Another month passed.
A face-green Shimura Danzo had hidden himself early inside the Hokage's office.
Also present were the Third Hokage and the clan heads of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
However, the atmosphere among them was scorching hot.
After all.
Nara Shikaku and his two counterparts, who had lost their shirts and pants in the investment, were staring daggers at Danzo.
If they weren't in the Hokage's office, they would have grabbed this old man by the collar and shaken the hard-earned money out of him.
One month.
A full month!
Do you know how we Ino-Shika-Cho spent this month?!
We were so poor we almost had to sell our backsides!
Because the Ino-Shika-Cho were large clans, they had many mouths waiting to be fed. Danzo's pitfall had wiped out their capital completely.
This resulted in a tragic phenomenon:
For the past month, almost every Ino-Shika-Cho ninja had been frantically borrowing money from colleagues and friends.
It got so bad that other ninja started dodging them in the streets. In these times, everyone was poor; no family had surplus grain.
Akimichi Choza simply decided to sue directly.
With trembling hands, he grabbed the arm of the silently smoking Third Hokage.
"Lord Third! Look! Look at me! Has anyone in the Akimichi clan ever been this thin? I'm starving until my face is deformed!"
"Yes, Lord Third!"
Hiruzen was just stunned by Choza's words when Yamanaka Inoichi's reaction made him unable to look directly.
Tears streamed down his face. Old tears crisscrossing old cheeks.
"Lord Third! You must have heard about my family's situation. We are borrowing money just to survive the day!"
Uh, this…
"Cough cough. About this… I will definitely make Danzo reflect properly. Reflect well…"
"Lord Third! Do you know? Since the day before yesterday, I haven't even had a bite of rice! And many colleagues are coming to collect debts! We Ino-Shika-Cho are miserable!!"
This… this…
The hand holding the long pipe trembled.
Hiruzen regretted it. He deeply regretted it.
Why did I believe Danzo's ghost stories and let him manage the clothing empire?
Unable to hold back, he glared gloomily at Danzo. Seeing the man sitting there, acting like a meditative monk, Hiruzen's anger burned.
You have the face to seize power but no face to take responsibility?
Look at them! Look at them!!
Akimichi Choza is actually starving! The Akimichi secret techniques require calories—you are weakening Konoha's military strength!
And Nara Shikaku, our military strategist! Look at those dark circles. He obviously hasn't slept well. Can a man in this state plan strategies for Konoha?
And Inoichi, the keystone of the formation, looks like a beggar with a bird's nest on his head. He's been chased by debt collectors until he's wretched!
Cough cough.
Shimura Danzo didn't speak.
He knew he was wrong.
He had been blinded by greed.
He also understood now: professional matters must be left to professional people.
At least in the business sector, apart from that kid Kantsuki, no one in Konoha was cut out for it.
He missed Kantsuki terribly right now.
If the clothing business truly collapsed because of him…
Don't look at the Third Hokage sitting there calmly now. If the money stopped flowing, that old monkey would strike harder than anyone.
Finally.
Just as Danzo was suffering in the frying pan, the same Nara Chūnin returned to report.
Seeing the man's flushed red face, Danzo's eyes lit up.
A familiar flavor!
I knew the Kantsuki kid could do it!
Even the weeping Ino-Shika-Cho trio stopped their noise, staring at the Chūnin with burning gazes.
"Loss or profit?"
"Profit! Huge profit! Lords, please look!"
It was banknotes.
Stacks of white, crisp banknotes.
A full three hundred million!
"Good!! When Kantsuki comes back, I will praise that lad properly!"
He really fights for our face!
He managed to wipe Danzo's messy ass and save the business.
And inside this pile was Sarutobi Hiruzen's money…
Shimura Danzo let out a heavy sigh of relief.
He almost shed tears.
This month, he had nearly been driven insane by the Ino-Shika-Cho clan heads. Blocking his door, demanding money. Who could withstand that?
Besides, hadn't he, Danzo, lost money too?
Finally… things are looking up.
Danzo felt both sour and ecstatic.
Three hundred million…
That kid Kantsuki didn't lie.
After the Nara Chūnin put down the money and retreated, the group stared at the three hundred million ryo, their hearts solid and invigorated.
"Lord Third! According to the contract, we Ino-Shika-Cho…"
"Rest assured, you won't be shorted!"
"Cough cough. Hiruzen, about that… this old man also…"
"Hmph! You still have the face to speak?! Distribute to Koharu and Homura first! Yours isn't urgent!"
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura had also been pitted terribly by Danzo.
The two little old advisors had tight budgets for their clans to begin with. Danzo had dragged them back to the pre-liberation era with one investment.
"This… this old man… I…"
"Hiruzen! Don't listen to this old thing's nonsense anymore!"
Koharu and Homura arrived just in time.
Hearing that the Nara Chūnin wasn't reporting a funeral but delivering cash, they had rushed over with fire in their heels.
Danzo still wants a cut?
Pah!
Wait for next month!
Fill our deficit first this month.
Although three hundred million far exceeded the losses, seeing that dog Danzo take money made them physically ill.
Knowing he was in the wrong and had incited public wrath, Danzo behaved himself.
He just watched pitifully as they divided the money.
His eyeballs drifted back and forth, following Hiruzen's movements: "One for you, one for me; one for him, one for me."
"Mn. Danzo, considering the money you owe, I'll keep the remainder for safekeeping."
The Third Hokage held the remaining tens of millions of ryo and waved them in front of Danzo's face, making the old warhawk dizzy.
His hands uncontrollably reached out to grab it.
"Eh!"
Hiruzen snatched it away and stuffed it into his own pocket.
Danzo trembled with rage.
Bullying!
Simply bullying!!
But seeing the intentionally angry glares from the Ino-Shika-Cho heads and the two advisors, Danzo instantly became docile.
He didn't want to be blocked at his door again.
In fact, even after the others had taken their money, Danzo didn't dare leave with them. He waited until they had been gone for a long time before resentfully standing up.
"Remember. Only this once."
The Third Hokage left his old friend a shred of dignity.
Only after everyone was gone did he offer a casual reminder.
If you don't have the skill, don't touch the rice bowl.
If you smash everyone's rice bowl, no one can save you.
Why did Sarutobi Hiruzen sit in the Hokage's seat?
Balance.
Balancing everyone's interests.
If you don't balance it, I, the Third, will be the first to hit you.