At that moment, a man with a sharp face and narrow cheeks spoke up from within the crowd.
He turned around and shouted loudly to the people nearby:
"As far as I know, Uchiha Ryu didn't even participate in this war! So how could he possibly know what Sarutobi Asuma did during the Third Great Ninja War? At first glance, this is nothing but nonsense!"
"That's right," someone else stood up."During the Third Great Ninja War, Uchiha Ryu stayed in the village."
"I was stationed here the entire time," the man continued."I didn't go to the battlefield either. Naturally, I know that Uchiha Ryu never left Konoha."
"So I say he's just making things up to drive a wedge between us and the Hokage!"
"Slandering Sarutobi Asuma without evidence like this is absolutely unforgivable!"
"Hah… I almost believed him just now. Luckily someone finally spoke up."
"Uchiha Ryu, why are you slandering Sarutobi Asuma like this?"
Voices rose one after another.
The direction of the crowd's anger began to shift.
"Hmph…"
Seeing this turn of events, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally let out a breath of relief.
He knew better than anyone that everything Uchiha Ryu had said was true.
Although he didn't know how Ryu had obtained such detailed information, when the crowd started questioning Asuma earlier, a chill had crept up his spine.
Now that people were speaking on his behalf again, Hiruzen glanced gratefully at the man who had spoken first.
He suppressed the joy in his heart and silently observed Uchiha Ryu, who was now being targeted by the crowd.
Under the pressure of countless accusing gazes, Uchiha Ryu's expression remained unchanged.
Just then—
A beautiful girl of around twelve or thirteen years old slowly stepped out from the crowd and walked to Uchiha Ryu's side.
"Hokage-sama. Teacher Ryu."
She bowed politely.
It was Yūhi Kurenai.
"Kurenai, why are you here?"Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, frowning slightly.
"Teacher Ryu learned all of this from me," Kurenai said clearly."So I must step forward and prove that he's telling the truth."
She looked directly at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
There was not the slightest hint of fear in her clear, steady voice.
Hiruzen's brows furrowed.
"Kurenai!"
At that moment, Sarutobi Asuma, whose injuries had mostly recovered, rushed over anxiously.
"Asuma Sarutobi," Kurenai snapped coldly,"How many times have I told you not to call me that? My name is Yūhi Kurenai."
Looking at Asuma's face—still bearing faint red palm marks—disgust flashed openly in her eyes.
Kurenai was extremely annoyed by Asuma.
Though he was nearly twenty in appearance, he was only fifteen in age, yet he followed her around every day like an immature child.
Asuma stood there awkwardly, at a complete loss.
"Hokage-sama," Kurenai continued, completely ignoring Asuma."When I was stationed in the logistics division, Sarutobi Asuma frequently harassed me. It caused me a great deal of distress."
"During that time, I often sent letters to Teacher Ryu, telling him about my troubles in the army."
"I also mentioned some things about Asuma."
When Kurenai was still in the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Ryu had helped her many times.
Because of that, she had always respectfully called him Teacher.
Their relationship had always been close.
Whenever she felt troubled—whether by the war or by Asuma's harassment—she wrote to Ryu in her spare time.
That was how he knew everything.
So now, Kurenai stood forward to defend him.
"Asuma," Sarutobi Hiruzen asked coldly, already knowing the answer,"Is what Kurenai said true?"
At that moment, Hiruzen wanted nothing more than to curse inwardly.
If Asuma hadn't begged him to put Kurenai on the same team, none of this would have happened.
"Yes… it's true."
Asuma finally came back to his senses and answered weakly.
"Well," Hiruzen said immediately, seizing the opportunity,"Uchiha Ryu, you were correct—Asuma did not get a chance to fight in this war."
"But he still contributed to Konoha's war effort."
"That alone is not a reason for you to attack him."
Hiruzen shifted the focus swiftly.
What mattered most now was preventing people from believing that he, as Hokage, had sheltered his family during the war.
If someone followed this thread further and linked it to the Sarutobi clan members placed throughout logistics units, the consequences would be disastrous.
His words worked.
Most of the doubts among the crowd faded.
Once again, everyone's attention returned to Uchiha Ryu.
"Fine," Ryu said calmly."Then let me ask you, Hokage-sama."
"A person who shed not a single drop of blood in this war—who never fought even once—"
"Is he qualified to insult the warriors who fought and bled for Konoha?"
"No."
Sarutobi Hiruzen answered instantly.
At this moment, nearly every ninja in the village was staring at him.
There could be no hesitation.
"Then let me ask you this," Ryu continued, his voice rising,"Is it wrong to slap a piece of trash who insults true warriors?"
"That's not wrong."
Hiruzen answered again, without hesitation.
But the instant the words left his mouth, his expression changed.
"…Are you saying that Asuma insulted the warriors who fought on the front lines?"