Uchiha Makoto and Senju Tobirama had a very pleasant conversation this time, like a pair of brothers from different parents.
During their talk.
The two shared some words from the bottom of their hearts.
Both were the leaders of their respective villages.
Uchiha Makoto was the Lord Light Shadow of Akatsuki Village, and Senju Tobirama was the Shadow Hokage of Konoha. A Shadow Hokage could, for all intents and purposes, be considered a Hokage.
When they started talking about the future development of their ninja villages and the situation in the ninja world, the two of them truly had a lot of common ground.
For a rare moment, Senju Tobirama started pouring out his grievances to Uchiha Makoto...
Damn the Uchiha clan!
Of course, this was all Uchiha Makoto's doing, and the current atmosphere was quite good.
So Senju Tobirama temporarily skipped over that part.
The only other thing that could constrain Senju Tobirama at every turn in Konoha was the official Hokage.
"When will my big brother ever understand the hardships I go through!"
"Everything I do is for Konoha!"
Uchiha Makoto tactfully listened in silence. He actually had... a big problem with Senju Hashirama as well!
But Senju Hashirama's fists were very big, so he could only continue to play along with him.
Uchiha Makoto had always wanted to create a new ninja world where ninjutsu was a part of daily life and being a ninja was commonplace, allowing ninjas to truly unite and completely escape the cage of being mere tools.
But he knew this was very difficult. It involved the social foundation, productivity, ideology, culture, and the hatred accumulated by ninjas over several generations... All of these were obstacles.
Not a single one of them was easy to solve on its own.
He could only take it one step at a time.
Even a top-tier intellect in the ninja world like Senju Tobirama felt that Uchiha Makoto's thinking was too extreme in some aspects, to the point of being described as heretical.
Let alone his brother, whose martial prowess was unrivaled in the world.
"Uchiha Makoto, you are too extreme."
"I can roughly understand your ideas, but considering the actual situation... your ninja way is perhaps destined to be a dead end... No nation in the entire ninja world will tolerate such behavior. And that's just the external pressure; it's the same within the ninja villages..."
"You are challenging the entire ninja world... There are too many things involved... self-interest, order, hatred, and public outrage... these will make you an enemy of the world!"
Senju Tobirama's expression was complex.
This was the second time he had heard such remarks from Uchiha Makoto. He barely managed to hold back the words he almost blurted out—you naturally evil...—and instead used a very sincere tone to advise Uchiha Makoto not to act recklessly.
The Warring States period was truly an era of collapsed rites and music.
His own elder brother had set a benchmark, establishing a ninja village under immense pressure and successfully creating the era of ninja villages.
Now, the ninja clans had abandoned their past hatred, established villages, and lived together in peace. It had not been easy to achieve the current peaceful environment in the ninja world.
Having rules was better than having no rules... even if Uchiha Makoto felt those rules weren't good enough.
It could be said...
The vast majority of ninjas in the world had accepted their current lives.
And no matter how eloquently you, Uchiha Makoto, spoke, you could not represent them.
"But I am right!"
Uchiha Makoto was very confident in himself, his words resolute and decisive.
One could believe in the power of ninjas, but their wisdom...
"You Uchiha clan are always like this."
"That's why I dislike you all. You always cause me all sorts of trouble."
Senju Tobirama wore a helpless expression, and beneath the helplessness was hidden annoyance.
What a waste of breath!
He knew there was a high probability he couldn't persuade the Uchiha Makoto before him. He knew the Uchiha too well!
The Uchiha clan had always been like this: stubborn, extreme, and very self-confident, always believing they were right.
Senju Tobirama had seen too many Uchiha like this. They always ended up going astray, falling into evil ways, and causing irreparable damage.
So even though Uchiha Makoto had created all sorts of new things and gained immense benefits from them, some of which even tempted Senju Tobirama... the moment he thought about the fact that it was Uchiha Makoto, that naturally evil Uchiha brat, leading all of this... Senju Tobirama instinctively resisted!
"Then let's just wait and see."
Uchiha Makoto was truly very patient.
Time would prove him right!
He had been preparing since the day he founded the village.
In just a few years, Akatsuki Village had accumulated a lot of energy, just waiting to burst forth with the industrialization of the ninja world.
Calculating the time.
In fact, in the next three to five years, a large batch of new-school ninjas would spontaneously sing praises for Uchiha Makoto and support his ideals.
Uchiha Makoto had brought this topic to a dead end.
Senju Tobirama tactfully refrained from expressing any more opinions.
