Traveling through three generations: Making Konoha great again!

Chapter 152 The Fireside Conversation of the Hokage: Is Hiruzen Sarutobi the Successor to Madara's Will? (Mega Chapter of 1.2 Words!)

A mountain cemetery.

Madara Uchiha flipped the roasting meat, while the campfire in front of him crackled and popped as it burned.

The meat sizzled and dripped with oil, and White Zetsu, standing to the side, swallowed hard with shining eyes, but dared not utter a sound.

"Take this, it's a treat for you—" Madara Uchiha said coldly, handing the skewer with roasted meat to the White Zetsu.

"Really? Lord Madara!" White Zetsu exclaimed excitedly, "You're so kind!"

"snort--"

Madara Uchiha's lips curled up almost imperceptibly: "Although you are the worst of the worst among Hashirama's degenerate products, not even worthy of being called human, I don't have a habit of breaking my word!"

The white Zetsu was taken aback. What did it mean to break a promise?

It then realized that it had been about a month or two ago—

When Madara Uchiha wrongly accused it of failing to gather specific information about Isshin and Aozumi, he said he'd bring himself a share of the next time they ate barbecue.

"You are truly a man of your word, a man of your word!" Bai Jue racked his brains for words.

"That's called keeping your word and keeping your promises—" Uchiha Madara sighed. He really didn't want to deal with these uncultured androids anymore.

This really lowers the standard.

Back then, among the entire Uchiha clan, besides Izuna, he read the most classic texts and ancient books!

He is undoubtedly a cultured person.

"Oh dear, I got it!" White Zetsu ate his grilled meat happily. "Anyway, you're a man who never breaks his promises, the great Madara-sama!"

Ban's expression suddenly froze.

White Zetsu's words reminded him of Izuna.

Actually, he did break his promise.

It's still a promise to the most important person—

"Brother, you must take good care of the clan and yourself—" These were Izuna's last words.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, White Zetsu cautiously observed Uchiha Madara, racking his brains to change the subject: "Lord Madara, why are you eating barbecue? Are you craving it too? With Hashirama's cells and the Mazo, you could easily go without food—"

Madara glanced at White Zetsu, suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind: "Hmph, that's just a habit of celebrating victory!"

During the Warring States period.

Every time he and Izuna led their people to victory in war, they would light a bonfire, bring out fine wine and meat, and the people would sit together to listen to Izuna speak.

For Madara Uchiha, this was a ritualistic way for him to destroy the Will of Fire.

Without relying on Hashirama's cells and the Gedo Mazo to absorb nutrients, Madara Uchiha could still feel that he wasn't that old and could still eat while eating meat!

"Good evening, everyone in the village, my friends. I am the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi—"

At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi's steady and powerful voice came through the White Zetsu radio.

Madara Uchiha sneered; he wanted to see how Hiruzen Sarutobi would get through this.

"The successor of Hashirama will inevitably fall into Hashirama's predicament and limitations!" Madara Uchiha muttered to himself.

White Zetsu looked at Uchiha Madara expectantly: "Lord Madara, may I listen with you?"

For White Zetsu, when the distance to other members of their kind is not too far, they can connect through telepathy.

But this has clearly gone beyond the scope.

"So many demands, oh well—"

Madara Uchiha swung his arm, and a tube from the Gedo Mazo was inserted into the body of the White Zetsu, the tomoe in its eyes turning slightly.

As the true owner of the Rinnegan.

Even after losing his eyes, Madara Uchiha could still use some of his abilities, such as the way he remotely connected with White Zetsu, which was a variation of the "Transformation Technique"—

"I believe that everyone in Konoha is sitting around a warm campfire right now, enjoying a meal with their families—"

"In this conversation, I want to talk to everyone about the recent issues that have arisen in the village, and discuss the new policies that will be implemented in the village in the future—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke in a gentle tone, and his speaking speed was one-third slower than usual.

This allows the ninjas to hear clearly enough, creating an atmosphere for two-way dialogue.

"Lord Madara, we're also eating around the campfire together!"

White Zetsu savored the wonderful feeling of remote communication and chuckled softly, "The Hokage would never guess that besides the Konoha ninjas, we're also listening—"

Madara Uchiha gave a noncommittal snort: "Konoha ninja?"

In his eyes, the Hokage was just a young brat, and he was the one who named Konoha!

The first Konoha headband belongs to Hashirama, and the second one is his!

However, White Zetsu's words also gave Madara Uchiha a strange feeling—

Isn't he in the same state as the Konoha ninja right now?

Although White Zetsu can hardly be considered family—

"Let's talk about Uchiha Hachiho first—"

"Regarding this matter, the core of the debate, in my view, can be divided into two levels—"

"Let's start with the first layer, which is the conflict between the Ninja Code and the Will of Fire."

