Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

At this moment, Onoki seemed to be possessed by Conan who never grew up, and every word he said made sense and was flawless.

"this..."

Hatake Sakumo was also frustrated. Unlike others, he had eaten something tonight and had been forced to drink several cups of alcohol by that bastard Golden Lion. He never drank alcohol, but his alcohol tolerance was not so high that he would be defeated by a few cups of watered-down Sunagakure sake. Looking at the wounds on those Mist Ninja, they did indeed resemble his methods. If it weren't for the fact that Sunagakure's sake had such a low alcohol content, he would have suspected that he had come drunk and killed the Mist Ninja.

"Lord Tsuchikage, you're mistaken. We can't just focus on the wounds on the Mist Ninja's bodies. There are so many corpses lying over there. White Fang has killed many people over the years, so it would be too easy to impersonate him. But the corpses on the other side are shriveled, and some of them were even killed by heavy objects. Moreover, the terrain there clearly shows signs of Earth Release techniques, and some of the corpses are still clutching a few small pebbles in their hands. They must be trying to tell others who the murderer is. Lord Tsuchikage, could you explain to us what it means that those corpses are clutching small pebbles?"

If we're talking about heartache, Danzo's heart ached ten times more than Onoki's, because these people were all his carefully cultivated underlings over the years—his entire fortune! And now, half of them were gone. However, he was in a slightly better position than Onoki. He had already guessed that Onoki was definitely behind the Kirigakure incident, and that Onoki was unaware of Root's existence or that these people were his men. Onoki's goal was the same as his: to frame the other party.

154. Heaven knows how fast White Teeth's hands are.

When he arrived at the scene, his expression was never good. Although his intention to replace his best friend was obvious, and Hatake Sakumo was his best friend's right-hand man, he would definitely applaud if it were anything else. But now Onoki was clearly trying to frame Konoha. After all, he was half of Konoha's leader. Danzo was already holding a grudge because so many of his underlings had died and the plan had not succeeded.

Hearing Onoki shift the blame to Konoha like this, how could he possibly stand it? He had intended to keep a low profile, but he almost pointed at Onoki's nose and shouted, "There's only one truth!"

"Sigh! The chief advisor of Konoha's half-sky is indeed very observant. Now that you mention it, it seems so. But... Advisor Danzo, you don't look too good. Do you have a cold? (⊙_⊙)?"

As soon as Danzo finished speaking, everyone's eyes turned to Onoki. Seeing Danzo's stubborn expression, Masato was pretty sure that Danzo was involved in this as well. These messy corpses might even be remnants of the battle between the two sides.

This is Old Yinbi's disciple; you might as well give Onoki more space!

"Cough cough... It's nothing, it's just that it gets a bit chilly in Sunagakure at night, I caught a little cold..."

Danzo thought his good teammate had noticed something on his face, so he coughed twice and explained.

"Hmm... The temperature difference between day and night is quite large here, so Danzo advisor should take care of himself. Mada, go and get my cotton-padded coat for our Danzo advisor. Konoha can live without a Hokage, but it can't live without our Danzo advisor!"

Shinto sensed the surrounding temperature. It was summer, and the temperature was 39.5 degrees Celsius. It was indeed quite cool. Danzo's long robe looked a bit thin. He turned to Mada, who was surprised to find that the people of Konoha were afraid of the cold, and said.

Thirty-nine and a half degrees Celsius? You call that cool? Even running around naked would be too hot...ヽ(ー_ー)ノ

"Ahem...! Lord Tsuchikage, what is your interpretation of Danzo's words?"

Seeing that Shinto was being irresponsible and wanted to continue teasing Danzo, Kaizo quickly interrupted him.

"Hmph! What's there to explain? It's not just us Iwa ninja who can use Earth Release. Back in the day, Tobirama Senju was even called the Water God. As for the little pebble in his hand, it's even simpler. He was probably just grabbing and scratching around in his death throes."

Onoki remained calm. Konoha's White Fang's magic was unique and unparalleled, but Earth Release was far too common. Although Iwagakure's Earth Release was distinctive, it wasn't exclusive to Iwagakure.

"Hmm... Lord Tsuchikage is not wrong. There are indeed too many people using Earth Release techniques. So, the most likely candidate is still White Fang."

Shinto, always eager for a good show, figured it didn't matter who shifted the blame to whom; it had nothing to do with Sunagakure anyway. Anyone capable of doing this tonight was probably having a blast, singing and dancing. Besides, only a madman would kill a Kirigakure ninja on their own doorstep. Anyone with a passing IQ wouldn't suspect Sunagakure.

