The direction of public opinion in Konoha changed as quickly as the weather in midsummer.
Just moments ago, everyone had still been immersed in the glory of the "Yellow Flash." The next moment, an even stronger and more overwhelming wave swept through the entire village with unstoppable force.
At the center of that wave was only one name.
Uchiha Chiya!
The Uchiha Clan's long prepared counterattack completely erupted after receiving quiet support from ANBU Commander Hatake Sakumo and the silent cooperation of several clans.
The younger members of the Uchiha Clan were no longer silent. As they walked through the streets and alleys, they no longer spoke about the clan's glory, but about the countless times Clan Leader Chiya had turned the tide on the battlefield.
"The one who ended the war was Lord Chiya! He fought the Raikage and the Tsuchikage alone and even captured them alive! Who else in the ninja world could possibly match that kind of strength?"
"That's right! Without Lord Chiya, who knows how much longer the war would have lasted or how many more people would have died!"
"Orochimaru? So what if he's an S Rank rogue ninja? Lord Chiya still subdued him and made him willingly atone for Konoha through research! That's true strength and true magnanimity!"
"..."
These claims were not empty rumors.
They were backed by undeniable achievements, quickly resonating with both villagers and ninjas who had personally experienced the horrors of war.
At the same time, several clans allied with the Uchiha, along with many small and medium sized clans that had genuinely benefited from Uchiha Chiya's strength during the war, also cautiously began speaking out.
The most eye catching among them was the Kurama Clan.
Known for its powerful genjutsu but weakened in recent years, the clan head personally appeared in public and declared with great emotion,
"If not for Lord Chiya on the front lines back then, the elite of the Kurama Clan would likely have been completely wiped out!"
"Lord Chiya not only possesses unmatched strength, but also genuinely cares about every ninja in Konoha!"
"Our clan will never forget such kindness!"
"We believe Konoha's future needs a leader like Lord Chiya, someone who possesses both absolute strength and a broad heart!"
"..."
The Kurama Clan's declaration was like a stone dropped into a calm lake.
Although they were not among Konoha's strongest clans, their unique genjutsu heritage and heartfelt testimony produced an unexpectedly powerful effect.
Soon afterward, within the ANBU organization, members who did not belong to the Hokage faction also began "accidentally" expressing confusion whenever they carried out missions or rested.
"Jonin Minato is certainly impressive, but if we're talking about who ended the war, Lord Chiya deserves far more credit."
"It feels like becoming Hokage requires prestige and seniority too. Lord Chiya seems more suitable..."
"..."
These scattered voices appeared to be nothing more than personal opinions.
Yet under the deliberate tolerance and subtle guidance of Hatake Sakumo's ANBU, they quietly merged into an undercurrent that could no longer be ignored.
More importantly, the villagers themselves began comparing the two candidates.
Namikaze Minato's achievements were mentioned repeatedly.
But Uchiha Chiya's accomplishments were even more astonishing.
Minato was warm and approachable.
Chiya was calm and dignified.
Minato was the star of hope.
Chiya was the pillar supporting the entire ninja world.
Faced with such comparisons, the somewhat inflated enthusiasm surrounding the "Yellow Flash" melted away like snow beneath the sun.
People began thinking more rationally.
Who could truly protect the hard won peace?
Who could lead Konoha toward an even stronger future?
The answer gradually became obvious without anyone needing to say it aloud.
In only a few short days, the balance of public opinion completely reversed.
...
Inside the Hokage's office.
Bang!
With a loud crash, Hiruzen Sarutobi violently smashed his beloved purple clay teapot onto the floor, sending broken shards and tea flying everywhere.
His chest rose and fell violently.
His face had turned bright red, and veins bulged across his forehead.
His normally gentle expression had become twisted by overwhelming rage.
"They've all turned against me! They've all turned against me!"
he growled, his voice hoarse with fury.
The latest public opinion report that had just arrived felt like one slap after another striking him across the face.
The report clearly showed that support for Uchiha Chiya had completely overwhelmed support for Namikaze Minato.
Small scale discussions had even begun questioning why the Third Hokage had been so eager to promote Minato and whether he had hidden motives.
This was nothing less than an open challenge to his authority as Hokage!
The Uchiha!
Again, the Uchiha!
And Hatake Sakumo!
Just what was he trying to do?
Did he really think Hiruzen couldn't see through that seemingly objective but clearly biased ANBU report?
And those opportunistic clans!
Especially the Kurama Clan.
Ungrateful fools!
The feeling of betrayal, combined with the frustration of seeing his plans disrupted, nearly overwhelmed Hiruzen's reason.
He took several deep breaths, barely suppressing the urge to summon Hatake Sakumo immediately for questioning.
He knew doing so would only make the conflict public and impossible to control.
"Someone!"
he called out darkly.
An ANBU member appeared instantly.
"Go. Invite Advisors Homura and Koharu here immediately."
