Chapter 406: The Funeral
As the lid of the coffin containing the Fifth Hokage was about to be closed, the Konoha side of the grand hall was steeped in grief.
On the left side, Kurotsuchi was barely able to hide her laughter. If not for someone restraining her, she might have burst out laughing.
"Uchiha Haneda, you finally got what you deserved! You killed my grandfather, humiliated my father, and trampled on Iwagakure. Even the heavens couldn't stand you and dragged you to hell!"
Such were Kurotsuchi's thoughts.
The envoys from Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Sunagakure, and other villages standing nearby shared similar sentiments.
They all deeply hated Uchiha Haneda.
During Haneda's era of dominance, every village without exception had suffered humiliation under his rule.
Even Kirigakure had been subjected to his interference in their internal politics.
Meanwhile, the three daimyos from friendly nations were inwardly overjoyed.
They firmly believed that with Uchiha Haneda gone, the world would turn on Konoha and its allies.
Once the war began, the anti-Konoha alliance would surely win!
This victory would restore their power as daimyos, allowing them to reclaim their authority and no longer live in subservience.
The Fourth Raikage, however, had a more complex expression.
On one hand, he harbored deep hatred for Haneda, but on the other, he felt a sense of respect, even a hint of admiration.
The reasons for his hatred were obvious, but deep down, the Raikage agreed with many of Haneda's policies.
Haneda was a true leader who had built a village and a nation, a revolutionary who paved a new path.
Had Kumogakure not been relatively indifferent toward its daimyo, the Raikage himself might have considered eliminating the daimyo to consolidate the nation's power.
With that power, he could expand Kumogakure's military, launch a war to invade Konoha, and use the spoils of war to grow his army even further, continuing until he unified the ninja world.
But the Raikage lacked Haneda's skill, Shikaku's loyalty and strategy, and the overwhelming power of the God of Shinobi.
At the front of the hall, the children stole the show with their dramatic performances.
Sasuke had prepared onions in advance to help him cry. When the coffin was about to be sealed, tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
He was absolutely sobbing—a masterful performance, worthy of full marks!
Not to be outdone, Naruto aggressively rubbed his eyes in an attempt to force out tears, but it didn't work.
Unwilling to lose, he sought advice from his parents, only to be scolded and smacked by his mother. Afterward, he too was crying like a fountain, just like Sasuke.
With these two "acting kings" putting on a show at the front, everyone else felt pressured to follow suit.
Gaara, recalling his uncle Yashamaru, was moved by memories and shed genuine tears, just like Naruto.
Kimimaro, demonstrating the professionalism of a ninja, forced out crocodile tears.
Haku used Ice Release to freeze moisture near his eyebrows, letting it melt and trickle down naturally like tears.
Shiren, on the other hand, was curiously observing Naruto and the others. He had no particular feelings about death, behaving like a clueless child. In a way, his performance was seamless.
As for Deidara…
He was busy exchanging glances with his junior, Kurotsuchi.
Kurotsuchi had been quite pleased looking at Haneda's coffin, but upon noticing Deidara's betrayal, she became so furious she nearly exploded.
Eventually, the coffin was carried out of the hall by Fugaku and others after a brief stop.
Outside the grand hall, a massive crowd had gathered, filling the entire street.
From the hall's entrance, one could see the street's end—but that was only the end of the road, not the end of the crowd.
Not only the route to the Memorial Stone but every street in Konoha was packed with people.
There were locals from the Land of Fire, visitors from the Land of Rain, and other foreign admirers of Haneda.
It was as if Konoha had been completely filled to capacity.
Despite the crowd, the Police Force and Anbu maintained order. No one dared to break through the human barricades, and the atmosphere was one of deep sorrow.
Even the ninjas tasked with maintaining order were visibly grieving.
As the coffin passed through the streets, the sound of weeping filled the air, and the white banners lining the path seemed to flutter faintly in response to the mournful cries.
