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RoU Chapter 110: Reckoning with the Third Hokage
🕑 Added 2023-11-21 17:02:52 +0000 UTCNatsuo gave a kind smile as he spoke, "Would it be possible for me to be allowed in, please?"
But in the instant when Natsuo's words fell, the three Anbu guards launched their attacks without hesitation.
"He is Orochimaru's accomplice!"
"Kill him!"
"We can't let him influence the Hokage inside!"
The three Jōnin-level experts arrived in an instant. Holding ninja swords and kunai, they directly aimed to kill Natsuo.
However, Natsuo just smiled lightly. He grabbed the hand of a Jōnin who was holding a kunai, and using the kunai, he killed the shinobi who was about to stab him with a ninja sword.
Then, using the Manipulating Attack Blades technique to control the kunai, he stabbed another Jōnin who was heading towards him.
Finally, he threw the remaining Jōnin, whose wrist he had grabbed, onto the body of the last Jōnin who had just been stabbed, manipulating the kunai so that it cut his neck.
Blood flowed instantly, dyeing the roof tiles blood red.
In just an instant... All three Jōnin were wiped out.
"This guy..."
The expressions of the shinobi of the Sound Four team changed. The Shadow Guard of the Third Hokage was not weaker than themselves.
Natsuo could kill the Shadow Guard in an instant, just as he could kill them in an instant!
"It seems that you guys don't want to let me pass." Natsuo sighed lightly, looking at the Four Violet Flame Formation.
In the next moment, a huge purple arm appeared next to him.
At first, the arm was just bones, but then muscles emerged, and it was covered in armor...
The arm extended out forcefully, directly piercing the barrier with a violent twist.
[Crack!]
The seemingly absolute defense of the Four Violet Flames Formation was directly opened by a long and narrow crack, which then began to spread across the entire barrier...
[Rumble!]
A huge crack actually opened in the Four Violet Flames Formation!
The Sound Four's scalps went numb, their entire bodies tensed up, their hair standing on end, and their hearts seemed to stop beating.
"Stay calm, stabilize your Chakra output." Natsuo said with a light laugh, dispersing the Susanoo arm while taking a light step forward, walking into the crack.
As Susanoo's power dissipated, the Sound Four Chakra surged madly.
Finally, the Four Violet Flame Formation stabilized again. But their hearts were pounding, in a panic.
That incredibly tough barrier, which even Kage-level experts needed to take seriously, seemed like a piece of paper in front of this man. With a casual swipe, it could be torn open.
...
Is this barrier really useful?!
"Orochimaru-sama, is this Four Violet Flame Formation your modified ninjutsu? It's quite impressive." Natsuo exclaimed, as if he had seen something novel.
Orochimaru's mouth twitched. "You could say that. This is a modification I made from the Uzumaki clan's Four Red Yang Formation when I was still in Konoha."
"Although its power has been greatly reduced, the Four Red Yang Formation requires four Kage-level experts, making it too difficult. This one is more practical."
"Orochimaru-sama truly lives up to his reputation as the number one scientist in the Shinobi World, he's amazing!" Natsuo raised his thumb. "The Four Violet Flames Formation has its merits!"
Don't underestimate the Four Violet Flames Formation, although its power is dozens of times less than that of the Four Red Yang Formation, but the problem with the latter is that you still need to find four Kage-level experts to activate it.
Under normal circumstances, even Konohagakure might not be able to produce four Kage-level experts at once.
Even if they were able to produce them and trap the enemy, can they afford to allocate manpower to enter the formation and kill the enemy?
Has no sense!
So, although the Four Red Yang Formation seems powerful, its practicality is almost zero.
On the other hand, Orochimaru's improved Four Violet Flames Formation is quite good. Currently, the Sound Four have trapped the Third Hokage and are blocking the Anbu outside.
However, Orochimaru, after hearing what Natsuo said, couldn't help but twitch the corners of his lips.
The merit is that it can heal itself after being torn apart?
That's not the merit I had in mind when I made the improvements back then!
"Natsuo... you're Uchiha Natsuo, right?" The Third Hokage's face became serious. "So you've been hiding so deeply all this time?"
"The so-called revival of the Uchiha clan, the so-called having children, the so-called spending a fortune to have children..."
"Are you hiding from me and avoiding Danzō's attention?"
"Hello, Lord Third Hokage, long time no see." Natsuo smiled and said: "But you're wrong about one thing. I really do want to have children, and the children I have are real."
However, the Third Hokage didn't believe it at all. A person who indulges women every day and has had so many children in a few years, can he still have so much strength?
Shouldn't those who train every day just bang their heads against the wall and die, to save themselves from showing their stupidity?
