Chapter 412: Splitting into five routes
"Toyama?"
Naruto stood up, flipped the food in the pan, and plated it to prevent the meal from going to waste before he began thinking about the teacher named Toyama.
"Toyama Que?"
That old teacher Kazama, whose thinking was archaic and conservative, whose teaching methods were rigid, and who even held obvious prejudices and treated students differently.
Because his teaching philosophy was severely out of step with the new era's Hidden Leaf Village educational guidelines, he was finally transferred away from the front-line teaching position during last month's teacher evaluation cycle.
To think that his student would also be tainted by such an irresponsible and terrible style.
Truly a case of like master, like disciple!
Toyama was purged from the teaching ranks precisely because of his conservative, even erroneous and harmful, ideologies.
Now it seemed his toxic influence hadn't completely vanished with his departure; instead, it might be continuing to erode Hidden Leaf Village's educational environment from the shadows through the juniors he had once influenced.
It looks like I'll have to deal with some of the Village's messy affairs during this brief return!
I didn't expect that even with Might Guy as the principal, he wouldn't be able to suppress these monsters and demons; I'll have to go there myself.
Thinking of this, Naruto suppressed the churning thoughts in his mind. He walked over to Hanabi and looked at the clever yet somewhat mischievous little girl. He leaned down, reached out his arms, and easily picked Hanabi up, letting her sit in the crook of his arm.
Suddenly being picked up, Hanabi gave a small cry of surprise, then giggled as her small hands naturally wrapped around Naruto's neck.
Naruto extended his index finger and, with a mix of doting and a hint of reproach, lightly flicked Hanabi's small nose.
"You little rascal."
His tone was gentle but carried a serious warning. "In the future, if you see or hear anything that feels wrong to you, come tell me directly, or tell your father. You don't need to remind me in such a roundabout way."
Hanabi nodded, only half-understanding, but she could feel the importance and promise in Naruto's words. The smile on her face grew even brighter as she gave a forceful "Mm!"
Naruto set her down and patted her little head. "Go tell your sister to get ready for dinner, and also..."
"Never mind, we'll talk after dinner."
He glanced in the direction of the Ninja Academy.
It seemed that tomorrow's itinerary would have to include a "visit to the Ninja Academy to have a 'heart-to-heart' with Teacher Yamamoto."
Hopefully, that Teacher Yamamoto is prepared for a "good talk."
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Slap!
A slap, carrying the sharp sound of breaking air and a heavy sense of impact, exploded within the Ninja Academy's faculty office.
The sound was so crisp and the force so fierce that the atmosphere in the entire office froze.
Naruto slowly lowered his arm and expressionlessly shook his right hand, as if he had just swatted away an annoying fly.
He looked down at the man who had been spun halfway around by his slap before stumbling and crashing to the ground—Yamamoto Kazuo.
This teacher, who not long ago had been lecturing bullied students about how "one palm cannot clap," was now curled up miserably on the floor, his hands tightly covering his instantly swollen left cheek.
He was dazed from the blow; his ears were ringing, and stars danced before his eyes. It took him a long while to recover from the world-spinning pain and dizziness.
He tried to speak, but felt his left cheek had completely lost all sensation.
As soon as he opened his mouth, blood foam and several broken teeth fell out uncontrollably; his left molars seemed to have been loosened or even shattered by that single slap.
"Ho... Hokage-sama..."
Yamamoto Kazuo's voice was slurred, filled with unbelievable terror and grievance. He struggled to lift his head and look at the blonde youth standing in the light and shadow, looking like a wrathful Vajra.
"You... why... why are you doing this..."
He couldn't understand why the esteemed Sixth Hokage would gather all the teachers together and then, without a word, strike a common teacher like himself so heavily.
The surrounding colleagues were all frozen in place, staring at the scene in wide-eyed shock.
Some gasped, while others subconsciously took half a step back, their eyes filled with shock, confusion, and even a hint of fear, as if mourning their own kind.
Their gazes were like invisible needles pricking Yamamoto Kazuo's body, making his already burning cheek sting even more with shame, making him wish he could dig a hole and disappear completely.
