Shikkotsu Forest Realm.
After the Slug's clone finished introducing all the locations in Shikkotsu Forest to Hakushi, it left him alone and returned toward the original body.
Hakushi stood atop the tall mountain, feeling the natural energy here was even stronger than at the foot of the mountain. If he trained Immortal Technique here, the results would be twice as effective with half the effort.
Just as Hakushi overlooked the entire Shikkotsu Forest from there, footsteps sounded behind him.
Hakushi didn't even need to think to know who it was. Within Shikkotsu Forest, other than himself, only Tsunade was human.
"Are you here to get justice for those dead Konoha ninja? I believe I've already said, I'm really not interested in fighting you."
Hakushi turned his head slightly, watching as Tsunade walked towards him.
There was still coldness in her eyes.
After all, the uproar Hakushi caused in Konoha was too great. The Konoha ninja below didn't know exactly what happened, but Tsunade was aware of some unknown secrets.
When Hakushi left Konoha, he didn't just destroy Konoha's buildings and facilities—he also took away some members of the Uchiha Clan and Hyuga Clan.
Even worse, the 'Bird in a Cage' curse seals engraved onto the Branch Family members' foreheads became ineffective, plunging the Hyuga Clan into chaos and endless arguments.
Some even feared the remaining Branch Family members would also defect. An atmosphere of exclusion and distrust was brewing within the Hyuga Clan.
The Uchiha side wasn't faring any better. The Security Team's conflict with the village seemed to intensify day by day. After all, among those who fought the Hokage that night was Ruri, a member of the Uchiha Clan.
"I'm just curious, what exactly is your goal in persuading so many people to leave Konoha? Bringing this many people away—there's no way you'd do nothing with them."
Tsunade's expression was stern.
The black-beast type Summoning Beast and the witch who attacked Hidden Grass Village were Hakushi's subordinates, and the reason they attacked Hidden Grass Village seemed to be related to survivors of the Uzumaki Clan.
Later, he incited members of the Uchiha and Hyuga Clan to leave Konoha as well. Tsunade was deeply worried Hakushi had some unspeakable secret that threatened the Konoha Village her grandfather Senju Hashirama founded.
"So that's what you're interested in. Don't worry, I don't plan to do anything to Konoha. Let's not talk about Uchiha for now—the Hyuga left with me simply because it was their decision. I never forced anyone to join. But a person's yearning for freedom can't be bound. When the bird in a cage sees hope of flying free, it'll brave death without fear. Isn't that how it is, Teacher Tsunade?"
Tsunade opened her mouth to argue, but found she couldn't refute Hakushi's words.
Even she herself couldn't quite accept the Hyuga Clan's Bird in a Cage practice.
Claiming it's to protect the Byakugan, while the Main Family wields the curse seal to control the Branch Family ninja—no matter how you look at it, that's too much.
"Then what about the Uchiha?"
Tsunade sighed, feeling the situation was growing ever more serious.
"That's a legacy problem from history. It's complicated and involves some secrets I can't reveal. Forgive me for not going into details."
Hakushi thought of the conditions for awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan and felt these were not things to reveal lightly.
Whether to outsiders or even members of the Uchiha Clan, it was best they remained forever buried.
"To you, does the village truly mean nothing? Teacher Sarutobi trusted you. He brought you up many times, saying you truly inherited the Will of Fire as a Konoha ninja."
Tsunade looked at Hakushi with complex eyes.
Looking back now, the fact that the Hokage had regarded him as the successor of the Will of Fire had become the greatest irony of all.
It could only be said that Hakushi hid himself too well.
Up until the moment he betrayed them, no one believed he could possibly be the kind of person to become a renegade ninja, a traitor to the village.
Hakushi didn't answer, only sat down, his eyes fixed intently on the sea of mist drifting between the mountainsides.
"Or is it...because of that incident with Sakumo..."
Tsunade was still guessing.
"You and your teacher really do think the same. On the night I left Konoha, the Third also asked me the same question."
Hakushi turned his head to look at Tsunade, a hint of helplessness on his face.
"Then let me answer you again. That Konoha ninja named Hatake Sakumo was only a Konoha ninja; nothing more. I regret his death, but I would never use that as an excuse to take revenge on some people. If that's what you're worried about, you don't need to. I have zero interest in Konoha's affairs. You should be on your way anyway—as I recall, Konoha's current situation is quite dire."
Hakushi reminded Tsunade that it was still the Ninja Realm's great war period, and as the Land of Fire under attack, Konoha's position was precarious.
Seeing that Hakushi showed no intention to talk further, Tsunade knew she wouldn't get any useful information out of him.
The expression on his face was no longer the gentle and courteous look he'd had in Konoha. Or rather, this was his true face.
The kindness and humility in the village was merely a façade to win others' trust.
Tsunade took a deep breath, regained her composure, and turned sharply to leave, not dragging things out.
Listening to those fading footsteps, Hakushi knew his relationship with Tsunade was completely severed.