Rasa returned to Sunagakure with the Uchiha clan genealogy.
The first thing he did was compare it with the contents Danzo had fabricated, searching for flaws.
And once he searched, he really found them.
More than one.
One Uchiha named Uchiha Homura had already died before the Uchiha rebellion and had been buried in Konoha.
Another named Uchiha Haru was only three years old.
By all logic, Danzo should not have made this kind of mistake.
Rasa guessed that Danzo had probably handed the matter to someone beneath him.
And that person had not checked the names against the Uchiha clan genealogy. Some names were real, while others were fabricated.
The two fabricated names just happened to overlap with names that existed in the Uchiha genealogy.
That was what led to this situation.
Rasa did not hesitate. He immediately had the matter published in the Weekly Report on Major Shinobi World Events.
It was not the headline.
But it was still placed in a sufficiently eye-catching position.
As for the headline, that still belonged to Kusagakure.
They listed Kusagakure's crimes one by one, making Sunagakure's attack appear even more justified, even more righteous, even more open and proper.
First, they used a fictional story as an introduction.
"Weekly Report on Major Shinobi World Events! Weekly Report on Major Shinobi World Events!"
Newspaper boys sold copies along the streets.
Sunagakure had not started charging for the newspaper itself yet. It only printed some advertisements inside to earn advertising fees.
The newspaper boys mainly charged a small delivery fee.
"One copy."
A young man tossed over a banknote and exchanged it for a newspaper.
"Kusagakure really deserves this."
"A small ninja village dares to act so arrogantly and do such excessive things? Did they really think a Great Ninja Village had no temper?"
"Well, look at them now."
"Serves them right!"
Quite a few people were taking pleasure in Kusagakure's misfortune.
The young man continued reading.
First, he saw the story.
A story about a little girl being bullied by a middle-aged man.
At first, the young man was furious at the middle-aged man and pitied the little girl.
When the middle-aged man was judged and punished, the young man nearly clapped in approval.
But gradually, he sensed something wrong.
"She really did describe everything clearly. Every detail was laid out perfectly. Even the shape of my cellar and what was stored inside were explained with absolute clarity…"
"But there is no cellar in my house."
At that moment, the young man finally realized.
From beginning to end, the middle-aged man had been framed.
The harmless-looking little girl had falsely accused him.
The young man continued reading.
This part concerned the Uchiha names Danzo had released in relation to the Nohara Rin incident.
Behind those names were the corresponding details.
Two names had been marked out in particular.
One was Uchiha Homura.
The other was Uchiha Haru.
The young man's eyes widened.
"So what this means is… the truth Konoha announced was fake?"
"It wasn't done by the Uchiha at all?"
"They said Uchiha Homura and Uchiha Haru were the culprits. But Uchiha Homura was already dead before that, and Uchiha Haru is only three years old. How the hell could they have done it?"
"Konoha's announcement was fabricated!"
For truth to prove itself true was difficult.
Because every part of it had to be real.
But for a lie to prove itself a lie was simple.
As long as even one point was false, that was enough.
For a time, discussions erupted everywhere.
"Sunagakure!"
"Rasa!"
Danzo was furious beyond measure.
"What exactly is Sunagakure trying to do?"
Sunagakure's response was this—
The Weekly Report on Major Shinobi World Events pursued two things.
First, the truth.
Second, heat.
This was not a targeted attack against you, Danzo. We treat everyone the same.
If a newspaper did not publish information like this, then what was it supposed to publish?
If you, Danzo, have equally eye-catching information, you are welcome to provide it. The Weekly Report on Major Shinobi World Events refuses no one.
"Bring Rasa here!"
Saki replied calmly.
"There is no need to trouble our Kazekage-sama over such a minor matter. I have full authority to handle this."
Danzo lowered his head and went to the Hokage Building.
Hiruzen Sarutobi kept shaking his head.
"Danzo, you have disappointed me far too much. You could not even handle something this simple. What difference is there between you and Homura?"
Danzo was very angry.
No matter how bad he was, he was still far better than Homura Mitokado.
But Danzo had to admit that this mistake of his was too large.
"Hiruzen, I was wrong. Those two names were written incorrectly. Today, I'll have someone clarify it and explain the real situation…"
"Publish it in the Konoha Daily. Submit the clarification later. I'll personally hand it to Homura."
"Fine, Hiruzen… thank you."
"Leave."
Danzo obediently turned and left.
Homura Mitokado still had not obtained any high-quality stories.
But the Konoha Weekly had not stopped. It continued publishing as usual, maintaining a fixed interval from the Weekly Report on Major Shinobi World Events.
It came out three days later than Sunagakure's paper.
At that moment, Homura Mitokado was sitting in the newspaper office, holding a copy of the Weekly Report on Major Shinobi World Events and studying its layout, content arrangement, and structure.
When he saw the news about Danzo, the corners of his mouth curved upward uncontrollably.
Ever since the Root incident, the relationship between the two of them had become like fire and water.
When Danzo suffered misfortune, Homura could not help feeling pleased.
"I have to admit, Sunagakure really does know how to run a newspaper. Aside from the stories, the appeal in every other aspect is also stronger than my Konoha Weekly."
"Our Konoha talent in this field simply isn't good enough."
"It's all because Hiruzen's support for me is insufficient. That is why I don't have enough talented people in the newspaper office."
"We are both Teacher Tobirama's disciples, yet Hiruzen, you treat Danzo far better than you treat me."
Homura Mitokado looked toward the Hokage Building, a trace of dissatisfaction appearing in his eyes.
After a while, he withdrew his gaze and continued reading.
The story adapted from The Pirate King had already reached its second part.
"This story is also quite good. Its appeal has risen. It makes people look forward to the next chapter…"
"Damn it. How does Sunagakure have such talented people?"
"And Konoha does not have even one."
Homura Mitokado was deeply jealous.
"To sail freely across the sea, explore, obtain all kinds of treasures… become famous overnight. Just thinking about it makes people yearn for it."
"Still, these Marines… are they meant to imply Kirigakure?"
Kirigakure.
When Yagura Karatachi saw the contents concerning the Marines, he also felt that they were implying Kirigakure.
"The sea belongs to everyone?"
"Treasure has no owner?"
"Everyone can freely obtain it?"
"My Kirigakure raises the banner of justice and order, but is actually evil?"
"Sunagakure, what vicious intentions."
"They are trying to destroy Kirigakure's reputation."
"Too excessive."
"Too shameless."
"This is driving a wedge between the civilians of the Land of Water and my Kirigakure!"
"Damn it!"
"We, Kirigakure, must create our own newspaper as well!"