"Lord Danzo… what is it that you want from me?"
Deep within a forest on the outskirts of Konoha, Shibi Aburame fixed his gaze on the man before him, his expression dark and tense.
Though the Aburame clan wasn't among the largest in the village, it was still a well-established family with a strong reputation and considerable strength. As its head, Shibi had access to far more information than most—and because of that, he understood all too well just what kind of person stood before him.
Danzo.
The leader of Root, Konoha's most secretive and shadowy organization.
A man whose actions could only be described as ruthless.
No one knew how many of their own he had targeted under suspicion—how many innocent lives had been ruined or erased under his orders.
There were even whispers that he had once attempted to assassinate the Hokage himself.
Rumor or not, Shibi found it easier to believe it was true. After all, this was Danzo—such things were entirely within the realm of possibility for him.
More importantly, this wasn't the first time Danzo had come to the Aburame clan demanding people.
Shibi had long since grown accustomed to swallowing his anger, but that didn't make it any easier.
And now, Danzo had come again.
He hadn't even spoken yet, but Shibi already knew what he wanted.
The thought alone filled him with quiet fury.
"My purpose here is quite simple."
Danzo seemed to notice the hostility in Shibi's expression, yet he paid it no mind. There were many in Konoha who despised him—but as long as they lacked the courage to resist, their feelings were irrelevant.
"Root is expanding. That's no secret—after all, the ANBU are doing the same."
He spoke calmly, as though discussing something entirely reasonable.
"So I need more people. Stronger people. Only then can Root better fulfill its duty of protecting Konoha."
He paused slightly, his tone turning almost persuasive.
"Given our… long-standing cooperation, I trust you'll give this proper consideration. This is, after all, something that benefits everyone."
A cooperative relationship?
Beneficial to everyone?
Shibi's expression turned even colder.
The sheer shamelessness of those words was almost beyond belief.
There had never been any "cooperation" between them—only coercion. Danzo had always used his authority to pressure him, forcing him into decisions he never truly had a choice in.
That was how Aburame Tatsuma had been taken from the clan.
A prodigy.
And since the day he had been handed over, he had never returned.
There was no contact. No news. No confirmation of whether he was even still alive.
It was a wound that had never healed—a quiet, festering pain that Shibi carried to this day.
And the man responsible stood right in front of him.
"…I'm sorry, Lord Danzo," Shibi said at last, forcing his voice to remain steady despite the anger churning within him. "But at present, the clan simply does not have suitable candidates to spare."
He hated Danzo.
But he also knew that opposing him directly was not an option.
So he endured, suppressing his emotions, trying to negotiate—because he could not, would not, hand over another member of his clan.
"Is that so?"
Danzo's expression darkened instantly.
"Shibi Aburame, I suggest you think very carefully before you answer."
His voice turned cold.
"I am not asking for your opinion. I am merely informing you of a decision."
But—" Shibi opened his mouth, intending to argue further, but Danzo had already turned away, cutting him off without so much as a glance.
As he began to walk forward, his voice drifted back—low, chilling, and impossible to ignore, piercing straight through Shibi's ears and into his heart.
"I'll give you three days."
"Three days to consider."
"And if, when that time is up, you still fail to provide me with a satisfactory answer…"
At that point, Danzo paused briefly. Then he turned his head slightly, casting a calm, indifferent glance at Shibi before speaking again in a slow, measured tone.
"If that's the case… then I'll have to take certain measures."
His gaze remained cold and detached.
"When that happens, you'll bear the consequences yourself."
With those final words, he turned and left without another glance.
Almost instantly, several figures clad in black, their faces hidden behind masks, appeared silently behind him. They cast a brief, emotionless look at Shibi before following Danzo into the depths of the forest.
In the sudden quiet that followed, Shibi stood frozen.
His face had gone pale.
This was no longer a veiled suggestion—it was a naked threat.
And one he simply could not afford to ignore.
