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Konoha had been incredibly lively lately.
First, the rumors about Hatake Sakumo spread through the village like wildfire, becoming the main topic of conversation at every dinner table and tea house.
Then, rumors about Elder Danzo surfaced. This was even more explosive. Although these rumors hadn't been circulating for long, compared to the gossip about Sakumo, the dirt on a high-ranking Elder like Danzo was undoubtedly far more attention-grabbing.
At this point, Taiichi and Kakashi's objective could be considered a complete success. The villagers no longer cared about Hatake Sakumo abandoning a mission to save a comrade.
However, the thing about chaos is: you get to decide how it starts, but you don't get to decide when it ends.
It was true for Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo when they spread the rumors about Sakumo, only to draw out Taiichi and Kakashi.
And it was true for Taiichi and Kakashi now. They had spread rumors about Danzo, but the result was—
Before the day was over, new rumors began to quietly spread through Konoha.
"Did you hear? Turns out all those human experiments were actually greenlit by Lord Third himself."
"That's nothing. You know why the Senju name is basically extinct? Lord Third sent them all to the meat grinder during the Second War."
"I heard Lord Third is getting old and paranoid about his position, so he's started suppressing any ninja with high prestige."
"Do you think Lord Sakumo is being suppressed by the Third Hokage too?"
"Shh! You have a death wish? Keep your voice down!"
Walking home, Taiichi had intended to pulse his sensory chakra to check for tails, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he overheard these explosive whispers.
Taiichi was stunned. I didn't make these up, he thought. Did Kakashi get dissatisfied with the higher-ups and decide to spice up the rumors on his own? Does he actually have the nerve to do something that big?
Taiichi shook his head, dismissing the unreliable thought. These rumors had clearly just started spreading. Kakashi was with him earlier; if he had planned a new move, he definitely would have mentioned it.
Taiichi's mind spun deeper, and a possibility he hadn't considered before surfaced.
Could Danzo have spread these?
As for the motive? It was obvious: If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me.
The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. He unconsciously let out a laugh.
This situation was a classic case of dog-eat-dog. Let them bite each other!
After the laugh, a wave of helplessness washed over him. Danzo was certainly no saint, but without the Third's support, he couldn't have accomplished half the things he did.
It could be said that Root, and Danzo's current status—and the resulting evil—were entirely enabled by the Third Hokage.
Taiichi looked up at the distant Hokage Rock, where the faces of the three Hokages were carved.
The First Hokage: pure power, brute force. He joined hands with the "Asura of the Ninja World" to found Konoha, laying the village's foundation.
The Second Hokage: sharp and progressive, a master of forbidden jutsu. Konoha's institutions and regulations were all his handiwork.
Then there was the Third Hokage. In his youth, he was a capable guardian, but as he aged, he began to make one bad move after another. Almost every outstanding ninja in Konoha seemed to die for one reason or another under his watch.
Externally, he couldn't protect their die-hard ally, the Land of Whirlpools. Internally, even his own student, Lady Tsunade, left the village in disgust. And now, he had orchestrated this "White Fang Incident."
Taiichi sighed deeply. I really hope the Fourth's era comes soon. Maybe then life won't be so suffocating.
---
Nighttime. The Hokage's Office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was still reviewing various documents. Although his efficiency wasn't high, he slept little, which gave him plenty of time to deal with these trivial matters.
He picked up the daily village report.
When he saw the rumors circulating about Danzo, his first reaction was a happy smile. Danzo had been getting too active recently; these rumors would be perfect to cool him down.
However, his intuition as Hokage quickly alerted him to something fishy. Who spread these? At this critical juncture... was it Sakumo?
But he dismissed the thought immediately. If Sakumo were the type to do this, he would have done it long ago. Why wait until now?
The Uchiha?
No, that didn't fit either.
These rumors had too much detail. While there were errors, the general direction was frighteningly accurate. This wasn't something the Uchiha clan would know.
It got to the point where Hiruzen even doubted himself—did I actually issue an order to spread these rumors and forget about it?
Hiruzen shook his head and laughed bitterly, thinking he really must be getting old.
But then, his face changed drastically.
If even I suspect that I ordered this... what will Danzo think?!
He knew his old partner too well. When Danzo got stubborn, he wouldn't listen to anyone, not even the Hokage.
Just as Hiruzen was preparing to do something, a rapid knock on the door shattered the silence. Hiruzen's heart sank.
"Enter."
Seeing the ANBU ninja rush in with a panicked expression, Hiruzen didn't waste time on pleasantries. "What is it? Why the urgency?"
"Lord Hokage, new rumors have appeared in the village." The ANBU handed over a scroll.
As if he had a premonition, Hiruzen's hand trembled slightly as he took it. He opened the scroll, and the first line caused his pupils to contract violently.
The last of the Senju clan's forces were sent to their deaths by the Third Hokage.
Human experiments were conducted with the Third Hokage's support.
"Did you catch the ones spreading it?"
"No. By the time we noticed the rumors, the instigators had already vanished. What remains are the villagers spreading it spontaneously."
---
"What is the scale of the spread?"
