The more that Uchiha thought about it, the angrier he became.
And the angrier he became, the more he thought.
He became so worked up that he sobered up on the spot.
He glanced around, wanting to see who had been talking just now, but those people had already left.
At that very moment, another Uchiha walked in.
The two exchanged a glance.
Then, before long, they were engaged in a heated discussion about the exact same topic.
That very night, the discussion surrounding Uchiha Kagami spread through the Uchiha clan with astonishing speed.
More than a dozen Uchiha gathered together, all of them wearing angry expressions.
"Everyone."
One of the more dove-like members looked at the crowd and tried to calm them down.
"Don't you think something about this is strange? No one mentioned it for so many years, and now suddenly a rumor like this appears out of nowhere. Someone is clearly spreading it on purpose."
"And we don't even know who started it."
"This is very likely the scheme of another ninja village—perhaps Iwagakure. Their goal would be to drive a wedge between the Uchiha and Konoha so they can gain a greater advantage on the battlefield."
One of the hawkish members snorted coldly.
"Who started it doesn't matter. What matters is whether it's true."
"Since you say there's no problem, then fine—I only have two questions about Hiruzen Sarutobi's version."
"First. If Hiruzen Sarutobi was truly the first one to volunteer to stay behind, then after Senju Tobirama died, why didn't Hiruzen go next? Why did Kagami-senpai go instead?"
"Either Hiruzen's claim that he was the first to volunteer is false…"
"And the truth is exactly what the rumor says."
"Or…"
"Hiruzen is the kind of man whose words and actions don't match. He volunteered only to seize the Hokage position. Once he got it, he had no intention of staying behind to die."
"Hiruzen Sarutobi stole the Hokage seat that should have belonged to Kagami-senpai."
"Second. Why did they never explain in the slightest how Kagami-senpai died?"
"Where did he die? Who killed him? How did he die?"
"How do you explain those two questions? Answer me!"
These two points of doubt quickly won the agreement of many others.
"That's right. Who can explain those two suspicious points? The truth definitely wasn't what Hiruzen Sarutobi claimed."
"Either Senju Tobirama deliberately got Kagami-senpai killed…"
"Or Hiruzen Sarutobi is hypocrisy itself."
The other man couldn't come up with a good explanation on the spot and could only say:
"Maybe Kagami-senpai was already killed by Kumogakure shinobi during the earlier pursuit?"
"If that were true, wouldn't that only prove Kagami-senpai was the first one to stay behind? What right did Hiruzen Sarutobi have to claim that credit for himself?"
These people did not wholly believe the rumor.
But they had developed deep suspicion toward what had happened back then.
"We must seek justice for Kagami-senpai!"
"What belongs to the Uchiha must belong to the Uchiha!"
"We'll expose the truth and show the world the real faces of Senju Tobirama and Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
"The truly evil ones are Senju Tobirama and Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
…
…
The next day.
Early in the morning, Rasa woke up and looked at Karura, who was still sleeping soundly, before quietly leaving the room.
When he reached the courtyard gate, a faint soreness rose from his lower back. Rasa instinctively clenched a fist and thumped his waist.
Then suddenly, a figure appeared before him and dropped to one knee.
"Kazekage-sama."
Without changing expression, Rasa calmly lowered his fist and straightened his back.
Rasa had to admit that Karura truly was a good wife—too gentle, if anything.
After learning the full story, she hadn't blamed him, nor had she directed any anger toward Pakura.
She had even taken the initiative to comfort him.
But Rasa could still tell—
Karura cared.
Otherwise, she would not have dragged him into such an exhausting night.
It made Rasa sigh inwardly. As expected of a shinobi physique. Even though Karura had been a housewife for years and had not trained as a shinobi in a long time, she was still far beyond any ordinary person.
Luckily, he had completed the beginner mission and inherited one hundred percent of the former Rasa's strength.
Otherwise, he might not have been able to get out of bed this morning.
"Yashamaru, your sister already knows about the matter with Pakura."
"This matter has indeed wronged her, and it has also wronged Pakura. But for the sake of the village, we had no choice. Everything is for the village."
"Yashamaru… can you understand me?"
Yashamaru nodded.
"Kazekage-sama, I understand. The village's situation is simply too dire. You only made the most correct choice and the most correct decision. Selling out a comrade for compromise is not the way we should act."
"It's only that Father and Mother are a bit too rigid in their thinking, but I've already persuaded them."
Rasa lifted a brow.
"You've done well, Yashamaru. Thank you for your efforts. To place the greater cause of the village first—this is the spirit every shinobi of Sunagakure ought to have. As long as the village has shinobi like you, it will never fall."
"Come. We're going to the Kazekage Building."
With that, Rasa headed toward the Kazekage Building.
Yashamaru followed closely behind.
"Yes, Kazekage-sama."
When they arrived at the building entrance, Rasa first instructed the guard downstairs to go buy breakfast for him. Only then did he head upstairs and enter the Kazekage's office.
A figure was already waiting at the door.
"Kazekage-sama."
Rasa gave a slight nod.
"Yashamaru, Baki—for the matter of my wedding with Pakura in two days, I want the two of you to spread the announcement throughout the village. Any problem with that?"
The two exchanged a glance, then both nodded.
"No problem."
"Good. Then go."
"Yes, Kazekage-sama."
Their figures vanished in a flash.
Before long, the guard downstairs returned.
"Kazekage-sama, your breakfast has been bought."
"Good work."
Rasa ate while looking at the translucent panel before him.
It was the usual Sunagakure fare—flatbread, tea, and some dry cheese.
Overnight, the panel had changed.
[Name: Rasa]
[Identity: Fourth Kazekage]
[Ninjutsu: Eye of Detection, etc.]
[Taijutsu: Basic Taijutsu]
[Genjutsu: None]
[Bloodline Limit: Magnet Release - Gold Dust]
[Remaining Activations: 0]
[Remaining Points: 221]
"Already over two hundred points? Not bad. Not bad at all."
A smile appeared on Rasa's face.
"Then let's do two draws first and see what I get."
The instant the thought crossed his mind, an invisible roulette wheel spun wildly.
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained an F-rank item: One tael of gold.]
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained an E-rank item: Forged Suicide Note (Kumogakure Genin Edition).]
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
patreon.com/Inkveil_