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The tsunami that had suddenly struck the village had destroyed a massive number of buildings, forcing Konoha into yet another reconstruction phase.
Fortunately, thanks to the quick judgment of Jonin Yūhi Kurenai, the civilians had been evacuated in time, preventing significant casualties.
But that was the only good news.
The fact that the One-Tail's Jinchūriki had been openly abducted was, by any measure, an unmitigated disaster.
Elite shinobi like Shiranui Genma had also perished in the battle—shinobi who should have been the pillars supporting the village in the future, now lost far too soon.
The Hokage Monument, having been damaged for the second time in just over ten days, stood as yet another symbol of Konoha's failure to protect its pride. Combined with the devastating tsunami, Konoha's dignity had been thoroughly trampled into the mud.
It wasn't hard to imagine the countless covert and overt provocations the village would face in the coming days.
But just as the gathered shinobi were debating how to respond—and how to retaliate against Sunagakure for this second betrayal—an unexpected piece of news reached them first.
Sunagakure had officially declared war on Konoha.
Hokage Building, Meeting Room
The air inside the conference room was thick with smoke and tension.
Elders and jonin argued fiercely, voices clashing in a cacophony of frustration.
"Elder Shimura warned us that Sunagakure could never be trusted! This negligence is why the Jinchūriki was taken!"
"That's unreasonable! No one could've predicted Sunagakure's betrayal! We even reinforced security, and yet Shiranui Genma and the others still fell!"
"Sunagakure must pay in blood!"
"Why did those S-rank missing-nin return to the village? Kakashi said they came for the Nine-Tails—is that true?"
"And what about the Uzumaki? Why have those two resurfaced? Is Sunagakure's move connected to them?"
"Uzumaki? Speaking of which, why haven't we issued a full-scale bounty on them yet? Increase the reward—we can't let them live!"
"Everyone, wait! We have more pressing matters! That tsunami left countless civilians homeless! They lack food and clothing, and the village's supplies won't last much longer. We need someone to procure resources!"
"If we're going to war with Suna, should we still rebuild the Hokage Monument? Where will the funds come from?"
With Jiraiya gone, the elders Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado should have been able to stabilize the situation. But events had unfolded too rapidly—far beyond what these aging figures could handle.
Had Nara Shikaku still been alive, his wisdom and authority might have unified the voices in the room. But now, Konoha had no one left who could fill that role.
Power struggles erupted like weeds after rain. Once people tasted authority, they were loath to relinquish it.
Shimura Danzō waited until the arguments had died down before rapping his knuckles against the table, drawing all eyes to him.
"We must prioritize. The village's survival is paramount. The only immediate threat comes from Sunagakure, another of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Therefore, we must mobilize our forces to counter their aggression. Now that they've declared war, their attack could come at any moment."
"Elder Shimura is right!" A jonin who had been subtly supporting Danzō spoke up. "He predicted Suna's betrayal! If we're forming an army, I'll follow him into battle!"
The man's words swayed a few others—after all, Danzō had accurately foreseen Suna's move against the Jinchūriki.
But then, a kunoichi carrying a stack of documents stood.
"Everyone, I must inform you—the village's funds are nearly depleted. What remains won't sustain a war against both Sunagakure and Kusagakure."
"How is that possible? How can our reserves be so low?"
The kunoichi explained, "Because we're a shinobi village, not a bank. Hoarding money is pointless—surplus funds are always reinvested into the village's development to maintain equilibrium."
"Surely there's an emergency reserve?"
"There was. Where do you think the money for recent expenses came from? The Chūnin Exams alone were costly. The village's infrastructure was destroyed, the Hokage Monument was obliterated, compensation for the fallen, medical treatment for the wounded, supplies for displaced civilians…" She laid out sheet after sheet of financial reports, the numbers dizzying.
"And after Kusagakure declared war, we had to stockpile supplies, deploy troops to the borders, and reinforce against Kumo and Kiri's harassment. All of this costs money. But with so many shinobi deployed, we have no one left to take missions—our income has dried up."
Her words sent a ripple of disbelief through the room. Konoha, the wealthiest of the Five Great Villages, had never faced such a dire financial crisis.
"In truth, we're still better off than Suna," she added. "Their refusal to pay war reparations during negotiations was because they couldn't afford it."
Danzō's brow furrowed. The discussion was veering off course. This was supposed to be his moment—his stage to rally the village behind him and seize control.
