Did something happen to Kakashi's father?
Aomi slowly opened his eyes and said softly, "Calm down, Shisui. Tell me slowly."
Shisui frowned, his tone hesitant:
"The village is now buzzing with rumors that Lord Sakumo failed a top-secret mission, and the other Hidden Villages have begun accusing Konoha of trying to start a war. The public opinion in the Ninja World is against us..."
"How do you know this, Shisui?"
Aomi's eyes flickered, shaking his head: "As a Ninja School student, even if Mr. Sakumo failed the mission, you shouldn't know such confidential information."
Why hasn't Shisui graduated from the Ninja School yet...
Because Aomi does not permit it.
Aomi needs Shisui to be like a spring, continually building up an inner desire for strength. The longer the suppression, the stronger the explosion, allowing a genius to make the necessary contribution to Aomi.
Facing his brother's orders, Shisui can only comply.
In Shisui's eyes, this is Aomi being overly worried and caring about him.
Shisui is happy for his brother's care, while diligently beating up all his peers at the Ninja School, and has begun to defeat individual teachers, his training becoming more rigorous...
"I am quite puzzled too, brother. Almost the entire village is talking about this; it's causing quite a stir!"
Shisui said confusedly, "Even classmates in the Ninja School, whether from ninja clans or civilian families, everyone is discussing this matter, as if someone is spreading it..."
Aomi chuckled internally, nodding knowingly.
This momentum seems much more fierce than what Hatake Sakumo experienced in the previous timeline...
In the original timeline, Uchiha Obito only vaguely knew the general idea, with Namikaze Minato explaining the details to him.
But now, even Shisui, a Ninja School student, is so familiar with the event's process and even knows the reactions from neighboring nations. This is quite intriguing.
Aomi found the intelligence sent by Kakuzu, drawing out one sheet—
[Intelligence leaked about Konoha White Fang Hatake Sakumo, suspected to be executing a mission in Hidden Sand]
The source of Kakuzu's intelligence was purchased from the Gold Exchange, indicating that the black market was aware of Hatake Sakumo's whereabouts for quite some time.
This is very unusual...
Information in the Gold Exchange and black market, although mixed with various sources, generally exhibits a significant delay concerning intelligence about the Five Great Hidden Villages, rarely being timely.
For example, Hidden Sand's economic crisis, Hidden Cloud's Jinchuriki, Hidden Mist's internal chaos...
These events are only detected slowly by various intelligence vendors, piecing clues together after some time, then selling it on the black market.
But Hatake Sakumo's information is different.
Aomi clearly remembered that after Uzumaki Mito's funeral ended, Kakashi personally said he brought the blade oil on his father's request to get closer to Aomi, indicating Hatake Sakumo was still in Konoha.
Yet, only a few days later, Aomi received Kakuzu's package.
Considering the timing of the post ninja's delivery, Aomi can be certain that Hatake Sakumo's mission was exposed on the black market even before it began...
And Hatake Sakumo's status in Konoha, any mission he personally carries out must be of top-secret level.
Hence, there's a traitor, and likely one of considerable rank.
As for who the traitor is, Aomi already has a conjecture, but still asked, "Tobirama, what do you think?"
"Within the village, something is wrong..."
Senju Tobirama said in a deeper tone, "The bounty hunter's intelligence has already confirmed that Hatake Sakumo's mission was leaked ahead of time."
"And the widespread dissemination of his mission's failure within the village indicates that the leakage of intelligence was not by enemy village spies, but someone of high rank is fanning the flames, attacking Hatake Sakumo through public opinion."
"Thus, this is a filthy internal feud, colluding with enemy ninjas!"
After listening to Shisui's account, Senju Tobirama instantly organized his thoughts in his mind.
For Senju Tobirama, who served as the Second Hokage, seeing the issue behind this is all too easy...
"That makes sense, then, who do you think the traitor could be?"
Aomi muttered names from the higher-ups:
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzo, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, or the Head of the Anbu, a squad leader, or maybe a strategic advisor among the decision-makers? Like the Nara Clan..."
Senju Tobirama coldly stated, "Any struggle essentially stems from conflicts of interest..."
"Whoever Hatake Sakumo obstructed is most likely!"
Aomi nodded in agreement: "But, who among these higher-ups would Hatake Sakumo block?"
"Though he is illustrious in battle achievements, he has no ulterior motives and is unswervingly loyal to the Hokage as a sharp blade..."
Senju Tobirama squinted and began to ponder.
Sarutobi Hiruzen? No...
If it were before Aomi appeared, there might still be a slight possibility.
After all, Hatake Sakumo's prestige in Konoha has surpassed the three members of the Sarutobi Squad. To ensure a smooth transition to the next Hokage and avoid controversy over the legitimacy of the mentor-student inheritance system, suppressing Hatake Sakumo isn't impossible.
But after Aomi appeared and learned the "truth" from Uzumaki Mito, Sarutobi Hiruzen, unless he is senile, wouldn't see Hatake Sakumo as a threat to Aomi; Aomi far surpasses what a powerful Kage Level can compare to.