Public Opinion Ferments

Two months was enough time for a spring shower to coax blossoms from every cherry tree, and also enough time for a rumor to evolve from hushed whispers into a truth known by everyone on the streets.

Konohagakure, the bustling commercial district.

The afternoon sun dappled the tables of the open-air tea house, filtering through the gaps in the leaves.

"Hey, did you see this issue of the Konoha Weekly?"

A Chunin on break slapped the newspaper onto the table, pointing at the "Ninja World Chronicle" section on the supplement with an animated expression. "That war correspondent with the pen name 'Abyss Walker' updated it again!"

"Read it! Read it! Where did it leave off last time?" His companion immediately leaned in, and even a few civilian aunties eating dango at the next table perked up their ears.

The Chunin cleared his throat and began to read with great emotion:

"...Rain poured down like the heavens were weeping, and black flames burned. Facing an enemy that surged like a tide, the noble young man with the red eyes did not retreat a single step. Blood and tears streamed from his eyes, his vision blurred, yet he still fiercely protected the blond boy and the black-haired boy before him."

"'Even if these eyes can no longer see the light, I will carve a path to survival for you!' Uchiha Fugaku roared. In that moment, he was no longer the aloof young master of a prestigious clan, but a ninja willing to lay down his life for his comrades..."

"So touching!"

An auntie beside them wiped away a tear, forgetting the dango in her hand. "I knew it, that boy is a good person. All that talk about him being an Asura or a demon was just the bad people outside spreading lies!"

"Yeah," another auntie chimed in. "I heard that to save his teammates, he still has to go to the hospital for rehabilitation therapy every day, and needs help just to walk. Such a shame."

In an era where entertainment options were scarce, stories that combined passion, tragedy, and clan rivalries were like a dimensional blow.

Nishikawa Tetsu sat in a corner of the tea house, a cup of clear tea in his hand and a newspaper before him.

The editorial department of the Konoha Weekly was just two streets away, and the so-called special contributor, "Abyss Walker," was currently sitting among them, drinking tea.

He hadn't simply tried to whitewash the image; instead, he'd employed a strategy of mixing truth with falsehood.

The true parts were the battle achievements and injuries, while the false parts were the cringe-worthy psychological descriptions and lines of dialogue.

But this was precisely what the public loved to read.

In a corner of the newspaper, there was even a dedicated gossip column, the "Konoha Red and Black List," which had been dominated by Team Five for several issues.

[This Week's Hot Question: Is Namikaze Minato, who is like a little sun, actually a homebody who can't walk past a sale on eggs in private?]

[Exclusive Reveal: The unknown side of the young Uchiha clan leader—hiding beneath a cold exterior is a heart that is only gentle towards his comrades? According to an insider, he secretly mended a ninja tool bag for a teammate late at night.]

"Mending a ninja tool bag... I can't believe you came up with that."

Namikaze Minato, sitting opposite him, lowered his voice, his expression slightly cracking. "If Senior Fugaku saw this, he'd definitely summon Susanoo and tear down the newspaper office."

"He's already seen it."

Nishikawa Tetsu calmly turned a page of the newspaper. "When he saw this paper in the Police Force yesterday, he reportedly crushed three teacups, but the result is good."

He gestured out the window.

On the street, several clan members wearing the Uchiha crest walked by.

In the past, passersby would look at Uchihas with fear and disgust, instinctively avoiding them.

But today, a few aunties buying groceries actually greeted those Uchihas proactively. A little girl even ran up and gave a wildflower to one of the young Uchiha security guards.

The Uchiha froze on the spot, at a loss. For the first time, his usually stern face showed bewilderment and... a hint of imperceptible shyness.

"See," Nishikawa Tetsu took a sip of tea. "Fear stems from the unknown, and affection stems from 'contrast.' When the mysterious Uchiha are deconstructed into ordinary people with flesh and blood, even people who are a bit 'pitiful,' the barriers begin to dissolve."

"And besides..."

Nishikawa Tetsu pulled out a bulging envelope from his bosom. This was the payment the newspaper had just settled.

"This stuff really makes money."

The newspaper, which had been blandly recording hot topics with dismal sales, was now seeing a surge in sales because of this gossip. The newspaper's manager had been grinning from ear to ear for the past few days.

Namikaze Minato glanced at the thickness of the envelope, his mouth twitching.

Just then, a commotion arose from the other end of the street.

The crowd parted automatically, clearing a path.

Uchiha Fugaku, dressed in plain black clothes, his hands tucked into his sleeves, walked over with a blank expression.

Although his eyes had mostly recovered, he still habitually squinted, maintaining the persona of "impaired vision."

"Lord Fugaku!"

"Captain Fugaku, are your eyes feeling better?"

"These are apples fresh from my orchard. Please take them to nourish yourself!"

Villagers along the way greeted him enthusiastically.

Fugaku's steps faltered, his body stiff as a board.

He clearly hadn't adapted to this kind of treatment yet.

If it were in the past, he would have already walked past with a cold face, or ordered the idlers to disperse.

But now, he remembered Nishikawa Tetsu's "threat" that night, and the gentle smile on Mikoto's face as she read the newspaper to him at home.

Fugaku took a deep breath and stopped.

