Inside the ANBU headquarters of Konoha, Natsuhiko stood quietly by the window, gazing out at the village.
The sun had only just risen, casting a soft light over Konoha as it slowly stirred to life. There was already a hint of energy in the air, though it hadn't fully awakened yet—after all, it was still early.
Ever since becoming a Commander, Natsuhiko rarely reported to work this early anymore. He had long since stepped away from the front lines and into a managerial role; naturally, he no longer needed to push himself as relentlessly or wear himself down like those still in execution units.
But today was different.
Because of that, he had arrived ahead of time, waiting in his office, fully prepared. He needed to keep a constant eye on the situation—there was no room for carelessness.
"I wonder how things will turn out today…"
He murmured softly to himself, then let the thought fade. There was no use dwelling on it now. When the results came, everything would become clear.
It had already been some time since his battle with Nagato, yet the aftermath of that clash—and the benefits he personally gained from it—were immense.
Truthfully, Natsuhiko hadn't intended to make such a huge scene. But things had spiraled beyond his expectations. He had gone a bit too far, and Nagato's response had been… overly cooperative.
The clash between Super Shinra Tensei and Natsuhiko's Jōgan Chakra Mode combined with Sage Art: Wood Release had been nothing short of catastrophic. These were techniques capable of wiping out an entire great ninja village, and when they collided, the resulting shockwaves were beyond imagination.
Even though no cities or towns were directly damaged, the aftereffects spread far and wide.
From the battlefield's epicenter, both the capital of the Land of Fire and Konoha itself felt intense tremors.
Beyond that, the Land of Rivers, Sunagakure, the Land of Rain—even the remote borders of the Land of Earth—experienced the quake.
The Land of Fire was not prone to earthquakes, and even if one did occur, it would never reach such terrifying intensity.
More importantly, at that exact moment, the sensory units of every village clearly felt it—the overwhelming chakra fluctuations that inspired absolute despair.
That alone proved the truth: this was no natural disaster.
Someone had been fighting.
But what kind of people could produce such a phenomenon?
No one had the answer. And even Natsuhiko, one of the very individuals responsible, had no intention of providing one.
Left with no choice, the various villages began their own investigations. Natsuhiko, in turn, had to dispatch ANBU operatives to gather intelligence and assess the situation.
What he hadn't expected was the result.
He had only intended for the ANBU to go through the motions—to put on a show. Yet they exceeded all expectations and actually uncovered traces of Orochimaru.
Considering the battlefield had been utterly devastated by his clash with Nagato, the fact that they could still find anything at all spoke volumes about the ANBU's training.
"…Did I just end up digging my own grave?"
After reviewing the report, Natsuhiko could only shake his head with a wry smile. Fortunately, they hadn't found any trace of him. Otherwise, explaining things would have become… troublesome.
Natsuhiko knew his strength well.
He was powerful—so powerful that even the future Pain, who would attack Konoha, likely wouldn't stand a chance against him.
If he pushed further, he could probably contend with Naruto in his initial Nine-Tails chakra state.
As for Sasuke with his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Natsuhiko might be able to fight him, but victory would be little more than wishful thinking.
Of course, Sasuke wouldn't have an easy time defeating him either. Most likely, the battle would end in a stalemate. Even if Natsuhiko found himself at a disadvantage, he wouldn't go down so easily.
By any reasonable measure, that level of strength was already extraordinary—almost invincible.
And yet…
Compared to a monster like Madara Uchiha, it still wasn't enough.
After all, Madara hadn't faced Naruto or Sasuke alone.
He had faced both of them—together.
The most alarming part was this: even Sasuke, with his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, had been utterly overpowered when facing a blind Madara—pierced straight through and left there, helplessly waiting for death.
That kind of overwhelming strength was almost impossible to comprehend. And if one factored in how Madara had extracted the tailed beasts and nearly killed Naruto in the process, then without the intervention of the Sage of Six Paths, Madara would have already achieved the unthinkable—eliminating the world's destined saviors.
