Naruto's civilian cannon fodder starts with the three-body technique

Chapter 319 The Hidden Agent Unleashes His Power
The details of those battles that had been deliberately downplayed or had not yet been fully publicized were now being spoken out in public by a dignified lord, and the shock was simply unparalleled!
Finally, the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers turned to face all the villagers of Konoha and loudly proclaimed: "Such achievements are unparalleled in the ninja world! Such strength surpasses all others! In my opinion, Umino-kun deserves the title of 'Konoha Demigod'! His reputation is comparable to, or even surpasses, that of Hanzo the Salamander, the 'Demigod' of the Land of Rain!"

"A demigod of Konoha?" A brief silence fell.

Then came a frenzied cheer, like an avalanche!

"Konoha's Demigod!"

"Lord Iron Wall! The Demigod of Konoha!"

"Demigod! Demigod..."

The villagers and ordinary ninjas of Konoha were in an uproar. The title of "Konoha Demigod" was personally acknowledged and highly praised by the daimyo, who held immense influence, instantly igniting their passion.

The way they looked at Umino Sasuke was filled with almost blind worship!

At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing before the gates of Konoha, froze instantly with a smile. A barely concealed malice and rage flashed deep in his eyes. He couldn't help but sneer inwardly, "Konoha's demigod? A rising star who has just reached Kage level, what merit does he possess?! He's just relying on some schemes and luck. When I and Hanzo of the Salamander were dominating the ninja world, this kid was still playing in the mud."

The representatives of the various ninja clans had a much more complex reaction, with whispers spreading rapidly among the higher-ups: "Judging by his achievements, he truly deserves the title of 'demigod'."

The clan chief of Kurama stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming, and said with certainty, "Jonin Umino almost single-handedly defeated Sunagakure. Even Hanzo of the Salamander in his prime might not have been able to achieve such a feat."

"Hmph, what about his strength?" The Hyuga clan head's voice was cold and scrutinizing. "In a head-on battle, can he really defeat Hanzo the Salamander, who's hailed as a 'demigod'? Hanzo's summoning beast, the Salamander, is incredibly poisonous, and his water-style ninjutsu and taijutsu are truly at the pinnacle of the ninja world. Umino Sasuke seems to be more adept at strategy and planning. If it comes to a direct confrontation, I'm afraid..."

"Hyuga clan leader, don't forget, Jonin Unno used 'Ice Release' to kill Hanzo's Salamander summon and even seriously injured Hanzo!" Clan leader Inuzuka reminded him in a low voice, with a hint of awe in his eyes. "Although it was a sneak attack using Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags, the fact that he almost killed Hanzo proves his strength!"

"Replacing Hanzo as the new generation of demigod? It's not impossible, but it will take time to prove it." The Aburame representative pushed up her sunglasses, her tone calm but highlighting the key point.

Only Uchiha Kakuzu, with his crimson Sharingan, looked down at the cheering crowd surrounding Umino Sasuke, then glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen, a meaningful smile curving his lips. He didn't speak, but the amusement in his eyes was unmistakable.

Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to the surrounding discussions, especially the villagers' increasingly fervent and loud shouts of "Konoha's demigod," and the jarring questions that began to emerge amidst the cheers: "Konoha's demigod? Compared to our Third Hokage, who is stronger?"

"Of course the Third Hokage is more powerful! The Third Hokage is the 'Strongest Hokage'!"

"The strongest Hokage? What impressive achievements does he have? Lord Iron Wall has slain Ebizo, captured Pakura, defeated a Jinchuriki, injured the Tsuchikage, repelled the Raikage's successor, and almost killed Hanzo... These are all earth-shattering achievements! The Third Hokage? I don't think I've heard of any achievements of that level."

"That's right! What were the Third Hokage's achievements when he was young? It seems like he was evenly matched with the Third Tsuchikage and the Third Kazekage, not as impressive as the Iron Wall Lord's achievements, right?"

"Shh! Don't talk nonsense. The Hokage is naturally the strongest."

These murmurs, though drowned out by the massive wave of cheers, were like the sharpest poisonous thorns, piercing precisely into Hiruzen Sarutobi's ears and his heart.

His face remained smiling, but a barely perceptible glint of cold light flashed in his eyes. His hands, hidden beneath his wide sleeves, were clenched tightly, his nails almost digging into his flesh.

His heart was filled with killing intent and apprehension. Umino Sasuke, the daimyo of the Land of Rivers, how wonderful!

