Chapter 123 The Mask

How does one subtly express that they're about to start speaking nonsense? For Naruto, it's as simple as saying something fair.

"Setting aside the question of whether the Kyubi appeared or not, on August 24, Uchiha Itachi, along with another S-Rank Missing-nin, wandered around the village in strange clothing for the entire day."

"They attacked me twice in total, with extremely long intervals between them, right under the noses of the Anbu and the Root. I'm just a Genin, and it's not easy for me to survive when Uchiha Itachi was searching around without any blocking."

"Why didn't you report it?" Koharu asked.

"Report?" Naruto looked genuinely puzzled, staring at the old woman, Koharu, for a long time before saying, "Do you even hear what you're saying? We're talking about Uchiha Itachi, the man who became an Anbu Captain when he's just twelve."

"Where was I supposed to report it?? The Root people have already flooded into the Anbu. Should I report this to Danzo-sama for a decision?"

"It wasn't until after Uchiha Itachi left that the Anbu finally showed up. If that's not incompetence, what is? Trusting them to save me would've gotten me killed a thousand times over."

"The village was in turmoil at the time, and the Anbu was short-handed and unable to provide effective response." Danzo finally opened his mouth to explain.

"I'm not interested in these after-the-fact excuses. If the Anbu and the Root truly had the village's protection in mind, they would have found a way to detect the enemy in advance." Naruto said, shaking his head.

"The truth is indisputable. And Danzo-sama, you should recognize this."

With a thud, a mask was tossed onto the long table in the meeting room.

"Each mask of the Root's Shinobi has a number, Danzo-sama, care to guess why this one is in my hands?"

The mask landing on the table was like a stone cast into a still lake, finally creating ripples in the otherwise tepid meeting. The matter of the Kyubi might lack solid evidence, but the attack by Root's Shinobi was undeniable.

Danzo still had a blank expression on his face, but the two Advisors' faces turned grim.

Things took a turn for the better at this moment, and the two Advisors' faces changed immediately.

The issue of dealing with the Jinchuriki had always been a lingering concern left by Sandaime. As his former right-hand Advisors, they had always aimed to maximize any potential benefits for the village.

As for the other Clan Heads, they are more concerned about the direction rather than the outcome of things.

Regardless of whether Danzo or Tsunade has the upper hand in this meeting, being able to see the power struggle between the new generation Hokage and the old core leadership provided a rare glimpse into the village's future direction.

As for their views on the Jinchuriki, they had long become indifferent. After all, the scale of the situation was too great for them to express any opinions.

The current situation was no longer just about the Kyubi, but a confrontation between Tsunade and the old leadership. How Tsunade would protect Naruto will be the key to winning the hearts of the other silent Clan Heads.

Even if Tsunade hadn't considered this angle, the other higher-ups certainly would.

For them, their role was clear, they were mere silent spectators.

The Jinchuriki is too important to the village. Since the death of the Nidaime Hokage, the Land of Fire had been on a downward slope. Located in the inland, the awkward position makes the Land of Fire face three powerful enemies at any time.

In the successive wars, Konoha had already lost too much and they couldn't afford to lose the Jinchuriki as well.

At first, when Naruto had slammed the sword into the table, it had surprised them because Naruto chose to die to prove his innocence. It wasn't a clever choice. At that point, the Advisors were already trying to interrupt Naruto, hoping to keep him alive.

But the two Advisors began to waver after Tsunade's speech. Naruto carried too much weight behind him, and if he really died, the two of them could not bear the consequences.

However, the moment Naruto threw the mask onto the table, it signaled that he had made the active choice to live.

Facing death to live… This simple and unpretentious strategy suppressed Danzo and forced the two Advisors to take a stand, which leaves everyone impressed.

silence.

There was three minutes of silence.

Shikaku was sitting nearby and his face equally blurred. During the confrontation between the four Konoha's top leaders, he remained silent throughout.

All eyes were on Naruto, the undeniable focal point of the room.

But Naruto's gaze was fixed on Tsunade at the head of the table. If Naruto was the sword in this meeting, then Tsunade was the one wielding it.

She seemed to remain neutral throughout, and despite the obvious shift of the two Advisors towards Danzo's side, she remained calm and silent most of the time.

From the start of the meeting, Tsunade had spoken only a few times, each word perfectly timed and precise. While Naruto stirred emotions, Tsunade maintained her rationality.

To put it simply, Naruto had been provoking Danzo and the two old Advisors from the beginning. The dramatic sword thrust at the start grabbed everyone's attention, and with each word, he slowly built up his argument, culminating in the revelation of the Root's Shinobi's mask, which is a very brilliant move.

But Tsunade has always played the role of a detached observer, which was equally crucial. She didn't rush to defend Naruto but chose silence, only intervening when the meeting hit a stalemate to remind the Advisors of what was at stake.

What would losing a Jinchuriki mean to the village, and what would it mean for the Will of Fire if Naruto died in such a manner.

Shikaku was sure that Tsunade must have a better and more brutal way to suppress the two Advisors, simply by using Naruto's life experience.

Yet, she chose to protect him, opting for a less aggressive but still effective approach.

This not-so-clever method, in the context of the jaw-dropping cooperation at this moment, appeared remarkably shrewd.

Shikaku narrowed his eyes slightly as he glanced at the higher-ups across from him, noting their blurred faces in the light, and he felt a sudden urge to laugh.

No one in this room was a fool. Even if some of them are slow-witted, they would certainly figure things out after a few days of reflection at home.

The most beautiful woman in the Shinobi World is not just a beauty on paper. She is a Medical-nin who returned from the slaughter of war, having traveled across nations before returning to Konoha. She is definitely not as harmless as her appearance suggests.

Now, the purpose of muddying the waters around the Kyubi's incident had been achieved, but Shikaku knew Tsunade's true goal had yet to be revealed. The corners of his mouth curled up, 'Now was about the right time.'

'The play was over. It was time for the curtain to fall.'

Knock knock!

Tsunade lightly rapped the table, breaking the silence with a deep sound.

Everyone's attention was drawn to her, with complex or questioning looks directed at the Godaime Hokage, who was as elegant as a distant mountain flower.

Her eyes, clear as water, shone with a resolute gaze.

"In this case, the confusion between Anbu and Root must be clarified. What's light should remain in the light, and what's dark should stay in the dark. Mixing them together will only cause complications and affect the significance of the existence of our Special Shinobi Departments."

With that, Tsunade casually reclaimed control over the Anbu.