"So… compared to him, my strength isn't nearly enough. I'd better keep a low profile and develop steadily."
Even with the power he already possessed, Natsuhiko felt it was wiser to proceed cautiously.
He understood that, at times, he had already been rather high-profile within Konoha. But he had never intended to rely solely on brute force to suppress everything in his path.
Power could make others submit. It could instill fear, forcing obedience. But obedience born of fear was shallow—something that existed only on the surface.
Whether it was authority or strength, using the harshest methods to crush others had always been the crudest—and least effective—approach.
Danzo was the perfect example.
After gaining power, he had become adept at coercion through force. Whether dealing with enemies or allies, he relied on the same tactics: ambushes, assassinations, even the slaughter of entire clans.
And in the end, the backlash he invited was clear. When Danzo died, the fact that Konoha didn't celebrate with drums and fireworks was already a sign of restraint.
Natsuhiko had never been concerned about Danzo. In fact, he had deliberately allowed him to act as he pleased, because he knew exactly how things would end—Danzo would be consumed by his own extremism and arrogance.
Before long, he would become a figure despised by all, rejected and abandoned.
And when that moment came, not only Danzo, but even Hiruzen Sarutobi behind him would suffer the consequences.
Danzo wasn't the only one like that.
Madara Uchiha, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, and even Nagato—whom Natsuhiko had dealt with not long ago—were all cut from the same cloth.
Cold. Arrogant. Lofty beyond reach.
The attitude they displayed was always one of disdain toward ordinary people.
And such contempt inevitably provoked resistance. As the saying goes, where there is oppression, there is rebellion.
Humans, after all, are thinking beings. Each person carries a unique spark of soul, possessing their own humanity.
Soul, will, humanity—these weren't measures of strength, but of spirit. Yet they had the power to shape everything.
Because no one wanted to live under fear and shadow forever.
By now, Natsuhiko's strength could be considered unrivaled within Konoha—and even across the entire shinobi world for the time being.
Unless enemies came from the heavens… or rose from beneath the earth.
If he wished, he could act entirely on his own will, using his power to suppress, eradicate, or even annihilate entire clans that opposed him.
But what would that achieve?
Nothing more than a puppet world—lifeless, stagnant, devoid of vitality.
Worse still, it would plant deep seeds of hatred, or reduce the entire world into something hollow, stripped of its very soul.
Honestly, if it came to that, it might as well resemble the Ōtsutsuki clan's "traditional craft"—turning everyone into nutrients hanging from trees.
Natsuhiko did sometimes use his authority and strength to suppress those who refused to cooperate, but those were exceptions rather than the rule.
Most of the time, he acted within established boundaries. And looking ahead, it was clear that his methods would only grow more tempered.
"So whether it's because the enemies ahead are too powerful, or because I want better control over the village in the future… I need to keep myself in check."
His gaze drifted toward the streets below, where more and more people were beginning to fill the village.
"…Though I won't end up hanging from a tree like the Ōtsutsuki… somehow, I feel like I'm becoming more and more suited to hanging from a lamppost instead."
The thought made him pause, a faint, self-aware irony surfacing in his mind.
Just then, the door to his office opened, and Sora and Renge stepped inside together.
"Commander, everything is ready."
"Is that so? Then let's begin. Today's work will keep you both busy."
For the ANBU, today was indeed going to be a hectic one.
Because this was the first day that the propaganda department Natsuhiko had established would finally produce tangible results.
Sometimes, Natsuhiko couldn't help but feel grateful that the world he lived in—a world of shinobi—allowed for relatively efficient communication and information exchange.
And, of course, it was a world where extraordinary abilities existed.
If this had been an ancient feudal kingdom, Natsuhiko's propaganda apparatus would likely never have gotten off the ground.
Back then, the flow of information was slow and unreliable. If the policies he wished to promote ever conflicted with local interests, they could easily be intercepted and suppressed by regional gentry or officials before they ever reached the people.
The timely and accurate transmission of intelligence had always been the most effective way to gain the upper hand—this was a truth that had never changed, no matter the era.
