Chapter 28: I've Been to Konoha, Freedom of Speech is Abundant There
~/ Extra Chapter if we Reach 200 Power Stones!!
~/ Enjoy!!
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"Ah, what a rare opportunity! Let's take advantage of this and grab a bite at Ichiraku Ramen," Gojo Kaigetsu suggested, pulling Minato Namikaze towards the ramen shop. "We can discuss ideas for the next issue of 'Iki' while we eat."
After settling the foreign merchants, Gojo Kaigetsu dragged Minato to Ichiraku Ramen, located in a prime spot within the bustling shopping district. It was dinner time, and the shop was packed with customers.
They waited for quite a while before finally getting a seat.
"Honestly… shouldn't we discuss official business in a more formal setting?" Minato looked around. The crowded and noisy environment didn't seem conducive to serious discussions.
"Ah, damn Danzo! I was supposed to give this to you this afternoon, but things got delayed."
"Well, forget about that for now, Minato. Take a look at my new masterpiece."
As their ramen arrived, Gojo Kaigetsu handed him the draft he had written that afternoon, titled "Adaptability Required for Living in the Shinobi World."
"This is…"
Minato accepted the draft.
The previous article, "The Konoha Shop Under Attack," had, as Gojo Kaigetsu predicted, attracted foreign investment to Konoha. What kind of surprise would this one bring?
Filled with anticipation, Minato's eyes fell upon the first line, and he couldn't help but read it aloud in a low voice:
"…His name was Gojo Kaigetsu." Minato looked up, glancing curiously at Gojo Kaigetsu, who was enthusiastically slurping his ramen, before continuing to read.
"Resorting to violence to secure his…"
As one of the two protagonists in the story, a flicker of reminiscence crossed Minato's eyes.
The 50th year of Konoha… those were truly turbulent times.
His title as the "Yellow Flash" of the shinobi world, as well as the ceremonial robes he wore, were all earned during that period.
Although a year had passed, Minato's memories of the events that transpired remained vivid.
He scanned his memories but couldn't recall visiting Gojo Kaigetsu in prison.
If he wasn't mistaken, this was another completely fabricated story.
The further he read, the more peculiar Minato felt.
It was common knowledge that during the 50th year of Konoha, the village was under the leadership of his teacher's teacher – the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Having only been in office for a year, was this truly an appropriate topic to discuss?
Setting that aside…
The matter of reparations was indeed true. At the time, Konoha was facing a united front from other villages. To minimize enemies, they had chosen not to pursue Kirigakure's transgressions further…
There was resentment among the populace, but not to the extent of public protests or internal unrest.
The loyalty of Konoha's shinobi towards the Hokage, the symbol of the Will of Fire, was unwavering.
Even if his teacher's ideology seemed conservative and outdated now, even if protests had occurred, it wouldn't have led to Gojo Kaigetsu being imprisoned.
Minato fell into deep thought.
He understood Gojo Kaigetsu. His frequent eccentric pronouncements and grand speeches were always refreshing to hear.
Even so, Minato struggled to keep up with Gojo Kaigetsu's train of thought and decipher the deeper meaning behind his words.
After a long silence, he finally spoke:
"Say, Kaigetsu-kun, I think this article… is inappropriate."
Gojo Kaigetsu wasn't surprised by Minato's assessment. He picked up a piece of delicious chashu and popped it into his mouth before asking, "What's inappropriate about it?"
Minato carefully chose his words. "If 'The Konoha Shop' was meant to convey our village's friendliness to foreign merchants, isn't this 'Adaptability' article exposing our shortcomings?"
"Moreover, it's fabricated shortcomings. Last year's events weren't that serious."
If not for their close relationship, akin to that of a Jinchuriki and their tailed beast, Minato might have suspected Gojo Kaigetsu had written the article to glorify himself.
"Wrong, wrong, wrong, Minato! You're completely missing the point."
Gojo Kaigetsu shook his head repeatedly. "We, Konoha, as the victorious village, still have disgruntled ninja among our populace. Do you think those in the defeated villages are experiencing peace and tranquility?"
"Hmm?"
Gojo Kaigetsu's words seemed to awaken something in Minato. He picked up the draft again, seeking a new perspective.
After a long pause, he tentatively asked, "Are you talking about… free will? Freedom of speech?"
"Exactly."
Gojo Kaigetsu tapped his chopsticks. "Let me give you an extreme example. You know what's been happening in Kirigakure recently, right, Minato?"
"You mean… the Bloody Mist."
The current Kirigakure was under brutal rule, persecuting ninjas with Kekkei Genkai, earning it the moniker "Village of the Bloody Mist."
"Under such oppressive circumstances, even ordinary ninjas without Kekkei Genkai are living in fear. Their dissatisfaction with the village is nearing its breaking point."
"Why should the Daimyo and Mizukage hold all the power?"
"Look at Konoha, even an ordinary Chunin can become a high-ranking advisor."
"Are we inferior to Gojo Kaigetsu? Toiling away as lowly grunts day after day!"
"Overthrow the corrupt village government! Glory belongs to the ninja…"
Gojo Kaigetsu casually listed potential scenarios. "Instances of lower-ranking ninjas overthrowing their superiors are rare in the shinobi world. I need to instill some confidence in them."
"Tell them that freedom of speech is essential!"
"Look, even a minister from the Land of Fire expressed support for using force if the village doesn't grant freedom of speech!"
"This…"
Minato was speechless. If things truly unfolded as Gojo Kaigetsu described, such extreme situations could indeed arise.
In the shinobi world, Kirigakure was a special case.
Their public resentment was the deepest, making them the most likely candidate for a large-scale ninja rebellion.
As for other villages, a full-blown rebellion was unlikely. However, it was enough to inspire some "awakened" and "enlightened" ninja to stir up trouble.
Trouble = Obstruction to development.
While other villages faced obstacles, Konoha would thrive. According to the Gojo equation, this equated to a double win for Konoha.
The biggest question now was…
"The idea is good, but how many ninjas will actually believe this narrative?"
"It's a story~ Those willing to believe will believe, even if it's not true. Those unwilling to believe won't believe, even if it's the truth."
"You can't wake a ninja pretending to be asleep. You understand, Minato."
"Is that so…"
Minato scratched his head, nodding in a mixture of understanding and confusion. He had finally grasped Gojo Kaigetsu's objective.
Like "The Konoha Shop," "Adaptability" was also aimed at promoting Konoha's development.
'Kaigetsu-kun truly goes above and beyond for Konoha.'
Minato's heart felt heavy, but he still said, "I understand what you're trying to do, Kaigetsu-kun. However…"
"Since the article implicitly hints at the Third Hokage, I'd like to personally consult with him and seek his opinion."
"If the Third Hokage disapproves, I hope we can change the implicit hints in the article to explicitly point towards…"
"Towards Elder Danzo."
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To Be Continued...
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