"From the beginning, I never doubted you. I believed that whatever Shiki-nii does is right—no matter what it is!"
Although she didn't say it outright—that even what he had done to the Hokage faction was justified—the resolve burning in her eyes made everything clear.
Shiki could see it instantly.
She was dead serious.
"You fool…"
Shiki smiled faintly and patted Kurenai Yūhi on the head. He didn't say anything more, but it would be a lie to say it didn't feel good—to be trusted like this.
He knew very well that most of Konoha's ninja remained silent and obedient for one simple reason.
His strength.
If he weren't strong enough… if he weren't overwhelmingly strong…
They would have sided with the Third Hokage without hesitation.
They wouldn't have allowed him to so much as touch them—let alone kill them.
"Heh."
A voice cut in with obvious mockery.
"So this is Konoha, huh? Trying to kill each other from the inside… what a ridiculous joke."
The "show" was over.
Yugito Nii would naturally be taken back into confinement but before that, she didn't forget to stab Shiki once more with her words.
Before, she hadn't known the full story. Now that she understood the ins and outs, the situation felt both absurd and deeply disturbing.
Hearing Yugito's sarcasm, Shiki hadn't even opened his mouth yet—
When Kurenai stepped forward.
"What did you say?"
Her voice sharpened instantly.
"Konoha has Shiki-nii—the strongest. Definitely stronger than your Cloud Village. What right does a loser have to mock us? You standing here is the biggest joke of all."
"Haah?!"
Yugito snapped back immediately.
"At least our Cloud Village would never betray its own and sell each other out!"
Among all the ninja villages, only Kumogakure's shinobi could say something like that without it sounding hollow.
Compared to the other villages, the Cloud Village was a band of muscle-headed brutes but they were united. Betrayal among themselves was rare.
"So what?"
Kurenai shot back without hesitation.
"Didn't you still get caught by Shiki-nii? Your people came to rescue you and ran away with their tails between their legs the moment they saw him."
After dealing with Tsunade for so many years, Kurenai Yūhi's ability to provoke people was anything but weak.
Combined with the deliberately exaggerated tone she used, it was devastating.
Yugito Nii's veins bulged as her mouth twitched slightly.
"You little—!"
Being captured and turned into a prisoner was a humiliation Yugito knew she would never forget.
Seeing her reaction, Kurenai lifted her chin proudly.
"Hmph!"
Yugito snorted, clearly deciding it wasn't worth continuing to argue with this sharp-tongued woman. She turned her gaze back to Shiki instead.
"What are you going to do with me?"
"At least give me a straight answer. Don't just lock me up all day."
Yugito was genuinely confused.
If Shiki wanted to kill her, he would've done it already.
If he wanted to negotiate, he would've started talks.
Instead… nothing.
Just imprisonment.
And oddly enough, that uncertainty scared her more than death. Being locked away indefinitely made her panic—she would rather die than rot in a cell forever.
"Relax," Shiki said calmly.
"I won't let you die like this."
Yugito Nii was the Two-Tails' jinchūriki.
Killing her outright would be a waste—her value was far from exhausted.
"You really are—"
She tried to continue, but Shiki clearly had no interest in pointless conversation. He waved his hand toward the nearby ninja.
They immediately understood and moved to escort Yugito away.
"Hey! I'm not done talking yet!"
"Hey—let go! I can walk on my own!"
"And you, Shiki—listen carefully! If I ever get the chance, I'll definitely kick you—!"
Her voice faded as she was dragged farther away, until it disappeared completely.
Only then did Shiki turn back to Kurenai.
"Let's go. We're heading back."
"Uh-huh!"
Kurenai nodded cheerfully. She glanced once more in Yugito's direction—long since gone and smiled with unmistakable pride.
The next day, the report Shiki had ordered Nara Shikaku to write was delivered to the Third Hokage—Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"…How can they be such fools," Hiruzen said slowly, his voice heavy,
"Is all of this true?"
Standing before him, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane wore extremely complicated expressions.
They were asking about Sarutobi Shinnosuke's rebellion.
If it were false, then Shiki would have to be dealt with.
But if it were true…
Then the situation changed entirely.
"…."
Hiruzen didn't answer immediately.
It was clearly difficult for him to speak.
But at this point, silence was meaningless.
After a long pause, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally nodded.
"Yes."
"That is my son."
"The ANBU investigated thoroughly… but no matter how many times they checked, the conclusion was the same."
"Shinnosuke betrayed the village."
Hiruzen knew that Asuma must have tried to protect his older brother.
But the report stated clearly—Shinnosuke and Asuma had resisted arrest and attempted to flee.
That was the reason Shiki gave for killing them.
Hiruzen didn't believe that explanation for a second.
This was obviously just Shiki's justification—an excuse to strike.
But believing it or not no longer mattered.
Shinnosuke was dead.
Asuma was dead.
Bang!
Hiruzen slammed his fist onto the desk.
The sudden noise startled both Koharu and Homura, who nearly jumped in unison.
"Hiruzen," Koharu asked carefully,
"can you explain why Shinnosuke betrayed the village?"
Shiki killing Shinnosuke and Asuma was shocking enough.
But what truly stunned them was the fact that Sarutobi Shinnosuke had actually betrayed Konoha.
Was he insane? Missing an arm and now his brain too?
The reason was obvious.
Hatred.
As Shinnosuke's father, Hiruzen had always known that his son had never let go of his hatred toward Shiki.
But he never imagined Shinnosuke would choose this method to take revenge.
If Hiruzen had known, he would have stopped him—no matter what.
He might have even slapped his own son to wake him up.
But now… it was too late.
Not only Shinnosuke.
Even his youngest son—Asuma—was gone.
Hiruzen still remembered the final line written on the scroll:
"There is no need for gratitude."
Gratitude?
Gratitude my ass.
Even if the report bore Nara Shikaku's name, anyone could tell whose will it truly represented.
If he could, Hiruzen wanted nothing more than to rush straight to the battlefield and fight Shiki to the death.
"Ahem."
Koharu cleared her throat.
"What do you plan to do next?"
She and Homura exchanged a glance before looking back at Hiruzen.
The evidence of Shinnosuke's betrayal was undeniable.
And this was wartime.
They knew better than anyone—if Shiki were punished now, Konoha would collapse on the spot.
And if Konoha fell… what value would they elders even have?
"What do you think?" Hiruzen asked quietly.
"Ahem!"
Koharu put on a solemn expression.
"I believe… this matter must be endured for now. We can address it after the war."
"…."
Hiruzen didn't respond.
He simply stared at them calmly.
The look made both Koharu and Homura uncomfortable.
"If it weren't your son who died," Hiruzen thought bitterly,
"you wouldn't care at all."
To be honest, his gaze was flat but under it, both elders felt a chill creep up their spines.
"H-Hiruzen," Koharu said awkwardly,
"everything we do… it's all for Konoha."
"For Konoha?"
Hiruzen laughed softly.
Once, he had killed countless people under that same justification.
And now that the blade had finally turned toward him, he understood.
Just how much pain those words could hide.
This feeling…
The urge to kill someone.
This boiling anger…
I really can't endure it.
His eldest son was gone.
His youngest son was gone.
If he swallowed this too—
Then this Hokage position truly wasn't worth keeping.
Koharu and Homura exchanged uneasy looks.
They were starting to panic.
Was Hiruzen really about to do something reckless?
Just as they hesitated over whether to continue persuading him—
A figure appeared instantly in the office.
An ANBU.
"Emergency report!"
"Hokage-sama—Kirigakure has officially declared war on Konoha!"
"What?!"
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