Once information became distorted, all kinds of problems would follow. At the same time, it would inevitably give rise to those who profited from manipulating or trading in that information.
Such phenomena weren't uncommon in the shinobi world either, though they were mostly concentrated within conflicts between ninja.
As for ordinary information exchange, however, this world was still capable of achieving something relatively fast and efficient.
"Of course… the most important factor is that Konoha isn't particularly large, and those with extraordinary abilities are all concentrated within the village."
By relying on the strength of ninja to ensure the accuracy and delivery of information, Natsuhiko's newspapers gained an exceptional layer of protection.
Without that kind of force backing them, there was no way his publication could have spread as it would.
Power wasn't always meant for attack—sometimes, its role in protection and defense was just as vital.
"At this point, all available ANBU—aside from those already on missions—have been sent out to assist with promotion. All that's left now is to wait."
Watching Sora and Renge leave the office, Natsuhiko stretched lazily, briefly wondering if he should head out himself to take a look.
But after a moment's thought, he decided against it. It was better to remain here and wait for reports to come in. For something like this, maintaining composure would yield better results.
...
Meanwhile, out on Konoha's streets, conversations had begun to surface—quiet at first, but spreading quickly.
"Hey, have you heard? There's a new shop in Konoha selling something interesting… I think it's called a newspaper."
"A newspaper? What's that?"
"Apparently it's something new—filled with all kinds of interesting stories from different places."
"Isn't that just like a book?"
"Not quite. They say the information is real—and up to date."
No one knew exactly where these discussions had started, nor did they fully understand what this mysterious "newspaper" really was.
And yet, that didn't stop curiosity from taking hold.
Konoha's residents had always maintained a relatively high literacy rate, which was why books filled with strange tales and anecdotes sold quite well within the village.
But books mostly recorded the past. When it came to current events, people relied on word of mouth or official announcements from Konoha.
They had never really had a way to actively seek out timely information for themselves—there simply hadn't been a channel for it.
But now, it seemed something like that had appeared.
Something that could deliver fresh, immediate information… and even make it interesting.
How could that not capture their attention?
Kawamitsu was one such villager.
A civilian through and through, he had once tried his luck at the Ninja Academy entrance test at the age of five. Unfortunately, he lacked the ability to become a ninja.
Still, he was an optimist. Even without becoming a ninja, he managed to live a happy life in Konoha.
In fact, not becoming one might have been a blessing in disguise.
For years, Konoha had been embroiled in war. And just when peace had finally returned, the Nine-Tails incident struck, plunging the village into chaos once more.
That alone was enough to leave a bitter taste.
But what troubled him most was something else entirely.
The pride of civilian-born ninja, the Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze—had been forced into recovery because of the Nine-Tails incident.
As a result, leadership of Konoha had reverted once more to the Third Hokage.
Kawamitsu didn't dislike the Third Hokage.
But he admired the Fourth far more.
And now, no one seemed to know how the Fourth Hokage was doing—not even the slightest bit of information had been made public.
That silence unsettled him deeply.
"I wonder… this thing, the newspaper, right? Do you think it might have any news about the Fourth Hokage?"
Kawamitsu pondered silently to himself. After a moment, he decided there was no harm in buying a copy to take a look.
Of course, that depended on the price. He wasn't a ninja, after all—his income was limited, and he couldn't afford anything too expensive.
"…Why is it so cheap?"
To his surprise, the newspaper cost far less than he had expected. Though it wasn't nearly as thick as even the slimmest books, it didn't look lacking in content at all.
The low price made him hesitate for a moment. Could it be filled with nonsense? Cheap things often were.
But the moment he started reading seriously, all his doubts vanished.
He was hooked almost instantly.
Right there on the front page, something astonishing caught his eye—information about Orochimaru, disclosed with authorization from the ANBU.
Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha.
Even if he had now been branded a rogue ninja, much of what had happened back then had never been clearly explained.
