Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

Sunagawa didn't say that White Fang was dead, and unless Hiruzen Sarutobi was brain-dead, he wouldn't let White Fang die. In some ways, White Fang's role in Konoha was even greater than that of the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Konoha's defense system was built by White Fang. To this day, the success rate of rogue ninja escaping Konoha is the lowest in the ninja world, at two percent. Konoha's Anbu was also led by White Fang. Without White Fang's restraint during World War II, Shinto would have already led his men to their homeland.

So, their information was that Konoha's White Fang was under investigation for causing significant losses to Konoha due to a failed mission...

But then again, since their true fighting style debuted, hasn't Konoha suffered enough losses? (⊙_⊙)?

567. They all misunderstood Danzo!

At this time, Konoha was still bustling and prosperous!

Without war, Konoha truly revealed its true colors as the number one village in the ninja world.

Meanwhile, the Hokage Building was deathly silent. The Konoha F4, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, and Danzo, who had been bedridden for a long time and finally decided to "turn over a new leaf" after Hiruzen Sarutobi's repeated persuasion, also returned to the team.

Although Konoha was filled with both big and small events during this period, it never affected the Konoha F4's enthusiasm for chatting. Every morning after clocking in, they would take the time to drink a cup of morning tea and brag a bit, reminiscing about the old days. Only after they had a good time chatting would they start the new day's work with a relaxed attitude.

But now all four of them were silent. Hiruzen Sarutobi was quietly puffing away, his youngest son had already started smoking. Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had originally planned to quit smoking to set an example for his youngest son, once again picked up his ancestral pipe and silently lit it after a three-day smoking cessation campaign.

Even the two Ministers of Home Affairs, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, were no longer enjoying their usual peaceful time. Homura Mitokado would occasionally pick up the cup beside him, place it by the water, then remember something, as if the cup was filled with rat poison, and silently put it down, letting out a silent sigh.

Even Xiaochun, the usually calmest and most composed "female heroine," had a furrowed brow the whole time; her face, which was about to turn fifty, was practically dark with worry.

Danzo, who had already decided to repent and start anew, had a very serious expression on his face, which still showed signs of carrying several murders on his back. He stood silently in front of the desk where the Hokage was standing, leaning on a cane.

Everything was eerily quiet!

Their top star, the White Fang of Konoha, finally couldn't maintain his myth of a 100% mission completion rate; this time, he failed again.

It was just a failed mission. Although the main character was Sakumo, it might cause a bit of a stir and make headlines in Konoha for a few days. People would then realize that Sakumo was just a human, not a god, and that would be the end of it.

After all, who can guarantee that they will never fail in their life?

That's impossible. Didn't the First Hokage get beaten up by his friend Madara for several years before he rose to power?

Didn't their teacher, Second Master, get beaten up by Second Master Uchiha a few times back then?

Don't ask them how they know; it's clearly recorded in hundreds of black and white words in the Uchiha clan's genealogy...

So failing a ninja mission isn't a serious matter. Which ninja hasn't failed? It's just that some people are lucky enough to survive, while others are unlucky and die after failing.

This is the fate of ninjas.

Moreover, Sakumo has only failed once in decades. Although it caused the village to lose a lot of intelligence and suffer significant losses, their village has also suffered considerable losses over the years. If someone had to be held responsible, Hiruzen Sarutobi would deserve the most credit...

So failing the Sakumo mission is really nothing to worry about!

But perhaps because their myths had been shattered, what seemed trivial to them became heinous crimes to the villagers. For days, villagers had been marching and demonstrating in the streets and downstairs, demanding that Hiruzen Sarutobi severely punish White Fang. Even the Hatake clan and Hiruzen Sarutobi's house were filled with protesters.

This infuriated Hiruzen Sarutobi. Normally, he could abuse his power for personal gain and give preferential treatment to his own people without a care in the world, as long as it didn't have a big impact. He was still the great Hokage, beloved by the villagers.

It is true that ninjas will be punished for failing a mission. This is a rule that has been passed down in this industry for hundreds or thousands of years. However, the punishment is usually not too severe. It often depends on the circumstances. At most, it may involve deducting performance bonuses, spending a couple of days in jail to reflect on one's mistakes, and then being released after serving one's sentence.

