Arguments

Konoha has been quite lively lately. First, rumors about Hatake Sakumo spread like wildfire throughout the village, becoming the talk of the town for almost every villager.

Then came the rumors about Elder Danzo, which were even more sensational, although the rumors had only been circulating for a short time. But compared to the Hatake Sakumo, the rumors about Elder Danzo were undoubtedly more attention-grabbing.

Taiichi and Kakashi have now successfully achieved their goal. The villagers no longer care that Hatake Sakumo abandoned the mission to save his comrades.

However, the thing is often the case that you decide when it begins, but when it ends is not something you can decide.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo spread rumors about Hatake Sakumo, which ultimately led to the appearance of Taiichi and Kakashi.

Taiichi and Kakashi did the same, spreading rumors about Danzo, and the result was—

Before the day ended, new rumors began to spread quietly in Konoha.

"Have you heard? It turns out that those human experiments were all approved by the Third Kazekage adults."

"What's that? Do you know why the surname Senju doesn't exist anymore? It's because the Senju were all sent to their deaths on the battlefield by the Third Kazekage Hokage during Second Shinobi World War."

"I heard that the Third Kazekage Hokage is getting old and worried about his position, so he's started suppressing the ninjas with high prestige in the village."

"Do you think Lord Sakumo was also suppressed by the Third Hokage?"

"Shh! You're not saying that! Are you out of your mind?!"

On his way home, Taiichi wanted to use his senses to check if anyone was following him, but instead he heard these shocking rumors. Taiichi was incredulous; these weren't rumors he had made up. Could it be that Kakashi, dissatisfied with the higher-ups' actions, had added fuel to the fire? Could he really be that bold?

Taiichi shook his head, dismissing such an unreliable idea. The rumor had obviously only been circulating for a short time. Back then, Kakashi was still with him, and if there were any new developments, he would definitely have told him.

Taiichi's mind raced a bit more, and a direction he had never considered before came to mind: Could this rumor have been spread by Danzo Taiichi?

As for his motive for doing this, it's obviously a case of "If I'm not having an easy time, neither should you."

The more Taiichi thought about it, the more reliable this idea seemed, and he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

This situation is called dog-eat-dog, all mixed up!

After laughing, Taiichi felt a sense of helplessness. Danzo was certainly not a good person, but without the support of the Third Kazekage, many things simply could not be done.

It can be said that the current status and disgrace of Root and even Danzo are entirely due to the Third Hokage.

Look up and you'll see the Hokage Rock in the distance, where the heads of the three Hokage are carved.

The First Hokage, with his powerful strength, flew like a brick and, together with the Asura of the Ninja World, founded Konoha, laying the foundation for the Konoha.

The Second Hokage was ambitious and enterprising, and was also a master of forbidden techniques. The later systems and regulations of Konoha were all his creations.

When the Third Hokage was young, he could be said to have been more than capable of maintaining the status quo, but as he grew older, he began to make one blunder after another. All the outstanding ninjas of Konoha died in battle for one reason or another.

They couldn't even protect their former staunch ally Land of Whirlpools, and more recently, even their own disciple Princess Tsunade, left the village. Now, they've created the "White Fang Incident."

Taiichi sighed, truly hoping that the era of the Fourth Hokage would arrive soon, so that he wouldn't have to live such a stifling life.

Evening, in the Hokage's Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was still reviewing various documents. Although he wasn't very efficient, he slept less, which gave him more time to deal with these trivial matters.

At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi produced a daily report of the village's activities for the day.

When he saw the rumors circulating in the village about Danzo, his first reaction was to smile with delight. Danzo had become increasingly active recently, and these rumors would be a good way for him to calm down.

Immediately, his Hokage intuition told him something was amiss. Who had spread this rumor at this critical juncture? Could it be Hatake Sakumo? But then he thought it was impossible. If it were Sakumo, why hadn't he done it earlier? Why wait until now?

