Nearly everyone watching revealed excited, adoring expressions.
Because this was Konoha's Fourth Hokage, Konoha's guardian!
The Will of Fire's seeds instantly sprouted in countless hearts.
Even Aoha, taking advantage of everyone's distracted attention, stealthily reaching beneath Hokage Rock, had to admit Konoha excelled in spiritual construction. Konoha's truly ahead throughout the entire ninja world!
Speaking bluntly: first-class brainwashing!
So he prepared, adding seasoning to this dish. His small hands unconsciously tightened the thin cloth strip he'd left earlier. Testing the feel, confirming his current strength could completely tear open the entire cloth, and only then relaxed.
However, exactly then, he again felt that gaze intensely watching him.
Turning around, he discovered Mikawa-jonin's expression drastically changing, eyes dead-locked with murderous intent!
At this moment, their gazes mutually crossed, understanding each other's meaning through this exchange method.
Mikawa-jonin: "Whatever you're planning now, stop immediately! Otherwise, you're dead!"
Aoha's response: "Nobody stops me courting death!"
Brief eye contact was instantly concluded!
Unable to tolerate longer, Mikawa-jonin's bad premonitions seemingly materialising, immediately dashing forward, extremely rapidly advancing toward Aoha's location, attempting to prevent his next actions.
But by then, too late.
Aoha, without hesitation, suddenly pulled downward with force! The adhesive-attached cloth side immediately collapsed. The solid cloth didn't tear; rather directly dragged open the top cloth.
Originally, everyone's attention focused on the Fourth's statue. But with Mikawa-jonin's actions, immediately attracting a small portion of people's gazes toward Hokage Rock's base, toward the child holding something unknown.
"Huh? Whose child wasn't supervised properly, wandering there?"
Many people's first thoughts emerged this way.
However, more people still admiring the Fourth statue suddenly discovered a rock wall section beside the Fourth suddenly unveiled, revealing hidden contents!
It appeared another humanoid statue, only compared to the neighbouring generations' Hokage, this statue was far smaller, craftsmanship was extremely crude.
Yet this wasn't the most shocking. Most shocking, even horrifying, was that this statue bore an extremely conspicuous line written in green paint!
"Fifth Hokage Shinomiya Aoha Arrives!?"
A villager reading this aloud instantly froze, face filled with horror!
Who the hell did this?
Absolutely insane, right?
Don't want to live anymore!!!
Until that tan cloth gently fluttered from above, drifting before everyone's eyes to the ground, they finally reacted from petrification. The entire scene instantly erupted, like exploding chaos!
"Who did this! Absolutely, who?!"
"Who's this Shinomiya Aoha! Quick, find him!"
"This is desecration! Must severely punish!"
"Must arrest the criminal, imprison forever!"
"Wait, this Shinomiya Aoha name sounds familiar somehow?"
"I remember now! Isn't this the brat shouting during Minato-sama's Hokage inauguration ceremony that he'd become Fifth Hokage!"
"Hearing you mention it, I remember too. This kid's truly audacious! Actually daring such things!"
Gathered villagers all displayed excited emotions, loudly demanding severe criminal punishment!
Meanwhile, the guilt-ridden instigator Shinomiya Aoha was like a little quail, directly seized by the enraged Mikawa-jonin's hand.
No way to escape. Practically at the instant he tore open the concealing cloth, he got caught.
Resistance?
Joking!
A chunin nearly killed him ten times over. Resisting a jonin?
Even if Mikawa-jonin showed mercy considering old relationships, other shinobi here absolutely wouldn't let him off!
At least he had this much self-awareness. Currently, his role was to show a good attitude, apologising appropriately, and accepting punishment as needed. After all, the mission completion notification already sounded.
As a qualified rogue, regardless of consequences, the brat accepted everything!
Well, couldn't avoid bearing consequences anyway!
"You genuinely want death? Wanting death, just say it! I'll directly send you along!"
Pitch-black as a cookware bottom, Mikawa-jonin's expression furiously spewed spittle!
Simultaneously, his other hand unconsciously covered his heart. Though not suffering heart disease, it wasn't far off!
This brat arrived in Konoha mere months ago!!
Already creating this much trouble!
Still dared privately carve his statue on Hokage Rock, leaving such death-courting words!
Not most insane yet!
Most maddening: this brat dared to openly unveil alongside the Fourth's statue!
This wasn't courting death. The character [死] (death) was literally carved on his forehead!
Causing such massive commotion, needing such a powerful heart, enduring!
Others didn't know. Anyway, Mikawa-jonin felt his heart rapidly weakening, possibly suddenly dying, literally dying from anger!
Watching Mikawa-jonin's gradually twisting expression, Aoha powerlessly refuted nothing, awkwardly smiling. He also knew this trouble genuinely exceeded the previous Hokage inauguration incident.
But what could he do!
Life's difficult. All the damn system's fault, forcing this!
Yet unable to explain, only silence. After all, whatever he said now was wrong.
"Mikawa-jonin, is this child the criminal?"
Present shinobi also completely reacted, quickly reaching Mikawa-jonin's side, simultaneously displaying extremely unfavourable expressions toward the seized brat.
Already, this situation, seeing Aoha nearly providing no rebuttal, meant understood: completely culpable.
So Mikawa-jonin could only grimly say: "Apparently his 'good deeds' indeed. However, now isn't accountability time. Everyone must prioritise calming villagers, persuading everyone to leave here. Afterwards, let Hokage-sama handle personally."
Present shinobi gazed at emotionally-charged villagers, silently nodding, beginning evacuation and persuasion work.
Currently, doing damage control is a priority!