Naruto: The dungeon I developed went viral throughout the entire ninja world.

Chapter 29 The Standoff at Hokage Rock! Stop acting, Hiruzen Sarutobi!

sunset.

A black figure leaped between the rooftops at great speed.

Naruto didn't go home; the place, filled with musty smells and fake graffiti, was no longer worth returning to.

He kept running uphill, through the commercial street, across the residential area, and over the Hokage Building.

Until you stand at the highest point, the Hokage Rock.

Naruto stood atop the stone statue of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, with solid rock beneath his feet, which was also the hair of his father's statue.

He looked down over the entire Hidden Leaf Village, taking in everything.

"So this is the scenery you saw."

Naruto muttered to himself.

He used to take a paint bucket and scribble all over these stone statues.

It was to gain attention, to make those below look up at him.

Now that he's standing here, the villagers on the street have stopped in their tracks, pointing in terror toward the direction of the Fire Shadow Rock.

"That's... Naruto?"

"He stands atop the head of the Fourth Hokage!"

"They look so alike..."

Someone muttered to themselves.

Some people were afraid that the child would jump down, and even more afraid that the child would destroy the village.

In the Hokage Building, Hiruzen Sarutobi had just woken up from his coma, and the medical team ninjas were still giving him an IV drip.

"Hokage-sama! Something terrible has happened!"

An undercover agent rushed in and knelt on one knee.

"Naruto Uzumaki...he's on the Hokage Rock!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was so shocked that he sat up abruptly. The IV tube on the back of his hand was ripped off, and blood seeped out, but he didn't care about that anymore.

"Prepare for war!"

These two words came out of my mouth without thinking.

Then he realized something was wrong. What kind of battle could he possibly prepare for against a seven-year-old child?

"No... I'll go take a look."

Hiruzen Sarutobi pushed the medical ninja away.

He grabbed the imperial robe hanging on the clothes rack and put it on.

Yesterday's live broadcast and today's public opinion have drained the old man of his energy, but he has to go.

The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is the village's ultimate weapon.

If Naruto loses control or defectes, Konoha will be doomed.

Hiruzen Sarutobi disappeared from the office.

At the top of Hokage Rock, Naruto sat cross-legged, twirling a trident kunai in his hand.

He was waiting for the person who was supposed to come when several whooshing sounds rang out, without any attempt to conceal them.

A dozen or so members of the Dark Tribe formed an encirclement in the surrounding woods.

An old figure landed on the rock.

Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He wore a divine robe, but did not hold the golden cudgel in his hand, and his face still wore a kind yet helpless expression.

"Naruto."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke, his voice gentle, like that of an ordinary grandfather worried about his grandson.

"It's windy up there, it's dangerous."

"Get down quickly."

"Go home with Grandpa."

Naruto didn't turn around; he continued to look down at the village.

"Home?"

Naruto countered with a question.

Which house?

"An apartment full of trash, with only expired milk?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi choked for a moment.

He took two steps forward, trying to close the distance.

"Naruto, I know you've been wronged."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, a look of deep sorrow on his face.

"Grandpa only just found out about yesterday's events."

"Danzo did many wrong things behind my back, and the villagers were also deceived."

"Grandpa was too busy with work and couldn't take good care of you. It's Grandpa's fault."

Shifting blame and downplaying the seriousness of the matter.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had used this set of rhetoric for countless years, dealing with many people, and had long since mastered it to perfection.

If you admit your mistake first, then play the victim, and finally talk about feelings, most people will soften their hearts.

Naruto used to do that too.

He could be happy for days if his grandfather, who was three generations old, gave him a smile and some pocket money.

But now, with the passage of time, Naruto only feels disgusted.

"busy?"

Naruto stopped spinning the kunai.

"Busy smoking? Or busy spying with your crystal ball?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped in his tracks, his expression stiffening. How...how did this child know about the crystal ball?

"Naruto, how can you talk to your grandfather like that?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, and his tone became stern.

"I did it to protect you."

Do you know why I haven't revealed your background?

Hiruzen Sarutobi began his performance—no! His "speech."

"Your father, Minato Namikaze, made countless enemies during the Third Shinobi World War."

"Iwagakure, Kumogakure, how many people wish they could tear you to pieces."

"If it were revealed that you are the Fourth Hokage's son, those assassins would keep infiltrating Konoha."

"Grandpa made you live under an assumed name for your safety."

"Life may be tough, but at least you're still alive."

That sounds beautiful, it's reasonable, and it's truly touching.

If it were the old Naruto, he would probably have been moved to tears, feeling that he had wronged the Hokage.

Unfortunately, Naruto now has Kagura's mind in his head.

He didn't need to turn around to "see" the flow of chakra within Hiruzen Sarutobi's body.

There was an overwhelming calm, without a trace of remorse.

They say they care, but they're actually scheming.

This is the ninja hero, this is the Konoha leadership.

The Illusionary Dojo.

Roy watched this scene on the screen.

"Tsk tsk."

Roy shook his head.

"This acting is so good, it's a shame it doesn't deserve an Oscar."

"Even at a time like this, you're still using manipulative tactics on a kid. If I don't add fuel to the fire, I'd really be letting you down."

"Do they really think everyone in the ninja world is a fool?"

Roy put down his teacup and his finger hovered over the red button on the control panel.

"Since you enjoy acting so much..."

"Then let everyone see your acting skills."

"title……"

Roy thought for a moment and typed in a line of text.

The Hokage's "Dilemma"

Pressing down with my finger, I heard the familiar vibration and felt the pressure.

