Chapter 16: Everyone Who Can Fight Is Dead? All the Support Clans Survive?

Uchiha Madara: "Fine then, your Senju clan suffered even more than my Uchiha, so I feel relieved."

Hashirama Senju: "Huh? That actually makes sense!"

Tobirama Senju, fuming: "Sense or no sense, both clans are extinct now? We founded Konoha to protect both the Senju and the Uchiha, and to shelter all the other shinobi families. And you're telling me every other clan still exists while the Senju are wiped out?"

Kakashi Hatake: "...The Hatake line ends with me as well."

Mito Uzumaki: "My clan needs no comment, there were never many of us."

Kushina Uzumaki: "Only my son remains of the Uzumaki, right?"

Might Guy, clearing his throat: "Well, my family's small too, and I'm the only one left..."

Tobirama, exasperated: "So the Senju, the Uzumaki, the Uchiha, the Hatake, and the Guy clan are all gone? Everyone who can fight is dead?"

Hyūga Hiashi: "Second Hokage, that wording is rude. The Hyūga still have strength!"

Tobirama, nodding: "Right, the Hyūga are doing fine. But look behind you: the Nara, forced to rely on shadow techniques and intellect lower than mine; the Akimichi only good for food pills; the Yamanaka sensing clan; the Aburame scouts with insects; the Inuzuka and their tracking dogs; the Sarutobi known only for Fire Release, needing a monkey for backup; the Shimura clan hiding in the shadows, and people think Danzo is their only member. So tell me, who else can fight?"

Tobirama's rant left him breathless with anger. The idea that every combat clan in Konoha is gone stung him deeply, and he almost thanked fate that at least the Uchiha had perished, sparing the Senju from total annihilation yet he knew the thought was cold. Before Kakashi appeared, only Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi Uchiha's feats kept other villages from charging in, even Mei Terumi's infiltration of Konoha failed when she sensed Itachi and immediately retreated.

If not for Kakashi's flashy copy techniques, Konoha's legend under the Third Hokage wouldn't have kept the hidden villages at bay. Tobirama seethed: "Only the Hyūga and Akimichi have any real strength left, and Sarutobi's clan is just half valid. Shimura is a dead clan reduced to Danzo alone. Everyone else is support: Nara tactics, Akimichi rations... none have an Uchiha-level genius. No other support clan produced an Anbu-level shinobi."

Then Danzo spoke: "That's not my fault. Sarutobi sealed away all the forbidden jutsu after the Fourth died. Aside from that Nine-Tails brat, no one's seen those techniques to learn them since!"

Sarutobi's heart sank. Danzo had sacrificed him to protect himself.Tobirama wheeled, "Sarutobi, is this true?"

Sarutobi stammered: "Master, you said we needed to lock away the forbidden scrolls for safety!"

Tobirama searched frantically for Sarutobi, only to find he had vanished. "You think I invented all those forbidden jutsu for nothing? If we can't share them, why invent at all? I may as well lie down and do nothing!"

Sarutobi reappeared, "I... those matters, Danzo shares responsibility!"

Danzo snarled: "What do you mean we're to blame?"

Fourth Raikage Darui laughed: "Guarding treasure and never using it, that's genius, Konoha. Sarutobi and Danzo, you really outdid yourselves."

Ōnoki sighed: "If our village had those resources, we'd have unified the world centuries ago."

Mei Terumi scowled: "Hokage, just hand over the forbidden jutsu and we'll call it four villages and four kage. No more Konoha needed."

Tobirama felt himself near insanity. "Are there no worthy successors at all?"

He turned slowly to Namikaze Minato: "If only you hadn't died so young... look what Konoha's become."

Minato rubbed his head ruefully: "I didn't want to die young either. I wanted to watch my son grow up."

Tobirama looked at Minato with pity. Though he'd never been a father, he had a brother and knew the pain of loss.

Darui typed, "Sarutobi, Danzo, where are you? Tell us how you doomed Konoha. I'd like to avoid your mistakes."

Ōnoki added, "Yes, share your wisdom."

Mei shook her head, "You two are unbelievable. But I'm curious do tell."

Rasa chimed in, "Though I'm dead, as a former kage I want to know too. Will you explain?"

Tobirama Senju clenched his fists. No clan left, support clans alive but everything that mattered was gone. They turned to Sarutobi and Danzo, desperate for answers to save what little remained.

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