What is this loss compared to Sakumo's contributions to the village over the years? As long as the village isn't destroyed, even if Sakumo demolishes the Hokage Rock, the symbol of Konoha, it's no problem; they can just carve another one...

But this time the situation was different. The impact was far greater than when he was trapped last time. Almost half of the villagers who were able to move had come out, and the rest were either elderly people who couldn't walk or young children who hadn't even grown their hair yet. This made it impossible for Hiruzen Sarutobi to let the matter drop.

This is public opinion!

At this moment, he finally witnessed the terrifying power of public opinion. Even though he considered himself invincible in verbal sparring, he was at a loss for words in the face of so many people.

But severely punishing Shuo Mao is impossible. Putting aside what kind of severe punishment it could be, even though Shuo Mao has devoted himself to the village for so many years, risking his life and always standing on the front line, he could not punish Shuo Mao, because he could not let his subordinates down.

If he really did that, who the hell would still want to hang out with Hiruzen Sarutobi?

This was also the reason for his annoyance. At first, he suspected that his good buddy, that stubborn scoundrel, was incorrigible and secretly instigating the villagers. For this reason, he even teamed up with Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado to spray his good buddy in the face for the first time ever.

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "You ungrateful bastard! Sakumo saved your life several times, and this is how you repay your savior?!"

Mitokado Homura: "You bastard! If it weren't for Lord Ito risking his life to save you back then, would you have been able to work out your biceps for so many years? (-"-Angry)"

Koharu, the girl who turns to the next dorm: "Pah! You beast.....(▼ヘ▼#)"

Although it felt pretty good, when he saw his best friend's aggrieved tears streaming down his face, he knew they had all misunderstood Danzo!

Because he knew his best friend well, his best friend who never shed tears, a true man who doesn't easily cry, would never cry unless he suffered a great injustice. And thinking about it, it makes sense. Although Danzo gained popularity and fans because of his ambition back then, he had already lost most of them in the Second World War. How could he have the ability to incite so many villagers? The villagers' cultural level has improved a lot now. Even he, the Hokage, couldn't do that, let alone Danzo.

Therefore, this is not something that can be done by one person alone, and that is why Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't know what to do.

"Is there any way to treat inflamed skin?"

Koharu, who had been sitting silently, was getting so tired of sitting that her bottom was numb. She knew she couldn't keep sitting like this. Since the culprit wasn't Danzo, they should try to find a solution. Among the four of them, Mitokado Homura was the most educated. He had read almost all of their teacher's books. He was the most likely among the four to come up with a solution.

568. Truly, intelligent people are terrifying!

"Sigh... The reason the villagers are so agitated is mainly because Sakumo's performance over the years has been too perfect. He has been a genius of the village since childhood, debuting at the age of nine and killing the head of the Sunagakure Anbu, Ramon, at the age of twelve. He has never failed until now, and has unknowingly become the villagers' faith. Now that this faith has suddenly collapsed, they are reacting so strongly. This kind of problem cannot be solved with a few words of comfort. Only with time will the villagers slowly accept this matter and digest it, or a new faith will emerge to replace Sakumo's position in their hearts. However, both of these methods require time... I am worried that Sakumo will not be able to hold on and will do something foolish."

The cultured Mito Menyan seemed to have seen through this all along. He sighed softly and then spoke slowly. Such a thing had never happened before. He was indeed a student of his teacher's five carts of knowledge, but even when his teacher was alive, such a thing had never happened. Although the first generation had passed away, his teacher was still there to take over. Even if his teacher had sacrificed himself, Mito would still take over, so the village would not be thrown into chaos. By the time Mito passed away, his friend Hiruzen was already able to perfectly take over.

But now, there's no one to take over from Sakumo. Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru each have their own flaws, and Sakumo's career was so perfect that it's not easy to find someone to succeed him. Even if there were such a talent, it would be impossible to create a legend in a short time. This kind of thing takes time to hone, but what they lack right now is precisely time.

The Hatake clan members are straightforward. Although Sakumo has been the leader of the Anbu for so many years and has become more shrewd, his unyielding spirit is hard to change. He was worried that Sakumo might not be able to withstand the pressure of the fishing boats and do something foolish, which would be a huge loss for Konoha.