In other words, very few people truly understood the details behind his story. To ordinary villagers like Kawamitsu, those events had always felt distant—almost untouchable.
And yet now, this newspaper had laid it all out in the open.
The impact was overwhelming.
It stirred something deep within him—a curiosity he couldn't ignore.
"Can they really publish something like this…? Never mind, I'd better read it now. Who knows if it'll still be available later."
With that thought, Kawamitsu immersed himself completely.
And he wasn't alone.
At that very moment, countless others who had gotten their hands on the newspaper found themselves drawn in just the same. They devoured every line, unable to stop, while the content itself seemed to pull them deeper and deeper.
...
"So that's what really happened with Lord Orochimaru…"
Inside a dango shop, four figures sat gathered around a table—Might Guy, Aoba Yamashiro, Anko Mitarashi, and Kurenai Yuhi. Spread out before them was the same newspaper, and each of them was reading it with rapt attention.
It had captivated them as well.
Especially Anko.
As Orochimaru's former student, she had always been deeply invested in anything related to him. Deep down, she had never truly believed that her teacher could commit such acts. Even when it was said that Orochimaru had attacked Fugaku Uchiha, she had preferred to believe there was more to the story—some hidden truth behind it all.
But now, with certain ANBU records partially declassified, she couldn't help but feel shaken.
Maybe… it was all real after all.
She had never trusted the ANBU before. But ever since Kakashi's position as a division commander had come to light—and especially after rumors spread that the head of the ANBU might be someone they all knew, their former classmate Natsuhiko Senju—their perception had begun to shift.
And this time, the information presented by the ANBU was thorough, detailed, and difficult to refute.
More intriguingly, the report subtly hinted at something else: that Orochimaru could not have carried out everything alone.
Which meant… he might have been manipulated.
Somewhere out there, the one who controlled him was still at large.
The ANBU were investigating, of course, but the implication was clear—the person behind it all held significant power, making the inquiry far from simple.
Of course, the idea that Orochimaru had been controlled was something only those who still believed in him might accept. Whether others would see it the same way was another matter entirely.
But regardless, this exposé—objective, detailed, and cautiously neutral—was enough to leave a strong impression.
For many ninja, it was their first real encounter with something like this.
And just like that, the newspaper had earned their interest… and their approval.
"I just hope Ka— I mean… I hope the ANBU can release a more detailed report."
Might Guy rubbed his chin, ending his thoughts with an awkward remark. He had almost said Kakashi's name again. That revelation from before had left such a deep impression on him that it was impossible to forget.
"Alright, let's not dwell on that," Aoba Yamashiro cut in quickly, clearly trying to ease the tension before it grew uncomfortable. "Let's see what else is in here. I'm getting more and more curious about this newspaper."
"Exactly. There has to be more than just this, right?" Kurenai nodded in agreement, her interest thoroughly piqued.
The content so far could only be described as explosive. Kurenai wasn't usually one for gossip, but even she found herself drawn in. She genuinely wanted to know what other stories the paper held—what other intriguing pieces were waiting to be uncovered.
With everyone in agreement, Aoba flipped the page.
Soon, their attention settled on an article—not particularly large, but not insignificant either.
Rather than a conventional report, it read more like a personal account. It was the testimony of a ninja—an ANBU operative—recounting the strange and memorable experiences from one of his missions.
The piece revealed many things that outsiders would never normally know.
For instance, it described the ANBU's training—tedious, grueling, and painfully demanding. Though the text didn't go into excessive detail, it conveyed just how exhausting and relentless that training truly was, covering a vast range of disciplines.
And even after enduring all that, one wouldn't necessarily become a qualified ANBU operative right away. They still had to start from the most basic patrol duties, gradually working their way up before being entrusted with more advanced missions.
In the article, the anonymous ANBU ninja recounted one particular assignment.
It had been a bloody mission.
His orders were to eliminate an ordinary family living in a small town within the Land of Fire.
At the time, the task had left him utterly confused. As a ninja, why was he being ordered to kill civilians? And not just one person—but everyone in the household, regardless of age or gender?
