Another Month Passed.
With his face looking downright green, Danzo slipped into the Hokage Office early.
Inside the office were the Third Hokage geezer, along with the three clan heads of Ino-Shika-Cho.
The atmosphere between them was razor-tight.
After all.
Shikaku, Choza, and Inoichi, who'd been bled dry, were glaring at Danzo like they wanted to carve him up on the spot.
If they weren't in the Hokage Office, they would've yanked this bastard up by the collar and made him pay back every last coin of their blood money.
A month.
A whole damned month!
Do you have any idea how we Ino-Shika-Cho have lived these past thirty days?!
We were this close to being so broke we'd have to sell our asses just to eat!
Because the Ino-Shika-Cho clans are big clans. There are a lot of mouths at home waiting to be fed.
Danzo's little "one wave" of scheming wiped them clean.
And that led to one very simple reality.
For this entire month, practically every shinobi from the Ino-Shika-Cho clans had been desperately borrowing money from coworkers and friends.
It got so bad other shinobi started avoiding them on the street.
These days, everyone's poor. Nobody's sitting on extra rations.
Choza finally had enough and went straight to filing a complaint.
With a trembling hand, he grabbed the Third Hokage geezer, who was sitting there gloomily smoking.
"Third Hokage-sama! Look, just look! Do I, from the Akimichi clan, look like I've ever been this skinny? I'm starving so badly I'm about to waste away!"
"And Hokage-sama!" Inoichi cut in right after, and his reaction made the Third Hokage geezer not even want to keep looking.
He was crying his eyes out, tears and snot everywhere.
"Hokage-sama! You've probably heard about my family too. We've been living on loans lately!"
Uh, this…
"Ahem. Well, about that, I'll make Danzo reflect properly, reflect prop—"
"Hokage-sama! Do you know what that means? Since the day before yesterday, I haven't even been able to get one bite of food!
And on top of that, plenty of comrades have been coming to collect debts. Our Ino-Shika-Cho clans are suffering, Hokage-sama!!"
Th-This…
Even the Third Hokage geezer's hand on his long smoking pipe was shaking.
Regret. Nothing but regret…
How could he have believed Danzo's nonsense and let him manage the clothing business in the first place?
He couldn't stop himself from shooting Danzo a dark glare. Seeing Danzo sitting there with his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart only fanned the flames.
You've got the face to grab power, but not the face to take responsibility?
Look. Just look!!
Choza is so hungry his cheeks are hollowing out!
The Akimichi secret techniques rely on having a body built like a fortress.
You're literally weakening Konoha's Ino-Shika-Cho!
And Konoha's strategist, Shikaku!
Look at those dark circles. It's obvious he hasn't slept properly in ages. In that state, can he still come up with plans for Konoha?
And then there's Inoichi, one of Ino-Shika-Cho's pillars—clothes in tatters, hair like a bird's nest.
He's been chased by debt collectors to the brink…
Ahem.
Danzo didn't say a word.
He knew he was wrong.
He'd let himself get blinded for a moment.
And he'd finally understood something: professional work needs to be left to professionals.
At the very least…
When it came to doing business, aside from Kangetsu, there wasn't a single person in Konoha with the talent for it.
Right now, he missed Kangetsu more than he'd ever admit out loud.
If it really became "because of him" that the clothing business got completely ruined—
Don't be fooled by how calm the Third Hokage geezer looked right now.
If it actually came to that, the old man would hit harder than anyone.
Finally.
Just as Danzo was being tormented to death by the pressure, that Nara chūnin came in with a report.
Seeing the man's face flushed red, Danzo's eyes lit up immediately.
That familiar feeling.
He knew it. Kangetsu had it handled!
Even the three clan heads stopped making noise, staring at the chūnin with burning eyes.
"Did we lose more, or did we make money?"
"We made money! A lot! Please look, sirs!"
Banknotes.
Fresh, crisp banknotes.
A full three hundred million.
"Good! When Kangetsu gets back, I'm going to praise that kid properly!"
He really delivered.
Even with Danzo stirring up trouble, he still managed to wipe everything clean.
And he kept the clothing business alive.
That pile included Hiruzen's own money…
Danzo, meanwhile, let out a savage breath he'd been holding in for weeks.
He nearly cried.
This past month, he'd almost been driven insane by the Ino-Shika-Cho clan heads.
They kept blocking his door demanding money.
Who could endure that?
Besides, it wasn't like he hadn't lost money too!
Now things were finally turning around…
Danzo felt both bitter and ecstatic.
Three hundred million…
Kangetsu hadn't lied.
After the Nara chūnin set the banknotes down and withdrew, the men stared at the three hundred million, feeling grounded and exhilarated all at once.
"Hokage-sama! According to the contract, our Ino-Shika-Cho—"
"Relax. I won't short you."
"Ahem, Hiruzen, then this old man also—"
"Hmph! You've got the nerve to say that? Koharu and Homura first. Yours can wait!"
Koharu and Homura had been screwed over hard by Danzo too.
Two old men and an old woman already had their own clans to keep afloat, and Danzo's "one wave" had kicked them straight back to square one.
"Th-This, I… I…"
"Hiruzen! Don't listen to this old fossil's nonsense again!"
Koharu and Homura had arrived.
The moment they heard the Nara chūnin wasn't bringing bad news but delivering banknotes, they rushed over in a panic.
Danzo still wanted a cut?
Spit.
Next month.
This month, they were patching their own losses first.
Sure, three hundred million far exceeded the losses, but watching that dog Danzo touch the money made their stomachs turn.
Danzo knew he was in the wrong, and he'd managed to offend everyone, so he behaved himself.
He just stared, eyes wide, watching them split the money.
His gaze drifted back and forth with every motion of the Third Hokage geezer's hands—"one for you, one for me, one for him, one for me."
"Mmm, Danzo, considering the money you owe, I'll hold onto the remainder for you."
The Third Hokage geezer waved the remaining few tens of millions right in front of Danzo's face, so close it made Danzo dizzy.
Danzo's hands twitched uncontrollably, reaching out to grab it.
"Eh."
With that single sound, the Third Hokage geezer pulled it back and tucked it into his own pocket.
Danzo shook with rage.
This was too much!
Absolutely too much!
But when he caught the deliberately angry looks from the three clan heads and the two advisors, Danzo instantly went obedient.
He really didn't want to get his door blocked again…
He didn't even dare leave together with them after they'd taken their shares.
He only stood up in frustration after they'd been gone for a long time.
"Remember. Only this once."
The Third Hokage geezer still left his old comrade a sliver of face.
Only after everyone had left did he speak that reminder, as if nothing had happened.
If you don't have the skill, don't touch this bowl.
Smash everyone's livelihood, and no one will be able to protect you.
Why does the Third Hokage geezer get to sit in the Hokage's seat?
Balance.
Balancing everyone's interests.
If you refuse to balance them, the Third Hokage will be the first to smash you…