Reincarnated as Itachi Uchiha at the Start

The reporter from the Land of Lightning who had been detained, though held tightly by ANBU, still walked like he owned the street. He was chattering nonstop, his voice projecting loud and clear:

"I know this detainment is just a cover. What you really want is to interrogate me!"

"All shinobi must die—but some deaths carry the weight of a mountain, while others are lighter than a feather!"

"You think killing me will silence the whispers of the shinobi world? Think again!"

Villagers passing by on the road, along with traders and merchants, all turned to look. The other reporters from various hidden villages were absolutely delighted, hurriedly turning on their cameras, snapping photos, recording audio and video.

This guy's got guts. Truly a tough man from the Land of Lightning. Always ready to stir the pot. I like him.

To reporters, the bigger the scandal, the more persuasive the report. Ideally, every dirty secret of Konoha would be exposed—today's headlines would be legendary.

"Shut your mouth!" one of the ANBU barked, flustered by the stares from passersby.

"Shut up? Ha! As if! I'll never shut up in this lifetime. You people in Konoha are all talented—so many 'good deeds,' and if I don't report them, wouldn't I be failing in my duty as the number one paparazzi of the shinobi world?" the man sneered.

"In all my years of investigation, I've found that Konoha is anything but simple! Every corner holds news—just ask around and you'll dig up something explosive."

Here he goes. He's dropping bombs again.

The journalists from other villages immediately went on high alert, jotting everything down.

The ANBU's faces darkened.

"The once-great Senju Clan… didn't fall on the battlefield, but were instead wiped out by their own people.

"I heard that after Tobirama Senju's death, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura carried out some so-called Hashirama cell transplantation experiments to consolidate their power—turning the Senju clan into guinea pigs. That's how they were all tricked, backstabbed, and slaughtered!"

He chuckled. "And don't blame me for the leak—this isn't just my own scoop. It was plastered all over your Konoha walls last night, on those public bulletins, and broadcast in the Land of Fire's news reports. I simply connected the dots."

"I said shut up! You better watch your tongue—silence is golden!"

The ANBU squad leader grabbed him by the throat in a threatening grip.

"Cough, cough!" The man's face flushed red as he coughed violently, eyes full of mockery.

With great effort, he choked out, "Threats? That's the one thing I'm least afraid of."

Then, he suddenly slammed his fist down on the ANBU's hand. The pain made the ANBU flinch and loosen his grip. As soon as his throat was free, the man shouted to everyone nearby:

"Hey! Look, look! Konoha's ANBU just tried to murder someone in broad daylight!"

"Is there no law? Is there no justice? Or does Konoha now reserve the right to execute people before they're even convicted?!"

"You better not spout nonsense!"

The ANBU captain paled. This could destroy Konoha's public image—and with reporters all around, he couldn't afford to be reckless.

"Don't worry, brother. I recorded the whole thing," said a fellow journalist nearby with a gleeful grin. "If Konoha lays a hand on you, boom—they're international news!"

"Disgraceful. Absolutely disgraceful."

A middle-aged woman in the crowd shook her head. "How can Konoha call itself honorable with ANBU like this?"

"Exactly! They ignored the posters plastered all over town last night, and now they show up acting all tough."

"Ha! Surveillance cameras only seem to work on civilians. But when it really matters? They're 'broken' or 'malfunctioning.' How curious."

"Oh, so it's Hokage's ANBU committing crimes in public now? No big deal then."

Snide remarks flew from every direction. The ANBU's faces turned dark with shame.

"Come on then—kill me! Weren't you full of swagger earlier? What's the matter now? Too weak? Or are you Konoha folks starving, no energy left?"

The reporter looked at them with a teasing smirk.

"You—!"

The ANBU trembled with fury, itching to stab him with a kunai, but with so many eyes on them, they held back.

Still, in their hearts, they were already planning to "welcome" him properly once they got back to the holding facility.

