Avengers of the Whirlpool Family.

Chapter 502: Their respective positions

The deep anger hidden in the calm words.

This was a strong emotion that everyone present could hear.

Kushina had already given a lot of face to her predecessors, especially her husband. Before she died in battle, as the wife of the Hokage, she had to consider things from the perspective of the village and measure things based on the interests of the village. This should apply even after her death, but that had to be based on the assumption that the village had not let her down and her children.

But now! ?
You know, after learning more facts from Menma, Minato couldn't say it, but Kushina really wanted to say some "heartfelt" words in the physical sense to the Third Hokage and her own teacher Jiraiya.

That was the child I gave birth to after ten months of pregnancy.

This is the child I have always felt deeply guilty about.

Kushina was already very sad and in pain because she gave birth to her children but could not raise them, could not give them a complete childhood, could not give them complete love.

Nowadays, we see children being abused and siblings killing each other.

If Kushina could still endure it calmly, she would be unworthy of her former title of 'Blood Red Pepper'.

Why didn't Kushina react at all in the original work?

That's because Naruto himself doesn't think there's anything wrong, so why would Kushina bring it up?

These are two completely different things.

A completely different story.

"Kushina..."

Minato also sighed softly in his heart, and finally revealed a firm look, stepped forward, held his wife's right hand tightly, and looked at Tobirama, Hashirama, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Jiraiya and others with a very serious expression and said: "I really ask the First, Second, Third, and Third generations, Jiraiya-sensei to forgive our selfishness. After all, it is us who are sorry to Naruto and Menma. Please rest assured, elders, my husband and I will never get involved in any problems targeting the village. After all, I was the fourth generation of the village. I will try my best to advise Menma. As for the rest, my husband and I are powerless. Please understand, elders."

Minato's words were much softer, and he left a way out inside and out, but the meaning he wanted to express was almost the same.

He has already fulfilled his duties as Hokage.

He died to protect the village and the people.

He is the 'Yondaime of the past'.

Now he is just a pure father and husband.

Looking at the determined Minato couple.

Sarutobi Hiruzen opened his mouth, but in the end the guilt and bitterness on his face became even more intense, and he didn't know what to say.

Jiraiya couldn't utter a word.

After all, they are still people who care about their reputation. It's all obvious, how can they deny it?
You can't just keep yelling at the Minato couple and force them to take action on your own children, right?

People can say they don't want to get involved in anything.

That's already very merciful.

What else do you want from them?
"You don't have to do this, Mr. and Mrs. Yondaime. It is the village that has let you and your children down. You have not let down any part of the village. Everything is the fault of that monkey. I apologize to you on behalf of the village."

In the extremely heavy silence.

The first Hokage, who had been laughing nonsensically before, now showed an extremely serious look, and while speaking in a very serious and solemn tone, he immediately knelt down and almost prostrated himself to apologize to the Minato couple.

Hashirama truly felt from the bottom of his heart that Konoha was sorry for the couple as they both died fighting for the village.

The children who stayed behind would also suffer the same treatment.

Wrong is wrong.

Hashirama has never been ambiguous about this.

"Shoudai-sama, please don't do this."

Minato and Kushina were shocked when they saw the First Hokage actually knelt down to apologize to them. This was the First Hokage of the village, the famous Ninja God in the Ninja World. Even with Kushina's personality, she felt that such behavior was too much.

The couple hurried forward and immediately helped Senju Hashirama up.

Regarding this God of Ninja, whether it is Minato or Kushina, even if they have never gotten along with each other before and have only met each other at this moment, both of them still have great respect and affection for the First Hokage. He is indeed a person worthy of respect.

Especially for Kushina, when she first came to Konoha, the person who loved and took care of her the most was Uzumaki Mito. She was almost like a grandmother to Kushina, and the softest part of Kushina's heart.

Hashirama is Mito's husband.

Naturally, he can also be considered Kushina's grandfather. It is impossible for Kushina to have any disapproval towards this senior.

Not to mention.

The ones who felt sorry for the couple were the Third Hokage and some other people in the village. What do they have to do with the First Hokage?

"No, as the Hokage of the village, I also have responsibilities. Minato, Kushina, I understand your grievances, and your approach is correct. Don't worry, I approve of this in the name of the first Hokage. However, I can't say that I will sit idly by and watch Menma destroy Konoha. Of course, before the worst choice comes, I will try my best to persuade the child. This is my promise, Mr. and Mrs. Yondaime."

Hashirama still looked at Minato and Kushina with a serious expression, first shook his head, then nodded heavily and said.

The two advisors, Mizuto Kado En and Utatane Koharu, both looked anxious when they heard what Minato and Kushina said one after another. You know, although they trust their first and second generations very much, it is still an unknown whether the Impure World Reincarnation Technique can bring out the strength of the two adults at their peak. In this case, the identities of Minato and Kushina are the crucial trump cards.

The two still couldn't believe it. With Minato and Kushina as their parents coming out to persuade them, Menma could still kill Konoha! ?

The worst that could happen is that we can just discuss and continue to merge several ninja villages. As long as the merger is based on Konoha, the name of Konoha will still be used, and Uzumaki Menma will give up the title of Tenkage and succeed the Hokage to serve as the Sixth Hokage.

They are also completely acceptable as the children of the fourth generation.

Menma is also the real successor of the Hokage lineage, so the minor mistakes he made before are completely acceptable.

Whose child isn't capable of rebelling a little?

