"Sigh~ Let's continue the meeting. Let Elder Danzō calm down for a bit. After all... he is doing it for Konoha's sake."
Everyone: "..."
"Everyone, please share your thoughts."
"Actually..."
Utatane Koharu's voice broke the awkward atmosphere.
"Actually... even if Danzō agreed to purchase the flak jackets, the village wouldn't be able to afford them."
Utatane Koharu's helpless voice continued.
"Right now, although Konoha is only at war with Amegakure and Iwagakure, we have still deployed extra manpower to the other borders. Military expenditures remain significant, and with the decrease in mission volume during wartime, Konoha's finances actually have very little surplus this year."
"Plus, the price of various materials has risen during the war..."
As her voice trailed off.
Everyone in the meeting room fell silent once again.
It was indeed true!
Konoha was situated in a location surrounded by potential enemies on four sides, with many places requiring defense.
Although the main battlefield was in the Land of Rain, the war materials needed elsewhere were not small either.
During wartime, other countries desperately sent scout shinobi to Konoha just to find out its true current situation.
To prevent infiltration by other nations, Konoha had no choice but to deploy more manpower and set more traps.
So, while it seemed like Konoha was fighting a one-against-two war, if you added the consumption in other regions, it was almost like fighting three, or even more.
After all, in a real war, it was about clashing with real blades and spears.
Rather than the current state of a shuriken trap here and an Explosive Tag trap there; the consumption of single-use materials was too severe.
Asking to provide a flak jacket for every shinobi on the front lines was indeed putting Konoha in a difficult position.
Hearing Utatane Koharu's words, Sarutobi Hiruzen's brow furrowed. He looked at the silent crowd below, seemingly already knowing their answer.
He took a heavy drag of his pipe, burying his face completely in the smoke, and then a sigh drifted out from within.
"Sigh~ Since that's the case, we can only let them suffer..."
Knock, knock, knock...
Before Sarutobi Hiruzen could finish, a hurried knocking at the door interrupted him.
His words were forcibly cut off, and the thick smoke around him made him choke.
"Cough, cough... Enter."
The door opened.
A masked Anbu member walked in hurriedly, looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen, and said with hesitation, "Hokage-sama..."
"Just... cough... just say it." Taking another heavy drag of his pipe, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally suppressed his cough.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. According to the latest news from the front lines, Iwagakure has purchased a large batch of flak jackets from Sunagakure."
"..."
Hearing the Anbu's words, everyone's eyes twitched.
Is Iwagakure moving that fast?
We were just assuming you might buy them, and before our meeting is even over, you've already bought them?
When Sarutobi Hiruzen heard this news, he was silent for a moment, but he quickly snapped out of it.
It's fine, it was expected, but he still needed to confirm.
"Is the information reliable? When was the purchase made?"
"The information is reliable. Our scouts on the front lines personally saw the shinobi from Sunagakure pushing the jackets into the Iwa camp. Leading them was none other than Ebizō of the Sand; they even entered while holding up banners."
"What was written on the banners?"
"It said: [Thank you, Iwagakure, for purchasing five thousand sets of flak jackets. We wish Iwagakure total victory in the war!]"
"..." x N
Heh, they have no shame at all!
They are even more shameless than the Shodai Kazekage, who shamelessly said he didn't want Tailed Beasts, only money.
I've heard of grandchildren taking after grandparents, but I've never heard of Kages taking after their predecessors like this.
During the first Five Kage Summit, the Shodai Kazekage was willing to give up Tailed Beasts just to get money, causing the Nanabi (Seven-Tails) to go unsold.
And now, has the Sandaime Kazekage already resorted to such blatant tactics to make money?
This is openly telling you: your opponent has them now, are you going to follow suit?
Sarutobi Hiruzen took two fierce puffs of smoke and said expressionlessly to the Anbu member, "Alright, you may leave."
After the door closed again, Sarutobi Hiruzen put down his pipe, crossed his hands, and said with a solemn expression, "Since the Iwa has already arranged for flak jackets, then I will also do my best to..."
Knock, knock, knock...
The familiar knocking sounded once again.
