"It's been almost three years, Third Hokage." Sasuke's expression was quite complex as he looked at the slightly hunched, wrinkled old man in gray armor.
"Sasuke, have you betrayed Konoha? Why are you associating with someone like Orochimaru?"
The Third Hokage's voice carried a hint of reproach.
Itachi worked so hard to preserve the Uchiha bloodline; how could Sasuke betray Konoha?
"Oh, I can't pretend I didn't hear that, Sarutobi-sensei." Orochimaru's sneering voice drifted over. "Sasuke came to me himself."
"Or perhaps, Sarutobi-sensei, do you think there's a better teacher in Konoha than me? And, would such a person even be willing to teach Sasuke?"
"You… Orochimaru." Orochimaru's words left the Third Hokage speechless.
Sasuke's situation was very complicated; in some sense, teaching Sasuke to become stronger posed a certain danger to Konoha, because sometimes, they also worried about Sasuke discovering a certain truth.
Moreover, in the Ninja World, whether in terms of being a teacher or personal talent, how many people could compare to Orochimaru?
"Sarutobi-sensei, do I need to tell you what happened to Sasuke after you died?" Orochimaru laughed nonchalantly. "You don't seriously believe Danzo would uphold your agreement with Uchiha Itachi, do you?"
Orochimaru had already caught up on the plot from Sasuke's memories; soon, when Naruto came to find Sasuke, there would be the scene of Sai attempting to assassinate Sasuke, and the one who issued the order was Danzo.
If Sasuke had remained in Konoha after the Third Hokage's death, would Root, which acted "for Konoha," have let go of such an unstable element?
Uchiha Itachi's threat?
Nonsense, how long could his eyes be used? Could he really destroy an entire Konoha?
Besides, he was Uchiha Itachi, not Uchiha Madara.
As for revealing secrets to other countries, that was even more ridiculous.
Uchiha Itachi and the Uchiha Clan, who had always been guarded against, how many secrets could they have had when Uchiha Itachi defected?
After so many years, things would have changed long ago.
Even the secret passages that once allowed entry into Konoha without detection might have been under the Third Hokage's surveillance, it was just that the Third Hokage died at that time.
No wonder in Boruto, Sasuke would say that going to Orochimaru was a necessary thing when he went back in time.
It wasn't just about learning; it was more about escaping Danzo, though Sasuke at that time didn't know this.
Hearing Orochimaru's words, the Third Hokage did not refute, apparently having also thought about his old friend's actions, and indeed, it was possible that after his death, something would be done to Uchiha Sasuke.
"Sasuke, you…"
"Third Hokage, my standing here means I know all the truths." Uchiha Sasuke's voice was very calm.
"Sigh…" The Third Hokage sighed. "I am very sorry about Itachi's matter."
"Isn't it always your Konoha higher-ups' way to eliminate the person who raises the problem if you can't solve the problem?"
"At this point, what's the use of saying more?" Sasuke showed little emotional fluctuation regarding the Third Hokage mentioning Uchiha Itachi.
"Sasuke, I always wanted to stop…"
"Enough, Sarutobi Hiruzen." With his eyes turning into a Mangekyo Sharingan, Uchiha Sasuke roared, interrupting the Third Hokage.
"Eyes like Itachi's!"
Seeing Sasuke's eyes surpass the Three Tomoe, the Third Hokage's expression suddenly changed.
"Third Hokage, after the Nine-Tails incident, you pushed the Uchiha clan to the outskirts. I don't believe you didn't consider what consequences such an action would have. The Uchiha clan endured for eight years, and your higher-ups never gave an explanation from beginning to end."
"24-hour non-stop surveillance, yet no evidence found, and since that's the case, no clarification was offered."
"How do you expect other Konoha ninjas to view this? How do you expect the Konoha citizens to view this?"
Sasuke's voice softened here, and thinking of something, he chuckled:
"However, you're not without similar actions. For example, while Naruto's identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is known to all, his identity as the Fourth Hokage's son was never exposed."
"Sasuke, you…" The Third Hokage's expression gradually turned to shock. "How do you know Naruto's identity?"
"Heh heh, what a pity, Lord Third Hokage, the intelligence given to Sasuke has always been compiled by me." The white-haired man pushed up his glasses and looked at the Third Hokage.
"You are that Kabuto from back then?" Kakashi had told him about Kabuto's identity during the Chunin Exams, but he hadn't confirmed whether he was Orochimaru's spy.