"The ironclad rule that a ninja who fails to complete a mission is a piece of trash has been in place for a thousand years on this cruel land of the ninja world, but does its continued existence necessarily mean it's right?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused for a moment, waiting for the ninjas to think.

These words caused Madara Uchiha's expression to change.

no--

Something doesn't sound right.

Is this a denial of the ninja code?

Is this something a ninja leader should be doing?

"The emergence of a code of conduct is often determined by the factors of the times—in the Warring States period, wars were frequent and extremely intense, and in order to survive, the mission had to be the highest priority."

"When faced with survival, other aspects had to give way; this was the helplessness of our ancestors."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said slowly.

Before him, a crystal ball was reinforced by a special ritual to ensure that the Hokage's voice could be transmitted smoothly and clearly to the ears of every ninja.

Danzo sat on a chair to the side, staring intently at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

With a pipe dangling from his mouth and a broad smile on his face, Hiruzen Sarutobi, though there was no one in front of him, acted as if he were having a casual chat with the villagers, his demeanor and tone extremely friendly.

"Even I would subconsciously feel that Hiruzen is reliable when I see him like this—" Danzo took a deep breath and put away his thoughts of surpassing Hiruzen in a short time.

After this ordeal, he became acutely aware of his shortcomings.

We still need to learn!

We must learn from and emulate Hiruzen in every aspect!

But it's also important to leverage your unique strengths—

"And Konoha was founded by the First Hokage and his brothers and comrades to change the terrible environment of the Warring States period—"

"If we don't differentiate ourselves from and progress from the Warring States period, what's the point of the village? It will just make the ninjas suffer!"

Madara Uchiha narrowed his eyes.

Hashirama's brothers and comrades?

Putting Tobirama aside, the only one who can truly be considered to be on par with Hashirama is him!

"Next, let's talk about the incident involving the Eighth Hokage Uchiha—"

"First, I have already had the intelligence team and the Yamanaka clan ninjas confirm that the enemy the Eighth Hokage encountered was far stronger than him, and whose overall quality was a level rarely seen in the ninja world—"

"This is also Lord Mito's judgment."

Madara Uchiha's lips curled slightly: "Not bad! Not entirely tarnishing Hashirama's reputation—"

To conceal his identity, Madara Uchiha deliberately refrained from using any of his signature ninjutsu.

But true masters can always discern skill levels from the details.

When Nagato was mentioned, Madara Uchiha's expression turned serious.

Although he was confident that Mito wouldn't be able to see through his disguise, Mito's sensory abilities, combined with her terrifying sixth sense, forced Madara Uchiha to be cautious.

Mito was not just Hashirama's woman; her name itself is worthy of respect.

"So, even when facing such a formidable enemy, Uchiha Hachimoku still fought with all his might, using up all his chakra and eye power—"

"He has fulfilled his duty."

"You might be wondering what will happen to the Land of Fire and Konoha if the mission fails? I want to say that even though this was a mission carried out by the Eighth Hokage, it has nothing to do with him."

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused for a moment: "As long as you fulfill your duties and do your best, that's enough to be a Konoha ninja—"

"Based on this, if any unexpected events occur, the village will cover for Yatsushiro, so there's no need to blame him further—"

"Not only the Eighth Hokage, but any Konoha ninja who performs their duty will be protected by the village, and that is the meaning behind the creation of the village."

Madara Uchiha's eyes widened slightly.

Miscalculation!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's thinking was not traditional at all—he was completely different from Hashirama!

"Lord Madara, things don't seem to be going as planned—"

Connected to the intelligence network, the White Zetsu murmured, "Judging from the footage transmitted by other White Zetsu, some Konoha ninjas are clapping!"

Madara Uchiha shouted, "Shut up! I can hear you too!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was sitting in the Hokage Building.

The Konoha ninjas were not in front of him, but in his own home.

But at this moment, almost all the Konoha ninjas genuinely applauded for their Hokage, their voices echoing into the Hokage Building—

Danzo was taken aback by the applause.

What a terrifying public opinion!

Even sitting here, the ninjas' applause would come crashing down on me like a tidal wave—

A thought that even shocked Danzo himself came to mind.

Hiruzen's prestige has probably reached the same level as his teacher's back then—

Or rather, he might have surpassed them all—no, no, how could Hiruzen possibly surpass his teacher! Danzo hurriedly denied this terrifying thought.

Even though he approached it with a learning attitude, Hiruzen couldn't possibly progress this quickly—

Surpassing the teacher? That would be outrageous!

Meanwhile, in the Uchiha clan territory.

Yashiro, Fugaku, Tobirama, Isshin, and others sat together, listening to Hiruzen Sarutobi's broadcast.

