"Maybe it's not impossible. The story's about ninja, so of course it's pulling from real people and real settings."
"If Gen-no-suke is supposed to be an Uchiha, then who's Oboro?"
"Someone from Konoha?"
"No, no, that doesn't fit at all."
"Gen-no-suke and Oboro are in love. They're forced to kill each other because of the daimyo. But the Uchiha and Konoha already hate each other—the Fire Daimyo never had to lift a finger."
The newspaper's impact was far bigger than the little rumor cards.
Rasa had gone all-in this time.
He printed an insane number of copies and dropped them from the sky over every battlefield and major town. The pages were packed with text—way more engaging than a handful of cards. And The Basilisk Scroll was an absolute masterpiece.
In an era with almost zero entertainment, a story this good was magnetic.
Even people who hated Sunagakure and didn't care about ninja-world news still kept the paper just for the novel. They folded it carefully and tucked it away.
Hiruzen and Onoki both ordered their ninja to destroy every copy they found.
But far more papers were hidden than the little cards ever were.
In Konoha. In Sunagakure. Everywhere.
Danzo heard the chatter outside and his mood hit rock bottom.
Every time someone talked about the paper, his name came up in the headline. He'd already denied everything, but almost no one believed him.
Most people figured the story was at least sixty or seventy percent true.
"Danzo is so damn useless!"
"No wonder he never became Hokage."
"Anyone who follows Danzo is cursed."
The veins on Danzo's forehead throbbed. His whole face turned black as charcoal.
"Rasa!"
Meanwhile, Rasa's mood was the exact opposite.
"Two thousand emotion points already? I haven't even started step two."
"Looks like Danzo's got a hair-trigger temper. Next time I pull a Versus Points Exchange Card, I can just pick him again. Easy two thousand points, no hassle."
Rasa didn't hesitate.
He cashed them in instantly.
Two thousand emotion points vanished.
Two thousand lottery points appeared in their place.
"Three thousand is almost in reach."
Rasa smiled.
---
Over in the Mist camp, the ninja were convinced the novel was shading them.
"We've got the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, so they just slap 'Ten' on everything and make half the characters ugly and disgusting on purpose. They're clearly trying to piss off Kirigakure."
"Sunagakure has no shame."
"They'll use any dirty trick."
"Even a damn novel is a weapon now."
Tall trees cast cool shadows across the clear lake.
A squad of Mist patrol ninja walked the edge of the massive lake, chatting as they scanned the perimeter.
"Sunagakure really has zero bottom line these days."
"They copied the Rock Village's rumor cards, stirred up the Hyuga against Konoha—everything's aimed at breaking our alliance with the Leaf and hitting us."
"The newspaper is half truth, half lies. Can't trust any of it."
"But in the end, Kirigakure is still going to win!"
Another Mist ninja nodded hard.
"Exactly! Kirigakure wins!"
"Sunagakure only got this far because they used dirty tricks and we had some internal problems. Even then, we held the line."
"And we've got Konoha as allies now."
"Sand and Rock will never team up."
"Plus this huge lake—perfect for our Water Style. Our jutsu hit harder here, and their sand techniques get weakened."
"Advantage is clearly ours."
"As long as the lake stays, Sunagakure's army can't push through!"
Another ninja added,
"They obviously know that too. They've sent scouts here dozens of times."
"But we've got this place locked down tight. Not even a mosquito gets through. More than a dozen patrol squads at all times—like a net from heaven."
"Even if Rasa himself shows up with that giant Yatagarasu, it won't matter."
"We'll blast those explosive eggs out of the sky before they drop."
"Konoha people can't even get close."
"Lord Yagura takes this position very seriously."
None of the Mist ninja noticed the tiny black speck high above them.
Yatagarasu.
Rasa stood calmly on its back.
This trip from Sunagakure had two goals.
First: spread the newspaper. Already done.
Second: personally help the frontline army break the Mist forces.
Rasa looked down at the glittering lake.
"The reports I got back in the village were accurate—this lake is enormous. In this environment, Mist ninja definitely have the edge over ours."
"Guards everywhere."
"Plus Konoha's support."
"No wonder our army hasn't been able to push them back yet."
Down below, the patrol kept talking.
"Actually, Kirigakure isn't at any real disadvantage against Sunagakure."
"Top-tier fighters? They've only got two—Rasa and Pakura. Our Mizukage Yagura is just as strong, and Lord Fuguki's back too."
"Regular troops are about even."
"Lord Yagura even stocked the lake with fierce predator fish. He can weaponize them anytime."
"Once we recover a bit, it's our turn to counter-attack!"
"I'll be right at the front, slaughtering those Sand bastards, smashing their army, and marching straight into Sunagakure!"
"We'll take back everything we lost!"
The words lit a fire in the squad. After weeks of being pushed around, they were starving for payback—just like the Sand ninja had been before.
"Kirigakure wins!"
"Sunagakure loses!"
Suddenly one ninja glanced up.
His eyes widened.
High in the sky, white dots were falling—one after another, a whole chain of them plunging downward.
"What the hell is that?"
---