"It has gained some traction, but it is currently controllable. We have deployed additional personnel. Assuming no new sources appear, the rumors can be contained."
Hearing this, Hiruzen let out a long sigh of relief. It wasn't too late; the situation wasn't irreversible.
But immediately, a surge of rage welled up inside him. He didn't even need to think—these rumors about him were definitely spread by Danzo.
Only Danzo had the motive and the gall to do something like this at a time like this.
"Go. Summon Danzo immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
Not long after, Danzo arrived at the Hokage's Office. He knew the Hokage would call for him tonight, so he had been waiting at the Root base, fully prepared.
The moment he pushed open the office door and saw Hiruzen's dark expression, Danzo felt a strange sense of satisfaction. Didn't expect this, did you? You finally have your day. If I don't show you my resolve, you'll just keep bullying me.
Leaning on his cane, Danzo walked slowly into the office. The heavy door closed behind him, cutting off all sound from the outside world.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy. Neither man spoke first. The air was thick with blue smoke—clearly, the Hokage had smoked quite a bit to soothe his anger.
---
Hiruzen sat behind his massive desk, his fingers gripping the scroll report so hard his knuckles were white. His face was so dark it looked like a storm cloud.
He slammed the scroll down at Danzo's feet with a dull thud.
"Danzo!" Hiruzen's voice was low but suppressed, like distant thunder. His eyes were fixed on his old friend and rival of decades. "Explain yourself! The rumors about me that started spreading everywhere this evening..."
"This filth... tell me, what is the meaning of this?"
Danzo looked at the scroll at his feet but ignored it completely.
In his mind, it was Hiruzen who broke the rules first by spreading rumors to attack him. Now that I've simply retaliated—and I even left you some leeway by waiting until evening—you're getting angry out of shame?
Danzo pretended to be choked by the smoke, coughing lightly into his hand twice, before raising his cloudy eye. There was no ripple of emotion in it, only his usual shadow and cold indifference.
"Filth?" Danzo scoffed. He tapped his cane on the floor, not too hard, not too soft. "Hiruzen, you are the Hokage. Are you really going to be shaken by mere gossip and wind?"
Hiruzen opened his mouth to speak, but Danzo didn't give him the chance. He cut in sharply, "The village has never lacked people with malicious intent. My Root is currently tracking down the source of all these rumors with full force."
"Including the... filth directed at me earlier today!"
"Directed at you?!" Hiruzen stood up abruptly, planting both hands on the desk and leaning forward. The pent-up rage seemed ready to burst out of his body. "Danzo, tell me! These rumors that exploded this evening, every single one involving top-secret information—are you saying they have nothing to do with you?"
"Absurd!" Danzo's voice suddenly spiked, louder than Hiruzen's. He slammed his cane hard against the floor, creating a harsh scraping sound.
Whether he ordered it or not, he would never admit to it here. Besides, not only was he the type to be self-righteous even when wrong, but right now, he actually felt justified.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen! Do not spit blood on people [make false accusations]! There are leaks in the village under your governance, and someone is using these despicable methods to drive a wedge between the leadership."
"Instead of thinking about how to clean up the mess, your first instinct is to point the spear at me? At the man who handles the festering wounds of the village for you?"
"Are you questioning my loyalty to Konoha? Or are you trying to cover up your own mistakes?"
"Besides... the Senju, the experiments... could it be—they actually hit a sore spot?"
Danzo unleashed a barrage of words, venting all the frustration and anger he had felt over the past two days. But this thoroughly enraged Hiruzen.
"Silence!" Hiruzen roared, nearly dropping his pipe as ash fell to the desk. He was heaving with anger at Danzo's counter-accusation. "Sore spot? Danzo, I am the Hokage! Every decision I make is for the stability of Konoha!"
"But you—you are shaking the very foundation of the village! Those rumors—those damn details—"
"Evidence!" Danzo interrupted Hiruzen tit-for-tat, refusing to take a step back. He glared at Hiruzen. He was the one in the right this time! He couldn't allow Hiruzen to commit arson while forbidding him from lighting a lamp.
"Show me the evidence, Hiruzen! Otherwise, this is nothing but your paranoid speculation and false charges! I, Danzo, act with a clear conscience. Everything is for Konoha! If you suspect me, show me proof! If you don't have it—"
He paused, his tone dripping with naked threat and ice.
"Then mind your own business. Don't forget who helps you deal with the tumors that cannot be removed in the sunlight!"
Silence fell over the office. Dead silence.
Hiruzen had called Danzo here to accuse him of spreading rumors about the Hokage. He realized Danzo probably misunderstood and thought the earlier rumors were Hiruzen's doing.
Danzo's thought process was simpler: You attacked first. Now you accuse me? I'm going to hit back.
The two were on completely different wavelengths. From the moment they met, combat power was maxed out, firing on all cylinders. Anger, suspicion, and the bonds of the past mixed together, tearing at the fragile balance they had maintained for years.
Hiruzen began to regret it. Knowing what kind of person Danzo was, he should have clarified the situation beforehand. Now, it had turned into this mess.