He stiffly turned his head towards the auntie who had given him apples. He forced a smile, one that looked more like a grimace than a genuine expression, but to outsiders, it appeared as a brave smile of someone "enduring pain."

"...Thank you."

He took the apple, awkwardly stuffing it into his sleeve, then quickened his pace, practically fleeing into the tea house.

"Hoo..."

As soon as he entered the private room, Fugaku slumped into a chair, his usual aloof demeanor completely vanishing.

"Nishikawa Tetsu, explain yourself."

Fugaku pulled out the newspaper from his embrace, pointing at the gossip section, gritting his teeth. "'A heart that is only gentle towards companions' is one thing, but what in the world is this 'Drinking alone under the moon late at night, shedding tears for a certain purple-haired noble lady'?!"

"When did I cry? And Mikoto is in the next room!"

"Artistic license, senior."

Nishikawa Tetsu calmly poured him a cup of tea. "Isn't the effect good? The way that auntie looked at you just now was like she was looking at her own wronged nephew."

"I'd rather they were afraid of me," Fugaku said, his face dark, slapping the apple onto the table. "The Uchiha's dignity is completely gone."

"Dignity is something that can be spoken with a sword on the battlefield. In the village, what you need is the people's hearts."

Nishikawa Tetsu's smile disappeared, and he spoke seriously. "Recently, the complaint rate for the Police Force has dropped by 40%, the approval rate for Uchiha clan members applying for missions outside the village has increased by 20%. Even Danzo hasn't been bothering you lately."

Mentioning Danzo, Fugaku's anger subsided somewhat, and his expression grew solemn.

"Indeed, the higher-ups have been eerily quiet lately. Those elders originally wanted to seize this opportunity to attack me and strip me of my position in the Police Force, but now public opinion is overwhelmingly in my favor, making it difficult for them to act."

This was a peculiar political balance.

When a person becomes a combination of a "national hero" and a "tragic figure," any suppression against them would be interpreted by the public as "persecuting a meritorious official."

Danzo was ruthless, but he cared more about his public image.

"However, this kind of attention won't last long."

Nishikawa Tetsu tapped his fingers on the table. "Gossip always fades, and people's sympathy is cheap and fleeting. We need to convert this temporary goodwill into tangible benefits."

"What other crazy idea do you have now?" Fugaku's eyelids twitched whenever Nishikawa Tetsu spoke.

"It's not a crazy idea, it's serious business."

Nishikawa Tetsu took out a new proposal from his backpack. The cover read: Konoha Police Force Reform Plan (Draft).

"While the villagers don't dislike you now, and even sympathize with you, we need to conduct a major overhaul of the Police Force."

"Reform?"

"That's right. The Police Force has been too arrogant in the past, always resorting to brute force in law enforcement."

Nishikawa Tetsu opened the proposal:

"First, we'll introduce a 'community beat cop' system. Instead of patrolling from a high position, Uchiha clan members will be integrated into various neighborhoods, helping old ladies find their cats and mediating disputes between neighbors."

"Second, and most importantly."

Nishikawa Tetsu looked at Fugaku and Minato:

"The Police Force cannot be solely composed of Uchiha. We need to break the clan monopoly."

"I suggest we recruit ninjas from other clans into the Police Force."

"What?!" Fugaku shot up. "That's impossible! The clan elders will absolutely not agree! The Police Force is the Second Hokage's private land for the Uchiha!"

"That was a cage the Second Hokage drew for the Uchiha," Nishikawa Tetsu said coldly.

"Only by breaking down the walls can the air circulate. If the Police Force includes Hyuga, the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, and even civilian ninjas, then the Police Force will no longer be 'the Uchiha's Police Force,' but 'Konoha's Police Force.'"

"At that point, who can isolate the Uchiha?"

Fugaku was stunned.

He looked at the eloquent young man, and a storm raged within him.

This was not just reform; it was digging at the roots of Uchiha tradition. But at the same time, it was also like changing the soil and fertilizing a dying tree.

"And..."

Nishikawa Tetsu turned to Minato, who was eavesdropping nearby.

"Minato, how's your Flying Thunder God technique coming along?"

The Third Hokage truly treated Minato as one of his own. Jiraiya had only mentioned it in passing in a scroll, and he had directly handed the Scroll of Seals to Minato. But for Nishikawa Tetsu, the old man was stingy, not even approving his research funding.

"Ah? I'm still in the exploratory phase," Minato replied, startled.

"Keep at it," Nishikawa Tetsu said meaningfully. "When the Police Force reform begins, I'll need you as the first 'civilian genius' to join the Police Force, to be our living signboard."

"Little Sun in a police uniform, tsk tsk, that kind of sales... no, that kind of support rating will be off the charts."

Fugaku sat back down, looking at the proposal, then at the villagers outside the window who no longer looked at him strangely.

He was silent for a long time, then picked up the apple and took a big bite.

"...This apple is quite sweet."

He looked at Nishikawa Tetsu, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes:

"This proposal, come to my place tonight, and we'll discuss it in detail. Mikoto will cook."

"You got it!" Minato was the first to respond.

Nishikawa Tetsu smiled and put away the newspaper on the table.

Public opinion was just an appetizer; the real change was only just beginning.