Fury surged within him, hot and suffocating, yet it had nowhere to go. The man he faced was not someone bound by loyalty to the village, not someone who cared for its people. He was a ruthless opportunist—one who just so happened to sit at the very top of Konoha's power structure.
Shibi could resist.
But the price of that resistance…
It was unimaginable.
Especially when he knew full well that behind Danzo stood someone even more untouchable—the Hokage himself.
"…Damn it."
Letting out a quiet, helpless sigh, Shibi turned and walked away.
He hated Danzo.
That hatred burned deep.
But there was nothing he could do.
No matter how secretive Root might be, it could never truly exist outside the Hokage's authority. That was an unchangeable truth.
And because of that, Shibi found his resentment extending further—to Hiruzen Sarutobi himself.
Without the Hokage's tacit approval, how could Danzo have acted so recklessly?
How could he have returned to power after being removed?
Now, the village had begun to extend its hand directly into the clans, violating an unspoken rule that had long governed the shinobi world.
Yet Shibi was powerless to stop it.
Because the Hokage stood there.
Because Hiruzen Sarutobi stood there.
If he had any other choice, he would never allow things to come to this.
"…I doubt I'm the only one who feels this way. Konoha…"
Lost in his thoughts, weighed down by frustration, Shibi made his way toward the center of the village.
His heart felt heavy, hollow.
And yet, even as he walked, he couldn't help but begin considering candidates—thinking about who he might send.
Because no matter who he chose, their fate would likely already be sealed.
As he moved through the streets, he gradually noticed something strange.
Konoha didn't feel quite the same today.
Both civilians and ninja alike were holding large sheets of paper in their hands, reading intently as they walked or stood in place.
The level of focus was unusual—almost unsettling.
What was going on?
"…I should find out."
Shibi quickly made up his mind. Anything was better than dwelling on Danzo and the impossible choice before him.
At least this would give him something else to focus on.
"Newspaper…? What is that?"
Using his kikaichū to gather bits of information from those around him, Shibi soon learned enough to form a rough picture. But instead of clarity, it only made his expression more complicated.
In what felt like the span of a single morning, something entirely new had appeared in Konoha.
And it was spreading rapidly.
This "newspaper" seemed to contain a vast amount of information—interesting, valuable, and unlike anything people were used to.
Everyone was buying it.
Everyone was reading it.
What exactly was written inside?
Curiosity stirred.
Without hesitation, Shibi bought a copy for himself.
Only then did he finally understand what this "newspaper" really was.
"…Is this some kind of alternative bulletin?"
He raised an eyebrow as he looked at the bold, heavy lettering printed across the page.
But the moment he flipped to the first article, he froze.
Orochimaru?
Information… provided by the ANBU?
What the hell was this?
No wonder he felt stunned.
Was this really something that could just be published openly?
As a clan head, he knew better than most just how many things Orochimaru was entangled in.
This wasn't ordinary information.
This was classified—dark, sensitive, and dangerous.
This kind of information… no matter how one looked at it, it should never have been made public so casually.
"…What is this supposed to mean? Could it be…"
Shibi fell into brief contemplation before immediately lowering his head and reading the article in full.
His eyes moved quickly across the page. As a seasoned ninja, years of missions had sharpened both his reading speed and his ability to process information. It didn't take him long to finish the entire piece.
And when he did, a single thought kept echoing in his mind.
Has Konoha's leadership gone mad?
The article, on the surface, was entirely about Orochimaru. Its tone was even relatively objective.
But beneath that surface, it clearly implied something else—
That Orochimaru had not been acting alone.
That someone stood behind him.
And what did that imply?
It meant someone was openly challenging Hiruzen Sarutobi and his faction—attacking them without ever naming them directly.
More importantly, Shibi could tell that Hiruzen wouldn't dare shut this down so easily.
It wasn't just the ANBU backing this report.
Behind the ANBU stood the youngest Fourth Hokage.
If things escalated into an open confrontation, it could plunge Konoha into outright disaster.
At this point, Shibi could see it clearly—
The internal struggle within Konoha had reached an astonishing level. Not only was it intense, but the methods being used were becoming increasingly intricate.
