Naruto: I'm in Konoha, my name is Uzumaki Menma

Chapter 392 The true identity of Shura is...

The reception room of the Hokage Building was filled with the faint scent of sandalwood.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window, his hands behind his back, gazing at the bustling streets of Konoha Village outside.

The afterglow of the setting sun cast his shadow long across the wooden floor.

He was already sixty-seven years old, which was considered advanced age for a ninja, not to mention that he had to handle the affairs of a village and deal with the undercurrents in the ninja world.

Today is the third group of representatives from other villages that he has met.

The door was gently pushed open, and a young assistant wearing glasses walked in, bowing respectfully: "Lord Hokage, the representative from Kirigakure has been seen off."

"Hmm." Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't turn around, but simply responded softly.

The assistant hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Before leaving, Jonin Ao specifically mentioned the matter of sharing information about the Akatsuki organization. He said that Kirigakure has also been investigating this organization recently and hopes that Konoha can provide more information."

"Understood." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice sounded tired. "Reply to him tomorrow that Konoha will consider sharing information. For now... focus on the Chunin Exams."

"Yes." The assistant bowed again and was about to leave when another ANBU ninja appeared in the doorway and knelt on one knee.

"Lord Hokage, the representative from Iwagakure has arrived."

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around, the wrinkles on his face appearing even deeper in the light of the setting sun, and his once sharp, eagle-like eyes now veiled with weariness.

He reached into the tobacco pouch on the table, plucked some tobacco, put it into the brass pipe, lit it with a tinderbox, and took a deep drag.

The smoke was slowly exhaled, swirling and spreading in the air.

“Bring them in.” His voice was calm, but the fingers gripping his pipe tightened slightly.

As the Hokage, he doesn't need to personally receive representatives from other smaller ninja villages; sending a Jonin or even a special Jonin to receive them is sufficient.

But this time is different. The representatives of the five great ninja villages are all the right-hand men of their respective Kage, the real power figures in their villages, and they also represent the attitudes of their respective Kage.

He had to receive them in person, both as a matter of courtesy and a political necessity.

Moreover, the current situation in Iwagakure is special.

Since being severely damaged by the Land of Stars in the war several years ago, Iwagakure has been greatly weakened.

Even the stubborn old man Onoki had no choice but to sign the treaty of defeat. The Land of Earth not only ceded five counties, but Iwagakure Village was also reduced to a vassal state of the Land of Stars, and was severely restricted in military and economic matters.

But based on Hiruzen Sarutobi's understanding of the old fox Onoki, he knew that Onoki would never willingly submit to the Land of Stars, nor to that demon...

Heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor.

The door was pushed open again, and a huge figure almost filled the entire door frame.

The newcomer was over two meters tall, with a sturdy build, and wore the iconic brown vest and red trousers of Iwagakure.

His face was round, making him look honest and simple, but the occasional glint of shrewdness in his small eyes revealed that he was no ordinary person.

Akatsuchi, the most trusted disciple of the Third Tsuchikage Onoki, is known as the "Shield of the Tsuchikage".

"Lord Hokage, it's been a long time." Akatsuchi's voice was deep and resonant. He bowed slightly, his posture respectful but not humble.

As the Tsuchikage's most trusted bodyguard and close confidant Jonin, Akatsuchi participated in many diplomatic occasions for Iwagakure and had met Hiruzen Sarutobi several times.

“Akatsuchi, it has indeed been a long time.” Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a formulaic smile and gestured to the chair opposite him: “Please sit down. You must have had a long journey from the Land of Earth.”

Akatsuki sat down in the chair, his massive body making the chair seem somewhat cramped beneath him.

The assistant brought tea and stepped aside.

After a series of routine diplomatic pleasantries, Chitu took out a scroll wrapped in an earth-yellow silk cloth from his bosom.

The scroll was small, only about the size of a palm, but the silk cloth was embroidered with the symbol of Iwagakure Village, and the seal was stamped with Onoki's personal seal.

"Lord Hokage," Akatsuchi presented the scroll with both hands, his expression solemn, "This was personally instructed by the Tsuchikage to be delivered to you personally."

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised an eyebrow slightly.

A secret letter personally entrusted by Onoki?

He took the scroll; it felt slightly heavy in his hand.

As a "Ninja Technique Doctor," he is extremely knowledgeable about various ninja tools and sealing techniques.

By simply injecting a trace of chakra to investigate, it was confirmed that the scroll itself did not contain any traps, poisons, or explosive tags.

But this only made him more vigilant.

