Rumors

(Chapter 42: Rumors)

The Third Hokage kept his gaze fixed on Mirai. Although the boy was young, the Third felt that Mirai possessed a remarkably mature psyche; his ability to make such calculated decisions under extreme danger was something even average Chunin could not match.

"It must be someone from the Uchiha Clan. Only the Uchiha possess the ability to use the Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails to that extent, though even the current Uchiha clan head lacks such power," Mirai said, mixing truth with falsehood. At this point, it was meaningless to reveal that it was Uchiha Obito; given Konoha's current state, they were powerless to pursue him, and doing so would only invite further complications.

The Third stroked his chin, lost in thought. Within the Uchiha Clan, there seemed to be only one person capable of such ocular power, but that man had died long ago—it was impossible for him to be alive. Who, then, was the Masked Man? If he sought to control the Nine-Tails and destroy Konoha, the only person with such deep-seated hatred for the village was that man.

"Lord Third, I would like to ask, what is the current situation with the Fourth Hokage's son, Naruto?" Mirai asked. The Fourth had entrusted him to help Naruto should his life be in danger, and as someone who had received kindness from the Fourth and his wife, Mirai naturally felt a duty to look after their child.

Mirai's words interrupted the Third's train of thought. He looked up and said, "You need not worry about Naruto. To prevent others from exploiting the Nine-Tails again, I have arranged for him to be placed in a secret location under the care of trusted individuals. I have also issued a gag order to the ninja involved to prevent anyone from knowing Naruto is the jinchuriki, which would only bring him danger. Therefore, Mirai, you must not reveal the true cause of the Fourth's death. I promised the Fourth I would look after Naruto well; I only hope he can grow up like an ordinary child."

"I understand. I will not speak of it. Lord Third, if there is nothing else, I shall take my leave."

"Yes, go ahead, child. Thank you; you are also a hero who saved Konoha," the Third said with a sincere tone.

"I only did what I had to. If this place were destroyed, I would have nowhere to go either," Mirai replied, bowing to the Third before leaving the room.

After Mirai departed, the Third Hokage gazed at the moonlight outside his window and fell into deep contemplation. The Uchiha Clan? He thought of his dear friend, Kagami Uchiha, a great ninja who sacrificed himself for Konoha. Then, his mind returned to the man he had suspected earlier. If it truly was that man, the situation for Konoha was even more dire. Had Minato left the Nine-Tails behind as a hope for resistance? So much had been sacrificed for the village; Konoha owed the Fourth and his wife far too much.

Mirai returned to his home. Although his house was not far from the disaster zone caused by the Nine-Tails' attack, he was lucky enough that it had been spared, saving him from homelessness.

Even though it was night, the villagers were still working hard to rebuild their homes. Disaster brings pain, but it also fosters strength; at the very least, they had not abandoned the hope of survival.

Deep beneath Konoha, in a vast, empty space, a man stood silently. His right hand and eye were wrapped in white bandages, as if he were a patient suffering from severe injuries. This man was roughly the same age as the Third Hokage, with a cross-shaped scar on his chin. Had Mirai been here, he would have recognized who this man was.

Shimura Danzō, leader of the Anbu "Root" and one of Konoha's high-ranking officials, was a man who would pursue his ambitions even with one foot in the grave.

"Swish!" A masked Anbu ninja appeared before Shimura Danzō.

"How is the situation you were sent to investigate? Is the Nine-Tails truly dead?" Shimura Danzō asked coldly.

"No, the Nine-Tails is still alive. It is currently sealed within the body of the Fourth Hokage's child. The Third Hokage has issued a gag order to all ninja who witnessed the event."

Shimura Danzō opened his eye. "Oh? The bloodline of Namikaze Minato? Sarutobi Hiruzen, you passed the position of Hokage to a greenhorn instead of me, and now you issue this order to protect the Fourth's lineage? Do you think I will let you have your way?"

"Create a false narrative. Let people know that the child brought back is the Nine-Tails jinchuriki. Guide them to believe that the Fourth Hokage and Konoha Village were killed and destroyed by that brat. Furthermore, pin the Nine-Tails' attack on the village onto the Uchiha Clan. I think... you know what must be done."

"Yes!"

"You may go."

"Swish!" The Anbu ninja vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.

The next morning, Mirai went to school. The school had not been affected by the Nine-Tails incident, so students were expected to attend classes as usual. Mirai had not been to school for several days, and he worried it might affect his academic progress—after all, that was his main quest. If he lost points, it would be a significant loss.

As Mirai walked down the street, he felt people pointing and whispering at him, but he paid no mind and quickly arrived at his classroom.

The classroom was noisy; having experienced the Nine-Tails' attack, there was no shortage of things to discuss. However, the moment Mirai stepped inside, the room fell silent. Some looked at him with fear, while others whispered behind their hands while glancing his way.

Mirai frowned; clearly, something had happened, and it involved him. He walked to his seat, and along the way, many classmates dodged him as if terrified.

A few people familiar to Mirai approached him. Kei asked, "Mirai, haven't you heard the rumors?"

"What rumors? I haven't heard anything," Mirai replied with a look of complete ignorance. Although he had noticed the strange behavior of the people on the street, he hadn't bothered to listen to the gossip.

"I don't know where it started, but the rumor is... that the Uchiha Clan was dissatisfied with their status and wanted to destroy Konoha, using the Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails and attack the village."