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Chapter 108: Force the Emperor to Abdicate
"Let everyone see it first!" George ordered, ignoring Shimura Danzo.
Shimura Danzo tightened his grip on the document. Normally, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Mitokado Homura, and Koharu Utatane would compete behind closed doors, but in front of outsiders, they always maintained a united front.
This time, however, Daimyo himself had directly raised the issue of Konoha's funding, and if Koharu and Homura turned against him, Danzo would be left out to dry.
What could he do? There were too many ninjas around, too many eyes watching.
After considerable thought, Shimura Danzo reluctantly handed the document to the person behind him.
As the ninjas of Konoha passed the document around and began reading, murmurs filled the air like ripples in a still pond.
"Impossible! This document must be fake, it's slander against the Third Hokage!" exclaimed a loyal supporter of Hiruzen Sarutobi. He had always followed the Will of Fire and had risked his life on the battlefield.
To hear now that their sacrifices were met with quiet reparations, despite their victory, was more than he could bear.
"But the Elders' signatures are on it. And the data Daimyo-sama pointed out lines up. What about that?" another ninja challenged.
Kneeling in the front, Hiruzen Sarutobi clenched his pipe so tightly that it creaked. He had been informed when the Daimyo departed for Konoha, but he had underestimated the gravity of this visit. This wasn't like the Daimyo he'd known; something had shifted.
Most of the village's Jonin had assembled. Only those on active missions were missing. Sarutobi's gaze swept toward the Minister of the Land of Fire seated behind George, along with twelve Guardian Shinobi.
Tsunade stood among them, absent from Konoha for years, and beside her was a figure with a straw hat obscuring his face.
That alone was enough for George to confront Konoha with dissatisfaction. Especially since his relocation proposals had been repeatedly rejected by the village's leadership. But to present damning evidence like this? That was a declaration; he was tearing off Konoha's diplomatic mask.
What gave him the nerve? Just these few Guardian Shinobi?
Sarutobi observed them carefully. It was clear that George's influence had grown since taking power. There were probably more Guardian Shinobi elsewhere. But could a few Chunin and Jonin really embolden him to confront Konoha so directly?
"Clang! Clang! Clang!" George lightly tapped the table with his fingers. "Alright, why doesn't the Third Hokage give everyone an explanation?"
As the echo of the taps faded, the room fell silent. All eyes turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
After a moment of tension, Sarutobi set down his pipe and began slowly, "This matter is true. Konoha did secretly sign a peace treaty with the Sand Shinobi. The materials provided to them match what My Lord has revealed."
The room erupted again into a storm of whispers and protest.
"Thump, thump." Sarutobi struck the table twice with his pipe, commanding attention, then continued, "The peace treaty was a desperate measure. If some money and resources could spare the lives of our front-line ninjas, then I stand by that choice. No amount of money outweighs the lives of comrades."
His eyes met George's, who sat relaxed but calculating. "This entire matter falls on me. Deceiving My Lord was wrong, and I accept responsibility. If exchanging resources for lives was a mistake, then I welcome whatever punishment My Lord sees fit."
The words had an immediate effect. Many Jonin began to waver. The value of life was hard to argue against. In this light, Sarutobi seemed like a wise, selfless leader. To punish him might seem cruel, unjust.
George's smile returned, but colder now.
"Oh, Third Hokage, did I misremember? The Land of Fire is the victor of the war, isn't it?"
The room quieted again as realization spread.
"That's right... Why are we paying reparations if we won? That was a decisive victory!"
Now, angry stares turned back toward Sarutobi.
"This is because—"
"Enough, Hiruzen Sarutobi. You don't have to cover for me." Mitokado Homura stepped forward, cutting him off. "Everyone, that agreement was my suggestion. At the time, we needed to redirect troops to other fronts. To expedite peace in the Land of Rivers, I proposed offering the Sand Shinobi resources. It allowed us to redeploy safely."
Homura tried to shoulder the blame, but the Jonin weren't buying it.
Everyone in the room remembered the war. The ninjas that were supposedly 'redeployed' never returned to battle. No serious conflict followed.
The Stone Shinobi had already signed a treaty. Konoha had single-handedly defeated three major villages, and yet, they paid reparations? It defied logic.
Koharu Utatane stepped forward, attempting to steer the narrative. "The reparations were paid from our own pockets. Not a single ryo from My Lord's budget for Konoha was used. The funding is fully accounted for in the ledgers."
She tried to reframe it. "What greater act of loyalty is there than for us, the Elders, to pay for peace ourselves? Shouldn't you stand with us, instead of casting suspicion?"
The Sarutobi clan's loyalists spoke up: "If that's true, the Third Hokage is blameless. Elder Mitokado's actions were understandable."
"Yes, that's right."
George raised a hand slightly. "Allow me to interrupt. I've only raised one issue so far. There are more in the ledgers that demand answers."
Eyes swung back toward him.
One scandal had rattled the Elders. More could shake the whole structure.
Sarutobi and his cohorts exchanged grim looks.
"Last year, moved by Konoha's burden from constant wars, I increased the budget to 1 billion ryo. Yet your ledger... It's outrageous. The going rate to hire a ninja is 500 ryo, yet here it's recorded as 5,000—S-Rank prices for basic tasks. Medical costs are twice the market average."
George flipped through pages. "Most A-rank and above missions went to the Sarutobi, Utatane, Shimura, and Mitokado clans, consuming nearly 500 million ryo. And Jiraiya was assigned a so-called 'investigation mission' that received 60 million. I suppose that was for our beloved Pervy Sage's... research travels."
With each accusation, George produced hard evidence.
"Advisor Utatane, you oversee finances. How do you explain this? If not, I will reconsider all funding for Konoha."
His voice was iron. He slammed the table.
Hiruzen quickly interjected, trying to wrest control. "Daimyo-sama, I will assign the Anbu and Interrogation Unit to investigate. Advisor Utatane and all financial personnel will be scrutinized. None shall escape justice."
He hoped this would contain the damage, throw Koharu under the bus if needed. After all, once George left, the Elders could reassert control.
But George stood firm. "How can I trust that? My funds were stolen. I'll lead the investigation myself."
He looked to his men. "Guards, arrest Advisor Utatane and the entire Finance Department."
"Yes, My Lord!" the Guardian Shinobi responded in unison, moving toward Koharu Utatane.
The room held its breath.
The palace was no longer untouchable.
George wasn't just visiting.
He was executing a purge.
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Hmm new week New goal
Goal: 550 – Remaining: 14 = 2 Bonus Chapter