Sakumo is their general who fought against the Lion King. He's incredibly resilient and hasn't been harmed in all these years. If something were to happen to him, and Tsunade has already left, then Konoha would have no one left who could stand against the Golden Lion.

"I've already had the Anbu keep an eye on him. For now, there shouldn't be any problems, but it's hard to say what will happen if it goes on for too long. We must resolve this as soon as possible... Go and call Shikaku here."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in agreement with his friend's opinion, saying that he knew Sakumo's personality well. In the short term, he might just be depressed, but in the long run, it would be hard to say what would happen. If Konoha lost Sakumo, it would be like losing an entire army group.

Even the most cultured friend was at a loss. Although promoting someone to a higher position was indeed a good method, he already had a plan in mind. The perfect grand-disciple who was currently researching new ninjutsu was the best candidate. With his personal charm, even Onoki, who was at odds with them, had to admit that he was wrong. Who else could they promote if not him? Moreover, he was born a commoner, making it easier for him to gain the villagers' approval. He was the perfect candidate.

However, this is impossible to achieve in the short term. After all, the achievements that Shuo Mao has made over the years cannot be accomplished by them just by boasting a few words. It will take several years for them to boast while their perfect grand-disciples and grand-disciples work together to achieve the same results. Unfortunately, time does not allow it.

Left with no other option, they had to send a subordinate from the Anbu to fetch the real strategist, Nara Shikaku. This strategist had been in his position for some time now, and while he was a bit lazy—a trait inherited from the Nara clan—he was used to it. However, his capacity for disgust was undeniably formidable. He had meticulously analyzed the true culprit who had recently caused trouble in their Land of Fire, concluding that the real killer was Onoki, that red-nosed guy. Shikaku believed him and was planning to get revenge, but before he could devise a plan, Sakumo got into trouble. He decided to postpone the revenge; in his mind, the entire Onoki family couldn't compare to Sakumo alone…

........

"...Lord Hokage, advisors, Mito's method is indeed feasible, but there isn't enough time. Actually...it's not difficult to reduce the impact of Lord Sakumo's matter. We just need to create another, more impactful event to divert the villagers' attention. Humans are, after all, two-legged, hairless primates, and it's human nature to love gossip."

After Shiba Nara Shikaku arrived, he fought off his sleepiness and listened to the four old men, all over fifty, talking back and forth. Finally, when things were cleared up, the advantage of the father of a son with an intelligence of 98.5 and a future that would be even more amazing, and whose intelligence was 99, breaking the ninja world's intelligence record, was fully displayed at this moment. The four old men, all with intelligence of 90, had wasted countless brain cells and several days trying to figure it out, but after listening to their analysis, if it weren't for respect, they would have wanted to answer first.

Looking at the seemingly invincible Sima, the four members of Sarutobi Hiruzen and his companions knew that this was a sure thing, even before they had heard the game.

Intelligent people are truly terrifying; they even considered human nature! Σ(⊙▽⊙a

Danzo Shimura secretly felt relieved; thankfully, none of his underlings had the surname Nara, otherwise, he wouldn't even know who the boss was in the end...

"Hmph! That's easy for you to say. But you have to understand Sakumo's status and influence in the village. Unless Hiruzen finds a mistress, or the First and Second Hokage are resurrected, I really can't think of anything that could have such a big impact."

However, Danzo's cold snort expressed a different opinion.

White Fang's status and influence in the ninja world and the village are undeniable; he earned them through years of hard work and dedication. Although he couldn't be sure if the news had spread, he was certain that if it had, White Fang would undoubtedly be the most influential person of the year. What else could possibly surpass that influence?

Even now, Danzo is still incredibly frustrated. A couple of days ago, he was inexplicably sprayed in the face by three bastards, which infuriated him. In all these years, this was the first time his friends had sprayed him in the face like that. Among them, Mitokado Ero was such a jerk that he didn't know if he hadn't brushed his teeth that morning or had eaten salted fish stew for breakfast. The heavy, rotten smell coming from his mouth almost drove Danzo crazy. He had to use several bottles of shower gel to get it clean.

yes!

White Fang is one of Hiruzen Sarutobi's men, and he secretly hopes that White Fang will die, so that Hiruzen Sarutobi will lose one of his most important "usual weapons". But now is clearly not the time!