The Third Hokage took a deep breath, no longer bothering with other matters, and turned his gaze to Sasuke: "Is there really no room for discussion? What do you plan to do to Konoha?"
"Third Hokage, you said Itachi's actions were for peace, right?"
"That's right, once the Uchiha clan went to war with Konoha, Konoha would very likely…" The Third Hokage's words were not yet finished.
"You Four, all over two hundred years old combined, tricked a thirteen-year-old boy into massacring his clan."
"Do the Uchiha clan have to consider the consequences of going to war with Konoha, while your Konoha higher-ups don't have to consider the price of eliminating the Uchiha clan and the consequences of other villages invading?"
"No, you did consider it, so you thought of gaining the greatest benefit with the least cost. You didn't have to bear the blame, you gained righteousness, and you could even deter other clans."
"Heh, that truly is the great Will of Fire!"
Sasuke's voice gradually grew cold, "Then, if Konoha obstructs the peace of the Ninja World, can I destroy this stumbling block? After all, for peace, Konoha shouldn't exist."
"Sasuke, you are too radical. I did not agree to Danzo's actions back then, it was…"
"Yes, you didn't agree, but you didn't reject it either, did you?"
Uchiha Sasuke said coldly,
"From Konoha's perspective, destroying a hostile clan with the least cost and gaining a wave of benefits is no problem. I don't even think there's any problem with it."
"However, what you did makes me sick."
"But there's nothing more to say. Your wife died in the Nine-Tails incident, at the hands of the masked man, and you believed it was the Uchiha clan who did it, so you wanted to eliminate the Uchiha clan. That's nothing, it's a very normal thing."
"Leaning on personal emotions, Lord Third Hokage, you probably still wished to eradicate the Uchiha clan, didn't you?"
"I…"
"You don't have to answer me. What happened with the Nine-Tails wasn't done by the Uchiha clan of Konoha. I've also investigated who did it, but there's no need to tell you."
Sasuke suddenly chuckled,
"Right and wrong no longer matter to me. I'm telling you this only because I want to do one thing."
"To make all the executioners who participated in the Uchiha Clan Massacre pay the price."
"Whether it's the Anbu or Root, all those who caused the slaughter of the Uchiha clan must pay with their lives for the Uchiha clan."
"And the executors who will kill them will be you, the inheritor of the Will of Fire, and the Second Hokage, who believes the Uchiha are inherently evil."
"Sasuke, you can't do that." The Third Hokage grew anxious.
"What, I can't?"
"You're allowed to eradicate the Uchiha Clan, but I'm not allowed to kill those guys?"
Sasuke's face turned cold,
"Not eradicating the Sarutobi and Shimura clans, I've already been very restrained. Compared to you inciting the Uchiha clan head's son to destroy his own clan, my actions are completely incomparable to yours."
"Or, how about I change the condition." Sasuke thought of something and sneered, "I can spare them, but how about you personally eradicate the Sarutobi clan? Oh, and that grandson of yours named Konohamaru, kill him too."
"Sasuke!"
"What? You didn't spare a single person, old, young, or woman, isn't that what you made Itachi do to the Uchiha clan?"
Ignoring the Third Hokage's desperate shouts, Sasuke subtly glanced at Orochimaru.
Orochimaru nodded.
Then, a coffin appeared behind the Third Hokage, slowly drawing him inside.
After dealing with the Edo Tensei Hokage, Orochimaru came to Sasuke's side.
"Sasuke, are you really planning to eradicate Sarutobi-sensei's clan?"
"Hmph—" Sasuke sighed. "You've seen it, if they're not obstructing, then don't bother with them. However, those who laid hands on the Uchiha Clan must absolutely not be spared. The Third Hokage's memories should contain the list of those who acted at that time."
"I see, no problem, I'll have Kabuto help compile a list."
"But, will the Third Hokage and the Second Hokage be the ones to execute them?" Orochimaru asked.
"Exactly, there's no room for discussion on this matter. But Orochimaru, you need to be careful with the Second Hokage; he can release Edo Tensei."
"Heh heh, no problem, Sasuke, you can rest assured. I won't be as careless as Kabuto."
As Orochimaru spoke, he gave Yakushi Kabuto, who looked bewildered, a meaningful glance.
After finishing these matters, Sasuke put his consciousness into the Chat Group.
On the public screen, a large full-body selfie had just appeared.
It was a young girl.
Her pure white long hair was gently covered by a felt hat, her skin was flawless, and against the backdrop of her white robe, she subtly exuded a sacred glow.