"Prophecy, prophecy, prophecy!"
"Is that all you have in your head?!"
"The Rinnegan, a legend among legends, and you just let it slip through your fingers like that!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen gritted his teeth, glaring at Jiraiya, his decades of cultivated composure nearly shattered.
"Old man, uh, heh, well, Nagato, Nagato must have his reasons..."
Jiraiya, facing his mentor, spoke awkwardly, his voice tinged with guilt.
As a Konoha ninja and a direct disciple of the Hokage, he knew he'd messed up big time.
"Reasons?!"
"I don't care what reasons he has! Do you have any idea how much damage the Akatsuki, led by him, has caused Konoha in this war?!"
"And it's all on you, Jiraiya!"
Jiraiya, thoroughly chewed out by Sarutobi Hiruzen, didn't dare retort, only nodding repeatedly in agreement.
Heaven have mercy, he was fifty years old and still getting scolded like a child, unable to muster a single word in his defense.
He was terrified the old man might have a heart attack from all this anger.
"The Akatsuki member I'm working with this time is Scorpion of the Red Sand, a rogue ninja from Sunagakure," Uchiha Itachi said quietly, observing Sarutobi Hiruzen's furious beard-twitching and wide-eyed glare.
"Scorpion of the Red Sand? The one whose parents were killed by Hatake Sakumo?"
"Chiyo's grandson?"
Jiraiya, as if born to stir trouble, blurted this out, instantly sparking a sense of urgency in Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart.
"Hm?"
"Hatake Sakumo?"
Senju Tobirama finally caught a somewhat familiar name.
He vaguely recalled that when Tsunade was in the Ninja Academy, she had a senior named Hatake Sakumo.
A decent talent, particularly skilled in kenjutsu.
"I didn't sense that kid's chakra. Is he out on a mission?"
Senju Tobirama turned to survey the peaceful Konoha, his voice casual.
Tsunade's chakra, on the other hand, was quite lively.
"..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent at the question.
"He's dead. Suicide," Sakura said, recalling what she'd pried out of Danzo when he tried to recruit her into Root.
The death of Konoha's White Fang had Danzo's hand in it too.
Hearing that the knife-wielding kid had died, and by his own hand no less, Senju Tobirama's brow furrowed.
"Monkey, what's going on here?"
"Well, uh, about that..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen struggled to find the words.
He couldn't exactly say that the famed White Fang of Konoha had been slandered by rumors after his comrades abandoned a mission, leading him to commit seppuku...
That would sound utterly ridiculous...
Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen stumble over his explanation, a tic mark pulsed on Tobirama's forehead.
With the precedent set, he was starting to understand.
Not just Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Obito, and Jiraiya with his addled brain—Sarutobi Hiruzen was a problem too!
So, the moment I died, Konoha turned into this mess?!
"Where's Danzo?!"
"Where is Danzo?!"
Regardless of the role Sarutobi Hiruzen played in Hatake Sakumo's death, all these disasters happened on his watch. Sarutobi bore unavoidable responsibility!
There's a time to act and a time to hold back.
But you need to know when to act and when to hold back!
Indecision is a ruler's greatest taboo!
Either stand aloof, observing everything with cold detachment, or act decisively with the force of a thunderstorm, resolving everything and intimidating all who witness.
"Danzo..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen hesitated.
Seeing his reaction, Tobirama's eyebrows practically twisted in fury.
"What's with Danzo now?"
"Don't tell me he's dead too?!"
Danzo wasn't dead, but he might as well be.
Sakura muttered this to herself before tugging at Senju Tobirama's sleeve.
Tobirama was tall—unlike Sarutobi Hiruzen, whom she could barely reach.
Glancing at the pink-haired girl beside him, Tobirama suppressed his anger and bent down.
If there was one silver lining to this Reanimation Jutsu, it was recognizing this pink-haired girl's potential.
In terms of political acumen and situational awareness, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't hold a candle to this thirteen-year-old.
And then there was that Jiraiya fellow, an idealistic fool just like his older brother.
Sakura leaned in and whispered a string of words into Tobirama's ear, making his already grim expression darken further.
"Monkey..."
Tobirama, barely restraining the urge to personally throttle Danzo, was about to order Sarutobi to drag him over. But then he glanced at the silent Uchiha Itachi nearby and held back.
Danzo, for better or worse, was his disciple, and everyone here—except Itachi—was part of his direct lineage of students.
"You're Uchiha Itachi, correct?"
Tobirama stepped in front of Itachi, his crimson eyes locking onto the Uchiha clansman.
"Yes... Second Hokage-sama," Itachi replied, showing little interest in Tobirama's presence. Orochimaru had used this trick during his attempt to assassinate Sarutobi Hiruzen, so the idea of Tobirama's will lingering in Konoha wasn't shocking.
Besides, Tobirama was the creator of the Reanimation Jutsu.
"I've got a rough understanding of your situation. Since you've chosen this path, the consequences won't be pleasant."
"There's still time to turn back."
Tobirama crossed his arms. Even though his strength, limited by this half-baked Reanimation Jutsu, was barely at Chunin level, his presence was formidable.
"Do I... still have a choice?"
Itachi gave a bitter smile, looking at the man before him.
"Go now and compile a report on the Akatsuki's intelligence. Hand it to Sarutobi. Then find Scorpion of the Red Sand and get him out of Konoha."
Tobirama glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who immediately nodded in agreement.
He planned to find an opportunity, once this was over, to create a reasonable gap in Konoha's defenses for Scorpion and Itachi to slip through.
"Wait, Scorpion and I came here to track down the Two-Tails," Itachi interjected quickly.
If he left Konoha empty-handed, explaining himself to Pain would be difficult.
His first unauthorized mission had failed, and if this voluntary one failed too, his influence within the Akatsuki would plummet.
"The Two-Tails?"
Tobirama looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen, puzzled.
"I caught it!"
Sakura piped up, asserting her presence.
"Good work."
The white-haired man nodded approvingly at the pink-haired girl.
Then he shot a disdainful glance at Sarutobi Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Uchiha Itachi.
Look at her, and then look at yourselves.
What kind of mess have you all made?
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a wave of exhaustion. He was seventy years old, and here he was, still being criticized by his teacher.
Was this what they called "skipping a generation" for affection?
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