"That's not necessarily true. Back then, the Mizukage led the Mist Ninja in a sneak attack on the Land of Earth. This Tsuchikage definitely has a reason to kill those Mist Ninja. And while Earth Release isn't something only Iwa Ninja can do, no one present besides the Iwa Ninja could achieve such proficiency in Earth Release. Sigh... After following my teacher for so many years, I've almost forgotten all of his Water Release techniques. It's truly shameful..."

As the conversation quickly shifted back to Konoha's side following Onoki's words, Mitokado Homura, the Konoha's defense lawyer, spoke. He was far more composed than his less-educated companions, speaking calmly and concisely. Finally, to enhance the jury's engagement, he proudly admitted that after following Tobirama Senju for so many years, he hadn't learned a single skill. On this point, everyone present felt ashamed of their own shortcomings; no wonder he was a top lawyer…

"Hmm, hmm, hmm, although Advisor Menyan's words were a bit overly modest, it seems to be true. Advisor Menyan holds a high position and wields great power these days. Hey! Look at his little belly, he's got quite a bit. The food in Konoha must be pretty good... I'm not bragging, but I consider myself an unparalleled genius after Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. I was born with Earth Chakra, but to wield such skillful Earth Release techniques, you really need at least twenty years of practice to pull it off..."

Masato continued to nod, even pointing at Mitokado Yan's belly, which was about three months pregnant, and making a teasing remark before nodding again, seemingly agreeing with Mitokado Yan's point of view.

"...ヽ(ー_ー)ノ"

Seeing the Golden Lion constantly fanning the flames, I really want to slap him! Who the hell are you on?!

However, Mitokado Homura's words left him speechless. After all, apart from him and Tsuchiki, even his underlings couldn't pull off such a skillful Earth Release technique, let alone others. Just as Shiki said, learning ninjutsu isn't difficult as long as one has decent ninjutsu talent. Even A-rank ninjutsu can be mastered with a little time. But to refine it further requires time to hone one's skills and study the nature transformation of chakra. The traces left by the Earth Release around him are something that only someone proficient in Earth Release could pull off to this extent. Although White Fang is also born with Earth Release chakra, it's well known that the Hatake clan's swordsmanship is a combination of swordsmanship and lightning release, and has nothing to do with Earth Release. White Fang is still very young. Even if he were a genius, he would be incredibly powerful if he mastered his ancestral Hatake swordsmanship to the maximum level. He wouldn't have the time to study Earth Release. Moreover, it's common knowledge that the Hatake clan never uses ninjutsu.

"Hmph! So how does Konoha explain the injuries on the Mist Ninja? Don't forget our purpose is to find out who did these Mist Ninja, not the cause of death of others. The injuries on these Mist Ninja were indeed caused by the short-lived ninja. Even if it was a disguise, no one else has that ability, right? So fast, ruthless, and accurate. I really can't think of anyone else in the ninja world besides White Fang who has such strength."

Onoki remained silent, but Tsuchiki, who was standing behind him, stepped forward and calmly spoke, feeling a slight sense of relief. Fortunately, after so many years of diligent practice, his hand speed had not diminished with age. To be honest, White Fang's style was really hard to fake. If it weren't for completing the Tsuchikage's mission, he really wouldn't want to reveal his identity as the Right Hand of the Land of Earth.

Although he only used a short blade, his speed was incredibly fast; the victim was already dead, and no one knew how he stabbed him...

In his pursuit of perfect imitation, his divine right hand was nearly rendered useless; heaven knows just how fast Konoha's White Fang's hand speed was.

155. Water Shadow: Could it be that both sides have dried up?

"Hmm... Lord Mizuki's insight is indeed profound. However, the injuries on these Mist Ninja point to White Fang, while the injuries on these masked men point to Iwagakure... This makes it difficult to determine the truth..."

Shinto looked at the young talent from Iwagakure who had been heavily promoted by Onoki in recent years with surprise. If he hadn't spoken, Shinto wouldn't have even noticed that this guy had come with Onoki. This Mizuki wasn't very strong. The reason he was promoted by Onoki was that the Iwagakure leadership was undergoing a generational change, and this Mizuki just happened to be on the same side as Onoki in terms of age and ideology. In addition, there were rumors that this guy's intelligence was as high as 95 points. He didn't know if it was true, but his Observation Haki did detect that this guy's right hand was constantly shaking in his pocket.

