Roy smiled slightly.
"This is Sasuke, he wants to co to the One Piece world to train and gain experience, and since you all happen to be heading to Wano Country, I brought him along."
Sasuke stood behind Roy, his gaze sweeping across Senju Hashirama and the others, his pupils contracting.
Although he had already known that these people had been reanimated by Roy through the Edo Tensei, he was still deeply shaken.
Senju Tobirama swept a cold glance at Sasuke.
"Our operations are not child's play."
He was clearly dissatisfied with Sasuke's inclusion.
Roy shrugged, his tone relaxed.
"Don't worry, he won't hold you back."
Senju Tobirama frowned, and although he was inwardly displeased, it was ultimately Roy's request, so he could not refuse.
"Since you're here, show what you're made of and don't hold us back."
Sasuke gave a single nod.
"Understood."
Senju Hashirama chuckled and patted Sasuke on the shoulder.
Just then, Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze fell on Sasuke, and a flash of shock crossed his eyes.
"Sasuke, how did you end up here?"
He never could have imagined that Sasuke would appear in this other world, and apparently had a close relationship with Roy.
Orochimaru's gaze also fell on Sasuke, and a glimr of surprise passed through his eyes.
"Oh, Sasuke-kun, you are here as well."
When Sasuke saw Orochimaru, he felt a wave of exasperation, having never expected Roy to bring that person along too.
Orochimaru licked his lips, and his gaze carried a trace of excitent.
"Hello, Sasuke-kun, so you already knew Roy-kun, no wonder you turned out so remarkable."
Sasuke's gaze held a hint of wariness, clearly unsettled by Orochimaru's presence.
Orochimaru simply smiled, his tone carrying a faint note of regret.
"Since we're all on the sa side, I suppose I can't very well make a move on you."
Sasuke stood at the bow of the ship, his gaze sweeping over Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama, and a surreal feeling washed over him.
These people should have been history, yet here they stood before him, vivid and alive.
Especially Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage whom he rembered as long dead, now appearing before him in the form of an Edo Tensei reanimation.
A thought suddenly flashed through his mind: the night his clan was massacred.
Although he had already learned so of the truth, suspicion of Danzo continued to linger in his heart.
And the Third Hokage standing before him now might be able to give him a clearer answer.
Sasuke's gaze settled on Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Third Hokage-sama, there is sothing I want to ask you."
Sarutobi Hiruzen was mildly taken aback.
"Sasuke, what do you want to ask?"
Sasuke closed his eyes, then spoke.
"On the night the Uchiha clan was massacred, did the Hidden Leaf Village actually have a hand in it?"
The mont his words fell, the atmosphere on the ship instantly grew heavy.
A cold glint flashed through Senju Tobirama's eyes.
"An Uchiha brat actually dares to question a Hokage like this."
Sasuke's gaze did not falter, staring directly at Senju Tobirama.
"My entire clan was wiped out, so don't I deserve a straight answer?"
Senju Tobirama let out a cold laugh.
"A small Uchiha brat, daring to act presumptuous in front of ."
Seeing this, Senju Hashirama quickly stretched out his hand to restrain Senju Tobirama.
"Tobirama, calm down."
Senju Tobirama gave a cold snort.
"Brother, you are always so soft-hearted, the Uchiha have never been anything but trouble."
Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a long sigh, his expression complex.
He looked at Sasuke, his tone carrying a heavy weight.
"Sasuke, this matter does have circumstances behind it that are not straightforward."
Sasuke was taken aback, wondering if his suspicions had all been correct after all.
"What circumstances?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was silent for a mont, then slowly began to speak.
"At the ti, the Uchiha clan did harbor intentions of rebellion, and Danzo proposed striking first to completely eliminate the Uchiha clan, and I, as Hokage, ultimately gave my approval."
Sasuke's fist clenched violently, his fingernails nearly digging into his palms.
His voice carried a faint tremor.
"So the higher-ups of the Hidden Leaf Village truly were involved?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded.
"Yes, but the matter was not so simple, your brother, Uchiha Itachi, accepted this mission in order to protect the Hidden Leaf and also to protect you."
Sasuke's body jolted violently.
"Itachi accepted the mission?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a long sigh.
"He bore the weight of all the sins."
"He wiped out the clan with his own hands and beca a rogue ninja of the Leaf, all to protect you and to stop the Uchiha clan's rebellion."
Sasuke's mind was thrown into chaos.
"Why would he do that?"
"He loved the Hidden Leaf deeply, and he loved you just as deeply, and he chose to sacrifice himself in exchange for peace."
"Why didn't anyone tell the truth?" Sasuke's anger was imnse.
"Itachi wanted you to grow strong, to surpass him, and he did not want you to carry the burden of his sins."
Having said this, Sarutobi Hiruzen also let out a long sigh.
From the perspective of the Hidden Leaf Village, Uchiha Itachi was undeniably great, but from the perspective of the innocent Uchiha clansn, Uchiha Itachi was a demon.
Sasuke's fist slamd against the ship's railing with a dull, heavy thud.
"Itachi, you bastard," Sasuke murmured under his breath, his anguish imnse.
For the mont, he had no idea how to face Itachi.
He had slaughtered the entire clan, yet loved him so deeply.
The atmosphere inside the ship's cabin grew so heavy it was almost suffocating, and Sasuke clutched his head in tornt.
After a long while, Sasuke finally steadied his thoughts.
"Danzo, what role exactly did he play in all this, and why did you all agree to such a monstrous plan?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was silent for a mont before slowly speaking.
"Danzo always believed the Uchiha clan was a threat to the Hidden Leaf and had long intended to eliminate them."
Hearing this, Senju Hashirama's brows knit tightly together.
"Exterminating the clan? That is far too extre, the Uchiha are hotheaded by nature, but they are still a part of the Hidden Leaf."
He could not comprehend such a decision.
As the First Hokage, he had always believed the strength of a ninja village lay in unity, not in internal strife and sacrifice.
Though the Uchiha were hot-blooded and extre at tis, they had also rendered distinguished service for the Hidden Leaf.
Exterminating the clan was a complete betrayal of the ideals he had founded the Hidden Leaf upon.
Senju Tobirama's expression also grew grave, and a complex emotion stirred in his gaze.
Although he had long harbored wariness toward the Uchiha clan and believed them to be overly emotional and prone to losing control, he had never thought of resolving the problem by such extre ans.
He said in a low voice, "Exterminating the clan is indeed beyond what I would have expected, even if I believed the Uchiha posed a risk, I would never have resorted to a thod like this."
He was evidently also dissatisfied with the decision made by Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Exterminating the clan was a thod too cruel, and too foolish.
Orochimaru stood to one side, the corners of his mouth curling into a strange smile, and a glint of amusent drifted through his gaze.
"How very interesting, so the higher-ups of the Hidden Leaf Village were capable of making a decision like this, that Danzo fellow really is ruthless."
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