Above Konoha Village.

The enormous light screen that had just disappeared yesterday has lit up again.

The villagers, who were gossiping in the street, trembled with fear.

Here we go again? What is it this time?

Before they could even react, the scene had already appeared.

This time it wasn't a dungeon; they started a live stream, with the camera pointed at the Hokage Rock.

The boy in black has his back to the camera.

The aged Hokage stood behind him, reaching out his hand with a "kind" expression, seemingly wanting to pat the boy's head.

The sound is transmitted synchronously.

"Grandpa made you live under an assumed name for your safety."

"Life may be tough, but at least you're still alive."

The entire ninja world was in an uproar.

In the Land of Lightning, the Fourth Raikage, A, smashed a table with a single punch.

"fart!"

"I may hate Minato, but I would never lay a hand on a brat!"

"The strong have their dignity! That old bastard Hiruzen Sarutobi actually used us as an excuse?"

The Land of Earth.

Onoki floated in the air, sneering repeatedly.

"For safety reasons?"

"Is it for safety to make the hero's son drink expired milk? Is it for safety to have him beaten up in the street?"

"That old monkey has a thicker skin than my Dust Escape technique."

Konoha Village.

The villagers gazed at the sky, listening to the three generations of officials' grandiloquent words. If it had been yesterday, they might have believed them.

But now, after experiencing the heart-wrenching ordeal and witnessing Minato's dying words of entrustment, we have come to understand the true meaning of life.

Hearing these words again only made me feel uncomfortable and made me wonder how this person could be so hypocritical and whether he could even be competent.

Does he still deserve to be everyone's Hokage?

Protecting someone? Will that turn them into malnourished people? Or turn them into the enemy of the entire village?

Is this how the Hokage protects his people?

On the Hokage Rock.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was unaware that the live stream had started and continued his performance.

"Naruto, let's go back with Grandpa."

"I will arrange the best teachers for you and make sure the villagers accept you."

"You are a child of Konoha, and you must inherit the Will of Fire."

"As long as you are willing to work hard, everyone will definitely recognize your abilities."

This time they're still making empty promises, and big, round ones at that.

Naruto slowly stood up, facing Hiruzen Sarutobi with only a cold expression.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart skipped a beat; this was not the look a child should have.

That look in his eyes seemed to suggest that he had seen through the ugliness of the world and had lost all hope for everything.

"Is the performance over?"

Naruto spoke up.

This inquiry traveled through the sky and spread throughout the entire ninja world.

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned.

"Naruto, what are you saying? Grandpa means it..."

"sincere?"

Naruto raised the trident kunai in his hand, which was considered a memento from his father.

"You said you hid your background to protect me."

"it is good."

Why tolerate rumors?

"Why does the whole village know I'm a fox spirit, but not that I'm the son of the fourth generation?"

"Isn't the identity of a fox spirit even more dangerous than that of the fourth generation's son?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was speechless; this was the biggest flaw.

If it's truly for the sake of secrecy, then the identity of the Jinchūriki should also be concealed.

The purpose of spreading the news about the fox demon was to divert hatred and give the villagers an outlet for their anger.

"That's...that's Danzo..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi instinctively wanted to shift the blame.

"Don't mention Danzo."

Naruto interrupted him.

"Danzo is bad."

"You are a hypocrite."

"You could have stopped it, you promised Father."

"But you did nothing."

"You watched me drink expired milk, ignored me being beaten, and let me cry in bed."

"You only come here occasionally to give me a few coins and say a few nice words."

"And then they comfortably enjoyed the reputation of being a kind elder."

"shut up!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was somewhat embarrassed and angry.

"I am the Hokage! Every decision I make is for the greater good of the village!"

"The bigger picture?"

Naruto smiled.

"Sacrificing my parents, the Uchiha clan, and these seven years of my life is also for the greater good."

"Is your grand plan simply to use other people's blood to stain your Hokage robe?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face turned ashen, and he sensed that the way the Anbu around him were looking at him had also changed.

He has to shut Naruto up.

"Naruto! You're being too extreme!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi unleashed his chakra pressure, attempting to subdue the child with his power.

"Come back with me! You need to calm down!"

He reached out, wanting to grab Naruto's shoulder.

"Don't touch me."

Naruto said coldly.

He looked directly into Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes.

Under the watchful eyes of countless people throughout the ninja world, Naruto uttered the words to completely shatter the Third Hokage's mask.

"Stop acting, Hiruzen Sarutobi."

"Was it the same way you were late when my parents died that night?"

This statement is more explosive than any ninjutsu.

Seven years ago, during the Nine-Tails' rampage, the Fourth Hokage and his wife fought alone.

The Third Hokage, leading a large number of Anbu members, was blocked outside the barrier.

Was it really blocked? Or were they deliberately late?

Or are we waiting? Waiting for the Fourth Hokage to die? Waiting for the Nine-Tails to be sealed away?

This is a malicious speculation, and also an unfalsifiable conspiracy theory.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand froze in mid-air.

"you……"

He pointed at Naruto, but couldn't catch his breath. His vision went black, and he spat out another mouthful of blood.

This time, it was caused by anger, but even more so by fear.

If this suspicion is confirmed, he will no longer be considered negligent; it could even be considered murder.

He is the greatest sinner in Konoha's history.

Hiruzen Sarutobi swayed and fell backward, and the Anbu rushed over to support him.

"Hokage-sama!"

a mess.

"This won't do, Hokage. Don't worry, we still have to settle accounts."

Naruto said coldly.