Chapter 153: Izuna: Don't Misunderstand, I am Also Half a Konoha Shinobi!
Tobirama stared at the fox head on Mito's shoulder and fell silent.
It wasn't an illusion.
They had reached some sort of cooperation with the Nine-Tails? And this fox was actually preaching the Will of Fire?
Moreover, Tobirama realized a problem.
He only noticed this upon close observation.
Nearly thirty years had passed since his death, but why did Mito look almost the same as she did back then?
Seriously, were both members of this married couple just completely unreasonable? One had Hashirama's Healing Jutsu, and the other had ultra-long standby!
"The brat who looks a bit like Madara!"
"Confess! Have you been bewitched by Izuna Uchiha?"
"Leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist!"
The little fox stood on Mito's shoulder, its paws crossed over its chest. "Madara Uchiha attacked Hashirama Senju. His younger brother definitely harbors treasonous intentions toward the village as well!"
"Confess now, and you may be spared the death penalty!"
Isshin stared blankly at the miniature Nine-Tails.
Danzo, when did you get here?
Why was it that not only people were trying to steal his role, but even Tailed Beasts?
"Alright, Nine-Tails. We cannot practice guilt by association."
Hiruzen coughed lightly. "We cannot wrongly accuse good people, nor can we let bad people off the hook. Always solving problems by slapping labels on people will sooner or later lead to someone slapping labels on you."
"You wouldn't want others to always say you are too powerful and must be sealed, right?"
The Nine-Tails' expression froze.
"Hmph! This Great Uncle is..." The Nine-Tails wanted to say that it was a Tailed Beast.
What was wrong with being a bit willful and unreasonable?
But after thinking about it, a question suddenly welled up in the Nine-Tails' heart.
Hiruzen Sarutobi shouldn't be weaker than itself.
Why would such a powerful person proactively establish a set of rules for self-restraint?
Including Hashirama Senju as well; building the village didn't bring any personal benefits to him.
Could this be the love and peace the Old Man spoke of? This thought surged in the Nine-Tails' heart, and an unprecedented sense of tranquility faintly brushed over its fur.
Konoha was a place of rules.
Did that mean that even a Tailed Beast like itself could receive fair treatment as long as it followed the rules?
No.
Maybe Hiruzen Sarutobi is faking it. Humans are not that trustworthy!
I must see through his disguise. This Great Uncle will not be deceived so easily!
No one paid attention to the Nine-Tails, but a complex drama played out within the fox's heart.
"What did you want to say, Nine-Tails?"
Hiruzen asked curiously.
"Nothing. I'll admit you're right for now," the Nine-Tails turned its head away. "What a pedantic guy!"
Hiruzen's face was full of question marks.
It seemed that in this ninja world, not only were the shinobi mentally ill, but the Tailed Beasts' brains were also a bit abnormal?
Hiruzen viciously rubbed the Nine-Tails' head as revenge for it calling him names.
The Nine-Tails originally wanted to bristle with anger, but then thought about it.
It had insulted Hiruzen, so getting rubbed a few times was considered fair, and it didn't put up much resistance.
And this scene left Tobirama and Isshin completely dumbfounded.
What happened to it being a natural disaster?
What happened to it being an amalgamation of resentment and hatred, a ferocious Tailed Beast that only Mito could seal?
A strange thought couldn't help but well up in Tobirama's heart.
Hiruzen, you're doing so well, it makes my position as the Second Hokage very awkward!
Big Brother's reputation is known not just in Konoha, but across the ninja world as the 'God of Shinobi'.
I should be considered pretty decent too, at least my reputation in the village is good.
But I've only been back in the village for a little over a year, and Hiruzen has done so much. Will future shinobi think that Hiruzen is just cleaning up my so-called 'mess'?
Tobirama couldn't help but feel a bit defensive at the thought.
He decided that in the future, he must definitely drop some hints to Hiruzen. He needed him to tell some "Tobirama stories" too!
Hiruzen, I am your sensei!
Isshin Uchiha gathered his thoughts and bowed respectfully. "Lord Hokage, Lady Mito! The chakra within Seisui is indeed related to Young Clan Head Izuna."
