Namikaze Minato felt lost and deeply saddened.
Inside the chat group, he expressed his confusion:
Namikaze Minato: Why is this happening? Uzumaki Naruto is the son of the Hokage and the hero who imprisoned the Nine Tails. Shouldn't that be seen as an even greater honor? Why is he treated like this instead?
Senju Hashirama: Jinchūriki are heroes who seal the tailed beasts, so why do the villagers hate them?
Gengetsu Hōzuki: First Hokage, are you truly ignorant, or just pretending? Jinchūriki may imprison the tailed beasts, but they also carry the risk of losing control.
Senju Hashirama: Losing control?
Gengetsu Hōzuki: That's right. If a Jinchūriki fails to suppress their tailed beast, the beast takes over their body, turning them into a rampaging monster.
Pirate King Roger: I get it now! Jinchūriki are basically walking bombs—ticking time bombs that could explode at any moment. That's why people fear and avoid them.
Namikaze Minato: I understand... To the Konoha villagers, Naruto isn't a hero who sealed the Nine Tails. He's just a potential disaster waiting to happen...
Lucas: His potential danger is only one reason for their hatred. The other is their resentment toward the Nine Tails itself. When the Nine Tails attacked Konoha, it caused immense destruction and loss of life. Many villagers transferred their hatred from the beast to Naruto.
Senju Tobirama: But why? Plenty of ninjas understand the relationship between Jinchūriki and tailed beasts. Shouldn't they know better than to blame Naruto?
Gold Thief Woonan: Second Hokage, I think I can answer that. Remember our discussion about how ordinary people persecuted Doflamingo's family?
Doflamingo: Fufufufu~ Why bring me up now? The way ordinary people treated my family isn't something I enjoy remembering.
Senju Tobirama: That situation was different. The Doflamingo family once enjoyed the privileges of the Celestial Dragons, so people resented them after they fell. What does that have to do with Naruto?
Gold Thief Woonan: Everything. The commoners couldn't take revenge on the Celestial Dragons, just like Konoha's villagers couldn't take revenge on the Nine Tails. So instead, they found a scapegoat. Doflamingo's family was a convenient target back then—just like Naruto is now.
Golden Lion Shiki: Shihahaha! Second Hokage, weren't you the one who said this kind of anger and resentment was understandable? I remember you defending this kind of behavior before.
Senju Tobirama: No, this isn't the same! Doflamingo's family benefited from the Celestial Dragons' status, but Naruto and the Nine Tails aren't even on the same side! They're enemies!
Doflamingo: Does that really matter? The villagers weren't looking for logic. They just needed a punching bag. You don't actually believe ordinary people are inherently good, do you?
Senju Tobirama fell silent, unwilling to continue the argument.
Doflamingo: The ordinary people you and the Marines protect are no different from me. The only difference is that they lack the ability and courage to do evil. That's why they appear good. But if you assume the worst of them, you'll often find the truth.
Namikaze Minato clenched his fists.
Namikaze Minato: Setting aside the villagers' reaction, what about Konoha's leadership? Especially the third hokage—he promised me he would take care of my son.
Senju Hashirama: Right! And wait… how did the villagers even find out Naruto was a Jinchūriki? That information should have been classified.
Uchiha Madara: Who else could have spread it? Only Konoha's higher-ups had access to that information. Yet, no one stopped the rumors. The answer is obvious.
Namikaze Minato's expression darkened.
Namikaze Minato: Sarutobi Hiruzen…? He told me he would protect Naruto, so why would he deliberately harm him?
Lucas: Maybe because he did it for Konoha.
Namikaze Minato: For Konoha?
Lucas: Think about it. The Nine Tails attack devastated Konoha. People lost loved ones, their homes, everything. Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't erase their grief, but he could give them a convenient outlet for their frustration—Naruto. Letting them vent their anger on a single child helped maintain order. It kept them from directing their resentment at Konoha's leadership.
Golden Lion Shiki: Shihahaha! "It's good for their health"—what a pragmatic excuse!
Namikaze Minato's anger grew.
Namikaze Minato: Fine! I was the one who decided to make Naruto the Nine Tails' Jinchūriki. This situation is my fault. But even so, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't even ensure my son's basic needs? A child his age shouldn't have to catch fish just to eat!
Senju Tobirama: Is Konoha really that financially strained?
Lucas: Oh, not at all. Let me tell you a little secret—Sarutobi Hiruzen's grandson lives in comfort. He eats well, dresses well, and is respected by everyone in the village. He even has a personal Jōnin tutor!
Namikaze Minato's rage boiled over.
Namikaze Minato: What is the meaning of this? Did he hold a grudge against me for becoming the Fourth Hokage? Did he take it out on Naruto?
Lucas: Oh, no, it's nothing personal. Here's another fun fact—Sarutobi Hiruzen regularly visited Naruto. Sometimes, when Naruto caught and roasted a fish, the old man would even come over and help himself to a bite.