Could it be the Uchiha?

That's not right either.

These rumors were quite detailed and detailed, and while some were incorrect, the overall direction was correct. This was something the Uchiha couldn't possibly know.

This made Hiruzen Sarutobi wonder if he had actually given the order to spread these rumors.

Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi head and smiled bitterly, laughing at himself for truly getting old.

But then, his expression suddenly changed drastically. If even he himself suspected that he had ordered these messages to be spread, what would Danzo think!

He knew his old friend too well; when he got stubborn, he wouldn't even listen to him.

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to do something, a rapid knocking sounded on the door, and Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart seemed to collapse.

"Come in." Seeing the anxious Anbu Ninja push open the door, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't waste any words and asked directly, "What's the matter that's so urgent?"

"Hokage-sama, a new rumor has surfaced in the village." With that, he handed the scroll he had prepared to report to the Hokage.

As if he had a premonition, Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand trembled slightly as he took the scroll. When he opened it, the first rumor that caught his eye caused his Hiruzen Sarutobi to shrink.

The last remaining Senju clan were killed by the Third Hokage.

The human experiments were conducted with the support of the Third Hokage.

Have the distributors been caught?

"No, by the time we noticed these rumors, the perpetrators had already disappeared. It was just the villagers spreading them spontaneously."

--

How well are the rumors spreading now?

"It has already reached a certain scale, but it is still under control. We have increased our manpower, and if there are no new sources of transmission, these rumors can be contained."

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi breathed a long sigh of relief. It wasn't too late; things hadn't reached the point of no return. But then a surge of anger welled up within him. Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't even need to think; these rumors about him must have been spread by Danzo.

Only he would have the motive and the audacity to do such a thing at this time.

"Go, bring Danzo to me!"

"Yes!"

Not long after, Danzo arrived at the Hokage's Office. He knew the Hokage would definitely call him that night, so he had made preparations in advance and waited for the Hokage's summons at the Root Base.

The moment Danzo pushed open the office door and saw the Hokage's gloomy face, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction. "You never thought you'd end up Danzo this, did you? If I didn't show you my resolve, you'd keep bullying me."

Danzo, leaning on his cane, slowly walked into the Hokage's Office. The door slammed shut behind him, cutting off all sound from inside and outside.

The atmosphere in the office was heavy. No one spoke a word. A wisp of smoke hung in the air, clearly indicating that the Hokage had been smoking quite a bit lately to relieve his anger.

--

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat upright behind his large desk, his fingernails gripping the recently delivered scroll report, his face so gloomy it was almost dripping with water.

He slammed the scroll down at Danzo's feet with a dull thud.

"Danzo!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was low and suppressed, like a muffled thunderclap, his gaze fixed on his decades-long friend and rival. "Explain yourself! Those rumors about me that were spreading throughout the village this evening."

"Tell me, what's the meaning behind all this foul language?"

Danzo looked at the scroll at his feet, but ignored it completely.

In his mind, it was clearly Hiruzen Sarutobi broke the rules first and spread rumors to attack him.

What, I'm only retaliating now, leaving you room to maneuver, choosing to strike in the evening, and you're already getting angry?

Danzo seemed to choke on the smoke and dust, coughing softly twice while covering his mouth before raising his cloudy eyes. There was no ripple in them, only the usual gloom and indifference.

"Filthy words!" Danzo scoffed, tapping his cane lightly on the floor. "Hiruzen, as Hokage, are you really going to be swayed by these baseless rumors?"

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his mouth to say something, Danzo gave him no chance, preemptively speaking, "The village has never lacked those with ulterior motives. My Root is doing its utmost to trace the source of all these rumors."

"Including those earlier slurs and insults directed at me personally!"

"Targeting you!" Hiruzen Sarutobi abruptly stood up, his hands on the table, his body leaning slightly forward, his pent-up anger almost bursting out. "Danzo, tell me, those rumors that suddenly erupted this evening, each one involving classified information, aren't you involved?"