To outsiders, this guy looked like he was searching for something in public, which was quite unseemly. However, Masato noticed that the veins on his right hand were bulging and the blood vessels had turned dark blue. He estimated that if he didn't get treatment in time, his hand would be ruined.

It's him!

White Fang's swordsmanship isn't so easy to imitate. Not only is Kakuzu's technique cunning and unpredictable, but the key is its extreme speed. It's the kind of swordsmanship where blood doesn't spurt out for several seconds after the strike. Without the stimulation of lightning-style chakra to activate the body, you simply can't achieve that speed with just physical strength. This guy forcibly tried to imitate it using the strength of his arm... It's quite similar, but it's a bit too much for his hand!

.....

Throughout the night, Iwagakure and Konoha each held their own version of events, one pointing the finger at Sakumo Hatake, the other at Iwagakure. They argued fiercely until dawn without reaching a conclusion.

Judging from their expressions, Sunagawa knew that even if they continued arguing for another year, there would be no result. So he simply coaxed the two sides back to their feet and sent people to return the Kirigakure ninja's bodies to Kirigakure. As for what the Mizukage thought, that was none of his business. Although the Kirigakure ninja were partly responsible for what happened on their territory, since they had come to deliver gifts and congratulate Sasori's father, not to conduct any espionage, these were minor issues. Sunagawa, as the Kazekage, would at most apologize to Kirigakure. After all, they hadn't killed the people; the lion's share was with Konoha and Iwagakure. The Hozuki clan leader who had supported his rise to power had been murdered, and it was unclear whether the murderer was Konoha or Iwagakure. They had no time to hold Sunagawa accountable.

"Chief Mabu rarely gets to travel on public funds, why doesn't he stay a little longer? Why is he in such a hurry to leave?"

At the border of the Land of Wind, Masato reluctantly said goodbye after sending the Azabu clan here.

Whether the culprit was Konoha or Iwagakure was unknown, but it was unlikely to be a Kumogakure ninja. After all, none of those masked men had any resemblance to James in terms of facial features or physique. Compared to Kumogakure ninja, they were like elementary school students. It was really not easy for Kumogakure to find so many people with physiques that resembled elementary school students. So, after resting for a few days, in order to avoid Konoha and Iwagakure, who were already caught up in the moment, shifting the blame onto them, or even arresting them along with them, they quickly took advantage of the moment when Konoha and Iwagakure were too caught up in the moment to think about this matter and made a quick getaway with their men. Onoki and the advisors trained by Tobirama Senju in Konoha were all cunning old foxes, and their methods were ruthless.

Having witnessed the Mist Ninja being hung at the village gate, Sunagawa and Kaizo dared not let them leave on their own. If Konoha or Iwagakure were to ambush them again, Sunagawa would be in deep trouble. Moreover, this big-headed Azabu was far more influential than the Hozuki clan leader; he was the number two figure in Kumogakure, the most brilliant mind in Kumogakure. If something happened to him, it would be a real problem to explain.

So when Azabu-da-da said goodbye to them, Kaizo immediately pulled out their top escort to personally escort the group of Cloud Ninja to the border. If anything happened after they left the Land of Wind, it would only be their bad luck, and it wouldn't be their problem.

"...Our Kumogakure is different from your village. We are still in the early stages, and there are many things that Lord Raikage cannot handle alone. I have to rush back to help. Lord Golden Lion, we will take our leave now!"

The leader of the Azabu clan waved to Masato, then turned and left with his men.

Just kidding, what if we stay any longer and get blamed on us? Their Cloud Village population has only just begun to recover, and it'll take several more years for the next generation to grow up. For now, it's safer to play it safe and develop cautiously...

......

With Kumogakure gone, the Konoha and Onoki teams probably only just realized how focused they were on Kirigakure and had forgotten about Kumogakure, this lucrative target. But since they've already left, there's no point in them staying in Sunagakure and bickering endlessly. It's much more enjoyable to go back and enjoy life while arguing.

Just as they left and returned to their village, news spread throughout the ninja world that the leader of the Hozuki clan of Kirigakure had been imprisoned in Sunagakure. As for who the culprit was, Konoha pointed the finger at Iwagakure, while Iwagakure pointed the finger at Konoha. In any case, the two sides were arguing fiercely.