Ever since his plan to kill Nawaki failed, his path to becoming Hokage has become even more difficult. Now, even if Hiruzen Sarutobi, Sakumo Hatake, and Nawaki are all dead, with his current reputation, it's not his turn to become Hokage.

He finally managed to put on a good show for his best buddies, convincing them that Shimura Danzo had reformed and started anew. Now that the story has progressed this far, why would he risk exposure by getting his teeth whitened?

This deal is a losing proposition no matter how you look at it!

However, despite their years of friendship, the three of them didn't believe him and even berated him...

569. Indeed, many refined people are scoundrels.

"Mmm...(⊙_⊙)"

Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others spoke bluntly but their reasoning was sound. Although they were surprised that Danzo, whose mind was always focused on scheming, had such unique insights, what he said made sense. The impact of the Sakumo incident was too great; almost the entire village had been mobilized. If it had already spread to the outside world, who knew how much of an impact it would have? It wouldn't be easy to create an even more influential event to overshadow this one.

The idea is good, but it's also very difficult!

"...Advisor Danzo misunderstood. I said before that gossip is human nature. This matter doesn't necessarily need to have a huge impact, but it does need to be gossipy, dramatic, and sensational. As long as it can arouse everyone's interest and shift their attention to this matter, that's enough. The impact doesn't need to be too great..."

"That's what Sima Konara said."

"Gossip-worthy...dramatic...explosive..."

Mitokado Homura seemed to have thought of something, nodding slightly before his gaze darted back and forth between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura...

What came to mind? ヽ(ー_ー)ノ

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt extremely uncomfortable being stared at. As far as he knew, this guy definitely had some immoral and extremely filthy thoughts about him. However, for the sake of his beloved... ugh! his beloved general, he had to bite the bullet and ask. What if the method, though filthy, was effective?

"...ヽ(ー_ー)ノ"

By then, Shimura Danzo was ashen-faced. He wasn't blind; he'd seen Mitokado Homura's shifty eyes earlier. As the saying goes, many intellectuals are scoundrels; who knew what this guy was thinking? If they dragged him in...

"Ahem... If it's just about drama, gossip, and sensational moments, I can think of one, but I'll have to trouble you and Danzo."

Mitokado Homura kept glancing at Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo with an embarrassed expression.

"Just tell me already! As long as this matter can be resolved, a little grievance is nothing!"

Although his heart was pounding uncontrollably, Hiruzen Sarutobi maintained a dignified demeanor, his eyes constantly glancing at the real Shiba Nara Shikaku. Even though his father was on his side, Shikaku was now his son, and he needed to seize the opportunity to win people over; his future historical standing would be determined by these people...

"...Damn it! (▼へ▼メ)"

Danzo's heart skipped a beat, and then, seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's actions and glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, he instantly realized what a great opportunity it was! And this thing had beaten him to it!

Why is this bastard always one step ahead of me...? (▼へ▼メ)

"Tell me quickly! What's the plan?"

Koharu, seeing that Mitokado Homura was still dawdling, said impatiently.

"...As long as Hiruzen and Danzo go to the Red Bronze District tonight and cause a big commotion, the better, and it would be best if it happened at midnight, when Danzo goes to arrest someone and happens to run into Hiruzen...that would make it easier for people to speculate. After that, let the Anbu spread the news that Hiruzen and Danzo are fighting over a songstress and that one of you is the third party. I believe that will definitely arouse the interest of the villagers."

Mitokado Emi said in a way that made him feel embarrassed to talk about inappropriate things, as if he were a very proper person.

"Hmm... I agree with Advisor Menyan's approach. The Hokage and Advisor Danzo's status and positions are indeed very sensational, and this matter is both story-driven and gossipy, most importantly, it will allow everyone to use their imaginations. It should be fine..."

Shikaku Shiba Nara looked at Homura Mitokado with astonishment. "Old ginger is indeed spicier!"

To come up with such a wicked idea, he can almost foresee the Hokage kneeling on durians when he gets home...

However, if the main characters are the Hokage and the chief advisor, it would indeed be very exciting, which is true. Even the details have been revealed: it's midnight.

Why is the Hokage going to the Red Bronze District at midnight instead of going home? And where is Advisor Danzo going to arrest people at this hour? Who are they arresting?

These are all questions worth pondering...