章節 121: Chapter 121 Please Use This Sword to Kill Me
Ino couldn't fully recall what had happened the previous day, but she doubted Naruto would... After pondering for a while, Ino wrapped the towel around herself again and opened the door.
She saw the neatly folded clothes on the sofa and the breakfast kept warm on the table, but Naruto was nowhere to be found.
'Today seemed to be the day of the high-level meeting.' Standing by the door, Ino felt a twinge of regret. If she had woken up earlier, maybe she could have spoken a few words with him..
The living room was quiet, the only sound being the soft beeps of the warming pot. She walked to the sofa, put on her fully dried undergarments, and slipped into her skirt. In the bathroom, she found the toothbrush and cup she had used last time, with water running from the faucet.
After coming out of the bathroom, Ino glanced at the balcony, where the bright, warm sunlight was dazzling, and Naruto's clothes were swaying in the breeze. It felt as if everything had been tidied up, organized meticulously, just waiting for her.
As she took her breakfast, she noticed a note on the table.
[Note: I put the bath water in the refrigerator, (*--*)]
(*--*)!!!
Seeing that crude, rough smiley face, the warmth in Ino's heart vanished. Her fists clenched tightly as the image of Naruto's cheeky grin flashed before her eyes.
"UZUMAKI!!! NARUTO!!!"
"AAAHHH!!!"
"Uzumaki Naruto, how do you explain releasing the Biju in the center of the village on August 24th?"
Danzo's voice was no different from that of an ordinary old man, except for his habit of emphasizing the last word of his sentences. This made every sentence sound like a command. Although his voice was soft, everyone present could hear it clearly.
All the curtains in the conference room were drawn, with the Hokage's seat facing the sun. As a result, the high-ranking officials sitting around the long table seemed to be bathed in light, their faces could not be seen at all.
Naruto, who had been called out, stood on Tsunade's left, while the secretary, Shizune, stood to her right.
Except for Tsunade, no other higher-ups was allowed to bring anyone into the meeting room. Shizune alone was responsible for recording the minutes, and if arguments became too heated, Shizune had the authority to call for a pause.
This was because even the trash talk from higher-ups needed to be documented. However, such scenes of poor conduct were relatively rare.
By 10:30 A.M., the meeting had already been going on for half an hour.
It wasn't until Danzo spoke that the meeting formally entered into the main agenda. that day, Root's Shinobi replaced the Anbu and directly rushed to the location where Kyubi had appeared, but they were intercepted by Kakashi.
Now, Danzo demanded an explanation from Naruto.
Tsunade, with her hands clasped on the table, expressionlessly scanned the room. Her eyes flickered slightly, but she didn't immediately respond, nor did she mean to ignore Danzo's question.
She was thinking, openly, in front of all the higher-ups, about how to argue her case.
The room fell into a long silence, everyone waiting for Tsunade to speak, matching her pace in the meeting. After all, she is the Hokage, the princess supported by everyone in the village.
No one was impatient, as if they had long been accustomed to it. The two veteran Advisors drank water tactically, and even Danzo began to close his eye, appearing to rest.
Tsunade had turned the high-level meeting into a turn-based process that everyone had to follow. Faced with the constant threat of Tsunade possibly abandoning her responsibilities, the pressure on the higher-ups was immense.
True authority didn't come from one's self, but from the ability to control everyone and everything. When the village's morale was low and it desperately needed a powerful figure like Tsunade to step forward, the higher-ups were put in a passive position.
In trying to force Tsunade to take a stance, they, too, were being pressured by her.
Tsunade gently tapped the table, which was a sign she was about to speak. After two taps, she glanced at everyone and began to speak, "According to the limited records available in Konoha, every time Kyubi appears, it will cause significant damage to the village. However, on that occasion, the village remained unharmed."
"Furthermore, on that day, Uchiha Itachi infiltrated the village. Their target was the Kyubi. In that case, can we preliminarily conclude that the Kyubi that the Anbu's Shinobi saw might not be real?"
"It wasn't just the Anbu's Shinobi who saw it. The Clan Head of the Yamanaka Clan also witnessed it." Koharu, draped in a white shawl, said in a serious tone.
Her aged eyes turned towards a middle-aged man sitting in the corner of the long table, signaling him to speak.
Inoichi felt mixed emotions as he looked at the flirtatious young man who had taken his daughter's heart. The old father's mind had long drifted away from the intense high-level meeting.
He was wondering whether he should send a message to Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, and ask him to teach his impetuous apprentice a good lesson.
