Those two old undying things, it's time to come out and bask in the sun!

The air inside the cave was silent, save for the crisp "drip-drop" of water falling from the rock walls.

Black Zetsu emerged from the shadows, his movements soundless, as if he were a part of the darkness itself.

"Lord Madara, I have found what you were looking for."

Lin Feng leaned lazily against the stone chair, not even opening his eyes, merely emitting a soft hum from his nose to signal him to continue.

This attitude left no trace of emotion on Black Zetsu's dual-colored face; he simply reported his findings with loyalty.

"Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura. These two have held high positions since the time of the Second Hokage and are the most old-fashioned power brokers in Konoha." Black Zetsu's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing together. "Their records are clean; it is almost impossible to find any direct evidence of corruption or betrayal of the village."

"Oh?" Lin Feng finally opened his eyes, a flicker of amusement passing through his purple Rinnegan. "Clean?"

In this world of ninja, especially at the center of a power vortex like Konoha, "clean" was the biggest problem of all. A clean ninja could not have survived until now, let alone served as a Hokage advisor.

"Yes, very clean," Black Zetsu confirmed. "But their 'cleanliness' is built upon absolute conservatism and an extreme defense of the Will of Fire."

"Get to the point." Lin Feng tapped the armrest of the stone chair with some impatience.

"During the Second Shinobi World War, Mitokado Homura was in charge of wartime logistics and coordination with allies," Black Zetsu began to state. "In the 35th year of Konoha, on the border of the Land of Grass, a flank unit of three hundred men—composed of Kusagakure ninja led by a Konoha Chunin—encountered an ambush by Iwagakure."

"At that time, less than ten kilometers away, there was a main Konoha force led by a Jonin. The allied unit fought to the death to send out a distress signal, but Mitokado Homura... suppressed this request."

Lin Feng's fingertips froze.

"The reason was that the main force was executing an S-rank mission; if exposed, it could lead to mission failure and greater losses," Black Zetsu continued. "In the end, all three hundred Kusagakure ninja were wiped out, and the Konoha Chunin leading them died in battle. That main Konoha force, from beginning to end, never knew there had been a desperate plea for help nearby."

"Afterward, Mitokado Homura defined the incident as a 'necessary sacrifice,' and the file was classified as permanent top secret."

Lin Feng heard this and the corners of his mouth curled into an arc.

This was not betrayal; even from a cold, strategic perspective, it might have been "correct."

But this kind of correctness was what hurt people the most.

Still, the trash of Kusagakure could just stay dead.

"And the other one? That old hag."

"Utatane Koharu. She has been responsible for Konoha's fiscal budget and the allocation of funds for the ninja tool research department for years." Black Zetsu's voice grew colder. "In the early days of Konoha's founding, a civilian-born genius ninja developed a new chakra metal smelting technology. This technology could significantly improve the sharpness and durability of kunai and shuriken, but it threatened the traditional ninja tool supply chain controlled by the family clans behind Konoha's weapon shops."

"Using the excuse that the 'technology was immature and the risks too high,' Utatane Koharu rejected the research budget for this technology for three consecutive years. Eventually, she transferred that civilian genius away from the research post and sent him on a high-risk mission, where he died in battle."

"The budget she cut was then handed over to the military ration pill factories opened by those vested interests. In return, those interests fully supported her entry into the Council of Elders during that year's Jonin meeting."

Lin Feng wanted to laugh.

What a classic story.

Stifling genius, protecting vested interest groups, and using high-sounding excuses to conduct the dirtiest of deals.

"The evidence for these two matters?"

"The original copy of the distress signal suppressed by Mitokado Homura is still locked in the deepest part of the Hokage Building's classified archives. As for the three hundred Kusagakure ninja sacrificed back then, their families and descendants still live in the Land of Grass, harboring deep resentment toward Konoha for 'refusing to save them.'"

"As for Utatane Koharu, she thought she had destroyed the budget approval documents from that year, but a subordinate who was dissatisfied with her secretly copied them and hid them away. That subordinate was later pushed out of Konoha by her using an excuse, and he is now living under an assumed name in the capital of the Land of Fire."

