Even though the Sunagakure shinobi spoke with absolute certainty…
Even though the pity in his eyes seemed utterly sincere…
Kakashi did not simply believe him on the spot.
After all, Kakashi had lived in Konoha for more than ten years.
He had also received Hiruzen Sarutobi's care on ordinary days. Toward Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kakashi held respect.
But when Kakashi looked toward the nearby Konoha shinobi, he discovered that their gazes were filled with wariness and vigilance.
It was as if they believed he would trust what the Sunagakure shinobi said.
As if they believed he would betray Konoha and turn his blade against them.
Kakashi's expression could not help but darken.
"These people… don't trust me?"
"As comrades from the same village, they don't even have this much faith?"
For a moment, Kakashi felt a chill in his heart.
But then, he suddenly realized something else.
"Or… do they think what that Sunagakure shinobi said is true?"
Kakashi's eyes flickered rapidly.
At the same time, shinobi on both sides began discussing the matter furiously.
"A rumor! It has to be a rumor!"
A Konoha shinobi shouted angrily.
"There's no way something like this could be true! Minato-sama was not killed by Hokage-sama, and Sakumo-sama absolutely was not killed by Hokage-sama either! This is slander!"
"This is Sunagakure's scheme!"
"Mud thrown by Sunagakure!"
Most Konoha shinobi still believed in Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Perhaps only a very small number had begun to doubt.
But the Sunagakure shinobi were already convinced that it was true.
"If it isn't true, then how do you explain the Will of Fire?"
"Either Hiruzen Sarutobi deliberately caused Minato Namikaze's death, or Hiruzen Sarutobi violated the Will of Fire!"
It was still the same Sunagakure shinobi from before.
"As for the matter of Konoha's White Fang, I only have one question."
"Why were the details of the mission exposed?"
"Did Konoha's White Fang personally shout to the world that he abandoned the mission to save his comrades?"
"Or did the comrade he saved personally shout to the world that Konoha's White Fang abandoned the mission to save him?"
"Who exactly leaked the details of that mission?"
"When a mission fails, the shinobi naturally bears great responsibility. But that does not mean death is the only outcome. It is impossible for every single mission to be completed successfully."
The Konoha shinobi opposite him exchanged glances.
None of them could speak.
Faced with that question from the Sunagakure shinobi, they could not think of how to refute it.
Indeed, if Konoha had not wanted the client to know the specific details, it could simply have chosen not to say them.
A single statement that the mission had failed would have sufficed.
That would certainly have caused Konoha some loss. It would also have caused Sakumo Hatake some loss.
But compared to Sakumo Hatake's life, what did that amount to?
Yet Konoha had not done that.
Whether that was because they strictly adhered to principle and had to give the client a truthful explanation, or because of some other reason…
That was difficult to say.
The Sunagakure shinobi laughed loudly.
"Kakashi, did you see that?"
"They can't answer my question at all. Haven't you realized the problem yet?"
"Let me give you one piece of advice. Don't get close to these Konoha shinobi anymore. Otherwise, they may very well kill you too."
By the time the rumor reached the battlefield, it was actually already somewhat late.
Before it reached the battlefield, the rumor had already appeared inside Konoha itself.
A figure rushed quickly into the Hokage Building.
"Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his head, his heart sinking.
"What is it?"
When an ANBU shinobi hurried in like this, so urgently, the news he brought was most likely not good.
"Hokage-sama, a rumor has appeared in the shinobi world. It says that back then, Sakumo Hatake-sama threatened your position, so you deliberately plotted against him and framed him."
"What?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi shot to his feet.
"Who said that?"
"A rumor. The same kind of rumor as before!"
"Utter nonsense!"
"I treated Sakumo like a brother. How could I possibly have framed him? And to say Sakumo threatened my position is even more absurd! I was in the prime of my life. There was no possibility of replacing the Hokage."
"Is it Sunagakure again?"
The first thing Hiruzen Sarutobi thought of was Sunagakure.
Rasa's actions regarding Minato Namikaze had infuriated Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Now, the one Hiruzen Sarutobi hated most had already changed from Iwagakure to Sunagakure.
Konoha and Iwagakure were merely fighting between villages.
And Iwagakure had already been defeated.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that between himself and Rasa, it had already become a personal grudge.
"It must be that brat Rasa!"
"How utterly shameless!"
"Using such despicable methods to smear this old man's reputation."
"No bottom line whatsoever."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was furious.
"It's all Onoki's fault. He was the one who set a bad precedent and let Rasa learn from it."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
"Has this rumor already reached the border of the Land of Wind? Does Kakashi know?"
The ANBU shinobi shook his head.
"I'm not sure."
"Then hurry up and go."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
The ANBU shinobi hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Hokage-sama, if Kakashi has not learned of it yet, what should I do? If Kakashi has already learned of it, what should I do?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.
"Whether he knows or not, bring Kakashi back. Bring him back to Konoha. Bring him before me."
The ANBU shinobi nodded.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen Sarutobi walked to the window and looked outside. Opposite him was the Hokage Rock.
Three enormous Hokage faces were carved into the stone.
"Kakashi… you won't believe such a crude rumor, will you?"
"I hope you won't disappoint me."
Hiruzen Sarutobi did everything he could to control public opinion within Konoha.
But outside Konoha, public opinion was already leaning slightly against him.
Because of the previous rumor about Minato Namikaze, quite a few people actually believed that Minato Namikaze had been persecuted.
If Minato Namikaze had been persecuted, then Sakumo Hatake being persecuted seemed quite reasonable as well.
"I never thought Hiruzen Sarutobi was actually this kind of person."
"For power and authority, he used any means necessary and persecuted two powerful Konoha shinobi."
"If they were still alive, Konoha would definitely be much stronger now."
"Kakashi is truly pitiful."
"He stayed loyal to his father's murderer for so long."
"A person like Hiruzen Sarutobi has no right to sit in the Hokage's seat."
When Danzo heard such discussions, he could not help feeling pleased.
But then—
"I heard that Shimura Danzo also wanted to compete for the Hokage position before, yet he's still alive even now. He must be too weak in strength and ability, so Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't feel threatened by him and spared his life."
Danzo's expression froze violently.
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