"Oh, right, right, right. You're also the Son of the Scapegoat, the Son of the Idiot, the Son of the Burden, the Son who helps count money after being sold."
At Kurama's words, the tears welling in Naruto's eyes instantly stopped.
Then he turned around angrily, clenched his fists, and charged forward, baring his fangs and claws!
"I'm also the Son who'll beat Kurama to death!"
Kurama yawned speechlessly: "He gets happy when he's insulted, truly masochistic."
As he spoke, he extended a single claw and pressed it against the top of Naruto's head.
This left Naruto, who was attempting to use his master-killing random punches, to only flail wildly in place.
Outside.
Minato, who had never seen Hiruzen Sarutobi speak with such subservience, stood stunned in place.
But he quickly reacted and pulled out the excuse he had long prepared.
"Minato, I did that to protect Naruto!"
"He is a Jinchuriki and the son of the deceased Fourth Hokage. Are you not aware of the dangers that come with this dual identity?"
"Only by doing so could I protect him to the greatest extent and ensure his life was not threatened!"
"Moreover, these identities are also a burden, making it easy for a child to go astray. But hardship can accelerate a person's growth and prepare him to deal with that mysterious masked man!"
"Isn't this exactly what you hoped for?"
"Shut up!" Minato, whose expression had been relatively calm, finally couldn't help but explode in anger.
"So your 'hiding' meant hiding his identity as the Fourth Hokage's son, while letting his Jinchuriki identity spread widely?"
"Then why is it that Sunagakure, which is weaker than Konoha, doesn't need to conceal the identities of the Fourth Kazekage's son and a Jinchuriki?"
"Can they protect their own Jinchuriki, but our Konoha Village cannot?"
Hiding the identity of the Fourth Hokage's son, offering various explanations to cover it up completely.
Yet, making the Jinchuriki's identity known to all.
This was the core of Minato's anger!
"That's naturally because your Konoha's Fourth Hokage died, and his remaining descendants needed to be controlled and held in hand."
"While our Kazekage, the Fourth, is still alive, so there's no need for that."
Baki, who was hiding with his men in the treetops in the distance, shouted out, not caring about stirring up trouble.
Of course, after shouting, he quickly led his men and fled.
In this situation, no one had any intention of pursuing them; they all simply looked towards Hiruzen Sarutobi.
They had a premonition that Konoha's high-ranking officials were about to undergo a massive change today!
"I was indeed at fault in this matter; I failed to stop Danzo from spreading the news, which led to this incident."
"However, I also made amends by forbidding everyone from discussing this matter again, and I punished Danzo by removing him from his position as Hokage's assistant!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi had, of course, long since patched this loophole and also chosen a scapegoat.
Seeing the topic shift to himself, Danzo frowned and snorted coldly.
"Hmph, it was indeed this old man who spread the news back then, to test whether the Jinchuriki was stable."
"It's just that this old man didn't expect my Root to be so capable!"
"In less than a day, it was known to everyone, making this old man almost believe I was the Hokage with numerous Anbu!"
"This old man realized his mistake afterward and intended to help clarify, stating it was merely a misunderstanding and that the Jinchuriki was not a demon fox."
"However, the Hokage wouldn't let this old man interfere further; instead, he sent his own people to strictly forbid anyone from discussing it, only making it more obvious…"
"Danzo, you're spouting nonsense!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes widened in fury, and he sharply interrupted Danzo's remaining words.
He hadn't expected that this unredeemable scapegoat-Hokage would refuse to take the blame this time!
And he even said such sarcastic words!
This was simply the 'Scapegoat-Hokage bites back' incident!
After Danzo's personal testimony, all the Ninja present were not fools.
They immediately understood.
Behind the leaking of the Jinchuriki's information, which led to his ostracization, there was also the invisible hand of Hiruzen Sarutobi!
They didn't even need to think to guess the motive.
The Hokage, whose strength was declining with age.
Needed a powerful weapon that only he could control to secure his power!
It was just a pity that now, not only had the Jinchuriki broken free from his control.
The Jinchuriki's deceased Hokage father also had a Chakra clone remaining in the world!
Feng Xu, seeing that everyone thought he was only there to announce identities and accuse Hiruzen Sarutobi today.
Suddenly took a step forward, arriving before Hashirama and Tobirama, whose expressions were uncertain.
"You two, you should have finished reading these intelligence reports."
"Now, do I need to explain to everyone the will of fire, which uses new leaves as fuel to nourish old leaves?"
Chapter 120 Public Execution of Hiruzen Sarutobi
"New leaves as fuel, nourishing old leaves!"
Feng Xu's blunt words left everyone present somewhat aghast.
Especially saying it in front of the First and Second Hokage!
Sure enough, Tobirama's already dark expression was now completely black like the bottom of a pot.