"But we absolutely have no intention of hiding anything from the village. During his duel with Minato, Seisui chose not to conceal it. There is absolutely no situation like the one the Nine-Tails described."
Isshin said sincerely, "With Lady Mito present, if the Uchiha intended to hide anything, how could Seisui possibly expose it in front of everyone?"
"It was just that Seisui's impeachment of the Assistant was too intense and triggered a storm, so there wasn't time to report to you."
"Regarding Seisui impeaching Danzo... I swear upon the honor of the Uchiha clan, although I knew about it in advance, I really didn't expect it to blow up this big."
"Lord Hokage, for this, I must apologize to you!"
Isshin knelt on one knee and lowered his head. "The Uchiha clan did harbor concerns, because of the various past events between the Second Hokage and our clan, and you being his disciple."
"So we thought, if you truly accepted the Uchiha from the bottom of your heart, you should allow the Uchiha to point out the village's problems, even if the target is Danzo."
"Looking back on this thought, it was truly too arrogant!"
"I don't even know how to explain this to you. It's too shameful. Please, you must punish me!"
Isshin was about to prostrate himself entirely on the floor to show his sincerity.
Hiruzen instantly appeared in front of him and supported Isshin's shoulders.
"Isshin, there's no need for this."
"The estrangement between the Uchiha and the village objectively existed in the past; there's no need for me to whitewash this."
"But after decades of turmoil, even though Madara Uchiha did wrong, the remaining Uchiha have proven their loyalty to Konoha. Anyone with clear eyes can see the love in their hearts."
"It's all in the past."
Hiruzen exerted a little strength, lifting Isshin from the ground and grasping his hands.
"As for the matter of impeaching Danzo..."
"If there are problems in the village, they absolutely must be pointed out! As a Konoha High Commissioner, this is inherently one of your rights and responsibilities. And as an inseparable member of the village, every Uchiha clansman also has this obligation."
Hiruzen said seriously, "If pointing out genuinely existing mistakes means opposing me as the Hokage and opposing Konoha, then Konoha's future will absolutely not develop according to the Will of Fire!"
Isshin took a deep breath. "Thank you, Lord Hokage!"
Hiruzen waved his hand, his tone shifting. "However, one must still pay attention to methods and approaches."
"Seisui conducting the impeachment in front of over a thousand shinobi at the training ground after his victory... even though what he spoke of were objectively existing problems, the impact it brought was very negative."
"Bypassing the rules and relying on high-attention occasions to build momentum will be misunderstood by some shinobi as a signal that the village's rules are useless, even if that wasn't Seisui's intention."
Hiruzen's tone became stern. "In the long run, people with ulterior motives might try to use public opinion to control the rules."
Isshin's heart trembled.
He actually had these thoughts in his heart, but he couldn't systematically articulate them like Hiruzen did.
What was deadly was that after Hiruzen deconstructed it so analytically, if the Uchiha's intentions were perceived maliciously, it was no longer as simple as just being impulsive.
Mito watched this scene with slight astonishment.
Hiruzen is not just Hashirama's disciple; he is indeed Tobirama's disciple as well. This serious look possesses the spirit of Tobirama from back then—authoritative without being angry.
Tobirama listened to Hiruzen's words, feeling a complex mix of emotions.
On one hand, he was very gratified that Hiruzen had inherited his mantle.
When encountering problems, he wouldn't be affected by emotions, but would calmly analyze the underlying causes and impacts.
On the other hand, was he being scolded?
After all, he was the one who caused this mess.
"Isshin, you need to write a self-criticism."
Hiruzen played both good cop and bad cop himself. "The essence of this matter is still that you failed to properly implement the 'Konoha High Commissioner' system within the Uchiha clan and failed to collect the opinions of all clansmen, leading to it spinning out of control."
"However, Danzo also bears responsibility. He gave Seisui a zero on his exam paper, making this young man mistakenly believe he was being suppressed by the Assistant, leading him to bypass you, the Clan Head, and 'Konoha High Commissioner'."
Isshin nodded repeatedly. "Lord Hokage, you are right! This matter is my responsibility. I will definitely conduct a serious self-criticism, taking Fugaku and Seisui with me."
"I will apply to have my self-criticism publicly posted in the entire village to eliminate the shinobi's misunderstandings!"
