Chapter 88 - Chapter 88 : Hiruzen Dark History! Living in the Darkness, but Looking to the Light!

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Tsunade looked at the old man before her—now in his sixties—and felt like she was staring at a stranger.

He was still the same man in form, but the Sarutobi Hiruzen standing here now was someone she no longer recognized.

Hiruzen's expression darkened as he slowly set down the pipe in his hand. His sharp gaze locked onto Tsunade.

"When I inherited the Hokage's title, the village was in a crisis you can't even begin to comprehend," he said coldly.

"The death of Lord Hashirama triggered the start of the First Great Ninja War.

"And after Lord Tobirama died… the other four villages turned their eyes toward Konoha, hungry for our land, ready to devour us."

"I had neither the overwhelming power of Hashirama nor the strategic brilliance of Tobirama. But I had the same resolve. The Will of Fire burned in me just as fiercely. I was prepared to give everything for Konoha."

His words were sharp and heavy, full of conviction.

In his mind, he had made sacrifices, crossed lines, and taken lives. But all of it—he believed—was justified. For the village. For the Will of Fire.

Tsunade fell silent, conflicted, trying to see things from his perspective.

Seeing her hesitate, Hiruzen pressed forward, diving into the past.

"Back then, aside from the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, almost none of the clans supported me."

"They acknowledged that I had studied under Lord Tobirama—but not that I was qualified to wear the Hokage's robes."

"When Lord Tobirama became Hokage, he was nearly forty and at his prime. I was only twenty-five."

"I went door to door visiting clans, trying to explain my vision, my ideals… but I was rejected over and over again. Always for the same reason."

At that moment, Hiruzen's face twisted with disgust.

Tsunade frowned instinctively. What could possibly stir such hatred in the old man?

"利益," he spat. "Self-interest."

"Lord Tobirama had already divided the power and resources among the clans through his careful planning."

"But my rise meant those arrangements would be disrupted. Reset."

"They didn't want to support me. They wanted to wait me out—to see what benefits I'd offer their clans if I got desperate. That's how filthy the ninja clans can be."

Tsunade's thoughts sank into quiet reflection.

From his perspective, he wasn't entirely wrong. The ninja clans were privileged from birth. Unlike civilian ninjas who had to claw their way up through talent and hard work, clan shinobi were raised with access to elite techniques, resources, and recognition.

Hiruzen took a slow drag from his pipe and exhaled, eyes heavy with memory.

"They even expected me to take their children as my personal disciples," he sneered.

"They thought I only became Hokage because I was Lord Tobirama's student. So they tried to insert themselves into that same path."

"Well, I crushed that plan."

His voice rose slightly. He straightened, raising a finger to point at Tsunade.

"I took you as my student. A direct descendant of the First Hokage. That shut down any clan opposition."

"I took Jiraiya and Orochimaru—civilian-born—to silence the commoner faction."

"With you three, the clan leaders had no choice but to accept me. Even the smaller clans started siding with me in hopes of currying favor."

"Why should I trust them? I had teammates who'd bled with me in battle. Why weren't their families better candidates to uplift?"

"I began diverting funds from the treasury to empower the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado families."

"Then, through the First and Second Ninja Wars, I methodically weakened the power of the others."

Hiruzen suddenly stood up, his hands raised high. His expression turned wild—manic, almost.

"Look what happened after the Second Great Ninja War!" he shouted.

"Who in this village dares question me as the Third Hokage?"

"Who dares to defy me? The clans?"

"If I decide they live, they live. If I decide they die, they die!"

Tsunade finally understood.

All the things Hiruzen had done—those decisions she once couldn't make sense of—they were all part of this grand, ruthless vision.

And maybe, just maybe, some of what he said about the ninja clans was true.

But there were still lines you don't cross.

She stared at him, her voice low but trembling.

"Where's Nawaki?" she asked. "Why did you do that to him? Was it only because of his potential with Wood Release?"

She tried to stay composed, but her fists were trembling. Her whole body shook.

Hiruzen lowered his head, silent for a moment.

"Nawaki's death… was Danzo's plan," he said finally. "And I… I allowed it."

Tsunade's voice rose to a scream.

"Why? Why would you let him?! He was the First Hokage's grandson!"

"Why didn't you come for me then?! Why not use me for your damned experiments?!"

Her heart clung to a final shred of hope—that Danzo had acted alone. That Hiruzen hadn't known until it was too late. That maybe, just maybe, he regretted it.

But no.

Everything she'd hoped to believe collapsed.

She should've struck him earlier. She should've shattered his jaw when she had the chance.

"Say it!" she yelled, fists clenched so tight her nails dug into her palms. Blood dripped onto the floor.

"The Wood Release experiment was one reason," Hiruzen said quietly. "But the other… was his bloodline."

"For the good of Konoha, Nawaki had to die."

"No one questions that Hashirama was the First Hokage. But why wasn't the Second an Uchiha?"

"Why was it Tobirama—Hashirama's own brother?"

"Why was I—the Third—Tobirama's student?"

"And why was Minato—Fourth Hokage—my student Jiraiya student?"

"Do you see it, Tsunade? Hokage has become a bloodline. A closed system."

"If this continues, the position will never reach the hands of civilian-born shinobi. Power and status will remain locked away."

"Nawaki was a threat to that. With his pedigree, his talent, his legacy… it was only a matter of time before he stood atop the village."

"If he lived, you'd stay here. You'd mentor him. You'd eventually support his rise."

"Jiraiya has no interest in becoming Hokage. Orochimaru… I pitied him. But even he became a danger I couldn't risk."

"I couldn't allow any of you to ascend. Not anymore."

As Hiruzen's words faded into silence, Tsunade's vision blurred with rage.

Now she understood.

She understood exactly what kind of man stood before her.

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