When he looked up, he suddenly found that the old lady, Koharu, was staring at him. He couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. He took a deep breath, and his mind went blank.
'Huh? Why is the Advisor looking at me? What should I say?'
"Ahem." Inoichi cleared his throat and said, "I still think what Tsunade-sama said makes sense."
He had no idea what Tsunade said, but he didn't care. After all, the Ino-Shika-Chou were staunch supporters of the Hokage. Who the Hokage was didn't matter, as long as it wasn't Danzo.
The universal phrase: I think Tsunade-sama's words make sense. Makes sense, completely makes sense, every word makes sense, practically words to live by! It didn't matter what the leader said, as what mattered was that the leader spoke.
"What I'm asking is, did you see the Kyubi appear in the center of the village on August 24th?" Koharu frowned and asked again in a hoarse voice.
'August 24th…' The scene of that stormy day flashed through his mind.
The sky was dark, the earth as dim as dusk, and the land turned to rivers.
"No, I didn't see anything." Inoichi shook his head, "The rain was too heavy that day. All I saw was Uchiha Itachi fleeing from Konoha."
"I've already told you, there's nothing." Tsunade spread her hands.
"Godaime, the truth can never be concealed." Danzo said calmly, interrupting her, "On that day, not only did the Shinobi see the Kyubi, but the villagers did as well."
Tsunade didn't respond, choosing to remain silent. Danzo, wrapped in bandages, fixed his gaze on Naruto, who was standing, and asked again, "Uzumaki Naruto, how do you explain that you released the Biju without permission?"
Tsunade tapped the table twice but said nothing. Instead, she turned her head and glanced at Naruto. This was a signal that he could speak, allowing him to answer on his own.
The previous exchanges were merely Tsunade's way of dragging the Advisors into the conversation. It was all for this moment, where she chose to let Naruto speak.
After receiving the signal, Naruto nodded.
All eyes were on him, but Naruto couldn't see their faces, as they were bathed in the light.
Naruto didn't say anything. Instead, he pulled out a sword and, with a thud, plunged it into the large conference table.
"Danzo-sama, please use this sword to kill me." He said, staring at Danzo's indistinct face.
創作者的想法 
Iampoorguy
Iampoorguy Support me at Pat reon
https://www.pat*reon.com/IamPoorGuyToo
remove the *
章節 122: Chapter 122 Now, He Has the Right to Speak
In the vast conference room, the long and glaring light beam from the single large floor-to-ceiling window cast an obscured glow on the faces of the higher-ups and Clan Heads sitting in reverse light. The floating dust particles in the air were clearly visible, creating a hazy outline of light above the long table.
Naruto's sudden demand, 'kill me', left everyone stunned for a moment.
The sword, lodged in the long conference table, gleamed sharply with half of its blade exposed. Danzo narrowed his eye outside the bandage and looked at Naruto calmly, "Why should I kill you?"
To someone like Danzo, who had spent his entire life lurking in the shadows and had witnessed countless acts of violence, Naruto's bold act was hardly intimidating.
His eye subtly shifted, observing Naruto's expression closely. Disappointment? Anger? There seemed to be none of that, as Naruto's face was devoid of any emotion.
"The sword is already on the table. Whether you kill me now or not, if I die in a few days, it will be linked to you, Danzo-sama." Naruto continued.
"What reason would I have to kill you?" Danzo scoffed coldly, "A Jinchuriki is very important to the village. As a high-ranking official in the village, why would I possibly kill you?"
"Do you think you can avoid the questioning by making a fuss?"
"Reason?" Naruto retorted, "Danzo-sama, you insisted that I released the Biju, but you didn't even ask me the reason or whether I actually did it."
"The Kyubi was released, yet the village wasn't destroyed. Does that make sense?"
"Make sense?" Danzo's voice grew colder, "You released the Biju without authorization. This is an indisputable fact. No matter what you say, the truth cannot be twisted."
"Does the truth really important?" Naruto's voice rose several degrees. In the huge conference room, only he and Danzo were talking, while the others remained silent.
Tsunade didn't say anything, so neither did the others.
"The truth is the fact, and the fact is the truth." Danzo said sternly, "If your academic studies are lacking, I don't mind sending you back to the Academy for remedial classes!"
"Danzo-sama, you don't care about the truth. Everyone knows the village wasn't harmed, but that doesn't concern you. What matters to you is making me admit that the Kyubi was released, so you can gain more power and influence."
Naruto showed no sign of weakness. Even though he couldn't see Danzo's face clearly, it didn't affect his performance at all.
"If you really care about the truth, Danzo-sama, then pick up the sword and stab me. Let the Kyubi come out and tell you whether it emerged on August 24th!"