It seems that this carefully prepared ceremony of presenting prisoners was premeditated. With the help of the daimyo of the Land of Rivers, it was very effective. Sasuke Umino's reputation was pushed to an unprecedented level, which could even threaten his "strongest Hokage" aura!

This immense achievement and the title of "Konoha Demigod" were a political signal that weighed heavily on Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind. He knew that things were beginning to spiral out of control in the direction he least wanted to see.

The thunderous cheers of "Konoha's Demigod" crashed against Hiruzen Sarutobi's defenses like an invisible giant wave.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's perfect smile was almost impossible to maintain, and the sinister look in his eyes was almost overflowing. He absolutely could not allow Sasuke Umino's reputation to continue to rise without limit. He quickly turned his gaze to his trusted advisor, Koharu Utatane, beside him.

However, Koharu Utatane was looking down at her nose and indifferent to everything around her, even turning her head slightly to avoid Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze, which carried a clear command.

She knew very well that Sasuke Umino was currently riding high, with even the Daimyo of the Land of Rivers publicly endorsing him. His strength was unfathomable, and he held real military power and had a distinguished record of military achievements, so his future prospects were limitless.

She wasn't stupid enough to jump out and act as a pawn to directly confront this newly rising "demigod." Offending such a powerful and ruthless upstart would have endless consequences. Even if she didn't consider herself, she had to consider her family.

Moreover, the Mitomon clan's fate was a stark reminder; they were nearly wiped out by the major ninja clans. She was determined not to get involved in this mess.

Hiruzen Sarutobi cursed inwardly and immediately turned his gaze to Homura Mitokado.

At this moment, although Mitomon Homura was very dissatisfied with Hiruzen Sarutobi always using him as a pawn and even making him take the blame, he was even more resentful of Umino Sasuke, who had caused heavy losses to the Mitomon clan's business.

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's commanding gaze, Homura Mitokado's last shred of hesitation vanished. Since you, Hiruzen Sarutobi, are so heartless, using me as a stepping stone and a scapegoat, then don't blame me for fanning the flames and making you and Sasuke Umino fall out.

Mitomon En suddenly stepped forward, using all his strength, his sharp voice drowning out the villagers' cheers: "Shut up! It's all nonsense!"

The sudden, sharp shout silenced the noisy scene instantly.

All eyes were fixed in astonishment on the advisor elder, who looked somewhat haggard after just selling off his family property.

Mitokado Homura pointed at Umino Sasuke, his fingers trembling violently with emotion, and cried out in a hoarse voice, "Everyone, you've all been deceived by him! Umino Sasuke, he's not a hero at all! He's a sinner of Konoha! A rogue ninja who breaks the rules!"

On the battlefield of the Land of Wind, he openly defied the Hokage's orders, acting on his own initiative, penetrating deep into the heart of the Land of Wind, destroying oases, and colluding with those vicious, murderous, and plundering sand bandits. He even supported those sand bandits in occupying the oases he destroyed, and incited unrest! Do you know what slogan he put forward?

Mitokado Homura's voice suddenly rose, filled with fear and inflammatory rhetoric: "He actually dared to shout such treasonous and outrageous words as 'overthrow the rule of the nobility and liberate the entire ninja world'! This is to overturn the order of the entire ninja world! This is to make our Konoha the public enemy of all the noble daimyo in the entire ninja world!"
It was precisely because of his outrageous behavior in the Land of Wind that he had thoroughly enraged the Daimyo of the Land of Fire! The Daimyo was furious and had already sent a strongly worded edict to Konoha, demanding severe punishment for Unno Sasuke; otherwise, next year's military funding for Konoha would be drastically reduced or even cut off!

Then, looking around at the villagers who were stunned by the information, he said in a tearful, seductive voice, "No military funds! How will Konoha maintain its massive ninja army? How will it purchase ninja tools, medicine, and supplies? How will it compensate the families of fallen ninjas? How will it pay your mission rewards? How will Konoha deal with the threats from other ninja villages?!"

Once military funding is cut off and Konoha is defeated in the Ninja War, how can any survivors escape the collapse of the nest?! If the Daimyo is enraged and cuts military spending, prices in Konoha will inevitably skyrocket, food will be scarce, and morale will be low; collapse will be imminent!

Mitomon's tearful accusation was like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the fervor of most of the villagers present.

Those terrifying memories of "cut off military funding," "soaring prices," and "failure in the war of attrition" were precisely evoked by Mitokado Homura.

