"I heard that the kid everyone keeps calling the 'fox demon'… is actually the Fourth Hokage's orphaned son."
A middle-aged shinobi with a faint scar across his left cheek spoke with clear shock in his voice.
"What? How could that fox demon possibly be the Fourth Hokage's child? You must have been deceived."
Another middle-aged shinobi with a thick mustache scoffed, unwilling to believe it.
The idea that the so-called fox demon could be the Fourth Hokage's son—he refused to accept it.
"But the one who said this was Clan Leader Fugaku. Clan Leader Fugaku would never lie about something like this."
The scar-faced shinobi said firmly.
"It was Clan Leader Fugaku who said it? "
The mustached shinobi hesitated, suddenly less certain.
Fugaku's reputation in Konoha now was nearly on par with the Third Hokage's. If he had said it, then the credibility was unquestionable—which meant that fox demon really could be the Fourth Hokage's orphan.
Frowning, the mustached shinobi asked,
"If he truly is the Fourth Hokage's child, then why has he been left to grow up like an orphan? Why would he carry the label of 'fox demon'? "
"Clan Leader Fugaku didn't explain directly… it seemed like he had his concerns. But I have my own guesses."
The scar-faced shinobi cast a cautious glance around before lowering his voice.
"What kind of guesses? "
The mustached shinobi pressed urgently.
"Think about it. The one in power now is the Third Hokage. If the Fourth Hokage's son has been treated this way, do you think the Third Hokage wouldn't know? He knows, yet he allows it. That can only mean it was his order to begin with."
"And if even Clan Leader Fugaku dares not speak the full truth, the only person who could silence him is the Third Hokage himself."
The scar-faced shinobi whispered so quietly only the two of them could hear.
"No… no, that's impossible."
The mustached shinobi shook his head instinctively in denial.
"Then tell me—besides the Third Hokage, who else has the authority? Who else would dare treat the Fourth Hokage's child this way? "
The scar-faced shinobi sneered.
The mustached shinobi faltered, his voice trembling.
"But why would the Third Hokage do this? The Fourth Hokage and his wife sacrificed their lives for the village! "
His voice carried anger now.
The orphan of the couple who had given their lives for Konoha—yet this was how the Third Hokage treated him?
"After the Fourth Hokage came to power, he made many changes to the village's old policies. That may have interfered with the Third Hokage's interests."
"When the Third Hokage returned to power, he reversed some of those very policies. You remember that, don't you? "
The scar-faced shinobi's tone was cold.
"To think… over something like that, the Third Hokage would treat the Fourth Hokage's orphan this way? "
The mustached shinobi clenched his fists, fury leaking into his voice.
He had deep respect for the Fourth Hokage. He had once served under him on the battlefield.
It was thanks to that powerful leader that he had survived what was otherwise a slaughterhouse of war.
And now, to learn the Fourth Hokage's orphan was suffering this treatment—rage burned in his chest.
"They say the Third Hokage slandered Clan Leader Fugaku before and even forced the Hyūga branch family head, Hyūga Hizashi, to his death. I didn't believe it at first."
"But now… it seems more than possible. We've all been deceived by the Third Hokage's false facade."
The scar-faced shinobi gave another cold sneer.
He too had once been part of the Fourth Hokage's forces, and although his reverence was not as fanatical as his mustached comrade's, he still held the Fourth in great respect.
Now, knowing the Fourth Hokage's orphan was being treated this way, anger stirred in him as well. That was why he had shared this news.
The revelation that Naruto Uzumaki was the Fourth Hokage's orphan spread like wildfire through the village.
Shinobi who heard the news were stunned, bewildered, and furious.
The orphan of the Fourth Hokage and his wife, who had sacrificed their lives for the village—treated this way for years?
And this was how the Third Hokage had chosen to treat them?
Hokage's Office.
An Anbu operative burst through the door without knocking, urgency in his voice as he reported to the Third Hokage.
"Lord Hokage, the whole village is talking—everyone is saying Uzumaki Naruto is the Fourth Hokage's orphan! "
The Third Hokage's face turned pale with panic.
After the way he had treated Naruto all these years, if this news spread, he would certainly face public outrage.
Fury and fear twisted his expression.
"Who was it? Who spread the news that Naruto is the Fourth Hokage's child?! "
"It was Clan Leader Fugaku. The news first came from him. And because it was Fugaku who said it, it spread this quickly."
The Anbu explained hurriedly.
Fugaku's prestige in Konoha was now second only to the Hokage's. Anything spoken by him was bound to be believed.
That was why the truth of Naruto being the Fourth Hokage's orphan had swept through the village so quickly.
"Uchiha Fugaku… it really was you! "
The Third Hokage slammed his hand on the desk in fury, scattering documents across the floor.
The moment he heard the rumor spreading, he suspected Fugaku. And now it was confirmed.
His anger boiled like an erupting volcano. But this was not the time to lash out at Fugaku—the priority was stopping the spread of the news.
He gave the order:
"Deploy every Anbu we can mobilize. Seal the information. Warn everyone who knows the truth that they must not spread it further! "
"Yes, sir! "
The Anbu vanished to carry out the command. Soon after, waves of operatives poured out from Root's base.
They rushed across Konoha, delivering warnings to those who had heard the truth: do not speak of it again.
But the Third Hokage had underestimated the speed of the spread. By the time his Anbu moved, much of the village already knew.
And many of those who heard, especially shinobi who had once served under the Fourth Hokage, outright resisted the Anbu's threats.
They ignored the order and chose to spread the truth anyway.
The Fourth Hokage had once saved their lives.
Now, knowing his child was being treated this way, their anger was beyond words.
They carried that fury in their hearts and spread the truth—defying the Third Hokage's command, no matter the cost.