Intertwining of Lives. Part V.
"... Sarutobi-dono. Please move on to Question No. 2. We are listening attentively." The Third was asked by the young Nara clan head – Shikaku Nara.
"So. Question No. 2: Allocation of financial resources and military forces for the restoration of Konoha. As well as additional sources of funding." Sarutobi pulled out a cheat sheet and read from it.
"As you know, martial law has been temporarily introduced in the village! And yes, in connection with this, under point 56 of the main Konoha charter – 'On emergency situations', with the support of the Strategic Planning Department, I propose to additionally increase the working hours for shinobi, from thirty percent – genin rank, to forty – chunin rank, plus tokubetsu jonin, and, in particularly emergency cases, up to fifty percent – jonin rank." Hiruzen raised his hand. "I say right away, this is an emergency but extremely necessary measure! According to Konoha analytics department forecasts, this situation will normalize, at most, within two years!
"Also, all, namely... overtime payments will be mandatorily paid over five years, in order of priority. And by that time, Konoha will allocate incentive bonuses in the form of regular additional overtime payments. Details will be announced at the end of this meeting.
"And now, I propose an urgent vote on this issue! If anyone has objections, please! Then," Hiruzen swept his gaze over the expectant hall, "we vote.
"So," Sarutobi summed up, after which an ANBU employee collected the voting ballots, "Unanimous!
"And now, we move on to allocating financial resources for Konoha's restoration. Advisor Koharu Utatane-dono, please announce the detailed report.
"According to the Hokage apparatus calculations," the energetic fifty-year-old woman, Koharu Utatane, who still bore traces of her former beauty, quickly joined in, "Konoha's Reserve Financial Fund holdings currently amount to the following sum: One billion two hundred eleven million Re of the Land of Fire.
"Ha-ha," Ichiro Hyuga squinted and mentally lamented his loss. Namely... how the greedy shopkeeper bloodsucker – Atsushi Utatane – had fleeced him – "Yeah... and they added my little million, you financial leeches! 'The hen pecks grain by grain, yes... the Utatane stay fed'! Grabbers! How smoothly it all works out for them! Just beautiful! And where did they stash another three hundred thousand of mine, clearly overpaid? Well, hope you choke on them! Financier showmen!
"Another one hundred two million has been allocated from the property of fully deceased civilian families without heirs.
"Definitely! I don't believe it!" Unkai Kurama loudly rose from his seat. "Sorry, advisor Koharu Utatane-dono, and respected assembly... but you've clearly been misled! All of us!
"I request the right to speak!" Kurama added, and to Hiruzen's irritation, the advisors', especially Utatane's, most clan heads supported him.
"It's elementary!" Unkai began explaining. "Six thousand eight hundred two civilians died. That figure was announced just twenty minutes ago! Everyone remembers it! And everyone knows," here, Kurama raised his voice, "even the last genin, that an average family is three people.
"Now, let's calculate! Roughly, but let's assume the worst case, two thousand affected families. Even if a third of them are completely deceased! Which is very pessimistic," and Kurama swept his hand over the entire assembly, "and unlikely! That's six hundred thirty-three families, for a second! But again, we'll round down to the worse side, understandably," as I said the first time, "from an ethical and financial point of view... totaling five hundred families.
"And since my memory is fine!" Unkai dropped into undisguised sarcasm. "I'll reveal to the Konoha Financial Planning Department the greatest secret! Even the cheapest apartment on the outskirts of Konoha costs MINIMUM three hundred thousand Re! However, if we believe our infallible financiers, then... one hundred two million divided by five hundred families. And we get two hundred four thousand Re per family! That's a third less than the minimum announced sum! Where did at least another fifty million Re go? And THIS," Unkai suddenly remembered and quickly added, "we don't even know about the civilian population's banking, land, and deposit assets! Right now, I only calculated surviving real estate! Prices for which, by the way, have risen. By ten percent! And it looks like someone is trying to profit off us! Undervalue the housing prices of deceased families by a third. And then sell it at robber baron prices! In Konoha's difficult time! On the promo – 'For our own blackfoots – More expensive'!"
