"How dare they... Homura, how did this leak?"
Like an enraged lion, Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his palm onto the desk in a sudden fury after reading the news in Shinobi World Weekly.
The news published in it had an extremely damaging effect on him, one that could even threaten his Hokage position. Hokage?
Hiruzen Sarutobi had not yet figured out how the other party had obtained this information, but he had thought of what they were after. Apart from the Hokage position, what else did he have worth scheming for? Could it be Orochimaru or Karn?
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Apart from information accidentally leaked by Mitokado Homura, the other party might also have obtained intelligence from Sunagakure.
As for the agreement Mitokado Homura had made with the Sand Ninja to keep everything absolutely confidential when signing the accord, seeing the situation now, Hiruzen Sarutobi wished he had gone to the Land of Rivers battlefield himself and slain the Third Kazekage there.
"I destroyed the agreement after leaving Sunagakure. The leak could only have come from Sunagakure. But that no longer matters, Hiruzen. Think about how to handle this. If things go badly..."
Mitokado Homura sighed and shook his head as he spoke. Not only was Hiruzen Sarutobi's name on it, but his own name was there too. Those outside were probably not just cursing Hiruzen Sarutobi now; more of their curses were likely directed at him.
Still, the one thing Mitokado Homura was grateful for deep down was that he rarely appeared in public. Many civilians and lower- and middle-ranking ninja did not recognize him, and some ninja did not even know Konoha High Command existed.
"Choosing the next Hokage? It seems this must be Orochimaru and the others' doing..."
A harsh