"Lord Danzo, should we not go out to help?" A ninja wearing an animal mask and dressed entirely in black knelt on one knee, looking at the old man sitting before him. The old man leaned on a cane, had bandages wrapped around his right eye, a face full of wrinkles, was very old, yet still chased his dreams. The ninja spoke worshipfully, "The Third Hokage is currently stopping that mysterious Mangekyo. Now is the perfect time for us to step forward and win over the people."
"Wait!" Danzo shook his head, narrowed his eyes, and said with a calm face, "It is not yet time for us to appear."
It was so dangerous outside, the mysterious one-eyed Mangekyo, plus the First Hokage, Uchiha Madara...
He didn't need to guess to know what the situation outside was like now.
Especially since even his several dozen meter deep underground bunker could still feel the vibrations, constantly shaking loose dirt. So, one could imagine...
How terrifying and dangerous the world outside was!
If he didn't lay low now, then when?
Only after Hiruzen died would it be time for Root to appear!
He had to remember, if Hiruzen didn't die...
It would be difficult for him to have a chance to rise!
And the Fourth...
As long as he went out later to win over the people, rebuild Konoha, calm the chaos, reduce corvee duties and taxes...
Then...
Even if the Fourth Hokage returned, so what? The people's hearts would be with him. Without Hiruzen suppressing him, why would he be afraid?
"Continue sending out ninja to investigate the situation above."
Thud!
Danzo heavily tapped his cane on the floor, his face cold as he said, "We absolutely cannot let any ninja who harmed Konoha get away!"
"Yes!" The Root ninja looked worshipfully at his leader. So that was it...
The leader was looking for an opportunity to deal with the invaders outside in one fell swoop, which was why he had been staying here, not daring to act rashly...
What a remarkable leader!
Then, he turned around and disappeared from the spot with a Body Flicker...
He would absolutely not let anyone ruin Lord Danzo's great undertaking!!!
"Report, Lord Danzo."
Just after the previous Root ninja disappeared, before Danzo could even relax, another Root ninja appeared, kneeling on one knee...
"What is it?" Danzo maintained his authoritative appearance and said lightly, "Speak directly!"
"Ninja from the Land of Whirlpools have suddenly appeared in the village." The Root ninja looked respectfully at Danzo, hesitating for a moment before saying, "And they are currently..."
As soon as the words fell...
After hearing his subordinate's words, Danzo was stunned, and then...
"You said what?"
...
"Come, come, over here." Nagato held up a loudspeaker and shouted loudly, "Do not be afraid. We are volunteers from the Land of Whirlpools, temporarily passing through. Seeing Konoha in difficulty, we have come to help voluntarily."
"Do not worry. Although under the leadership of the Third Hokage, Konoha has been declining day by day, wars have become more frequent, and your lives have become increasingly difficult, but..."
He raised his right hand, clenched his fist, and shouted in an encouraging manner...
"Do not forget, the Third Hokage still loves the village. Perhaps you have not felt it, but please look there..."
Pointing at the Third Hokage's heroic act of directly demolishing a civilian house to avoid the Susanoo's attack...
"How difficult it was for him to destroy the house that a family worked hard for years to save up for!"
"This, this... although this is the house you built through years of struggle, working day and night, falling ill from the effort, but..."
Nagato shook his head emotionally...
"Do not forget, he did this to protect Konoha!!!"
As for any dangers, any invasions, etc...
Sorry, I haven't studied for many years, just like these villagers, I don't understand!!!
"So, do not be afraid. Perhaps this mysterious invader is here for revenge, just because your Third Hokage exterminated their entire clan and seized their family property, but, do not forget..."
He looked moved at the villagers before him...
"Everything he did was to protect you villagers who were innocently affected by him!"
He pointed at the Whirlpool country emblem on his chest...
"And look here, the Land of Whirlpools and Konoha have a friendship spanning generations, with a long history, closely connected. Although your Third Hokage always damages the friendship between Konoha and the Land of Whirlpools, declares war on us, and at the same time, frames the village's heroes for no reason, persecutes other clans, but..."
According to Brother Jun's words, mix three parts truth with seven parts falsehood, add a bit of malice, must emphasize the Third Hokage's Will of Fire...
"This is all to protect Konoha!"
Nagato narrowed his eyes...
"We are not angry with you. Although your Third Hokage shamelessly started a war to protect Konoha, the Land of Whirlpools has never hated you."
So, all of this has nothing to do with him, it was instigated by Lord Jun...
"Quickly, come over here. As your ally, the Land of Whirlpools will protect you. Although your Third Hokage, because of the war, sent your children, relatives, husbands, and parents to the battlefield, but..."
"He did this all to protect Konoha!!!"
Nagato shouted into the loudspeaker with a face full of worship, "You must all believe in your village leader. He persecuted heroes, exterminated clans, made children graduate early and go to the battlefield, sent the pillars of your families to the battlefield, but..."
He sighed...
"Everything he did was for the future of Konoha!"
"Perhaps tomorrow when you wake up, you won't see your warm home, can't find your loved ones, even your children are gone—miserable and downcast, shivering in the cold late autumn, enduring the extreme cold, watching the ninja lords eat well and live comfortably, swallowing your saliva, looking towards the Sarutobi clan's mansion, surrounded by the Sarutobi clan's secret military group, protecting the Third Hokage—please do not be angry. That is because the Third Hokage is conserving his strength, preparing to continue protecting Konoha!"
Then, looking at the group of villagers before him who were nearly collapsing from their destroyed homes, and now, after his nonsense, were even more on the verge of collapse, he nodded with satisfaction, subtly gestured to the Uzu-nin beside him, waved his hand, and said quietly, "Quickly distribute those pamphlets Lord Jun prepared. Also, move out that big television Lord Jun prepared. Play the video about the wonderful life in the Land of Whirlpools 24 hours a day, simultaneously emphasizing the poor and difficult lives in the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Also, make sure to broadcast the situation of the Five Great Shinobi Villages invading the Land of Whirlpools."
He pointed to a pile of supplies nearby...
"Remember to record all these items, we will need Konoha to reimburse us later."
Uncle Kakuzu taught him...
Nothing in the world is free. If it is...
Then it belongs to the Land of Whirlpools!!!
"Isn't this aid?" The Uzu-nin, hearing his captain's words, was stunned, glanced at the sad Konoha villagers below, and said quietly, "Why are we charging again?"
"We are aiding the people, we are not aiding supplies." Nagato rolled his eyes and said, "These all cost money!!"
He thought for a moment...
"Right, remember to increase the price by ten times. Otherwise, why would we help the enemy for no reason?"
"..."
Captain, didn't you just say we are aiding the people?
The Uzu-nin, who was holding a pen and recording, trembled upon hearing the captain's words, looked expressionlessly at Nagato...
Is such shamelessness okay?
"What shamelessness!" Nagato patted the Uzu-nin's shoulder, shook his head, and said, "This is because the war has caused the price of all supplies to rise."
So, although increasing ten times is a bit unreasonable, but...
Price increases are reasonable!!!
"I... understand!" The Uzu-nin nodded, hesitated for a moment, and asked quietly, "Captain, have you been taking extra lessons with the Finance Minister in secret?"
Otherwise, we all graduated from the same academy, why are you so outstanding?!
He recalled back then...
The story the Finance Minister, Lord Kakuzu, told them during economics class...
A story about selling ninja swords...
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