He deliberately emphasized the word "invite," but the anger in his voice could not be hidden.
"Yes!"
Feeling the suffocating pressure inside the office, the ANBU member dared not speak another word before disappearing with the Body Flicker Technique.
Hiruzen paced irritably around the room.
He repeatedly picked up his pipe, only to put it down again, unable to even think about lighting it.
Danzo's hateful face surfaced in his mind once again.
Those words he had spoken that day...
No.
He couldn't go to Danzo.
That man could no longer be trusted.
In fact...
He even suspected Danzo might have had a hand behind this sudden shift in public opinion.
That madman was capable of anything.
Now...
The only people he could rely on were his longtime companions.
Homura and Koharu.
Soon afterward, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane entered the office one after another.
Both immediately sensed something was wrong.
Looking at the broken teapot scattered across the floor and Hiruzen's ashen face, their hearts sank slightly.
"Hiruzen, what happened? Why are you so angry?"
Homura adjusted his glasses and cautiously asked.
"What happened? See for yourselves!"
Hiruzen practically threw the intelligence report onto the table before them.
Homura and Koharu picked it up and quickly read through it.
The farther they read, the deeper their brows furrowed.
The contents of the report were even more serious and one sided than the information they had privately received.
After finishing it, they remained silent for a moment before exchanging a glance.
That glance was complicated.
It held surprise.
Concern.
And also...
A realization that things had turned out exactly as expected.
Danzo's words from several days ago echoed in their minds once more.
"Hiruzen."
Koharu spoke first, trying to calm him.
"It's normal for public opinion to fluctuate."
"The Uchiha have just earned tremendous achievements. It's understandable that their clan members are excited."
"We shouldn't overreact, or it may backfire."
Homura continued,
"Koharu is right."
"The most important thing right now is maintaining stability. Perhaps we should temporarily stop promoting Minato and let things cool down for a while."
"If we allow the villagers to calm down and think things through on their own, the results may be better."
"Forcing a confrontation will only intensify the conflict and earn the Uchiha even more sympathy."
This had been the strategy they had discussed before coming here.
First, test Hiruzen's attitude.
Then suggest easing tensions under the banner of maintaining stability.
However, Hiruzen's mind was already completely consumed by anger and anxiety.
He could no longer accept any suggestion to "wait."
To him, such advice meant retreat. It also meant allowing his authority to be challenged even further.
"Temporarily stop? Let things cool down?"
Hiruzen suddenly turned around and stared sharply at his two old friends.
His voice was filled with disbelief and suppressed fury.
"Look at this report! Is this what you call a normal fluctuation? This is the Uchiha's organized counterattack!"
"This is Hatake Sakumo secretly taking their side! They're openly questioning the Hokage's decisions. They're dividing the village!"
He slammed the desk so hard that the report jumped.
"If we retreat now, it'll be the same as admitting we were wrong! It'll mean admitting that the Uchiha stand above the Hokage's will!"
"When that happens, the Uchiha's prestige will reach its peak, and restraining them afterward will become nearly impossible!"
His voice rose higher and higher, carrying an almost obsessive urgency.
"We must strike back and we must strike back even harder!"
"They want to build momentum?"
"Fine!"
"Homura, Koharu, use every resource your clans and subordinates possess to support Minato with all your strength!"
"Tell everyone that Minato is the true heir of the Will of Fire! That he is Konoha's future hope!"
He looked at both of them intensely.
The meaning behind his words could not have been clearer.
This was not a discussion.
It was a demand.
He was demanding that they completely choose his side, tying themselves and the clans behind them firmly to Namikaze Minato's chariot and advancing or retreating together with him.
The office instantly fell silent.
Homura and Koharu's expressions completely changed.
They looked at the man they had known for decades.
The Hokage.
There was no longer any trace of his usual calm calculations.
Only impatience born from desperation... and an unquestionable authoritarian attitude remained.
Danzo's words returned like icy venom, biting into what little trust they still had.
"...Don't you think his recent behavior has become abnormal?"
"...He's become extremely insecure and now only trusts those within his own faction..."
"...He wants an obedient spokesperson, a puppet Hokage that he can continue controlling from behind the scenes..."
Could it be...
Danzo had actually been telling the truth?
Was Hiruzen truly so afraid of Uchiha Chiya, so terrified of losing power, that he had become this impatient and reckless?
Had he really become willing to drag both of them and the entire village into a dangerous internal conflict?
Homura and Koharu exchanged another glance.
This time, both clearly saw the unconcealed shock and deep doubt in each other's eyes.
The silence continued for more than ten seconds.
It was so oppressive that breathing felt difficult.
Finally, Homura spoke with great difficulty, his voice dry.
"Hiruzen... this matter is extremely important."
"Shouldn't we think it over more carefully?"
"Such direct confrontation may not benefit the village."
Koharu also agreed, her tone even gentler but her position identical.
"Yes, Hiruzen. Perhaps we should first speak with Sakumo and understand ANBU's position."
