~/ Enjoy!!
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"Ah, what a rare opportunity! Let's take advantage of this and grab a bite at Ichiraku Ramen," Gojo Kaigetsu suggested, pulling Minato Namikaze towards the ramen shop. "We discuss ideas for the issue of 'Iki' while we eat."
After settling the fn merts, Gojo Kaigetsu dragged Minato to Ichiraku Ramen, located in a prime spot within the bustling shopping district. It was diime, and the shop acked with ers.
They waited for quite a while before finally getting a seat.
"Holy… shouldn't we discuss official business in a more formal setting?" Minato looked around. The crowded and noisy enviro didn't seem ducive to serious discussions.
"Ah, damn Danzo! I was supposed to give this to you this afternoon, but things got deyed."
"Well, fet about that for now, Minato. Take a look at my new masterpiece."
As their ramen arrived, Gojo Kaigetsu handed him the draft he had written that afternoon, titled "Adaptability Required for Living in the Shinobi World."
"This is…"
Minato accepted the draft.
The previous article, "The Konoha Shop Utack," had, as Gojo Kaigetsu predicted, attracted fn iment to Konoha. What kind of surprise would this one bring?
Filled with anticipation, Minato's eyes fell upon the first line, and he couldn't help but read it aloud in a low voice:
"…His name was Gojo Kaigetsu." Minato looked up, gng curiously at Gojo Kaigetsu, who was enthusiastically slurping his ramen, before tinuing to read.
"Res to violeo secure his…"
As one of the twonists iory, a flicker of reminisce crossed Minato's eyes.
The 50th year of Konoha… those were truly turbulent times.
His title as the "Yellow Fsh" of the shinobi world, as well as the ceremonial robes he wore, were all earned during that period.
Although a year had passed, Minato's memories of the events that transpired remained vivid.
He sed his memories but couldn't recall visiting Gojo Kaigetsu in prison.
If he wasn't mistaken, this was another pletely fabricated story.
The further he read, the more peculiar Minato felt.
It was on knowledge that during the 50th year of Konoha, the vilge was uhe leadership of his teacher's teacher – the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Having only been in office for a year, was this truly an appropriate topic to discuss?
Setting that aside…
The matter of reparations was irue. At the time, Konoha was fag a united front from other vilges. To minimize ehey had chosen not to pursue Kirigakure's transgressions further…
There was rese among the popuce, but not to the extent of public protests or internal u.
The loyalty of Konoha's shinobi towards the Hokage, the symbol of the Will of Fire, was unwavering.
Even if his teacher's ideology seemed servative and outdated now, even if protests had occurred, it wouldn't have led to Gojo Kaigetsu being imprisoned.
Minato fell into deep thought.
He uood Gojo Kaigetsu. His frequent etric pronous and grand speeches were always refreshing to hear.
Even so, Minatled to keep up with Gojo Kaigetsu's train of thought and decipher the deeper meaning behind his words.
After a long silence, he finally spoke:
"Say, Kaigetsu-kun, I think this article… is inappropriate."
Gojo Kaigetsu wasn't surprised by Minato's assessment. He picked up a piece of delicious chashu and popped it into his mouth before asking, "What's inappropriate about it?"
Minato carefully chose his words. "If 'The Konoha Shop' was meant to vey our vilge's friendlin merts, isn't this 'Adaptability' article exposing our shortings?"
"Moreover, it's fabricated shortings. Last year's events weren't that serious."
If not for their close retionship, akin to that of a Jinchuriki and their tailed beast, Minato might have suspected Gojo Kaigetsu had writteicle to glorify himself.
"Wrong, wrong, wrong, Minato! You're pletely missing the point."
Gojo Kaigetsu shook his head repeatedly. "We, Konoha, as the victorious vilge, still have disgruntled ninja among our popuce. Do you think those in the defeated vilges are experieng pead tranquility?"
"Hmm?"
Gojo Kaigetsu's words seemed to awaken something in Minato. He picked up the draft again, seeking a new perspective.
After a long pause, he tentatively asked, "Are you talking about… free will? Freedom of speech?"
"Exactly."
Gojo Kaigetsu tapped his chopsticks. "Let me give you areme example. You know what's been happening in Kirigakure retly, right, Minato?"
"You mean… the Bloody Mist."
The current Kirigakure was under brutal rule, perseg ninjas with Kekkei Genkai, earning it the moniker "Vilge of the Bloody Mist."
"Under such oppressive circumstances, even ordinary ninjas without Kekkei Genkai are living in fear. Their dissatisfa with the vilge is nearing its breaking point."
"Why should the Daimyo and Mizukage hold all the power?"
"Look at Konoha, even an ordinary in bee a high-ranking advisor."
"Are we inferior to Gojo Kaigetsu? Toiling away as lowly grunts day after day!"
"Overthrow the corrupt vilge gover! Glory belongs to the ninja…"
Gojo Kaigetsu casually listed potential sarios. "Instances of lower-ranking ninjas overthrowing their superiors are rare in the shinobi world. I o instill some fiden them."
"Tell them that freedom of speech is essential!"
"Look, even a minister from the Land of Fire expressed support for using force if the vilge doesn't grant freedom of speech!"
"This…"
Minato eechless. If things truly unfolded as Gojo Kaigetsu described, such extreme situations could indeed arise.
In the shinobi world, Kirigakure ecial case.
Their public rese was the deepest, making them the most likely didate for a rge-scale ninja rebellion.
As for other vilges, a full-blown rebellion was unlikely. However, it was enough to inspire some "awakened" and "enlightened" ninja to stir up trouble.
Trouble = Obstru to development.
While other vilges faced obstacles, Konoha would thrive. Acc to the Gojo equation, this equated to a double win for Konoha.
The biggest question now was…
"The idea is good, but how many ninjas will actually believe this narrative?"
"It's a story~ Those willing to believe will believe, even if it's not true. Those unwilling to believe won't believe, even if it's the truth."
"You 't wake a ninja pretending to be asleep. You uand, Minato."
"Is that so…"
Minato scratched his head, nodding in a mixture of uanding and fusion. He had finally grasped Gojo Kaigetsu's objective.
Like "The Konoha Shop," "Adaptability" was also aimed at promoting Konoha's development.
'Kaigetsu-kun truly goes above and beyond for Konoha.'
Minato's heart felt heavy, but he still said, "I uand what you're trying to do, Kaigetsu-kun. However…"
"Sihe article implicitly hints at the Third Hokage, I'd like to personally sult with him and seek his opinion."
"If the Third Hokage disapproves, I hope we ge the implicit hints iicle to explicitly point towards…"
"Towards Elder Danzo."
....
To Be tinued...
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