He snatched up the scroll, gripping it tightly in his hand.
First, he glared fiercely at Hiruzen Sarutobi, then frowned and looked at Feng Xu.
"Kid, I know you have grievances, but some things can't be said carelessly!"
"This is the precious ideological legacy left by my elder brother, and it is also the origin and foundation of Konoha's establishment!"
"Moreover, all of us Hokage, including your father, have lived by this ideal with our lives!"
"It's not what you understand with your narrow mind!"
With that, Tobirama pointed at Minato again and continued.
"And you, Fourth Hokage, as Hokage, you should prioritize the nation and the Village, and you've done that very well."
"But why now, when the Village is in turmoil, do you seek to shake its foundation?"
Because the scroll Minato brought contained so many incidents that made him want to slap Hiruzen Sarutobi twice.
Of course, it wasn't because Hiruzen Sarutobi did these things.
But because Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't do them well enough, leaving room for criticism and providing leverage!
It was nothing like how he dealt with the Uchiha, subtly and without a sound.
He had the Uchiha Clan manage a complete organization, the Konoha Military Police Force.
While granting them great honor, he moved their clan to the outskirts of the Village, next to the prison, quietly marginalizing them.
And because of the punitive nature of the Military Police Force, and the Uchiha's arrogance and lack of understanding of human relations.
This caused others to isolate the Uchiha Clan, cutting off their possibility of becoming Hokage.
His move at the time, which was outwardly praise but inwardly criticism, even satisfied the Uchiha themselves, let alone making them think of rebellion.
Yet, after Hiruzen Sarutobi took office, not a single one of those incidents was handled perfectly!
Not to mention he even used the convenience of the Hokage position to benefit his own family!
"Regarding the Sarutobi Clan's affairs, it's the monkey's own fault, and I can decide not to pursue it, but today's matter must end here!"
With that, Tobirama didn't even give Feng Xu and Minato time to reply.
He directly ignited flames in his palm, burning the scroll he held to ashes!
Clap, clap, clap!
"It seems the Second Hokage is indeed a good Hokage who cares for the Village!"
"He can even let go of the matter of his own Senju Clan members, who integrated into the Village and gave up their surname, being captured for research!"
Feng Xu clapped his hands, the mockery on his face completely unconcealed.
Upon hearing these words, the Ninja present all showed looks of shock and horror.
A quick recollection revealed that indeed, quite a few well-known Senju Clan Ninja had mysteriously disappeared after a certain mission!
Now it seemed they were all captured and researched by the Third, no, by Hiruzen Sarutobi!
"Feng Xu, how dare you slander me!"
"That clearly happened when Orochimaru defected, and afterward it was Danzo's doing; it has nothing to do with me!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't expected that this time he would become the scapegoat-Hokage!
Although he had done many dirty deeds, he truly detested human experimentation!
On the other side, Danzo's face instantly darkened.
However, this was the truth, so he didn't refute it, but instead cursed Hiruzen Sarutobi furiously in his mind.
Such important information being found by Minato; he should die to atone for it!
"Monkey, Tobirama, both of you shut up!"
Hashirama, with a complex expression, suddenly spoke up, stopping the two.
He had also seen the contents of the scroll just now and hadn't expected Hiruzen Sarutobi to become like this after becoming Hokage!
He immediately walked to the very front, and with a thud, knelt before Feng Xu, then forcefully knocked his head on the ground, creating a dent!
"First Hokage!!!" The surrounding Ninja instantly gasped in shock.
This was the God of Shinobi!
Why did his demeanor suddenly change, and he knelt before someone?
"Elder Brother!!!"
Tobirama was also shocked by Hashirama's actions and immediately moved to pull him up.
But Hashirama, with a determined heart, waved his hand and used Wood Release to bind him in place.
"Tobirama, this time it is indeed our Konoha that has wronged the sacrificed family of the Fourth Hokage."
"On behalf of Konoha, I apologize to you all!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The loud thudding of his head instantly resounded all around.
Even Minato was deeply moved and wanted to step forward to help him up.
But seeing Feng Xu's still cold expression, he held back his inner impulse.
"It is I and Tobirama who failed to properly teach the monkey, allowing him to lose the tenets of the will of fire and become a cancerous growth."
"I'm sorry!!!"
With that, Hashirama turned his body and again bowed his head three times towards the crowd in front.
"To all the Ninja clans who trust our Konoha, especially the Hyuga Clan, the Uchiha Clan, and that young man named Kakashi."
"I'm sorry, we have betrayed your trust!!!"
Hashirama, who could even act against his good friend Uchiha Madara to protect the Village, also didn't hesitate at all to bow his head for the Village.
After all, his bowing as the God of Shinobi was truly effective for others.
For example, all the Ninja clans gathered around were incredibly moved and excited.