The Hokage Office was filled with the pungent smell of burnt tobacco, and sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on the desk.
Hiruzen pushed the crystal ashtray to the corner of the desk, revealing the financial report it had been holding down. The edges of the paper were curled and yellowed, the ink smudged into blue stains, much like dried blood on a battlefield.
Hiruzen walked to the window, the smoke from his pipe swirling in the morning light.
His gaze suddenly froze. A dozen villagers, dressed in white mourning clothes, were gathered on the stone steps in front of the Hokage building, holding portraits of fallen ninjas, silent as statues.
"They're here again." Hiruzen's brow furrowed.
Just a few days ago, tens of thousands of villagers had besieged the Hokage building, and angry family members had almost stormed into the Hokage Office. That riot had left seventeen Anbu seriously injured, a humiliation Konoha's high-ranking officials preferred not to mention.
Hiruzen's voice echoed in the empty office. "Someone! Immediately notify Koharu, Homura, and Danzo for a meeting."
In less than a quarter of an hour, the four highest authorities of Konoha gathered around a circular table.
Sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting shadows across their faces.
"How serious is the situation?" Koharu asked impatiently as soon as she sat down.
She had specifically worn her formal advisor robe today, but it couldn't hide the fatigue in her eyes.
The family members gathered downstairs had increased to over ninety, their white banners gently swaying in the morning breeze, like an ominous snow.
Hiruzen exhaled a smoke ring and said, "Let's talk about the compensation issue for the Sunagakure battlefield. The number of people is still increasing."
The office fell into a brief silence, and the cawing of crows from outside sounded like an ominous omen.
Koharu traced the numbers on the last line of the list with her fingernail. "On the Sunagakure battlefield, Konoha has a total of 3823 ninjas killed and 598 seriously injured. We need to pay 17.68 billion ryo in casualty compensation."
Hiruzen's fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of his pipe, then he suddenly asked, "How much is left in the vault?"
Homura's open ledger was filled with red ink.
He pushed up his glasses and said, "The vault currently holds 3.14 billion Ryo."
Koharu's fingertips tapped lightly on the desktop, making a dull sound. "17.68 billion… We can't come up with it."
A cold smile appeared on her lips as she gave Hiruzen a meaningful look.
Thump!
Danzo's cane suddenly struck the marble floor, the sound particularly jarring in the enclosed office. The bandage over his right eye appeared especially sinister in the shadows.
"Given the current situation, there's a high probability of Fugaku becoming the Fourth Hokage. We can create some trouble for him."
Koharu thought for a moment and said, "Then let's take out three billion Ryo to appease those casualty families. For the remaining money, we'll say it's installment payments. Anyway, Hiruzen is about to step down. Let the Fourth Hokage worry about the rest."
Danzo's voice was like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, deliberately dragging out the syllables. "That's a good method. We'll say it will be paid off within two years. If Fugaku can't complete it, we'll unite with those hampered families to impeach him and force him to step down."
Hiruzen's pipe turned halfway between his teeth, the exhaled smoke blurring his expression.
"Then… let's do that."
His voice was filled with weariness, yet also a sense of relief.
…
As Shun led over a thousand ninjas who had retreated from South Sand Castle into Konoha's main street, he saw the dense crowd in front of the Hokage building from afar.
"Strange…"
The anticipated chaos did not occur. Thousands of family members of ninjas who had died on the Sunagakure battlefield were orderly queuing, each holding a numbered ticket.
His keen gaze swept over both sides of the main street, noticing two Anbu standing every ten meters, and the number of ninjas maintaining order was triple that of last time.
Shun's lips curved slightly, a cold glint flashing in his dark eyes. "Hiruzen, this old man has become smarter."
He raised his hand, signaling the team behind him to stop, and walked forward alone. Turning the last corner, the sight on the high platform made his pupils contract slightly.
Hiruzen, wearing his familiar Hokage robe, was bowing to the public.
Beside him, Homura held a scroll, his voice amplified by a sound-boosting jutsu, echoing across the plaza.
"The first batch of 3 billion ryo in casualty compensation will be distributed, with subsequent compensation to be paid within 2 years."
Shun's fist clenched in his sleeve, his fingernails digging deep into his palm.
He sneered, his voice so low only he could hear it. "Installment payments? What a clever scheme. Now, the war is over, Hiruzen is about to step down, and the Konoha Elder Council will likely change too. This move of theirs is to drain Konoha's finances first, leaving a mess for Fugaku."
His gaze, like a hawk's, swept over every window of the Hokage building. Suddenly, a figure flashed in a fourth-floor window. That figure with a bandaged right eye, he would recognize him even if he were reduced to ashes.
Danzo…
Previously, Hiruzen had pushed the blame for students graduating early onto Danzo, then imprisoned him.
His voice was strained with suppressed anger. "I didn't expect that after only a few days, that old geezer would be released."
On the distant high platform, Hiruzen was handing compensation to an old woman who had lost her son. The old woman's trembling hands and Hiruzen's feigned sorrow created an ironic scene.
Shun knew that beneath this superficial harmony lay an even dirtier political game.
He turned and walked towards the waiting team, thinking, 'To deal with Hiruzen, I must first find a way to kill Danzo and his Root. For now, I can only complete the mission, then return to the clan land to discuss it with Yashiro.'
In the mission reception hall, Shun stood at the front of the line.
Sarutobi Inoue said dryly, his Adam's apple bobbing unnaturally, "South Sand Castle garrison mission, records verified. Wages can only be issued after the Daimyo's funds arrive. Please return home and await notification."
Immediately, a clamor erupted in the hall.
Tekka slammed his hand on the counter and said, "This isn't right. The Daimyo's funds? They never delay wages. Otherwise, how would ninjas on the front lines fight so hard?"
Shun raised his hand to stop the unrest among his clansmen. "Tekka, no need to argue. Finish verifying the mission and return to the clan early."
His voice was calm, but filled with killing intent.
Seeing his gaze, Tekka immediately understood his thoughts. 'It seems Shun wants to kill someone. I wonder which unlucky soul it will be.'