That old fox, Onoki, isn't the kind of person who would do something pointless.

"How is Onoki doing?" Hiruzen Sarutobi placed the scroll on the table, not opening it immediately, but asking casually.

"There aren't many people like those from our generation still alive today."

These words were spoken with genuine emotion.

He and Onoki, the Third Hokage and the Third Tsuchikage, are both old men who have lived since the end of the Warring States period.

They experienced the First, Second, and Third Shinobi World Wars, and were both enemies and, to some extent, kindred spirits who understood each other.

Chi Tu smiled憨厚ly: "The old man is in good health, but his back is still a problem, and he often complains of pain."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile deepened as he took a drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled.

The two chatted for a while longer. After finishing his tea, Akatsuchi stood up to take his leave: "Well then, Hokage-sama, I'll take my leave now."

"Okay, take care, and remember to give my regards to Onoki."

After the assistant saw Akatsuchi off, only Hiruzen Sarutobi remained in the reception room.

The sun had completely set, and night began to envelop Konoha.

The indoor lights came on, and the soft light dispelled the shadows, but it couldn't dispel the heaviness in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart.

His gaze fell on the scroll on the table.

The ochre-colored silk cloth gleamed faintly under the light, and Onoki's seal was clearly visible at the seal.

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe and took another deep drag.

The smoke swirled in his lungs before he slowly exhaled. The bitterness of the tobacco filled his mouth, but it couldn't calm his chaotic thoughts.

What did Onoki want to convey to him?
Should we unite with Konoha to launch a counterattack against the Land of Stars?
Does Iwagakure still have that kind of strength?

Or... something else?
After hesitating for a long time, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally reached out and untied the silk cloth on the scroll.

The silk cloth slipped off, revealing the ancient scroll inside.

The scroll is made of specially made ninja beast hide, which has a delicate feel and is protected by a simple sealing technique.

Hiruzen Sarutobi forms a hand seal with one hand, a simple "release" seal.

The sealing incantation on the scroll emitted a faint light before dissipating.

He slowly unrolled the scroll.

The scroll contained no lengthy diplomatic rhetoric, only a single line of text written in black ink.

The handwriting is vigorous and powerful, and it is indeed Ohnoki's own handwriting.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze fell on that line of text.

The next second—

Clang!

The pipe slipped from his hand and slammed heavily onto the solid wood table with a dull thud.

Sparks from the pipe flew out, burning a few small black spots on the tablecloth.

Hiruzen Sarutobi froze in his chair.

Those eyes, which had seen countless life and death and weathered countless storms, were now wide open, but the pupils had shrunk to the size of pinpoints.

The wrinkles on his face seemed to freeze at that moment, and his lips parted slightly, but no sound came out.

His hands were trembling.

The writing on the scroll was crystal clear under the light; each word was like a kunai, piercing his heart.
'Hiruzen Sarutobi, you would never guess that Shura's true identity is...'

Time seemed to stand still.

The only sound in the reception room was Hiruzen Sarutobi's heavy breathing, one breath after another.

"No...it can't be...it can't be him..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered to himself, his voice dry and hoarse.

···
The next morning, in the Hokage's office.

Sunlight streamed into the room through the window, but the atmosphere inside was completely at odds with the bright morning light outside.

More than a dozen Konoha Jonin gathered together.

They stood or sat, their expressions serious.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, sitting in the main seat, remained expressionless, quietly smoking his pipe.

He had very dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept all night.

Nara Shikaku stood in front of the tactics board in the center of the office, holding a document in his hand, reporting on the arrangements for the first round of the Chunin Exams.

"The first exam is a written test, held at the Ninja Academy, and presided over by Ibiki Morino."

"The exam consists of nine very difficult questions, covering various aspects such as intelligence analysis, code breaking, trap identification, and geographical knowledge. It mainly tests the genin's basic knowledge, intelligence processing ability, and ability to adapt to the situation."

He paused, glanced at the document in his hand, and continued, "In addition, there is an additional question that will be announced forty-five minutes after the start of the exam. This question mainly tests the team's cohesion and mutual trust. Based on past data and the preliminary estimate of the quality of this year's candidates, the first exam will eliminate about eighty percent of the candidates."

The tactics board displayed basic information about the participating teams from each ninja village, as well as a map of the examination hall layout.

Lu Jiu used his baton to point out several key locations on the exam site, explaining the security arrangements and emergency plans for the exam venue.

But as they talked, Shikaku realized something was wrong.