"Uchiha Hachimoku was an excellent Konoha ninja. He worked diligently in the Security Service and was highly praised after being promoted to the front line. He received genuine gratitude from his employers for the vast majority of his missions."

"He has a heart of gold!"

Uchiha Hachimoku covered his face, and despite being a grown man, he broke down in tears.

He tried to rub the tears back into his eyes, but he couldn't stop them no matter what he did.

Its lips twitched uncontrollably, emitting a whimpering sound like that of a wild beast.

Tobirama watched this scene in silence, feeling deeply moved.

Putting everything else aside, in terms of soothing and winning over people's hearts, Hiruzen has already mastered the craft.

Inside Tobirama's body, Izuna listened silently and slowly clapped his hands.

"Truly worthy of being Hashirama's disciple—"

"Without hesitation, he stood by the Uchiha clan through systems and regulations. Even I feel very reassured that Konoha is in the hands of such a Hokage!"

Izuna lavished praise on Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The ancient people of the Warring States period were slightly shaken by the Will of Fire—

However, Tobirama felt somewhat uncomfortable hearing this.

"Speaking of which, shouldn't the Third Hokage be Tobirama Senju's apprentice? Why do you always say he was the First Hokage's apprentice? Don't they look alike?"

Tobirama couldn't help but ask.

If it weren't for the need to keep my identity hidden—

He really wanted to sew this guy's mouth shut with a Flying Thunder God Slash! If you don't understand, don't talk nonsense, okay?

"snort--"

Izuna coughed lightly: "Although according to the records you showed me, Hiruzen Sarutobi is indeed Tobirama Senju's disciple, some people are special—"

"Like a lotus flower, though it grows in mud, it can still bloom with a pure and clean flower!"

Tobirama nodded, feigning sudden realization, but his body temperature had risen slightly.

You call me a scoundrel? What a despicable character you are, only good at talking badly about others behind their backs!

Oh wait, Izuna has said quite a bit to my face before, we've always argued back and forth—

"Heh, since you're so capable, then help me deal with Mito!"

"I'll see if Mito whips you with her chains. Don't think she'll let you off just because you're a spirit—" Tobirama had made up his mind; if Mito really wanted to investigate the chakra within him—

Then just throw Izuna out there and let him face it himself!

Since I'm just a teenager, isn't it normal for me to seek help from my ancestors if I need anything?

When faced with problems, Tobirama's bottom line was quite flexible in accepting the fact that he was a boy from the Uchiha clan.

"Qingshui, you also have that potential—"

Izuna, completely oblivious, said, "Look, although you were born in the muddy waters of Kusagakure, you still managed to grow into a ninja as pure and noble as a lotus flower within the Uchiha clan and Konoha!"

Tobirama nodded with a half-smile.

Praise now?

It's too late to tell you!

Fugaku and Isshin exchanged a glance, both feeling somewhat uneasy.

The Hokage was so sincere that their probing intentions seemed somewhat underhanded.

Fugaku sighed deeply, "Hokage-sama—"

"You must do your job well for the village. The 'mentoring' program in the police department and the guidance for integrating clan members into the frontline ranks must be implemented quickly and without the slightest problem—"

Isshin said in a deep voice, "Did you hear that, Fugaku?"

"Yes, Clan Chief Isshin," Fugaku replied solemnly.

The Hokage has been so kind to us; if we don't forgive him, we'll be asking for trouble!

Those who take an inch and then a mile will not be pitied by others.

"The Eighth Hokage's experience is a long-standing sore point in the ninja world. It's not an isolated case; similar situations, large or small, are foreseeable to occur in the future."

"Therefore, the village plans to implement a new system called the 'Konoha Mutual Aid Fund'."

Next, Hiruzen Sarutobi began his detailed explanation.

The ninjas' commission on missions has increased by 5%, but the village will subsidize an equal amount to their individual accounts.

Although they can only be used in certain scenarios, they are all genuine and essential needs.

At Minato's house, Uchiha En, holding a sake cup, said enthusiastically, "Great! Great!"

"Some junior ninjas squander all the money they get, without ever knowing how to save up for a future crisis!"

"This way, the ninjas will have a safety net, and they can figure out how to handle unexpected situations on their own."

"Damn it, he's way better than Tobirama Senju! If you ask me, it's a good thing he died too late. If the Third Hokage had taken over earlier, Konoha wouldn't have had so many messy problems."

"Good, Hiruzen Sarutobi is a good Hokage!" Uchiha En downed his drink in one gulp.

The Hokage's words deserve a toast!

He was probably the only one in the entire Uchiha clan who wasn't in the clan's territory—

Minato scratched his head, unsure of what to say, and could only casually pour Uchiha En a full glass of wine.