Whitebeard :"That Sarutobi Hiruzen… How shameless can he be? The poor kid can barely feed himself, and he has the audacity to take food from him? I really want to punch his head into his stomach!"
Lucas : "No, this is exactly where Sarutobi Hiruzen's cleverness lies. Uzumaki Naruto isn't afraid of starvation—what truly terrifies him is loneliness, the feeling of being rejected by everyone. By eating his fish, Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't just taking advantage of him; he was also sending a message that he acknowledged Naruto's existence. In a way, he was the first person to walk into Naruto's heart."
Senju Tobirama : "Tsk… Why didn't I realize before? That old bastard actually has such a calculating mind. I was too slow, thinking he was just a kind, self-sacrificing heir of the Will of Fire."
Uchiha Madara : "So he isolated Naruto from the entire village on purpose, only to become his first 'friend'? What a cunning old man, playing these pointless mind games."
Lucas : "From a brighter perspective, as the leader of Konoha, it's understandable. He wanted to ensure that the most important weapon of Konoha remained firmly in his hands."
Namikaze Minato : "It's all my fault… I turned my own son into Konoha's weapon."
Fire Fist Ace : "What were you even thinking, making your own son a container for a tailed beast?"
Namikaze Minato : "The Nine Tails is an incredibly powerful force. I believed my son would be able to control it. Maybe… maybe it was just a father's blind faith in his child."
Lucas : "Might as well have thrown him off a cliff and hoped he'd stumble into some miraculous treasure."
Namikaze Minato: "…"
Lucas : "Back then, were you thinking about suicide? You say you planned things out carefully, but at the end of the day, it's hard to call you responsible. You and Roger might be legends in your own worlds, but when it comes to parenting… you both failed miserably."
Senju Tobirama : "Lucas, just now, you said that from a bright perspective, Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't entirely wrong in keeping Naruto close. But what about from a dark perspective?"
Lucas : "If we look at it from a darker perspective… He wasn't controlling Konoha's Jinchūriki. He was controlling his Jinchūriki. That's a big problem. But instead of just speculating, listen to what these Konoha shinobi have to say."
Outside World
Kurenai Yuhi and Mitarashi Anko led Lucas to a high-end residential area. Kurenai gestured toward the surroundings and explained, "This used to be the home of the Senju clan, Konoha's founding family. But after their decline, the Sarutobi and Shimura clans took over this area."
Lucas smirked. "I see. Are these two families particularly well-loved in Konoha?"
Mitarashi Anko scoffed. "Loved? Hardly. The head of the Sarutobi clan is the Hokage, and the head of the Shimura clan is his closest advisor. With those connections, the ninjas from these two families got all the easiest, highest-paying missions. Of course, they thrived."
Back in the chat group, Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama fell silent.
If the Senju clan had truly faded away for the sake of Konoha's progress, they could have reluctantly accepted it.
But the reality in front of them told a different story.
The Sarutobi and Shimura clans had only grown stronger.
Had Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō truly had no selfish motives in eliminating the Senju clan?
Their once-insignificant families had become powerful enough to rival entire armies.
Senju Tobirama: "Now I understand why Sarutobi Hiruzen clung so desperately to the Hokage seat. If he lost power, his entire clan might be wiped out."
Namikaze Minato: "Yeah… The difference in treatment is obvious. A Hokage who has stepped down or died is worthless. Just look at the difference between my son and the Third Hokage's grandson."
Senju Tobirama : "Lucas, wipe out the Sarutobi clan for me!"
Senju Hashirama : "Tobirama, are you serious?"
Senju Tobirama : "Of course, I'm serious. The Sarutobi family are ninja, just like any other. Konoha has grown too powerful; cutting them down is a necessary step. Better to deal with them now than let them cause problems once the Fifth Hokage takes power."
Outside World
A voice suddenly called out. "Kurenai, what are you doing here?"
A man with a thick beard stepped out of the Sarutobi estate, looking amused as he greeted Kurenai Yuhi from a distance.
Kurenai frowned in irritation. "That's Sarutobi Asuma. The Third Hokage's son. He's been pestering me in the name of 'pursuing' me. It's annoying."
She turned to Lucas with a look of disgust.
Lucas nodded. A father like that, and it's no surprise the son is just as shameless.
Sarutobi Asuma's eyes flicked to Lucas and then back to Kurenai, his expression shifting as his mood soured. "Who's this guy?"
Lucas smirked. "You don't deserve to know."
Before Asuma could react, Lucas casually raised his hand. A massive water dragon roared to life and slammed into Asuma, sending him flying across the courtyard.
Senju Tobirama's techniques had been passed down to him, and Lucas had already surpassed the original master. He didn't even need hand seals to unleash Water Release techniques anymore.
Lucas dusted off his hands. "Second Hokage, I accept your request."
He turned toward the Sarutobi estate, his smirk widening.
"Destroying the Sarutobi clan? Sounds like a great idea."
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