"To maintain Konoha's systems, just a self-criticism is truly too light. Please be stricter! I apply to voluntarily relieve myself of the duties of a 'Konoha High Commissioner', and to have the entire Uchiha clan's mission commission cut increased for one year!"
Tobirama couldn't help but glance at Isshin.
What does this mean?
Am I supposed to write a self-criticism to Hiruzen?
But after thinking about it, Tobirama didn't say anything, because what Hiruzen said indeed made sense.
Besides, he wasn't the Second Hokage right now; he was just a hot-blooded youth of the Uchiha clan.
Also, this Isshin's proposal was strange enough.
Voluntarily asking to be punished, huh?
When I was Hokage, you guys were ready to engage in armed conflict just over relocating the clan compound!
However, Tobirama only complained internally.
He understood Isshin's thoughts.
This set of systems established by Hiruzen was supported by all the shinobi in the village.
If the Uchiha jumped out to oppose it, they would become the only outliers.
But by being disciplined, it instead proved that the Uchiha were a part of the system, a ninja clan that accepted the rules and reasoned things out.
Tobirama couldn't help but feel a bit emotional.
Hiruzen's way of playing this game seemed to be a bit more brilliant than his Konoha Police Force.
"Isshin, I understand your intentions. I am very gratified that you can realize your mistake."
Hiruzen pondered. "There's no need to increase the mission commission cut. Let's do this: change it to handing over a certain amount of Ryo, to be confiscated into the public fund pool of the Konoha Mutual Aid Fund, to be used for compensation for failed missions."
"You decide the specific amount yourself, don't let it affect the clan's normal operations."
"That also fits the tone of this incident."
"As for your post as 'Konoha High Commissioner', considering this is your first mistake, you will be put on probation for one year. If you still cannot fulfill your duties, then the position will be officially revoked."
Isshin nodded heavily.
Magnanimous, Lord Hokage was truly too magnanimous!
"Punishment is meant to criticize mistakes so that lessons are learned, preventing them from being repeated."
"It's not about beating someone to death with one stick and not giving them a chance to correct themselves."
Hiruzen said slowly, "Isshin, I have very high hopes for you. Work harder in the future! Konoha and the Uchiha still need you to contribute more with your wisdom."
Isshin's expression froze. He took a few steps back and prostrated himself deeply. "I shall give my all for Lord Hokage until my dying breath! Should I fail to live up to today's grace in the slightest, Isshin is willing to commit seppuku as an apology!"
This time, Hiruzen was at a loss.
He discovered that shinobi, especially shinobi from the Warring States period...
Were ruthless to others, but even more ruthless to themselves.
If there's a problem, just solve it. Why threaten suicide at the drop of a hat?
The Nine-Tails looked at Mito, communicating via telepathy, "Hey hey, this Isshin actually isn't lying? Did he use some ninjutsu to mask the malice in his heart?"
"Didn't you say no one can escape your malice sensing?"
Mito smiled slightly. "Nine-Tails, you are an immortal Tailed Beast. Don't scream as if you're going to melt just because you see some sunshine and healing."
"Learn to accept it and adapt."
The Nine-Tails instantly turned completely red.
Mito's words were like a sharp knife, picking out the most awkward part of its heart.
"What did you say? Try saying that again!"
The Nine-Tails roared fiercely.
But Mito ignored it. The Nine-Tails howled a few times in the spiritual space and then gave up.
Forget it, I won't lower myself to argue with this woman!
What was interesting was that after hearing Isshin's thoughts of testing the Hokage, the Nine-Tails felt a trace of familiarity.
This seems pretty similar to what I was thinking?
No, no!
The Uchiha are humans after all, and I am a Tailed Beast.
Hiruzen Sarutobi can treat them like this, but not necessarily me! I must test him and observe him! The Nine-Tails repeatedly convinced itself in its heart.
And after Isshin got up, he voluntarily reported his dojutsu to Hiruzen.
Regarding "Sukuna Hikona" and "Yata no Kagami"...
Hiruzen was stunned listening to it.
Wait.
Is this a dojutsu awakened out of heartache from seeing Tobirama-sensei working too hard?
How is this a naturally evil clan anymore?
