(Bonus Chapter)
Back inside the Uchiha clan compound, Uchiha Ran waved his hand, and the entire clan sprang into action—gathering white paper, printing equipment, and editing content.
Five hours later, a freshly printed newspaper was born. In the upper-left corner, large characters read:
Konoha Daily
Cheers erupted across the compound.
Ran picked up a copy and read it from beginning to end.
"Hero's Son or Demon Fox? Revisiting the Truth Behind the Nine-Tails Incident!"
"Shocking! The Hero's Son Can't Even Afford Basic Living Expenses—A Distortion of Humanity or Moral Collapse?"
"Human Experiments: Orochimaru Acting Alone, or Tacit Approval from the Village's High Command?"
"The White Fang Once Saved a Man—So Why Did That Same Man Join the Mockery After Returning to the Village?"
"Why Did the Senju Clan Vanish? Is Tsunade the Only One Left? And Why Do the Trees in Front of the Senju Compound Look Like Human Silhouettes?"
Ran sneered coldly.
"Alright. Follow this template and start printing. Today's target is ten thousand copies. One ryo each."
"Yes!"
Both civilians and shinobi of the Uchiha clan moved swiftly. Ever since Ran had unified the clan, internal divisions had vanished.
Without a word, everyone had tacitly acknowledged him as the new clan leader.
As for Uchiha Fugaku…
Three hours later, all ten thousand copies were finished. Ran divided them into twenty groups of five hundred, ready for distribution at seven in the morning.
Uchiha Itachi stared at the newspaper, his pupils trembling. He looked at Ran.
"Second brother… is all of this true? If it is, then—"
"Then it's too insane? Too dark?" Ran cut in calmly, as if reading his mind.
Itachi nodded. He had never imagined the village's hidden side could be like this. The lofty image of the Third Hokage in his heart collapsed in an instant.
At the same time, a chill ran down his spine.
Someone rotten to the core—yet he had interacted with him for years. All that kindness had been nothing but an act.
Uchiha Shisui frowned and pointed at one section.
"Some of this has to be fake, right? Like this gossip about Uncle Fugaku and his son."
Ran glanced over and nodded.
"Besides serious material, we need lighter content to stir interest. That's how it spreads. Men, women, young, and old—everyone will buy one. It's cheap, just something to read."
Shisui nodded slowly, then looked back at the front-page headline and the deeds of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō Shimura, falling silent.
Birds of a feather, indeed.
---
Hokage Office
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the main seat, feeling as though the chair beneath him was burning. An oppressive haze weighed on his chest.
Across from him, Danzō Shimura slammed the table.
"Hiruzen, I don't understand what you're hesitating over. Even if Naruto is possessed by Namikaze Minato, so what? Kill him and the problem is solved."
Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe and exhaled slowly.
"And then what? Killing Naruto would only confirm all of it. What benefit would that bring you or me?"
"The relationship between the ninja clans and the village would completely fracture. Konoha could even split apart. Wouldn't that destroy the First Hokage's life's work? We would become sinners."
He stood and walked to the window, pushing it open. Thick white smoke drifted out, resembling a distant fire.
"So what? We do nothing?" Danzō demanded. "Wait for Minato Namikaze to unite the clans and launch a coup?"
"A coup…?"
Hiruzen stared at the bustling village below, silent for a long time.
"Danzō, which do you think is worse—a coup, or Konoha collapsing entirely? Do you think you can silence the mouths of millions of villagers?"
Danzō lowered his head. He knew Hiruzen was right—but ambition still burned within him.
He had waited too long. The Hokage's seat was slipping away.
Why should he accept that?
His gaze drifted to Hiruzen's Hokage robes, eyes filled with desire.
"I hope you won't regret this."
Danzō turned and left.
This time, Hiruzen said nothing. He only continued smoking his pipe, staring into the distance.
---
Naruto's Home
Minato Namikaze avoided mentioning a coup. Instead, he asked the heads of the major clans to look after Naruto and ensure he no longer lived in hardship.
Uchiha Fugaku asked whether Minato had considered reclaiming the Hokage position.
Minato smiled bitterly.
"I'm only a lingering soul. I could dissipate at any moment."
"Even if I became Hokage again, how many days could I manage it?"
He understood Fugaku's intent.
Through Kurama's memories, Minato had seen the Uchiha clan's hardships over the years. But he was already dead. He couldn't lead a coup.
Fugaku fell silent. So did everyone else.
They had endured Hiruzen's rule for too long. And now, knowing what had been done to Minato's family, even those previously unaffected began to fear they might be next.
Eventually, the clan heads departed. Yet many families—intentionally or not—mentioned the idea of a coup to Fugaku, subtly leaning toward the Uchiha.
Fugaku neither refused nor encouraged them outright. He simply spoke with them calmly.
Only Minato gave Fugaku a long, meaningful look.
Before leaving, he handed Fugaku a note.
---
Back Home
Fugaku unfolded the note.
> Brother Fugaku,
The one who takes the Hokage seat now must be an Uchiha.
I only ask that after you take Konoha, you take good care of my son.
If you need anything, call on me. I will do my utmost to help you seize that position.
— Namikaze Minato
Fugaku stared at the words, emotions tangled.
Suddenly, a small, pale hand snatched the note away.
His expression changed.
"Who's there?!"
Ran smiled.
"It's me."
"Why so tense?" Ran said casually. "Let me guess—Father wanted Minato to lead a coup, but he refused?"
Fugaku sighed.
"…Exactly. Minato doesn't know how long he can last. He isn't suited to seizing power."
Ran nodded. Minato's reasoning was sound.
He looked at the note, the corners of his mouth slowly curling upward.
"So that's how it is…"
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