Traveling through Naruto with Heroes of Might and Magic.

It is even more likely that this young genius, who has made great achievements in battle and is about to become a key figure in establishing diplomatic relations with the Mizukage, will completely alienate himself from the country.

But... rules, emotions, reality, the future of the village...

Countless thoughts collided fiercely in the Third Generation's mind.

However, before he could make a decision, Qingwu made another move.

Bang!Bang!

Both Mumu and the mirror image were retrieved, and the Tree World Descent began to slowly shrink and dissipate, freeing the ninjas who had been bound by the roots.

When the Third Hokage thought that Qingwu was expressing his "confession" through his actions, Qingwu's next move made him furious.

The Anbu ninjas were unharmed after escaping, but... a large number of Root ninjas fell silently, their breaths gone!

Clearly, Qingwu treated them differently; the Dark Division survived, while the Root members who arrived tonight... were completely wiped out!

"Qingwu! You...you dare to be so cruel to your own village's ninjas?! They were just following orders!"

The Third Hokage's anger, which had subsided slightly, was reignited by this scene. He trembled with rage and pointed at Qingwu, shouting furiously.

He never expected Qingwu to be so ruthless, ruthlessly exterminating the root group!

"A ninja from the same village?"

Qingwu withdrew his gaze and looked at the Third Hokage, his tone icy: "Hokage-sama, you yourself said that they were just following orders."

"So, whose orders are they following? The orders of that old dog Danzo!"

"And what were Danzo's orders? To harm my comrades, to seize their bloodline limit, and to kill the village's heroes!"

“Such a root has long become Danzo’s private army to satisfy his personal ambitions. How is it any different from a rogue ninja? Keeping them around is nothing but a disaster.”

"Today, I'm cleaning up the village's messes. What's wrong with that?"

Qingwu did it on purpose; he noticed that the Third Hokage hesitated after Kakashi made the suggestion.

The consequence of hesitation... if the Third Hokage accepts the suggestion, Kakashi will definitely be severely punished—Danzo's death had too great an impact!

He didn't want Kakashi to take the blame for him, and besides, what he said wasn't wrong; the Root members... all deserved to die.

The third generation was so angry that he couldn't speak.

Qingwu continued, "Moreover, the Root has targeted me and those around me time and time again. If I weren't strong enough, I would probably have died under their schemes long ago."

"To be merciful to the enemy is to be cruel to oneself! You, Hokage, should understand this better than I do. Root... has no reason to exist anymore!"

"You...you're utterly lawless!" The Third Hokage's face turned ashen with rage at Qingwu's seemingly sophistry, yet subtly incisive words.

"Even if Danzo and Root are at fault, the village should investigate and deal with them. As a Konoha ninja and the captain of the Kageshiro, how can you act so recklessly, killing your colleagues and slaughtering your subordinates?!"

"The Shadow Guard Captain?" Qingwu suddenly sneered, reaching into his robes and pulling out an elephant-face mask.

Without even looking, he casually tossed the mask into the air. It traced an arc in the air before landing on the ground with a clatter, rolling to the Third Hokage's feet.

"I'm resigning as captain." Qingwu's voice clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

"From today onwards, I, Thousand Hands Azure Willow, hereby formally resign from my position as captain of the Shadow Guard."

"Lord Hokage, you no longer need to worry about my former subordinate who is 'lawless,' 'violates village rules,' and 'provokes authority.'"

"How to deal with him is entirely up to you, but I still maintain that Danzo should be killed, and the Root organization should be destroyed. I have no regrets about what I have done."

These words struck like a thunderbolt, once again shaking everyone.

He actually resigned from his position as captain of the Shadow Guard on the spot?!

This means that he voluntarily gave up his important identity and position within the Konoha system, which is equivalent to handing over the power to dispose of himself completely back to the village.

"Qingwu, you..."

"team leader!"

Kakashi and Shisui exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with anxiety and worry. Resigning from their positions would make things even more difficult to salvage!

The Third Hokage looked at the mask representing the Shadow Guard at his feet, then at Qingwu, whose expression was resolute and fearless. His chest heaved violently, and his anger almost burst through the top of his head.

He had been in charge of Konoha for decades, and had never seen such an unruly and audacious junior! He killed an elder, wiped out the elite of Root, and still dared to resign and defy him in public!

This is simply... simply...

Just as the Third Hokage was enraged and almost ordered Qingwu to be apprehended on the spot and severely punished—

"Lord Hokage!"

A calm and authoritative voice came from the periphery of the crowd.

Then, the Hyuga clan leader, Hiashi Hyuga, led several Jonin from the Hyuga clan, parted the crowd, and approached.

More and more people gathered around, but once they arrived, they sensed something was amiss and remained silent for a while.

At this moment, the Hyuga clan leader stepped forward from the crowd, and no one knew what he was going to say.

...Hyuga Hiashi first bowed slightly to the Third Hokage,

His gaze then swept across the scene, lingering briefly on Danzo's corpse before finally settling on Qingwu, his expression complex.

"Hiashi, you..."

The Third Hokage frowned slightly, wondering what the Hyuga clan head, known for his strictness and etiquette, intended to do at this moment.

"Lord Hokage!"

Hiashi Hyuga faced the Third Hokage, his tone calm, but the content of his words drew everyone's attention.

"Although the Hyuga clan did not witness the entire event tonight, the commotion was quite significant, and the clan's territory also sensed it."

