CH - 296 The Mutual Slander

The mutual slander between the Shinobi Times and the Root Daily inadvertently led to the downfall of both the Stone Village and Cloud Village newspapers, a fact that largely went unnoticed amid the chaos.

At this moment, all eyes were on the Shinobi Times and the Root Daily. The excitement was palpable as various secrets were laid bare by the competing publications. The situation grew increasingly intense, captivating everyone.

Countless onlookers marveled at the unfolding drama. With so many revelations surfacing, many began to question the veracity of the claims. Speculations about the ambiguous relationship between Konoha's Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and former Hokage advisor, Danzo Shimura, circulated widely. Similarly, the Grass Village leader's undisclosed preferences became a topic of heated discussion.

Rumors spread like wildfire throughout the ninja world, igniting passionate debates among bystanders about the truth behind these sensational claims.

However, as the discussions grew more heated, the faces of the Grass Village leader and the Third Hokage turned pale. It's one thing to slander a village, but targeting individuals was a different matter altogether.

Accusations of embezzling funds, undermining heroes, or lacking ninja ethics were one thing, but this? The hidden love life of the Hokage? The secret hobbies of the Grass Village leader? This was blatant slander—utterly unfounded.

"Quick! Hurry!" Both leaders clutched their chests and shouted to their aides, "Tell Danzo(Mubuki)! They need to stop—immediately!"

With their eyes closed and tears welling at the corners, they lamented, "These newspapers… it would be better if they didn't exist."

Slumped in their respective seats, both leaders stared blankly at the ceiling, as if they had lost all hope. They muttered to themselves, "How did I end up with such talented yet troublesome subordinates…"

Especially Hiruzen Sarutobi… If he had his smoking pipe with him, he would take a long, satisfying puff right now. Despite the medical ninjas' advice against smoking during this period, his heart craved it more than ever. After everything that had happened, life felt unbearable—perhaps it would be better to simply end it all.

He had assumed the role of Third Hokage during a crisis, dedicating himself tirelessly to protecting Konoha. Yet now, his lifelong reputation lay in ruins. Even the ninjas who came to visit him lately regarded him with strange expressions. Yes, he had often shown leniency to Danzo, forgiving his mistakes out of friendship and recognizing his unique role. But there was never anything more than that.

Wiping his eyes, Hiruzen sighed deeply, "Danzo and I are truly just friends…"

…

"I'm really just friends with your mother," Akihiko said earnestly, looking at the children in front of him. "This is all a conspiracy. Don't believe the rumors, and please don't spread them. You're not little kids anymore; you need to learn to tell the truth from falsehood. This is all part of Konoha's scheme to drive a wedge between us."

As he spoke, he gently patted the two children on the heads, his smile warm and reassuring. "Be good now. Go play. This is complicated stuff. Kids should focus on learning, not worrying about adult matters."

The children exchanged puzzled glances. They hadn't even asked about anything. Why was Uncle Akihiko bringing this up?

Sasuke frowned slightly, but Naruto beamed and replied, "Don't worry, Uncle Akihiko. We won't be fooled!"

With that, he grabbed the reluctant Sasuke by the hand and headed outside. "We won't disturb you anymore, Uncle Akihiko!"

"Have fun!" Akihiko smiled warmly at the well-behaved children, feeling a wave of affection for them. They are truly good kids, he thought.

Turning to Mikoto, he spoke with conviction, "Don't worry. I've already asked Mubuki to handle it. It should be resolved soon."

Danzo… what a scoundrel. Calling him a grass thief and a lover of widowed women? The audacity! Mubuki was the one who made those accusations, so Danzo should be directing his ire there, not dragging Akihiko into this mess. Hadn't he always extended his hospitality to Danzo whenever he visited? Was this how a supposed friend repaid that kindness?

If this keeps up, he'd have to wear a mask every time he went out. And what about the other clan leaders? Would they still consider aligning with Grass Village after hearing about his tarnished reputation?

