"Using the new leaves to feed the old ones!"
Menma's blunt dismissal of the Will of Fire left everyone present speechless, especially in front of Hashirama and Tobirama.
Tobirama's already stern face turned completely black. He shoved the scroll away, clutching it tightly in his hand, and glared fiercely at Hiruzen Sarutobi before frowning at Menma.
"Young man, I understand you have grievances, but some things cannot be said carelessly!" Tobirama's voice was low and dangerous. "This is the precious legacy left by my elder brother, the source and foundation of Konoha. Moreover, we Hokage, including your father, have all sacrificed our lives for this ideal. It is not something you can understand with your narrow mind!"
Tobirama pointed at Minato. "And you, Fourth Hokage. As Hokage, you should prioritize the village and the nation. You've done a good job in that regard, but why, when the village is in turmoil, do you want to shake its very foundations?"
The scrolls Minato had brought contained numerous details that made him want to slap Hiruzen. Not because the Third Hokage had done these things—though he had—but because he hadn't done enough to prevent them. He had left room for criticism and incriminating evidence.
He hadn't treated the Uchiha Clan with the subtle, pervasive influence they deserved. Instead, he had placed them in charge of the Uchiha Police Force, bestowing honor while quietly relocating their headquarters to the edge of the village, effectively marginalizing them. Furthermore, due to the punitive nature of the police work and the Uchiha's natural arrogance and lack of social skills, they had isolated themselves, cutting off any possibility of producing another Hokage.
His subtle criticism, delivered with veiled praise, had pleased even the Uchiha Clan themselves, making any thought of rebellion unfounded. However, after Hiruzen ascended to power, he had not handled matters flawlessly—or so he claimed. Not to mention, he had used his position as Hokage to benefit his own clan.
"The matter concerning the Sarutobi Clan is the monkey's own fault," Tobirama stated, "and I can decide not to pursue it, but today's matter must end here!"
Tobirama didn't give Menma and Minato a chance to reply. He ignited flames in his palm, burning the scroll he was holding to ashes.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Looks like the Second Hokage is a good Hokage who cares about the village," Menma mocked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "He can even let go of the matter of a Senju clan member who integrated into the village and gave up his surname... only to be captured and experimented on."
The ninjas who heard this were horrified. A moment's recollection revealed a number of Senju clan ninjas they knew by name who had mysteriously disappeared after certain missions. Now it seemed they had all been captured and researched by Hiruzen—or rather, by associates acting under his authority.
"Menma, don't you dare make false accusations!" Hiruzen shouted, panic rising in his voice. "That was clearly what happened when Orochimaru defected! Danzo did the rest afterward. It has nothing to do with me!"
Hiruzen never expected that he would become the scapegoat. Although he had done many questionable things, he truly abhorred human experimentation.
Meanwhile, Danzo Shimura's face instantly darkened. It was the truth, and he didn't refute it, but instead cursed Hiruzen inwardly. Such important information, and Minato had found it. He deserved to die for it.
"Monkey! Tobirama! Shut up!"
Hashirama, wearing a complex expression, suddenly spoke up, stopping the two. He had also seen the contents of the scroll, and he hadn't expected Hiruzen to become like this after becoming Hokage.
He immediately stepped to the front, knelt down before Menma with a thud, and banged his head against the ground, creating a dent in the earth.
"The First Hokage!"
The surrounding ninjas were instantly stunned. This was the God of Shinobi. How could he suddenly change his attitude and kneel before someone?
"Big Brother!"
Tobirama was also shocked by Hashirama's actions and immediately went to help him up, but Hashirama, determined, used Wood Release Ninjutsu to bind his younger brother in place.
"Tobirama, this time, Konoha has truly let down the Fourth Hokage and his family who sacrificed themselves," Hashirama said, his voice thick with emotion. "On behalf of the Village, I apologize to you!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The resounding sounds of kowtowing echoed all around. Even Minato was moved and wanted to go forward to help him up, but seeing the cold expression still on Tobirama's face, he restrained himself.
"It was Tobirama and I who failed to properly guide the monkey, causing him to lose the creed of the Will of Fire and become a cancer. I'm sorry!"
Hashirama turned around and kowtowed three more times to the crowd.
"To all the ninja clans who trusted Konoha, especially the Hyuga and Uchiha clans, and that young man named Kakashi, I'm sorry. I've let you down!"
Hashirama, who had even harmed his best friend Madara Uchiha to protect the village, didn't hesitate to kowtow for its sake. After all, his status as the God of Shinobi made his apology very effective.
The surrounding ninja clans were all deeply moved and excited. Whether their emotion was genuine or feigned was unknown.
However, Kakashi, who was specifically mentioned, frowned and asked, somewhat puzzled. "First Hokage, what did you mean by that?"
"I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry!" Hashirama didn't answer, only repeating his apology. He was afraid that revealing the truth would cause a huge upheaval in Konoha.
But his silence didn't mean Kakashi wouldn't speak.
"Since neither Hashirama nor Tobirama are willing to speak, and even attempt to destroy the evidence, then I will explain," Menma said calmly. "Father, please distribute the replicated scrolls to everyone."
Minato hesitated only briefly before summoning more than ten scrolls using the Summoning Jutsu and tossing them out, where they landed in the hands of the ninjas at the front. Kakashi and Asuma Sarutobi beside him were also fortunate enough to receive one and examined it together.
Meanwhile, Minato began explaining several of the more prominent incidents.
"What you are holding now is what the interest group led by Hiruzen, with Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado as their assistants, did."
Minato's voice was clear and cold.
"First, to secure their own power, they suppressed Sakumo Hatake, known as the White Fang of Konoha, and used public opinion to drive him to suicide."
"Second, using the attack on the Hyuga Clan by Kumogakure as a pretext, they attempted to kill Hiashi Hyuga and suppress the Hyuga Clan."
"Third, Itachi Uchiha, the true culprit in the Uchiha Clan massacre, was actually acting on orders from this interest group."
"Fourth, to weaken the strength of other clans, they allowed Danzo to abduct ninjas from various clans to Root and plant Tongue Calamity Seals."
"Fifth, the number of Sarutobi Clan ninjas increased from several hundred to over three thousand in just a few decades..."
"Sixth..."
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