As the cheers of the crowd still echoed from the grand opening of Danzo's factory, the morning edition of Shinobi Times hit the streets, its front-page headlines seizing the public's attention with force.
"Shocking! The True Face of Konoha's Renowned Leader, Danzo Shimura!"
"Horrifying! For the Sake of Profit, Danzo Shimura Commits Unthinkable Atrocities—The Third Hokage Claims Unawareness!"
"The Second Hokage's Personal Disciple Abuses Power for Personal Gain, Secretly Engaging in Horrific Human Experiments!"
"Caution! The Products You Use May Be Stained with the Blood of Your Loved Ones!"
The bold claims and the authenticity of the accompanying photographs left little room for doubt. The images, dark and unsettling, depicted Danzo Shimura in a chilling light. The article alleged that, in his relentless pursuit of profit and to lower production costs for his factory, Danzo had secretly colluded with Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin. Together, they were said to have conducted inhumane experiments and abducted villagers, forcing them into slave labor for the factory.
The photos—grainy but unmistakable—showed figures bound in chains, their faces stricken with terror. The sinister images of captive villagers seemed to confirm the worst suspicions. How could anyone not believe it?
In an instant, the entire ninja world was engulfed by the explosive news. The three major countries that had already forged partnerships with Danzo and had been instrumental in preparing for the factory's grand opening were now swept into the chaos.
Protests erupted across the land. Citizens, outraged by the allegations of tainted products and the horrifying rumors, took to the streets in droves, voicing their disgust. Boycotts of the factory's goods spread like wildfire. The message was clear: no one would buy from this "blood-sucking factory."
Even in Konoha, the very heart of Danzo's operations, unrest took hold. The people, once hopeful about the factory's promise of economic revival, turned against it. Voices of dissent grew louder, and it wasn't long before acts of defiance turned into open attacks on Root's assets and facilities.
"People of Konoha, please listen to me!" Danzo pleaded, his voice strained as he tried to regain control of the situation. "This is the work of Grass Village! It's their plot against us." But his words fell on deaf ears as the protests continued to escalate. "I swear, my factory has nothing to do with these accusations. Hey?! Who threw that?! Step forward now!"
Amid the growing chaos, one of his aides, panic in their voice, urged him urgently, "Danzo-sama, we need to leave now!" But the damage had already been done. The flames of distrust had been stoked, and no amount of pleading or reasoning could quell the storm that had begun to rage against him.
Despite Danzo's desperate attempts to assure the crowd that everything was legitimate and above board, the damning accusations in the Shinobi Times—complete with vivid descriptions and incriminating photos—had already ignited an uncontrollable fury.
The crowd was beyond reasoning, their anger teetering on the edge of a full-blown riot. Their minds were made up based on the seemingly irrefutable evidence before them. Every word of explanation from Danzo only seemed to fuel their rage.
Even Danzo, as he read through the reports himself, couldn't suppress a wave of frustration. Could he really be as evil as he was being portrayed? After all, Danzo Shimura was simply a man who had investigated fire protection measures, made a few false accusations, researched the First Hokage's cells, and studied the Uchiha clan's bloodlines. These were all standard ninja activities, right?
There were no forced slavery operations, no underhanded contracts, and no instances of denying sick leave to employees with sick mothers. It was all just slander. Naked slander. His only goal had been to open a factory to help revitalize the village. Everything had been conducted above board from the beginning. He had followed all the regulations to the letter—nothing illegal had been done. Orochimaru's secret human experiments had nothing to do with his factory.
Yet, within just one morning, the factory's grand opening had turned into a disastrous closing ceremony. The hopes and efforts of years seemed to be crumbling before his eyes.
Hidden in the shadows, Danzo seethed with rage as he watched the chaos unfold before him. His eyes were bloodshot, the weight of his failure crushing him. "My 22 billion... Just like that... gone?!"
The words barely left his mouth when the familiar voice rang out once again, cutting through his thoughts like a blade.
"Danzo-sama..." The reporter's tone was unyielding, almost taunting. "Do you have anything you would like to explain about your actions?"
This guy… again? Danzo's face turned red with fury. His hand shot to his chest, his fingers gripping his cane tightly as he ground his teeth. He glared at the Shinobi Times reporter, who was still attempting to interview him amidst the pandemonium.
"Catch that reporter!" Danzo barked, his voice thick with barely contained rage.
It was this troublemaker again—the same one who had snuck into the Four Villages' meeting to stir up trouble. How did these pests manage to infiltrate Konoha, even with all of the security measures in place?
Konoha had already set up a barrier around the village, and Danzo had personally investigated every corner of the land. How could this reporter, or any other, have gotten through?