Let's say he's disloyal to Konoha—

He insulted the Second Hokage, but praised Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Moreover, Minato glanced subtly at Uchiha Homura's arm; it was no longer a single arm—

"Never mind, the Second Generation Master cut off Uncle Yan's arm, but Grandmaster reattached it—"

"Let them swear a couple of times, no one else can hear them anyway—"

Minato thought to himself, "And what my master did was truly excellent—"

However, what Minato didn't know was...

Uchiha En planned to spread his viewpoint extensively throughout the clan after returning to his homeland.

And there was a young man in the Uchiha clan named Aozumi.

Madara Uchiha rubbed his temples, carefully searching for loopholes in the system.

But it turned out there seemed to be no problem—

The ninjas lost some money, but the village made up for it and gained additional protection in case the mission failed.

Why did he come up with this solution?

"He doesn't seem like a ninja. He's strange," Madara Uchiha muttered to himself.

This was the first time Madara Uchiha had failed to understand a junior's actions.

Seeing Madara's condition, White Zetsu stopped interrupting and silently poured him a drink.

As a clever White Zetsu, it knew that once Lord Madara entered a state of self-talk, his mental state was not very good, and he was capable of doing anything—

Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone became slightly more serious.

"The Will of Fire is a concept advocated by the First Hokage, aiming to unite ninjas from different clans into a unified whole and break down the cold boundaries of the Warring States period—"

"This idea was extremely innovative, but Lord Hashirama passed away due to excessive grief and overwork, and did not have the time to perfect it—"

This is not something Hiruzen Sarutobi made up.

In his memory, after the battle with Madara Uchiha, Hashirama Senju seemed to have lost his vitality and rarely smiled anymore.

By attributing Hashirama's death to excessive grief, Hiruzen Sarutobi intended to slightly unburden himself of some of the Uchiha clan's historical baggage.

Madara is Madara, and the Uchiha clan of Konoha is the Uchiha clan—

Moreover, based on Hiruzen Sarutobi's understanding of Hashirama's past and existing analysis—

Even if Hashirama were standing right in front of him now, he probably wouldn't let him mention Madara's bad deeds—

Hashirama's feelings for Madara and the Uchiha were very deep and abundant, even somewhat perplexing.

Therefore, doing this can be considered as respecting the last wishes of the previous Hokage.

Madara Uchiha was taken aback.

What does it mean to be overly sad? Not Hashirama, you—

"Sigh!" Madara Uchiha sighed unconsciously, feeling somewhat uncomfortable all over.

Didn't you kill me? How come you're still so sad you're dying!

Madara Uchiha felt a bit annoyed, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. He ripped the tube off his back and paced back and forth in the underground cave.

It seems that only in this way can I feel a little better.

"Before Lord Hashirama died, he instructed me to continue to perfect and carry forward the Will of Fire, to keep up with the times, and to learn from the mistakes the village made so as to avoid repeating them."

"I only recently came to realize this; Lord Hashirama actually foresaw the village's future problems long ago."

Tobirama's brow twitched as he listened.

My brother could never have said that!

Hiruzen is making history again—

He waved the flag with such vigor and power!

If this continues, the eldest brother's image will become that of a shrewd and far-sighted strategist—

"The Hokage back then must have been quite young, right?" Tobirama murmured.

He wasn't trying to undermine Hiruzen Sarutobi, but rather to help his beloved student fill in any gaps in his knowledge.

"No, you don't understand, Qing Shui!"

"Although you are a genius of unparalleled talent, there are some things you shouldn't say casually."

Isshin waved his hand: "The Hokage was valued by the First Hokage from a young age. The First Hokage raised him by patting his head. We old folks all know that."

"The Hokage is humble, so he never mentioned the First Hokage in the past—but now that the village is in a period of transition, he has to talk about some things from the past so that everyone understands that the First Hokage also had the intention to make changes—"

"I had no choice—" Isshin shook his head and said, "It's all for the village!"

Tobirama outwardly nodded in agreement, but inwardly he couldn't contain himself.

Let an Uchiha say he doesn't understand his older brother—

He really hadn't thought about this!

And what's with this affection for Hiruzen? Did he cast an illusion on you?

"Qingshui, you must read more books and think more!"

Fugaku said with a serious expression, "You are still a boy; you must maintain your thirst for knowledge!"

This time, Tobirama even had to use his chakra to barely maintain his expression.

Even an illiterate person and a mentally ill person can give him pointers, right?

Almost got it!

"Yes, Fugaku-nii is right—" Tobirama said, pursing his lips.