He stopped explaining and looked up at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was in the main seat.

The Hokage seems... absent-minded.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat there, holding a pipe in his right hand, but he didn't notice that the tobacco in the pipe had already burned out.

His gaze was unfocused, not on anything, as if his thoughts had drifted far away.

That demeanor was completely unlike the "Strongest Hokage" who could remain calm no matter what crisis he faced.

Not only Shikaku, but the other Jonin in the room also noticed the Hokage's unusual behavior.

Kakashi frowned slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his exposed dead fish eye.

Might Guy, who was next to him, wanted to say something, but Kakashi stopped him with a look.

Asma stood beside Might Guy, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, his brow furrowed.

As the son of the Hokage, he understands his father better than anyone else.

This obvious lapse in concentration is extremely rare in Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, the two advisor elders, exchanged a glance.

Koharu Utatane coughed lightly and asked in a low voice, "Hiruzen, what are your thoughts on the exam subjects? Or is there anything that needs to be adjusted?"

Her voice pulled Hiruzen Sarutobi back to reality from his reverie.

Hiruzen Sarutobi snapped back to reality. He blinked, looked around, and realized he had been daydreaming.

He quickly adjusted his expression, regaining his usual composure, but the weariness and wavering deep in his eyes could not be hidden from the experienced Jonin present.

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, his voice a little hoarse: "Let's proceed according to this plan. Shikaku, you continue."

Shikaku nodded, but his doubts deepened.

He continued explaining the exam arrangements, but half of his attention was on the report, and the other half was on observing the Hokage's condition.

The meeting lasted for another hour and a half, finalizing the details of the Chunin Exams and contingency plans.

"Thank you for your hard work, Shikaku." Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Meeting adjourned. Everyone go back and prepare. During the Chunin Exams, everyone must be on high alert."

"Yes, Lord Hokage!" The Jonin left the office one after another.

Kakashi walked in the middle of the crowd, his mind still replaying the Hokage's unusual behavior.

Might Guy, standing beside him, said nonchalantly, "Kakashi! My student is sure to shine in this Chunin Exams! This is youth!"

"Ah...yes, yes, yes." Kakashi replied perfunctorily, but his gaze drifted towards the office.

He saw that Koharu Utatane and the other advisors and elders, including Homura Mitokado, also got up to leave, but Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly spoke up:
"Danzo, stay here for a moment."

Danzo Shimura, who was originally walking at the back of the crowd, stopped and turned around. His exposed left eye looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a deep gaze.

The other Jonin cast complicated glances, but no one said anything; they simply quickened their pace and left the office.

Koharu Utatane hesitated for a moment, then sighed and left with Homura Mitokado.

The door was closed gently.

Only Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura remained in the office.

The air seemed to freeze.

Danzo walked to the desk, leaning on his cane, and calmly looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Is there something you need, Hiruzen?" Hiruzen Sarutobi did not answer immediately.

He stood up, walked to the window, turned his back to Danzo, and looked out at the scenery of Konoha.

The morning sunlight shone on his white hair, but it could not dispel the heaviness on his body.

"Danzo—" After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally spoke, his voice low and deep: "For the time being, you should stay in your Root and not wander around."

Danzo raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Are you worried about that rogue ninja Uchiha Shisui?" He sneered, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"Or are you afraid that I'll take action against him and disrupt your 'peaceful situation'?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi whirled around, his face contorted with rage for the first time: "Danzo! Didn't you notice how dissatisfied the other clan leaders were with you?! Don't tell me you couldn't feel the way they looked at you!"

His voice echoed in the office, carrying emotions that had been suppressed for a long time.

Danzo's expression remained unchanged, only the light in his single eye grew even colder: "So what? I did it for Konoha!"

"Shisui led the Uchiha clan in their defection back then, and now he's swaggering back as an envoy from the Land of Stars. This is an insult to Konoha! If we don't deal with him, what will the other ninja villages think of us? Where is Konoha's dignity?!"

"We both know exactly what happened back then!" Hiruzen Sarutobi clenched his fist.

"You attacked Shisui first! You took his eyes! If you hadn't forced him, how could he have..."

"I did that to prevent the Uchiha clan from rebelling!" Danzo interrupted him, raising his voice.

"Uchiha Shisui's Kotoamatsukami is too dangerous! If he had used that technique to control you, the consequences would have been unimaginable! I did that for the safety of Konoha!"

"It's for your safety too!"

"And then?" Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at him, his eyes sharp as knives. "You took his eyes, and what was the result?"

