good to him.
Naruto just felt extremely wronged, extremely lost, and endlessly confused.
“Grandpa Hokage, I’m sorry…”
“I… I just want to do one thing well. I can’t go back with you for now. At least I need to find that killer villain, at least I need to let the family of four victims rest in peace. Only then will I go back with you, Grandpa Hokage.”
Naruto made his choice.
He also gave his answer.
…
Looking at Naruto, who was crying “pat-pat” with injustice, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn’t know what to say anymore. Naruto knowing these things likely had something to do with Ikeizumi, right?
Logically speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt he should be angry, especially angry at Uchiha Ikeizumi.
Didn’t Ikeizumi know how much of a shock it would be to Naruto to reveal the truth of that year?
Ikeizumi must have known!
But he still told Naruto. Was his goal to make Naruto believe in his absolute justice?
However…
Looking at Naruto, who kept wiping away his tears, Hiruzen Sarutobi himself didn’t know why, but the anger in his heart felt stifled.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something to the child, but for a moment, he didn’t know what to say to salvage Naruto’s disappointment in him as “Grandpa Hokage.”
“Uzumaki Naruto, stop this!”
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn’t speak, but Koharu Utatane said with a dark face, “You don’t have the right to make a choice. Cases handled by the Police Force are not something you can get involved in. Even if Uchiha Ikeizumi forces you to make a choice, it will be useless, right? Fugaku.”
“…Right.”
Fugaku took a deep breath and also said, “Uzumaki Naruto, you might not know me. I am the Captain of the Uchiha Police Force—Uchiha Fugaku. To participate in cases handled by the Police Force, you need my consent.”
“My answer is, I do not agree to you and Ikeizumi messing around! At your age, you should be studying properly at the Ninja Academy.”
Naruto was stunned for a moment.
Koharu Utatane, with her old face darkened, finally showed some relief. At least it could be confirmed that Uchiha Fugaku was temporarily on Konoha’s side.
She immediately gave a look to a Root Ninja.
Currently, Koharu Utatane was indeed temporarily taking over Danzo’s duties.
The Root Organization was outwardly commanded by her.
However, the current Root had only a few remaining members, and most of the Root Ninja had been killed by Uchiha Ikeizumi.
This forced Koharu Utatane, who took over Root, to draw some ninjas from the Utatane Clan to fill in for Root.
Koharu Utatane’s look made the Root Ninja immediately understand.
He immediately stepped forward and attempted to forcibly drag Uzumaki Naruto away. Naruto, startled, retreated half a step defensively, and he instinctively bared his teeth at the other party.
A sudden surge of irritability and malice made Naruto himself feel somewhat inexplicably annoyed.
The next second.
A hand suddenly reached out and grabbed the Root Ninja’s arm.
Koharu Utatane was about to get angry but froze. Uchiha Fugaku had the exact same reaction.
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s reaction was the opposite. He didn’t look at the hand that suddenly reached out, but instead stared at Naruto’s small back.
He narrowed his eyes and keenly noticed that the hair on the back of Naruto’s head was slowly moving in the windless air!
This made Uchiha Ikeizumi thoughtful.
“…Grandpa Hokage?” Thinking he was about to be forcibly taken away, Naruto looked up at Hiruzen Sarutobi with tear-streaked eyes in surprise.
“…Hiruzen?!” Koharu Utatane’s shock was evident. This was a situation she had not anticipated at all.
“Hokage-sama?” Fugaku was also stunned because he clearly saw that the hand holding the Root Ninja’s arm was the Hokage-sama’s right hand!
In full view of everyone, Hiruzen Sarutobi was silent for a long time.
He released his hand, half-crouched down, and reached his hand towards Naruto.
Naruto hesitated.
But he didn’t dodge.
Hiruzen Sarutobi gently stroked Naruto’s hair.
He forced a smile and slowly said, “Naruto, I can temporarily set aside some official business today and join you in seeking justice for the innocent who were killed by the murderous villain.”
“Grandpa Hokage…” Naruto felt the inexplicable irritability and malice in his heart seemed to dissipate a bit.
“Hiruzen, what are you doing?!”
Koharu Utatane was momentarily confused by Hiruzen Sarutobi’s thought process. She hurried to say, “Uzumaki Naruto…”
But before Koharu Utatane could finish speaking.
She was forcefully interrupted by Hiruzen Sarutobi: “Naruto wants to gain recognition from everyone in the village in this way, which is a good thing. Koharu, let’s put this matter aside for now. You can take your Root Ninja and leave.”
Koharu Utatane: “???”
As her mind struggled to catch up, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly stood up.
For some reason, Koharu Utatane noticed that Hiruzen seemed to have slightly relaxed.
She saw Hiruzen turn his head to face her, his mouth opening and closing silently.
Koharu Utatane’s pupils slightly constricted because she read his lips—Naruto almost went berserk!!!
Koharu Utatane gasped.
She looked at Naruto, who had become obedient again, with disbelief.
