Chapter 40 – Then I Don't Want to Be a Ninja
"Come in," the Third Hokage said calmly.
Yusuke stepped into the room with the others. Kakashi wasn't with them—Yusuke had deliberately left his younger brother behind. He didn't want him to witness the darkest side of Konoha just yet.
"Sarutobi, this child attacked civilians," Danzo spoke up the moment he entered, clearly aiming to put Yusuke on the defensive.
"Hokage-sama, Yusuke is still a child," Hatake Sakumo said in a composed tone, trying to mediate.
Hiruzen furrowed his brow. "Sakumo, I'll handle this myself. Yusuke, why did you attack them?"
"Why shouldn't I have?" Yusuke shot back without hesitation.
"My father was insulted—branded a traitor for saving his teammates. Those people blocked my path, mocked him, and even attacked me and Kakashi. I simply gave them what they deserved," he stated firmly.
"Your father failed his mission. As a result, Konoha suffered heavy losses," Danzo said coldly.
"In that case, let me ask everyone in this room—is there anyone here who has completed every mission with a perfect success rate? If so, I, Hatake Yusuke, will kneel right here and now!" he shouted, his voice reverberating through the chamber.
At that moment, Minato arrived with Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and several elite Jōnin.
"Since everyone's here, let's move this to the council room," Hiruzen said, realizing this was no longer a matter that could be settled behind closed doors.
One by one, Konoha's key figures entered the meeting hall.
"You attacked civilians over a few words?" Danzo sneered.
"Oh, Danzo. You son of a—" Yusuke's curse came sharp and cold, slicing through the room like a blade.
"You little brat! You've got a death wish!" Danzo exploded with killing intent. But having lived through death once already, Yusuke knew exactly how to cut with his words. His insult struck deep.
"Danzo! That's enough!" Hiruzen barked as Danzo nearly lost control.
"Hmph." Seeing Hiruzen truly furious, Danzo held himself back, though his face was twisted with rage.
"A death wish? Danzo, you really overestimate yourself. If you've got the guts, go ahead. But I swear—if I can't sever your head where you stand, I'll spill my own blood right here!" Yusuke declared, his eyes burning with fury.
Danzo's face went pale. He knew just how fast the boy was.
"You dare insult Konoha's elders? Do you even understand the punishment for such insolence?" Koharu Utatane snapped, trying to seize the moment to bring him down. She had long despised Yusuke, unaware of his true power.
"Punishment? For what crime?" Yusuke looked genuinely confused, as if the very idea was absurd.
"Yusuke, Danzo is still one of the village's leaders…" Hiruzen began, clearly trying to de-escalate—but his tone carried a subtle rebuke.
Those close to Yusuke began to look uneasy.
"Hokage-sama, those civilians insulted my father and assaulted me. Why hasn't anyone called that a crime? In your eyes… my father—a hero of Konoha—and I, a Chūnin, deserve to be spat on and cursed? And when I retaliate, I'm the one who's out of line? Am I beneath your precious elders? Beneath even the common folk, just because I'm not one of you?" Yusuke's voice boomed.
"Calm yourself!" Hiruzen said sternly. His head ached, but he couldn't deny the truth in the boy's words.
"Is that it, Hokage-sama? Are us ninja truly beneath the civilians in your eyes? Beneath corrupt officials like Danzo? Then I don't want to be a ninja anymore!" Yusuke shouted, pulling off his forehead protector and setting it on the table.
"Stop this nonsense!" Hiruzen rose to his feet, outraged. His pride as Hokage was being torn apart. But Yusuke simply sneered. He knew what power he and his father held. Unless the entirety of Konoha's forces were brought down on them, no one could stop them.
"…I see. Then what do you want?" Hiruzen finally asked, realizing he had no favorable position here. Letting the people insult a hero while defending corrupt elders made him appear spineless. Danzo and Koharu had backed him into a corner.
"What do I want? Hokage-sama, I just got back to this village… only to be treated like this," Yusuke said with a cold grin.
"Let's put this matter to rest," Hiruzen finally decided.
"Sarutobi, you—" Danzo began to protest.
"Silence! I am the Hokage!" Hiruzen thundered.
"Fine then, Hokage-sama. Please prepare official resignation papers from the shinobi system—for me, my father, and my little brother," Yusuke said with a smile.
"Yusuke, don't be rash," Hiruzen warned.
"Yusuke," Sakumo called out, concern heavy in his voice.
"I'm not joking," Yusuke said flatly.
"Didn't we just resolve everything?" Tsunade asked, baffled by Yusuke's stubbornness. She thought the Hokage's decision was the best possible outcome.
Most others in the room agreed. But Nara Shikaku remained deep in thought, his expression unreadable.
"Don't be ridiculous, Tsunade. I'm stepping away from being a shinobi because I won't allow this to happen again. I hope you'll reflect on that," Yusuke replied.
"Why, kid?" Jiraiya asked, still unable to grasp why someone with Yusuke's talent would quit.
"Why? Simple. Because the answer the Third Hokage gave me… didn't satisfy me," Yusuke said.
"You ungrateful brat! The Hokage spared you from punishment. You should be thankful!" Homura Mitokado barked.
"How sad. Are Konoha's elders chosen based on who's the dumbest?" Yusuke scoffed.
The room went quiet. His defiance had gone far beyond what anyone expected.
"Tell me… what do you really want?" Hiruzen asked at last. He didn't want to lose a talent like Yusuke. Years ago, he might've forced obedience—but now, Yusuke had become one of the village's core powers.
"It's not about what I want. It's about your attitude, Hokage-sama," Yusuke said. "Let me remind you—my father, the White Fang of Konoha, was a high-ranking shinobi. He took on a mission and failed. He saved someone… and that very act destroyed his reputation. Doesn't that tell you something?"
One of the people Sakumo had once saved lowered their head, guilt written all over their face.
"What do you mean?" Jiraiya asked innocently.
Tsunade smacked him across the head.
"Why'd you hit me?! Orochimaru, explain this to me!" Jiraiya shouted in frustration.
Orochimaru let out a tired sigh and said, "If even the White Fang failed a mission, that means it was exceptionally dangerous. It was most likely an S-Rank mission. Only a handful of people at the top would know its contents. Civilians wouldn't."
"Then could it be… the one he saved leaked the information?" Jiraiya asked, realizing the person once blamed Sakumo.
"That shouldn't be possible. Even if the mission failed, a survivor wouldn't leak details unless they were a traitor. And if they did, their entire family would be punished," Tsunade explained.
"Then tell me, Hokage-sama—what action will you take? My father sensed something suspicious when he accepted the mission. Someone appeared in the Hokage's office without being announced. That person must've been an insider. I'm sure you know exactly who I mean," Yusuke said coldly.
"What… do you mean?" Hiruzen asked, pressing his temples. He looked older than ever.
"It's obvious, isn't it?" Yusuke said, his voice razor-sharp. "The only answer is… execution."
A suffocating killing intent filled the room as his words fell
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