"The Uchiha clan was forced to defect! The Hyuga branch family also took the opportunity to defect! How many outstanding Konoha ninjas died that night?!" Even his son and daughter-in-law died that night.

"This is what you call 'for Konoha'?!"

Their eyes met in mid-air, as if sparks were about to fly.

The office was filled with a tense atmosphere.

On the night of the Uchiha and Hyuga branch families' defection, Shisui loudly recounted how Danzo had persecuted him and stolen his eyes. That night, countless Konoha ninjas who participated in the battle heard Shisui's accusations against Danzo.

Danzo's darkness was exposed to the public so nakedly for the first time.

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi later used the excuse that "Shisui was a traitorous ninja" to suppress public opinion and temporarily dismiss Danzo from his position as head of the Root organization, this undoubtedly sowed the seeds of distrust in the hearts of other ninja clans.

If you can do this to the Uchiha clan, the most powerful clan in the ninja world, you can certainly do this to us.

If you can steal the Sharingan, you can also gain insight into other bloodline limits.

Once such suspicion takes root, it is very difficult to eliminate.

Later, due to the need for Root's intelligence network and the war between the Land of Stars and the Land of Wind, Konoha needed to provide support to Sunagakure. Hiruzen Sarutobi had to urgently activate Danzo again, allowing him to regain control of Root.

But this undoubtedly made the other ninja clans even more dissatisfied.

Now, Shisui's return as the leader of the Star Country delegation is like a resounding slap in the face to Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi, who tacitly accepted everything, in front of all the ninja clans.

"Danzo, I'm warning you." Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, trying to calm his voice: "During the Chunin Exams, you are not allowed to lay a hand on Shisui or anyone from the Land of Stars. That's an order!"

Danzo's lips curled into a cold smile: "What if I don't listen?"

“Then I will use the authority of the Hokage to temporarily strip you of your power over Root.” Hiruzen Sarutobi said, enunciating each word clearly, “I mean what I say.”

Their eyes met once again.

A few seconds later, Danzo snorted: "Hiruzen, letting that rogue ninja move freely in Konoha will cause a disaster sooner or later."

"That's still better than you directly starting a war!" Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his fist on the table and roared.

Danzo stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi for a long time, his eyes filled with a complex and unfathomable mix of anger, resentment, mockery, and a barely perceptible hint of disappointment.

Finally, he turned around, leaning on his cane, and walked step by step toward the door, leaving behind only one sentence.

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

"Danzo! I am the Hokage!"

Door: Bang!
The sound of the door slamming echoed in the office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood still, his chest heaving violently.

After a long while, he slumped back into his chair, rubbing his temples with one hand and letting out a deep sigh.

exhausted.

Endless exhaustion.

He suddenly felt very tired, very tired.

"Come out." After a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his hand and said to the empty office.

"You've been eavesdropping for a long time, haven't you?"

A series of sparse sounds came from the window.

Then, a white head popped out from under the windowsill, followed by that familiar face.

The oil-colored headband on his forehead, the red lines on his cheeks, and his fluffy white hair.

Jiraiya, clinging to the windowsill, hopped in with a grin: "Hey, teacher, you look really tired. Did you have a fight with Danzo?"

After landing, he casually walked to the desk, pulled over a chair, and sat down.

Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't answer, he just looked at him with a complicated expression.

Jiraiya felt a little uncomfortable being stared at, and scratched his head: "What's wrong, teacher? Is there something on my face?"

“Jiraiya,” Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly said, “what do you know about Shura…?”

Jiraiya's inner alarm bells rang loudly.

Why was Asura suddenly mentioned?
"I don't know much, but it's all written in the intelligence scroll I gave you, old man," Jiraiya replied cautiously.

“Ah… I’ve read your travel diary in the Land of Stars over and over again.” Hiruzen Sarutobi gazed into the distance, where Konoha Village awoke in the morning light, with wisps of smoke rising from chimneys.

"He changed the landscape of the ninja world, bringing about a great change that has not been seen in a thousand years."

"Some say he is a demon, while others say he is the savior of the ninja world."

"But anyway, he is doing some things... things we never thought possible."

Jiraiya frowned.

The teacher's words were strange.

"Jiraiya," Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke again, his voice a little hoarse, "how about accompanying this old man for a walk?"

Jiraiya initially wanted to refuse.

But he swallowed the words back down his throat.

Because he keenly sensed that the teacher's mood was not quite right.

It wasn't the usual fatigue from busy government affairs, but rather a sense of bewilderment as if some belief had been shaken.

