"I'm sorry, Mr. Iruka," Menma said sincerely, then kicked Jiraiya without warning.
"Wha—why'd you kick me?!" Jiraiya blinked, rubbing his side.
Menma gave him a meaningful glare: Hurry up and explain!
Finally catching on, Jiraiya turned to Iruka with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Iruka. I took Menma out on a mission. As for the shadow clone—well, Menma insisted on leaving one behind to keep Naruto company in the village."
"And just now… the clone disappeared because we were attacked. Outside Konoha." His words fell heavily in the room, and he immediately glanced toward the Third Hokage, followed by Tsunade, whose expression darkened.
SLAM!
Tsunade's hand crashed down on the table, shattering it in an instant.
"Sarutobi-sensei! I know everything now—about Menma, Naruto, and what they've been through!" Her voice shook with fury. "Why?! Why didn't you announce they were the children of the Fourth Hokage?! And who spread those disgusting rumors about them being demon foxes?!"
Her voice cracked.
"Wasn't White Fang enough of a tragedy?!"
Iruka's heart thudded.
Menma and Naruto… are the Fourth Hokage's sons?
He stared at Menma, shocked beyond words. He had always known the brothers had been treated unfairly… but this?
His mind flashed back to his own past—his parents, who had died in the Nine Tails attack. He never hated the brothers, but… he had never reached out to them either. And now he realized the full truth—just how much they'd been made to suffer.
The guilt hit him like a kunai to the chest.
Sensing Iruka's spiraling thoughts, the Third Hokage cleared his throat.
"Iruka, please escort Menma out. This no longer concerns you."
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Iruka nodded and made to leave.
But Menma didn't budge.
Instead, he raised his head and calmly looked at the Hokage. "Grandpa Third," he said, "I won't pursue what happened with the attack this time."
Tsunade turned to him, eyes wide. "Menma, you—"
He raised his hand to stop her.
"But," he continued coldly, "if Naruto becomes the target next time... then don't blame me for what happens."
The room instantly turned heavy.
A suffocating chakra pulsed outward.
Suddenly, all eyes snapped to the small orange fox perched on Menma's shoulder. The chakra it radiated made even Jiraiya, Tsunade, and the Third Hokage tense up.
Shizune instinctively took a step back.
The Third Hokage began to sweat.
"T-That chakra…"
Menma casually gestured to the fox. "Let me introduce you all: this is Kurama."
The little orange fox let out a small yawn—and then unleashed its chakra. The air trembled.
Everyone gawked. No seal. No suppression. Nothing.
Jiraiya's jaw dropped.
Wait. That's… not just the Nine Tails cloak. The Nine Tails isn't sealed?
"I released Kurama three years ago," Menma explained flatly. "But don't worry. We share a common enemy—same one from six years ago."
The Third Hokage's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean…?"
Menma stepped forward. "I killed someone recently. His name was White Zetsu. He was a subordinate of Uchiha Madara."
Silence.
"Impossible!" the Third Hokage barked. "Madara's long dead!"
A low, disdainful voice cut in: "Stupid human…"
It was Kurama, speaking for the first time.
The Third Hokage, Jiraiya, and Tsunade were visibly shaken.
Kurama's words hit harder than any jutsu.
Jiraiya looked at Menma. "So that chakra spike three years ago… it really was the seal breaking."
Menma didn't answer. Instead, he muttered under his breath: "Two more novels…"
Kurama smirked smugly. "A deal's a deal."
Menma sighed. Damn fox. Always knows when to collect.
Inwardly, his shadow clones cursed.
"Dammit, boss, we're not your publishing team!"
But Menma's true aim wasn't just intimidation. This was strategy.
By revealing the truth about Madara and showing the fully-released Nine Tails, he was sending a message—not just to the Hokage, but to Danzo.
With Jiraiya, Tsunade, and even Kakashi by his side, Konoha couldn't just eliminate him easily—not without a fight that could devastate the village.
Let them think twice.
Let them fear the price.
And once panic spread over Madara's supposed return, the village would be too busy preparing for war to keep tabs on him.
His strength would grow in the shadows.
One day, he wouldn't just have the Nine Tails.
He'd be the strongest.
And with that, Menma turned and walked out, Kurama hopping back into his body with a yawn.
"Wasted time. I was reading a good chapter," Kurama grumbled.
Menma smirked. You got two whole novels out of it, don't complain.
The clones? They screamed in silence.
WE HAVE TO WRITE THOSE!
Back in the Hokage's office, silence lingered.
Jiraiya. Tsunade. Shizune. Sarutobi.
Each still stunned.
The Third Hokage finally spoke.
"Jiraiya… Why did Menma release the Nine Tails? How did he do it?"
"I don't know," Jiraiya admitted truthfully.
Tsunade stepped forward, slamming her fist into her palm. "And what does it matter now, Sarutobi-sensei?!"
Her voice was sharp.
"Menma didn't attack the village after breaking the seal. Why not? Because he didn't hate the village. Because this is the village his parents gave their lives to protect!"
She glared at the old man, her voice trembling.
"You protected your position, your image—but at what cost? How many lives? How much suffering? Isn't White Fang enough?!"
The Third Hokage didn't respond.
But his silence said everything.
Tsunade stepped forward.
"Step down, Sarutobi-sensei. Your time as Hokage is over. I'll take over from here—and I'll make sure the real Will of Fire burns again."
Jiraiya nodded. "You've done enough, old man. Time to retire."
Sarutobi looked down at the remnants of the shattered desk.
Then closed his eyes.
Tsunade… is right.
(End Of Chapter)
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