"Or perhaps we could talk with Uchiha Fugaku. After all, he is also one of the Hokage's advisors..."
"Enough!"
Hiruzen rudely interrupted them, his face filled with disappointment and impatience.
"I thought you understood my good intentions! I thought you'd support the correct choice I'm making for Konoha's future!"
"I never expected both of you to become so timid!"
"Talk? Meet with them?"
"What's left to discuss? They've already come knocking at our door!"
He pointed toward the entrance and spoke coldly.
"If you're unwilling to contribute to Konoha's future, then do as you please."
"I'll handle it myself!"
Those words completely tore away all pretense.
Homura and Koharu's expressions became extremely ugly.
Looking at the Hiruzen before them, who now seemed like a complete stranger, the last trace of hope in their hearts disappeared.
The two silently exchanged one final glance before slowly standing.
"Hiruzen."
"You need to calm down."
Homura's voice carried a faint sense of distance.
"We need to return and think carefully about this matter."
Koharu added in an equally cold tone.
Without another glance at Hiruzen's stunned and increasingly furious expression, they gave a slight nod before turning around and walking straight out of the Hokage's office.
The door closed softly behind them, separating two completely different worlds.
Hiruzen remained standing where he was, staring at the backs of his two old friends as they left without the slightest hesitation.
An overwhelming feeling of anger, isolation, and confusion instantly swallowed him.
They...
They had actually left?
At the most critical moment...
They had chosen to retreat?
Or even...
Abandon him?
"Damn it!!"
He slammed his fist onto the desk and let out a roar of anguish.
The loud sound echoed throughout the empty office.
No one answered.
After the anger came an icy despair and an even more obsessive madness.
Fine!
None of you will help me!
All of you believe in the Uchiha, don't you?
Then I'll use my own methods to turn everything around!
The Uchiha...
The Uchiha...
He suddenly turned around and rushed toward the archive cabinet behind him, frantically searching through it.
Dust filled the air as old scrolls were roughly pulled out.
His eyes finally stopped on an old file marked "Top Secret."
On it was a name that struck fear into people's hearts.
Uchiha Madara!
He quickly opened the file.
Inside were records of Madara's betrayal of Konoha and the earth shattering battle he fought against the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, at the Valley of the End.
As he read those words, a fanatical light burst into Hiruzen's clouded eyes.
A dangerous plan instantly took shape in his mind.
Uchiha Chiya.
Your reputation is high, isn't it?
You're powerful, aren't you?
But...
What if everyone remembered that the Uchiha Clan had once produced a monster like Uchiha Madara, who tried to destroy Konoha?
What if everyone subconsciously began connecting you with Uchiha Madara?
What if your strength and your Sharingan no longer symbolized glory...
But instead became symbols of fear?
Yes!
That's it!
He would use history to attack the present!
He would use the ghosts of the past to destroy today's hero!
He suddenly straightened up.
His face was flushed with excitement and ruthless determination.
"Someone!"
he shouted toward the empty office.
An ANBU operative who was absolutely loyal to him appeared like a ghost.
Hiruzen lowered his voice, his eyes cold as knives.
"Go..."
"Find several absolutely reliable people."
"They must know how to keep their mouths shut."
"Have them... accidentally tell a few stories in taverns, marketplaces, and other crowded places."
"As for the stories..."
A cold smile appeared on Hiruzen's lips.
"They'll talk about how powerful Uchiha Madara was."
"How he betrayed the village."
"How he fought against the First Hokage."
"How he nearly brought destruction upon Konoha."
"And then they'll mention how strange and dangerous the Sharingan is."
"How easily its power corrupts people's hearts and leads them into darkness."
"Remember."
He stared directly at his subordinate.
"It must be done secretly."
"It should sound like drunken rambling."
"Or an old man reminiscing about the past."
"Under no circumstances can anyone trace it back to us."
The ANBU operative's body trembled slightly.
He clearly understood how vicious and dangerous this order was.
But he dared not object.
He immediately lowered his head.
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
"Go."
Hiruzen waved his hand weakly before collapsing back into his chair.
The ANBU operative silently disappeared.
Only Hiruzen's heavy breathing remained inside the office.
Along with the open file recording Uchiha Madara's crimes, quietly releasing an ominous presence beneath the lamplight.
Outside the window, Konoha's sunlight remained as bright as ever.
Yet a filthy and dangerous undercurrent born from the very peak of political power had already begun quietly spreading.
It sought to stain the glory of a hero...
And drag the village into an abyss of suspicion and fear.
Hiruzen stared outside the window.
His eyes were bloodshot and filled with the determination of someone making a final desperate gamble.
He muttered hoarsely,
"Don't blame me..."
"You forced me to do this."
"The Uchiha..."
"The Uchiha will absolutely never become Hokage!"
[Translator: The chapters are so damn long. I could translate 2 and half chapters if it was other novel]