After finishing his morning lesson, Uchiha Tōshirō was picking and choosing at a food store within his clan.
He had enjoyed a sumptuous meal at Sister Misa's house yesterday.
Today, however, he was preparing for lunch and dinner. He couldn't help but reminisce about those good old days when he was being taken care of. It seems that in his previous life, there was some justification for being pampered or relying on others.
"Aunt Yuriko! This pork isn't fresh at all! Exchange it for some beef. Hmm! This beef rib then, weigh out 20 pounds."
"Tōshirō, I'm not boasting, but today's beef is freshly slaughtered, delivered not even two hours ago. If you miss today's, you won't find anything this fresh next time!"
"Oh! Then give me 40 pounds!"
"Great choice! I'll throw in this spinach for free! That will be 3,000 ryō; I've rounded off the small change for you!"
The cost of living in the ninja world was quite high. Nearly 3,000 ryō for 40 pounds of beef. Just for reference, a kunai in a ninja tool shop costs only 800 ryō, and a shuriken can be had for just 200 ryō.
"Aunt Yuriko, you sure know how to do business. Your store will definitely prosper more and more!"
"Ha ha! You sure know how to talk! I'll throw in these green onions for free too!"
"Thank you!"
While chatting idly with Aunt Yuriko, the owner of the food store, he also listened intently to the discussions of the adults in the street outside.
"Did you hear? I heard that a ninja violated the village's regulations, leading to a failed mission and causing a great loss to the Land of Fire?"
A woman who had come early to buy vegetables was whispering mysteriously to her companion.
"Really? If something like this happened, the Hokage will surely punish him, right?"
"I heard it too! I heard it too! But I heard the ninja involved is Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang!"
The woman who initially spoke up didn't have a chance to share her opinion before another woman buying fish chimed in hurriedly.
"White Fang! Impossible! Everyone says he's a hero of the village, saving many comrades."
"It's true! I've heard plenty of people discussing it right here this morning."
At this point, even the store owner couldn't help but join the conversation. He had heard many people talking about this issue that morning, all with similar opinions. The hero of Konoha, known as the 'White Fang of Konoha,' Sakumo Hatake, had failed his mission, causing significant loss to the Land of Fire.
[So, the time for this incident has come? But the people behind the scenes are truly...]
Tōshirō thought to himself.
In the world of the Hokage, these locals unexposed to the information age had no clue. For someone from a previous life with experience in the online world, these shallow attempts at manipulating public opinion were almost laughable.
For a ninja of Sakumo Hatake's level to have his mission details leaked so easily was simply ridiculous. Having been through two years of ninja school, Tōshirō knew a thing or two about ninja confidentiality policies and could tell there was more to the story.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office in Konoha, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had just started his workday and received a report from his subordinates.
Scanning through the document, the Third Hokage frowned deeply and, after a brief consideration, summoned his attendant ANBU.
Issuing a faint command, he watched his subordinate instantly disappear and then took a deep breath of smoke, entering a period of quiet contemplation.
The report came from the office monitoring village public opinion. Early in the morning, they had noticed the unusual shift in public sentiment. Though unsure who was manipulating things from behind the scenes, the subordinate's sensitivity to such matters prevented him from being careless, writing up a report to submit to the Hokage for his review.
He didn't have to wait long. In less than twenty minutes, the office door was pushed open from the outside.
Entering was a middle-aged man, nearly in his fifties.
With spiky hair and a forehead wrapped in white bandages, covering his injured right eye and exposing only his sharp left eye like a hawk's, he stared intently at the Third Hokage.
"Danzo! What are you trying to do? Starting a public outcry to attack one of our accomplished jōnin?"
The Third Hokage didn't give the man a chance to speak first, questioning him harshly.
"Do you realize the negative impact this will have on one of the village's heroes?"
"Acting on your own! Do you even see me as the Hokage?"
Even before the man took a seat, the Third Hokage kept up a barrage of questions, attempting to express the fury in his heart.
"A hero of the village? Does he deserve that title after causing such a loss to the village and the Land of Fire this time?"
"The true heroes of the village are those who quietly sacrifice everything to protect its peace, not him, Sakumo Hatake!"
Danzo Shimura, head of Root and advisor to the Hokage, who claimed to be the village's unseen guardian, showed no hesitation. His stern voice left the Third Hokage momentarily at a loss for words.
[Don't you understand, Hiruzen? Saying pretty words won't maintain peace in Konoha. Konoha's peace has always depended on 'our' silent sacrifices.]
Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi sitting behind the Hokage's desk, Danzo Shimura's thoughts surged.
"That is no reason for you to send people to secretly defame him. You should know that his failure was because he chose to save his comrades' lives!"
"Saving comrades' lives? Ridiculous! As a ninja, completing the mission is the duty! He abandoned his duty for the so-called comrades! Sacrifices during missions are inevitable!"
"If everyone followed his example, do you know what the consequences would be?"
"The completion rate of missions in the village would plummet! Over time, the number of commissions the village receives would dwindle! Can you accept such outcomes?"
Never had the Third Hokage expected an argument so eloquent from his old comrade. For a moment, even the Third Hokage felt conflicted. Which was more important, mission or comrades? The Third Hokage found himself in a moment of hesitation.
"Hiruzen, Sakumo Hatake's way of saving comrades as his ninja path has earned him soaring prestige, even surpassing the Sannin!"
(End of Chapter)