Danzo's expression darkened, turning as black as coal as he overlooked the massive expanse of land below, watching the harmonious and lively atmosphere bustling within.
The territory the Uchiha clan currently occupied was the very land that had originally belonged to the Sarutobi and Shimura clans.
"Damn the Nine-Tails. Damn Minato Namikaze," Danzo cursed under his breath.
If only the Nine-Tails hadn't spat out that Tailed Beast Bomb, or if Minato had actually succeeded in blocking it, the Shimura compound wouldn't have been utterly destroyed. His clan's generations of wealth and foundational assets wouldn't have vanished into thin air.
"And damn Hiruzen!"
Failing to secure the prime real estate for himself, the Hokage had dragged Danzo down with him. Now, both the Sarutobi and Shimura clans were forced to nestle in the cramped, desolate corners of the village.
But none of that mattered now. Ultimately, this was all the Uchiha clan's fault. The Uchiha shouldn't even be allowed to exist in the ninja world.
Time passed. Everywhere in Konoha, people were bustling with the feverish energy of reconstruction. Yet, beneath this thriving atmosphere, an inexplicable undercurrent began to surge.
At the reconstruction site of Ichiraku Ramen, a craftsman gathered his coworkers around during their break, his voice dropping to a secretive whisper.
"Did you hear? The demon fox from two months ago... it was unsealed and released by the Uchiha clan."
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Of course it's true!" the man boasted. "My great-aunt's husband's second aunt's cousin's niece's boyfriend is a squad captain in the Anbu! How could his intel be fake?"
"So that's how it is," another worker muttered, realization dawning. "No wonder the Uchiha clan didn't suffer any losses that night. They were the ones pulling the strings behind the scenes all along!"
Similar conversations were taking place in the streets and alleys. Two low-level ninja stood chatting in the shadows.
"The more I think about it these past few days, the more suspicious it gets," one ninja muttered. "That tomoe pattern in the demon fox's eyes... the more I picture it, the more it looked exactly like the Uchiha clan's Sharingan."
"Right? You felt it too?" the second ninja eagerly agreed. "I've always thought there was something wrong with the Uchiha. Now it's obvious. They were the ones who released the demon fox and killed the Fourth Hokage."
"As expected, they're an evil clan. Nothing good ever comes from dealing with an Uchiha!"
The rumors slowly but steadily seeped through the lowest levels of Konoha, spreading like a plague.
"Young Master, these are the most widespread rumors about our clan currently circulating among the civilians."
An Uchiha Jonin respectfully handed a scroll over to Jie Uchiha.
"These villagers are going too far," the Jonin continued, his tone laced with suppressed anger. "During the Night of the Nine-Tails, our clan risked our lives to cover their retreat. We even willingly gave up our old compound so they could have a place to rest and rebuild. And now, they attack us over a few baffling rumors? It's completely unreasonable."
"Alright, Shiraishi. There's no point getting angry at a bunch of civilians," Jie said with a light smile, leisurely unrolling the scroll. "They're just a bunch of fence-sitters, swaying whichever way the wind blows."
Shiraishi Uchiha was an elite Jonin of the clan. Ever since Jie had proven his unparalleled capabilities to Fugaku Uchiha, he had formally taken up the mantle of the young clan head. Shiraishi was the personal bodyguard and liaison officer Fugaku had specifically assigned to him.
'Still using these tired, old tricks. No wonder you could never beat Hiruzen, damn Shadow,' Jie thought, shaking his head.
Glancing at the scroll a few more times, Jie instantly lost interest. Danzo had used the manipulation of public opinion to destroy the White Fang, and now he was trying to recycle the exact same tactic against the Uchiha.
Did Danzo really think the Uchiha clan would succumb to a few rumors and commit mass suicide like Sakumo Hatake? He had spent days preparing for this, and this was the best he could do?
As expected, when it came to the art of scheming, the ninja world was leagues behind his previous world. Especially since Jie hailed from a country that had spent thousands of years perfecting the art of internal political strife since the dawn of civilization.
'Life truly is as lonely as falling snow,' he mused.
"Shiraishi, have you finished what I asked you to prepare?" Jie asked, tossing the scroll onto his desk.
"Everything is ready," Shiraishi reported, standing at attention. "A total of fifty highly trustworthy clansmen, all with fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan and a mastery of Genjutsu."
Although Shiraishi didn't quite understand Jie's overarching plan, it didn't stop him from strictly executing his young clan head's orders.
"Excellent," Jie nodded. "Take those fifty men to the streets and find out exactly who is spreading these rumors..."
"And then we arrest them all?" Shiraishi interrupted, his eyes flashing with excitement.
"Of course not. It's never that simple," Jie replied, a dark chuckle escaping his lips. "Once you find out who is spreading the rumors... join them. Help them add fuel to the fire."
Shiraishi blinked, momentarily stunned.
"I want everyone in this village to hear these rumors in the shortest amount of time possible," Jie instructed, his voice dropping to a cool, commanding register. "And while you're at it, place a subtle Genjutsu on those rumormongers so they can help us spread a new rumor."
A profound, calculating look crossed Jie's face. Seeing that familiar expression on his young master, Shiraishi immediately knew someone in Konoha was about to suffer immensely.
With Jie secretly pulling the strings from the shadows, the speed at which the rumors spread multiplied a hundredfold. After all, when it came to covert hypnosis and psychological manipulation, what in the world could possibly compare to the Uchiha's Sharingan?
In a mere two or three days, everyone in Konoha—from the lowest civilian to the highest Jonin—knew about the rumors regarding the Uchiha's involvement in the Nine-Tails attack.
But at the exact same time, a second, equally explosive rumor began to gain massive traction.
"Hokage Aide Danzo Shimura and his Root Anbu never showed up during the Night of the Nine-Tails."
"Cold-blooded Danzo! He stood by and watched while disaster struck our village!"