"An ANBU member just came by. They only left one message: ANBU Commander, Orochimaru."
As Hizashi spoke, Natsu, who was quietly listening on the side, recalled what Tanaka had previously said.
Natsu's pupils slightly contracted as he thought to himself.
Could it be that the person spreading these rumors was the Snake Sannin?
"Orochimaru, huh?"
Upon hearing this name, Tanaka's eyes flashed with a sharp glint.
"Tanaka, I suspect that the one spreading these rumors is Orochimaru."
"Overnight, the news spread throughout every street and alley of Konoha, just like when the White Fang abandoned his mission—the rumors flooded everywhere."
"In Konoha, very few people can pull off something like this. And among those few, the only one who would use such despicable methods is Danzō."
As the clan leader, Hizashi stood at a higher vantage point and saw further. He wasn't just considering Orochimaru—he also thought of Danzō.
"Hizashi-sama, after the rumors spread, who went to the Hokage's office?"
Tanaka tapped his fingers on the table, not rushing to a conclusion.
He understood better than anyone how fierce the internal conflict within the Konoha Council was.
So, whether it was the Hokage's office or Root, he had arranged for his clan members to monitor them 24/7.
"Danzō."
"Orochimaru."
"Shikaku."
"As well as Koharu and Homura."
Hizashi answered without hesitation.
"It probably wasn't Orochimaru. At the very least, the person who spread the news wasn't him."
Tanaka pondered for a moment before voicing his opinion.
"Then it was Danzō."
Although Hizashi wasn't a reincarnator, when trouble arises, pinning it all on Danzō was usually the right move.
Even if it was wrong, it would only be half-wrong.
"Whether it's Orochimaru or Danzō, they were just taking advantage of the situation. They merely used this wave of rumors to seize the position of ANBU Commander."
"But they weren't the ones who started the rumors."
Tanaka shook his head.
"Why do you say that?"
Hizashi didn't refute him but instead put aside his status as a teacher and clan leader to ask his student for guidance.
"First, the Kusanagi Sword. If Orochimaru was behind this, why would he go out of his way to give me the Kusanagi Sword, along with Konoha-style swordsmanship and Hatake-style swordsmanship?"
"Second, my techniques. The rumors outside only say that I defeated the ANBU Commander in a single move. But how? What technique did I use? None of that was mentioned."
"Hizashi-sensei, if you were the one spreading the news, you would have already offended me. So why would you specifically conceal information about my abilities?"
"If they revealed that I can use space-time ninjutsu, wouldn't that make it even more believable that I defeated Shinnosuke with a single strike?"
"After all, even ordinary ninjas understand the significance of space-time ninjutsu."
"And if this was Danzō's doing, then there would be even less reason for him to hide my information."
Tanaka spoke each word with deliberate emphasis.
Even a hero like Sakumo, who once stood at the pinnacle of Konoha, was relentlessly pushed into a corner by the council. So how could they possibly show any mercy when dealing with me?
When Danzō makes a move, it's never half-hearted—it's always an all-out strike with no retreat.
"This kind of hesitation… it really doesn't seem like Danzō's style." Hizashi furrowed his brows, forcing himself to momentarily set aside his prejudices against Danzō.
"The Third Hokage understands him even better than we do."
"If this was really his doing, then even if it meant damaging his own reputation, he'd rather push Dan into power than allow Orochimaru to become the ANBU Commander."
"In my opinion, Orochimaru and Danzō didn't go to the Hokage's office to force the Third Hokage into abandoning his eldest son. Instead, they used it as an opportunity to help him deal with his troubles."
"Only in this way would the Third Hokage agree to compromise."
Tanaka rubbed his temples.
He was truly exhausted, but not because of the political intrigue. Rather, it was due to the two shadow clones he had sent out to train in the Rokushiki and Haki. When they exhausted their chakra and dispelled themselves, all the accumulated fatigue and experience flooded back to him, making him feel drained.
However, he had just enjoyed a hearty meal of Sea King-class delicacies.
With just a little rest, his health bar would be fully restored.
Natsu had been keeping her attention on Tanaka the whole time. When she saw him reach up to rub his temples, his face showing signs of fatigue, she immediately stood up. With light steps, she walked behind him and placed her fingers on both of his temples.
As a gentle green glow radiated from her fingertips, she began to massage him gently.
Yes.
She was one of the 100 Hyūga clan members who had studied medical ninjutsu under Tsunade.
Byakugan for pinpoint accuracy in locating pressure points.
Medical ninjutsu combined with acupressure massage.
Gentle Fist, refining chakra into fine needles to stimulate the body without causing harm.
Before Tsunade established the medical system in Konoha and popularized medical ninjutsu, only Tanaka alone had access to this kind of treatment.
After all, even the so-called "3,000 Sarutobi Army" of the Sarutobi clan didn't have medical ninjas among them.
Where would they even get medical massage techniques?
Even if someone knew medical ninjutsu, without the Byakugan for pinpoint accuracy and Gentle Fist to refine chakra into acupuncture-like precision, they couldn't possibly enjoy the same treatment as Tanaka.
This technique was something Tsunade specifically tailored for Tanaka after learning that he used shadow clones to train—designed to restore his body and eliminate hidden injuries.
This was also one of the main reasons why Tanaka continuously supported his clan.
If he didn't support his clan, where would he get a gorgeous medic giving him on-the-spot massages?
"If it's not Orochimaru, not Danzō, and not the Third Hokage…"
"Then who is it?"
Hizashi furrowed his brows, unable to come up with an answer despite thinking it over repeatedly.
All along, the internal conflicts within Konoha had always stemmed from the council. Now that they had settled down, he suddenly found himself without a prime suspect.
"Orochimaru and Danzō merely capitalized on the situation and profited from it. Shinnosuke was the victim. The Third Hokage was just a blade."
"Now, if we remove all these players from the equation, what remains is this—"
"I had a conflict with Shinnosuke, and the Hyūga clan had a falling-out with the Sarutobi clan. Yet the person who spread these rumors didn't want to turn me into an enemy, so they deliberately hid the fact that I could use space-time ninjutsu."
"Factually speaking, everything being said in these rumors is true. I really did defeat him."
"I believe, the person behind this isn't spreading rumors… they're spreading information."
Tanaka lowered his eyelids, leaning back against Natsu's embrace. He enjoyed the gentle touch as her medical ninjutsu massage gradually erased his fatigue.
"Even if we eventually track down the person responsible for spreading this information, as long as they're willing to offer enough benefits, there will still be room for negotiations between them and the Hyūga clan."
"This is definitely not Orochimaru's doing. And it's even less likely to be Danzō."
He shook his head with a light chuckle, ruling out both Orochimaru and Danzō as the masterminds behind the scenes.
"If it's not those two, then who could it be?"
Hizashi rested his hand on his chin, deep in thought.
He had already accepted Tanaka's analysis. And precisely because of that, he had no clue who the true mastermind was.