Here, quiet and occasional snorts spread through the hall. Which, however, quickly subsided after the next words from the Kurama clan head.
"This is blasphemy! And, fine," Kurama waved his hand hopelessly, "I wouldn't even say a word about it. Everyone knows. Politics is a dirty business! Civilians will endure even worse! But! To spit lies right in the face of the clan council assembly like this! That's Impudence!
"Right now, I propose creating the 'All-Clans Fund of Konoha'! And it – I'm sure – WILL FIND at least another three hundred to five hundred million! Just on the civilian 'Deceased families' issue! And send the Konoha Financial Fund with its greedy ambitions and robber baron, most importantly destructive fantasies, to the bijuu's tail end.
"Right!" Kuromo Inuzuka supported his colleague and shouted. "Let them at least learn to count before lying to the clan council and village leadership in the face! We vote!" He confidently raised his hand, then swept a surprised gaze over the hall.
"I support." The elderly but still vigorous Yamanaka clan head – Inoin Yamanaka – repeated his hand gesture. "I'm for creating the 'All-Clans Fund of Konoha'!"
Following Yamanaka, the Nara clan head – Shikaku Nara – and Choza Akimichi raised their hands. And then a chain reaction began. Even Danzo, not expecting such a "blow to the gut" to his beloved Konoha, glanced sideways at Utatane. And on this issue (which was very strange and suspicious to everyone), he joined the clan coalition.
"The Hokage apparatus has completely forgotten how to catch mice! Used to grabbing during war without looking back! And now they've shit themselves! On level ground." Ichiro chuckled to himself. "How did Koharu even dare to announce this? Tired, exhausted, and they just set her up? So their own did this?! Or who then? Maybe it wasn't supposed to surface at the top level? But the advisor took the WHOLE stack of papers? Or... So we have sabotage? Internal espionage? Someone discrediting the Hokage apparatus? Wait. And it's not far from revolution like that! Strange and dangerous situation.
While the assembly "buzzed," Ichiro leaned toward Hiashi and quietly, but ostentatiously (while encouragingly nodding to Utatane), laid out his thoughts. Hiashi, clearly wanting to score a couple of political points for the Hyuga clan, addressed the assembly. And in his own way, supplemented Ichiro's thoughts. After which, Danzo also withdrew into himself, then began to "dissect" the Financier with his gaze.
"All set!" Ichiro thought. "Konoha's Financial Fund, Danzo will personally rape! And... punish anally! He needs to feed his soulless beasties too. And here such a 'Freebie'!" The right word from his past life surfaced in Ichiro's mind.
Especially since the assembly hadn't even reached the middle, and the financier had shat himself three times already! Twice in public! And that's a diagnosis! – Looking at the fat man like a hungry vivisector, the young iryonin thought. "This doesn't heal! He needs to be handed over to a clinic for experiments. For lobotomy! Interesting specimen!
In the end, they created a fund for distributing civilian "deceased funds," and finally moved on to the most "delicious" topic. Division of Uzumaki clan property!
Here, the vote was as follows. Six for dismembering Uzumaki: Sarutobi, Shimura, "Senju" (Two absent votes, in the person of the trusted representative – Hiruzen), Hatake, and Jonin Council. Six against dismemberment: Hyuga and Uchiha – four votes, plus Kurama, Aburame – two. Four abstained: Ino, Shika, Cho, and, surprisingly – Inuzuka! Total: Decision postponed until the return of Tsunade – heavy artillery with her effective third, precisely present vote!
***
Seeing such a layout, I mentally clarified with my clan head.
"Hiashi-sama? Is this moment suitable enough?
"Too early, Ichiro-san." The patriarch said somewhat irritably. "For now, circumstances are unfolding favorably. There's a chance to wait longer!
"Jinchuriki?
"And not only.
"Clan head!" Five minutes later, I addressed the patriarch again. "Sorry for my insistence. But this is important! You remember Minami Hyuga, who was a pure-blooded Uzumaki?
"The natural Sensor? What's the matter?
