The skeptical reaction of the Konoha ninjas present was well within Kakashi's expectations.
As the Third Hokage who had ruled Konoha for decades, Sarutobi Hiruzen's image as a great ninja had long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Even though many of his decisions in recent years had been questionable, most still firmly believed that the Third Hokage's original intentions had been good.
He had simply grown old and, perhaps, a little muddle-headed.
However, if the Third Hokage could be brought down so easily, Kakashi would not have waited until now. It was only after receiving Naruto's invitation that he finally chose to participate in the plan to dismantle the Third Hokage's reputation.
After pondering for a moment, Kakashi continued:
"The third matter concerns the truth behind the Uchiha Massacre. It was Uchiha Itachi who wielded the butcher's knife against his own clan that night, but behind him stood the acquiescence and guidance of Konoha's high-ranking officials…"
As Kakashi lowered his voice, everyone present instinctively pricked up their ears.
Although the "truths" Kakashi revealed were shocking, they successfully aroused everyone's curiosity. They eagerly wanted to hear the rest of the story.
Listening to Kakashi reveal these so-called truths, Tsunade's expression changed repeatedly.
Several times she wanted to go up and stop Kakashi from speaking, but each time Jiraiya's gaze stopped her, leaving her confused about his true attitude. Was Kakashi acting on Jiraiya's orders?
After all, during the two years since becoming Hokage, Jiraiya had changed considerably, gradually becoming a qualified leader.
Tsunade could still restrain herself, but the Sarutobi jonin were clearly panicking. Ignoring the Anbu guards trying to stop him, one of them rushed directly in front of Kakashi and shouted:
"Hatake Kakashi! Everything you're saying is nothing but rumors! Hiruzen-sama never did any of those things!"
"Rumors?"
Kakashi merely smiled and remained silent, quietly staring at the Sarutobi jonin.
The jonin suddenly found some courage and shouted:
"When the Uchiha incident happened, you were away protecting the Jinchuriki on a mission. How could you possibly know the details of what happened back then? Do you know how much effort the Anbu put into preventing the Uchiha from rebelling?"
"You don't know anything at all! You're just a traitor who betrayed Hiruzen-sama!"
By the end of his speech, the Sarutobi jonin's face was flushed with emotion.
He had to stop Kakashi.
Otherwise, they were finished.
"I really don't know all the details of the Uchiha incident," Kakashi admitted with a chuckle.
"But there is someone here who knows far more than I do. Now it's his turn to tell everyone about that dust-covered chapter of history."
As he spoke, Kakashi looked toward Shisui in the crowd.
Following Kakashi's gaze, everyone quickly noticed Shisui, dressed in Uzushio Village attire and wearing a half-mask.
As Shisui walked from the crowd toward the front of the stage, many Anbu ninjas immediately recognized this mysterious shinobi from Uzushio Village.
If he had not summoned that cyan giant to deal with the tailed beast during the invasion, the destruction would certainly have extended far beyond the arena.
At first glance, this mysterious ninja seemed unrelated to the Uchiha Clan.
But soon, some Anbu connected the dots.
That blue giant... could it have been Susanoo?
A legendary ability said to belong only to wielders of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
If that was true, then the identity of this Uzushio Village shinobi was already obvious.
Standing before all the gathered ninjas, Shisui slowly removed his mask, revealing a face weathered by years of hardship.
Then he looked at the Sarutobi jonin and calmly introduced himself:
"My name is Uchiha Shisui. I once served in the Third Hokage's Anbu. I know a thing or two about the truth behind the Uchiha Massacre."
Shisui's self-introduction left the Sarutobi jonin frozen in place.
The eyes of every ninja present immediately focused on him.
They clearly remembered that Shisui had disappeared seven or eight years ago.
Why had he suddenly returned to Konoha?
And why was he now a ninja of Uzushio Village?
At that moment, many ninjas remembered the rumors surrounding Uzushio Village.
According to black-market gossip, the rapidly rising Uzushio Village, which had maintained close ties with Konoha in recent years and become increasingly active throughout the ninja world, had actually been founded by former Konoha ninjas and served as a secret piece in Konoha's overseas expansion plans.
The leaders of the Ino–Shika–Chō clans and Hiashi Hyūga exchanged solemn glances.
As clan heads, they possessed far more intelligence channels than ordinary ninjas.
They already knew that the founding of Uzushio Village was connected to both the Uchiha Clan and the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
The recent Chunin Exams had only further confirmed that fact.
If Uzushio Village had not assisted Konoha during the invasion, Konoha's losses would have been far greater, and the village itself might even have collapsed.
However, they were not particularly worried that Konoha would descend into chaos again.
Although Uzushio Village was technically an independent hidden village, in their eyes it was still closely tied to Konoha.
The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and the Uchiha might very well return one day to compete for the position of Hokage.
The Sarutobi jonin finally regained his senses.
After glancing at Shisui, he was just about to denounce him as a missing-nin when Shisui's gaze landed on him.
His entire body instantly stiffened.
His legs began trembling uncontrollably.
His instincts screamed at him that if he uttered another word of nonsense, Uchiha Shisui would absolutely not let him off.
After intimidating the Sarutobi jonin into silence, Shisui looked toward the gathered ninjas and began recounting his efforts to save the Uchiha Clan.
"This story began eight years ago. Because of the aftermath of the Nine-Tails Incident and budget cuts imposed by Konoha's higher-ups, the Uchiha Clan began considering a coup d'état and the possibility of producing the Fifth Hokage…"
Contrary to everyone's expectations, Shisui did not deny that the Uchiha had planned a coup.
Back then, nearly everyone in the village knew that the Uchiha were dissatisfied with Konoha's leadership and desired to become the Fifth Hokage.
Shisui's willingness to admit this openly only made his words seem more credible.
After all, the Third Hokage had merely been serving as acting Hokage at the time, and the normal succession process had already become complicated.
"When Uchiha Itachi and I were working to preserve peace between the village and the Uchiha Clan, I served in the Third Hokage's Anbu and devoted myself to maintaining harmony between both sides."
"Then my Mangekyō Sharingan was exposed, and I was attacked by Danzō, who stole one of my eyes."
"If I had not encountered Mianma-sama afterward, I probably would have chosen suicide long ago."
"But because I survived by chance, I was able to step back and witness the true faces of the Third Hokage, Danzō, and Uchiha Itachi."
At this point, Shisui paused briefly.
The Sharingan that once housed Kotoamatsukami slowly spun before he continued:
"A few months later, under Danzō's orders, Uchiha Itachi accepted the mission to massacre the clan in order to preserve Konoha's so-called peace."
"To avoid a direct conflict with Konoha and prevent even greater bloodshed among my clansmen, I chose to leave Konoha together with the surviving Uchiha."
"We joined Mianma-sama's Uzushio Village, where the Uchiha gained a new home and a new dream."
"I do not deny that the Uchiha once intended to launch a coup."
"But before that coup could even begin, the clan was targeted by Konoha's leadership, headed by Danzō, and by Uchiha Itachi himself."
"Throughout this entire period, the Third Hokage can be said to have done nothing at all."
"He simply stood by and allowed everything to happen."
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