Chapter 50: Rumors Arise
The next day at work, Uchiha Douhuan summoned the various squad captains of the Police Force to his office and instructed them to discreetly provide some care for Naruto during patrols.
Among those present were veteran Jonin captains and newcomers like Inuzuka Kaze and Aburame Shihai, recently appointed by the Aburame clan. After receiving Douhuan's instructions, they privately passed the message down through the ranks.
Over the following days, Police Force members patrolling the village began to subtly keep an eye on Naruto. Whenever a few villagers tried to hurl insults at him, the patrol members would casually find a reason to arrest them on minor charges, bringing them back to the station.
As a result, Naruto began to feel that the malicious gazes around him had noticeably decreased. Being naturally cheerful, his mood lightened considerably, and he became even more lively.
However, rumors and whispers soon spread throughout the village, creating a discordant atmosphere.
---
"Have you heard? That demon fox brat has someone backing him up now."
"Really? No wonder he's been acting more arrogant lately—turns out he found himself a shinobi to support him."
"Do you know who it is?"
"They say his name is Hatake Kakashi. Apparently, he used to be part of the ANBU."
"Hmph, anyone hanging around that demon fox brat can't be a good person."
"Yeah, I heard that guy got kicked out of ANBU by the Hokage himself."
"There's more—I heard he's a bloodthirsty maniac who killed his own teammates during the Third Shinobi World War."
"What? The Hokage doesn't do anything about him? Why don't they just kick him and that demon fox brat out of the village?"
"I also heard that guy has connections with the Police Force."
"Scary stuff... Better not provoke that fox brat from now on."
"Hmph! What are we afraid of? It's not like he can attack us inside the village. We have the Hokage on our side. If he dares to make a move, we'll go to the Hokage's office and file a petition!"
"Yeah, exactly! If we all file a petition together, the Hokage will definitely drive them out!"
---
As the conversation went on, it caught the attention of a green-clad, bowl-cut youth doing handstands nearby. Hearing their words, Might Guy couldn't help but stand up indignantly.
"How can you say that? Kakashi is a hero of the village!" Guy shouted, glaring at the gossiping villagers.
Seeing a shinobi approach, the group of villagers who had been boldly plotting to petition immediately scattered like frightened birds.
"Hey! Don't run! Explain yourselves!" Guy demanded.
"Forget it, Guy," a familiar voice called out behind him.
Turning around, Guy saw Kakashi standing there, his face uncovered. Guy almost leapt back in shock.
"Kakashi? You... you're not wearing your mask?" Guy exclaimed.
Kakashi gave a faint smile. "Consider it... saying goodbye to the past."
Guy's eyes brimmed with tears, his spirit ignited. "Though I don't quite understand, this must be the feeling of youth! Kakashi, let us have a youthful challenge!"
"Sorry, I'm busy these days," Kakashi replied, politely declining the challenge.
Guy paused, recalling the gossip he overheard earlier. "Is it because of those people just now? Let's go find them and make them explain themselves! How dare they speak about you like that!"
"Leave it," Kakashi said with a slight shake of his head. "Even if we catch up to them, what would it change? Shinobi can't lay hands on civilians."
---
Uchiha Douhuan's Office
The same sort of conversations kept cropping up all over the village during the next few days. In no time, the name "Kakashi" had become synonymous with treachery and brutality, and villagers cursed him openly.
Naturally, Uchiha Douhuan caught wind of these rumors while at the Police Department. After sending his subordinates to investigate, he soon received a report from Uchiha Inoka, which pointed out that the rumors were mostly being spread by civilians associated with businesses owned by the Koharu and Homura families.
Leaning back in his office chair, Douhuan sneered. "So many years have passed, and they're still playing the same tricks. I thought they might come up with something new."
Just then, a knock sounded at the office door.
"Come in," Douhuan called out, and the door opened to reveal Uchiha Shisui.
"Vice Captain, you called for me?" Shisui asked after stepping inside.
"We're alone—no need to be so formal," Douhuan smiled. "Sit down."
Shisui hesitated briefly before taking a seat. "You're the Vice Captain now, so we still need to keep up some formalities."
"Fine, fine. Here, take a look at this." Douhuan handed Shisui the investigation report.
After reading through the document, Shisui's eyes widened in disbelief. "Isn't there some kind of misunderstanding?"
"What misunderstanding? The instigators are clearly targeting Kakashi—just like how the village's previous rumors were aimed at our clan," Douhuan replied with a smirk. "Why don't you go and see what the Third Hokage thinks about this situation?"
Shisui hesitated, then spoke cautiously. "I believe the Third Hokage will step in to put a stop to this."
Douhuan chuckled. "The Third Hokage is too busy running the village to concern himself with trivial matters. Still, we can't just ignore this. Kakashi is a hero of the Battle of Kannabi Bridge. If we allow these malicious rumors to spread, how can we expect anyone to uphold the Will of Fire? We must stop this immediately."
Seeing Douhuan's passionate stance, Shisui grew concerned. "What are you planning to do, Douhuan?"
"Don't worry, Shisui. I'm not planning to abuse the Police Force's authority. Instead, I'm going to have the Police Department enact a legal measure to curb this behavior. You'll be in charge of drafting the regulations."
"That's a relief," Shisui said, visibly relaxing. "But... does the Police Department have the authority to enact such laws?"
"Of course," Douhuan replied with a confident smile. "I went through the original documents from when the Police Department was established. It turns out the Second Hokage granted the Police Force legislative authority within the village. We have every right to issue laws concerning public order and safety."
Shisui's eyes brightened. "Then we should carefully draft regulations to ensure they're fair and effective."
"Exactly. We need a well-defined set of rules to prevent malicious slander and baseless accusations," Douhuan said, his eyes glinting with determination. "We must not let the Second Hokage's painstaking efforts be wasted."
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