Initially, Naruto and his friends, as well as Haneda's enemies, had been trying to suppress their own laughter. But the atmosphere around them soon shifted their emotions.
Putting aside personal grudges, village rivalries, and national conflicts, they couldn't deny that anyone who could earn the reverence of an entire village—and even a nation—was someone worthy of respect.
As the cries faded and the group reached the tranquil Memorial Stone, the burial proceeded.
The body was lowered into the ground, and the soil completely covered it.
Everyone present understood: a new era was about to begin.
The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, pondered how to negotiate with his advisors and the daimyo to halt the impending war.
Meanwhile, Iwagakure and Kumogakure representatives studied the people of Konoha, finalizing their targets for the war.
On the surface, they had been preparing for six months, but in reality, their preparations had lasted at least three years.
When the crowd finally dispersed and the Memorial Stone returned to its usual peace, the cries outside the cemetery grew louder.
Shisui tried to persuade the grieving masses to leave, but it was to no avail.
Blocked by the crowd, Shisui and the others had no choice but to traverse the rooftops to continue their way.
Ninjas from other villages did the same, while ordinary politicians stayed behind, waiting for the people to disperse.
Unfortunately, it took an entire day for the crowd to thin. By evening, it had reduced significantly, and only by nightfall was a path finally cleared.
Konoha reluctantly returned to a semblance of calm.
On the Hokage Rock above, two figures stood silently, watching over Konoha.
Both wore masks—one a white cat mask, the other a yellow tiger-striped mask.
It was Uchiha Haneda and Uchiha Obito.
Haneda spoke: "I didn't think you'd come to see my funeral. Obito, didn't you say we'd meet on the battlefield?"
Obito replied, "I'm only here to inform you that the Akatsuki is ready for war."
"Is that so? How confident are you of victory?"
"If it's just me, you, and Nagato joining forces, I'm 100% confident. But my goal is more than just winning the war."
"You want to gather the tailed beasts and enact the Infinite Tsukuyomi from the Sage of Six Paths' stone tablet?"
"Exactly. Haneda, since you already know, why don't we work together to complete this jutsu? I promise not to kill Naruto or Gaara. I'll only take most of the tailed beasts' chakra, leaving them enough to survive."
"Obito, have you ever considered that the stone tablet might be a lie? What if it's all a trap?"
Hearing Haneda's doubts, Obito chuckled.
"Do you think I don't know whether the Infinite Tsukuyomi is a trap?"
"I've developed a jutsu based on it, which you'll see soon enough."
"When that time comes, I hope you won't stop me—or anyone else seeking happiness and peace."
"I'm going to create a new world, one with Rin, you, and Kakashi. A world where everyone's dreams come true."
"I've always fought for this ideal, and you can't stop me—just as I can't stop you from pursuing your own peace and happiness."
Haneda sighed, realizing that even if he told Obito the truth, he wouldn't believe it.
Obito was determined to carry out his plan.
Haneda spoke: "Honestly, I'm not as noble as you think."
"I've already decided to step down as Hokage and leave the ninja world after the war."
"This war—it's all for you, Uchiha Obito."
"For me?" Obito laughed.
Haneda replied: "My talk of peace and happiness? That's just something I can accomplish along the way. I've always remembered your dream, Rin's dream, Kakashi's dream."
"You want peace in the ninja world. You want to become Hokage. Rin wanted to be a great medical ninja and always watch over you. Kakashi wanted to stay by my side."
"What I've been pursuing is all of our dreams."
Obito fell silent for a moment before asking, "Where's Kakashi now?"
"On the moon. When the war starts, you'll see him. He'll come to you."
Obito replied, "I'll realize everyone's dreams in my own way."
"The Fourth Great Ninja War will break out in about half a month. Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure are planning to hold a Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron."
"They're preparing to condemn Konoha under the guise of justice and start the war, just as you predicted."
"See you on the battlefield, my best friend."
With that, Obito disappeared.
Haneda remained, gazing at Konoha and the distant lands beyond.