Konoha.
Although Tsunade had issued a gag order in her capacity as Hokage after the battle at Konoha Hospital, there had been so many people watching—and many of them were shinobi from other villages—that within a day or two, the whole village was abuzz with rumors.
After all, both Danzo, a man of considerable power and influence, and the Uchiha Clan were attention-grabbing topics in their own right.
When those two hot topics collided, the effect was undoubtedly even more explosive.
The gossip on every street and corner not only greatly boosted the reputation of Shinji, the Ninja Academy's top student, but also made many people realize that a new force was rising.
In Konoha, the council elders were at the very top.
Ordinary shinobi were no match for them, and even a clan head from a dojutsu bloodline elite family like the Hyuga had to defer to a council elder.
So when Shinji brazenly attacked Danzo, a council elder, and not only got away with it but saw Danzo arrested and investigated, it meant that Shinji's political standing in the village had undergone a dramatic change. He had reached a level where he could go toe-to-toe with the council elders.
The gossip had no effect on Shinji—or rather, he simply didn't care about it.
But it affected someone else: Sasuke. Not only had he become a mere background character in this story, but he'd also been made a benchmark against which Shinji's strength was measured.
For proud Sasuke, it was the ultimate humiliation.
So after he was released from the secret prison, he didn't return to the hospital. Instead, he went back to his apartment.
Thud.
Sasuke punched the wall and breathed heavily.
"Why? Why can't I accomplish anything? I've already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, so why am I