"Absurd!" Danzo's voice suddenly rose, even louder than Hiruzen Sarutobi's, and his cane slammed heavily on the ground, making a harsh scraping sound.

Regardless of whether he ordered these actions or not, he would absolutely not admit it here. Besides, he's a person who's always been unreasonable yet arrogant, and right now he's still in the right.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi! Don't make false accusations here! The village you governed has made mistakes, and someone is using such despicable means to sow discord among the higher-ups."

Instead of thinking about how to rectify and eliminate the problems, they immediately turned their anger towards you, the one who has dealt with countless blemishes in the village?

Are you questioning my loyalty to Konoha, or are you trying to cover up your own mistakes?

Besides, those Senju, those experiments—could it be that they really touched a nerve?

Danzo a torrent of cathartic energy, venting all the frustration and anger he had accumulated over the past two days, but this also thoroughly enraged Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Shut up!" Hiruzen Sarutobi, nearly dropping his pipe as ash fell from his Danzo's betrayal, his chest heaving. "Your sore spot? Danzo, I am the Hokage. Everything I've decided is for the stability of Konoha!"

But you—you're shaking the foundations of the village! Those rumors—those damned details—"

"Evidence!" Danzo interrupted Hiruzen Sarutobi sharply, staring at Hiruzen Sarutobi. This time, he was in the right. He couldn't just allow Hiruzen Sarutobi fires while he, Shimura Danzō lighting lamps!

"Produce the evidence, Hiruzen! Otherwise, this is nothing but your baseless speculation and fabricated charges! I, Danzo, have acted with a clear conscience, all for the sake of Konoha! If you doubt me, then produce concrete evidence! If you don't—"

He paused, his tone laced with a blatant threat and icy coldness, "Then mind your own business. Don't forget, who's helping you deal with those cancerous growths that can't be eradicated in the sunlight!"

After he finished speaking, the office fell into a deathly silence.

Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned Danzo to reprimand him for spreading rumors about the Hokage. He knew that Danzo probably misunderstood and thought that he had instigated those previous rumors.

Danzo, on the other hand, thought it was simpler: Hiruzen Sarutobi the trouble first, and now he's criticizing me, so why not take this opportunity to retaliate?

The two were completely on different wavelengths. When they met, they were at full strength, firing on all cylinders. Their argument had escalated to this point, with anger, suspicion, and past ties all mixed together, tearing apart the balance they had maintained for years.

Now that things have come to this, Hiruzen Sarutobi is beginning to regret not explaining the situation to Danzo beforehand, knowing what kind of person he was, which has led to the current situation.

The office remained deathly silent for a long time, broken only by the faint crackling of Hiruzen Sarutobi's pipe and the light tapping of Danzo on the ground.

Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples wearily, his once straight back now slightly hunched.

Looking at his comrade-in-arms of many years, his eyes were filled with anger, suspicion, and a hint of barely perceptible grievance. The anger in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart receded like a tide; he seemed to have made things worse.

"Danzo— " Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was unusually hoarse and weary, "Those rumors about you—I didn't order them to be spread."

Danzo's eyes suddenly focused, his cold gaze fixed on Hiruzen Sarutobi. He almost scoffed, "Such a clumsy lie!" But just as he was about to launch into another sarcastic remark, Hiruzen Sarutobi's next words finally left him speechless.

"I swear to my teacher," Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his head, his eyes filled with solemnity, devoid of any of Danzo's familiar deception and calculation. "If I have instructed anyone to spread rumors about you, may my soul not find peace even in death."

The resounding oath, especially one sworn by their most respected teacher, instantly shook Danzo's resolve. His eyes were fixed on Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, as if trying to find even the slightest trace of pretense.

But all he saw was exhaustion, regret, and the pain of being distrusted.

"You—really didn't do it?" Danzo's voice was tense, and he tapped his cane heavily on the ground a few times, revealing his inner turmoil.

