They're promoting the "Konoha threat" theory, and spouting nonsense about the Hidden

Chapter 221 That person is... Hiruzen Sarutobi! (6.4K)

A gentle breeze blew by, and the leaves swayed and fell from the air, landing in patches on the high platform.

Today is the day of the funeral and memorial service for Sakumo Hatake, a hero of Konoha. In order to show the village’s remembrance and mourning for the “unfortunate” passing of this hero, the village has specially arranged an open space outside the village as the venue for this memorial service.

Because of Hatake Sakumo's past "good reputation," and because the village intends to use this event to mitigate the impact of previous public opinion, it is expected that most Konoha villagers will come to the scene after publicity and promotion to send off Hatake Sakumo, the hero who sacrificed everything to protect Konoha, on his final journey.

Everything here had been arranged a day earlier. The huge black and white portrait of Sakumo Hatake was hanging high in the center of the platform, quietly watching the funeral specially prepared for him, with that familiar gentle smile in his eyes.

"I never imagined that Senior Sakumo would die in such a way..."

Jiraiya stood in the shade of a tree, leaning against it, gazing at the enormous portrait of Sakumo Hatake in the distance, his voice low and somber.

As a ninja more than ten years older than the Sannin, Sakumo Hatake is worthy of the title of "senior" among the Sannin, whether in terms of age, strength, or achievements.

Especially before the three legendary Sannin matured, Hiruzen Sarutobi was busy with official duties, and the Sannin received a lot of guidance from this gentle and kind senior.

At the time, all three were teenagers. It can be said that Sakumo Hatake not only guided them in their ninja training, but also set an example for them, deeply influencing them in terms of character and other aspects.

In a sense, Sakumo Hatake was a guiding light on the path of growth for these three.

Therefore, even the most reclusive Orochimaru actually felt some regret about the death of Hatake Sakumo.

"...It's really a pity."

Orochimaru, his face pale, looked towards the venue, his eyes lowered, obscuring his golden pupils.

During this period, Orochimaru, despite his disregard for human life and treating it as experimental material, still harbored some lingering attachments and was far from the indifferent state he would later attain.

Since Tsunade was still far away in Kirigakure at the time and did not know about Sakumo Hatake, only Jiraiya and Orochimaru attended Sakumo Hatake's funeral.

"How absurd it is that a hero who dedicated everything to the village did not die on the battlefield of the enemy, but instead committed suicide under the slander of his own people!"

As Jiraiya spoke, he slammed his fist heavily into the tree behind him, causing it to shake and scatter leaves, some of which landed on him.

Even Orochimaru was somewhat moved by the passing of Sakumo Hatake, let alone Jiraiya, whose character was very similar to Sakumo Hatake's.

Sakumo Hatake's emphasis on the "Will of Fire" and his comrades could have influenced Jiraiya more than anyone else.

Therefore, Jiraiya felt a deep and inexplicable sadness regarding Sakumo Hatake's death.

Orochimaru turned his head and quietly gazed at his companion, with whom he had grown up since childhood, without saying a word.

Unlike the sunny, hot-blooded, and carefree Jiraiya, Orochimaru, who had already been in contact with Danzo Shimura, was naturally not as naive as Jiraiya, simply attributing Sakumo Hatake's death to the villagers' rumors and slander.

Having worked under Shimura Danzo for several years, Orochimaru's perspective on things had long since expanded beyond a mere ninja viewpoint. Although Shimura Danzo, for the sake of secrecy, did not reveal his plans to Orochimaru...

However, given Orochimaru's intelligence and the information he had gathered from working under Danzo for so many years, he was 80% certain that Shimura Danzo was behind Hatake Sakumo's affair.

Considering the scale of this incident, the lack of intervention from the village, and the absence of any punishment for Danzo, it's highly likely that his former mentor, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was also involved.

As for the reason... Orochimaru turned his head again and looked at the huge portrait, and couldn't help but sigh softly.

"The Hokage position... truly a sweet poison!"

Orochimaru himself had no interest in the Hokage position, which was coveted by most people in the village.

If there is any connection, it can only be that he values ​​the endless experimental resources that the position of Hokage can bring him.

The reason why later generations resented Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze for being able to surpass him and become the Fourth Hokage was simply because they resented that their teachers could not understand them.

He did not comment on his teacher's behavior.

After all, he was that kind of person himself. Compared to Hatake Sakumo, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Jiraiya were closer to him. The fact that he was here to see Hatake Sakumo off on his final journey was enough to prove Hatake Sakumo's status in his heart.

"What a pity. If Tsunade were here, she might have actually brought Sakumo-senpai back to life before he truly died..."

As Jiraiya watched the leaves fluttering in the air, he couldn't help but feel an endless longing for Tsunade.