Previously, the conflict between the ANBU—represented by the Fourth Hokage—and the Third Hokage had already erupted over the question of responsibility for Orochimaru's defection.
For a time, things had calmed down, and many believed the matter had been settled.
But now, the ANBU had struck again—using this very newspaper as a new weapon against Hiruzen.
"…Impressive, in a way."
Shibi shook his head lightly.
Just as he was about to continue reading, his movements suddenly stilled.
ANBU.
The Fourth Hokage.
Opposing the Third Hokage.
These thoughts surfaced in his mind one after another, and once they appeared, they began to take root—growing rapidly, like seeds finding fertile soil.
The Aburame clan had always maintained a neutral stance.
Put kindly, they avoided taking sides, adhering to a principle of objectivity.
Put bluntly, they lacked a firm position of their own—they simply aligned themselves with the eventual victor.
Strictly speaking, there was nothing wrong with that. Every clan had its own way of surviving.
The Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans were no different.
They claimed to stay out of conflicts, but in reality, they often hedged their bets—sending people to both sides.
When the dust settled, they could always justify their actions with a dignified excuse: preparing in advance to better serve the winner.
Shibi, however, had always been more cautious.
He preferred not to choose sides at all, because he understood the limitations of his clan's strength.
Yes, picking the right side could bring unimaginable rewards.
But one wrong move…
And everything could be lost.
The Aburame clan wasn't a great clan with overwhelming influence. They couldn't afford to gamble like that.
But now—
Shibi felt that perhaps he no longer had the luxury of remaining neutral.
"The Third Hokage's indulgence toward Danzo has already brought unimaginable pressure upon the clans," he thought, his gaze fixed on the newspaper though his mind was elsewhere. "And now, he's gone so far as to break the unspoken rules of the shinobi world—reaching directly into the internal affairs of the clans."
If things continued like this…
No one could predict what Konoha would become.
Lowering his head as if still reading, Shibi's thoughts churned rapidly.
As a clan head, he might not fully grasp the broader impact this newspaper could have on the entire shinobi world.
But he could clearly see what it would do within the village.
And that alone was enough.
Because from that, he could begin to make choices—choices that would determine the future of his clan.
For example—
"I've decided. This time, I will choose a side as well. Even if the risk is great, I have to put a stop to this!"
Shibi's resolve only grew stronger.
Especially when he thought about the steady stream of talented clan members being taken away—disappearing into places no one could trace, never to return in any meaningful sense.
Those who did come back were no longer themselves. Some were broken. Some were hollow. All of them were forced to endure constant surveillance, suffering in silence with no peace, no dignity.
The thought alone made his teeth grind together.
He had made his decision.
Compared to Hiruzen Sarutobi's increasingly cold and heavy-handed approach, why shouldn't he align himself with his former teammate—Minato Namikaze?
Minato was a man who valued bonds and loyalty. Choosing him would undoubtedly be better than following Sarutobi, even if the current Hokage still technically held power.
But what of that?
Legally speaking, Minato was the rightful Hokage now. Sarutobi was nothing more than an acting placeholder.
"I've been forced into this…"
Shibi's eyes sharpened.
"Very well. If that's how it is, then don't blame me."
At that moment, he knew exactly what he had to do.
Without hesitation, he turned and walked in the direction of his clan's district.
He needed to think carefully, to plan properly. Even though the decision had been made, he couldn't afford to act recklessly.
But one thing was already certain—
He had chosen to side with Minato Namikaze.
And he was not alone.
Many smaller clans that had suffered under Danzo's oppression felt the same way.
After reading the newspaper in a state of grief and anger, a shared realization began to take shape in their minds.
If they were going to be endlessly suppressed anyway—silenced whenever they tried to speak out against Sarutobi's overreach—then why not take a chance?
The ANBU… might actually be a viable option.
At the very least, it offered protection.
...
"Commander, the results are in."
Around noon, inside Natsuhiko's office, Sora and Renge hurried in carrying the first report.
