Chapter 71

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Chapter 71: The Hyuga Incident Was Exposed, The Enraged Senju Tobirama!

Temari pondered, "Did he save me because I was his intended torture target?"

Who is this person?

I would have expected myself, in another world, to be somewhat moved right now!

I never imagined this guy would actually think like that!

Kankuro said, "Temari, you're not his girlfriend. And Uchiha Sasuke doesn't seem like someone who would show mercy just because he looks good."

Rasa commented, "Temari's Wind Style has failed so miserably. It's against the attribute restraint!"

The Fourth Raikage added, "With Uchiha Sasuke's Lightning Style talent, it's normal. Wind Style's restraint against Lightning Style is not as clear as water's over fire or lightning's over earth. When faced with Uchiha Sasuke, renowned for his Lightning Style, it's normal to be restrained and killed by the opposite attribute."

Onoki said, "Sasuke even defeated Orochimaru. For him, the Chunin exam is just hitting casually. If he accidentally uses too much force, you could die."

The announcer declared that the qualifiers would be played in groups. Both Shikamaru and Shino successfully defeated their opponents. Choji faced Kankuro and was defeated after a battle. Gaara easily overcame his opponent. 

Because Sasuke broke Rock Lee's leg, Lee was unable to continue the exam. This invisibly spared him from battling Gaara. Since Temari's opponent had become Sasuke, Tenten also successfully avoided this fierce competitor and advanced.

Tenten exclaimed, "Huh? I actually advanced?!"

Might Guy noted, "Although Rock Lee gave up the exam, from a '990' perspective, it's a good thing in the long run!"

Rock Lee thanked Sasuke for his fortune.

Soon, only the last group was left: "Hyuga Hinata vs. Hyuga Neji."

As Moonlight Gale announced the match, Hinata's body trembled slightly. On the other side, Neji jumped off the stands with a blank expression. 

"Sasuke encouraged Hinata with a smile, "Come on, Hinata, I believe in your strength."

"Yes... I will work hard!" Hinata replied, feeling her confidence double instantly.

Offstage, Neji remarked scornfully, "Miss Hinata, have you gained courage from Uchiha Sasuke? I won't hold back because of him, and injuries in battle are inevitable."

Hinata responded with equal confidence, "Thank you, but I don't need you to go easy on me, Neji." She rolled her eyes and struck a Gentle Fist pose, ready to battle.

The confrontation between the Byakugan users, the duel of Gentle Fist, began. Their palms intertwined quickly, leaving the spectators dazzled by the rapid movements. Neji initially looked down on Hinata, but he grew serious as he realized that her Gentle Fist speed matched his.

How could this be possible?

They both used the "Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms" technique simultaneously. The only thing left in the air were the afterimages of their hands interlacing. Each blocked and countered the other's palms, neither able to overpower the other's moves. After exchanging sixty-four palms, they both leaped back, breathing heavily.

Neji stared at Hinata and reflected on her past, recalling how she was criticized by the clan's patriarch for a weak constitution and poor Gentle Fist technique. His recollections ended when Hinata, looking at Sasuke in the stands, declared her determination to protect those she cared about: Hanabi, her parents, and Sasuke. Though currently, she could only protect Hanabi with her strength.

"Is it because of Uchiha Sasuke again?" Neji's eyes pulsed with noticeable veins as jealousy surged within him.

He bitterly compared his fate to Hinata's: "Miss Hinata, sometimes I truly envy you. You aren't marked with the Caged Bird Seal, any technique is taught to you willingly, your parents are by your side, and you even have Uchiha Sasuke, a genius, as a lover. Me? I was branded with the Caged Bird Seal, forced to learn Gentle Fist techniques alone, and my father was killed by your clan—driven to suicide and his body given to the Cloud Shinobi."

As Neji spoke, his anger grew palpable.

Why was his fate like this?

He couldn't understand why, when his father and Hinata's father were twins, it was his father who became part of the branch house and had to die for the main family.

Why did Hinata, seemingly weak, have a destiny he could never reach?

It seemed like a fate predetermined from birth.

Enraged, Neji charged forward to continue the fierce battle with Hinata.

Meanwhile, in the chat room:

Senju Tobirama: "??? What's the situation? That Hyuga Neji's father, wasn't he the younger brother of the Hyuga patriarch? What exactly happened?!"

Namikaze Minato replied, "It seems this occurred after my passing."

Orochimaru interjected with a chuckle, "Let me explain. During Konoha 51, Cloud Shinobi came to Konoha to negotiate a peace treaty, but they used the opportunity to attempt to kidnap the heir of the Hyuga clan. The head of the Hyuga clan killed them, and subsequently, the Cloud Shinobi threatened war against Konoha, demanding the handover of the murderer who killed their mission leader."

Senju Tobirama commented skeptically, "...That sounds absurd, but it does seem like something the Cloud Shinobi would do. And then what?"

