Konoha: Uchiha Extremists? Offering Loyalty!

Chapter 121 The Growth of the Rope Tree!

A few days later.

The Konoha troops that withdrew from the Rain Defense Line arrived at the nearest outpost to Konoha.

They received the Hokage's order.

Entry into the village was suspended, and the village prepared a celebration to boost morale.

"Old man, you just love to do all this nonsense!"

She tossed aside the scroll, poured herself a full glass of sake, and curled her lip in slight disdain.

"Lady Tsunade, that's just a necessary procedure." Yuuki smiled and held up a letter. "What's more intriguing is your agreement to let Nawaki-kun drop out of school and travel with the old stonemason in the village to study."

The predecessor of 'Yang' was a stonemason.

He wasn't the stonemason who carved the Fire Shadow Rock, but rather the stonemason who engraved lettering on tombstones and street signs.

He has always been a loner.

With such a background, it's hard not to attract attention when Nawaki, the "direct descendant" of the Senju family, is about to leave the village.

"Tch, this is such a small matter. Orochimaru asked, Jiraiya the idiot asked, and now it's your turn?" Tsunade chuckled and downed her drink.

She didn't think too much about it; it was good that Rope Tree was leaving the village.

The old stonemason who called himself 'Yang' was originally named Yamada Ishi. His identity was not questionable; he had even gone to the battlefield with his second generation before the village was founded.

Tsunade was relatively at ease knowing that Nawaki was traveling with her.

Yuuki spread his hands, looking helpless. "Given Nawaki-kun's background and bloodline, even if he stops at Jonin in the future, he is destined to be a high-ranking member of the village, attracting the attention of his fellow villagers. It's normal."

Besides, Nawaki's talent shouldn't be limited to the Jonin level.

That's how it is in the ninja world: the descendants of the Kage are at least high-ranking, and the son of a scapegoat is probably a scapegoat.

Tsunade sighed, her heart filled with conflicting emotions.

"Perhaps it would be safer for Nawaki not to be a ninja."

She was willing to fight for a place for the Thousand Hands to breathe in the village, but she didn't want her younger brother to be in danger.

The village's situation has always been complex, with conflicts between various clans and commoners, and between the Senju and the Hokage...

These conflicts should have been alleviated by the war in the Land of Rain.

The war ended within a year, but the conflict not only did not ease, but became even more severe.

After careful statistics, the number of casualties in the Land of Rain reached as many as 3,600, including logistics and combat troops.

The village must bear the costs of funerals, support, rewards, and medical care.

That old guy, Mitokado Homura, temporarily promoted a batch of genin and chunin, which is another expense for 'newcomer' benefits.

"Not wanting to be a ninja?" Yuuki was taken aback. "Nawaki-kun, didn't you say you wanted to become Hokage?"

People always have different thoughts at different times.

This is normal.

What's abnormal is that Tsunade has reached the point of doubting the overall safety of Konoha?

Tsunade shook her head slightly, said nothing more, and looked in the direction of the village.

What will become of our village next?

......

Rope Tree excitedly shouldered his backpack.

Standing before the legendary iron gate of Konoha, which has remained incorrupt for millennia.

The two door gods guarding each side were not familiar faces.

An elderly man, seemingly frail but with strong gait, followed behind Rope Tree.

With his back straight and hands behind his back, Yang strolled leisurely to the rope tree and looked it over.

"Great, very energetic!"

Rope Tree stepped forward and grabbed his arm. "Uncle Yang, stop sighing and let's go!"

Yang's pace remained unhurried. "Look, in such a hurry again? The way to deal with the world is to remain calm and composed when facing important matters, let alone something as trivial as leaving the village."

An old man and a young boy, facing the rising sun, gradually moved away from Konoha Village.

"Oh?"

Rope Tree covered its neck, and a spider the size of a soybean disappeared before it hit the ground.

"what happened?"

"It feels like I was bitten by a mosquito."

"Apply some ointment."

A purplish-black spider-patterned hexagonal magic circle appeared on the back of the rope tree's neck, then quickly disappeared.

The lead actor has been chosen; all that's left is for the momentum to rise!

Both of them were 'ninjas', and they traveled at an extremely fast speed.

Our first destination is the City of Flames, which is said to be the ancestral home of the Land of Fire.

The first daimyo gathered samurai here and established the Land of Fire.

Along the way, Rope Tree gradually went from being full of anticipation to feeling dejected.

He witnessed a farmer working in the fields startle a nobleman's horse, and was subsequently crippled by several lashes.

But it was clearly the horse's fault; the horse ran into the field and startled the farmer.

Then they saw another farmer driving an oxcart, whose ox was seized by a passing nobleman under the pretext of a frightened horse.

Although it didn't happen very often, it still caused harm to Rope Tree's young mind.

“Uncle Yang.” Nawaki frowned, his tone full of doubt, “Outside Konoha, is robbery in accordance with the Will of Fire and the rules?”

Even during the early stages of his investigation in Konoha, he didn't see any ninjas robbing people!

The local nobles are so rude!

outlaws!

"Books are merely a vehicle; true knowledge must be learned through practice."

Yang gave a heartfelt lecture, seemingly unintentionally leading Rope Tree to the area that Unicorn Beetle had been paying attention to.

These towns have huge problems.

Nobles are extravagant, corrupt, and plunder, yet they face no punishment.

Hired Konoha ninjas might even help the nobles suppress the local, oppressed commoners.

Corrupt officials, demanding bribes and favors, and rampant corruption.

There were also instances of merchants swindling and cheating, and ordinary people fighting amongst themselves.

The further they went, the more problems they encountered, and the more frustrated Rope Tree became.

Tortured confessions, unjust death, abandoned land, arbitrary charges...

In just over ten days, his worldview was shattered, and then simply rebuilt under Yang's tutelage.

The two stopped in a village and carefully examined the wooden planks and bamboo boards found there.

"If the Hokage were to intervene, he could definitely restrain these noble officials!" Nawaki complained, somewhat disappointed and saddened.

He felt deep sympathy for the plight of ordinary people.

They felt disgusted by the arbitrary and reckless behavior of the noble officials.

Nawaki's reliance on the 'Hokage' made Yang shake his head repeatedly; the blows weren't enough.

"The eyes can lie, the ears can deceive; in dealing with people, one must be adaptable to circumstances."

What do you mean?

Rope Tree scratched his head. He recognized the words, but didn't understand a single one.

Yang explained, "To judge the truth of a matter or a person's ability, you need to think from different perspectives. Don't blindly worship a person, even the Hokage."

"Humans are never perfect. If you only have one impression of a person, then you have probably only seen the mask that is pasted on their face."

Nawaki was about to argue, "Hokage-sama, he is indeed not perfect, but..."

Yang waved his hand, indicating that no further words were needed.

"Observe more, ask more, listen more, and think more!"

Through Yang's education, Nawaki began to accept 'numerical thinking' and 'a worldview of strict law'. He analyzed the contradictions he encountered based on solid data, learned not to get angry when faced with illiterate people, and carefully analyzed the local 'laws', including explicit and implicit laws.

"Studying is for reasoning with idiots; self-cultivation is for making idiots stop and listen to your reasoning!"

Yang also did not slacken in his chakra training with Rope Tree.

Lightning Release, taijutsu, and a subtle, almost imperceptible, legalistic mindset.

The rope tree matured rapidly amidst pain and suffering.