Malphegor
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HGBW: Ch. 58
🕑 Added 2025-03-07 03:01:37 +0000 UTCWhat's going on?
The first seat on the left, isn't it Sakumo's?
How could he have become the Fourth Hokage?
Fugaku saw this and instinctively clenched his hands inside his sleeves.
Where is the White Fang?
Hizashi's expression changed slightly. He initially thought the reason why Sakumo's seat was empty was that he, along with Hiruzen, was running late. However, now that he had arrived, Sakumo was still nowhere to be seen.
That was one thing, but what was even more unbelievable was that the seat that was supposed to belong to Sakumo was now occupied by Minato, and yet Hiruzen did not say anything about it.
Something was clearly off.
So, the White Fang… is dead.
Although this was Tanaka's first time attending a meeting, he had already learned from Hizashi about who each seat belonged to.
The main seat naturally belonged to Hiruzen.
The first seat on the left belonged to Sakumo, followed by Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and then Tsunade.
Now, Sakumo's seat was empty and had been taken by Minato.
Considering the timeline they were in, Tanaka's first reaction was that the White Fang had committed suicide.
And sure enough, what happened next confirmed his suspicions.
"The reason I gathered everyone for this meeting today is mainly to discuss three matters. The first is about the White Fang."
"I believe everyone here has already heard about the recent incident where he abandoned his mission. Right or wrong, I do not wish to comment further, nor do I want to hear any more accusations."
"Because he… has already taken his own life."
As soon as Hiruzen said this, it was like a sudden thunderclap, shocking everyone in the room, except for the three Sannin and the Ino-Shika-Chō clan heads, into a silence.
Who was Sakumo?
To put it simply, whenever you encountered Konoha's White Fang, the best course of action was to immediately abandon the mission and run away. And you wouldn't even be punished for it.
This was a universal rule acknowledged by every ninja village except for Konoha.
He was the first ninja since the founding of the villages to receive such an honor.
And yet, such a powerful figure had now been declared dead by Hiruzen.
And not just dead, he had committed suicide.
It was simply unbelievable.
"Indeed, it is undeniable that his decision to abandon his mission caused great losses to the village. However, considering his past contributions and the immense sacrifices he made for Konoha, the village has decided not to hold him accountable for anything posthumously."
"This matter ends here."
"No one is allowed to speak ill of Sakumo behind his back."
Hiruzen sighed and did not give anyone in the room a chance to speak. With an unquestionable tone, he put an end to the matter of Sakumo's death.
As expected. After learning that Sakumo had died, Tanaka let out a silent sigh.
With the loss of the White Fang, he had no doubt that the Second Grreat Ninja War, which was already nearing its end, would once again be thrown into turmoil.
And what about the Hyūga clan?
After breaking free from the Bird Cage, what role would the Hyūga play in this war that was bound to reignite?
Or perhaps, if war truly broke out again, what role would he himself take on?
"How could he have committed suicide?"
"This is bad."
"Once news of Sakumo's suicide spreads across the ninja world, the major villages will surely begin making moves."
"Suna, at the very least, will not let this go easily. After all, he killed..."
The various clan heads in the conference room had different expressions, but without exception, their hearts were filled with unease.
As elite jonin of Konoha and leaders of their respective clans, all of whom had experienced the battlefield, they had already come to the same grim realization as Tanaka.
They were deeply worried about Konoha's situation and the war, which could reignite at any moment.
After all, while the Second Great Ninja War had made the Sannin famous, the one who had truly forced the great ninja villages to surrender was Sakumo.
As for the Sannin, their fame came from their battle against Hanzō the Salamander in the Land of Rain. They not only managed to hold him off but also shattered his dream of ruling as the leader of Ame.
However, outside of Konoha, the other great ninja villages were subdued by none other than Sakumo with his blade.
As if sensing the thoughts of everyone present, Hiruzen's voice echoed through the conference room once again.
"There is no need to elaborate on how important he was to Konoha."
"To prevent enemy villages from harboring any unnecessary ideas, we must quickly find another ninja who can replace the White Fang—someone who can deter the other nations."
"That person… is Minato."
"As you all know, not only has he mastered but also improved upon the Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique. He also possesses the sealing techniques of the Uzumaki clan, which once struck fear into every ninja village."
"Although his reputation is not yet as widespread, Minato is the only ninja in the village who possesses the potential to match, or even surpass, Sakumo."
"Therefore, the village has decided that jonin Minato will temporarily assume the role of ANBU commander."
Who were the decision-makers of Konoha?
The ones sitting in this meeting room?
The Sannin?
The Hyūga clan?
The Uchiha clan?
Or the Ino-Shika-Chō?
All of them, to some extent.
Anyone present in this meeting could be considered part of Konoha's leadership, even the Uchiha, despite being targeted by Konoha's inner circle.
But they were merely "high-ranking officials."
They had the right to speak, but not the power to make decisions. None of them could dictate the village's affairs the way Hiruzen did, to the point where it seemed like Konoha should be renamed "Sarutobigakure."
"Minato, say a few words to everyone."
Hiruzen spared no effort in promoting Minato, as if he were willing to stake the title of Third Hokage on him.
"I apologize for making you witness this."
"I understand clearly that in terms of prestige, I am nothing more than an ordinary jonin—far from being comparable to Sakumo, who single-handedly crushed Suna's forces. In terms of ability, I am also inferior to the Sannin, who once forced Hanzō to retreat. However, I still stand here today, humbly asking you to give me a chance."
"Back then, Sakumo stood in the Land of Earth and, with his blade, crushed Iwa's army. If, after hearing of his death, Iwa still refuses to back down and chooses to declare war on Konoha, I will follow in his footsteps. With this very Flying Thunder God kunai, I will sever Suna's ambitions."
"I earnestly ask all of you to give me a chance to prove myself."
"If I fail to convince you and bring harm to Konoha instead, I will not only resign as ANBU commander immediately but also never mention the matter again. I will willingly accept any punishment from the village."
After standing up, Minato first looked around at everyone, then bowed deeply before speaking with sincerity, earnestly requesting an opportunity to prove himself to those in the conference room.
