The crisp autumn weather enveloped Konoha, infusing the village with a sense of renewal and tranquility. Since the end of the tri-village siege, Konoha had entered a period of much-needed recuperation, enjoying a quieter, more reflective atmosphere.
During this time of peace, Hiruzen Sarutobi had come to an important realization: true rest and recovery required the avoidance of unnecessary conflicts. He had observed Mist Village's approach to peace, which had been to isolate itself. Initially, many had predicted that Mist Village would falter due to its seclusion and decreased communication. Yet, against expectations, Mist Village had managed to recover more robustly than any other village during this period.
This surprising outcome seemed to influence Mist Village's decision to once again go into isolation following recent events. Perhaps it was this success that influenced Mist Village's recent choice to once again seal itself off and safeguard their hard-won stability.
"Today's meeting is adjourned," Hiruzen Sarutobi announced with a sigh, a wistful tone in his voice. "If there's nothing else, let's call it a day."
The meeting had been routine, covering the village's current state, recent shortcomings, and future development plans. Despite the relatively quiet period, the aftermath of the recent turmoil had left Konoha somewhat impoverished. However, with determination and a focus on peaceful recovery, the village could manage to pull through.
Hiruzen's priority was now the village's well-being and rest. Other concerns—making money, issuing condemnations, or dealing with clan eradications—could be set aside. What Konoha needed most at this moment was peaceful recuperation.
At this moment, just as Hiruzen thought everyone would leave as usual, Mitokado Homura called out, "Hiruzen."
Before the puzzled Hiruzen could inquire, Homura hesitantly pulled out two newspapers and said, "The Shinobi Times..."
"I know what you want to say," Hiruzen interrupted, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "I'm sorry, but this is Danzo's choice. I've already discussed it with him, and I'm confident he'll be more mindful."
Seeing Homura pull out the Shinobi Times and Root Daily, Hiruzen already guessed what he wanted to discuss. This issue had been causing him quite a headache lately.
Homura believed they should strengthen their relationship with Grass Village and maintain their trade ties. He felt ninjas should focus solely on ninja tasks, and everything else could be purchased from Grass Village.
Hiruzen sighed as he pondered over the state of affairs. According to Homura, Konoha should remain as a buyer, maintaining its current state while avoiding conflicts. In contrast, Danzo saw Grass Village as a threat and harbored entirely opposing views.
Hiruzen suspected that Homura would once again use the Shinobi Times and Root Daily as discussion points. He was well aware of the mutual criticisms between these two newspapers. Having read them during his downtime, he found the arguments to be surprisingly entertaining, a stark contrast to the often dull publications from Stone Village and Cloud Village. In fact, If it weren't for his responsibilities as Hokage to stay informed about the other villages, Hiruzen might not have bothered with them.
Speaking of which, Initially, he had been concerned about the mutual criticisms. However, as time went on, he noticed that Grass Village hadn't escalated the situation further. In fact, the sales of Root Daily had increased significantly as the public found the exchanges increasingly amusing. With the entertainment factor outweighing the potential risks, he had chosen to pay less attention to it.
"Don't worry," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a faint smile, trying to reassure the still-concerned Homura. "Things aren't as dire as you think. They're merely exchanging barbs through their newspapers. It's nothing to be overly concerned about."
"No, what I'm referring to is The Shinobi Times..." Homura began, shaking his head and attempting to voice his concerns.
But Hiruzen interrupted him with a calm demeanor. "I understand. The Shinobi Times might be a bit sensational, but it doesn't have a substantial impact on the village."
"That's not exactly it. What I mean is the front page..." Homura tried to explain further but was cut off once more.
Before he could continue, Hiruzen waved off his concerns."What now? Another critique of the village, perhaps? Or the latest sensational story about mysterious eyes at the bathhouse? *ahem, Homura, you're worrying too much. These things are just meant to entertain. Don't take them too seriously."
Homura's expression darkened as Hiruzen continued to interrupt him. Frustration bubbled within him; he was tempted to voice his irritation over Hiruzen's dismissive behavior. He knew that Hiruzen was concerned he might say something critical about Danzo, potentially straining their long-standing friendship.
