"That old bastard hid in the shadows, plotting every dirty scheme imaginable!"
"He seized power over the corpses of the entire Uchiha clan, and he still dreamed of becoming Hokage!"
"No way. I'd be the first to refuse!"
"He ended up dying along with a rock. Heaven really does have eyes!"
"His death would've been the end of it, but he dragged Konoha's reputation through the mud too. I'm embarrassed to even speak up now."
"Exactly! We're so friendly and loving toward each other, but he made it look like we're all like Danzo, secretly bullying decent people."
The more they thought about it, the angrier they grew, until many villagers outright exploded.
"Who knows where Danzo lives? I'm going to camp outside his door and curse him out!"
"I'm going to throw rotten eggs and rotten vegetables! He makes me sick!"
"Count me in! A sinner like him deserves our punishment!"
"I know where the Shimura Clan compound is. That should work too, right?"
"Hurry, lead the way!"
Before long, crowds of furious villagers were flocking toward the Shimura Clan compound.
They called friends over along the way, swelling their numbers even further.
Quite a few ninja came to investigate, thinking someone had invaded.
Inside the Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the surging crowd outside the window and sighed softly.
He had voluntarily stepped down to quell public resentment and stabilize Konoha's foundations.
Now, he had finally achieved that goal.
Haha, wonderful news!
I'd finally managed to extricate myself.
As for Danzo, wasn't taking the blame what he was there for?
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were deathly pale and thoroughly uncomfortable, their usual composure as senior officials nowhere to be seen.
They understood perfectly well.
After this incident, their reputations in Konoha were utterly ruined.
Fortunately, though, they