Bab 300: CH - 295 Akihiko's Hidden Secrets

What is all this nonsense? How could they stoop so low as ninjas? There's nothing between him and Hiruzen that needs defending—this is outright slander.

The article didn't directly accuse him of having an improper relationship with Hiruzen, but it heavily implied that Hiruzen had always been overly lenient and protective of him. It mentioned how Hiruzen had never abandoned him, even after multiple captures, and had only given him a mild rebuke following the Nine-Tails attack. It even insinuated his involvement in the Uchiha clan rebellion—completely baseless.

How could the Uchiha rebellion be his fault? He never forced the Uchiha to make any donations; he simply visited them to talk and collect funds. How could he be blamed for the situation escalating? He was a victim in all this.

And now, with the pressure from the Three Great Shinobi Villages, Hiruzen had been steadfast in his support. It's preposterous. Of course, He would defend him, After all, He is the 'darkness' of Konoha, the unseen guardian. The village cannot function without him.

Though these articles appeared to celebrate Konoha's camaraderie, the unscrupulous reporters at the Shinobi Times twisted the narrative with their ambiguous and suggestive language, creating a bizarre implication that something darker lurked beneath the surface. It raised unsettling questions about moral decay and the distortion of human values—an absolute outrage.

"Attack them! We need to rip them apart in our own paper!" Danzo shouted, his frustration boiling over.

Suddenly, a ninja burst in, urgency etched across his face. "Danzo-sama! Hokage-sama has fainted!"

"He fainted? Hiruzen's mental state is really deteriorating. I'm furious too, but I haven't fainted," Danzo remarked coolly, a hint of mockery in his voice.

"The ANBU said they hope you can go to the medical unit," the ninja replied, urgency still in his tone.

"Is he dying?" Danzo asked, his demeanor unchanged.

The ninja, bewildered by Danzo's question, hesitated.

"I'm asking if Hiruzen is dying," Danzo reiterated calmly.

"... No." The ninja hesitated before shaking his head.

"Then why do they want me there? Don't they know I'm busy?" Danzo snorted, clearly annoyed.

"Because... the Third Hokage's wife is at the medical unit now, and Hokage-sama wants you to explain things to her." the ninja finally said after a moment's pause.

"Explain? What exactly do you want me to explain?" Danzo raised an eyebrow at his subordinate, pausing for a moment before waving his hand dismissively. "Just tell them I'm busy right now. Hiruzen can handle it himself."

He turned back to the Root reporters, his voice sharp. "Why is everyone just standing around? Don't you realize we have important work to do? Get moving!"

He struck the ground with his cane, emphasizing his point. "Listen carefully! I want a plan to go after the leader of Grass Village. Make it sharp, and make it memorable!"

"Uh, Lord Danzo… how should we approach this?" the Root ninjas asked, uncertainty evident in their voices.

"You fools! You're supposed to be the elite of Root! Have you forgotten what we are?" Danzo glared at the questioning ninja, his voice rising. "Use your skills in framing and deception. If there are no scandals to exploit, create them!"

"Uh… Lord Danzo, what if we take a page from the Shinobi Times? Something like, 'Shocking! The Grass Village leader and the editor-in-chief of the Shinobi Times caught in a scandal'?" The Root ninja suggested hesitantly.

"Absolute nonsense! If we simply mimic their tactics, we'll only make ourselves a laughingstock," Danzo scolded. "Think of something more original!"

"Um… Lord Danzo, everyone already knows the Grass leader is dishonorable. We've attacked him from every angle already," a Root ninja said, his mouth twitching as he spoke.

"Didn't I tell you? Use your skills from the past to fabricate something new. Honestly, you're all useless." Danzo shook his head, pausing briefly before continuing, "For instance, we could claim that the Grass leader has taken youngest son due to the widowed wife of the Uchiha clan, implying he's after other people's wives. Go all out with this!"

The Root ninjas were taken aback but quickly exclaimed in admiration, "Brilliant… absolutely brilliant!"

Danzo's strategy was clear: leverage the Grass abduction incident to suggest ulterior motives, making other ninja clans hesitate before aligning with them. It was a clever maneuver, even if it was nonsensical. No wonder he was Lord Danzo.

With that, everyone sprang into action.

…

Meanwhile, with the release of the Shinobi Times article, the previously subdued newspaper war reached a new climax. A fresh wave of mutual slander erupted, more exciting and intense than ever before. The accusations were surprisingly well-crafted, igniting fervent discussions among the populace about "The Untold Story of the Third Hokage and His Best Friend" and "The Grass Village Leader's Hidden Secrets!"

Sales for both the Shinobi Times and the Root Daily surged once again. Each newspaper was determined to outdo the other, neither willing to back down an inch.

"Take down the Root Daily! How dare a newcomer challenge the supremacy of the Shinobi Times? As for the leader—don't worry about him; he'll be fine. Just focus on attacking them relentlessly! Remember our motto: We are our own greatest enemies! Fight hard! Strive for victory!" Mubuki from Grass Village rallied his team.

"Keep the slander coming! Crush them! Is that all the Shinobi Times is capable of? Anyone who uncovers new dirt on the Grass leader will receive 10,000; serious allegations will earn 100,000, and anything that shocks the entire shinobi world will be rewarded with 1,000,000! This is Danzo Shimura's promise!" Danzo urged his reporters, matching Mubuki's fervor.

The Root ninjas responded enthusiastically to Danzo's promises, chanting, "Yes! Lord Danzo!"

In Grass Village, employees shouted, "Crush the Root Daily!" Meanwhile, in Konoha, the Root ninjas echoed, "Crush the Shinobi Times!" The atmosphere crackled with tension as both sides geared up to outdo each other.

Before long, the two newspapers found themselves in a heated rivalry, with even the shinobi stationed at the borders feeling the tension rise. Neither side was willing to back down, creating an atmosphere charged with anticipation, as if a battle was imminent. The entire shinobi world felt the weight of this oppressive tension once again.

…

"Hahaha! Slander them well. Keep it up. Just like that, keep slandering them. Hahaha!" In Stone Village, the Third Tsuchikage Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, laughed heartily as he read the intel in his hands.

While he had hoped for an escalation in the conflict between Grass Village and Konoha, he hadn't anticipated it would reach this level. It was impressive how the Grass journalists had managed to stir the pot.

Initially, as time passed, the mutual slander between the two newspapers seemed to be losing steam, which had disappointed him. "Was it going to fizzle out just like that?"

To his surprise, the Shinobi Times had thrown fuel on the fire, and the flames ignited once more.

"Keep arguing! It would be even better if you guys actually started fighting!" Onoki sighed with satisfaction. He glanced at the two newspapers before him, a slight smile forming on his lips as he murmured, "You two can continue your bickering. The Stone Daily won't get involved."

They would focus on their own development, and by the time the others noticed, the Stone Daily would have already seized the market.

Just then, Kitsuchi rushed in, his chubby frame slick with sweat and his expression frantic. "It's bad! Father—no, Lord Tsuchikage!"

Onoki raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. What could possibly be wrong? Before he could voice his dissatisfaction, Kitsuchi shouted again, "The Stone Daily... it's going bankrupt!"

Onoki, who had been enjoying the unfolding drama from the sidelines, was left utterly dumbfounded.