"Have you heard? Orochimaru, the S-rank rogue ninja who once conducted forbidden experiments, has been captured alive by the village."
Walking along the streets of Konoha, Ishii Shota turned his head and asked his companion.
"Of course I've heard. I even know that it was Clan Leader Fugaku who captured Orochimaru," his companion, Takasugi Kazutaka, nodded in reply.
"And that very same day, a group of Iwagakure ninja kidnapped the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki—and it was also Clan Leader Fugaku who rescued them."
"First he captures Orochimaru alive, then he rescues the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. Clan Leader Fugaku's strength is truly incredible."
As he spoke, Takasugi Kazutaka couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
The exact details of the battle to rescue the jinchūriki remained unknown—no concrete news had leaked out.
But the battle to capture Orochimaru alive was easy enough to imagine.
Orochimaru had been S-rank, with Kage-level power even many years ago—his danger was beyond question.
For someone to take him alive… the strength of Clan Leader Fugaku was self-evident.
"Of course. Right now, Clan Leader Fugaku is Konoha's number one strongest—without question," Ishii Shota said with clear admiration.
Ninjas generally worship strength, and prefer to follow a strong leader—because only the strong can give them a better chance of surviving missions.
For Shota, that admiration was especially intense—almost to the point of fanaticism.
"Fugaku is indeed strong, I'll give you that. But calling him Konoha's strongest? That's going too far. Are you saying he's stronger than the Hokage?"
Takasugi Kazutaka frowned in disapproval.
The title of "Strongest Hokage in History" for the Third Hokage was widely known in Konoha—he'd grown up hearing it—and naturally assumed that the Third was the village's most powerful.
"Believe it or not, Fugaku really is stronger than the Hokage," Ishii Shota said smugly.
"You must be half-asleep. The Third is the strongest Hokage in history—no matter how strong Fugaku is, there's no way he could surpass him."
Kazutaka's tone made it clear he disagreed, glaring at Shota in dissatisfaction.
How could this guy think Fugaku could beat the man called the strongest Hokage in history?
"I wouldn't say this without proof."
Shota glanced around and lowered his voice.
"A friend of mine from the Hatake clan told me that not long ago, the Third Hokage led people to storm the Uchiha compound—and even fought Clan Leader Fugaku."
"The Third stormed the Uchiha compound? Why haven't I heard about this?"
"Of course the news was suppressed—this was an internal conflict within the village, hardly something they'd want public."
Shota gave a sly smile.
"Guess how that fight turned out?"
"Who won?" Kazutaka asked urgently.
"In just a few exchanges, the Third was already injured by Fugaku."
"What? Is that true?"
Kazutaka's eyes widened, caught between shock and doubt.
The idea that the so-called strongest Hokage in history could be injured in only a few moves was so astonishing, he couldn't help but question it.
"My friend's from the Hatake clan—would he lie?" Shota insisted.
"But… the Third's the strongest Hokage ever. How could he lose?" Kazutaka still resisted believing it.
"Strongest in history? Hah—that's just hype. Do you even know how powerful the First Hokage really was?" Shota said with open disdain.
"How powerful?" Kazutaka asked without thinking.
"My grandfather told me: the First could create an entire forest with a single gesture. Even tailed beasts were powerless before him."
"That strong?!"
"Now tell me—when someone like the First existed, does the Third really deserve to be called the strongest Hokage?" Shota scoffed.
Kazutaka froze. His long-held belief shattered—the Third Hokage wasn't necessarily the strongest after all.
"Don't go telling anyone else about this. I promised my friend I'd keep it secret."
"Don't worry, I won't tell a soul."
But no sooner had Kazutaka promised than he turned to another companion and said:
"A friend of a friend in the Hatake clan told me that…"
Similar conversations popped up all over Konoha. Uchiha Fugaku's reputation was skyrocketing.
Over the past year, thanks to the policies Fugaku had implemented in the Police Force, the Uchiha clan's public image had gradually improved.
With that change, Fugaku's personal reputation in the village had been slowly rising.
Later, when Fugaku drove off the Wood Release bloodline ninja who had repeatedly attacked Konoha shinobi, his reputation rose yet again.
And now, with the sensational news of him capturing Orochimaru alive and rescuing the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, Fugaku's fame was exploding.
At present, no topic was more discussed among ninjas than him—and even ordinary villagers had started to talk about him.
Among younger ninja especially, his feats—unlike the Third Hokage's more reputation-based title—were real, and inspired deep admiration.
"Captain Fugaku."
"Captain Fugaku."
…
As Fugaku patrolled the streets, some people looked at the newly-famous man with curiosity, while others greeted him respectfully.
He returned every greeting politely, showing warmth rather than arrogance.
He could clearly feel his prestige within the village rising.
Just as he had predicted, the spread of the Orochimaru and jinchūriki rescue stories had made his standing soar.
In the past, even the legendary Sannin had not been regarded much more highly.
Fugaku was very pleased with his current status.
With the Sannin gone from Konoha, no one in the village—save the Third Hokage—had greater prestige than him.
And his influence was still growing, not yet at its peak.
"But the Third won't just sit by and watch me rise. He'll definitely try to interfere—I must be on guard."
A cold gleam flashed in his eyes.
The Third Hokage would never allow him to hold such high esteem in the village, and would surely make moves to hinder his rise.