Both of them looked visibly excited. Even without reading the document, Natsuhiko could already tell from their expressions that the outcome was likely very good.
Of course, he had never doubted it.
After all, the concept of a newspaper itself was something this world had never seen before. For him, it was almost a form of dimensional reduction in strategy.
And more importantly, he had grown up in a world flooded with information.
Even though he wasn't trained in journalism, he understood instinctively how to capture attention.
This newspaper had been designed entirely around that principle.
Orochimaru—an infamous Sannin—was more than enough to spark curiosity.
A firsthand account from an ANBU operative? That alone was bound to intrigue those already fascinated by the organization.
First-hand intelligence from outside the village? That would satisfy both curiosity and the desire for comparison.
On top of that, he had subtly inserted promotional content for the ANBU, along with narrative framing that guided readers toward a single conclusion—
It is because of the ANBU that Konoha remains safe and peaceful.
In short, everything he could think of had been included.
The only thing he had avoided was going overboard with cheap sensationalism. At the very least, he hadn't resorted to absurd clickbait headlines designed purely to shock readers into attention.
Even so, the coverage was broad enough that he was confident it would capture interest across the board.
Seeing their expressions, Natsuhiko smiled slightly.
"It looks like things went well."
Leaning back slightly, he asked calmly, "Do we have the numbers? Let me enjoy the surprise as well."
"Fifty thousand copies were printed in total, and in just one morning, we've already sold twenty thousand!" Sora said with an unrestrained smile, her face full of pride at that moment.
"And that's not even the peak yet," Renge added, managing to stay relatively composed, though it was clear she too was excited. "By noon and afternoon, sales will likely be even higher."
Hearing their report, Natsuhiko silently ran the numbers in his mind and gave a slight nod.
Konoha's permanent population was around one hundred and fifty thousand. Printing fifty thousand copies had seemed somewhat conservative at first glance, but that calculation needed to account for children and the elderly.
He also had to factor in ninja who were out on missions, those stationed long-term at the borders, and those currently outside the village entirely.
And then there were the illiterate.
Konoha's literacy rate was high—undeniably so—but even in a place like this, there were still people who couldn't read.
On top of that, there was the possibility of deliberate suppression from Hiruzen's faction, as well as situations where a single copy would be shared among multiple readers.
Taking all of that into account, printing fifty thousand copies for Konoha alone was, in fact, a very reasonable estimate.
And yet, even with that scale, twenty thousand copies had already been sold in a single morning.
A morning that, in truth, wasn't even the peak period.
Most people were either rushing to work or just finishing their night shifts and missions, heading home to rest. They had neither the time nor the inclination to stop and read a newspaper.
But once noon came, once those people took their breaks—or once they learned of the newspaper's existence later in the day—
That would be when the real wave of purchasing power erupted.
Thinking of this, Natsuhiko's expression softened slightly with satisfaction.
Cultural influence and control of public opinion depended on reach. And for a newspaper, reach was directly reflected in circulation and purchase volume.
The more ordinary readers it reached, the higher the probability that what he wanted to spread would take root in all kinds of people.
Still, he remained calm.
This was only Konoha.
Even if the results were worth celebrating, this was just the beginning.
"Good work," he said with a faint smile and a nod. Then his expression gradually turned serious again.
"But this isn't enough. What I want is for the Shinobi World Daily to truly live up to its name and spread across the entire ninja world."
"Right now, our results are solid—but this is only the beginning. The challenges ahead are far greater."
"Yes, sir!" Sora and Renge straightened immediately, answering in unison.
"For now, Konoha's response is good. Next, we'll gradually expand into the Land of Fire."
Natsuhiko paused briefly, thinking it through before continuing.
"Pay attention to content quality. I'd rather we publish less than dilute it with low-quality material. After all… the Third Hokage and his people are watching us closely."
"I have no intention of becoming their stepping stone. That would make our failure far too obvious."
"Also, keep an eye on costs. Our budget is still sufficient, but we can't afford reckless spending."
"And advertising partnerships—continue developing them. Pricing can be negotiated slowly over time."
