A month passed, and talk of that battlefield gradually dwindled in the village.
As for the battlefield that could not be concealed, Konohagakure's official announcement claimed that a meteorite had struck near the village.
The other Shinobi Villages naturally did not believe that announcement. They were more inclined to think that the Nine-Tails, destroyed several years earlier, had revived, and Konoha's large-scale mobilization had been an effort to capture the Tailed Beast.
Alongside this, several unconfirmed rumors had recently spread through the village.
The first was that an Uchiha had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan. The second was that someone in the village had mastered Wood Release. But the most frightening rumor was that the mysterious man who had attacked Konoha several years earlier possessed not only the Sharingan, but Wood Release as well.
The Sharingan and Wood Release were both symbols of Konoha, yet the assailant possessed both.
The Third specifically sent people to clear things up, but that only lent the rumors more credibility. The harder he tried to explain, the worse it looked.
Inside the Hokage Office.
The Third stared at Danzo before him, his expression shifting as he took puff after puff from his pipe.
Only a handful of people knew that Shisui possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, and Danzo was the only one who would dredge up the Night of the Nine-Tails.
Compared to him, Danzo took a far more radical stance toward the Uchiha. The two sides were practically sworn enemies.
After a moment's consideration, the Third demanded, "Danzo, why are you provoking the Uchiha? Why spread rumors about Shisui?"
Danzo's expression did not change. "I'm merely doing what's best for the village..."
"And did you achieve your goal?" the Third countered.
Danzo fell silent, then said, "Hiruzen, the Uchiha must have spread those rumors. They