Hatake Sakumo had become the target of harsh slander and verbal attacks by some villagers in Konoha. Though such gossip wouldn't cause immediate physical harm, Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Third Hokage—felt a deep, ominous unease settle in his heart. When he heard those hurtful words from Yuhi Makoto, his longtime loyal retainer, it felt like clutching at a life-saving straw—perhaps a silent plea for comfort.
Facing this situation, Fenghuo couldn't help but feel a flicker of surprise. He had felt powerless before, but now an unexpected opportunity presented itself. He immediately spoke up, "Master Hokage, this is a serious problem. If it's not stopped in time, it could spiral into something far worse."
Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged skeptical looks. Both thought it was nothing more than a few villagers venting their frustration. No need for drastic measures—they believed the uproar would die down on its own.
"Hey, kid, don't blow this out of proportion," Tsunade said, rolling up her sleeves with that trademark stubbornness. "It's just a few disgruntled villagers; no need to start a war over it."
Jiraiya nodded in agreement. "Right. Even if someone's stirring the pot behind the scenes, you can't convict Sakumo just on rumors."
Hiruzen, smoking his kiseru pipe, ignored their dismissive attitudes and turned to Fenghuo with a calm but firm voice: "Fenghuo, explain yourself clearly."
Tsunade and Jiraiya bristled at this—Fenghuo was still a young apprentice, after all.
Taking a deep breath, Fenghuo began with a well-known saying that echoed through the ages: "Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it."
"Water?" Tsunade blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Are we going canoeing now?" Jiraiya teased.
Even Hiruzen raised an eyebrow.
Fenghuo pressed on: "The civilians are like the water in a river, and Konoha is like the boat that floats on that water. We ninja are the ones steering the boat. So, the question is: what keeps the village moving forward?"
"Of course, the people in the boat!" Tsunade answered immediately. Then her eyes widened as she reconsidered. "No… wait. It's the water!"
"Exactly. Without the water, no matter how many people are on the boat, it would just sit stuck on the riverbed," Fenghuo said, looking at Tsunade with an earnest, almost childlike expression.
"But what does that have to do with the current problem?" Jiraiya asked, still confused.
"The situation now," Fenghuo explained gravely, "is that a small part of the water—the villagers—are demanding someone on the boat be thrown off. We can ignore them for now, but if this unrest spreads, and the entire river wants that person gone… what should we do?"
"To keep the boat afloat," Fenghuo said solemnly, "we would have no choice but to throw that person into the water."
Everyone fell silent. Cold sweat trickled down their backs.
If the whole village turned against Hatake Sakumo…
Hiruzen's expression grew graver by the second. If that day came, would he dare to go against the will of the entire village and protect Sakumo?
Especially with Danzo lurking in the shadows, watching carefully.
"Surely that can't happen?" Namikaze Minato hesitated. "Sakumo-sama is a hero of Konoha. He's made so many sacrifices and contributions during the wars!"
Fenghuo sensed he needed to be more direct: "Civilians are water—and water flows with the tide. When someone stirs the currents from behind the scenes, the water can quickly form deadly waves. This is the power of public opinion, and someone is using it to target Hatake-sama."
"Public opinion?" Tsunade and Jiraiya frowned deeply. Water, boats, now public opinion—they were losing patience.
"Public opinion can kill?" Minato finally grasped the gravity of the situation.
Hiruzen's heart sank. If this was true, then Danzo's scheming was more terrifying than ever. What if one day Danzo could incite the entire village to demand Sakumo's removal…
Fenghuo pressed on: "And the greater the public opinion, the heavier the pressure on the person at the center of it. They might be driven to take their own life."
"Suicide?" Hiruzen was startled.
"An honorable man, slandered by the entire village as a traitor, with no way to clear his name… might see no other escape than death to prove his innocence."
Hiruzen's brows twitched with barely restrained anger.
Tsunade and Jiraiya exchanged glances, their faces serious. Thinking about Sakumo hiding away, crushed by rumors… if he couldn't bear the pressure, he might indeed do something drastic.
The two finally nodded in solemn agreement.
"This must never be allowed to happen. We have to stop it… but how?" Jiraiya asked.
"Public opinion!" Tsunade snapped, irritated.
"Exactly. We must stop public opinion!" Hiruzen's eyes gleamed with determination.
Fenghuo hastened to correct him: "Master Hokage, public opinion can't be stopped. It can only be guided."
Hiruzen exhaled deeply. Years as Hokage had taught him well. "Since the public opinion has shifted against Sakumo, we will guide the villagers to remember his true worth. Makoto, use my words—'Those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum'—to turn public opinion around!"
Fenghuo glanced at Hiruzen with newfound respect. The Third Hokage truly understood the heart of the matter.
"And let's remind them of Sakumo's contributions during the previous wars," Minato suggested. "That will help rally support."
"I'll leave that to you," Hiruzen said, clearly relieved.
"Understood, Hokage-sama!" Yuhi Makoto's eyes shone with determination as she faced Fenghuo.
"Hakate Sakumo has been staying home these days, surrounded and scolded by villagers every day…" Hiruzen's worry deepened.
Without Fenghuo's intervention, he might have just waited for things to calm down naturally. But if Sakumo's heart gave out…
"Tsunade, Jiraiya, I want you two to stay with Sakumo. Don't let him do anything reckless. Understand?" Hiruzen's voice was grave.
"Got it, old man! You're so long-winded!" Tsunade grumbled but nodded.
"Fenghuo, you've really saved us this time," Hiruzen said warmly, the gratitude in his eyes thick like melted chocolate. Fenghuo's heart melted a little—though he tried to hide it.
Yuhi Makoto acted swiftly. By nightfall, the streets of Konoha were filled with stories praising Sakumo's valor and sacrifices.
The next day, the village was split. Heated exchanges erupted in alleys and markets.
One side shouted, "Those who abandon their comrades are trash!"
The other retorted, "But Sakumo-sama made great contributions during the war!"
The conflict of voices grew louder.
Meanwhile, Danzo's eyes narrowed in alarm.
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