Public Opinion * Tale

The members of Konoha stood ready at their temporary camp, the atmosphere so tense it was almost palpable.

Senju Hideki was isolated in a room with multiple Sealing Jutsu applied, guarded and examined by several Ninjas skilled in sealing and medical techniques, who took turns trying to find traces of him being controlled and any remaining abnormal Chakra.

Uchiha Shinya's wounds were properly treated, but he insisted on not resting. With a pale face, he reported the entire incident to Hashirama and Madara, who rushed back, especially the strange black monster with yellow eyes that had been cut out of Hideki's body.

Several high-ranking officials involved in the talks, as well as the person in charge of Kyoto's intelligence and security, were all summoned.

Everyone looked unwell.

They had just put in an epic performance, painstakingly changing the world's fear and prejudice against Ninjas, winning rare sympathy, respect, and even admiration.

A new cooperation framework with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire has just been established, and the future seems bright.

But in the blink of an eye, Uchiha Izuna, the creator of this miracle, went berserk on the streets of Kyoto, unleashing terrifying power never before heard of, destroying an entire block as if it had been struck by a natural disaster.

Even if there were reasons for it, even if it was to pursue some evil entity, what kind of scene would this be in the eyes of ordinary people and those nobles who had just been moved by the performance?

Ninja is still Ninja; his ferocity is hard to change!

See? Those tragic stories are all staged! They're still destructive at heart!

--Street brawls, destruction of the Capital —this is utterly lawless!

--To cooperate with such a dangerous element? Your Daimyo should think twice!

Similar accusations and panic are almost predictable to come in waves.

The fragile goodwill that has just been established may very well vanish in the face of this sudden disaster, or even backfire even more severely.

"We must immediately implement public opinion control." Nara Shikahiko was temporarily in charge of intelligence gathering, rubbed his temples, his voice hoarse. "Contact all the nobles and merchants we have on good terms with, and spread the explanation through them that 'an evil external force attacked the Konoha Ninja and attempted to destroy the Capital.'"

"We need to contact the Biwa Hōshi and civilians who witnessed the incident immediately, offer them compensation, and coordinate their accounts," Uchiha Naoaki added, his brow furrowed. "But there are quite a few people involved, and it's hard to guarantee there aren't any who slipped through the net. Moreover, the scope of this incident is too broad, and it's possible that some people are deliberately exaggerating and spreading misinformation."

"The Daimyo's Residence's attitude is crucial," Madara said gravely. "We must immediately explain the situation to the Daimyo in detail and try to gain his understanding and support. If necessary... we may need to make some concessions."

He rarely offered to compromise because he didn't want his younger brother's efforts to go to waste.

But that's too difficult.

Public opinion is a fearsome thing, and the Ninjas are the group that understands this best. If a large-scale public opinion storm breaks out in the Capital, they will have no way to stop it.

An atmosphere of anxiety and tension permeated the entire temporary Meeting Room.

They could almost hear the terrified whispers in the streets and alleys of Kyoto, and see the furrowed brows of the nobles and the doubtful gazes of the Daimyo.

A public relations crisis that could ruin the performance seems imminent.

Hashirama sat in the main seat, his hands clasped together and resting on his chin, his thick eyebrows furrowed.

Ban sighed, head down, then glanced at the next room.

Izuna was unconscious there, being cared for by the medical team leader and several trusted members of the Uchiha clan.

I told myself I'd stay put, but when I saw that guy... I still couldn't control my emotions... huh...?

And they actually activated the Mangekyō Sharingan directly... And what's that eyeshadow?

Could it be Sage Mode?

Did Hashirama even teach him this?

Just as the Konoha High Command alert and began urgently deploying various remedial and public relations measures,

An unexpected situation is quietly unfolding in the everyday life of Kyoto.

The initial fear was real.

Those civilians who witnessed the blue light cleaving through the street and the howling of the shadowy monster remained trembling with fear, their legs weak, even after the Konoha Ninjas swiftly withdrew from the scene, and dared not move for a long time.

The horrifying rumor that Ninja had gone berserk and destroyed half a street did indeed begin to spread in a small area, like ink dropped into water.

However, as time went by, and the initial fear subsided, as people began to confirm each other's findings and piece together the events, some overlooked details began to surface.

"Wait... are you injured?"

"It seems... no? I was so scared I lay on the ground, thinking I was going to die, but apart from a bit of pain from the fall, I was fine."

"Me too! That blue light slashed right through me, the wall collapsed, but I didn't even break a sweat!"

"That's strange. I was so scared that my chest felt tight and I couldn't breathe, but after the light passed, I actually felt... relieved? Like waking up from a nightmare."

"I saw it! He's chasing a black monster! That black monster was punched out of the body of a big Ninja! He's chasing it!"

