Asking for an explanation to no avail

---

Fang marks appeared on the ankles of the three ninjas.

The venom's side effects struck immediately, causing a dizzying sensation. As they tried to regain their bearings, the surrounding thorns followed closely, binding them tightly.

"Damn it!"

They attempted to use kunai to cut the thorny shackles, but their efforts were futile. The thorns tightened, and their sharp points loomed threateningly close.

Just as Muzan was about to deal with the ninjas, a figure suddenly rushed in front of him.

"Boom!"

With a single punch, the thorns were shattered, and Muzan was knocked away.

"Kakkaka!"

The continuously breaking thorns were extensions of Muzan's flesh, equivalent to tearing pieces out of his body. The bloody sight made his entire form look terrifying.

However, the most deadly aspect was the exposure of his skin to the sunlight as his clothes were torn. Muzan's body started to smoke instantly!

"Ahhh!"

The burning sensation was unbearable. The sun was Muzan's natural enemy, and he desperately tried to hide in the shadows, noticing Tsunade approaching.

Only Tsunade could possess such strength to defeat an opponent with one punch.

"Tsunade-sama!"

Although Tsunade knew Muzan couldn't be exposed to sunlight, it was her first time witnessing his suffering firsthand, and she realized she might have gone too far with her punch.

Just as Tsunade moved to check on Muzan's condition, she was blocked by a ninja and noticed that the three ninjas were in a dire state.

"Tsunade-sama, he was trying to kill us!"

The injured ninja's words were cold and detached, not caring about his comrades, indicating he was from the Root.

"Hmph! So he's from the Root."

Tsunade held no fondness for the Root, despite them being part of Konoha.

"Since you're still alive, return to the village."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

Compared to the three ninjas, the real issue was Muzan hiding in the shadows. The sun was at its peak, and even a slight exposure would cause him immense pain.

Suddenly, Muzan sensed danger approaching. A middle-aged man in black appeared beside him, covering Muzan with a layer of clothing. The moment he turned around, the aura of a top-tier warrior filled the street.

"Tsunade, you owe me an explanation."

The burns Muzan suffered were still fresh, and his body, though healing, was still bloody. The man in black was Sakumo Hatake, and Muzan father.

Upon learning of the conflict, Sakumo had rushed over, only to find Tsunade beating Muzan.

A Kage-level ninja bullying a child with her strength?

Sakumo demanded an explanation. The mission's failure was his fault, but his child shouldn't suffer for it.

"I was wrong in this matter. If the Third Hokage wishes to punish me or if he makes any request, I will comply."

"It's okay, Dad."

Muzan donned the black robe, his aura becoming even darker and more menacing. His blood-red eyes were eerier than the Sharingan, and his monstrous face had a strange beauty. Even Tsunade was seeing Muzan's face for the first time.

"I wasn't seriously injured, but I need to discuss something with my father. As for Tsunade-sama, please don't take my earlier actions to heart. I overreacted because someone mentioned my father's failed mission."

"However, where did these three ordinary ninjas get mission information? I hope Tsunade-sama can investigate."

In front of everyone, Muzan laid out the issue. Someone was using public pressure to target Sakumo.

In the original events, Danzo aimed to prevent Sakumo from becoming Hokage, not to eliminate him. Danzo's interference led to Konoha losing a powerful ninja, indirectly triggering the Third Ninja War.

Muzan would not allow history to repeat itself.

Judging by Sakumo's expression and attitude, things were heading in the worst direction and needed to be stopped.

Tsunade understood the gravity of the situation. Sakumo's mission had only failed yesterday, yet rumors had already spread. She spent much of her time in casinos or taverns and hadn't been paying attention to village gossip.

Moreover, the rumors were suspiciously detailed, suggesting someone was fanning the flames.

"I will ensure Sakumo receives an explanation. If someone intentionally leaked mission details, they will face consequences."

Only those close to the Hokage knew about the mission. Tsunade had a good idea of who was behind this but couldn't name them in front of Sakumo.

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

Sakumo's white hair fell over his eyes as he bowed slightly in respect.

If Tsunade demanded an explanation, even the Third Hokage would not ignore it. Tsunade held significant influence.

As for Muzan's actions against the villagers and Konoha ninjas, a trip to the prison would be unavoidable for ordinary ninjas. However, given Muzan's status and the suspicious nature of the ninjas, they wouldn't pursue the matter too strictly.

Of course, some punishment was inevitable.

Following the incident, Muzan was ordered to remain in Konoha for a month, prohibited from going out or engaging with others.

"Father, I've heard about your mission's failure."

The two sat opposite each other. Muzan removed his black robe in the room, noticing his father's despondency, and spoke directly to his thoughts.

"I can sense your desire to die, but you must understand that death is not just a release; it's an admission of failure."

Sakumo frowned at this, looking up at Muzan before finally sighing.

"The mission's failure was my fault. I did consider suicide to atone."

His son's bluntness made it difficult for Sakumo to face him, understanding that suicide was an act of cowardice.

"But it's not your fault. The mission's failure was inevitable due to a traitor among your subordinates."

"This is a plot against you to prevent you from becoming Hokage."

"What?"

Sakumo was stunned. He wasn't a fool and, upon reflection, realized the mission was full of anomalies.

Sakumo couldn't believe that his subordinates, who had followed him for many years, would betray him. In fact, they were not betraying Konoha. Besides being Sakumo's subordinates, they were also Danzo's root ninja. In their eyes, serving Danzo meant serving Konoha.