Black Zetsu finished his report and waited quietly for orders.

He had expected "Madara" to use this information to incite Kusagakure or create public opinion within Konoha.

However, Lin Feng's next words sent a chill down his spine.

"Not enough." Lin Feng shook his head. "These things can only hurt their bones and muscles; they aren't enough to ruin their reputations."

"I don't need them to step down from their advisor positions entirely; I only need to exert pressure on the public opinion front to deal a major blow to the Hokage faction's political prestige and strike at the legitimacy of their claim to the Hokage position."

Lin Feng stood up from his throne and paced back and forth twice.

"Black Zetsu, I want you to do a few things."

"First, go to the Land of Grass and find the descendants of those three hundred victims. Do not reveal your identity. Give them a sum of money and tell them that Konoha is about to clear their ancestors' names, and invite them to Konoha to 'witness' it."

"Second, go to the capital of the Land of Fire and find that former Konoha ninja who holds the evidence. Likewise, give him money and have him bring the evidence to Konoha, telling him that the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, will personally preside over justice for him."

Black Zetsu was puzzled. "Lord Madara, why use the name of the Third Hokage? Won't that..."

"Shut up and do it." Lin Feng interrupted him. "They won't suspect a thing. Because in their hearts, only the Hokage has the authority to judge the Council of Elders."

"Third," Lin Feng's Rinnegan narrowed slightly, flashing with a dangerous light, "make countless anonymous copies of the 'evidence' for these two matters. On the day Minato succeeds as Hokage, I want these things... to scatter across all of Konoha like snowflakes."

Black Zetsu's body sank slightly.

Exposing the dark history of two advisors at the Hokage's succession ceremony?

This wasn't just stirring up the situation; this was roasting the faces of the entire Konoha high command over an open fire!

"Still not enough." Lin Feng seemed to feel this wasn't stimulating enough, so he added, "I want the most critical pieces of evidence to be delivered precisely to a few people one hour before the succession ceremony begins."

"On the desk of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire."

"Next to Sarutobi Hiruzen's pipe."

"And... under the teacup of Fugaku Uchiha."

Black Zetsu understood completely.

This was a conspiracy in the truest sense of the word!

First, let the top-tier figures see the evidence, let their inner turmoil rage, and let them appear unnatural and restless during the succession ceremony.

Then, under the gaze of the masses, reveal everything to the public!

By then, everyone's reactions will become the most brilliant performance in this grand drama.

"Lord Madara... you truly have... a wicked sense of humor." Black Zetsu offered a sincere "compliment."

"Go and get it done." Lin Feng waved his hand and sat back down on the stone chair. "Remember, keep your hands clean. I want everyone to believe that this is an internal power struggle within Konoha, that someone... wants to drag those two old things down from their pedestals."

"In fact, even if it is exposed, it will only be seen as Danzo's scheme."

Black Zetsu's figure slowly sank into the ground and vanished.

The cave returned to silence.

Lin Feng manipulated the Rinnegan, and a mirror made of water vapor hovered in mid-air, clearly reflecting the scene of Konoha Village.

The sun was bright, and villagers came and went, their faces filled with contentment for their peaceful lives.

"What a truly false peace," Lin Feng whispered to himself.

He raised his hand and made a grasping motion toward the Hokage Rock in the water mirror.

"Minato's succession ceremony... Heh, I wonder what your expressions will be like when you receive this 'gift' of mine?"

His gaze finally landed on an inconspicuous corner within the water mirror.

The residence of Fugaku Uchiha.

"Fugaku, the pieces have been set for you; please... do not disappoint me."

Lin Feng snapped his fingers lightly, and the water mirror shattered, dissipating into specks of light.

"It is time to get moving; staying in this place for so long, my bones are starting to rust."

He stood up and stretched, the space around his body beginning to distort.

"The next target... where should I go to have some fun?"

His gaze seemed to pierce through the endless layers of rock, casting toward the distant horizon.

"Forget it, I'll go check on those 'good-for-nothing' juniors of mine first and see how the recruitment process is going."