He steered the conversation towards the Land of Fire... or more accurately, the public opinion in the Land of Fire.
Uchiha Makoto had used a media war during the conflict between Akatsuki Village and Kumogakure, and the effect was remarkable. Kumogakure was beaten soundly by Uchiha Makoto; not only did many of their ninjas die, but even the First Raikage fell in the war, and they were forced to sign a host of unequal treaties.
The village was on the verge of collapse, and its subordinates were wavering, wanting to flee.
That was miserable enough.
Logically, as the ninja village protecting the Land of Lightning, Kumogakure had a close relationship with it.
The Land of Lightning should have stood up for Kumogakure, supported it, and extended a helping hand.
But due to Uchiha Makoto's media war, even within the Land of Lightning, there was considerable criticism of Kumogakure. There was even a small group of people who believed that Kumogakure had brought it upon themselves and was not worthy of sympathy.
Having just ended the war, Kumogakure almost couldn't hold on.
In the end, it was the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning who stepped in, allowing them to barely catch their breath.
But... the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning's demands were not easy to meet.
Aid was aid, relationships were relationships, and business was business.
That money was scorching hot.
For this reason, the Second Raikage had been working overtime throughout the entire New Year, occasionally going on missions to subsidize the village.
And within Konoha.
Uchiha Makoto had also used public opinion to put Senju Tobirama in a dilemma. Later, due to a momentary mistake by Senju Tobirama, Uchiha Makoto found an opportunity.
Senju Tobirama was relentlessly smeared by Uchiha Makoto.
His reputation went from overwhelmingly positive to mixed.
So after suffering a great loss, Senju Tobirama also set his sights on the useful tool of public opinion. He began to pay extra attention to the public opinion in the Land of Fire and the ninja world... which was why his reaction was extremely swift this time.
But he discovered a very bad phenomenon had appeared after the New Year.
The public opinion within the Land of Fire had begun to clearly favor Akatsuki Village. Several major famous newspapers in the country were showering Akatsuki Village with praise.
There were also various unknown tabloids. When they praised Akatsuki Village, it was even more absurd; they almost elevated Akatsuki Village to the light of the ninja world.
But towards Konoha, they were nitpicky, finding fault everywhere.
They also liked to use a large amount of data to compare Konoha with Akatsuki Village.
For example, a rising star in the journalism world wrote a piece on purchasing power.
Using rigorous data, he showed that the purchasing power of a day's salary in Akatsuki Village was three to four times higher than in Konoha. He even made the sensational claim that a meal at an ordinary fast-food restaurant in Akatsuki Village was more delicious than a New Year's Eve dinner in a Konoha villager's home.
This rising star, in a program after he became famous, frequently dropped golden phrases.
"Which village are you from? Which village's ninja did you commission... Oh, Konoha... that makes sense!"
"Why are you getting so worked up!"
"That's typical Konoha logic, a Konoha person, Konoha quality, a Konoha attitude..."
"If you want to commission a mission, you should commission an Akatsuki ninja. If you want to move, move to Akatsuki Village... Be an Akatsuki person..."
This time, even Senju Tobirama was shocked.
He knew that Akatsuki Village's economy was doing well, but he never expected Konoha to be so denigrated and put down by the news media in the Land of Fire... Was this what it felt like to be pointed at by a thousand fingers?
Could it be... that Konoha was really that bad?
Surely not!
And in this era, people had not yet been bombarded by the information explosion.
Whether they were ninjas or ordinary people, they still had a relatively high degree of trust in newspapers and periodicals. It hadn't reached the absurd point where just anyone could spout nonsense in the Land of Fire.
Due to the influence of public opinion.
On the joint mission posting platform established by Akatsuki Village and Konoha...
A small group of Land of Fire nobles had already begun to specify the personnel to complete their commissioned missions—it had to be an Akatsuki Village ninja.
The quota for specified missions was to be calculated separately from the mission distribution ratio agreed upon by Konoha and Akatsuki Village!
Once such rhetoric was allowed to spread further and eventually form a public opinion storm in the Land of Fire, it would truly affect the foundation of Konoha—Konoha ninjas relied on mission commissions to make a living!
Senju Tobirama admitted there was an economic gap between Konoha and Akatsuki Village, but it wasn't as exaggerated as the propaganda claimed—a meal at an ordinary fast-food restaurant in Akatsuki Village being more delicious than a New Year's Eve dinner in a Konoha villager's home, how could that be possible!
Therefore, he strongly questioned the stance of these newspapers and media outlets, believing that someone was trying to systematically and deliberately smear Konoha!