"Alright, I'll do you a favor and borrow a collection of the Hokage's quotes from Commissioner Hiruko for you. Be sure to study it diligently—" Fugaku patted Tobirama on the shoulder: "Seize this opportunity to study hard! The future of the clan depends on you—"

Tobirama took a deep breath: "Thank you so much, Fugaku-nii!!"

But to Madara Uchiha, these words had a completely different meaning.

Is it wrong?

Madara Uchiha pondered the word and sighed once more.

Inside the Hokage Building, Danzo also sighed.

The older brother's experience and background are far more profound than his!

As childhood friends, Danzo never doubted that Hashirama and Hiruzen Sarutobi had said these things.

"When he was little, Hiruzen was indeed often called over by Hashirama for extra tutoring—"

"But every time he comes back, he says he hasn't learned anything, and he seems very embarrassed—"

Danzo reminisced about the past: "So, what they taught wasn't ninjutsu, but the Will of Fire?"

"No wonder, Hiruzen was only a little kid back then—"

But in reality, Hiruzen Sarutobi did learn ninjutsu, but he didn't really learn anything special.

Which child can learn to clap their hands together and get whatever they want?

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at Danzo and smiled.

What are you thinking about now? Your eyes are wide open, as if you're caught in a revolving lantern—

"The village was established to protect everyone, and in order for the village to be powerful, everyone needs to provide help to the village—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly said, "The collective provides a safety net for the individual, and the individual fulfills their responsibilities to the collective—"

"But just like when we take on a task, the pay should be proportional to the difficulty."

"In the past, due to the wartime environment, some old ideas from the Warring States period, and other factors, the village had problems in this regard."

"That is, the Root problem raised by Uchiha Aokiji."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone became heavy and forceful: "At that time, in order to make the village stronger, the establishment of Root involved coercion and other means. This is a phenomenon that must be eliminated and guarded against from now on!"

"The ninjas surrendered some of their resources, joined the village, and obeyed the rules in exchange for safety, protection, and dignity—"

"The village should repay the ninjas with the same effort they give! Power and responsibility should be equal, contribution and protection should be equal—this is the true embodiment of the Will of Fire."

"We must not allow the ninjas to make unrestrained and excessive sacrifices in the name of the village!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi declared firmly, "A ninja is not a tool!"

"The village is the tool! It's the tool to protect the Konoha ninja, to protect everyone—"

"If these two are reversed, then the Will of Fire will become a terrifying monster, and Konoha will transform from a warm family into an abyss, devouring those it should be protecting!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with utmost sincerity, "I cannot say that the village can meet everyone's needs, or that all my decisions are correct—"

"But I will do my best to coordinate and make Konoha the village I envision. If any problems arise during the development process, please supervise, correct, and remind me in a timely manner!"

Only by joining hands can we overcome one difficulty after another and move steadily forward.

Madara Uchiha was deeply shaken.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's words sounded exactly like what he said during his final battle with Hashirama—

Protecting the village is the most important thing! No matter if the perpetrator is my friend, brother, or even a child, I cannot forgive those who harmed the village!

But that's Ban's point of view.

The Uchiha were members of Konoha and one of its founders.

Must we give up the legitimate rights of our clan for the sake of the village?

Madara didn't believe that the Uchiha clan would have a good life after Tobirama Senju became the Second Hokage.

When Hashirama pierced his chest from behind with a long sword.

Madara left Hashirama with his last words: "Hashirama, you've changed. What you're doing is putting the cart before the horse; sooner or later you'll become the darkness of the village—"

Madara Uchiha frowned, his heart filled with a long-lost sense of unease, and muttered to himself, "What's going on with Hiruzen Sarutobi?"

"Isn't he Hashirama's disciple? He was even trained by that bastard Tobirama for a while, yet not only was he not corrupted, he was able to comprehend my will without any instruction!"

Question marks appeared one after another above Bai Jue's head.

no--

Lord Madara, are you really crazy?

That's the Third Hokage of Konoha. How could he possibly comprehend your will?

How could someone say such a thing!

How many words have you exchanged with them?

"Let me think, let me think—" Uchiha Madara sat on the large stone bench, his brows furrowed tightly.

"I attacked Konoha by exploiting the weakness of Hashirama's Will of Fire—"

"But Hiruzen Sarutobi retaliated with my will?"

"So I won?"

Two circles appeared in the eyes of this White Zetsu; Madara's explanation was too convoluted—

"This kid is interesting, very interesting!"

Suddenly, Madara Uchiha burst into laughter: "It's been a long time since I've encountered such an interesting brat—no, I, Madara Uchiha, can call you my opponent, Hiruzen Sarutobi!"

"If I had taken you as my apprentice back then, perhaps I wouldn't have been able to uncover the flawless Eye of the Moon Project, and I might have just drifted through life in a daze—"

"What a pity—no, not at all!"