"So. Grandmother had a highly developed kekkei genkai, namely – 'Kagura's Third Eye'!
"That's why she was taken into the clan for those two reasons." The patriarch nudged me to get to the point faster. "Ichiro-san. Don't waste time, get to the point.
"Clan head! I know it's not the time now. But!" I tried, without losing the moment, to explain the following... Something, right now, began to strongly affect Yuko's eye – "Hiashi-sama! My Byakugan has grown stronger! It gained passive sensory perception and started sensing the 'scent' of chakra! So. There's something off with Shimura Danzo! He has some familiar and extremely powerful kekkei genkai 'scent.'
"Ichiro," Hiashi irritably pressed with a question, "I hope you didn't activate dojutsu?
"No, I wouldn't endanger the clan. However! Even so, my eyes sense a peculiar 'aroma' specifically of the Water and Earth elements blend! From Shimura. Up close – it reeks of them. And as far as I know, he only has one element – Wind! And that's still listed in the Iryo-han general database. And those data... are updated every two years, Hiashi-sama!
"Ichiro-san, you're a good medic. But! Didn't you think Danzo Shimura might not have submitted analyses to the hospital for several years. Or simply forced his people to update them from 'old stocks.'
"Highly unlikely, Hiashi-sama. To master an element to the level where an inactive Byakugan senses it, even through protective seals... and Shimura, note, wears them on his clothes and eye patch... You'd have to become a god of those elements. And there are two! Even if he spent six years, he still wouldn't reach Hashi..." And here, I fell silent, unable to believe the monstrous, antiscientific nonsense I'd seen in my past life in the anime "Naruto."
"Continue. You've guessed something? I sense it mentally. What shocked you so much, Ichiro-san?
"It reeks of Hashirama Senju from him! This is Wood Style!!! Kekkei genkai – which is passed exclusively by inheritance. Hiashi-sama. I say this as an iryonin with fifteen years of experience. I remembered Hashirama's sample, it's in the Konoha museum. 'Dried dendarii.' It's one and the same!
"You're... absolutely sure, Ichiro-san?" Hiashi's mental voice tensed strongly. No wonder! I understand him perfectly. Some monster is brazenly stealing and implanting a kekkei genkai into itself. The founder of their own village! The very First Hokage! Against all laws and Konoha's very foundations! Spitting on the main point No. 2 – 'Clan entry into the village', namely! Kekkei genkai are inviolable!
"Absolutely, Hiashi-sama. One hundred percent! I'd bet both my Byakugan against a roadside rusty Re. Danzo's entire right arm is Hashirama cells!" After my revelation, Hiashi-sama literally withdrew into himself for two minutes. Then, slyly re-asking, he began reasoning in parallel.
"Ichiro-san? You'll be twenty-three in ten months?
"Yes.
"So! Your Byakugan power has doubled, already reaching the peak?! Before twenty-five?
"Yesterday, clan head. It's rare for Hyuga.
"The variance differs, I also transitioned to the fifth stage, even earlier, at twenty-one." And suddenly, unexpectedly, Hiashi decided to test me.
"How many ANBU do you sense in this room?
"Nine and," here, I sensed something else, "plus, one... yes, another one! Well hidden, but very strong! This is," I tried to sense him and was very surprised by the result, "Orochimaru?! What bijuu brought him here, and hiding?
"What?" Hiashi was also stunned. Then he began reasoning. "I don't sense the Tenth! Only nine. Are you sure about the last one – Orochimaru?
"Yes, clan head. I crossed paths with him on the front. Seven times.
"Hm, strange. Just the day before yesterday, if I believe you – and I do – you'd sense only five or six at most. And now, you found the tenth. I have a question! How?
"At first, I didn't find him either. But! His strong Yang element deformation toward powerful Uzumaki seals gave him away.
"And you said it," Hiashi pondered, "and I also sensed something like that in the northern corner.
"Near Danzo.
"Yes. And it seems only we 'exposed' him.
"Hiruzen and Danzo... insuring against us? Jiraiya, as the 'great scout,' stands openly. And now Orochimaru – former candidate and Kage-level shinobi?