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, upon learning of this news, stood up to support his leader, stating that Konoha had been quietly working for the peace and stability of the ninja for many years, and that the killing of Mist Ninja and the disruption of world peace and stability were absolutely not done by them. Moreover, the corpses found outside of the Mist Ninja also showed that they were not their doing.

After the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, spoke, he gained the approval of a considerable number of people. Although Hiruzen Sarutobi did not have any outstanding political achievements as Hokage over the years, he did a very good job in maintaining the image of the village. When people think of Konoha, their first impression is harmony, friendliness, light, and greatness. He spares no effort in maintaining world peace.

Therefore, Hiruzen Sarutobi received the support of most people as soon as he stood up to speak, and after Hiruzen Sarutobi finished speaking, Onoki also stood up to speak.

For many years, the Iwa ninja have also been committed to maintaining peace and development in the ninja world. The fatal wounds on the Kirigakure ninja have already said a lot. Moreover, apart from Konoha's White Fang, who else in the entire ninja world has the strength to instantly kill dozens of Jonin, including the Hozuki clan leader, with a single short-range ninja?

Onoki's words garnered support from another group of people, who felt that what Onoki said made sense. It was impossible to cleanly and efficiently eliminate so many Mist Ninja in a short period of time without using one's signature move. So, here's the question!

The fatal wounds of the Mist Ninja pointed to Konoha, while the fatal wounds of the other corpses pointed to Iwagakure....

"Snapped!"

"Damn! Could it be that they fought on both sides? It's just that Konoha's White Fang acted faster and killed all the Mist Ninja. When he was about to leave, he happened to run into the Iwa Ninja who also wanted to collect their kills. Then the two sides fought a big battle, leaving behind a pile of corpses that were either Konoha's or Iwa Ninja's?"

Within the Land of Water, the Third Mizukage rubbed his balding head, frowned, and stared at the ceiling, imagining the scene from that time. As the image became clearer, he suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

156. Mizukage: The culprit is Iwagakure.

The years since he became the Mizukage have been the pinnacle of his life. Whenever he thinks about his legendary life, he realizes that although he is not highly educated and cannot write an autobiography, it does not prevent him from finding a great writer in the Land of Water to write one for him. He started his career as a young man and gained the appreciation of the Second Hokage. At the age of fifteen, he became his bodyguard and then the captain of the bodyguard. He rose step by step from an unknown ninja of a small clan to a high-ranking position in the village, which can be described as a career legend. If the Second Hokage had not died, and had he been valued by the Second Hokage for a few more years, he would definitely have been second only to the Second Hokage.

During World War I, he accompanied the Second Hokage to the Land of Earth to raid a village. He was responsible for checking supplies on the shore, so he did not accompany the Second Hokage to raid the village. What he received was the news that the Second Hokage had died together with the Tsuchikage. At that time, he felt as if the sky had fallen. As a junior ninja who rose to a high position in a small clan, it was almost impossible to reach a high position in a village controlled by a clan without the protection of his leader.

However, when he returned to the village, it was indeed the case. Without the support of his family, when he, as the most popular person in front of the second generation, started a struggle for the village's leadership, he became extremely awkward and ignored by everyone. The struggle for leadership became extremely intense, like a palace drama, breaking viewership records, but unfortunately, he was not the male lead.

He originally thought that once the leader came out, he, as a remnant of the previous generation, would definitely be sent to guard the fishpond until retirement. If a war broke out one day, he might be lucky enough to be summoned back to fight, and if he performed well, he might have a chance to return to the upper echelons. However, such hope was extremely slim.

but!

But fate took an unexpected turn. The young and talented member of the Hozuki clan who came out to compete for leadership looked quite handsome, but he turned out to be short-lived. He had the life of a leader but not the luck to be one. He died at the crucial moment when the Hozuki clan was about to win, leaving them unable to find a suitable replacement. In the end, the Hozuki clan leader suddenly thought of the second generation's elder brother, who had been a favorite of the second generation, and supported him to take over.

It can be said that his achievements today are entirely inseparable from the support of the Hozuki clan. However, now that the head of the Hozuki clan has died in Sunagakure, if he, as the head of the clan who was supported by the Hozuki clan to take the position, does not do something, what will others think of him, and how will he explain himself to the Hozuki clan?

If he knew who the murderer was, he would fight Konoha even if it was Konoha. But the problem now is that he doesn't even know who the murderer is. Konoha says Iwagakure, and Iwagakure says Konoha. No matter how brave he is, he can't fight Konoha and Iwagakure at the same time, right?