He glanced discreetly at his supporter, who immediately interjected, "These financial issues aren't urgent! The real threat is Sunagakure! The coming war is what demands our focus!"
The kunoichi sighed. "I understand. But shinobi are human. We can't send them to battle hungry, with their families starving at home. And what of their armor? Their kunai and shuriken? Even explosive tags have risen from 11,000 ryō to 15,000 ryō in half a month. Without funds, we can't even build new defensive outposts."
Danzō's expression darkened. Economics wasn't his forte—his expertise lay in misappropriating funds.
"In times of war, the village has always requested financial aid from the Daimyō. Has this been done?"
The kunoichi nodded. "Yes. But the Daimyō refused. He said he would no longer provide support."
"What?! Why?"
"During the Chūnin Exams, our failure to protect him nearly got him killed by Otogakure. We also didn't detect Suna shinobi infiltrating his entourage. He no longer trusts our capabilities. He's even considering hiring shinobi from other villages for his personal security."
This news was a thunderbolt. Shinobi villages couldn't sustain themselves—missions and the Daimyō's support were their lifeblood.
"What about Asuma? He served as one of the Daimyō's guardians. Can't he persuade him?"
"Asuma was the one who relayed the Daimyō's refusal."
The room erupted. A shinobi village abandoned by its own Daimyō? Unthinkable. Panic set in.
Then, the kunoichi sat down, giving a nearly imperceptible nod to Yūhi Kurenai in the corner.
Kurenai's lips pressed into a thin line, the note in her hand crumpled to shreds.
[The Fire Daimyō will refuse Konoha's request for funds. He will only give the money to you. Tell them you saved him during the Chūnin Exams. What you do with this opportunity is up to you.]
The signature: a spiral.
Kurenai stepped out of the shadows.
After everything that's happened… what's left to hesitate over?
No. I'm not following his orders.
Konoha needs this money. It'll be used for the village—for the people he hurt.
"Perhaps… I can persuade the Daimyō to reconsider."
"You? Yūhi Kurenai? What makes you think you can change his mind?"
"Because," Kurenai said, her voice steadying, "during the Chūnin Exams… I was the one who saved him."
In this small clash between Kurenai and Danzō, Kurenai had won—for now.
Yamanaka Flower Shop
After greeting Ino's parents, Sakura climbed to the second floor.
She found Ino curled in a corner, face buried in her knees.
Sakura sat beside her, fidgeting before finally speaking.
"So… uh… my house got destroyed again. Well, more like crushed. The building was earth-style, but all the furniture was new… and now it's all gone. The village hasn't paid out compensation yet, and we don't have savings. Dad got drafted into the army, but Mom scraped together some money to get him assigned to logistics. He's pretty much a dead-last chūnin, so if he actually went to the front lines…"
Ino lifted her head slightly. "What, are you here to complain to me?"
Sakura laughed awkwardly. "Ah… sorry. When we were kids, you were always the one encouraging me. But now I don't know how to cheer you up."
Ino leaned back against the wall, sniffling. "I'm fine. Choji's taking it worse. Last time I saw him, he swore he'd avenge Shikamaru. I've never seen him train so hard…"
"Choji too, huh…" Sakura curled her toes. "Kakashi-sensei said he won't have time for us lately. Naruto's disappeared. And Sasuke… when I finally found him, he was covered in injuries. His eyes were terrifying. I tried to help, but he told me to get lost. Said someone as useless as me couldn't do anything."
Are you seriously here to vent to me?!
"Ahaha… I guess a civilian like me really can't do anything. Only someone like you, Ino, would be worthy of Sasuke—"
Before Sakura could finish, Ino exploded. She lunged, pinching Sakura's cheeks and shoving her to the floor.
"You—! Do you really think I care about that stuck-up brat?! What really pissed me off was you throwing away our friendship over him! Was our bond really that weak?!"
Sakura blinked up at her, stunned. "Sowwy, I dinno."
Ino yanked her thumb out of Sakura's mouth, wiping it on her clothes in disgust. "Gross!"
"I… I just admired Sasuke. Back then, being called 'forehead' hurt so much. But even after what happened to his family, he never reacted to the rumors. He was so strong… I wanted to be like that too…"
Ino stared at her before finally sighing. "Then why are you really here?"
Sakura covered her face, her toes curling in embarrassment. "I… came to comfort you… At least, that was the plan…"