"Alright." Jiraiya nodded, still with that same grinning expression. "Where would the old man like to go for a walk?"

A little while later, at the Konoha Cemetery.

This is one of the quietest places in the village.

Rows of tombstones are neatly arranged on the hillside, each representing a life sacrificed for Konoha.

The morning sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the tombstone. A gentle breeze carries the scent of grass and earth.

Hiruzen Sarutobi walked ahead, his steps slow.

Jiraiya followed half a step behind him, also abandoning his earlier frivolousness.

Anyone who comes here will become solemn.

The two walked past rows of tombstones.

The grave of Sarutobi Shinnosuke, son of Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's wife; Sarutobi Biwako's grave.

There are many, many more lives that were once vibrant, but now only cold stones and names carved on them remain.

Jiraiya's gaze swept over the tombstones, and his eyes darkened.

Many of his friends are also buried here.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was walking ahead, finally stopped.

He stood before the tombstone of the Fourth Hokage and his wife, quietly gazing at their names and photographs.

In the photo, Minato Namikaze has a warm smile, and Kushina Uzumaki's red hair is as fiery as fire.

Jiraiya walked to his side and looked at the tombstone as well.

The two remained silent for a long time.

“Jiraiya,” Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly spoke, his voice very soft, “Tell me, if Minato hadn’t died back then, what kind of Hokage would he have become?”

Jiraiya was stunned.

He turned to look at Hiruzen Sarutobi and found that his teacher wasn't looking at him, but was still staring at the tombstone with a dazed look in his eyes.

"Teacher...why are you suddenly asking this?" Jiraiya asked cautiously.

Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't answer, but continued speaking to himself: "Minato... that boy... was exceptionally talented, kind-hearted, responsible, and intelligent. During his year as Hokage, although it was short, Konoha displayed the vitality of the morning sun under his rule..."

"If he hadn't died, what would Konoha be like now?"

Jiraiya thought for a moment and said seriously, "Minato... he would definitely be a good Hokage."

"He has a special charisma that makes people around him trust him and follow him. Moreover, he is strong enough. If he were still alive, forces like the Akatsuki would probably not dare to be so arrogant."

“Yes…” Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured, “He will definitely be a good Hokage, better than me…”

Jiraiya was startled.

He had never heard his teacher say such a thing before.

"Teacher, please don't say that..."

"Jiraiya." Hiruzen Sarutobi interrupted him, finally turning his head to look at his disciple.

Those aged eyes were now filled with complex emotions: guilt, self-blame, confusion, and deep unease.

“I’ve been thinking,” Hiruzen Sarutobi’s voice was soft, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the cemetery, “If back then… I could have done better, would so many things not have happened? The Uchiha clan wouldn’t have been destroyed, the Hyuga branch family wouldn’t have defected, Minato wouldn’t have died, Kushina wouldn’t have died… Naruto wouldn’t have been orphaned from a young age… Minato’s other child wouldn’t have been kidnapped by that mysterious person…”

Jiraiya opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

He had never seen his teacher so vulnerable and sentimental.

This old man, known as the "Professor of Ninjutsu," the "Strongest Hokage," and who led Konoha through three Shinobi World Wars, now resembled an ordinary old man on his deathbed, filled with regret.

"Teacher," Jiraiya finally sighed, "the past cannot be changed, we can only... do our best to make the present and the future better."

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent.

After a long silence, he nodded, but his eyes remained heavy.

“Jiraiya.” Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly turned around and looked directly into his eyes.

"If... I mean if."

"What would you do if you discovered that a close friend of yours was hiding a huge secret, and might even... threaten Konoha?"

Jiraiya's heart skipped a beat.

But he forced himself to remain calm and asked, "Teacher, who are you referring to?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not answer.

He simply gave Jiraiya a deep look, his gaze complex and unfathomable, as if he had a thousand words to say, but in the end it all turned into a sigh.

"nothing."

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around and walked towards the exit of the cemetery: "Let's go back. The Chunin Exams are about to begin, and there are still many things to take care of."

Jiraiya watched his teacher's retreating figure, a strong sense of unease welling up inside him.

Something must have happened.

There must be some important secret that has made the teacher so shaken.

He took one last look at the tombstone of the Fourth Hokage and his wife. In the photo, Minato still had a warm smile, and Kushina's red hair was still as fiery as ever.

"Minato..." Jiraiya murmured to himself, "If you were still here, what would you do?"

[PS: It's almost the end of the month, please give me some monthly votes.]

(End of this chapter)