Chapter 348: The Strongest Hokage
"Well, now then..."
Casually sealing White Zetsu into his martial spirit space, Ye Wen turned his gaze toward the ANBU members who were still occupied with trying to break through the barrier. The scene made Ye Wen's expression twitch with mild disbelief. They really don't take me seriously, do they? he mused. While he hadn't harbored intentions to kill them, he still expected them to recognize the gravity of the situation. And yet here they were, treating him as an afterthought.
Most of his attention, though, remained on Kakashi. After all, White Zetsu hadn't appeared during his earlier stroll around Konoha it showed up only after Kakashi and his squad intervened. So, it seems Zetsu was planted specifically to monitor Kakashi, Ye Wen thought with a smirk. Obito, you really are passionate in your… interests.
Feeling the weight of Ye Wen's gaze, the ANBU operatives tensed, caught between their loyalty to Konoha and their palpable fear. They had no way of defeating him or escaping. As their team leader, Kakashi steadied himself with a deep breath and took a few cautious steps toward Ye Wen.
He offered a formal bow before speaking in a controlled, diplomatic tone. "It appears you mean no harm to Konoha, and for our premature attack, we apologize. If you'd allow us to leave, we will not pursue this matter further. After all, killing us would only provoke Konoha to retaliate, and even a warrior of your strength would find it troublesome to deal with an entire village."
Ye Wen chuckled, admiring the gall of Konoha's rhetoric. Their self assuredness was remarkable. Taking liberties because they think they're Konoha, huh? Technically, he had entered without permission, so they did have a point. Still, he suspected their real motivations went beyond mere border vigilance.
"Was it the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who ordered this mission?" Ye Wen asked, his tone as untroubled as ever.
Kakashi froze, briefly silent before responding, "No. You were flagged because, as a foreigner, your sudden appearance within our borders aroused suspicion. Without proper clearance, we had reason to believe you might be a spy."
Ye Wen met Kakashi's steady gaze with a knowing smirk. "Is that so?"
Kakashi nodded, though Ye Wen's next words landed with a dull, weighty thud. "Are you certain it's not because you saw me around the Nine Tails jinchūriki and thought I was a threat?"
Kakashi's confidence faltered, and he froze again, his eyes widening in shock. He knows everything.
Ye Wen's expression softened into a wry smile. "No need to look so horrified. People here aren't exactly subtle about their hatred of 'the demon fox.' It doesn't take much to figure out that 'demon fox' refers to the strongest tailed beast, the Nine Tails. And it wasn't hard to learn more about that kid Naruto, right? Isn't he the son of your mentor, the Fourth Hokage?"
Kakashi's face registered a sudden flood of emotions as Ye Wen continued, his voice steeped in disdain. "Isn't it disgraceful? You're fully aware of his lineage, yet you just watch him suffer. How noble of Konoha's shinobi."
"No! You misunderstand! We were trying to…" Kakashi started, voice wavering as he struggled to complete his sentence. The word "protect" felt hollow in his mouth. Protect? He couldn't lie to himself Naruto's lineage was no secret to him, and as the Fourth Hokage's student, he had put the pieces together long ago. Even so, he had rationalized Naruto's suffering, prioritizing the village's commands over the bonds he had once shared with his sensei and his family.
For Kakashi, it had always been mission first, emotions last. The memory of Obito and Rin friends lost to war had made him build walls around his heart, shutting out anything that might compromise his dedication to duty. But was it worth it? Was this really the right way?
Ye Wen's words continued, cutting through Kakashi's thoughts with surgical precision. "I can understand, actually. A shinobi's life is filled with bloodshed and loss, so it's natural to cast emotions aside. Shinobi shouldn't feel attachment, should they? Otherwise, they'd only be torn apart by the ugliness of their work."
Kakashi found himself nodding unconsciously, drawn in by the harsh truth. Yes. That's exactly it. A shinobi's life is as wretched as it is brief.
With a flicker of interest, Ye Wen's gaze lingered on Kakashi a moment longer. "What do you think of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen?" he asked suddenly.
Kakashi blinked, surprised by the question, and replied in a guarded tone, "He's the leader of Konoha the strongest Hokage."
Ye Wen's laughter rang out, low and mocking, startling Kakashi and the other ANBU. "The strongest Hokage, you say? You actually believe that?"
"What's so funny?" Kakashi asked, scowling.
Ye Wen fixed him with a pitying look, which sent a strange pang through Kakashi's heart. When was the last time anyone looked at him like that?
"You don't seriously think Sarutobi Hiruzen is the strongest Hokage, do you?" Ye Wen asked, incredulous. "You and every other young shinobi in Konoha have been fed a lie."
Kakashi stiffened, saying nothing. He couldn't outright challenge the Hokage's reputation, so he simply waited, listening to Ye Wen's words.
"The only Hokage worthy of the title 'strongest' was the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. Hiruzen? He's nothing. He calls himself the 'Professor of Ninjutsu,' but knowing a bunch of jutsu doesn't make him powerful."
Kakashi couldn't deny the logic. Technique quantity isn't strength. He'd known this on some level, but had still accepted Hiruzen's title out of respect. Ye Wen's scorn, however, was eroding that belief.
After a moment, Kakashi asked in a defeated tone, "Why tell me all of this? What are you trying to achieve?"
Ye Wen considered the question, then answered, "What am I trying to achieve? Simply put, I want you to realize that Sarutobi Hiruzen is a fraud a weak man hiding behind the title of 'strongest Hokage.'"
End of Chapter
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