The third matter was how to handle the Kusagakure incident.
A mere small ninja village had dared send ninja into the Land of Wind to disguise themselves as sand bandits and act against Sunagakure after Sunagakure had already revived its glory.
They truly had chosen the path to death.
"Kusagakure has already delivered the handle into Sunagakure's hands. Letting them off would be too much of a waste."
The fourth matter was Obito Uchiha's dream modification.
"I have an idea."
Soon, the headline of Ninja Major Events Weekly was decided.
Rasa chose the matter of Kirigakure's death warriors.
He did not directly say that Danzo controlled Kirigakure ninja to kill Konoha shinobi.
But words were a delicate thing.
Those who understood would understand.
No explicit statement was needed.
Hints were enough.
No confirmation was needed.
Guiding public opinion was enough.
As for the second story after Koga Ninja Scrolls ended—
Rasa chose One Piece.
Even though One Piece later faced many of the problems that all long-running works inevitably faced, it was still an outstanding long-form story.
Its appeal was long-lasting and enduring.
The first choice had been Koga Ninja Scrolls because of its ninja theme.
This world had ninja.
Therefore, it would be easier for the readers of this world to accept.
The sense of immersion would be stronger.
But the second story did not need to be limited to the ninja genre.
Ninja Major Events Weekly had already made its name.
The pen name Huayue had already received recognition.
That was the advantage of being a well-known author.
Another reason was that this story could be used to allude to Kirigakure and cause trouble for Kirigakure.
With another issue of Ninja Major Events Weekly released—
The entire shinobi world…
No, the entire world—
Immediately turned its eyes toward this newspaper.
Its popularity was higher than any previous issue.
Because in the previous issue, there had already been a preview.
This issue would contain the final chapter of Koga Ninja Scrolls.
"It's finally ending. I wonder what kind of ending it will have."
…
"They're dead. They're all dead!"
A woman's eyes were filled with tears.
"Why did it have to be like this?"
"Why did two people who clearly loved each other end up like this?"
"Is the fate of ninja really this cruel?"
An old man sighed.
"Such is fate. Nothing in this world is supposed to be perfect. Life is incomplete by nature. Regret is what follows a person to the end. Those who win at life are ultimately only a tiny, tiny handful of the fortunate."
"Besides, Gennosuke and Oboro already had it better than most. At least they died together."
"At least they loved each other."
Some people cursed the author, thinking the author was too cruel.
Some thought the author had written it extremely well and found it deeply moving.
Some fell into a long silence, depressed after reading it.
"Tenshin is too vicious!"
"Too evil."
"Just as shameless as Danzo."
A Kirigakure ninja said,
"Kagero's love was real, but it was too selfish. How could she poison Gennosuke just to satisfy her own wish? Fortunately, Oboro acted in time."
"In my opinion, the worst one is the shogun's family. In order to choose an heir, they made others kill each other. Why didn't they make their own two children kill each other instead?"
"That would have been much faster, and far fewer people would have died."
"Ninja… are truly helpless."
"Mission first. Orders first. Just like puppets being controlled."
"Are ninja really supposed to live like that?"
Many ninja fell into such thoughts.
Even if they had not suffered the same fate as Gennosuke and Oboro, they realized that if they were placed in a similar situation, they might very well end up the same way.
Clearly unwilling.
Yet powerless.
Kakashi thought of his father.
"Father chose his comrades and abandoned the mission."
"Obito chose Rin and abandoned the mission."
"Why are they wrong according to the rules of ninja, yet I find myself agreeing with them?"
"Am I wrong?"
"Or is this world wrong?"
"What should ninja live for?"
"Do a ninja's life and will count as life at all?"
Only after finishing the story's ending did everyone look toward the news content.
Headline—
Kirigakure Ninja Enter Konoha and Become Human Bombs.
Previously, only some people in the Land of Fire and the Land of Water had understood this matter.
But under the influence of Ninja Major Events Weekly, the Land of Wind, Land of Earth, Land of Lightning, and many small nations all saw it as well.
For a time, discussions broke out everywhere.
Yashiro Uchiha snorted coldly.
"When I was in Konoha, I already knew Danzo was no good."
"Just as evil as Senju Tobirama!"
Kaguya Ta thought Danzo had done well.
After all, the one injured was Kirigakure.
As Kirigakure's mortal enemy, the worse Kirigakure's situation became, the happier Kaguya Ta was.
"Those bastards from Kirigakure all deserve to die!"
"Genji died well!"
"The Third Mizukage died well too!"
"And merely letting them die is still too cheap for them."
"This part of the newspaper is quite good."
Kaguya Ta picked up the newspaper.
Below the headline was a passage.
An interview with an old ninja.
The newspaper said—
What is the most painful thing for a person?
Injury and death?
Poverty?
Loneliness?
None of them.
For a person, the most painful thing is wanting something and never obtaining it.
It is watching something one cares about being destroyed.
It is seeing everything happen before one's eyes, yet being powerless to stop it.
Kaguya Ta said viciously,
"If those two old bastards were still alive and fell into my hands, I would make them suffer even more before they died."
Obito Uchiha opened his eyes.
A trace of confusion appeared in his gaze.
Only after a long time did he return to himself.
He felt reluctant, as though he wanted to return to the dream again.
Because in that dream, Obito Uchiha had seen the person he yearned for day and night.
Rin Nohara.
"Rin…"
Obito was still savoring it.
Still recalling the contents of the dream.
"Being able to see you again… even in a dream… was truly wonderful."
Just then, a White Zetsu brought over the latest Ninja Major Events Weekly.
Obito first read the ending of Koga Ninja Scrolls.
"I'm luckier than Gennosuke. At least I still have a chance to create a world where Rin and I can live happily together."
Then Obito looked toward the news.
He had already known the headline content beforehand.
Until—
Obito saw the passage that Kaguya Ta had thought was good.
The scene from his dream surfaced in Obito's mind.
The next moment, ruthlessness appeared on Obito's face.
"Rin, don't worry. I will avenge you."
"Those who hurt you… I will make them suffer even more."
"This passage is right."
"The pain I felt back then was far worse than death."
"I will give Danzo the same pain."
"I will destroy everything Danzo cares about!"
"I, Obito Uchiha, swear it!"