"Hmm... Tobirama, I swear on this lamp in front of me, this matter has absolutely nothing to do with me."
"I would never smear Konoha like that!"
"I don't know anything about it!"
Upon suddenly hearing such information.
Uchiha Makoto was also flustered.
If this matter was not handled properly, it could really lead to big trouble.
To put it plainly, Konoha and Akatsuki Village were still in a state of alliance.
Even if Uchiha Makoto really wanted to smear Konoha, he would use the subtle little stories in "New Ninja" to gradually and implicitly shape Akatsuki Village's superior image, indirectly putting Konoha down. He would never do it so crudely and obviously!
Especially with those two stabilizing forces, Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, still in Konoha!
Playing like this... could easily lead to him getting burned!
He had no desire to be hammered by Senju Hashirama's Great Buddha!
"You really don't know?"
"I swear again on this lamp, I only just found out about this wave of public opinion in the Land of Fire!"
Uchiha Makoto looked completely innocent.
It wasn't like he had unlimited energy and could split into dozens or hundreds of shadow clones, a nuclear-powered workhorse capable of paying attention to everything.
Just handling the numerous daily documents in the village already consumed too much of Uchiha Makoto's mental energy.
Not to mention, there were also some major projects within Akatsuki Village.
Uchiha Makoto had to personally lead and initiate these projects, and he also had to constantly monitor their progress... His time was truly exceptionally precious, almost priceless.
So in a sense.
Uchiha Makoto was also in an information cocoon... All intelligence that reached Uchiha Makoto's desk had to be reviewed several times by professionals.
Only sufficiently important news was worthy of Uchiha Makoto expending his energy to handle.
And this kind of public opinion news that sang high praises of Akatsuki Village would generally not be sent to Uchiha Makoto.
If not for the well-informed Senju Tobirama personally telling Uchiha Makoto about this... he probably would never have known.
...........
Uchiha Makoto was there swearing on a lamp.
But as luck would have it... the lamp in front of them suddenly went out.
Uchiha Makoto's face instantly turned green, and Senju Tobirama's face instantly turned black.
"Coincidence!"
"This is definitely a coincidence!"
"Tobirama, you can disbelieve my character, but you have to believe my intelligence. Would I do something so obviously stupid?"
"Mm... that's true."
Uchiha Makoto's anxious attempt to defend himself was quite amusing. Senju Tobirama snorted coldly and nodded.
He didn't question the truthfulness of Uchiha Makoto's words. Just as Uchiha Makoto had said... Senju Tobirama could distrust Uchiha Makoto's character, but he had great faith in Uchiha Makoto's intelligence.
On matters of such great importance.
Uchiha Makoto wasn't foolish enough to do something like this.
"Then how do you think this matter should be resolved..."
"Konoha cannot be insulted and belittled out of thin air."
Taking advantage of the still relatively good atmosphere.
Senju Tobirama continued to speak.
He had always felt that Uchiha Makoto was very skilled at manipulating public opinion and should have a way to solve this kind of public relations problem.
"First of all, Akatsuki Village is innocent!"
"How about we send some ninjas, have them get seven shuriken in the back, and then have it ruled a suicide... Let's start with that rising star you mentioned, get his account suspended!"
Uchiha Makoto pondered for a moment.
The simplest and most direct method was to make the person physically disappear... directly silence those who couldn't see the situation clearly.
Senju Tobirama shook his head.
"But... he has already publicly stated that if anything happens to him... it's a Konoha ninja assassination... He is not afraid of death. He is doing it to spread the truth, to spread the true light of the ninja world!"
Uchiha Makoto didn't expect this rising star to be unafraid of death and to have made preparations in advance... He subconsciously praised him.
"Hiss... in that case, he's quite a talent... I'm starting to admire him now... Perhaps everything he said is true!"
"Akatsuki Village is worthy of it!"
Then he felt Senju Tobirama's death glare.
"Ahem... this... Konoha isn't that bad either..."
"Are there any other methods?"
"Spend money on a PR campaign..."
"Also... pay attention to the high-ranking officials of the Land of Fire... I think they are highly suspicious."
Uchiha Makoto thought for a moment more and said slowly.
As the Lord Light Shadow of Akatsuki Village.
He was naturally happy to see the behavior of singing high praises for Akatsuki Village in the Land of Fire, but some of it was too extreme, so extreme that it seemed like it was trying to stir up opposition.
And not wanting Konoha and Akatsuki Village to live in harmony.
The only ones in the Land of Fire who would hope for a falling out between Akatsuki Village and Konoha were... those vermin
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