Yet, this time, Homura wanted to address a different matter. Reflecting on the troubling content he had just read in The Shinobi Times, a thought struck him: Could there be some truth to the accusations?
Reflecting on their past, Homura remembered how Hiruzen had always been protective of Danzo, consistently siding with him. Even when they were young, while others trained with their sensei, Hiruzen and Danzo had been inseparable. Their bond seemed stronger than any other, even more so than the relationships Homura or Koharu had with their sensei.
Now, with this new perspective, this deep bond seemed increasingly suspicious. With this unsettling thought, Homura looked at Hiruzen with a mix of emotions. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but instead, he sighed and laid the newspaper out in front of him, saying, "Never mind. You can see for yourself."
"Why are you acting all mysterious?" Hiruzen asked, puzzled by Homura's unusual demeanor. He glanced at the newspaper with a hint of amusement. "What's so crucial? Did The Shinobi Times pull another stunt today? Hahaha, Homura, you're worrying too much about Grass Village. Relax, there's no major issue. And Don't take Danzo's actions too personally; he's just doing what he thinks is best for Konoha."
He paused and then added, "Besides, the criticisms are usually the same. It's not like The Shinobi Times targeted you specifically today, right?"
"They didn't mention me," Homura replied, his gaze still troubled as he looked at Hiruzen. After a moment of silence, he added, "They targeted you!"
Before the astonished Hiruzen could respond, Homura continued, "And… Danzo!"
Hiruzen's confusion deepened. Insulting him and Danzo? He could somewhat understand criticisms of Danzo—there were indeed a few things that could be criticized—but him? He had always been kind and generous to Konoha, and that reputation was well-known throughout the ninja world.
"Insulting me? Hahaha, what could they possibly criticize about me?" Hiruzen chuckled, brushing off the concern. "Don't worry; the village will understand. I've told you before, don't take this too seriously."
Homura, seeing that Hiruzen still didn't grasp the seriousness of the situation, urged him, "You should still take a look."
Hiruzen looked at Homura with a puzzled expression. "What's there to see? The criticisms about me are always the same—Sakumo and Obito's issues. Yes, those were my mistakes. But…"
As He tried to dismiss it again, he looked at Homura's expression and finally conceded, "Fine, I'll take a look. I'm telling you, Homura, don't worry too much about this. Ever since my recent scare, I've realized that it's pointless to be overly concerned about these things."
Shaking his head, Hiruzen sighed but began to lower his gaze to the newspaper, muttering to himself, "Peace of mind is the most important. As long as Grass Village doesn't act recklessly, I have nothing to worry about…"
However, before he could finish his thought, his eyes widened in shock as he read the newspaper. He blinked, staring blankly at the words, completely at a loss for words.
Noticing the sudden change in Hiruzen's demeanor, the others in the room grew puzzled. Why had the usually composed Hokage-sama suddenly become so agitated? What exactly had Homura-sama shown him?
Just as someone was about to inquire, they saw Hiruzen's hands trembling as he pointed at the newspaper, his lips quivering with shock. "This… this is outrageous! Grass Village has gone too far!"
Confusion spread among the others. What had Grass Village written this time that was so alarming? Surely, Hokage-sama was used to such criticisms by now.
Curiosity piqued, and everyone leaned in to examine the newspaper. The front page headline read: "The Deep Relationship of Two Best Friends." The title alone was startling.
However, Before anyone could react further, Hiruzen clutched his chest, his legs buckling, and he collapsed into his chair.
"Hiruzen! Hokage-sama!" Homura and the others immediately sprang into action. "Medical-nin! Where are the medical-nin? Hurry, call for them!"
…
Meanwhile, in the underground hideout, Danzo, trembling with fury, slammed the newspaper onto the table. His eyes burned with rage as he glared at the Root reporters standing before him. "Attack them! Attack them mercilessly!" he roared. "Expose the Grass leader for the disgrace they are! Damn Grass Village—they have no honor!"