He imagined the leader of the Kamizuru clan from Stone Village, already ostracized, declaring, "Our Kamizuru clan will remain loyal to Stone Village until our last breath. We will never align with Grass Village!"

He couldn't help but sigh internally, this was really shaping up to be a disaster.

"It's… it's okay," Mikoto replied, a faint blush crossing her cheeks as she realized her earlier words might have been a bit inappropriate. With a gentle smile, she added, "Kushina and I know this is all part of Konoha's scheme. After all…"

With the Shinobi Times attacking the Third Hokage so relentlessly, how could Konoha not respond? Yet, who would have guessed that Danzo, who always seemed so sinister, would resort to such unscrupulous tactics?

Then, Mikoto recalled her first encounter with Kushina, an odd expression flickering across her face. She paused for a moment before continuing, her tone mature and serious, "I'll explain everything to Sasuke later. I'm sure he'll understand. After all, he respects you very much, Akihiko."

"It's fine—he's just a kid!" Akihiko waved his hand dismissively, speaking casually. "I'm sure he'll forget about this in a few days."

As he spoke, his eyes narrowed into a smile. No one knew how to handle children better than Akihiko himself.

…

As Naruto and Sasuke walked down the street, a chill ran through them unexpectedly.

"Why does it feel so cold? Is winter coming?" Naruto rubbed his arms, muttering to himself. He glanced at Sasuke, who appeared lost in thought, and gave his shoulder a friendly pat. "What's on your mind, Sasuke?"

It was a rare day off, and Naruto had asked Sasuke to hang out. He had initially wanted to invite Karin, but when he learned that his mom was taking her shopping, he decided to stick with Sasuke instead. After all, shopping with his mom was just too exhausting. When he first arrived in Konoha, he had enjoyed accompanying her, but now, after some time, he much preferred spending time with his friend.

"Are you still thinking about what happened earlier? Don't worry—Uncle Akihiko said it's all part of Konoha's conspiracy. Why dwell on it? Don't let them fool you!" Naruto strolled casually, his hands resting behind his head.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and his eyes brightened. "Actually, if that's the case, I could really become Karin's brother!"

Just as Naruto's imagination began to take flight, Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts and replied flatly, "Who's thinking about boring stuff like that? I'm focused on getting stronger!"

"Hehehe~" Naruto chuckled at Sasuke's serious demeanor, shaking off his previous thoughts. After all, he was still just a kid, almost six years old. Overthinking was bound to give him a headache.

Rolling his eyes playfully, he smirked and teased, "Looks like Sasuke is still a kid who can't be without his mom~"

"Shut… shut up! Who's a kid?" Sasuke snapped back, irritation flaring in his voice.

"Kid Sasuke! That's who!" Naruto couldn't resist poking fun, grinning at Sasuke's annoyance.

"Idiot Naruto! Stupid Naruto!" Sasuke shot back, glaring at him. "I'm not like you! I just want to get stronger—very strong!" He clenched his fists, his eyes burning with determination. "Only then can I take my revenge."

"I... I'm sorry, Sasuke!" Naruto quickly apologized, seeing Sasuke genuinely angry. Then he placed his hands behind his head again, but his face turned serious. "I also want revenge. I want to beat that hateful guy up!"

The memory of the despicable bully, always calling on the senior students to pick on them, fueled his anger. The guy had no sense of ninja ethics whatsoever, no wonder he was held back a year.

"Why don't we go find Gaara and Jugo? Let's train together and get stronger." Naruto suggested, his determination clear.

Just as he finished speaking, a confident yet familiar voice came from behind, "Confused brats, you want to get stronger? Come to me~"

Naruto and Sasuke froze, then quickly turned to see the man blocking their way. "It's you?! The pervy old man who kidnaps kids!"

"Who's kidnapping kids? Who's a pervy old man?" Jiraiya's smile froze as he glared at the blonde brat in front of him. He couldn't help but think, 'Minato, your kid... really isn't cute at all.'

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