"Do you know what you're saying now?" Danzo's voice was icy, though he avoided directly addressing Naruto's challenge.
"Of course I know what I'm saying!"
"I'm telling you the Kyubi didn't emerge that day. If you think otherwise, then kill me now and let the Kyubi explain."
"This is just nonsense!" Danzo said with a hint of anger, "This is insubordination. Do you even listen to what you are saying?"
"Uchiha Itachi invaded the village and nearly killed me. Though I was lucky enough to survive, Uchiha Itachi left without any interference. It seems that Danzo-sama's Root and Anbu have no way to deal with Uchiha Itachi."
"The so-called truth is weak, childish, and laughable. Danzo-sama, it sounds like you can't handle external threats, so you're making excuses by turning your blade on your own people!"
"You!" Danzo's face finally showed a flicker of emotion, "I've had enough of your nonsense. Do you expect me to explain everything about the village to you?"
"Danzo-sama, if you're getting too old and confused, and doesn't dare to take action against Uchiha Itachi, then you should just give up your position."
"You don't dare to kill Uchiha Itachi, but I do!"
"What are you afraid of? Or is there something you're concerned about?"
"Enough!" The old woman, Koharu, sharply interrupted Naruto, stepping into the confrontation.
Knock knock.
Tsunade tapped the long table twice, making two dull but firm sounds. She rested her head on one hand, her full red lips slightly parted, and her voice carried an undeniable authority, "Let him speak."
"Godaime! This is a high-level meeting, and he, a Genin, has no right to speak."
"Whether he is just a Genin or not, and whether he has the right to speak, I think everyone here knows the answer." Tsunade's words carried a veiled threat. Her wrist, pale as jade, moved as her narrow eyes scanned the room.
"If he can't speak, then this high-level meeting might as well be dismissed."
"Godaime, this is against the rules." Homura voiced his concern.
The core of the Konoha's higher-ups consisted of two Advisors, Danzo, and Tsunade. Although the Anbu Commander and the other Clan Heads are also considered higher-ups, most of the time, they simply remained silent in their seats.
"Rules?" Tsunade lifted her head, her golden eyes seemingly glowing, "How many people have already broken the rules? If the rules were really useful, why would I be sitting here?"
"Sandaime and Yondaime are always at the mercy of others. What does does Konoha really need? Rules or power?"
"You have too little trust in the younger generation, creating countless rules. So what's up with that brat Uchiha Itachi? If Naruto isn't qualified to speak, then go find a qualified Jinchuriki."
"Go ahead, select a Jinchuriki from the younger members of your clans, and try them one by one."
After the words were spoken, the two Advisors immediately fell silent.
Hashirama's goal was to downplay the concept of clan, leading to the Senju clan members marrying non-clan individuals, changed their surnames, and gave up the talents of the Senju Clan.
The Uchiha, on the other hand, continuously bred a group of power-obsessed individuals.
Now, Konoha had lost both the Senju and Uchiha Clans. The only woman who inherited the talent of the Senju Clan now sat in the Hokage's seat, and her position is unshakable.
Outside the only floor-to-ceiling window in the conference room, the sunlight was bright, and the greenery was lush. The Hokage Rock stood tall on the cliff, with white birds circling into the sky.
The sunlight shines through the Nara Clan's deer farm, the Yamanaka Clan's flower shop thrived within the village, and clans' Shinobi wearing their headbands were bustling around. Konoha's streets remained lively and crowded.
Tsunade withdrew her gaze from the window, her eyes sweeping over the higher-ups like a lioness surveying her territory.
"Now, he has the right to speak."
The two Advisors were also aware of the current situation and did not wish to confront Tsunade head-on. They only wanted to eliminate potential dangers for the village, not to challenge the Hokage. However, the only candidates capable of holding the position of Hokage were Tsunade and Jiraiya, but both of them stood on the side of the Jinchūriki.
Given this, when the two Advisors tried to focus on the issue at hand, Tsunade forced them to take a stand. If they wanted to deal with the situation solely based on the facts, then they might as well let Danzo take over her position.
With Tsunade's signal, Naruto spoke again.
"I am not guilty, nor do I need to be judged by anyone. No one ever asked me if I wanted to become a Jinchuriki. But since I stand in this position, I have to speak the truth."
創作者的想法
Iampoorguy
Iampoorguy
Support me at Pat reon
https://www.pat*reon.com/IamPoorGuyToo
remove the *
每周推薦票狀態
200+ 推薦票
榜單 
21 推薦票 
段落評論