"There seems to be a deep-seated grudge between Elder Danzo and Captain Qingwu. Captain Qingwu is young and impetuous, and his methods of avenging his friend may be somewhat extreme, but his feelings are pitiful."

"Furthermore, Qingwu has made outstanding contributions to Konoha, forcing a truce with Kumogakure on the eastern front and achieving remarkable feats with Kigami..."

"Now that the Misty Water Shadow is about to arrive, and the Azure Wu is a key figure in it, in these turbulent times, Konoha... should not cut off its own arm and break its pillar."

"I hope that the Hokage will... reconsider his actions and punish him leniently."

Everyone understood what Hyuga Hiashi meant—he was actually pleading for Qingwu!?

The reasons are also quite valid: achievements, talent, and the crucial role in the diplomacy with the Hidden Mist.

This represents the attitude of the Hyuga clan, a powerful family in Konoha!

But... why? That's Hyuga! The Konoha ninjas in the crowd looked at each other, not understanding Hyuga Hiashi's behavior.

But the Third Hokage understood that Hiashi Hyuga's actions weren't just out of appreciation for talent; it was... a way of returning the favor!

When Qingwu killed the Yunyin envoy, he took full responsibility, which led to the extension of his punishment of being exiled to the frontier. Few people knew the inside story.

However, he did genuinely save Hinata, the eldest daughter of the Hyuga family, and Hizashi, the younger brother of Hiashi Hyuga.

However, the Third Hokage was somewhat surprised that Hyuga would so clearly take the lead at this time.

You see, the Hyuga are very protective of their reputation, so they must be well aware of just how serious tonight's events are.

As soon as Hiashi Hyuga finished speaking, another cheerful, yet somewhat rough, female voice rang out:

"Lord Hokage, I, Inuzuka Tsuru, also believe that although Jonin Aogo acted impulsively, he had his reasons!"

Inuzuka Tsurugi, the head of the Inuzuka clan, rode out on his large ninja dog and said in a carefree manner:

“That old Danzo… cough, Elder Danzo has always been… well, rather secretive in his actions.”

"His cruelty towards Zhishui today is truly outrageous! Qingwu's act of standing up for his companion demonstrates his strong sense of loyalty and righteousness!"

"My Inuzuka family admires such a junior! If there is to be punishment, please consider it carefully!"

She has a straightforward personality and says what she thinks. She didn't have a good impression of Danzo, but she quite admired Qingwu's strength and temperament.

……

Chapter 262 Konoha's Elite Clan

After Inuzuka Tsuru spoke, the atmosphere in the room changed.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze sharpened, and he glanced intentionally or unintentionally in the direction of the Ino-Shika-Cho family.

Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka were all part of the Sarutobi clan even before Konoha was founded.

At this moment, prompted by the Third Hokage, they exchanged a glance, and Yamanaka Inoten reluctantly stepped forward and bowed to the Third Hokage.

Yamanaka Inoten is a Jonin of the Yamanaka clan. Since most of the elite members of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio are still on the front lines, he is the only one who can represent their stance.

"Lord Hokage! The death of Elder Danzo is a great loss to Konoha, a truly regrettable loss. Jonin Qingwu's unauthorized execution of an elder and slaughter of his colleagues is a serious crime that cannot be tolerated."

His voice was calm and rational, but then he changed the subject:

“But… everything has a cause and effect. If Danzo’s actions towards Uchiha Shisui are verified, they are also a serious crime,”

"Weighing the two factors, Qingwu's merits are sufficient to offset part of his guilt for the unauthorized killing,"

"And what the Hyuga clan leader said makes sense. Right now, the Kumogakure peace treaty is not stable, the Kirigakure envoy is on his way, and the Iwagakure is eyeing us covetously. Konoha needs internal stability!"

"The talents of the Qingwu Jonin can reassure people's hearts and intimidate the enemy's courage."

"Therefore... in my opinion, the punishment for him should focus on deterrence and warning, rather than... ruining his future and cutting off his path back..."

"How to handle this matter is a matter for the Hokage and his advisors to discuss carefully."

Yamanaka Inoten did not directly say "leniency," but after analyzing the pros and cons, he returned the final decision to the Third Hokage, but his inclination was already very clear.

The representatives of the Nara and Akimichi clans behind him nodded slightly, indicating their agreement with his statement.

The Third Hokage clenched his fists, his palms sweating profusely. Things had taken an unexpected turn. Even the Ino-Shika-Cho trio had expressed affection for Seigo. Could it be... that Danzo was truly unpopular...?

Finally, to everyone's even greater surprise, a representative of the Aburame clan also stepped forward.

Clan leader Aburame Shiki and his younger brother, Jonin Aburame Shikikuro, who had just returned from the western front, stepped forward side by side.

Aburame Shiki pushed up his sunglasses, his voice calm and even: "Lord Hokage, the Aburame clan has a deep connection with Captain Seigo."

He spoke subtly, but those in the know understood that Qingwu had killed Aburame Ryoma from the Root Clan, and was not exactly on good terms with the Aburame family.

But Yu Nu Zhiwei said, "However, in the battle against Yunyin, if it weren't for Captain Qingwu, Zhihei probably wouldn't have been able to return."

"We, the Aburame clan, will settle our own scores regarding gratitude and grudges, right and wrong!"

"What I want to say is that the Aburame clan also appreciates Qingwu's contributions to Konoha and his loyalty to his comrades. How to deal with him is up to the Hokage. The Aburame clan will obey the Hokage's orders."