"What, cat got your tongue? I'm right here. Kill me if you can!"

He pointed at his throat. "Just cutting off my air does nothing. Go ahead—slice my neck! Just like you did with all those innocent villagers. One little swipe and I'm done. But the real question is: do you dare?

"You don't. You don't dare.

"Don't blame me for looking down on you. Even your fellow villagers can't stand you. What do you think we outsiders feel?

"You're nothing but trash—parasites!

"Pah! Kill me? Please."

"You—!"

The ANBU captain trembled with rage. Seeing the man's mocking expression, he was seething.

But seeing the eager crowd of reporters nearby, he ultimately lowered his head and swallowed his anger.

People from the Land of Lightning really are insane.

This guy wants to die. He's trying to drag us down with him.

If he dies, the Land of Lightning will have an excuse to attack.

They all still remembered the political disaster after Hiashi Hyuga was forced to offer up his brother's corpse—they couldn't afford a repeat.

"What are you staring at? You think your eyes are Sharingan? What, gonna kill me with a glare? Don't like what I'm saying? Hit me then, moron!"

The ANBU's jaw clenched so hard it made a grinding sound. His eyes blazed with fury—like an enraged lion trapped in a cage—but still, he could do nothing.

"This is it? And you call yourself ANBU?"

The man straightened his rumpled clothes, then turned to them with scorn.

"Konoha shinobi… always brave when dealing with their own. Against outsiders, you're gutless cowards."

"Outrageous!"

"This guy really needs a beating!"

"Beat him to death!"

The surrounding villagers roared with indignation.

The ANBU felt a flicker of glee.

We can't hit him—but the villagers can!

Yes! Beat him! That foul mouth needs a lesson. Let him see Konoha's strength.

As long as they didn't act directly, and the villagers didn't kill him, the reporters wouldn't have any solid proof.

"We're warning you—you'll have to take responsibility for your words.

If the villagers lose patience and attack you, we can't stop them," one ANBU said with fake concern, stepping aside to make a small opening for the crowd.

But before the villagers could move in, the reporters took advantage of the gap—rushing forward with microphones nearly poking into the ANBU's and the man's faces.

"Tell me—was I wrong?"

The reporter looked at the villagers and laughed coldly into the mic:

"Konoha is fierce in civil wars, but when it comes to outside threats, you're as timid as stray dogs. Utter disgrace."

"You still think it's the age of the Fourth Hokage?"

"Ha! What a joke. Useless trash, all of you!"

"Say that again—I dare you! I'll kill you!"

A Konoha shinobi in the crowd couldn't take it anymore.

"Was I wrong? According to what I've learned, back when they were experimenting with Hashirama cells, the main bloodline of the Senju clan was nearly wiped out. Only Lady Tsunade and some kid named Nawaki survived."

"When the Third took office, Tsunade was still a child, right? And Nawaki just a brat?"

"So what if that's true?!" the villagers shouted back.

They had seen the bulletins posted all over the village last night, and the news coverage today—this was no secret anymore.

Even though ANBU had tried to suppress the discussion, the more they silenced it, the faster it spread.

If this had happened years ago, people might've forgotten. But it happened just last night. Fresh in everyone's memory. Now, seeing a journalist expose it all face to face—everyone was buzzing with curiosity.

The ANBU wanted to speak up, to shut him down—but when they saw the confidence in the man's eyes, even they became curious. Though still escorting him, they noticeably slowed their steps.

"As everyone knows, across the shinobi world, enemies and allies alike refer to Tsunade as 'Princess Tsunade' or 'Lady Tsunade.'

On one hand, it acknowledges her status as the First Hokage's descendant, bearing the purest blood of the Senju clan. On the other hand, it's a mark of respect for her legendary medical skills."

"But what you Konoha people don't realize," the man said with a sly smile, "is that when we call her 'Princess Tsunade,' there's another layer of meaning—a mocking jab at Konoha itself."

PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin