"Why me?"
Orochimaru was completely lost. How in the world had he become the scapegoat for all of this?
Since when was this his sinister master plan? He hadn't done a damn thing! Okay, fine, maybe Danzo had pulled some shady moves back when he'd left Konoha, but he himself was totally innocent!
Pinning this on an innocent guy like him—didn't anyone in Konoha have a conscience?
But then again… was Homura Mitokado really the one behind it all?
Orochimaru studied the panicked look on the man's face, his eyebrow twitching slightly.
'Doesn't seem like it…'
Homura's expression didn't look fake. Was he really that good of an actor?
"Everyone, we have… some internal village matters to take care of," the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, addressed the crowd. He took a deep breath, putting on an apologetic face. "The preliminary matches will continue shortly. Thank you for your patience."
"You call this an internal Konoha matter?"
A voice cut through from the front rows of the stands.
It was a noble from the Land of Earth. He looked rough and burly, but his mind was sharp.
Judging by that "suicide note," this was a golden chance to make Konoha look bad.
And just like he expected.
The second he spoke up, the whole place erupted.
"That's right, Lord Hokage! Don't you think you owe us an explanation?"
"Super Soldier Serum… I've heard of that. It's from the Umbrella Corporation in the Land of Waves! And the mastermind is a Konoha elder?"
"What's Konoha trying to pull? Trying to swallow up all the smaller nations around you?"
"Konoha has never had such intentions! I suggest you watch your words!" Hiruzen's face hardened, his gaze turning cold.
Whoosh.
A short figure dropped down from above, hovering lightly in the air opposite to Hiruzen. "Lord Hokage, are you trying to intimidate the tens of thousands of people in this arena?"
It was Ōnoki, the Tsuchikage.
As the leader of the Hidden Stone, he'd chosen this moment to step in, facing Konoha's top authority head-on in this political showdown.
"Lord Tsuchikage, don't twist my words!" Hiruzen shot back, his brow furrowed. He wasn't backing down.
He could see it—Ōnoki was just seizing the moment to stir up trouble.
"In that case, show us some solid evidence," Ōnoki said, a sly smirk playing on his lips. "Proof that your Konoha elder hasn't done anything to endanger the shinobi world."
"I haven't done anything!" Homura Mitokado's voice shook with anger. "I don't even know what this Super Soldier Serum is!"
"Words aren't proof. No criminal ever admits to their crime," Ōnoki said with a sneer.
"What do you suggest?" Hiruzen's voice was low and heavy.
"Get a grip, Lord Hokage," Ōnoki shook his head, speaking calmly. "It's not about what I want. It's about the tens of thousands of people here demanding answers! The whole shinobi world needs an explanation!"
This moral high ground of the argument put Hiruzen on the defensive. He took a deep breath. "I'll form a special investigation team, led by Tsunade. Even if you don't trust me, you can trust Tsunade, right?"
"Of course," Ōnoki nodded with a smile, then glanced at Homura. "And what about the suspect? You're not planning to let him slip away, are you?"
"Outrageous! Don't push it!" Homura's lips trembled, turning purple with rage. "This is Konoha! I am a Konoha elder!"
"Shouldn't a Konoha elder be punished if he's done wrong?" The Kazekage (Orochimaru), who had somehow appeared beside Ōnoki, added mockingly.
"Lord Hokage, Konoha really does owe the shinobi world an explanation this time," Yagura, the Mizukage, added calmly.
The Hidden Mist was opening up; he didn't want to make an enemy of the Hokage.
But he had no choice.
The other two great villages were already ganging up on Konoha. If he didn't join in, it'd look suspicious.
"Homura Mitokado will be placed under temporary confinement," Hiruzen said through gritted teeth. "During this time, he will have no contact with the outside world!"
"Hiruzen, I—"
"Take him away!"
Homura tried to speak, but his old friend cut him off with a sharp wave. "Take him to the Konoha detention block."
"Yes, sir!"
Two Anbu members stepped forward, grabbed Homura by the arms, and led him out of the arena.
The Homura didn't resist, his face completely blank. His eyes were hollow—he had the look of someone whose spirit had been broken.
—
"Tsk, He looks kinda pitiful now, doesn't he?" Kushina muttered from the stands, watching the disheveled Homura being taken away.
"Pitiful? They're going easy on him," Mikoto said, munching on an apple with a detached look. "Neji's father was the one who was really pitiful—sacrificed as a political pawn. And wasn't it these very Konoha higher-ups who made that call? Now that it's their turn, they can't handle it?"
"Good point," Kushina nodded. "They're fine with others dying 'nobly' for diplomacy, but when it's their turn, they act all hurt."
Sitting between them, Yuto didn't join the conversation, he was absorbed in a heated chat with his mysterious online friend.
[Magical Girl]: Since the Eye of the Moon Plan is off the table, how do you think we can achieve peace in the shinobi world?
[Dumb Snack]: Absolute peace is impossible. Where there are people, there's conflict. And when conflicts can't be resolved, war happens.
[Magical Girl]: So… it's just a dream, forever?
[Dumb Snack]: Absolute peace is off the table, but relative peace is doable.
[Magical Girl]: What's 'relative peace'?
[Dumb Snack]: Unify the whole shinobi world. Make the great villages one—no more 'us vs. them.' That'd cut down conflict big time. Any fights would just be an internal issues.
[Magical Girl]: How do we actually do that?
At this point, Madara Uchiha had fully embraced this mysterious guy as his strategic advisor. Everything he said made sense!
[Dumb Snack]: Be a Magical Girl.
[Magical Girl]: ???
[Dumb Snack]: I'm saying you could try debuting as a Magical Girl, spread love and peace in everyone's hearts.
[Magical Girl]: Are you messing with me?
[Dumb Snack]: You caught me? Wow, Madara, you're sharp!
[Magical Girl]: You little…
[Dumb Snack]: Talking about it is pointless! You gotta go out and do it! I believe in you, Madara! For Uchiha Madara, the champion of the shinobi world, this should be a piece of cake!
[Magical Girl]: Hmph. You might have a point there!
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