"Understood?" he asked calmly.
"Yes, Commander!"
Seeing the two girls respond so seriously, Natsuhiko couldn't help but smile again and give a slight nod.
Truthfully, his thoughts weren't particularly complicated.
But having capable and attractive subordinates working around him certainly made the atmosphere more pleasant than being surrounded by a group of burly men.
He wasn't someone who enjoyed "forcing men into submission," after all. As a straight man, he naturally preferred the balance of male and female interaction.
Though there were certain… alternative "sensory experiences" he had no intention of exploring.
As for the two girls…
He decided to let things develop naturally. Perhaps, in time, a clear answer would reveal itself.
"Alright, let's leave that topic here for now."
Natsuhiko lifted his gaze toward the two girls, pausing for a brief moment as if weighing his words. Then, in a low, quiet voice, he spoke.
"Everyone else leave. Don't allow anyone to approach."
The moment his words fell, faint sounds echoed through the office—subtle movements, the barely perceptible presence of guards shifting positions. But just as quickly as they appeared, those sounds vanished without a trace, as if the room had been sealed off from the outside world entirely.
That single command immediately made Sora and Renge straighten.
Clearing the area and ordering the ANBU to stand down so he could meet them alone—there was no doubt about it. Whatever he was about to say was important.
"I know you're confused," Natsuhiko continued calmly, though his tone had grown noticeably more severe than before. It was a side of him neither Sora nor Renge had ever seen.
"But before I explain anything, you must promise me something."
His eyes remained steady as they rested on them.
"What I'm about to give you must not be revealed to anyone. Not a single person."
A faint pressure filled the room—not oppressive in a physical sense, but heavy in meaning.
"If I discover that you failed to do so… I can guarantee you this. There are things I am capable of doing that even Danzo would consider excessive."
"I don't like using force to pressure people—especially those close to me."
"But what I've discovered this time… is far too important."
"So tell me," he asked quietly, "can you do it? Can I trust you?"
...
At noon, Shibi Aburame quietly made his way toward the direction of the Hokage Rock.
His destination was clear: the ANBU headquarters.
The ANBU was one of Konoha's most secretive forces. Its concealment was so deep that even the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan could not easily pinpoint its location.
And yet, Konoha was a village full of powerful clans. There were always methods to trace what was meant to remain hidden.
The Inuzuka clan could track through scent. The Aburame clan, on the other hand, used microscopic insects to follow and locate targets.
Shibi had not wanted to resort to this. He knew very well that doing so might earn the hostility of the ANBU itself.
But after the morning's events—and after returning home to discuss it with his clan—he had been left with a single conclusion.
He had to remain cautious.
They could not afford to offend Danzo. Not when he was backed by Hiruzen Sarutobi. Against that combination, the Aburame clan had little room to maneuver.
It was precisely because of that protection that Danzo had become so utterly unrestrained.
In the original story, he had even stood before Shibi and openly demanded Shino be handed over to the Root.
Under Sarutobi's protection, Danzo's arrogance had reached its peak—unchecked, unquestioned.
If Shibi's son, Shino, had not been personally selected to inherit his father's path, then the Aburame clan's future generation might have looked very different indeed.
Of course, Shino was still only one or two years old now. Those events had not yet come to pass.
But Danzo's recklessness had already reached a new extreme.
With the Root reorganized and expanded under his command, it was as if he had suddenly come into unimaginable wealth.
A man like that would never restrain his desires. And more importantly—he had no intention of doing so.
Against such a person, Shibi had no choice but to proceed with extreme caution. Even if it meant risking the ANBU's suspicion, or ending up alienating both sides entirely.
Because if he directly opposed Danzo—or worse, confronted Hiruzen Sarutobi head-on—the outcome would be disastrous no matter what.
Even with ANBU protection, there was no guarantee of safety.
"This is it."
Arriving at a bustling street, Shibi knew that taking one more step forward would place him directly into ANBU territory.
And once he crossed that line, there would be no turning back.