Especially the older generation of villagers who had experienced Madara Uchiha's offense against the daimyo, couldn't help but recall the soaring prices in Konoha, and their faces finally showed fear and lingering apprehension.

"Disobeying orders? Colluding with bandits? And trying to overthrow aristocratic rule?"

"My God, this is incredibly audacious! This is a crime punishable by the confiscation of property and the extermination of the entire clan!" "Without the daimyo's military funds, what will we do? Starve?"

"Lord Hokage, is this true?"

"How dare Lord Iron Wall..."

Voices of doubt and concern spread rapidly, the atmosphere of fervent worship was instantly shattered, and Sasuke Umino's soaring reputation was abruptly halted, even beginning to falter.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was secretly delighted, but his face revealed a pained and helpless expression, as if he were tacitly approving of Homura Mitokado's accusations.

The Hokage's henchmen behind him straightened their backs, ready to seize the opportunity to launch an attack and completely crush Umino Sasuke.

Just when public opinion was about to completely turn against Umino Sasuke.

"The envoy of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire! Arrive—"

A loud announcement came from the front of Konoha Avenue.

A small but extremely magnificent and imposing honor guard escorted a carriage decorated with the insignia of the Daimyo's residence, which slowly drove towards the gates of Konoha.

The carriage stopped, and a middle-aged man dressed in a magnificent official robe and with a composed demeanor calmly stepped down with the help of his attendants. He was the newly appointed Minister of Finance of the Land of Fire and an important figure on the list of allies of the Iron Wall Dark Guard.

Upon seeing the Minister of Finance arrive in person, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura Mitokado, and the others were overjoyed. Excellent! The Daimyo was indeed furious, and even the Minister of Finance was sent in person. This must be an imperial edict to severely punish Sasuke Unno. It's truly a godsend!

After a series of polite formalities, Mitokado Homura immediately stepped forward, his face beaming with smiles, and eagerly interrupted, "Minister of Finance, it is an honor to have you in Konoha. I apologize for not being able to greet you properly. Regarding the matter of Umino Sasuke disobeying orders, colluding with bandits, making irresponsible remarks about the national system, and offending the Daimyo in the Land of Wind!"
"Please rest assured! Konoha will never protect such a criminal! We are preparing to deal with Unno Sasuke seriously and give the Daimyo a satisfactory explanation. We will definitely punish him severely!"

However, the new Chancellor of the Exchequer merely glanced at him, a perfectly measured hint of doubt on his face, his voice calm yet clear, carrying throughout the room:

"Oh? Severe punishment? Confession? Elder Mitomon, what are you talking about? I am here on the orders of His Majesty the Daimyo, bringing a generous reward to honor Konoha's hero, Jonin Unno. What do you mean by severe punishment?"

boom!
Like a bolt from the blue!

Mitokado Homura's expression froze instantly, going from ecstasy to astonishment to disbelief, and finally turning into a gloomy look!
He thought he had misheard: "What commendation? Sir, are you mistaken? Umino Sasuke destroyed the oasis in the Land of Wind, colluded with sand bandits, and spread wicked theories..."

"Elder Mitomon! Watch your words!" The Finance Minister's face darkened, and his tone was stern as he said, "Jonin Unno's wisdom and courage on the battlefield of the Land of Wind are undeniable facts! His Majesty the Daimyo has always held Jonin Unno in high regard and praised him greatly. How could this be considered offensive? As for your accusations of 'colluding with sand bandits' and 'spreading violent theories,' they are utter nonsense!"

He surveyed the entire room, his voice booming with an unquestionable authority:
"I have come here on the orders of His Majesty the Daimyo to clarify the facts for Jonin Unno and to bring the Daimyo's generous reward! After a thorough investigation by the Daimyo's office, it has been found that Jonin Unno was carrying out a secret mission in the Land of Wind, destroying the important Sunagakure stronghold, the Oasis, and cutting off its supply lines! This is a great achievement! As for those sand bandits who occupy the Oasis and are causing trouble under the guise of Jonin Unno's name..."

Then, the Finance Minister paused, his gaze sharpening as he looked at Mitokado Homura:

"Jonin Umino had already proven his innocence. Before returning to Konoha, he personally took action and swiftly wiped out dozens of notorious sand bandit leaders, including the 'Blood Sand Wolf' and the 'Wind Fang,' and sent their heads and identification documents to the Daimyo's residence through reliable channels for verification!"
These bandit leaders were all wanted criminals with extremely high bounties by the Land of Wind for many years. This action by Jonin Umino was not only to clear his name, but also to eliminate a huge threat to the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire!