"Natsuo, what do you want by coming here?" The Third Hokage stared at Natsuo with his old eyes. "Is Uchiha really planning to betray Konoha?"
"Hey, hey... Isn't Konoha the one who betrayed the Uchiha?" Natsuo laughed and said: "Third Hokage, have you forgotten that it was you and Danzō who deceived Uchiha Itachi and joined forces to exterminate the Uchiha clan?"
"I also found the eyes of the former clan leader, Fugaku, and those of his wife, Mikoto, in Danzō's research laboratory."
"It turns out that you are the one responsible for that incident!"
The Third Hokage's face twitched. In fact, the moment he saw Natsuo, he thought of the Root attack case and the attack on Danzō.
Although Danzō denied the existence of the research lab in front of other clan heads. But in a later private conversation with the Third Hokage they discovered what the missing materials were. Who knows if the culprit would use those items against Konoha.
Anyway, something was lost, and in this regard, he wouldn't hide it.
"So you knew...." The Third Hokage hesitated, saying: "Natsuo, there are some misunderstandings. It wasn't me and Danzō manipulating Itachi, but rather your Uchiha clan plotting a rebellion."
"Itachi tried to dissuade his father several times but couldn't resolve it. He had no choice but to..."
"Yes, just like how you watched Danzō kill Shisui, just like how you decided to eliminate all the weak and sickly Uchiha, not sparing even newborn babies, and had the Uchiha's Sharingan dug out to be used as research subjects?" Natsuo said, full of sarcasm.
The Third Hokage choked and couldn't speak for a while.
Besides someone like Itachi, who was manipulated, who else would firmly stand on the Hokage's side if they knew about this?
"When you first came back, Danzō suggested that I get rid of you... Maybe I should have listened to him then." The Third Hokage took a deep breath, his gaze incredibly serious. "You indeed know too much!"
"Hey, hey... It's not that you didn't want to get rid of me, but I never left Konoha, right?" Natsuo smiled and said: "If I had left Konoha, I don't think you or Danzō would have simply watched as the Uchiha's great wealth was used by me."
The corner of the Third Hokage's mouth twitched. Yes, both he and Danzō had tried to manipulate Natsuo to leave the village. But in the end, he stayed in the village, never stepping out.
"So, are you here for Uchiha's revenge?" The Third Hokage took a deep breath. "Are you accumulating power for revenge with those eyes of yours?"
"No, I'm not that close to the Uchiha clan. I didn't awaken my Mangekyō Sharingan because of that." Natsuo chuckled. "Actually, although there may be some issues, Itachi's act of eliminating the Uchiha did me a great favor."
"It was because of his actions that I easily obtained a large fortune and live happily every day..."
"From that perspective, I should perhaps thank you."
"Then why do you still want to kill..."
Third Hokage was about to speak but was interrupted by Natsuo. "Third Hokage, have you forgotten about your actions against the Uchiha clan recently?"
"Have you forgotten about forcing me to carry out difficult missions?"
"Have you forgotten that because of Asuma's jealousy you attacked the Uchiha clan?"
"So now I want to kill you, what's the problem with that?"
Third Hokage was dumbfounded.
Yes, he did target the Uchiha clan and caused them some losses. But just because of this small matter... Just because of this small matter, you want to kill the leader of your own village?
Orochimaru sighed lightly.
Yes, this man may seem gentle and easy to talk to, but he is not magnanimous. The fact that he was almost extorted clean is the most obvious evidence!
Regarding the plan to destroy Konoha, Orochimaru and Natsuo hardly discussed it, because they both knew each other's intentions: to kill Third Hokage!
Orochimaru also brought Jiraiya specifically to prevent Natsuo from taking action, but unfortunately, this arrangement did not have any effect...
"Natsuo-kun, can't you let me have Third Hokage?" Orochimaru sighed lightly, his voice hoarse, his gaze serious.
"Although I don't have anything to trade with you right now, I promise to give you a satisfactory reward in the future."
"Killing Third Hokage is my responsibility!"
Natsuo silently looked at Orochimaru.
From a utilitarian perspective, it would be the same no matter who made the move. But Orochimaru took the initiative.
Or rather, he still had strong feelings for Third Hokage - otherwise, with his personality, why would he bother with the plan to destroy Konoha?
When has Orochimaru ever cared about the village or power? He only cares about immortality and power. But Orochimaru eventually took action because he wanted to give his teacher a perfect ending.
The Third Hokage became increasingly old, yet he was unwilling to relinquish power. He endured humiliation from external forces and used a heavy hand internally. During the Third Great Shinobi War, Konohagakure clearly defeated Iwagakure, but in the end, they signed an equal peace agreement.
