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Chapter 664: The Fatal Strike!
Chapter 664: The Fatal Strike!
"Hokage-sama, there's another crime to add to Enma Sarutobi's list!"
Tong Ping spoke up calmly.
As soon as he spoke, the Hokage Lineage members tensed up.
"My father made great sacrifices for Konoha, which is evident to all. Do you intend to slander him?"
Ashama stepped forward.
There was no choice; everyone else could hide, but he couldn't.
Because he was the 'Son of the Hokage.'
Having enjoyed the benefits of this identity, he was inevitably bound to it, so defending Enma Sarutobi was, in essence, defending himself.
That's right!
After Danzou's escape, aside from the Root Ninjas and the Root Blade he took with him, everything else fell under Ashama's control. So, despite his apparent anger over Danzou's situation, his true thoughts remained unspoken.
This included Enma Sarutobi's predicament as well! While the Hokage Lineage supported him when the other was Hokage, it was extremely limited.
But now that he is no longer Hokage, the clan and the Hokage Lineage have begun to view him as the leader of the Hokage Lineage, not the leader of the 'next generation.'
If it weren't for the sake of appearances for the other Hokage Lineage members, Ashama would never have dared to confront Tong Ping directly.
At this stage, his task is to digest the newly acquired gains, not to cause trouble.
"Oh, so you say I'm slandering him. Are you referring to my revealing all his deeds?"
Tong Ping looked at the fair and delicate Ashama before him and forced himself to suppress a smile as he retorted.
Yes, there's nothing more amusing than seeing this Second Shadow fall into his trap.
With this venomous snake around, it's inevitable that Konoha will face more troubles. He can barely protect the other, let alone suppress him.
"You... Everything my father did was for Konoha!"
Ashama was well aware that these were facts. With a ninja's investigative abilities, once a lead is found, uncovering the truth is not difficult. Hence, he felt a bit short of breath.
"Is that so? Are you saying that as long as it's for Konoha, any action can be forgiven, just like Danzou?"
Tong Ping asked a heart-wrenching question and provided an excellent example.
Danzou!
Yes, he was the one who truly sacrificed everything for Konoha.
Not only did he remain unmarried and childless, but he also didn't spare his own clan, the Uchiha Clan, which is why they are not considered a major clan in the village.
His intentions were good, but his actions were far from commendable.
So, using Danzou as an example, Tong Ping delivered a perfect rebuttal.
"You..."
Ashama was speechless.
"What do you mean by 'you'? Don't you even consider your identity? You are no longer the Son of the Hokage; you are merely the son of a criminal. It's already lenient that you're not locked up, and yet you appear at such an occasion. I wonder if someone has taken a bribe!"
Tong Ping showed no mercy.
He knew that the other had turned dark, and the harder he struck, the more fiercely the other would seek power to retaliate.
Only with power could he have the qualification to seek revenge.
So, naturally, Tong Ping wouldn't let Ashama off easily. The harder he suppressed him, the greater the trouble he sowed for Konoha, especially if he added the matter of attacking Konohamaru...
Hiss!
He took a deep breath, feeling a chill.
It was like a perfect storm of vengeance for his father's death and the loss of his wife.
Perfect!
As he realized this, Tong Ping became even more relentless.
"Are you and your brother cursed by the Sand Village Ninjas? Your brother, Shin'nosuke, lost as a main general to them, and you also lost to them. You've lost so much that you can't afford to lose anymore!"
Indeed, the Sand Village was among the weakest of the Five Great Ninja Villages.
To lose even against such opponents was inexcusable.
But Tong Ping had every right to mock him. His famous battle, the 'Kikyou Mountain Battle,' was a remarkable victory against the Sand Village under extremely unfavorable conditions.
"..."
If Ashama's anger and hatred were blades, Tong Ping would have been cut to pieces.
Unfortunately, he didn't possess a bloodline limit like the Sharingan, so no matter how intense his gaze, he couldn't do anything to Tong Ping.
"Enough, let him speak!"
Ziruoye spoke up.
Apart from not wanting to see Asama embarrassed, he also wanted to know more about his teacher's situation.
As Jiraiya's disciple, he understood the circumstances and didn't blame his teacher, despite his complaints.
Unfortunately, his thoughts were premature.
"I won't bring up the past, but yesterday, Monkey King Enma treated the Fourth Hokage's son like a dog!" Danzo blurted out, causing many to break out in cold sweat.
Could he really say such things? The previous incidents he mentioned weren't witnessed by many, so their impact wasn't as profound.
But this was an ongoing issue, and most had seen it with their own eyes.
"Impossible!" Jiraiya instinctively raised his voice in denial.
After all, it had been less than a few months since he and Naruto reunited, and with constant events occupying his time, he hadn't paid much attention to Naruto and genuinely didn't know about this.
"Our 'merciful' Third Hokage allowed the rumors about the Nine-Tails to spread, causing the villagers to shun the Fourth's son. He even prohibited the Fourth's people from getting close, claiming it was for the Jinchuuriki's secrecy. He only allowed him to eat expired food and drink sour milk, occasionally showing concern, just like how one would treat a dog!"
"I wonder if the Fourth Hokage, upon learning of this, would crawl out of his grave to question you, his teacher!"
"The couple sacrificed themselves for the village, yet their son is treated this way. The most trusted teacher is running around for the 'Prophet's Child,' completely neglecting his son. You're truly a great teacher to him!"
Danzo's words were as harsh as they could be.
The Third Hokage couldn't escape this blame, as many were aware of the situation.
Jiraiya, being his teacher, was also implicated as the root cause of this situation.
If only he had returned to the village and shown concern for Naruto, this situation wouldn't have occurred.
"Uchiha Danzo!" Tsunade, noticing Jiraiya's unusual expression, immediately stopped Danzo, who was about to continue his verbal assault.
She was also extremely displeased with the old man, and she had vaguely sensed this issue, as Naruto's living conditions were evident in his daily life and physical appearance.
However, she chose not to expose it for the village's sake, never expecting Danzo to do so in front of so many people.
Some things are better left unsaid!
Did anyone in the village know about this?
Yes! And not just one person.
At the very least, all the major clans of the Hokage lineage were aware.
Although they dared not approach Naruto due to Monkey King Enma's connection, they never stopped their children from doing so.
Otherwise, would the descendants of these great ninja clans be so easily befriended?
"Senior Tsunade, you must know about my relationship with Kurone Nanae. Isn't it right for me to seek justice for her now?"
Danzo held a certain level of respect for Tsunade.
After all, she had helped him in the past by providing medical resources, and even if he knew they might become enemies in the future, he would maintain his respect.
As long as she didn't accept his recruitment.
"..."
Tsunade fell silent.
The relationship between Danzo and Kurone Nanae wasn't a secret, and with his treatment of Naruto, it was only natural for her to seize the opportunity to confront him.
"This matter involves the Jinchuuriki, so it must be kept confidential!"
Nara Shikaku suddenly interjected.
The impact of this issue was too severe, and it was crucial to silence those involved.
Additionally, there was a valid reason.
The Jinchuuriki! It indeed concerned the village's safety, providing a strong rationale.
However, after Nara Shikaku spoke, he noticed that Danzo's expression didn't change due to his suggestion, and his heart skipped a beat.
He knew something was amiss.
"It's too late now. On my way here, I heard 'villagers' discussing this matter!"
Danzo revealed a piece of news that made everyone from the Hokage lineage look extremely uncomfortable.
He deliberately spared his opponent to disgrace them, and there was no way he would offer any chance of escape.
(End of Chapter)
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