#117 - Chapter 117: Sarutobi Shinnosuke is wronged, and Konoha has millions of families

The next day.

Around the Hokage Building.

A sea of people gathered, as if all the villagers of Konoha had assembled here.

Under the gaze of thousands of villagers and ninjas, Hiruzen Sarutobi, draped in a white Hokage robe and wearing the Hokage hat, flashed into view, standing on the very top of the Hokage Building.

"Lord Third."

Although rumors about Hiruzen Sarutobi arranging even his clan's pet dog to serve as a ninja dog in the Anbu had spread throughout the streets and alleys of Konoha, thanks to Hiruzen Sarutobi's decade-long effort to build a flawless Hokage persona,

Therefore, when he appeared before everyone's eyes, every ninja and villager present showed respect and adoration.

"No need for formalities."

"The reason I have summoned everyone here is to clarify a few things."

"Regarding the Anbu Captain being defeated by our village's genius in one move; regarding me, the Third Hokage, practicing favoritism; regarding even the Sarutobi family's dog being able to become a ninja dog, etc., I believe everyone has heard these rumors."

"Here, I can tell you that they are completely groundless."

Hiruzen Sarutobi surveyed the scene, his tone gentle yet revealing a mountain-like gravitas and dignity:

"Regardless of whether you are a ninja or not, you should all have heard that for the safety of the members of the Konoha Anbu, from the ordinary members to the squad leaders to the captain, the identity of every Anbu member must be kept absolutely secret."

"And now? Throughout the village, everyone is saying that Shinnosuke is the Anbu Captain."

"What I want to say is, when did our Konoha Village's secrecy become so poor?"

"The identity of the Anbu Captain is one of the highest secrets in Konoha, yet even a three-year-old child knows it?"

"Hahahaha! Even if I, the Third Hokage, am incompetent, I wouldn't fail to the point of not being able to keep such a secret, would I?"

He wore a self-deprecating expression, controlling the rhythm and guiding public opinion with a few words.

"That's indeed true."

"The Anbu Captain is a secret of our Konoha Village; how could it be leaked so easily?"

"Then, why is this matter being spread everywhere in the village?"

"Lord Third, what exactly is going on?"

…

Among the crowd, a Konoha villager shouted loudly.

Many villagers joined in the commotion.

"Everyone, please be calm."

"In a moment, you will understand once you see."

"Owl."

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised both hands, signaling everyone to be quiet, then turned to look behind him.

Under his gaze, a tall figure wearing a fox mask walked out from behind him until standing by his side.

"He is our Anbu Captain."

"Take off your mask."

Hiruzen Sarutobi first introduced the ninja beside him to the villagers before speaking.

"…"

The surroundings of the Hokage Building, which had been bustling with noise and excitement, instantly fell silent.

The Anbu Captain removes his mask, revealing his identity.

In Konoha Village, this is a big figure below the Hokage and above all ninjas, and coupled with the fact that no previous Anbu Captain has ever shown their true face, it naturally attracted countless curious gazes.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the ninja called Owl by Hiruzen Sarutobi reached for the mask on his face.

As the fox mask was removed, a fair face and a pair of eerie snake eyes were exposed to the villagers and ninjas.

"What?"

"It's Lord Orochimaru!"

"So the Anbu Captain is Lord Orochimaru; it's not Lord Shinnosuke at all."

Orochimaru's face was too recognizable; once seen, it was hard to forget.

In addition, the title of Sannin made him recognized by the villagers and ninjas present the moment he took off the fox mask.

At this time, some people were still suspicious, but as long as they were ninjas, they basically understood what Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to express.

"Some time ago, in order to test whether the Hyuga family's genius was qualified to be promoted to Jonin, I arranged for Jonin Shinnosuke to be Hyuga Tenma's opponent."

"During this assessment, Hyuga Tenma performed exceptionally well, defeating Jonin Shinnosuke with overwhelming advantage and successfully passing the Jonin assessment."

"In order to prevent enemy ninja villages from knowing the information of our Konoha Jonin, I sealed off the assessment site and forbade anyone from leaking their information."

"It was because of this that spies sent by other ninja villages to our village seized the opportunity and exploited the loophole."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice suddenly increased, and his tone became angry:

"In order to ruin my Hiruzen Sarutobi's reputation, they did not hesitate to slander me, the Third Hokage, for practicing favoritism and appointing Shinnosuke as the Anbu Captain."

"In order to probe the true identity of the Anbu Captain, they did not hesitate to slander me, the Third Hokage, for arranging the Sarutobi family's dog to serve as a ninja dog in the Anbu."

"In order to cause internal strife in Konoha and make everyone feel insecure, they did not hesitate to spread rumors everywhere and distort the truth."

Speaking here, his voice paused, but he still looked furious.

After everyone present had digested it, Hiruzen Sarutobi continued:

"After the rumors appeared, I immediately convened the village's high-level officials for discussion, sent the Anbu to secretly search the village, and had already found the spies spreading the rumors last night."

"Unfortunately, the village is already full of rumors, and people are panicked."

"If we want to clarify everything, dispel the rumors, the village can only choose to publicly reveal Orochimaru's identity as the Anbu Captain, letting him step out of the shadows and into the sunlight, enduring immense danger."

After speaking.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed deeply, his tone full of helplessness, worry, and self-blame.

These emotions were all genuine.

Having personally 'sacrificed' Sarutobi Shinnosuke, how could he not feel helpless, how could he not worry, how could he not blame himself.

But he was the flawless Hokage.

Anyone in Konoha could be wronged, but he alone could not be wronged.

Moreover, he was not doing this entirely for himself.

Wronging Sarutobi Shinnosuke alone would bring happiness to thousands of families in Konoha.

"Please forgive me."

"Shinnosuke."

"Everything is for Konoha."

Hiruzen Sarutobi silently apologized to his dear son in his heart.

"So, we have all been used by the ninjas of enemy countries."

"Every time we doubt and spread the rumors, we let those damn spies take advantage of us."

"Sorry, Lord Third."

"Sorry, Lord Orochimaru."

…

After learning everything, the villagers present were either blushing, ashamed and blaming themselves, or panicking, and in the end, they could only keep apologizing.

"It's okay; it has nothing to do with you."

"All of this can only be blamed on the ninjas of enemy countries for being too insidious and despicable."

"All of this is my fault, the Hokage, for not being able to see clearly and identify the spies."

Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressed the guilt in his heart towards his dear son and then waved his hand generously:

"Everyone, don't take it to heart."

"I summoned you here not to pursue responsibility, let alone to blame you, but to clarify everything, dispel the rumors, and prevent the enemy spies' conspiracy from succeeding."

"Now that things are over."

"Everyone, go back."

His every word and deed showed the Hokage's tolerance and compassion.

Only a small group of people standing at the pinnacle of Konoha knew the cold cruelty hidden beneath this Third Hokage's compassionate exterior.

Such as Orochimaru, who was standing beside him at this time.

"Is this the Hokage? Teacher Sarutobi."

"If it were not Shinnosuke who needed to be sacrificed today, but me, I think you would have sacrificed your favorite disciple without hesitation!"

"Just like Nawaki!"

Orochimaru looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi's back, and he, who had always been regarded as a cold and cruel poisonous snake, felt a chill for the first time.

Clearly, by taking advantage of this rumor and joining forces with Danzo, he had gone a step further and become the Anbu Captain as he wished, but he found that he was not happy at all.

First, the dirtiness of the road to the Hokage shattered all his filters for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Second, with the filters shattered into渣, he saw some things that he had previously ignored.