Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughts happened to align perfectly with Kitsuchi's.
And truthfully, Konoha had no better option left.
Admit that Konoha's Kakashi was fake?
How was that any different from directly admitting that Konoha had persecuted Kakashi, and persecuted Konoha's White Fang?
Refusing to acknowledge the Kakashi from Ninja World Weekly and insisting that Konoha's Kakashi was real would certainly not convince everyone.
But it could make some people believe.
That was enough.
"The current situation no longer allows everyone to believe in Konoha."
"Then we can only settle for the next best thing—let those who want to believe in Konoha continue believing in Konoha."
"At least that won't be the worst possible outcome."
Very soon, Konoha's announcement was released.
Konoha's Kakashi once again appeared before the public.
"Everyone, I, Kakashi, have always been in Konoha. The contents published in Ninja World Weekly are false. Sunagakure is using me to smear Konoha and damage our reputation."
"This is all Sunagakure's conspiracy. Please don't believe it."
"I, Hatake Kakashi, have never changed my name or hidden my identity. I am right here. Anyone who wishes to see me may come and see for themselves. Konoha's honor, and Hokage-sama's honor, must never be slandered."
"The shameless ones are Sunagakure!"
Soon, Konoha's announcement, along with Kakashi's speech inside Konoha, gradually spread outward.
Some people had a special filter toward Konoha and trusted it deeply.
"I knew Hokage-sama wasn't that kind of person. This was just Sunagakure's conspiracy."
"Kakashi is clearly alive and well in Konoha."
"As for Konoha's White Fang, that was his own stupidity."
But many others had already lost their trust in Konoha.
"Judging from Ninja World Weekly's previous conduct, they wouldn't publish something false. That would damage Ninja World Weekly's credibility. Just to slander Konoha? That wouldn't be worth it at all."
"The greater possibility is that Konoha forged a fake Kakashi. After all, ninja have the Transformation Technique."
Not far away, Might Guy quietly looked in Kakashi's direction and frowned.
That face was one Might Guy knew extremely well.
But this person felt utterly unfamiliar to him.
"Kakashi? No… you're not the real Kakashi. I should have noticed it last time."
Might Guy revealed a look of frustration.
"Then where did the real Kakashi go? Is he dead? Or is he in Sunagakure?"
"Why did things become like this?"
"Could Hokage-sama really be a bad person?"
A hand landed on Might Guy's shoulder.
"Father?"
Might Duy let out a sigh.
"Guy, does your heart feel terrible right now?"
"Yes."
"I know. But there is no helping it. As ninja, we are bound to face things like this. The only thing we can do is pray to the heavens."
Might Guy lifted his head, tears glimmering in his eyes.
"But Father… this is far too unyouthful."
"Yes. Far too unyouthful."
Might Duy looked toward the Hokage Building. It was unclear whether he was speaking to Might Guy or to himself.
"But in the end, we are only little people. Little people who are good for nothing except taijutsu. We can do nothing. We can change nothing."
Aside from Might Guy, Kakashi's lifelong rival and closest friend, the other person who could easily sense something wrong with the fake Kakashi was Uchiha Shisui—the one who had placed his hopes on Kakashi.
The moment the fake Kakashi appeared, Uchiha Shisui realized something was wrong.
His heart sank at once.
The Uchiha clan's situation was already extremely terrible.
As the conflict within the village intensified, rebellion had naturally occurred.
With that rebellion, the Uchiha who remained in Konoha were subjected to even harsher targeting by the village. In name, they were not criminals. In reality, there was little difference.
The reputation of the Uchiha clan had also suffered a severe blow.
Those who left were called rebels.
Those who stayed were called spineless cowards.
The noble Uchiha, one of Konoha's founding clans, possessors of the Sharingan bloodline, had unknowingly fallen to the point where they seemed no better than stray dogs at the roadside.
Uchiha Shisui wished to restore the Uchiha.
At first, Shisui had placed extremely high trust in Hiruzen Sarutobi. His heart had been full of admiration.
But with Uchiha Gen's death, Shisui became disappointed in Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He had clearly seen the Uchiha clan's true position in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart.
Such a benevolent Hokage.
Yet the targets of that benevolence did not include the Uchiha.
Not only was there no love, there was only fear and wariness.
Therefore, Shisui placed his hopes on Minato Namikaze instead.
He took the initiative to approach Minato Namikaze, hoping to become one of his trusted aides. Once Minato inherited the position of Hokage, perhaps he would give the Uchiha fair treatment.
But Shisui had never expected Minato Namikaze to die so quickly.
The Nine-Tails' rampage had come too suddenly.
Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, husband and wife, had both perished.
Shisui had not even gotten the chance to wait until Minato took the Hokage's seat.
After that, Shisui turned his gaze to Kakashi, believing Kakashi still had great promise.
He would simply have to wait a little longer.
But then, without warning, Kakashi fell out with Konoha.
And now there was this true-and-fake Kakashi farce.
The Kakashi outside claimed he was real.
The Kakashi in Konoha also claimed he was real.
Shisui could distinguish the truth.
But most people could not.
In this situation, people could only believe whichever side they were willing to believe.
Sunagakure.
When Rasa received the news, his expression could not help turning subtle.
"This Hiruzen Sarutobi really intends to walk one path all the way into darkness."
"If he wants to distinguish truth from falsehood, then I'll accompany him to the end."
"But before that, allow me to draw first."
Kakashi's interview had been far too effective. In just a few short days, it had allowed Rasa to obtain more than three thousand points again, meeting the conditions for his second thirty-draw pull.
Of course, Hiruzen Sarutobi's cooperation had also been excellent.
If Hiruzen had not first created a fake Kakashi in Konoha, the real Kakashi might not have taken the initiative to come to Sunagakure for an interview. The program's effect would not have been nearly as good either.
Rasa looked at the system panel before him.
[Points: 3062!]
With a thought from Rasa, an invisible roulette wheel began to spin.
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained an F-rank item: One tael of gold.]
…
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained a B-rank item: One-Night Dream Fabrication Card — Konoha Jonin Version.]
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained a B-rank item: Confrontation Points Exchange Card.]
…
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained an A-rank item: S-Rank Ninjutsu Upgrade Card.]
"One A-rank and two B-ranks?"
"The results this time aren't bad."
"And all of them are highly practical tools."