This is clearly a clan overflowing with love!
"Lord Hokage, according to my observation and Seisui's report, Young Clan Head Izuna harbors no malice toward the village. On the contrary, he really likes the current Konoha."
Isshin reported carefully. "Young Clan Head Izuna, after all, had some unpleasant experiences with that... with the Second Hokage."
"That sounds a bit strange,"
Hiruzen smiled slightly.
If Tobirama-sensei himself had recognized it, what else could he, as a disciple, say?
He should respect the previous Hokage's choice.
If Izuna Uchiha really had a problem, why would Tobirama use his power? He would have found a way to deal with him long ago!
It was just that this setup was indeed too flashy.
Making the reincarnation of his fated rival into a Jinchuriki? And there was a high probability he had deceived the guy too.
The water here was too deep even for Hiruzen!
He could only say, as expected of the ninja world's number one forbidden jutsu master, he always had to pull some stunts upon returning to the ninja world.
Hiruzen looked at Tobirama with a half-smile. "Seisui, you have the closest contact with Izuna Uchiha. What do you think?"
Tobirama forcibly suppressed the weirdness in his heart and spoke softly, "Lord Hokage, although Izuna Uchiha had past grievances with Lord Second, he is a shinobi who has jumped out of the clan's cage, capable of breaking free from the old thinking of the Warring States period and viewing problems from Konoha's perspective."
"He even advised me against publicly criticizing Danzo at the training ground, saying it was too extreme."
"And he said that the Uchiha are living very well now, and he greatly appreciates your governance methods."
Tobirama Senju really didn't want to praise Izuna Uchiha.
But in order to freely use Izuna's power without generating negative public opinion...
He had to pass Mito's test!
As for Hiruzen, Tobirama wasn't worried.
Tobirama believed that the trust between them as master and disciple was like trusting himself.
Hiruzen let out a long "oh".
He actually got to hear Tobirama-sensei praise Izuna?
This ninja world was truly wonderful.
"This person Izuna, just like Tobirama, the two of them are actually very similar."
"Deep thoughts and extraordinary resourcefulness. You are still just a youth; it is possible you are being deceived by him."
Mito spoke slowly, "Seisui, call Izuna out. I want to talk to him!"
Tobirama sighed in his heart.
As expected, Mito wasn't going to be fooled by just a few words.
And also, what kind of talk was this?
What did she mean he and Izuna were very similar! Wasn't he much stronger than Izuna?
Tobirama grumbled internally, but his body honestly used "Yata no Kagami" to summon Izuna from the Pure Land.
And the moment Izuna descended, several Adamantine Sealing Chains wrapped around Tobirama's body.
"Izuna Uchiha, I know you can hear me. Don't think about hiding!"
Mito's aura was astonishing as she said coldly, "Seisui, let him temporarily take over your body. With me here, nothing will go wrong!"
At this moment, the instigating Nine-Tails transmitted pure and massive chakra to Mito.
The fox simply wanted to watch a good show too much.
The chains of the Adamantine Sealing Chains were coiled with flame-like crimson-gold, their might incredibly ferocious.
The domineering lockdown instantly stagnated Tobirama's chakra!
"There's nothing I can do, Izuna."
Tobirama said faintly from within the body, "So scary. This old lady is like a monster."
"Didn't you say you could handle it? Then I leave it to you!"
Tobirama had seen Mito Uzumaki in combat state before.
As the publicly recognized strongest female shinobi of the Warring States period, Mito didn't blink when killing people.
But the problem was...
Coupled with the might of the Nine-Tails' chakra, she, in her old age, was actually even more terrifying than in her prime!
Izuna was completely bewildered.
He saw Tobirama quickly swap their consciousnesses, forcibly making him take over control of the body.
Izuna subconsciously looked down at the Adamantine Sealing Chains on his body.
His thoughts seemed to return to the Warring States period, the day he tangled with a young girl from the Uzumaki clan, but was nearly whipped in the face by Mito using the Adamantine Sealing Chains.
Izuna's hands shot up above his head with a swish, the Adamantine Sealing Chains rattling on his body.
"Misunderstanding! This is a misunderstanding!"
"I am also a member of the Uchiha, I am also half a Konoha shinobi!"
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