Madara Uchiha wanted to say something more, but when he heard Hiruzen Sarutobi continue speaking, he instinctively remained silent.

Um--

This was to gather intelligence on the enemy first!

"Everyone is probably feeling a little excited right now—"

Hearing the cheers outside the window, Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed lightly: "But we must remain calm and recognize that Konoha is only in the early stages of its development. We still have a lot to do—"

"The challenges we face and the difficulties we need to overcome are diverse."

"Take the enemies that the Eighth Hokage Uchiha encountered as an example—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused deliberately.

A glint of interest flashed in Madara Uchiha's eyes—

How would Hiruzen Sarutobi, who inherited his previous will, be analyzed?

"This enemy did not harm Yashiro, but his methods were extremely clever."

"To exhaust the Eighth Hokage without leaving a wound, leaving him unable to defend himself—this was a crucial moment in Konoha's development, targeting the subconscious conflict between the Will of Fire and the Ninja Code!"

"This person knows Konoha very well and has also studied the Will of Fire."

"Based on my and Lord Mito's assessment, it is highly likely that these are Konoha ninjas who left the village during a previous stage of its development—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi said softly.

Madara Uchiha's eyes widened instantly!

This guess was too accurate, and it also thoroughly analyzed his intentions.

"His specific identity is still difficult to verify at this time."

"The development of Konoha has indeed taken some muddy paths in its exploration, and some ninjas left with questions in their hearts—" Sarutobi Hibi said slowly, "It is possible that at this moment, the ninja that the Eighth Hokage encountered is also listening to me speak—his grasp of the village as a whole makes me believe that he has firsthand information about the village."

"But that's alright. I'm not afraid of others hearing me speak, nor am I afraid of exposing Konoha's shortcomings, because everyone will work together to correct and improve them!"

"When the enemy attacks us, we must fight back, but we must also reflect on where we fell short, which became our weaknesses to be attacked!"

Madara Uchiha slowly exhaled a long breath.

He began to think about a question—

Why didn't he take Hiruzen Sarutobi as his disciple back then? What a pity!

Qingshui is certainly very good.

However, compared to Aokiji, Hiruzen Sarutobi is the perfect representative of the Eye of the Moon Project in his mind!

"What a pity, what a pity!"

Madara Uchiha shook his head.

"What a pity about Lord Madara? Why don't you find an opportunity to talk to the Hokage about the Eye of the Moon Plan?" White Zetsu scratched his head and said casually.

"snort--"

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, although he speaks reservedly, is fundamentally the same person I used to be!"

Madara Uchiha crossed his arms and said with emotion, "Those who can inherit my will are manageable if they are still young—but once they've reached a certain level, how can I easily trust others? Even if the Eye of the Moon Plan is entirely correct!"

Madara Uchiha couldn't help but think.

If he, in his youth, met his present self—

I'm afraid communication will be difficult!

The young man could never have imagined that one day the ninja world's demon would be hiding in a cave—

How heroic he was back then!

Even if I lose to Hashirama, I will never admit defeat; I only want a quick and satisfying defeat!

As for harming his own people for the Eye of the Moon Plan and breaking his promise to Izuna—

Madara Uchiha explained to himself that all of this would be compensated for within the Infinite Tsukuyomi, and his subconscious prevented him from delving deeper into these matters.

Just as Hashirama said, for the sake of the village, one can sacrifice everything—

He wouldn't do that, but it's unavoidable to let loved ones suffer a little for a short time.

"I have already asked Lord Mito to analyze that enemy, and I will also secretly deploy corresponding methods to deal with any possible further attacks from him—"

"The more he makes a move, the more clues we'll gather! We'll find him sooner or later!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi said in a strong and resounding voice.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't really care about this matter.

He's essentially playing the empty city stratagem—

This type of lone-wolf attack yields very low returns despite the massive resources invested.

Judging from the extent to which the other party knew Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi believed that the other party must have mastered some kind of technique that he did not know, thus bypassing the surveillance power.

However, he wasn't omniscient or omnipotent. Hiruzen Sarutobi trusted Mito's perception abilities; the core area of ​​the village was protected by Kagura's Mind's Eye and the Nine-Tails.

The other party was clearly unwilling to reveal their identity and would not act rashly without knowing their methods.

"Oh? They asked Mito to help?"

Madara Uchiha frowned: "Troublesome—I thought Mito was about to die, but I didn't expect her to have a last burst of energy until now. As expected of the Uzumaki clan's princess—"

Even if Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't use the empty city ploy, Madara Uchiha was no longer willing to attack the younger generation.

One instance of self-degradation is enough.

Moreover, Madara Uchiha didn't want to repeatedly resort to violence against his clansmen.

