The Prelude to the Newspaper

Returning to the Uchiha Clan compound, Uchiha Izuna waved his hand, and the entire clan sprang into action. Blank paper, printing presses, and editorial content were all prepared.

Five hours later, a newspaper with the bold characters "Konoha Daily" printed in the top-left corner was born, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

Uchiha Izuna picked up the paper and read it from start to finish.

"Son of a Hero or Demon Fox? Let us walk through the Nine-Tails Incident of yesteryear!"

"Shocking: The son of a hero cannot even afford enough food to survive each month. Is this a distortion of human nature, or the loss of morality?"

"Are human experiments the handiwork of Orochimaru, or the tacit approval of the village's top brass?"

"The White Fang saved those people, yet upon returning to the village, they joined the ranks of those mocking him. Was this orchestrated by someone?"

"Why did the Senju Clan disappear? Why is Tsunade the only one left? Do the trees in front of the Senju compound look a bit like human silhouettes?"

Uchiha Izuna sneered as he looked at the paper: "Perfect. Everyone, follow this template and start printing. Today's goal is ten thousand copies, one ryo per copy."

"Yes!" The civilians and ninja of the Uchiha Clan moved swiftly. Now that Uchiha Izuna had unified the Uchiha, there were no more factional disputes.

Consequently, everyone silently accepted him as the new clan head. As for Uchiha Fugaku...

Three hours later, ten thousand copies were ready. Uchiha Izuna divided them into twenty groups of five hundred, to be sold at seven o'clock tomorrow morning.

Uchiha Itachi's pupils dilated as he stared at the paper. He looked at Uchiha Izuna: "Second brother, is all of this true? If it is, then..."

"Then what? Too crazy? Or too dark?" Uchiha Izuna seemed to see right through Uchiha Itachi's heart.

"Yes." Uchiha Itachi nodded. He had never imagined the village's secrets were like this. The towering image of the Third Hokage in his mind instantly collapsed.

At the same time, a chill crept down his spine. Such a person was rotten to the core, and he had been conspiring with a tiger for so long! All that kindness he displayed daily was just a facade!

Uchiha Shisui frowned: "Some of this content must be fake, right?" Uchiha Shisui pointed to the gossip about Uchiha Fugaku and his son.

Uchiha Izuna looked over and nodded: "Aside from the serious content, we need some lighthearted stories to liven things up. That's the only way it will spread widely. Men, women, and children will all buy a copy—it's cheap, just for a look."

Uchiha Shisui nodded. He looked at the headlines on the front page and the deeds of the Third Hokage and Shimura Danzō, falling into a heavy silence.

These two were truly birds of a feather!

Hokage Office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in his chair, feeling an inexplicable heat beneath him, while a shadow of gloom covered his heart.

Opposite him, Shimura Danzō slammed his hands on the table: "Hiruzen, I don't know what you're hesitating about. Even if Naruto Uzumaki is possessed by Minato Namikaze, so what? Killing him would solve the problem all the same."

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep drag of his pipe and exhaled: "And then? If we kill Naruto, we confirm all those rumors. What good would that do for you or me?"

"By then, the relationship between the ninja clans and the village will be completely severed, and Konoha might even split apart. Wouldn't that destroy the life's work of the First Hokage? You and I would both become sinners!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up and walked to the window. He pushed it open, and the thick, white smoke from the room drifted out. From a distance, it looked no different than if the building were on fire.

"So, we do nothing? Just wait for Minato Namikaze to rally the clans for a Coup d'état?" Shimura Danzō couldn't believe Sarutobi Hiruzen was hesitating over something like this.

"A Coup d'état, you say?" Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath, staring blankly at the prosperity of Konoha, remaining silent for a long time.

"Danzō, do you think a Coup d'état is better, or a fractured Konoha? Do you think you can silence the mouths of millions of villagers in Konoha?"

Shimura Danzō lowered his head. Although he knew Sarutobi Hiruzen was right, he had his own ambitions. He had waited so long, only for the position of Hokage to slip through his fingers.

Why? He didn't want to give up! He had to do something!

He looked at the Hokage Haori worn by Sarutobi Hiruzen, his eyes filled with longing.

"I hope you won't regret this!" Shimura Danzō turned and walked out the door!

This time, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't say anything about being the Hokage. He simply kept his pipe in his mouth, staring into the distance.

Naruto Uzumaki's home.

Minato Namikaze didn't mention the Coup d'état, but instead asked the heads of the various clans to look after Naruto and ensure his life wasn't so difficult.

Uchiha Fugaku asked if he had ever considered taking back the position of Hokage. Minato Namikaze gave a bitter smile: "I am merely a soul now; who knows when I might dissipate."

"Even if I took the Hokage seat now, how many days would I have to manage it?" Minato Namikaze felt helpless; he understood Uchiha Fugaku's intentions.

Through Kurama, he had seen the hardships the Uchiha Clan had endured over the years, but there was nothing to be done. He was already dead, and his lingering soul could vanish at any moment; a Coup d'état was impossible.

Uchiha Fugaku fell silent, as did everyone else present. They had suffered under Sarutobi for too long. Even those who hadn't were now worried after learning what Sarutobi Hiruzen had done to Minato's family, fearing he might turn on them next.

In the end, everyone returned to their homes, though many clans hinted at a Coup d'état to Uchiha Fugaku, intentionally or otherwise, and began gravitating toward the Uchiha.

Uchiha Fugaku did not refuse, chatting with them with a smile.

Only Minato Namikaze took a deep look at Uchiha Fugaku. He had just handed Fugaku a note, hoping he would read it.

Back home.

Uchiha Fugaku pulled out the note. It read: "Brother Fugaku, whoever takes the Hokage seat now must be an Uchiha. I only hope that once you take Konoha, you will look after my son."

"If you need anything, just ask. I will do my utmost to help you seize that position!" Signed, Minato Namikaze.

Uchiha Fugaku looked at the contents of the note with a complex expression. Just then, a small, fair hand snatched the note away. Uchiha Fugaku's face changed: "Who!"

Uchiha Izuna smiled: "Me."

"Why so much anger? Let me guess—you wanted Minato Namikaze to lead a Coup d'état, and he refused?" Uchiha Izuna's words hit the nail on the head.

Uchiha Fugaku sighed: "That's right, you guessed it. Minato doesn't know how long he can live, so he isn't suited to lead a Coup d'état to seize power."

Uchiha Izuna nodded. Minato Namikaze was telling the truth. He looked at the note in his hand, the corners of his mouth curling upward: "So that's how it is."