He only learned after he returned that Tsunade had agreed to be a medical ninjutsu instructor in Kirigakure for three years in order to get Kirigakure to act as a peacemaker.

Tsunade has already been in Kirigakure for two years, and it will take her another year before she can return.

This temporarily thwarted the little thoughts that had arisen in Jiraiya's mind after learning of Kato Dan's death.

"Don't dream about it. You know his body wasn't discovered until the next morning. Even the Sage of Six Paths would be helpless in this situation, let alone Tsunade."

Orochimaru didn't hesitate to use reality to dispel his companion's delusional fantasies.

Jiraiya sighed. How could he not know that this was just wishful thinking on his part?

As the two talked, time gradually passed, and the crowd participating in the funeral gradually gathered.

The bustling villagers, dressed in black or plain clothes, some carrying bouquets of white flowers, arrived at the funeral site and spontaneously and orderly gathered below the platform, silently waiting for the funeral to begin.

However, this place is ultimately a gathering place for villagers and low-ranking ninjas. As a member of a ninja clan or a mid- to high-ranking ninja, there is naturally a special VIP viewing area.

Perhaps out of respect for Hatake Sakumo, or perhaps to see the village make a fool of itself, in any case, almost every ninja clan, big or small, with members in Konoha, attended the funeral.

The Hyuga clan, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Inuzuka, Aburame, Kurama... and naturally, the Uchiha clan is also included among them.

Homura Uchiha and Fugaku Uchiha sat quietly in the VIP area, waiting for the funeral to begin.

If you didn't know the background, just looking at this scene, you might really think that Sakumo Hatake was a very famous person in the village!

As noon approached, the crowd of spectators grew larger and larger, forming a dense, dark mass below when viewed from the high platform. If some unknown, perfect Jinchuriki were to unleash a Tailed Beast Ball from afar at this moment, Konoha would likely suffer truly crippling damage.

Unfortunately, the perfect Jinchuriki was in Kirigakure at the time, receiving spoils extorted from Shimura Danzo, and was not here, so this horrific scene did not occur.

After the crowd gradually filled the venue, the person in charge of the funeral finally appeared before everyone.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, dressed in black with an exquisite chrysanthemum pinned to his chest, looked serious as he spoke.

Following behind her was the widow of the protagonist of this funeral, the wife of Konoha hero Sakumo Hatake, and the newly widowed Hatake Nao.

At this moment, Nao Hatake was without makeup. Perhaps due to her sleepless nights following her husband's death, faint dark circles and swollen eyes could be seen.

The milky white pearl necklace around her neck couldn't quite cover Mrs. Hatake's fair skin. Her black dress tightly hugged her voluptuous figure, and her legs, clad in black stockings, were faintly visible as she walked.

This outfit, combined with the faint sorrow between her brows, truly evokes pity and perfectly embodies the saying, "A woman should be beautiful even in mourning."

The combination of Nao Hatake's fair skin and black dress couldn't help but make some people with ulterior motives nod in approval.

Following Nao Hatake were the three high-level advisors of Konoha: Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado. The three of them were also dressed in black and followed closely behind the two with serious expressions.

For some reason, Kakashi Hatake did not appear here, nor did he attend his father's funeral.

As soon as the main figures appeared, the crowd spontaneously made way for them, watching the five people pass through the crowd and arrive at the high platform.

As Hiruzen Sarutobi stood on the high platform, he saw the huge black and white portrait of Sakumo Hatake and gently closed his eyes. This was the first time he had seen Sakumo Hatake since their last parting.

However, he never expected that their reunion would be like this.

"Sakumo, whether you believe it or not, my true intention was not to kill you... I just wanted to put you in a bad mood..."

Perhaps out of guilt, or perhaps to comfort himself, Hiruzen Sarutobi silently spoke these words to himself.

Even disregarding Hatake Sakumo's formidable fighting prowess, just considering his character, he wouldn't want someone like him to die in such a manner.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi was, after all, a renowned "Hero of the Ninja," and his regret quickly dissipated. When he opened his eyes again, the Third Hokage of Konoha appeared at the funeral.

"Today, we are gathered here to mourn a man, a great hero who made a huge contribution to Konoha and protected it for decades... He once traveled to the Land of Wind and single-handedly turned the Sand Village's rear defenses upside down; he also once fought against many enemies, forcing other ninja villages to issue the order 'If you see White Fang, you may abandon the mission'..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heavy voice rang out as he began to recount the many contributions Sakumo Hatake had made to the village and his illustrious reputation in the ninja world. He then began to explain his "Will of Fire."

"He is our pride, and an outstanding talent nurtured under the influence of Konoha's 'Will of Fire'... He is Hatake Sakumo!"

