What Sarutobi Hiruzen Did!
Hearing Namikaze Minato's response, the Third Raikage nearly died of laughter.
Third Raikage: "The Nine Tails attacked, and you still had time to change clothes?"
Namikaze Minato: "Uh… to be precise, it's my battle gear."
Senju Tobirama: "Enough, Minato! Stop talking before I lose my temper!!"
Third Raikage: "No, no! I still want to hear it. What happened next?"
Uchiha Madara: "What else? He died, and Sarutobi Hiruzen took over as Hokage again. It's that simple."
Third Raikage: "That's it? If Sarutobi Hiruzen did that intentionally, I swear I'd rip my own head off and throw it on the ground!!"
Uchiha Fugaku: "Then you're right—Sarutobi Hiruzen really did it on purpose."
Third Raikage: "Oh? Uchiha Patriarch, what do you know? Tell us!"
Uchiha Fugaku: "At the time, the Third Hokage feared dissent from the Uchiha Clan. That's why he ordered us not to participate in the battle against the Nine Tails. But…"
Third Raikage: "But what???"
Uchiha Fugaku: "But the Hyuga Clan, the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance, and even the Anbu's Root Division under Danzo also didn't participate!"
Hyuga Hiashi: "Sigh… It's not that we refused to participate. It's that the Third Hokage didn't allow us to."
Akimichi Choza: "At the time, the Third Hokage gave the order to focus on evacuating civilians."
Nara Shikaku: "The Nara Clan's mission was to ensure the safety of the civilians."
Yamanaka Inoichi: "Same for the Yamanaka Clan."
Fourth Kazekage, Rasa: "Hold on. Just how many civilians does Konoha have that you needed the entire Ino-Shika-Cho alliance to handle evacuations?"
Third Raikage: "If civilian protection was so important, then Minato's death was completely unjust! Hiruzen should have done more!!"
Namikaze Minato: "Forget it… Let's not dwell on it. Let's talk about White Fang-senpai instead."
Third Raikage: "That's another tragedy. The Third Hokage feared Sakumo Hatake might become the next Hokage, so he let him be disgraced instead. Am I right, Administrator?"
Konoha Salted Fish: "Indeed. The Third Hokage allowed Danzo to manipulate the situation. White Fang was given a crucial mission, but it ultimately failed."
Konoha Salted Fish: "And why did it fail? Because Sakumo chose to save his comrades instead of completing the mission! He was then vilified for his decision, leading to his tragic end."
Senju Tobirama]: "Failed the mission to save your comrades? This…"
[Senju Hashirama]: "That's not right! If it were me, I would always choose to save my comrades!"
[Konoha Salted Fish]: "The key issue is that he did save them. And instead of being grateful, those two turned around and blamed White Fang for it!"
[Fifth Mizukage, Terumi Mei]: "Being rescued, only to blame the one who saved them? What kind of twisted logic is that?"
[Konoha's White Fang]: "No… this was my fault. Because I chose to save them, the mission failed, and Konoha suffered a major loss."
[Konoha Salted Fish]: "Tch! 'Major loss' my foot! That was a setup, a trap laid out by the Third Hokage!"
[Konoha Salted Fish]: "And your two 'comrades'—they had already been bought by Sarutobi Hiruzen long before this. If the mission failing was such a big deal, why didn't they just sacrifice themselves instead of blaming you after you saved them? Hypocrites!"
[Konoha's White Fang]: "Ahh…"
[Konoha Salted Fish]: "This was all part of Sarutobi Hiruzen's plan. He knew you'd never abandon your comrades, so he set the stage, ensuring you'd take the fall. And you walked right into it!"
[Konoha's White Fang]: "But… what if I had chosen the mission over my comrades?"
[Third Raikage]: "That's the brilliance of Sarutobi Hiruzen. He understands people, their emotions, their principles. He knew you'd never abandon them—that's why the trap was set in the first place. Am I right, Administrator?"
[Konoha Salted Fish]: "Exactly! Hiruzen knew you too well. He played on your sense of duty, knowing you'd never leave your comrades behind."
[Konoha's White Fang]: "Then… if I hadn't saved them…?"
[Konoha Salted Fish]: "Then he would've just lost two expendable subordinates. There are always more pawns to replace them. But if he wanted you gone, he just had to wait for another opportunity. Either way, you were doomed from the start."
[Konoha's White Fang]: "..."
Watching White Fang fall silent, Kaito shook his head. Sakumo Hatake wasn't stupid—he simply trusted Sarutobi Hiruzen too much.
Did he ever suspect it? Of course, he must have.
But he couldn't bring himself to believe it.
He couldn't accept that the man he had respected his entire life had orchestrated his downfall.