Rumors about two war heroes continued to spread throughout the Hidden Leaf Village, refusing to die down.
[Orochimaru, commander of the Rain Ninja battlefield, desecrated the previous Hokage and secretly conducted forbidden human experiments. Numerous civilians and shinobi in the village have gone missing, possibly related to him]
[Uchiha Fuma, commander of the hunting unit, disobeyed orders on the battlefield, excluded civilian shinobi, opposed the Will of Fire, and failed to dedicate his abilities to the Leaf, resulting in the deaths of many shinobi]
In the circles of jonin and special jonin, these rumors were treated like jokes and didn't stir up much. They understood that this was merely internal conflict among the village's higher-ups.
The jonin from prominent clans would even warn their younger generations not to comment carelessly, lest they attract trouble.
Most jonin had some form of connection with the upper echelons of the village, so they weren't easily swayed by a few words unless they had intentions of smearing Fuma and Orochimaru.
However, among the chunin and genin, these rumors quickly gained traction. After all, they rarely had contact with figures of Fuma or Orochimaru's caliber, and conspiracy theories were always intriguing.
Among the civilians of the Leaf, they didn't care about the truth of these rumors. They simply relished discussing them with friends and family, wanting to appear well-informed and engaged in the village's affairs.
The silence of the Leaf's higher-ups only allowed the rumors to fester and grow stronger.
[No one has come forward to deny them yet, so these rumors must be true, right?] - This was the mindset of most people in the Leaf.
After the war, merchant caravans returning to the village began spreading these rumors throughout the ninja world.
On the desks of the Third Raikage, Chiyo, and Onoki, this peculiar piece of intelligence had appeared:
[The Leaf is once again embroiled in internal strife]
Though Danzo's methods were underhanded, he had grasped the situation with precision.
The Uchiha Clan's already tarnished reputation, combined with these tailored black marks, became the perfect gossip for the entire civilian population of the Leaf. No one felt the need to resist; rather, they eagerly participated.
Danzo had masterfully targeted the gray areas that Fuma and Orochimaru operated within. With the momentum of a war victory behind him, he launched this public opinion battle, driving the rumors to their peak.
First, they built the heroes up, and now they sought to tear them down.
If Danzo could travel to the modern world, his mastery of manipulating public sentiment would guarantee him a steady meal.
Fuma was indeed not spotless. He had trained substitute shinobi, and disobeying orders on the battlefield was a documented fact.
However, Fuma's monumental achievements—such as slaying tailed beasts and ending the war—meant the village's top brass couldn't openly hold him accountable.
A hero who had just fought for the village couldn't be punished; otherwise, it would dishearten most shinobi.
But if Fuma stepped forward to refute these rumors, it would give the higher-ups an excuse to investigate him.
[See, you're the one asking us to clear your name]
Yet, if Fuma remained silent, the rumors from the villagers would greatly damage the morale of shinobi.
A shinobi's heart is both fragile and resilient.
A shinobi can be a killer by the age of five, abandon teammates for a mission, but can also take their own life due to the rumors of villagers, leaving their children behind in a world of loneliness.
Perhaps the reason the Will of Fire gained widespread support in the Leaf is because the shinobi world is such a living hell.
The harder life gets, the more people believe in a higher power, the more they seek solace. Despite the many flaws of the Will of Fire, at this moment, those shortcomings didn't matter as long as it gave shinobi something to cling to.
In the original timeline, in about three or four years, Sakumo Hatake would face the same treatment as Fuma and Orochimaru and eventually take his own life.
But, unfortunately for Danzo, Fuma had once trained in a holy land known as the internet, mastering a vast array of forbidden techniques.
The public opinion battles in the Leaf were nothing compared to what he had faced there.
A storm of public opinion, the likes of which the Third Hokage and his peers had never seen, was about to descend upon the village.
............
The Leaf Village Police Force~
Hundreds of Uchiha clan members stood in two neat rows, their faces a mix of excitement and slight embarrassment, awaiting Fuma's final instructions.
The assembled Uchiha were divided into two groups: one dressed in civilian clothes, and the other in police uniforms.
"Make sure to carry out the orders as instructed. Fugaku, repeat them."
"Yes, Commander!"
"I will lead the first group, disguised as civilians using the Transformation Jutsu. We will spread rumors in crowded areas. If anyone expresses doubt, we will use the Sharingan to subtly suggest otherwise."
Fugaku's expression was serious as he responded loudly.
"Tetsuka, repeat your team's mission."
"Yes, Commander!"
"My second team will follow the first. Once the rumors take root, we will move in as the police force, locking down the area and arresting any Root members under the guise of them being foreign spies."
"Excellent. Now, begin the operation!"
At Fuma's command, hundreds of Uchiha elites quickly split into two teams, dispersing into the vastness of the Leaf Village.
Under Fuma's orders, the Uchiha were about to carry out a mission unlike anything they had ever done before.
[They were about to become a 'water army']
No longer would they rely on powerful Fire Style jutsu to defeat enemies on the battlefield. Instead, they would scatter and use "Water Style" tactics.
As the tomoe spun silently in their eyes, the residents of the Leaf were about to be hit with a brand-new scandal.
.............
One week later, at a Leaf Village tavern~
Reeking of alcohol, Jiraiya had two scantily-clad women clinging to him as he downed another large mug of beer.
One of the delicate songstresses leaned against Jiraiya's muscular chest, her soft hand tracing the deep scars on his body as she said in admiration:
"Fighting for the Leaf and protecting us civilians—what an exhausting life you lead. Please, have another drink and let me help you relax."
Jiraiya laughed heartily, downing the strong liquor in one go, his grip tightening slightly, causing the songstress to giggle softly.
"I'm no hero. Just a simple pawn."
Jiraiya waved his hand modestly, but a hint of worry flickered in his eyes.
In this war, Fuma's abilities had far outstripped his own. As childhood friends who had always stuck together, Jiraiya couldn't help but feel some resentment.
"Sigh, there really aren't many heroes like you—so humble and dedicated to the Leaf."
"Nowadays, us civilians don't even know who's truly acting in the village's best interests."
Jiraiya frowned and sighed lightly.
He was aware of the rumors surrounding Fuma and Orochimaru. But knowing those two as well as he did, the rumors might not be entirely false.
"Don't mind those rumors. Orochimaru and the Uchiha Clan have done plenty for this village."
The songstress covered her mouth, laughing softly, and playfully tapped Jiraiya's shoulder.
"You're such a tease. Those stories are so old now."
Jiraiya blinked in confusion.
[If it's not about them, what else could it be?]
The songstress leaned closer to Jiraiya, her hair brushing his face, the scent of her perfume stirring his chakra.
What she said next, however, extinguished all other thoughts in Jiraiya's mind.
"You haven't heard? They say the Second Hokage's death was linked to the current Hokage's advisor."
She whispered into his ear, her voice low and secretive.
Jiraiya stared at her in shock, spraying a mouthful of liquor onto her beautiful face.
"WHAT?!!!"
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