It was the same Anbu, still just as hurried.
"Hokage-sama..."
"Sunagakure again?"
"Yes!"
"Heh, as expected..."
"What did they do this time?"
"Intelligence from the front says... says Hanzō... bought another batch of jackets."
"???"
"!!!"
Wait, is this right? Is this even logical?
"Is the intelligence reliable!" Even Sarutobi Hiruzen was dazed by this news. What does it mean that Hanzō bought another batch of jackets? Hadn't he already fully equipped his forces?
"Reporting to Hokage-sama, the intelligence is reliable, it's just..."
"Just what!"
"Just that this time, they weren't bought for shinobi."
Hearing this from the Anbu, not only Sarutobi Hiruzen, but even the Head of the Nara Clan, who was known for his intelligence, was full of question marks.
"???"
What does that mean? If flak jackets aren't bought for shinobi, who are they for?
Could it really be as the Hokage said earlier?
Bought for the salamanders?
"This... the banner Sunagakure displayed while transporting to Amegakure said: [Thank you, Hanzō, for purchasing three thousand custom jackets for the Salamander Clan. Congratulations to the Salamander Clan for following the right master. Unlike a certain 'Strongest Summoned Beast' next door, whose master is too stingy to even provide a single jacket! Hypocrite!]"
Hearing the report from the Anbu, no matter how much self-restraint Sarutobi Hiruzen had, his face flushed red with anger.
What kind of talk is this! What kind of talk is this!
They might as well have just called out my shinobi registration number!
I summon Enma specifically so he can turn into a staff. You tell me, how does a staff wear a jacket!
A jacket isn't even as tough as Enma's skin!
What would he need a jacket for!
"Hiruzen! Hiruzen! Calm down!" Seeing Hiruzen turn red in an instant, Utatane Koharu hurriedly stepped forward to comfort him. "Hiruzen! Don't fall for that brat from the Sand's trick. He's trying to make you lose your head! Make you lose your cool! Make you commit a mistake! Hiruzen! You must hold on, Konoha still needs you!"
Huff! Puff! Huff! Puff! Heavy breathing came from Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth.
"You're right, Konoha still needs me! They want me to lose my composure, but I won't give them that satisfaction!"
"Koharu!" Sarutobi Hiruzen caught his breath and said to Utatane Koharu, "We just need to maintain our own pace. According to the plan..."
Swoosh——
Another Anbu member appeared in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen, clearly more urgent this time, having used the Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique) to arrive.
"Reporting to Hokage-sama... there are unfavorable rumors circulating about you outside..."
"..."
"Are they coming from the Sand?"
"Yes."
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath, followed by two heavy puffs of smoke. Finally, he leaned back in his chair and said with a calm expression.
"Go ahead, I want to see what other tricks Sunagakure has. Since the day I sat in the Hokage seat, I have been nothing but loyal. I want to hear just how unfavorable these comments are!"
Seeing that his Hokage had spoken so, the newly arrived Anbu grit his teeth and said with a look of determination.
"Outside, they say... Hokage-sama has betrayed... the Will of Fire!"
"Where the leaves dance, the fire shall burn. The fire's light shall continue to illuminate the village and allow new leaves to sprout."
"Hanzō of the Salamander, though in a small country, still leads every battle, shielding his village's shinobi behind him. To reduce casualties among his subordinates, he did not hesitate to spend all his wealth, to the point where his home doesn't even have a single intact bowl left. All so his shinobi could wear flak jackets. This is the true manifestation of the Will of Fire; even if the aged leaves sacrifice themselves, they will do everything possible to let the new leaves grow strong."
"In contrast, a certain Hidden Village that claims to possess the Will of Fire has the younger generation charging on the battlefield while the older generation huddles at home."
"What's even worse is that while even small country villages are selling everything to equip their shinobi with jackets, a certain Hidden Village actually lets its own shinobi go to the battlefield bare-chested. Even those with jackets are equipped with inferior ones!"
"They talk about the Will of Fire, yet nothing they do reflects it!"
"They also say... they say Hokage-sama is intentionally sending Konoha's new generation to their deaths!"