She couldn’t help but look at Uchiha Ikeizumi with an unthinkable gaze.
To make a Jinchuriki almost go berserk meant that Uzumaki Naruto’s psychological emotional fluctuation had reached its peak, right?
Although Naruto was emotionally agitated when he was crying earlier, there was no sign of him going berserk. But why did he almost go berserk just because they tried to forcibly take him away?
What exactly did Uchiha Ikeizumi say to Uzumaki Naruto?
Is such extreme absolute justice so appealing?
These two had been in contact for less than half a day, right? Uzumaki Naruto was already so eager for justice?
Koharu Utatane did not understand!!!
Let alone Koharu Utatane, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn’t understand either. He even suspected if Naruto had been hit by an illusion technique?
Did Ikeizumi use his Mangekyo to control the Jinchuriki?
Of course, this suspicion lasted only for a second before being dismissed.
Even though Hiruzen Sarutobi’s current views on Uchiha Ikeizumi were vastly different from before.
However, one view remained unchanged.
That is—Ikeizumi never engaged in roundabout behavior. If he had truly controlled Naruto with Mangekyo illusions, Ikeizumi would have even said it proactively.
Facing a potentially berserk Naruto, Hiruzen Sarutobi could only compromise with Naruto at this moment.
Deep down, Hiruzen Sarutobi had a thought he didn’t want to admit: this was also a compromise with Uchiha Ikeizumi.
…
Fugaku: “…”
Fugaku found that he could no longer interject.
Just a minute ago, he had firmly stood with the Hokage and resolutely refused Uzumaki Naruto’s “foolishness,” intending to show the Hokage and Elder Koharu through this action that the Uchiha Clan had no intentions regarding the Jinchuriki.
If he could use such pressure to suppress Uchiha Ikeizumi a bit, it would be killing two birds with one stone.
At least it would give Ikeizumi a brief respite.
But who could have imagined.
While he acted tough in front of Ikeizumi, even attacking his own clan members with absolute force to prevent the Uchiha Clan from being misunderstood by the higher-ups… it was the Hokage who “surrendered” first, who “softened” first.
Fugaku couldn’t help but look at Koharu Utatane.
But he found that this Konoha High-level Advisor, who had previously engaged in constant verbal sparring with Ikeizumi and appeared extremely firm, now only gave Ikeizumi a deep look.
Then, following the Hokage’s orders, she directly left with the Root Ninja, leaving only a group of Anbu Ninja behind.
Fugaku: “???”
No…
Hiruzen Sarutobi “compromised,” and Koharu Utatane “left.”
So what should he, who was so “tough,” do now?
Fugaku found himself in an awkward position!
He didn’t know if he should be glad that besides himself and Ikeizumi, there were no other Police Force Ninja in the morgue.
Otherwise.
His prestige as the Uchiha Clan Leader within the Uchiha Clan, the last shred of authority he had, would be completely gone.
When Fugaku shifted his stiff gaze to Uchiha Ikeizumi, he found that Ikeizumi wasn’t attacking him on this weak point.
He always felt that Ikeizumi wasn’t even looking at him properly!
……
“Um…” Naruto, unaware of the tumultuous thoughts of those present, wiped the tears from his eyes with all his might and then said excitedly to Uchiha Ikeizumi, “Grandpa Hokage agreed to let me stay temporarily to find the murderous villain! And Grandpa Hokage will execute Justice with us!”
Uchiha Ikeizumi, however, said coldly, “If you were willing to embrace Justice, you should be ashamed of this.”
Naruto was stunned.
Uchiha Ikeizumi said, “Because ‘Evil’ sensed that you possess a Power that it cannot grasp, it had to reluctantly compromise with Justice and, cloaked in a disgusting facade of Justice, declare that it will execute Justice alongside you.”
“Conversely, this also means that if Justice doesn’t have enough Power, ‘Evil’ won’t even bother to wear the cloak of Justice. It will trample all over Justice.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen: “???”
Although not explicitly named, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt that Ikeizumi was talking about him, and he felt that he, the Hokage, was “Evil”!
Naruto, who was a bit confused by what he heard, took a good while to process it before starting to understand.
He exclaimed in shock, “Grandpa Hokage is a bad guy???”
Naruto was good at grasping the main point.
Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly felt his blood pressure surge. He found Naruto’s tendency to side with others unbelievable.
For the sake of appeasing you, I compromised and comforted you. I practically threw all my dignity out the window to finally regain your trust.
And if the roles were reversed with Ikeizumi…
You believed him after just a few words?!
“Naruto, you’ve misunderstood. Ikeizumi isn’t talking about me.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s unusually kind face became stiff. He said to Naruto, “As the Konoha Hokage, I have inherited Konoha’s finest Will of Fire? How could I be a bad guy?”
“He hasn’t misunderstood,” Uchiha Ikeizumi’s brief sentence left Sarutobi Hiruzen speechless.
……
……