As for those absurd slogans about 'overthrowing the rule of the nobility,' it has been verified that they were carefully planned rumors by the Daimyo of the Land of Wind in order to divert domestic conflicts, slander the heroes of Konoha, and force Jonin Umino to leave the front line of the Land of Wind!

Their purpose was simply to intimidate the formidable reputation of Jonin Umino. Your Excellency, the Daimyo, sees this perfectly clearly; how could you possibly be deceived by such a despicable trick?!

The Chancellor's powerful clarification and revelations contained a wealth of information and completely reversed the situation!
The villagers of Konoha suddenly realized what was happening, and their eyes were filled with contempt and anger as they looked at Mitokado Homura.

"So it was all a rumor, a trick by the daimyo of the Land of Wind!"

"I knew it! How could Lord Umino possibly collude with the sand bandits?"

"That old bastard Mitokado Homura is too wicked; he actually slandered our hero!"

"His son is a traitor, and he himself is no better! He was just putting on a pitiful act!"

Mitokado Homura was stunned, as if struck by lightning: "No! Impossible!"

He simply couldn't understand why the Daming Prefecture's attitude had made such a complete 180-degree turn!

He was of course unaware that this was a brilliant scheme orchestrated by Umino Sasuke, who used the Iron Wall Dark Guard to control the former Finance Minister's deputy, the new Finance Minister before him.

As for those "disobedient" or "worthless" bandit leaders, they had long been defined as "failed experiments," and then their heads were used as "trophies" and "evidence" and sent to the new finance minister.

The new Finance Minister successfully overthrew his predecessor by exploiting the conflict between the Fire Country Daimyo and the Wind Country Daimyo's cousin, as well as the "evidence" that the former Finance Minister had accepted bribes from the Wind Country and framed Umino Sasuke. After taking office, he naturally had to repay the favor by clearing the name of his ally, Umino Sasuke.

The Fire Country Daimyo was also pleased to see a powerful figure emerge within Konoha who was at odds with Hiruzen Sarutobi but needed the Daimyo's support. This would help him divide Konoha's upper echelons and strengthen his control over the village.

Compared to the stubborn and unyielding Shimura Danzo, Umino Sasuke is much more endearing and the perfect person to win over.

The Finance Minister, looking at the distraught Mitokado Homura, snorted coldly and questioned in a deep voice:
"Elder Mitomon, you keep saying that the Daimyo is furious and demanding severe punishment for Jonin Unno. You even slander Jonin Unno for colluding with bandits, making irresponsible remarks about the national system, and inciting riots... These are probably just excuses for your jealousy of talent, your neglect of public duty for personal gain, and even your collusion with foreign enemies to frame loyal officials!"

He ignored Mitokado Homura and turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen, taking out a scroll from his sleeve bearing the seal of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, and proclaimed loudly, "Third Hokage! The Daimyo's edict is here!"

Daimyo's decree: Konoha Jonin Umino Sasuke, on the front lines of the Land of Wind, strategized and won a decisive victory, defeating the enemy's main force, capturing a Jinchuriki, and bringing glory to our nation! His meritorious service is illustrious! He is hereby bestowed with the title of 'Iron Wall of Konoha' and awarded a reward of ten thousand taels of gold, ten chests of treasures, and one hundred bolts of brocade as a sign of commendation!

We hope he will continue his efforts and make new contributions to the Land of Fire and Konoha!

After reading it aloud, the Finance Minister changed the subject and took out another scroll of the Daimyo's edict, his tone becoming extremely stern as he said, "Daimyo's edict! Konoha Advisor Elder Mitokado Homura's crimes are clear and countless!"
First, he was jealous of talent and ability, neglected public duty for private gain, framed loyal officials, slandered meritorious people, and attempted to deceive the Hokage and wreak havoc on Konoha!

Secondly, he condoned his son, Mitokado Takashi, to collude with Sunagakure, smuggle weapons, sell intelligence, and harm his comrades, causing countless Konoha heroes to die unjustly on the battlefield!

Thirdly, he embezzled and abused his power, enriching himself at the expense of others by misappropriating enormous sums of military funds allocated to Konoha by the daimyo. This is a grave crime that threatens the very foundation of the nation!

Fourth, they engaged in usury, extortion, persecution of the families of heroes, and forced families to break apart, showing utter depravity!
Any one of these four offenses is an unforgivable crime!

(End of this chapter)