He turned around to see Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and a group of Jōnin standing there. They were still dressed in their battle armor, clearly having just returned from the front lines.
Ten minutes later, inside the Senju clan residence, everyone had changed into comfortable clothes and a victory banquet was in full swing...
"Hahaha! This time we really beat those guys from Sunagakure into submission!" An Akimichi clan Jōnin laughed loudly, patting his huge belly.
"With such good news, we'd be disrespecting the occasion if we didn't eat at least a whole cow!"
"Disrespecting the cow is more like it..." Aoi Ren shook his head and sighed inwardly. Talk about bad luck, just stepping out the door and running straight into them.
Seeing Aoi Ren shaking his head, a Jōnin from the Kurama clan sitting nearby couldn't help but feel a surge of irritation.
Originally, the Kurama clan had been on equal footing with the Uchiha and Hyūga clans. The Uchiha excelled in Ninjutsu, the Hyūga in Taijutsu, and the Kurama in Genjutsu—they were known as the Three Great Families of Konoha.
However, due to a lack of outstanding talents in recent generations, their standing within the village had been declining rapidly.
When they heard how Aoi Ren had risen to fame seemingly overnight, they couldn't help but feel bitter and jealous...
Human nature was like that; people often questioned what they themselves could not achieve.
"Tch... some people are praised to the skies, yet when the actual fighting started, they were nowhere to be seen," Kurama Shishin sneered with disdain.
"He hasn't even fought in a single major battle, yet he gets called the 'Future of Konoha'."
Hearing this, the atmosphere in the room instantly turned tense and awkward.
Aoi Ren, however, showed no reaction at all. He simply sat there calmly, sipping his tea. If he had to take every drunken, jealous remark to heart, he wouldn't have time for anything else in his life...
Seeing this, a strategist from the Nara clan smiled and tried to smooth things over. "Shishin, you've only had a few cups, why are you already drunk?"
"Drunk?!" Kurama Shishin jumped to his feet, holding his cup high, his eyes fixed directly on Aoi Ren. "You guys are too afraid to say it, but I'm not!"
"People have been talking for a long time now. Some people are just pretty boys living off women! They climb the social ladder by clinging to noble ladies, and then people pile up achievements that don't even belong to them just to make him look good!"
Kurama Shishin looked around with a sneer and challenged them: "A two-year-old child killing Reto? Do any of you actually believe that?!"
"..."
Silence filled the room. Sometimes, silence itself was an answer.
"Hehe!" Kurama Shishin laughed coldly. "See? Even you don't believe it. The First Hokage died trying to save him, didn't he? Well, let's make a bold guess then!"
"Isn't it much more likely... that it was actually the First Hokage who killed Reto?" Kurama Shishin sneered.
"The First was a great man, yes, but wouldn't he be willing to do anything for his only grandson-in-law? Isn't that right?"
"Shishin!" Both Nara Shikaku and Tobirama Senju shouted in reprimand. He had gone way too far this time.
But now that he had started, Kurama Shishin was determined to say everything. He downed his wine in one gulp and sneered: "Some things are left unsaid, but they weigh heavy on everyone's hearts! I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking! What's wrong with that?"
Hearing this, Tobirama Senju looked over at Nara Shikaku and saw the awkward expression on his face. It was clear... the doubt was there, even in his heart.
Tobirama wanted to say something to defend Aoi Ren, but then he remembered his own previous doubts and prejudices against the boy. He suddenly realized—words alone would never be enough to change their minds!
Just then, Aoi Ren finished the last drop of tea in his cup. He stood up slowly, his movements calm and unhurried.
"Are you done talking?"
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