He gritted his teeth.
Then, without hesitation, he slipped forward into the area.
The moment he fully entered, however, a sharp sense of danger exploded through his instincts.
"Secret Technique: Insect Wall!"
Without hesitation, countless kikaichū insects surged from his body, forming a defensive barrier in an instant.
At that very moment, an orange fireball tore through the air and slammed directly toward his position.
In an instant, countless insects didn't even have time to cry out before they were reduced to ash. Wisps of pale smoke drifted and dispersed around him, lingering in the air.
The black barrier formed entirely from kikaichū insects was burned through in an instant, leaving a hollow vacuum at its center.
"…Scorch Release?"
Shibi Aburame's eyes narrowed.
He was a man who had fought in wars before. During the Third Great Ninja War, he had been deployed to the Land of Rivers frontlines, resisting Sand Village's incursions. Because of that, he had actually seen Scorch Release in action before.
However, the Scorch Release user from Sunagakure had already died within Kirigakure, and more importantly, that bloodline had no known successor. In other words, it should have been effectively extinct.
And yet here it was—within Konoha's ANBU—another user of Scorch Release.
"…Insect techniques? You're from the Aburame clan?"
A female voice reached his ears as he was still processing the situation.
"Yes." Shibi gave a bitter smile and shook his head slightly. "I am from the Aburame clan."
"Why would you do something like this? Don't you understand the consequences?"
The voice came closer. At the same time, several ANBU figures materialized around him, sealing off any possible escape routes.
For a moment, Shibi couldn't help but wonder if his skills had deteriorated from years of being a clan head. Had his infiltration abilities become so poor that he was exposed the moment he stepped in?
"I understand," he replied, his expression darkening. He shook his head again. "But I have reasons I cannot ignore."
"…I see."
The female ANBU had now stopped directly in front of him. Then, as if recognizing something, she paused slightly.
"…You're here to see the Commander?"
"Yes." Shibi studied her reaction and immediately understood that his identity had already been recognized. That realization only deepened his frustration. "I apologize. This is something urgent."
"I understand." The female ANBU nodded calmly. "Don't worry. There's no one else here. You don't need to look so tense."
"R-really…?"
"Yes." She glanced at him briefly. "Clan Head, you should remember where you are. This is the ANBU."
...
Inside the Commander's office, Natsuhiko watched Sora and Renge, both of them still keeping their eyes tightly closed.
He could clearly sense the constantly shifting chakra within their bodies.
Only then did he finally let out a quiet breath of relief.
Handing over the chakra fruit to them had been an extremely risky decision.
First and foremost was the risk of exposure. While he had claimed it was something he had "accidentally discovered," that explanation would never hold up under serious scrutiny.
He wasn't particularly afraid of trouble. At least not right now—so long as the Ōtsutsuki in the heavens had not descended, and the dead beneath the earth had not crawled back to life, he still stood at the top of this world.
But once his secrets were exposed, no one could predict what kind of storm it might trigger.
The second uncertainty was the fruit itself—its true effect on others.
Even Natsuhiko didn't fully understand that.
After all, the fruits had been cultivated by him and only ever consumed by him. Whether others could absorb them properly, whether the effects would remain stable, or whether there might be unforeseen backlash—none of that was certain.
The safest method would have been to test it on a condemned prisoner first.
But the cost of cultivating each fruit was too high. He didn't want to waste that time or resource.
"In any case, I have techniques to control life itself. As long as the flame of life hasn't gone out, I can bring them back."
With that belief, he had given the fruit to Sora and Renge—and remained ready at all times, keeping his chakra circulating in preparation for any emergency.
If anything went wrong, he would intervene immediately.
Fortunately, what followed was encouraging.
The fruit could indeed be used by others, and its effects appeared to be nearly identical to when he used it himself.
Aside from the fact that digestion and comprehension of its changes took significantly longer for them, everything else was progressing in a positive direction.
And more importantly… Natsuhiko noticed something even more unusual about the fruits he had given away.
It seemed they were developing a rather special additional effect…