After reading through the new draft, Uchiha Souji thought silently for a moment before speaking.
"After you publish this issue," Souji said, "you should change the topic. Start reporting something else."
Mizuki blinked, surprised.
But he quickly pulled out a small notebook and a pen, ready to write down every word.
Souji nodded with satisfaction—this was the level of obedience he expected.
The truth was simple:
Whether a reputation is good or bad, it still draws attention.
And right now, the last thing Souji needed was attention.
Once this explosive newspaper came out, he would officially become Konoha's public enemy, a walking target for gossip and insults.
And when attention piled too high… it made it harder to act freely.
But Souji wasn't worried.
He came from an era of endless social media and online chaos.
He understood a basic rule:
People don't remember anything for long.
Not online.
Not in newspapers.
Not anywhere.
Information simply passed through people's brains like wind through an open window.
So all he needed was to distract them.
Release a big piece of dramatic news.
Let the villagers obsess over some other person.
Then, time would wash away all memory of "Uchiha Souji the scandalous child."
One month later?
Two months later?
Who would remember him?
---
Picking a New Target
"I heard Lady Tsunade hasn't returned to the village in a long time, right?" Souji asked suddenly.
He rummaged through his mind, searching for events from the Naruto world.
Originally, Souji had planned to reveal something ridiculous—like Sarutobi Hiruzen secretly peeping inside his office every day.
But he wasn't stupid enough to poke the Hokage directly.
If he exposed that, ANBU would snatch him up by nightfall.
He didn't want "free food and accommodation" in a prison cell.
So he chose a safer target.
Big names always attracted curiosity, and the Legendary Sannin were the biggest of all.
Orochimaru had already defected—too dangerous to touch.
Jiraiya was unpredictable—he might beat Souji on the same day if he felt insulted.
That left Tsunade.
A soft persimmon to pinch.
A topic big enough to distract Konoha.
And best of all?
Tsunade almost never returned to the village.
Perfect.
If she got angry, she wouldn't even be here to scold him.
And if she did come back?
Well…
Uchiha and Senju were famous for arguing since ancient times.
It wasn't unusual for them to insult each other.
Let Fugaku handle it—he was the clan head, after all.
(If Fugaku knew Souji was counting on him to block Tsunade's punches, he would probably cry loudly.)
Mizuki nodded slowly, recalling the rumors.
"Since the Third Ninja War ended… I don't think she has come back. Except once for the Fourth Hokage's wedding… and then again for his funeral."
Souji nodded.
That made sense.
"All right," he said.
"You don't need to write the day-after-tomorrow's newspaper. I'll prepare the content myself. Come pick up the draft tomorrow afternoon."
Mizuki stood to leave.
But Souji suddenly slapped his own forehead.
"Oh—wait."
He reached into his robe and pulled out a rolled-up scroll.
"I remember you like using ninja tools. This is a compilation of the Uchiha clan's techniques and experiences with ninja tools."
He handed it over gently.
"I don't need it, so I'm giving it to you."
Mizuki froze.
The scroll trembled slightly in his hands.
This wasn't just any scroll.
This was a clan-secret manual—the kind only passed down inside Uchiha.
For a civilian ninja like Mizuki, this was worth more than gold.
Even more valuable than the A-rank ninjutsu voucher Souji had given him earlier.
A-rank ninjutsu could save a life…
But knowledge of ninja tools could change every battle, increase survival chances, and improve daily combat strength.
This… was priceless.
He bowed deeply.
Then turned to leave.
But halfway to the door, Mizuki stopped.
He hesitated.
Turned back.
His voice was soft.
"Master Souji… did you give this to me?"
He raised the scroll slightly.
Souji had already sat down and poured himself a cup of tea.
He took a sip, smiled, and looked genuinely confused by the question.
"Of course I gave it to you."
"You've helped me a lot. You've done so much work behind the scenes."
"You may not understand it, but all these things matter a lot to me."
He set the cup down.
"In name, you are my subordinate. But in my heart, I consider you a friend."
"So when a friend gives me gifts, I have to return a gift. That's simply how things should be."
---
Friend…?
A strange silence filled the room.
Mizuki stared at the scroll in his hands.
"Friend…" he whispered.
"That word… feels so distant…"
There was a tremble in his voice.
As if he wanted to say more.
As if he wanted to confess something hidden deep inside.
But the words never came out.
After a pause, Mizuki bowed once more.
"Your subordinate takes his leave!"
Then he turned and left quickly.
---
Souji's Confusion
Souji watched him leave and scratched his cheek.
"What… was that about?"
Was this some kind of dramatic loyalty scene?
Why was Mizuki acting like a tragic villain ready to sacrifice himself for the main character?
"Are you not a minor villain?" Souji muttered.
"Why are you acting like someone's destined sacrifice?"
He shook his head helplessly and sipped more tea—his "happy water."
The truth behind Souji's decision was simple.
He was a corporate worker in his previous life.
He understood the basic rule:
If you want people beneath you to work hard, you need to feed them well.
Give them benefits.
Give them bonuses.
Give them motivation.
Then they'll work faster than your computer processor.
Whether Mizuki was truly a friend or not didn't matter.
Finding excuses to reward him was natural.
Friendship…
Souji smiled faintly.
For someone from 21st-century Earth, the word "friend" was casual.
On Earth, even asking a stranger for directions could begin with:
"Hey friend, can you help me?"
So saying the word meant nothing heavy to him.
But to Mizuki…
It meant everything
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