The things he had gained on the battlefield were unexpectedly given away on the negotiation table. This weakness made all the Konoha Shinobi dissatisfied.
So Namikaze Minato, at a young age, took over and became the Hokage. Had he not taken office, the Third Hokage would have been the first Kage to be removed.
And now, with the death of the Fourth Hokage, the Third Hokage has returned to power, and the resentment towards him has been accumulating.
Especially after Natsuo attacked the Root's research lab, it completely angered all the shinobi.
If it weren't for the imminent danger of a Great Shinobi War, forcing the shinobi and the higher-ups to quiet down for the sake of Konoha, the Third Hokage would have already stepped down.
But is the Fourth Great Shinobi War really an opportunity for the Third Hokage? Not necessarily. Or perhaps, one mistake in the Fourth Great Shinobi War could be the time when the Third Hokage loses all his honor.
So before that happens, Orochimaru wants to allow his teacher, the Third Hokage, to retire with the honorable status of a deceased Hokage.
This is the principle behind Orochimaru's actions.
Natsuo has always known this because if it weren't for this reason, Orochimaru really had no reason to kill Rasa. Rasa is also a Kage-level shinobi, and even though he may be considered the weaker among Kage-level shinobi, he could still cause greater casualties to Konoha.
However, this goes against Orochimaru's plan. He wants to see his master retire with honor, to see the old man in his twilight years still fighting him to the death and protecting the safety of the Konoha village as a hero. And not the culprit who lost incompetently to the enemy, causing Konoha to be leaderless and suffer heavy losses.
...
"Who made him attack me and the Uchiha clan?" Natsuo smiled and said: "I'm sorry, Orochimaru, I don't have the habit of passing up the opportunity to finish off my enemies."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, his face filled with killing intent. His palms opened and closed, as if hesitating about something, yet also seemingly eager to take action.
But he hadn't taken any steps yet.
The Third Hokage couldn't help but be filled with anger.
"Orochimaru! Natsuo!"
He shouted angrily: "You two seem to be having a great time chatting!"
"What do you think of me, the Hokage? Do you think I'm some random shinobi that you can easily kill?"
Suddenly, an enormous amount of chakra emanated from him, his aura imposing, as if he had returned to the peak of his ninja prowess.
With such an imposing presence, he could easily overwhelm weaker shinobi.
"You two brats, come at me together!"
"As the Third Hokage of Konoha, I will send you both to hell!"
He was full of aggression. However, Orochimaru let out a sigh.
Natsuo even smiled slightly, "Hokage-sama, you're right. We really regard you as some random shinobi that we can easily kill."
Before the Third Hokage could get even angrier, Natsuo looked over and carefully examined the Third Hokage's armor. The ninja armor he wore was of the Sengoku period style.
During the Sengoku period, there were few missions involving infiltration, espionage, and instigating discord. Most missions involved direct conflicts between shinobis.
Protecting oneself with armor became the first choice for shinobis, and even the early shinobis of Konoha preferred wearing armor rather than the lightweight ninja attire used nowadays.
However...
Natsuo smiled faintly and said: "Third Hokage, you don't often wear this battle armor, do you?"
The Third Hokage was surprised, he didn't expect Natsuo to suddenly mention his outfit.
But what he said was not wrong. As the Third Hokage, he hadn't engaged in combat with anyone for a long time, so he naturally didn't need to wear battle armor.
This armor had been stored at the bottom of a box, and if it weren't for the news of Orochimaru's attack, he probably wouldn't have put it on today.
Natsuo's eyes carried a hint of mockery as he looked at the shiny new battle armor worn by the Third Hokage and said slowly: "Ninja attire has never been as clean and tidy as yours, Hokage-sama. It should be stained with sweat, mud, and blood."
"It should look tattered, that's how a shinobi should look."
"Third Hokage, you have become old, very old."
"The brave shinobi of the past died a long time ago. What remains is just an old man who relies on past glory, monopolizes interests, and suppresses newcomers."
"With such a mindset, how can you possibly defeat us?"
Even Natsuo, who now enjoyed a comfortable life, had fought to the death in his early years, engaging in life-or-death battles with enemies multiple times.
Even now, whenever the system rewarded him with a new ninjutsu, he would immediately find time to sweat and work hard to thoroughly digest and incorporate the ninjutsu into his own battle style.
Not to mention Orochimaru, who had defected from Konoha and had fought with others more than once.
"In our eyes, you are truly just a useless waste that can be killed with a flick of our hands."
Comments
Nieus The God Of Magic
Author-san one question how many kids does MC have already and is he going interact with them at all in the novel?
Jose Newcomb
thank you for the chapter