"Abandoning the mission to save your comrades is considered a failure. However, the bond between comrades is a value Konoha has always promoted. Yet, when you are running for Hokage, some will use this stain to suppress you and prevent your success."

After hearing Muzan's story, Sakumo fell into deep suspicion. The Hatake family had always been solitary and rarely participated in political affairs. Even with his great achievements, he never aspired to be Hokage.

"But I never thought about competing for the position of Hokage."

Muzan shook his head helplessly. It wasn't about wanting to compete for Hokage; it was that others thought he would. As long as he was in Konoha's quagmire, he couldn't stand alone.

Sakumo's reputation exceeded that of the Sannin to some extent. He was a strong man, famous for a long time, and had trained many excellent subordinates. This power could play a huge role in the Hokage election. Coupled with his friendly leadership and two genius sons, Konoha could usher in long-lasting prosperity under his influence.

"Civilians are not fools. They would naturally not vote for Orochimaru, let alone Danzo, the Darkness of Konoha."

"Don't you understand? No matter what you do, in their eyes, you are Konoha's White Fang, a candidate qualified to compete."

Hearing this, Sakumo sighed deeply. It seemed he had been drawn into a whirlpool and couldn't stay uninvolved.

"You don't need to do anything now. With Tsunade's help, the rumors about you will be suppressed soon. As for the position of Hokage..."

Muzan didn't say much, but Sakumo understood he should never aspire to that position.

"Great power comes with great responsibility. Looking at the shadows of all ninja villages, their ends are mostly bleak, with few surviving to old age. Ohnoki is perhaps the only one approaching old age."

"Well, I will still protect Konoha with all my strength, but I will no longer trust the higher-ups in the village."

Blindly trusting the higher-ups would be irresponsible, not only to himself but also to the children. The three chunin attacked Muzan today. If Muzan wasn't strong enough, it could have been dangerous.

"Boom!"

"What happened outside?"

As they were talking, a roaring sound echoed, and a mushroom cloud formed over the Hokage's office. However, no ninja rushed over, likely due to orders from the Hokage.

"Such a big commotion... It seems Tsunade found the culprit. He's in the Hokage's office. Interesting."

Muzan observed the mushroom cloud. Solving problems with violence wasn't a permanent solution, but Danzo wouldn't dare to play tricks anymore, providing an explanation for both parties.

"Danzo, after the Third Ninja War, we will have a good chat. You've been living too comfortably."

There was no shortage of powerful rogue ninjas in the world. Some wanted more power, and Muzan could provide it.

Soon after, a tired-looking Tsunade appeared at the Hatake house gate. She sought an explanation, but Danzo refused to admit anything, and the Hokage covered for him, resulting in Tsunade punching the Hokage's gate.

"I'm sorry I didn't get the guy I wanted this time."

"It's okay. I already know the general outline. I don't blame you; blame the higher-ups in Konoha."

Sakumo looked at the exhausted Tsunade. She had done a lot for him, and he didn't expect his reputation to be cleared.

After this incident, Tsunade lost her patience with Konoha. She was ready to leave, even with a battle looming. For someone suffering from hemophobia, Tsunade smiled bitterly. Apart from being a mascot, she seemed to have little effect.

"I didn't expect even Tsunade to fail."

Seeing Tsunade leave in despair, Sakumo was surprised. She was Konoha's princess. She couldn't punish the culprit and still had to make a big fuss in the Hokage's office to vent her anger.

It seemed the Hokage was also involved.

"Isn't it normal to fail? If they could be brought to justice, rumors wouldn't spread."

Additionally, there were no serious consequences, and Sakumo didn't commit suicide. The losses from the failed S-rank mission were still tolerable for Konoha. This was a special period, with the Third Ninja War potentially breaking out at any time.

He wouldn't punish Danzo excessively, so Sakumo had to endure it.

"That's true. You'll be grounded for a month as a form of protection."

Muzan didn't seem displeased. After this incident, Sakumo worried Muzan would be disappointed in the village and leave Konoha.

He only hated the higher-ups, not the village he had protected his whole life.

"I can barely accept it, but Konoha's situation will worsen. Father must be prepared. Following Orochimaru-sensei's instructions, some ninjas were transferred to the front lines against Kumo."

Leaving the village had little impact on Muzan because he knew that once the war started, even newly graduated genin would need to go to the battlefield.

He didn't want to face the Kumo ninja. They were powerful, and their village's strength was second only to Konoha. The new generation AB combination and the terrifying Third Raikage were formidable.

The strongest spear and shield, the Third Raikage, could fight ten thousand ninjas alone and wouldn't die unless exhausted.

"Don't worry, the Kumo ninja won't fight for now. Don't forget we also have allies. The Third Kazekage of the Wind Country is in contact with us."

"Father, it's best not to count on the Third Kazekage..."

Konoha and Sunagakure had alliances, but the Third Kazekage was suddenly assassinated. Sunagakure was leaderless, and Kumogakure took advantage. Later, Sunagakure even blamed Konoha.

When the time came, the four ninja villages might join forces against Konoha, and the Suna ninja would prepare to attack, making the battle chaotic.

In the following days, Muzan focused more on experiments. He had just clashed with Konoha ninjas and worried about Danzo's schemes. Anyone could see the Hokage was protecting Danzo. Unless Muzan reached Kage-level strength, he couldn't control his destiny.

Until something happened, causing a ripple in the calm waters.

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