"Hiruzen, Danzo, Jiraiya, Orochimaru – four Kage-level people. One team. They're insuring themselves covertly against all clan heads! And if anything, Orochimaru strikes from behind. Definitely.
"Maybe?
"No! Be silent about this. Until my special permission." After which, the patriarch, for some reason, decided to share his thoughts.
"Ichiro-san. Understand! They're waiting for Sarutobi's election as 'new' Hokage. But Hyuga will publicize this information too! We need," here, Hiashi accelerated the mental communication process, "to beautifully show the degree of 'trust' the Third has in Konoha clans! And his disregard for Konoha charter regulations.
"Nine ANBU. That's the maximum permitted guard number... at the general clan assembly?
"Correct. But! We've digressed! Already approaching... discussion of an important issue. Minato, Kushina, and jinchuriki! Therefore! Sensor-san!" Hiashi slowed the mental communication speed again and, consequently, sent me several key "frames" so I could see the trigger moments of the "Red Woodpecker." "Ichiro! I'll focus on the meeting. And you carefully monitor the situation. Especially the rears! This evening might bring us more 'pleasant' discoveries, and Kami forbid, surprises.
"... Understood, clan head.
"And yes, Ichiro," the patriarch suddenly remembered and, clearly from agitation, for the second time switched from Keigo (polite language) to casual speech without the nominal suffix, "have you learned to send 'Frames' of memories yet?
"Very poor – blurry ones, Hiashi-sama.
"Pfft. Send it, Hand of Danzou. I want 'This' to See!"
"… I need two minutes, leader."
"I'm waiting."
***
"And so!" Hiruzen's voice rang out again. "We're moving on to Question No. 3. Namely! The attack of the Kyuubi no Yoko: Causes, time, situation, analysis. And as a consequence, details of the death of the previous jinchuriki – Kushina Uzumaki, and along with her, … Yondaime Hokage – Minato Namikaze. And also!" Hiruzen raised his voice, "The new jinchuriki. And all details about him!"
"And the first to speak on this matter is the head of intelligence and advisor – Danzou Shimura-dono."
"Thank you." The head of NE rasped in a hoarse voice and tapped his cane on the floor, calling for silence. "I'll say it straight and upfront, so there's time to make a decision. The new vessel for the Kyuubi is – Naruto Uzumaki. Son of Kushina and Minato Namikaze!" At this news, the hall fell into silence. "Before death, the Namikaze family caught and sealed the Fox in their son."
"As for details," Shimura continued to monotonously spit out the words, "The vessel is completely healthy, both mentally and physically. The jinchuriki seal is absolutely stable. Also," Danzou preemptively swept the hall with a suspicious squint, "I'm saying it upfront! This information has been verified by experts, ANBU NE and ANBU, plus Jiraiya-san present here." At that, the white-haired giant and "specialist" in seals nodded affirmatively and sadly. "At the moment, the new vessel is under reliable protection."
"Holy shit," Ichiro thought, "experts and Fuinjutsu masters are swarming around in crowds! Only no one has ever seen them! Never! Not from those gathered here, for sure! Look how everyone's faces stretched out. Just like Field of Miracles. Dig deeper, and you'll run into, … like in those two jokes, specialists:
No. 1. According to the "specialists," the Kyuubi was active for two hours in October, then "fell into hibernation." They link this to the Fox being pre-informed about the upcoming Parade and Voting on amendments to the Konoha Constitution.
No. 2. "Aren't you afraid that after checking the jinchuriki seal, there'll be a sharp rise in mortality?" The clan council asked Shimura.
"No, our specialists have learned to control the statistics."
"And now," Danzou tapped his cane again, "let's return to the Kyuubi no Yoko attack! And on that, I'll say the following: The causes and timing of the situation have been partially identified."
"According to forecasts from ANBU NE analysts, during childbirth, a successful attack was carried out on Kushina Uzumaki. Followed by the release of the Kyuubi."
"How is that possible?" Kuromo Inuzuka shouted from his seat. And behind him, the other clan heads jumped up.
And then, it began…
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