Then, Hiruzen Sarutobi abruptly changed the subject, speaking in an extremely angry tone:

"It's just a pity that such outstanding talents as us perished in Kirigakure's conspiracy due to the village's momentary lapse in attention..."

Indeed, after much deliberation, Hiruzen Sarutobi realized that Danzo Shimura's three schemes were not enough to perfectly shift the blame onto him. So, by sheer coincidence, he involved Shingetsu Hozuki in order to divert the village's attention and shift the blame from himself to Shingetsu Hozuki.

After all, Hozuki Shingetsu has a history of manipulating public opinion and harboring deep malice towards Konoha. Sarutobi Hiruzen's explanation is enough to gain the trust of most of the uninformed villagers.

Besides, you, Hozuki Shingetsu, are far away in Kirigakure. Do you really think you can stand up and refute him now? As long as you don't refute him, then Hiruzen Sarutobi is confident that he can pin the blame on Hozuki Shingetsu right here!

Moreover, with Hozuki Shingetsu as such a good target, he can take advantage of the death of Sakumoku to incite hatred towards Hozuki Shingetsu and express his anger towards Kirigakure, thereby gathering people's hearts and consolidating his position. In this way, he can achieve multiple goals at once!

Unaware that he had stumbled upon the true mastermind behind the scenes, Hiruzen Sarutobi was still talking animatedly, expressing his dissatisfaction with Kirigakure and promising to launch an attack on Kirigakure once the village had recovered, in order to avenge the loss of White Fang.

With Hiruzen Sarutobi's excellent eloquence, coupled with the "wrongful death" of the great hero Sakumo Hatake, the crowd below was now in a frenzy, clamoring to teach Kirigakure a lesson.

Under these circumstances, naturally no one would focus on the village's inaction when rumors were rampant.

Looking at the undisguised hatred for Kirigakure in the crowd below the stage, Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in satisfaction.

In that case, I've finally saved my position!

However, unlike the group of crazy villagers below the stage, the clan chiefs of the ninja clans sitting on the stage were not so easily fooled.

Their rich experience meant they were not easily fooled by Hiruzen Sarutobi. After all, the rumors had been circulating in Konoha for a whole week. If Kirigakure had that kind of power, would Hiruzen Sarutobi still be sitting here peacefully?

However, Sakumo Hatake is already dead, and there are no suitable candidates for Hokage. In addition, Hiruzen Sarutobi has secretly recruited a group of ninja clans to fill the Anbu. Therefore, they can only watch Hiruzen Sarutobi perform on stage quietly.

As Hiruzen Sarutobi finished speaking, the villagers below gradually calmed down.

At this moment, Nao Hatake, the person in question, finally stepped forward to express her gratitude to everyone who had come to attend her husband's funeral.

As Nao Hatake bowed, the widow's full figure trembled as she moved through her black dress, drawing all eyes to the sorrowful woman.

However, whether intentionally or unintentionally, when the widow stood up after bowing, she seemed to glance at Shimura Danzo, who was sitting there, as if by chance.

Immediately, a gentle voice, tinged with a hint of sorrow, resounded throughout the funeral venue through the loudspeaker.

"...Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my late husband's funeral..."

As Nao Hatake recounted the past of her late husband, Sakumo Hatake, and expressed her gratitude to everyone present, Hiruzen Sarutobi was still pondering the many impacts the funeral had on him.

The first point is that White Fang's death signifies that no one can shake his position as Hokage for the time being.

Secondly, this funeral will eliminate as much of the unfavorable rumors about him in the village as possible, including the heavy casualties suffered by the village's ninjas due to the Second Shinobi World War, which will all dissipate with this funeral.

Finally, this opportunity allowed him to divert attention from the corrupt officials to Hozuki Shingetsu, who was far away in Kirigakure. This improved the internal atmosphere, rallied the people, and greatly benefited his next move.

Looking at it this way, it seems that Sakumo Hatake's death was not unjust!

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a strange sense of excitement and thought to himself.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, caught up in his excitement, failed to notice the enigmatic smile playing on Danzo Shimura's lips not far from him.

The two, each with their own ulterior motives, listened quietly to Nao Hatake's speech until...

"...On behalf of the Hatake family, I am deeply grateful that everyone has come here to attend Sakumo's funeral... However, there is one last thing I hope you will witness on this special occasion."

Nao Hatake's unusual last words immediately drew the attention of everyone present.

Given the circumstances and the words spoken, it's easy to imagine that Mrs. Hatake intended to declare her loyalty to Hatake Sakumo by taking good care of him as he grows up and vowing never to remarry.

So everyone present craned their necks and looked at the pretty woman.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was no exception; harboring the same thoughts, he looked over with curious eyes.