Yet he did not question it.
He did not resist.
Carrying a heavy heart, he carried out the mission.
He wrote that he would never forget that night—the expressions on the faces of those who died by his hand.
But later, after learning more intelligence, he finally understood.
That seemingly ordinary family had been passing along a significant amount of information to the Land of Wind.
While it wasn't directly related to ninja operations, the data they transmitted included city layouts, population distributions, and other strategically valuable details.
And that wasn't all.
The head of the household, a merchant, owned a factory—and within that factory, he had secretly sheltered numerous ninja from Sunagakure.
On the surface, such individuals might not seem as dangerous as rogue ninja.
But the damage they could cause… was just as terrifying.
That was why the ANBU had decided to eliminate them—swiftly and without leaving any survivors.
It wasn't just about removing a threat. It was meant to serve as a warning.
A lesson to deter others.
By doing so, they could protect the Land of Fire while also discouraging further infiltration and expansion by enemy forces.
Objectively speaking, the story itself wasn't particularly new—it was the kind of tale one might call familiar, even worn.
But hearing it told from the perspective of the ANBU gave it a completely different weight.
More than anything, the article revealed the inner journey of that ninja—his doubts, his pain, and the growth that followed.
And at the very end, it concluded with a single line:
"At first, I didn't understand why I had to do such things. Later, I came to understand.
We are messengers of the darkness. We are those who hide within the shadows to protect Konoha.
The Commander once said this—
We are all heroes. We walk in the night, serving the light."
When Might Guy and the others finished reading that final line, they all fell silent.
A strange yearning stirred within them, unbidden yet undeniable. The impact of those words was far greater than they had expected.
And it wasn't just them.
Across Konoha, countless ninja who had read that passage found similar thoughts quietly forming in their hearts.
Those thoughts were still vague, not yet fully shaped—but regardless, a seed had been planted.
And after reading that article, their desire to explore the rest of the newspaper only grew stronger.
...
"…This is interesting."
Within the Hyūga clan compound, Hyūga Hiashi sat in his home, the newspaper spread open in his hands as he sank into deep thought.
He had already read the exposé on Orochimaru. It was indeed engaging, even fascinating—but as the head of a great clan, none of that information was new to him.
He could tell that everything written there was accurate.
And perhaps that was precisely what unsettled him.
Strictly speaking, such information should have been kept under the highest level of secrecy. The matters involved could very well point toward a certain figure seated in the Hokage's office.
No matter how one looked at it, that was not a good thing.
Handled poorly, it could even trigger extreme consequences.
As a clan head, his perspective was different from that of ordinary people. From this single report, he could already sense just how tense the internal dynamics among Konoha's higher-ups had become.
He had always known that such conflicts existed beneath the surface, but seeing things escalate to this extent still caught him off guard.
He had chosen to remain neutral, which for now spared him from trouble. But neutrality was never a guarantee of safety—no one could say what the future might bring.
Especially not with those neighbors of his—the clan with the red eyes.
They had clearly made their choice.
And they were already beginning to change.
The newspaper in his hands even detailed the recent reforms within the Konoha Military Police Force.
Promoting those changes, in another sense, was equivalent to promoting the Uchiha clan itself.
Hiashi had witnessed firsthand just how isolated the Uchiha had become. Other clans dared not support them, while the villagers of Konoha regarded them with suspicion and resentment.
It could be said that they had been drifting further and further away from the village. Whatever might happen in the future would not have been surprising.
But now, with this kind of coverage, their image could begin to recover—at least to some extent. If they continued to change, then perhaps… their future wouldn't be so bleak after all.
"Beyond the internal struggles… there's also quite a lot about the outside world."
Hiashi's gaze lingered on the pages.
The articles about Konoha itself were compelling, but what truly caught his attention was the information regarding other villages.
Even though those sections were brief and avoided highly sensitive details, the newspaper still managed to mention certain noteworthy movements from foreign powers.
That alone spoke volumes.