"Yes, yes! I also heard that monster scream! It screamed 'Uchiha Izuna'!"

"Uchiha Izuna... isn't he the one Biwa on stage?"

"It's him! I recognize his voice and face! Although his eyes and face were slightly different back then, it's definitely him!"

As everyone chimed in, their terrified accounts gradually turned into astonishment and then into a strange sense of awe.

The Ninjas possessed terrifying power, as they knew when they saw Nasu no Yoichi on the stage.

Only Ninja could accurately shoot through a target 100 meters away.

Now, the reality is even more stark: the street has been reduced to Ruins, and some families have been forced to relocate.

But Uchiha Izuna, in that state of rage, seemingly intent on destroying everything, somehow managed to precisely control that terrifying power, without harming a single innocent bystander?

And what exactly is that monster?

The crowd discussed it animatedly, showing great interest in the matter.

Especially for those who personally experienced the "blue light passing by without injury," the feeling of surviving a disaster mixed with strange emotions made them develop indescribable feelings for Uchiha Izuna.

They described the scene to each other, sharing their current insights, and some even successfully closed deals they had always wanted to do or got the chance to marry the women they loved.

Just then, the Biwa Hōshi who were also present and had special identities gathered together.

They have broader knowledge and are more quick-witted than ordinary people.

Last night's experience had a more profound impact on them than the performance itself.

They witnessed firsthand the awe-inspiring arrival of art in the Divine Realm, and personally experienced surreal scenes that resembled a clash between gods and demons.

The duty and lifelong pursuit of the Biwa Hōshi is to see interesting stories and tell them in words.

After the initial fear and astonishment, professional instincts began to take hold.

The contradictory scenes they witnessed flashed through their minds.

Extreme destructive power and extreme control, a raging demon and unharmed civilians, a terrifying shadow and a pursuing hero.

In addition, the lingering effects of the recently concluded "The Tale of the Heike: A New Chapter of Ninja" still resonate in people's minds.

The sorrow, sacrifice, protection, and desire to be seen contained within it inadvertently provided fertile ground for this bizarre event.

Almost without any discussion, a consensus quickly formed among them.

This is hardly a case of "Ninjas rampaging and destroying the city"!

This is clearly "Uchiha Izuna manifesting his divine power on the streets of Kyoto, using his supreme supernatural abilities to force out the possessing demon, battling the monster, destroying houses but not harming any living beings—a truly heroic act of a guardian deity!"

Lyrics based on folk tales and details of the scene began to flow from the mouths of these surviving Biwa Hōshi, and were quickly sung, embellished, and enriched within their small circles.

They attributed the miracle of no casualties to Izuna's masterful control of power and his compassion.

The terrifying shadowy monster is depicted as a shadow Yōkai lurking in the human world, specifically possessing people and causing them to have wild and unfounded thoughts.

Izuna's pursuit and destruction are described as subduing demons and monsters.

These lyrics initially circulated only among a small group of musicians and those who experienced them firsthand, but soon, as if they had grown wings, they spread throughout Kyoto with the unique ability of the Biwa Hōshi to spread their knowledge.

Compared to dry explanations of "attacks by external forces" or potentially embellished official announcements, these Ninja tales, told by eyewitnesses and filled with supernatural elements and dramatic conflicts, are clearly more readily accepted by the general public.

When Konoha's intelligence agents nervously infiltrated the city to begin their arduous task of guiding public opinion, they were astonished to discover...

The focus of discussion on the streets is indeed still the sudden incident last night.

However, the public opinion was not as overwhelmingly critical and panicked as they had anticipated.

"Have you heard? Lord Izuna in the west of the city tonight!"

"Really? Didn't they say something bad happened?"

"Absolutely true! My great-uncle's neighbor's nephew was there! He saw with his own eyes that Lord Izuna's eyes were shining, and he was wielding a blue divine sword, slashing out a black shadowy Yōkai that was possessing the Senju Giant! That Yōkai screamed horribly!"

"Didn't they say a lot of houses were destroyed?"

"That was unavoidable during the Demon! But amazingly, with such a powerful formation and so many people on the street, not a single person was injured! Not even a cat was hurt!"

"That's the heart of a Bodhisattva! They must be afraid of harming ordinary people, which is why they went to such great lengths to control their power!"

"What is the origin of that shadowy Yōkai?"

"Who knows? It's definitely some evil thing that's trying to harm people! Maybe it was the one that instigated the Ninjas to fight each other before! Now that Konoha is doing well, it wants to come out and cause trouble!"

"Lord Izuna has saved Kyoto this time!"

Similar conversations quietly echoed throughout Kyoto.

Konoha's intelligence personnel relayed these messages back to their temporary base in stunned silence.

In the Meeting Room, the Konoha High Command, who were preparing for an emergency public relations campaign, fell silent after hearing the report.