If Hiruzen truly wasn't lying, then the rumors targeting him, coupled with the rumors he had previously spread about Hatake Sakumo, seemed more like someone trying to completely muddy the waters and plunge Konoha's leadership into chaos. In that case, his counterattack this evening—wasn't that—

Hiruzen Sarutobi, looking at him, nodded emphatically and confirmed, "Absolutely not!"

Danzo silent, but even so, he would never admit, "I misunderstood you." Spreading rumors about the Hokage was a serious crime. However, Hiruzen Sarutobi's attitude forced him to believe that there was indeed a third party pulling the strings behind the scenes.

"Even so, those rumors slandering the Hokage have absolutely nothing to do with me!" Danzo emphasized. "I will immediately order a thorough investigation into the source of all these rumors! Whether they are directed at me or those that were directed at you this afternoon—I want to see who has such audacity."

Hiruzen Sarutobi also saw Danzo's compromise. At this moment, he didn't want to pursue these rumors anymore; his priority was to find the mastermind behind it all. In the chaos of the night, the two reached a fragile consensus for the first time—to unite against a common enemy.

"Who could it be?" Hiruzen Sarutobi his cigarette again, took a deep drag, and frowned amidst the swirling smoke. "These confidential details aren't something just anyone could know."

Danzo calmed down and analyzed the situation, his eyes flashing with a sinister light. "Their ability to use a large number of Shadow Clone, their precise and cunning actions, and their timing so accurate—could it be the Uchiha? They have the ability and the motive to sow discord."

Danzo's first thought was of his usual suspect.

Hiruzen Sarutobi could only glance at him helplessly and shake his head slightly. "Fugaku Uchiha wouldn't be so radical, and these secrets about the higher-ups aren't something the Uchiha should know. Besides, this seems more like protecting Hatake Sakumo, given the timing."

"But Sakumo— " Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled Hatake Sakumo's composed face, "He's proud and upright, not the type to resort to such underhanded methods."

Hiruzen Sarutobi in thought about Sakumo's character, was unaware of the immense blow his words had dealt to Danzo.

Danzo, and even Hiruzen Sarutobi himself, are people who enjoy using these underhanded methods!

"Perhaps it's an infiltration by forces from outside the village?" Danzo's thoughts wandered. "Iwagakure? Sunagakure? Or even the Daimyo? They'd be happiest to see us in internal strife, then they can smear the higher-ups, add fuel to the fire, and cause unrest."

"That's possible," Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed. "But, to be able to sow discord between you and me so precisely, and to involve those old grievances, which intelligence network do you think possesses such power?"

The two of them went back and forth, filtering through all possible suspects again and again: powerful clans with ulterior motives, hostile ninja villages, and even some deeply hidden opposing forces.

They considered various conspiracy theories and analyzed countless motives and methods.

The lights in the Hokage's Office stayed on all night. It wasn't until the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window and fell on their faces that they realized a new day had quietly arrived.

These two people who held the highest authority in Konoha were meticulous and experienced, and they believed they had a grasp on all the undercurrents in the village.

They mentally rehearsed every possibility countless times, except for the smallest one—the one least in line with their "adult thinking."

This widespread rumor that caused upheaval at the highest levels began with a stubborn and headstrong genius boy who, in order to protect the reputation of his idolized father, joined forces with his equally brilliant but somewhat "unruly" friend to launch a youthful and slightly mischievous, passionate counterattack.

His initial purpose was almost childishly simple: to divert attention from gossip about his father. In Kakashi and Taiichi's eyes, this wasn't even a "major conspiracy," at most a minor act of "mischief" fueled by anger.

As for the rumors that later implicated the Third Hokage, that can only be described as a coincidence. The rumors that Taiichi wove together based Taiichi the information in his memories were just too realistic. This caused them to panic and become suspicious of each other, which can only be attributed to their own guilty conscience.