In his view, playing against Hiruzen Sarutobi was like playing against his younger self—

It's a clash of ideologies!

Using underhanded tactics that are beneath you will not only disgust you, but also serve no purpose whatsoever.

"Speaking of the root going out of control—it reminds me of a story that Lord Hashirama once told me."

"About a name that feels complicated."

"Uchiha Madara—" Hiruzen Sarutobi said softly.

At this moment, the Uchiha clan's territory was in an uproar.

The Hokage actually mentioned the clan head's name?

Isshin and Fugaku exchanged a glance, both filled with disbelief. The Hokage was incredibly trustworthy!

Why does it feel complicated?

"Because Madara Uchiha was one of the founders of Konoha, second only to Hashirama, and made great contributions to the village, this must be acknowledged."

"But later, due to ideological differences, he fought against Lord Hashirama, resulting in disastrous consequences and enormous losses—"

"After learning a bit from Lord Mito, I can roughly guess what he was thinking—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed softly: "I think he believes that if the village cannot take care of the interests of the various clans, then it will become a terrifying tool to oppress the ninja—"

"From today's perspective, Madara Uchiha's ideas make some sense."

"But we must understand one thing!"

"In the course of development, all sorts of problems will inevitably arise, and a good set of rules needs to be iterated and improved over time."

"As long as I'm here, I'll do my best to solve problems—so I hope that when you encounter something you can't figure out, you can talk to your companions more—"

"I will also take the time to review the questions that everyone has raised for the committee members, and provide a concentrated Q&A session like today."

"Don't get stuck in a rut. Extremes don't solve problems; they only hurt your loved ones and please your enemies—" Hiruzen Sarutobi said with utmost seriousness, "even if the intention is good!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was unaware that Madara Uchiha was still alive.

But as the director of Konoha Mental Hospital, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that the ninja world was a huge Uchiha clan.

The brilliance of humanity will naturally attract them.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi worried that the ninjas would become obsessed with pursuing their own perceived perfection.

Therefore, Hiruzen Sarutobi chose to use Madara Uchiha as a typical case for in-depth analysis.

Using his example, we can instill a mental defense in the ninjas, so that if they do fall ill, they will at least have some antibodies.

"Madara-sama, Madara-sama!"

"The Hokage is talking about you, you're wrong!" White Zetsu exclaimed in surprise, "He sounds like he approves of you!"

Madara Uchiha remained silent.

He never imagined that Hiruzen Sarutobi could understand his psychology so accurately—

"Hashirama, did you tell Mito this? No, I didn't tell you any of this. With your mind full of fantasies about the village back then, you couldn't possibly understand that I could already see the other side—"

"This is something Hiruzen Sarutobi figured out himself!"

Madara Uchiha let out a long breath, his heart filled with indescribable emotions.

In the ninja world, blood ties are certainly important—

But the ninja way will be a closer connection, and this is true even for Hashirama and Madara.

Their friendship is the best proof.

The problem is that, in Madara's view, although Hiruzen Sarutobi inherited his will and ninja way—

But that was him in his youth, not him now!

"Lord Madara, what do we do now? It seems like we've messed up—" White Zetsu scratched his head.

"Oh--"

"Broken up? No, Hiruzen Sarutobi just proved that he's worthy of my serious attention—"

"This is just the beginning!"

Madara Uchiha's smile was tinged with a twisted glint: "His thinking is just as naive as I used to be—"

"Even if Konoha looks better under his rule—"

"But how can he change the other hidden villages? The greed, belligerence, and ruthlessness of ninjas are ingrained in their bones, which will endlessly fuel war—"

"With war, the chains of hatred will continue to multiply and can never be broken!"

Madara Uchiha stared at the White Zetsu, as if he mistook it for Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Furthermore, no matter how correct the ideal, it's all empty talk without the power to implement and protect it! The weak have no right to dream!"

"If his path is right, then prove it to me with your strength!"

"He was, after all, just a mortal—" Madara Uchiha said softly, "And Konoha, without Hashirama and me, could not have defeated the combined power of the other hidden villages—"

"I will teach him a lesson! I will teach this brat who inherited my youthful will a lesson!"

Bai Jue was completely bewildered.

What exactly is Madara talking about?

"I will unleash the chains of hatred upon Konoha! I will show them the true cruelty of the ninja world—"

"Amidst this cruelty, Aokiji, or other Uchiha, and even Hiruzen Sarutobi, will be the first to understand—true peace can only be brought about by the Eye of the Moon Plan!"

Madara Uchiha gazed into the distance.

The moon was obscured by dark clouds.

he was thinking.

Given the current state of the ninja world, the unique Konoha will inevitably become the object of everyone's fear sooner or later. The resurgence of war is only a matter of time, and no one can stop it.

