This ninja in Naruto is unscientific

Chapter 41 Public Opinion Fermentation

Two months is enough time for a spring rain to bring cherry blossoms to full bloom, and enough time for a rumor to go from whispers to the truth known to everyone on the streets.

Konoha Village, a bustling commercial street.

The afternoon sun dappled the tabletop of the open-air tea room through the gaps in the leaves.

"Hey, have you read this week's Konoha Weekly?"

A Chunin who was taking a break slammed a newspaper on the table, pointed excitedly at the section in the supplement called "Chronicles of the Ninja World," and exclaimed, "That war correspondent using the pen name 'Abyss Walker' has updated again!"

"Quickly read it! Quickly read it! Where did we leave off last time?" The companion next to him immediately came over, and even the several ordinary aunties at the next table who were eating dumplings perked up their ears.

The Chunin cleared his throat and began to read with great expression:

"...The rain poured down, and black flames burned. Facing the surging tide of enemies, the noble young man with red eyes did not retreat an inch. Blood tears streamed from his eyes, and his vision was already blurred, but he still stood firmly in front of the blond and black-haired boys."

"Even if these eyes can never see the light again, I will still carve a path to survival for you!" Fugaku Uchiha roared. In that moment, he was no longer the high-and-mighty young master of a wealthy family, but a ninja willing to sacrifice his life for his comrades...

"So touching!"

The middle-aged woman next to him wiped away her tears, forgetting to eat the rice ball in her hand. "I knew it! That child is a good person. All that talk about demons and monsters is just nonsense from those bad people outside!"

"Yes," another woman chimed in. "I heard that he has to go to the hospital for rehabilitation every day to save his teammates, and he even needs help to walk. It's really a tragedy."

In an era where entertainment options are scarce, this kind of story, which combines passion, tragedy, and family feuds, is simply a game-changer.

Nishikawa Tetsu sat in the corner of the tea room, holding a cup of tea in his hand, with a newspaper in front of him.

The editorial office of the Konoha Weekly was just two streets away, and the so-called special contributor, "Abyss Walker," was sitting among them drinking tea.

He didn't simply try to clear his name; instead, he used a strategy that combined truth and falsehood.

The real parts are the battle records and injuries, while the fake parts are the psychological descriptions and lines that make you want to scream.

But that's exactly what the public loves to watch.

In a corner of the newspaper, there was even a special gossip column called "Konoha's Red and Black List," which has been completely dominated by Team 5 for the past few issues.

[This week's hot question: Is Minato Namikaze, who's like a little sun, actually a devoted family man who can't resist discounted eggs in private?]

[Exclusive Reveal: The Unseen Side of the Uchiha Clan Leader—Beneath His Cold Exterior Lies a Heart Only Gentle on His Comrades? According to insiders, he once secretly mended ninja tool pouches for his teammates late at night.]

"Mending a ninja tool pouch... How did you even come up with that?"

Sitting opposite him, Minato Namikaze lowered his voice, his expression somewhat broken, "If Fugaku-senpai saw this, he would definitely use his Susanoo to tear down the newspaper office."

"He has already seen it."

Nishikawa Tetsu calmly turned a page of the newspaper. "When he saw this newspaper at the police department yesterday, he reportedly crushed three teacups, but it turned out to be a good thing."

He pointed out the window.

On the street, several members of the Uchiha clan, dressed in their insignia, walked by.

In the past, when passersby saw the Uchiha, their eyes were filled with fear and disgust, and they would subconsciously avoid them.

But today, several middle-aged women who were buying groceries actually took the initiative to greet those Uchiha members, and a little girl even ran over and gave one of the young Uchiha guards a wildflower.

The Uchiha stood there, stunned and at a loss. For the first time, a look of bewilderment and... a hint of barely perceptible shyness appeared on his usually stern face.

"Look." Nishikawa Tetsu took a sip of tea. "Fear stems from the unknown, while liking stems from 'contrast.' When the mysterious Uchiha are deconstructed into ordinary people with flesh and blood, even those who are a bit 'tragic,' the barriers begin to melt away."

"and……"

Nishikawa Tetsu pulled a bulging envelope from his pocket; it contained the payment for the article that the newspaper had just settled.

"This stuff is really profitable."

The newspaper, which used to meticulously record trending topics and had dismal sales, is now experiencing a surge in sales thanks to these juicy stories, and the newspaper's manager has been grinning from ear to ear these past few days.

Minato Namikaze's lips twitched as he looked at the thickness of the material.

Just then, a commotion broke out at the other end of the street.

The crowd parted automatically, making way for them.

Fugaku Uchiha, dressed in black casual clothes, walked over with his hands tucked into his sleeves and a blank expression.

Although his eyes have almost fully recovered, he still habitually squints, maintaining the persona of someone with "impaired vision."

"Lord Fugaku!"

"Captain Fugaku, are your eyes feeling better?"

"These are apples I just picked from my own garden. Please take them to nourish your body!"

The villagers along the way greeted us warmly.

Fugaku paused, his body stiffening like a board.

He clearly hasn't gotten used to this treatment yet.

In the past, he would have walked past with a cold face or told bystanders to leave.

But now, he remembered Nishikawa Tetsu's "threat" that night, and Mikoto's gentle smile when she read the newspaper to him at home.

Fugaku took a deep breath and stopped walking.