Naruto acted as if he hadn't heard Yamamoto's slurred questioning. He simply tilted his head slightly, looking down at Yamamoto on the floor with cerulean eyes that were as cold as polar ice. His tone was terrifyingly calm, even carrying a hint of mockery:
"Was it loud enough?"
Yamamoto Kazuo trembled all over, clutching his face, unable to say a word.
Naruto continued on his own, his voice not loud but clearly reaching every corner of the silent office. "Why? Heh."
He gave a cold laugh. "Think about your own reasons. Why didn't I hit anyone else, but hit you?"
He paused, his gaze sharp as a blade as it swept over Yamamoto's pale face. "'One palm cannot clap'—you said those words, didn't you? Used them on bullied children?
Fine. Today, I'll show you the reality.
Slapping your face is indeed quite loud. I can use your face as a drum in the future and save money on buying one."
This extremely biting sarcasm turned many teachers' faces pale and made them vaguely understand what was happening.
Naruto stopped looking at the miserable Yamamoto on the floor. He turned around to face the remaining dozen or so teachers in the office, as well as Might Duy and Might Guy, who had been standing silently to the side.
His gaze slowly swept across every face. It was no longer cold, but carried a heavy, mountain-like pressure.
"Do you know why I hit him?"
Naruto's voice echoed in the silent room. "It wasn't because I found him unpleasant to look at."
He pointed at Yamamoto on the floor, his tone suddenly intensifying. "It's because of his high-and-mighty, buck-passing, truth-blurring face when dealing with students.
Looking at it makes me feel disgusted!
We are the ones fighting desperately on the front lines, risking our lives to protect the Village.
Is it really to provide an environment where vermin like this—who hide in the safe rear, enjoy peace, yet cannot even shoulder the most basic educational responsibilities and instead harm the hearts of children—can act like tyrants and mislead the youth?"
His angry shout vibrated through the office. Many teachers lowered their heads, not daring to meet Naruto's eyes.
"Asking you to teach students is like asking for wind and rain; you flatter those above you while being harsh and bullying to those below.
Is this your resolve as Konoha Ninja and as educators?"
Naruto's words were like a whip, lashing the consciences of some of those present.
He took a sudden step forward, his Aura overwhelming. "You think children without parents are easy to bully because you're afraid of offending students who have parents?
I'm telling you, failing to teach students properly is offending me, Uzumaki Naruto.
Hidden Leaf Village's future is in the hands of its children. If anyone dares to destroy that future, I'll dare to destroy their whole family!"
Finally, his gaze fell back onto Yamamoto Kazuo, who was struggling to prop himself up while trembling, and he also glanced at Toyama Que in the crowd.
"Yamamoto Kazuo, Toyama Que."
Naruto called their names, his voice returning to a calm state but carrying an indisputable decisiveness. "I will now give you both a chance to 'atone for your sins.'
I am ordering the two of you to set out immediately, splitting into two routes, to attack the Hidden Mist Village."
"What?"
Yamamoto and Toyama Que cried out in shock simultaneously, the color draining from their faces.
Just the two of them, ordinary Chunin teachers, splitting into two routes?
Wasn't that just sending them to their deaths?
The surrounding teachers were also in an uproar, looking at Naruto in disbelief.
Sending an old man and a Chunin who hadn't fought in ages to attack the Hidden Mist Village?
He was treating them like the First and Second Hokage!
Naruto acted as if he didn't see their terror and continued, "I want to see if, after 'cleaning' things this way, there are still vermin like you hidden in the school."
His gaze swept the room again, every word like an icicle striking everyone's heart:
"Listen to me clearly.
From now on, in the Ninja Academy, or any educational facility in Hidden Leaf Village, if I ever hear of any teacher daring to say 'one palm cannot clap' to a student, or daring to handle bullying and conflicts between students unfairly, or daring to be negligent and perfunctory in their teaching..."
He paused, his tone grim:
"Then I'll have that person split into five routes themselves to go and conquer territory in the Pure Land!"
Splitting into five routes to conquer territory in the Pure Land?
Being drawn and quartered is being drawn and quartered; why call it Splitting into five routes to go and conquer the Pure Land?
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