To consistently monitor such developments—and to relay that information so quickly—meant that whatever stood behind this "newspaper" was no ordinary force.
"With intelligence this extensive, and the ability to deliver it so promptly… without the ANBU, no one would believe it possible."
Hiashi let out a quiet sigh.
This so-called "special contribution from the ANBU"…
In his eyes, this newspaper was nothing less than an ANBU operation from start to finish.
Recalling the recent wave of mutual accusations between the Hokage's office and the ANBU, Hiashi found his suspicions growing stronger.
"It seems… Konoha is about to become far more interesting," he murmured to himself, his gaze lowering slightly. "I wonder where the Hyuga will stand..."
—
"What exactly does that brat think the ANBU is?!"
Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his hand down on the desk, his anger barely contained as he stared at the newspaper before him.
As Hokage, he could clearly see that Natsuhiko hadn't revealed any truly classified secrets.
But at the same time, he understood all too well just how impactful—how dangerous—this so-called newspaper was.
Right from the opening article, it tackled Orochimaru.
Even if the tone was relatively objective and neutral, there was an unmistakable implication woven into the text—that figures of great authority might be involved.
And that was precisely what made Hiruzen uneasy.
After all, Orochimaru had been allowed to escape back then—by him.
Wasn't this, in a roundabout way, pointing the finger straight at him?
And that wasn't all.
The paper went to great lengths to praise the ANBU. That personal account written from the perspective of an ANBU operative—it was nothing less than a piece of propaganda, elevating the organization's image.
Then there were the reports about other villages.
Conflicts breaking out in certain regions, casualties rising.
Unstable territories, ninja forces mobilizing in secret.
When combined with the earlier portrayal of the ANBU, all of it subtly built a single narrative:
That it was the ANBU standing in the shadows, keeping these dangers at bay—shielding Konoha, protecting the Land of Fire—so that its people could live in peace.
Just thinking about it made Hiruzen's scalp tingle.
And yet… he couldn't entirely deny its effectiveness.
Some information, it seemed, was better shared than buried.
By revealing certain truths to the public, one could satisfy their curiosity while projecting an image of transparency—of having nothing to hide.
At the same time, disclosing limited intelligence about other villages sent a clear message: every move was being watched. If they intended to act recklessly, they had better consider the consequences.
More than anything, Hiruzen realized just how powerful this medium was when it came to shaping public opinion.
He could easily imagine how much support the ANBU must be gaining right now.
At present, Natsuhiko was merely building momentum—cultivating influence—and focusing it on promoting the ANBU.
But what about the future?
If one day Natsuhiko turned that same force of public opinion against him…
Would he be able to withstand it?
"No… I need a way to counter this."
Hiruzen raised his pipe and took a long drag, soon filling the room with thick smoke as his thoughts churned.
For a brief moment, the idea crossed his mind—perhaps he could simply shut down this newspaper and establish one of his own.
But just as quickly, he dismissed it.
If he did that, no matter how he tried to explain it, it would only make things worse. It would look as though he were confirming there was something between him and Orochimaru—silencing the paper out of fear that the ANBU might expose more.
No.
That path was closed to him.
The only viable option was to create something similar himself.
Only by doing so could he gradually reclaim control over public opinion—and steer it back in his favor.
"Fortunately, I still have the Root."
Hiruzen let out a quiet sigh. He had reinstated Danzo as the head of Root, and under his leadership, the organization had begun operating once more.
That, at least, was good news.
With Root, he had access to intelligence—and perhaps, a means to respond.
"Though… where is that man? Something this serious has happened, and he hasn't even shown up?"
Hiruzen frowned slightly, unable to hide his curiosity. The matter of the newspaper was no small issue—it was potentially dangerous.
And yet, Danzo was nowhere to be seen.
What Hiruzen couldn't possibly imagine was that, at this very moment, Danzo was standing deep within a forest on the outskirts of Konoha.
Before him stood a man wearing dark sunglasses.
If Hiruzen had been there, he would have recognized him immediately—
Shibi Aburame.
...
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