"I'll make him work in the factory... like a slave, without giving him a single—" Danzo gritted his teeth in fury, his eyes locked on the reporter.
But before he could finish his venomous threat, the seasoned reporter, understanding the gravity of the situation, turned and bolted without a second thought. Years of experience had taught him well: when facing danger, never hesitate. The editor-in-chief of Shinobi Times had instilled it in all of them from day one—if things went south, run. Embrace the will of Grass and prioritize self-preservation.
Seeing the reporter bolt, Danzo's frustration mounted. "Chase him! I must catch him today!" he shouted, but it was no use.
The reporter, knowing the situation, started shouting as he ran, "Danzo is here~ Danzo is here~!" His taunting voice only deepened Danzo's embarrassment and anger, his face turning a shade of crimson.
As the reporter's voice echoed, the attention of the villagers swiftly turned toward Danzo. With the attention of the villagers now fully on them, the Root ninjas hesitated, retreating a few steps in uncertainty. The Root ninjas hesitated, unsure of what to do. They knew their orders but feared leaving Danzo alone in this volatile moment, where a mob of angry villagers was already gathering.
"Danzo is over there! Get him!" The cries erupted from the crowd, and the villagers, their anger fueled by the scandalous headlines, surged toward him. They were ready to take matters into their own hands.
Realizing that he had been discovered, Danzo wasted no time and turned to flee. The situation had spiraled out of control, and he understood, deep down, that everything seemed lost.
"No. It's not over yet," Danzo muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing as a new thought crossed his mind. Gritting his teeth, he quickly ordered a nearby Root ninja, "Send someone to the laboratory immediately. Make sure to control Orochimaru. Keep a close eye on..."
Before he could finish his command, the air shifted as a panicked Root ninja sprinted toward him, looking utterly frantic. The ninja didn't even wait for Danzo to speak before blurting out, "Danzo-sama! Something terrible has happened!"
"What is it?" Danzo demanded, his heart racing, already sensing the worst.
"Orochimaru-sama has defected!" the ninja gasped, his face pale with disbelief. "He emptied the lab!"
The words hit Danzo like a thunderclap. Orochimaru... defected? Impossible. The shock rooted him to the spot for a moment, unable to process what he was hearing.
But before he could even react, the ninja pulled out a letter, grimacing as he handed it to Danzo. "The only thing left in the lab was this... a letter... addressed to you, Danzo-sama."
Danzo's eyes widened with a mixture of dread and suspicion as he took the letter. His grip tightened around it, but he couldn't shake the feeling that this would be the final blow to his crumbling empire.
Danzo's hands shook as he held the letter, the words on the page blurring in his vision. His mind was racing, trying to process the meaning behind the message. But as he read it, a heavy weight sank into his chest. His legs gave way, and he stumbled backward, his body crashing to the ground. "I... I'm... done... done for!" he muttered, his voice barely a whisper as he felt the life drain from him.
"Danzo-sama!" His subordinates rushed to his side, panic flooding their faces, but Danzo barely registered them. His eyes were fixed on the fluttering paper that had slipped from his grasp, carried by the wind.
The letter... that letter. He stared at it one last time before the wind took it further away, the words still echoing in his mind:
{Sorry, Danzo-sama, you're just too unlucky. Working with you always leads to unexpected trouble, so I decided to run away. I took the remaining money with me, but don't worry, I'll continue my research diligently.}
…
As the Shinobi Times continued to spread the news, particularly about Orochimaru's escape, it only deepened the public's belief that Danzo had been profiting through underhanded means. Protests erupted across the three great nations, condemning his actions and the factory he had built.
In Konoha, the clan leaders who had once placed their trust in Danzo, eagerly investing in his venture, were left dumbfounded. Hadn't everything been under control? Weren't all the preparations complete? How had it all crumbled in a single morning?
Over 22 billion Ryo—gone, just like that. The shocking turn of events plunged Konoha into chaos once again. The very individuals who had been seen as the pillars of Konoha's economic revival were now pariahs, despised and cursed by the very people they had hoped to help.
When Akihiko received the news from Konoha, it was nearly evening. Hearing that Danzo's factory had collapsed within a mere matter of hours, he could only shake his head in disbelief. "What a disaster..." he muttered, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
22 billion ryo, down the drain. Worse still, after this debacle, it was unlikely anyone would ever trust anything Danzo produced again.
Just as Akihiko was reflecting on the catastrophic turn of events, Mubuki burst into the room, panic evident in her voice. "Leader! Leader Akihiko! We just received word that Konoha plans to seal off the village!"
Akihiko was simply stunned by the news. Seal off the village? Konoha was actually going to seal itself off? Had things truly spiraled this far?