However, to everyone's surprise, Nao Hatake's last words were not only completely unrelated to what they had imagined, but also completely different from what they thought!

"...Here, in front of many villagers, and witnessed by many virtuous members of the ninja clan, I want to confess something to everyone."

As Nao Hatake spoke, the worry between her brows deepened, her lips trembled for a moment, and she took a deep breath before slowly saying:

"That is... I was already impure, and after Sakumo died, I had to do something that betrayed Sakumo."

Wow!

Upon hearing this, everyone present looked at the widow on the platform with disbelief, thinking they had misheard.

But after noticing the shocked looks on the faces of those around them, they quickly realized that this was no joke, and an uproar ensued.

Sakumo Hatake, a hero of Konoha, just died, and you're already cheating on him, even shamelessly saying it at your own husband's funeral. What are you trying to do?

Immediately, shouts of insults erupted, directed at Nao Hatake on the stage.

Even Jiraiya and Orochimaru, who were silently observing from afar, couldn't help but show a hint of astonishment on their faces, as if they couldn't believe that Mrs. Hatake would say such a thing in such a situation.

However, unlike the angry crowd at the scene, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a faint unease lingering in his heart.

What was supposed to be a perfect funeral turned into a disaster because of what Nao Hatake did.

He knew that Hatake Nao was not a stupid person and could not have made a slip of the tongue. So, what was Hatake's purpose in bringing up this matter at Hatake Sakumo's funeral, in front of most of the villagers?

However, before Hiruzen Sarutobi could think of a way to stop Nao Hatake's words or calm the surging emotions of the villagers below the stage, something even more unexpected happened.

"I am not saying these things in this setting, under my late husband's portrait, to imply that I am a promiscuous woman."

Nao Hatake's voice, amplified by the loudspeaker, echoed softly throughout the venue.

"In fact, I was forced. That person used his power to threaten me, saying that if I didn't comply, he would harm Kakashi... So in order to protect Kakashi, I had no choice but to abandon this body..."

Perhaps recalling the scene, Nao Hatake choked up, sobbing as she said:

"...The reason I'm bringing this up in this setting is because that person's power is simply too great. I hope that by speaking out in public, everyone here can help me get justice."

What?

How dare someone go to the Hatake clan and use their power to insult the widow after the death of the Konoha hero?

As soon as these words were spoken, the villagers below the stage erupted in an uproar, with discussions even louder than before.

After all, it could be said that Nao Hatake's personal character was the problem just now, but now the impact of this matter has escalated to the point that someone in a high position of power is using their authority to bully the widow of a hero and the orphans and widows.

After all, there are many powerful and influential people in the village, and most of them may not even be able to obtain the status of "hero." Under such circumstances, even the widows of heroes may be bullied, let alone the ordinary people in the audience. How could this not resonate with the ordinary people in the audience and stir up their emotions?

Moreover, many villagers, looking at the pitiful, beautiful widow on the stage, whose face was streaked with tears that added to her sorrow, felt a pang of jealousy and envy towards the unknown, high-ranking official.

Damn it, you really deserve to die!

Instantly, a heated discussion broke out, and the villagers present began to hurl insults at the unknown man.

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was already thinking of getting up to stop Nao Hatake from continuing.

He naturally didn't think that Nao Hatake would make a mistake at this time, so that person most likely exists.

However, there were only a handful of people in the entire village who could be described as "highly influential" by Nao Hatake.

Given the current situation, whoever it is, as long as Nao Hatake says it, that person is bound to be in trouble.

He didn't care about that; what he cared about was Konoha's reputation!

After all, at the funeral of a hero of Konoha, the hero's widow stood up and accused someone of abusing their power to insult her. If this got out, how would others view Konoha, and how would they view Hiruzen Sarutobi?

Especially given the dubious circumstances surrounding Sakumo Hatake's death, Nao Hatake's current actions have put him in an even more passive position.

Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but feel a little resentful towards Nao Hatake. Couldn't you have told him this in private? Why did you have to say it in this kind of setting?

Don't you know that for a woman, "starving to death is a small matter, but losing her chastity is a great matter"?

How could you have the nerve to make such a fuss about something like this?

However, before Hiruzen Sarutobi could get up to stop her, Nao Hatake had already blurted out the person's name.

"That person is..."

She slowly turned to the side, her emotionless eyes sweeping over Shimura Danzo. In his barely perceptible nod, tinged with resignation, she slowly raised her right hand and pointed at that person:

"The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi!"

The entire arena fell into a deathly silence as everyone stared incredulously between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Nao Hatake.

Then, the atmosphere at the scene instantly boiled over like an erupting volcano!

(End of this chapter)