I don't have that ability!

Because of this, their once flowing hair is now almost completely gone.

The most important thing now is to figure out who the real culprit is, and then get revenge. After all, the Hozuki clan leader was killed, and he has to give the Hozuki clan an explanation for the favor they did to him in supporting him to the position, so that people can know that he is not a heartless person.

"Sigh...! Lord Mizukage, I think instead of guessing who the culprit is, we should just assume that the culprit is Iwagakure. I suppose the Hozuki clan just needs an explanation. Dragging this out for too long will not do you any good for your reputation, Lord Mizukage."

The underling in front of the Third Mizukage sighed, shook his head slightly, and said to him.

During this period, the Hozuki clan practically camped out at the Mizukage Tower with their lunchboxes, watching their Mizukage transform from a handsome middle-aged man who was a heartthrob among young women into a man with a Mediterranean-like appearance. He couldn't even remember how long it had been since they last left the Mizukage Tower, but it had definitely been a month.

Last week, his wife became pregnant, but her emotions were very unstable, which worried him greatly. However, as the Mizukage's secretary, he couldn't leave the Mizukage alone here, so he had to come up with a solution. Although the Hozuki clan wanted the Mizukage to take charge, the clan had been leaderless for a long time due to the sudden death of the clan's leader, and a power struggle for leadership had begun. What they didn't care about now was who the real murderer was, but rather what they wanted from the Mizukage was a satisfactory explanation.

That makes things much simpler. It goes without saying which is stronger between Konoha and Iwagakure. Konoha doesn't have the ability to defeat Iwagakure, but Kirigakure is not afraid of Iwagakure!

You have to pick the softest persimmon! ヾ(^?^)?

"Snapped!"

"...Send a letter to Iwagakure, demanding a satisfactory explanation from Onoki, and also instruct all clans and departments to prepare for war! (▼he▼メ)"

The Third Mizukage pondered for a long time and felt that his younger brother's words made sense. Even if the culprit was indeed Konoha, it was almost impossible to make Konoha hand over the White Fang. He had the courage to fight Konoha, but he was certain that he couldn't win. Rather than letting the village suffer heavy losses, it was better to fight Iwagakure. Even though Iwagakure had been recuperating and developing well in recent years, Kirigakure was not bad either.

...

While the ninja world was still playing the detective game, guessing who the murderer was, the Third Mizukage had already officially announced that the murderer was Iwagakure. He also mobilized a large force and sent a message to Iwagakure demanding that Onoki hand over the murderer who killed their Hozuki clan leader. His stance of "war if the murderer is not handed over" stunned everyone!

On what basis did these three Mizukage determine that the murderer was Iwagakure?

Even Shinto, who guessed the truth, was dumbfounded. Did the Third Mizukage have such a high IQ? Even the smartest Nara and Azabu couldn't figure out who the culprit was. He only guessed it by looking at the injuries on Mizuki's hands with his buff-like Observation Haki. This Third Mizukage, who didn't even have a scene in the original work, actually guessed the real culprit. How come he wasn't famous in the original work with such a low IQ?

impossible?

"Hmph! He's not smart at all. He's just picking on the weak. Anyone with a brain would go after Iwagakure, Konoha or Iwagakure. He just made a mistake."

Chiyo, as if she saw through everything, noticed Masato's surprised expression and calmly said while pruning her poisonous flowers and plants.

After her nephew returned, he told her his guess. She also thought that Onoki was responsible. White Fang was a mission on par with her nephew, and he was also the head of the Konoha Anbu. It was unlikely that he would leave such obvious clues. She believed that it was most likely Onoki's doing, both in terms of his personality and his methods. As for the bodies of those masked men... they could be from both Konoha and Iwagakure, but that was no longer important.

"Hey! I didn't expect the Third Mizukage to be so capable. But... they wouldn't really go to war with Iwagakure over a dead man, would they?"

Shinto became curious. This part wasn't in the original history. He guessed it was this little butterfly that caused the trouble. He really didn't believe that the Mizukage would actually go to war with Iwagakure for a member of the Hozuki clan. Kirigakure wasn't founded by the Hozuki clan. It would be strange if the Mizuki clan didn't have their own ideas!

(Sorry everyone, I was at the hospital getting vaccinated today, so I can only post three chapters. I'll resume five chapters tomorrow.)

157. Onoki is fucking tough.

boom!