Jiraiya and Tsunade have not been in the village for many years and they don't wear the forehead protectors of the Hidden Leaf Village. Does anyone say that they are traitors to the village?
Asuma Sarutobi even joined the ranks of guardian ninja when he was young.

So, these are all minor issues.

As long as Konoha's righteousness remains and Konoha's interests can be ensured, any problem will be just a small problem!

It's the kind that can be ignored.

Even though Menma killed so many Konoha ninjas, it didn’t matter. The overall interests of Konoha were above everything else.

No matter what others think.

At least that's what Mito En and Utane Koharu both believed, but now the attitudes of Minato and Kushina at least directly shattered this possibility. What follows is that either the east wind will overwhelm the west wind, or the west wind will blow down the east wind.

The two of them wanted to say something at the first moment.

But Hashirama's direct definition made the two of them speechless, especially when they met Tobirama's cold eyes that seemed to see through everything. Both of them felt their hearts tighten and they were unable to say anything afterwards.

It's better for them to just kneel down obediently. Before their Hokage mentor speaks, the two of them have no right or qualification to comment on anything.

Just listen to the bosses' orders.

"Well, what Anijia said is also what I wanted to say. You and your wife have already sacrificed for the village, so all your responsibilities and obligations have been fulfilled. You are worthy of the status of Hokage and your wife, and you have not let the village down. It is me, your foolish apprentice, who has let you and your wife down, as well as the child Menma. His situation is also caused by the monkey's stupid behavior. Logically speaking, his behavior is reasonable, but we have different standpoints. Anijia and I can't sit idly by and watch Menma really destroy Konoha, so, please forgive me, the Fourth Hokage and his wife, but I also promise on the reputation of the Second Hokage that as long as there is a possibility, we will try our best to avoid the worst situation. Even if the result is like that in the end, Anijia and I will leave as much leeway as possible."

The words in the pillar were finished.

Tobirama also stepped forward and said to Minato and Kushina with an extremely serious expression.

Tobirama looks bloody and cold, but that is his attitude towards the outside world and all enemies.

Towards his own people, especially those companions who have sacrificed everything for the village, Tobirama's attitude is completely different.

In the matter of Minato and his wife and Uzumaki Menma, they did not do anything wrong to the village. Instead, it was the village that let them down. Moreover, he was Sarutobi Hiruzen's master, so they had to bear the responsibility.

It's just that this matter is not simply about right or wrong. If Menma was not here to destroy Konoha, but to deal with the problem within the ninja village, or even just started a rebellion to seize power and purge people like Mizuto Menen like the Uchiha clan did in the past, Tobirama would have simply sat back and watched.

No, it is even possible that they will assist.

Since these rebels can't manage the village, let's send someone who can.

Tobirama has always been a pragmatist.

It is an existence that truly implements the principle that everything is for the benefit of the Hidden Leaf Village.

The expression of Sarutobi Hiruzen at the side was extremely wonderful at this moment. If someone else had said these words at this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen would definitely let this person understand what the majesty of the Hokage was, but facing his own mentor.

Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't utter a word.

Not to mention, as early as the Chunin Exam, when he saw Menma being bewitched by Orochimaru and directly defecting, Sarutobi Hiruzen realized that his choice 12 years ago was wrong. He should not have concealed Menma's identity, and should have let Menma and Naruto live together. No matter what problems they encountered, as the Hokage and as Minato's real 'master', he needed to protect the two little guys from wind and rain.

Therefore, at this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen also imitated his own first-generation master and knelt down solemnly with his hands on the ground.

"Although I know that such behavior can no longer salvage anything, I can only apologize in this way now. Minato, Kushina, I am sorry for you."

Sarutobi Hiruzen is not Senju Hashirama.

Although it may not be appropriate to say this, Hashirama is really the type of person who would often get up from his seat to ask for help from others, including but not limited to relatives and friends, leaders of hostile forces, and younger people. As long as Hashirama feels the need to express sincerity, he will get up from his seat.

In terms of status, the two are certainly not comparable.

But in terms of personality and style.

The fact that Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped down from the throne really speaks volumes.

Jiraiya, who was sitting on the side, also assumed the Dogeza posture at almost the same time.

"Minato, Kushina, I'm sorry to you too. As a teacher, I failed to take good care of Menma. This is my fault."

Sarutobi Hiruzen was wrong.

As Minato's master, he was affectionately called Grandpa Jiraiya by Naruto, which was even more wrong. From the moment Menma defected, Jiraiya had been regretting why he didn't insist, argue with reason, and take care of Menma and Naruto together?
All I can say is that it's too late for everything. Based on this point, on that day, when he died at Menma's hands, Jiraiya actually felt a sense of relief. He felt that his death might eliminate a small part of the resentment in Menma's heart. It all depends on whether Naruto can really save everything.

"Please stand up, Sandaime-sama, Jiraiya-sensei. Kushina and I have already talked about this. Everything is over. Just as Shodai-sama and Nidaime-sama said, what follows is just a difference in stance. We will not say or do anything more. Everything depends on you and Menma himself. This is also our promise as a couple."

Minato also hurried forward, helped Sarutobi Hiruzen and Jiraiya up one after another, and said with a light sigh.

Kushina, who was sitting aside, was originally looking coldly at the two of them. This was completely different from Hashirama. These two people were the direct persons responsible for causing her children to become enemies. Kushina was now trying hard to suppress her anger.

Can everything be avoided by just apologizing?!
What a joke!
"Kushina..."

Minato could clearly see the anger in his wife, and there was a hint of pleading on that handsome face as she spoke softly.

It also made Kushina's heart soften.

(End of this chapter)