Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 222 You know better than I how Sakumo Hatake died!

The Third of the Ten Blades: Puppet Master.

His main ability is to manipulate chakra threads, which is clearly in the style of a puppeteer from Sunagakure.

"Lord Fengying."

Onoki's voice was slow and deliberate, yet carried a sharp glint of laughter: "If I remember correctly, your Elder Chiyo died at the hands of Hanzo, didn't she?"

Chiyo, as the only puppeteer after Monzaemon of Sunagakure who mastered the "White Secret Technique: Chikamatsu Ten Puppet Masters", reached the pinnacle of chakra thread manipulation.

"Her abilities and characteristics seem to match quite well with the description of 'Espada No. 3: Puppet Master' in the intelligence report, don't they?" Onoki said meaningfully.

Upon hearing this, the seemingly reckless Fourth Raikage's eyes flashed, and anger appeared on his face. He slammed his hand on the table, pointed at Rasa, and said in a deep voice, "That's right!"

"Fourth Kazekage, shouldn't you give us all an explanation, and give an explanation to those Konoha and Kumogakure ninjas who were killed by the 'Puppet Master' on the battlefield of the Land of Hot Water!"

You were pointing your finger at Hiruzen Sarutobi and cursing him before, but now you're starting to speak up for the Konoha ninjas, right?

Luo Sha's eyes twitched, and his hand, resting on his knee, unconsciously clenched his robe, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force. Anger and suspicion mingled in his heart.

He certainly guessed this possibility immediately, but these two bastards were clearly making accusations in public.

They are accusing the souls of the deceased elders of Sunagakure of becoming the Espada, who are harming the ninja world, and trying to put Sunagakure in a difficult position, putting all the debts owed by the "Puppet Master" on their heads.

Regardless of whether the 'Puppet Master' was actually a manifestation of Chiyo's soul, Rasa, as the Fourth Kazekage, could not possibly admit it in this situation.

"Lord Tsuchikage, Lord Raikage..."

Luo Sha suppressed his surprise and doubt, took a deep breath, and slowly said, "Your speculation is far too far-fetched."

"First of all, based on the intelligence provided by Konoha and the information gathered on the battlefield in the Land of Hot Water, the appearance and figure of the 'Puppet Master' are clearly those of a young woman."

"Our Elder Chiyo of Sunagakure is an elderly man, completely different from others except for his hair color!"

"Secondly, in the ninja world, there are not many ninjas who are proficient in puppetry and skilled in manipulating chakra threads, but Elder Chiyo is by no means the only one."

"The number of puppeteers who died is countless."

He looked at Onoki and the Fourth Raikage and said in a deep voice, "To make wild guesses based solely on the ability to 'manipulate threads' and connect the 'Puppet Master' with Elder Chiyo..."

"Lord Tsuchikage, Lord Raikage, I cannot agree with your baseless accusations!"

After saying that, Rasa's gaze no longer lingered on Onoki and the Fourth Raikage, but slowly swept over Yagura Karatachi and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"In comparison..." he began, "the newly added 'Espada No. 4: Evil Eye' can now be confirmed as the transformation of Konoha's Uchiha Fugaku after his death!"

"Also, the Hollow that was taken away from Kirigakure by 'Espada No. 1: Uzumaki' is, according to intelligence reports, also a member of the Kaguya clan who died and became a Hollow!"

"And, the last known Espada, 'White Fang'..."

Rasa's gaze lingered on Hiruzen Sarutobi, or rather, it went beyond Hiruzen Sarutobi and locked onto the crimson curtain behind him.

"If you can regard 'Puppet Master' as Elder Chiyo..."

Rasa's voice trailed off slightly as he spoke, "'White Fang'—the name, and that fighting style... isn't it easier to guess who it is now?"

All eyes immediately turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

More accurately, it turned towards the curtain behind him, as if trying to penetrate that curtain and see the dark-eyed figure behind it.

"..."

Behind the curtain, Kakashi Hatake had clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the force.

His sudden, disordered breathing and tense, trembling body revealed the shock and anger rising within him.

Did the father become an enemy of Konoha and the ninja world?
These guys are saying that his father turned into that kind of monster after he died?!
"You!" Kakashi almost instinctively took a step forward.

He can tolerate being insulted! He can also tolerate being questioned about Konoha!

However, his father had already committed suicide to atone for the failure of an important mission he was carrying out before his death!
Why should these guys still call us monsters after we're dead?

Just as the anger he was suppressing deep in his throat was about to burst forth, a steady and powerful hand pressed down on his shoulder.

"Absolutely impossible!"

Hinata Kumokawa's voice was resolute, carrying an unquestionable coldness: "Sakumo Hatake-senpai sacrificed himself thirteen years ago."

“His soul has long since returned to the Pure Land, and it is absolutely impossible for him to become some inexplicable ‘Ten Blades’.”

However, in response to Hinata Kumokawa's rebuttal, Rasa gave a cold, mocking smile.

"Absolutely impossible?" His voice suddenly rose. "Don't forget what that guy who called himself 'Shadow' and 'Death' said before he left Konoha!"

He said, "My Lord has returned to the world!"

He spoke each word as if delivering a verdict, then his gaze swept over everyone present, and he said coldly, "What does this prove?"

"This means that the 'Virtual Realm' already existed in the past, before we even realized it!"

"And the 'emptiness' is what humans become after they die, harboring negative emotions such as resentment and despair!"

At this point, Rasa deliberately slowed his voice and sneered, "You Konoha ninja should know better than I how Sakumo Hatake died, right?"

"Do you dare say that he harbored no resentment? No bitterness? No despair?"

As the Fourth Kazekage of Sunagakure who had recently been fighting against Konoha, Rasa was arguably one of the people present who harbored the deepest hostility towards Konoha.

Therefore, they didn't hesitate to bring up Konoha's past, rubbing salt into Kakashi and Hiruzen Sarutobi's wounds.

"You..." Luo Sha wanted to say something more.

"enough!"

A furious shout suddenly rang out, interrupting what he was about to say.

Hiruzen Sarutobi abruptly stood up, his usually composed face now filled with rage. He stared intently at Rasa and said, "Lord Kazekage, you've gone too far!"

"Hehehe..."

Onoki narrowed his small, gleaming eyes and said slowly with a sly smile, "Hokage, don't be so impatient like a young man."

"We're just discussing a possibility, why are you so nervous?"

"If Lord Mizukage's speculation is correct, then we are facing quite a few 'familiar' enemies."

Onoki's seemingly comforting but actually inflamed and sarcastic words caused Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression to darken slightly.

This also made the atmosphere inside the shrine even more tense and oppressive.

This Five Kage Summit, which is targeting the 'Virtual Realm', is different from the Five Kage Summit targeting 'Akatsuki' in the original work.

The original Five Kage Summit was based on years of peace in the ninja world, when the five great nations were reducing their military spending and were basically at peace.

However, due to someone's manipulation, the war between the five great nations has not stopped and is still in a state of military expansion, and the relationship between the five great ninja villages is very tense.

Even in the relatively peaceful situation depicted in the original work, the Five Kage Summit nearly erupted into direct conflict several times, let alone the tense situation we are in now.

No one speaks.

The air seemed to have solidified into a powder keg, ready to explode at the slightest spark.

(End of this chapter)