"Uchiha Fugaku's reputation in the village has really increased a lot!"

In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage looked a little grim.

As he expected, Uchiha Fugaku, who had captured Orochimaru alive and rescued the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, had gained tremendous recognition in the village.

Now his reputation was almost on par with the Hokage's.

This made the Third Hokage feel a deep sense of crisis. If this continued, there would be voices in the village pushing for Uchiha Fugaku to become the next Hokage.

This had to be stopped no matter the cost. Under no circumstances could Uchiha Fugaku be allowed to become the next Hokage.

"Give the order and start the action."

He looked at an Anbu ninja kneeling on one knee before him and gave the command.

Since he had anticipated Uchiha Fugaku's rising popularity, he had already prepared a way to suppress him and halt his rise.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

The Anbu, wearing a monkey mask, responded before leaving the Hokage's office.

Not long after, dozens of Anbu operatives departed from the Anbu base.

They removed their masks and uniforms, disguised themselves as ordinary shinobi, and blended into the streets of Konoha.

Wherever anyone was heard praising Uchiha Fugaku, they went there.

"Even Orochimaru wasn't a match for Clan Head Fugaku. He's just too powerful!"

Oda Kaoru, a young kunoichi around twenty, exclaimed in admiration as she walked down the street.

"Of course! Clan Head Fugaku is a shinobi who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!"

Her companion, Murakami Tsubasa, similarly dressed, responded with reverence.

"A treacherous man, yet so many people admire him."

An out-of-place voice cut in. Oda Kaoru and Murakami Tsubasa frowned, turning toward the source.

They saw a plain-looking middle-aged man with no recognizable features.

"How dare you slander Clan Head Fugaku?"

Murakami Tsubasa glared angrily.

He deeply admired Fugaku, and hearing someone speak ill of him enraged him.

"I'm not slandering him. I'm telling the truth—he's a cunning man."

The middle-aged man sneered.

He was actually one of the Anbu operatives, now disguised to spread rumors per the Third Hokage's orders.

"What proof do you have?"

Murakami Tsubasa asked, visibly agitated.

"I've got plenty of proof."

The man smirked confidently.

"Do you know how Adviser Danzō died?"

"I heard he went to the Land of Rice and then disappeared," Murakami Tsubasa said with a frown. Oda Kaoru, knowing a bit more, added,

"That's right. Adviser Danzō vanished in the Land of Rice. But what does that have to do with Clan Head Fugaku?"

"You don't know this, but Uchiha Fugaku was also in the Land of Rice when Danzō disappeared."

Both Kaoru and Tsubasa were surprised. This was news to them.

"Yes, at the exact time Danzō went missing, Fugaku was there."

The man smiled coldly.

"Isn't that too much of a coincidence?"

"You're saying Clan Head Fugaku is behind Danzō's disappearance?" Kaoru's eyes widened in shock.

"And how do you know Fugaku was there?" Tsubasa pressed, skeptical.

"That's not even a secret. Ask around, and you'll find out."

The man chuckled.

Seeing his certainty, Kaoru and Tsubasa hesitated. Could Fugaku really have been involved in Danzō's disappearance? Was he the villain this man claimed?

The man, noticing their shaken expressions, smiled internally. Then, he shifted the topic.

Swish—

Two Uchiha Police Force members appeared, surrounding the man from both sides.

"You are suspected of being a spy from another village. Come with us for questioning."

"I'm not a spy! You've got the wrong person!"

The man panicked momentarily, but quickly regained composure—he was, after all, an experienced Anbu.

"Whether or not you're a spy will be determined after investigation," said the female officer, unfazed.

"You're only saying that because I spoke ill of Uchiha Fugaku! This is a setup!"

The man barked, trying to draw attention.

His loud accusations caused Kaoru and Tsubasa to hesitate. The man had just spoken against Fugaku, and now he was suddenly being arrested. It looked suspicious.

"See that? This is how the so-called honorable Uchiha Fugaku runs things! Is this justice?"

His voice carried, drawing in passersby who stopped to watch.

The female officer remained composed and smirked.

"If you're really a Konoha ninja, show us your forehead protector."

"This…"

The man's face twitched slightly.

Anbu members, especially during covert ops, never carried forehead protectors to protect their identities.

"What's wrong? As a Konoha ninja, you don't have a forehead protector? Or are you not from Konoha at all?"

The female officer mocked.

Kaoru and Tsubasa exchanged glances, doubt growing.

The man's previous words had nearly convinced them Fugaku was behind Danzō's disappearance.

Now, his refusal—or inability—to show a forehead protector was telling.

"Did you forget it?" she asked.

"Y-Yeah, I forgot to bring it..."

"It's standard protocol for shinobi to carry a forehead protector. Do you expect anyone here to believe you forgot?"

The officer scoffed.

"Come along. We'll verify your identity at the Police Force office."

"Alright, I'll cooperate—"

The man seemed to comply, but suddenly made a break for it.

"I've been waiting for that."

The male officer moved in and blocked his escape instantly.

"He ran! He really is a spy!"

Kaoru and Tsubasa were stunned. They had almost believed him.

Luckily, the Police Force exposed him in time.

"Let's help too!"

The two joined in to subdue the man.

Eventually, the disguised Anbu was captured.

This scenario was repeating throughout Konoha.

Uchiha Fugaku had already predicted the Third Hokage would try to interfere with his reputation, so he had deployed large numbers of Police Force members to patrol and stop any such slander.

(End of this chapter)