The deathly silence in the office lasted for a long time, broken only by the faint sizzling of Hiruzen's pipe and the rhythmic thud-thud of Danzo's cane.
Hiruzen rubbed the space between his brows wearily, his previously straight back slumping slightly.
Looking at his comrade of many years, seeing the mix of anger, suspicion, and a trace of imperceptible grievance in Danzo's eyes, the anger in Hiruzen's heart receded like the tide.
He... seemed to have made things worse.
"Danzo..." Hiruzen's voice carried a rare raspiness and exhaustion. "The rumors about you... I did not order them."
A sharp light suddenly condensed in Danzo's eye. He looked at Hiruzen with cold skepticism, almost scoffing aloud. Such a clumsy lie! But just as he was about to unleash another round of sarcasm, Hiruzen's next words froze him in place.
"I can swear on our Teacher." Hiruzen looked up, his eyes filled with gravity, devoid of the political calculation Danzo was so used to. "If I instructed anyone to spread rumors about you, may my soul find no peace after death."
A solemn oath. Especially one sworn on Tobirama, the teacher they respected most. It instantly shook Danzo's certainty. He stared intently into Hiruzen's eyes, trying to find even a trace of deception.
But all he saw was exhaustion, regret, and the pain of not being trusted.
"You... really didn't do it?" Danzo's voice was tight. His cane tapped the floor heavily a few times, betraying his internal turmoil.
If Hiruzen wasn't lying, then the rumors targeting Danzo, combined with the rumors Danzo did release about Sakumo earlier, looked like someone was trying to muddy the water completely and throw the village leadership into chaos.
Then his counter-attack this evening... wouldn't that mean—
Hiruzen looked at him and nodded heavily. "Absolutely not!"
Danzo fell silent. Even so, he would never bow his head and admit, "I misunderstood you." Spreading rumors about the Hokage was a serious crime. But Hiruzen's attitude forced him to believe that a third party was indeed fueling the fire.
"Even so, those rumors slandering the Hokage have nothing to do with me either!" Danzo emphasized. "I will immediately issue orders to fully investigate the source of all rumors! Whether they target me, or the ones targeting you from this afternoon—I want to see exactly who has such guts."
Hiruzen saw Danzo's compromise. He didn't want to pursue the matter of the rumors right now; the priority was finding the mastermind. In the chaos of the night, the two reached a fragile consensus for the first time—unite against the external threat.
"Who could it be?" Hiruzen lit his pipe again, taking a deep drag, his brows furrowed in the smoke. "Those classified details aren't something an ordinary person would know."
Danzo calmed down and began to analyze, his eyes sinister. "Capable of using massive amounts of Shadow Clones, precise and cunning movements, impeccable timing... could it be the Uchiha? They have the ability, and the motive to sow discord."
Danzo immediately thought of his usual suspect.
Hiruzen glanced at him helplessly and shook his head slightly. "Uchiha Fugaku isn't that radical. Besides, the Uchiha wouldn't know these high-level secrets. Furthermore... this looks more like an attempt to protect Hatake Sakumo. The timing is too coincidental."
"But Sakumo..." Hiruzen recalled Sakumo's steady face. "He is proud and acts with integrity. He doesn't seem like the type to use such underhanded methods."
Hiruzen recalled Sakumo's character, completely unaware of how much of a blow his words dealt to Danzo.
So, implying that Danzo—and even Hiruzen himself—are exactly the type of people who love using underhanded methods!
"Perhaps infiltration by forces outside the village?" Danzo's thoughts expanded. "Hidden Rock? Hidden Sand? Even the Daimyo? They would love to see internal strife, smearing the leadership to pour oil on the fire and cause instability."
"There is that possibility," Hiruzen agreed. "But to drive a wedge between you and me so precisely, referencing those old events... which clan or village do you think possesses such an intelligence network?"
The two went back and forth, screening every possible suspect again and again—ambitious clans, hostile villages, even deep-cover opposition forces.
They considered every conspiracy theory, analyzed countless motives and methods...
The lights in the Hokage's Office burned all night.
It wasn't until the first rays of sunlight filtered through the window, falling onto their faces, that they realized a new day had quietly arrived.
These two men, who held the highest authority in Konoha, meticulous in thought and rich in experience, believed they controlled every undercurrent in the village.
They simulated every possibility in their minds countless times, yet missed the most trivial one. The one least fitting their "adult logic."
The massive rumor mill that shook the high command began simply with a stubborn, genius teenager wanting to protect his father's reputation. He teamed up with his equally brilliant and slightly "unruly" best friend for a hot-blooded counter-attack that carried a hint of a prank.
The original goal was naive in its simplicity: just to distract people from pointing fingers at his father. To Kakashi and Taiichi, this didn't even count as a "major conspiracy." At most, it was just a little "troublemaking" born of anger.
As for the rumors eventually implicating the Third Hokage, that was just a coincidence. The lies Taiichi wove, combined with the intelligence in his memories, were simply a little too real.
It caused the leaders to panic and suspect each other... but that was only because they had ghosts in their own hearts.