A Long-Distance Slap in the Face! Stone Village's Overbearing Proclamation!

The next morning.

At the gates of the Leaf Village, the atmosphere was as oppressive as a funeral.

Hiruzen Sarutobi personally led the delegation and, with stifled humiliation, handed over a "corpse" covered in a white sheet to the leader of the Hidden Cloud Village envoys.

"Sir, we have handed over the man."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's old face was drawn tight, and his voice carried an exhaustion he could not conceal.

"We hope our two villages can cease hostilities and restore our friendship."

The envoy leader lifted the white sheet and took a look.

That face was indeed identical to Hiashi Hyuga's.

He gave a satisfied sneer, his attitude still arrogant and overbearing.

"At least you Leaf Village people know what's good for you."

The envoy leader waved a hand, ordering his subordinates to carry away the stretcher as they swaggered off.

"As for the peace agreement, we'll discuss it once Lord Raikage is in a better mood."

Watching the Hidden Cloud delegation's smug faces, every Leaf ninja present clenched their fists so hard they nearly ground their teeth to pieces.

Humiliation!

Utter humiliation!

The former greatest nation in the ninja world had fallen so low that it had to sacrifice a hero of its own village in exchange for peace handed out by its enemies like charity!

Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a heavy sigh as he watched the Hidden Cloud delegation disappear into the distance.

He knew the resentment within the village ran deep, but he had no choice.

Compared to the enormous trouble that was the Hidden Stone Village, stabilizing the fierce tiger that was Hidden Cloud first was the only option for now.

"Dismissed. Return to your duties."

The old monkey waved a weary hand and turned to head back to the Hokage Building.

However.

At noon that very day, the Leaf Village's peace was completely shattered by a piercing eagle cry!

"Screeeech—!!!"

A massive summoned ninja eagle with a wingspan of over ten meters, magnificent beyond compare, had appeared above the Leaf Village at some unknown point.

It circled overhead, letting out shrill cries that pierced the clouds and split stone.

"An enemy attack?! No, wait! There doesn't seem to be anyone on its back!"

The village's patrolling Anbu were shocked and immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to rush onto the rooftops.

Before they could react.

The giant eagle suddenly beat its wings.

"Whoosh—"

Tens of thousands of white sheets of paper drifted down like a flurry of snow!

In an instant, they blanketed every corner of the Leaf Village!

Outside Ichiraku Ramen.

A genin standing in line instinctively reached out and caught one of the falling flyers.

He lowered his head to look at it, and his entire body froze as though struck by lightning.

At the top of the flyer, printed in enormous bold black letters, was an outrageously arrogant headline:

<Stone Village's Overbearing Proclamation Regarding the Leaf Village Higher-Ups' Treasonous Pursuit of Glory>

The genin's hand trembled, and he nearly threw the flyer away.

His eyes widened as he continued reading.

"To all our brothers and sisters suffering in misery throughout the Leaf Village:"

"We heard that, in order to appease the anger of the Hidden Cloud Village, your village's higher-ups forced the Hyuga Clan's hero, Hizashi Hyuga, to his death just yesterday?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Cowardly before outsiders, ruthless toward their own people—what a move. It's so ridiculous it's throwing this old man's back out!"

The flyer's writing spared no effort in its mockery, every word dripping with shameless ridicule.

"First, they forced White Fang to his death. Then, they sold out the Hyuga Clan. Going back even further, there was their brilliant move of using the Fourth Hokage as cannon fodder."

"We of the Hidden Stone Village just can't figure it out. Do you Leaf Village higher-ups kill your own people to boost your performance?"

"How have you tolerated such an incompetent and black-hearted leadership for this long? If it were us in the Hidden Stone Village, we'd have scattered their ashes long ago!"

At the end of the flyer, its tone abruptly shifted, becoming incomparably domineering.

"Hereby, the Hidden Stone Village solemnly announces to the entire ninja world:"

"The gates of the Hidden Stone Village will forever remain open to all bloodline-limit families oppressed by the Leaf Village and betrayed by its higher-ups!"

"If you dare to come, we dare to take you in!"

"Housing! Money! Status! Benefits that completely crush those of the Leaf Village!"

"Stop working yourselves to the bone for those old bastards. Come to the Hidden Stone Village instead—we'll treat you like our own fathers!"

At the bottom were two signatures, written in bold, sweeping strokes.

Third Tsuchikage · Ōnoki

Supreme Elder of the Hidden Stone Village · Uchiha Yoru

This proclamation was like a bomb thrown into a cesspit.

The entire Leaf Village instantly erupted into chaos!

"What?! Lord Hizashi... was forced to his death by the higher-ups?!"

"I knew those Hidden Cloud bastards couldn't possibly be so kind! They used a hero's life to buy peace!"

"That's too vile! Those higher-ups aren't even human!"

Anger, doubt, and disbelief spread wildly through the crowd.

This was especially true for the civilian ninjas and smaller clans, who had long harbored resentment toward the higher-ups.

This proclamation from an enemy village completely tore apart the last remnants of their illusions and reverence!

"Smack!"

Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi trembled all over as he stared at the flyer presented by the Anbu.

His old face turned the color of liver, his lips quivering as he could not utter a single word.

A strike at the heart!

This was simply a heart-piercing scheme that killed without drawing blood!

This proclamation had not only shredded the last scraps of dignity left to him and the higher-ups, but had also openly poached the Leaf Village's people before the entire world!

What made him want to vomit blood most was that every single thing written on that flyer was fucking true!

There was not even room for rebuttal!

"Pffft—!"

The pent-up frustration lodged in his chest could no longer be suppressed.

Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the mountain of documents before him red.

His vision went black, and the world spun around him.

Amid the horrified cries of the Anbu behind him, the Third Hokage, who had ruled the Leaf Village for decades, collapsed headfirst onto the cold desk and completely lost consciousness.

His final thought before fainting was the name on that flyer—the name he hated to the bone.

"Uchiha... Yoru..."

"You... have gone too far!"