This is not directed at Konoha, nor is it an attempt to deliberately destroy peace.

The war in the ninja world was destined to come; it wasn't something he created out of thin air.

He simply wanted Konoha to suffer the calamities it was meant to endure, and through his hands, to intensify the suffering, thus prematurely revealing the cruel truth to Hiruzen Sarutobi!

It's good to wake up from the false dream of peace sooner rather than later.

"Lord Madara, are we just going to abandon Konoha?" White Zetsu asked, puzzled.

Madara Uchiha waved his hand dismissively, "No need to attack Konoha—"

"Mito's perception combined with Hiruzen Sarutobi's strategy could potentially expose my identity, thereby triggering the vigilance of the entire ninja world—"

Bai Jue gave an "oh," his eyes darting around, but he didn't say anything more.

It sensed that Lord Ban was hiding some other thoughts—

This appearance does give off a bit of the feeling when "Hashirama" is mentioned!

"Prove it to me, Hiruzen Sarutobi—"

"No, not proof—await my lesson, you foolish successor from my youth—" Madara Uchiha muttered to himself.

"Lord Madara, um—I'll help you!"

The white Zetsu raised its hand: "Lord Madara, you fed me roasted meat today, can I call myself Ah-Huo from now on?"

Madara Uchiha glanced at him and nodded noncommittally.

He is very tolerant of White Zetsu, who are intelligent and capable of communication.

Although the Gedo Mazo can create a large number of White Zetsu, apart from Tobi, the exceptionally skilled son of the Divine Tree, only about a hundred White Zetsu have the ability to act as spies.

The rest of the White Zetsu are so intellectually deficient that they can only be used as cannon fodder and cannot do anything that requires any brainpower.

"Let's give Hiruzen Sarutobi an appetizer first—"

"I order the White Zetsu from other hidden villages to conduct a comprehensive search for information on the Hidden Void Village throughout the ninja world! I want them to make a comeback and teach Konoha, which is temporarily immersed in peace, a lesson!"

The Hidden Village of the Void is a small hidden village that fought against Konoha during the Second Shinobi World War.

Because of its unique aerial combat capabilities, it was not completely destroyed by Konoha, but instead went into hiding to accumulate the power of revenge.

In Madara's view, this was the perfect opportunity for the first attack on Konoha.

However, he seems to have overlooked one point.

If Konoha withstands the attack from the Hidden Sky Village, with its current level of scientific research, it is possible to perform reverse engineering.

In other words, consuming the technological resources of the Void Concealment—

In a sense, if he mismanages the situation, this could turn into an act of "aiding the enemy."

But clearly, Madara Uchiha felt the advantage was on his side!

In Konoha.

Danzo offered a profound apology to all the Konoha ninja.

This action won the understanding and approval of the vast majority of Konoha ninjas.

After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi provided an explanation.

The roots are historical remnants from the war years, products of a special environment.

As the Hokage, he also bears responsibility for inadequate oversight.

However, Sarutobi also emphasized this point.

Even though the relevant members at the root have already received appropriate compensation.

From now on, Konoha will only recognize due process, not subsequent compensation.

No one shall be allowed to substitute pre-emptive compliance with post-event remedies.

If anyone commits the offense again, they will be dealt with severely and without leniency!

However, what's interesting is...

After Danzo made his self-criticism, he said the following.

"From now on, I will continue to monitor every Konoha ninja with the strictest standards—"

"Anyone who crosses the village's rules and boundaries, or endangers the Will of Fire—I will punish them severely, and purge all the corrupt elements from the village and the Hokage!"

"My approach to external affairs will remain unchanged—internally, I will fulfill my supervisory role."

"I hope you all will not give me the opportunity to punish my own people—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi gently clapped for Danzo.

What a sharp knife!

Surprisingly, many people in the village applauded for Danzo in support.

That concludes today's fireside chat. I look forward to our next conversation!

Hiruzen Sarutobi deactivated the Crystal Ball Technique.

At that moment, Konoha instantly transformed into a sea of ​​celebration.

The name of Hokage is revered and shouted.

Many people rushed out of their homes, excitedly discussing the words of Naruto with their companions and friends, and talking about the future of the village—

#

Three days later.

The ancestral home of the Thousand Hands family.

Mito Uzumaki and Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the reception room, chatting and laughing.

They were waiting for Uchiha Aokiji and Isshin to arrive.

"You mean, Aomizu has Izuna's chakra within him?" Hiruzen Sarutobi was genuinely shocked by the bond he formed with Sengoku. "Is it the Uchiha Izuna I was thinking of?"

Tobirama-sensei, what are you doing?

You're playing way too fancy!

PS: Here comes a super long chapter with 12,000 words!

Happy Valentine's Day, dear readers!

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