Ohnoki continued, "Next, as Neji mentioned, the twin brother of the Hyuga head was sent to the Cloud Shinobi as compensation."

Senju Tobirama, puzzled, remarked, "...Is that really what happened?"

In the pure land of the afterlife, Senju Tobirama's face twitched.

This story seemed outrageous.

Could it really be true?

It sounded like a made-up tale.

Uchiha Madara injected, "No, I'm confused too. The Cloud Shinobi came to the Hyuga clan to kidnap... Regardless of their intentions, why was Konoha forced to hand them over?"

Senju Tobirama asked, "Is there a reliable person to tell me something? Is this true or false?"

Tsunade replied, "Second Grandpa, it's true. What Orochimaru said is true."

Senju Tobirama fell silent.

The last of his illusions were destroyed in an instant.

He couldn't believe such an outrageous event had occurred in his own village.

Uchiha Madara commented, "Hashirama, the village you built is a waste."

Senju Hashirama expressed his confusion, "I still don't understand why Konoha would surrender its own people. Why was Konoha threatened by Cloud Shinobi?"

Senju Tobirama called out, "Monkey, come out. I need an explanation."

Although Senju Tobirama's voice in the chat room seemed calm, Sarutobi Hiruzen's body shook upon hearing it. The tone indicated his teacher's true anger.

Sarutobi Hiruzen explained, "Sensei, it was three years after the Nine Tails Rebellion. The Fourth Hokage died sealing the Nine Tails, and the Nine Tails Doublechūriki was just a child."

Senju Tobirama asked, "So?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen continued, "In addition, my disciple Orochimaru had defected, and Konoha had suffered great losses in the Third Ninja World War and the Nine Tails Rebellion. Fighting the Cloud Shinobi then would have resulted in severe losses for the Leaf."

Senju Tobirama inquired further, "So you sent the Chief of the Hyuga clan's brother to his death?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen responded, "Sensei, while I was still considering the situation, the Hyuga clan had already made their decision."

Senju Tobirama grew angry, "Oh, Monkey, you are talented at coming up with nonsense! When you say you were still thinking, what were you considering? Did you hope the Hyuga clan would understand your hesitation and decide to sacrifice their own?"

Senju Tobirama was almost laughing out of fury. He knew one should show leadership in such situations, not inaction. And expecting the Hyuga clan to kill one of their own was preposterous!

Ohnoki showed his disgust, "Sarutobi, of all the wrongs you've done, this is the most despicable..."

Uchiha Madara added, "Senju Tobirama, your disciple has truly astonished me."

Sarutobi Hiruzen tried to justify, "Old teacher, at that time the Cloud Shinobi had the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails Doublechūriki, while we had no successor for the Nine-Tails."

Senju Tobirama interrupted, "Enough! Don't call me teacher! I do not acknowledge you as my disciple!"

He continued, furiously, "You let Cloud Shinobi bully you, to the point that you forced your own people to their end? Monkey, how could you accept this?"

"You say Cloud Shinobi had two Doublechūriki, and Konoha's was but a child. What about my Impure World Reincarnation? Use it, fight them!"

"I'll go straight to the Cloud Shinobi Village and set off Tandem Paper Bombs!"

"If that doesn't work, I'll invoke the reincarnations of their ancestors and have their own past Raikage fight them!"

"And if even that fails, dig up the graves of other villages' kage, bring them all back, and then wipe out the Cloud Shinobi!"

"How dare they threaten Konoha!"

"What kind of Hokage are you, giving in to such threats!"

"This is a shame! An extreme shame!"

Senju Tobirama's voice was the only one echoing in the chat room as he berated.

Ohnoki remarked, "Second Hokage, that's a bit extreme!"

Senju Hashirama tried to calm him, "Tobirama, I understand how you feel, but think about what you're saying..."

Orochimaru couldn't help but comment on how typical this was of the person who created the Impure World Reincarnation.

Ohnoki recalled how during the First Ninja World War, Konoha had used resurrected ninja, and how the Second Tsuchikage had been outspoken against it, labeling Senju Tobirama's technique as disgraceful.

Rasa shared that the elder Chiyo of their Sand Shinobi also detested the Impure World Reincarnation, calling it dirty.

Senju Tobirama retorted, saying those who didn't have it were merely jealous.

Senju Hashirama still couldn't grasp why Sarutobi would do such a thing, because he'd founded Konoha to protect his people, not to sacrifice them in difficult times.

Sarutobi Hiruzen admitted his mistake, acknowledging that Konoha was weak and that he'd been weak in his decisions.

Senju Tobirama called him not only weak but foolish and unworthy, questioning what the villagers would think of such decisions. Would it be the Hyuga today and the Uchiha or Ino–Shika–Chō next?

He stressed that the people would question if they could still trust Konoha to protect them, explaining that losing someone in battle is different from sending someone to die helplessly, humiliated, and full of resentment.