He stiffly turned his head to the woman who was giving him apples, and with great difficulty, he forced a smile that looked worse than crying, but to outsiders it was a strong smile of "enduring pain."

"...Thank you."

He took the apple, awkwardly stuffed it into his sleeve, then quickened his pace and rushed into the tea room as if fleeing.

"call……"

As soon as he entered the private room, Fugaku slumped into a chair, his aloof demeanor instantly crumbling.

"Nishikawa Tetsu, explain this to me."

Fugaku pulled the newspaper from his pocket, pointed at the gossip section, and gritted his teeth, "'A heart that is only gentle to its companions' is one thing, but what the hell is this 'drinking alone under the moon late at night because of missing a certain purple-haired noblewoman, shedding two lines of clear tears'?!"

"When did I cry? Besides, Mikoto is in the next room!"

"Artistic processing, senior."

Nishikawa Tetsu calmly poured him a cup of tea. "Wasn't the effect quite good? The way that aunt looked at you just now was like she was looking at her own wronged nephew."

"I'd rather they fear me." Fugaku slammed an apple on the table, his face dark. "The Uchiha's prestige is completely gone."

"On the battlefield, you can speak with your sword to command respect. In a village, you need people's hearts."

Nishikawa Tetsuya's smile faded, and he said seriously, "Recently, the police department's complaint rate has dropped by 40%, and the approval rate for Uchiha clan members to apply for missions outside the village has increased by 20%. Even Danzo hasn't been causing you any trouble lately."

Upon hearing Danzo's name, Fugaku's anger subsided somewhat, and his expression became serious.

"Indeed, the higher-ups have been strangely quiet lately. Those elders originally wanted to take advantage of the situation to strip me of my police position, but now that public opinion is overwhelmingly in my favor, they're finding it difficult to act."

This is a very peculiar political balance.

When someone becomes a combination of "national hero" and "tragic figure," any suppression against them will be interpreted by the public as "persecution of a meritorious person."

Danzo was ruthless, but he cared more about his facade in the sunlight.

"However, this popularity won't last long."

Nishikawa Tetsu tapped his fingers on the table. "Gossip always fades, and people's sympathy is cheap and fleeting. We need to turn this temporary goodwill into tangible benefits."

"What kind of wicked idea are you up to now?" Fugaku's eyelids twitched whenever he heard Nishikawa Tetsu speak.

"It's not a wicked idea, it's serious business."

Nishikawa Tetsu took out a new plan from his backpack, the cover of which read "Konoha Police Department Reform Plan (Draft)".

"While the villagers are not disgusted with you now, and even have some sympathy for you, we need to carry out a major overhaul of the police department."

"reform?"

"That's right. The police department used to be too arrogant, and law enforcement was all about head-on confrontation."

Nishikawa Tetsu opened the plan:

"First, we will introduce the 'community police officer' system. Instead of patrolling from a high place, we will have members of the Uchiha clan go deep into each neighborhood to help old ladies find their cats and mediate disputes among neighbors."

"Secondly, and most importantly."

Nishikawa Toru looked at Fugaku and Minato:

"The police department cannot be dominated by the Uchiha clan; we must break the clan monopoly."

"I suggest recruiting ninjas from other ethnic groups into the police department."

"What?!" Fugaku jumped to his feet. "This is impossible! The clan elders would never agree to this! The police department is a private territory the Second Hokage gave to the Uchiha clan!"

"That's the cage the Second Hokage drew for the Uchiha clan," Nishikawa Tetsu said coldly.

"Only by breaking down the walls can the air circulate. If the police department has the Hyuga clan, the Ino-Shika-Cho clan, or even civilian ninjas, then the police department will no longer be the 'Uchiha Police Department,' but the 'Konoha Police Department.'"

"By then, who will be able to isolate the Uchiha?"

Fugaku was stunned.

He looked at the eloquent young man, and a storm raged in his heart.

This is not just a reform; it is digging up the roots of the Uchiha tradition. But at the same time, it is also changing the soil and fertilizing this big tree that is about to wither.

"and……"

Nishikawa Toru turned to look at Minato, who was eating melon seeds nearby.

"Minato, how's your Flying Thunder God technique coming along?"

The Third Hokage truly considered Minato as one of his own. Jiraiya only mentioned it briefly in a scroll, but he actually handed the Scroll of Seals directly to Minato.

However, the old man Nishikawa Tetsu was extremely stingy, and he couldn't even get research funding.

"Huh? Still in the exploratory stage." Minato was taken aback.

"Keep up the good work," Nishikawa Tetsu said meaningfully. "When the police department reform begins, I need you as the first 'civilian genius' to join the police department, to serve as its living advertisement."

"When Little Sun puts on a police uniform, wow, the sales... no, the approval rating would absolutely explode."

Fugaku sat down again, looked at the plan, and then looked out the window at the villagers who no longer looked at him strangely.

He remained silent for a long time before finally picking up the apple and taking a big bite.

"...This apple is quite sweet."

He looked at Nishikawa Tetsu, a resolute glint in his eyes:

"Come to my house tonight, we'll discuss this proposal in detail. Mikoto will cook."

"Okay!" Minato was the first to respond.

Nishikawa Tetsu smiled and put away the newspaper on the table.

Public opinion is just the appetizer; the real change is only just beginning.