"The report from Hyuga Soushu has arrived!"
About an hour after the Hokage's Messenger Anbu unit was sent to Hyuga Soushu's Intelligence Division to investigate, Danzo—who had recently returned secretly from the Rain front, covered in travel dust—entered the Hokage Office in secret. His first words instantly transformed Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression completely: "Four thousand Kumo Ninja Force troops have been defeated, with over a thousand killed and another thousand captured. The situation is now settled!"
"What?!"
This left the old monkey even more unwilling to believe his ears.
Although he had expected that news of the destruction of Kumo's Nearby Headquarters would definitely affect the morale of their frontline forces and significantly weaken their fighting spirit, he absolutely hadn't foreseen such an overwhelming victory so soon!
It completely shattered his understanding of ninja warfare!
When had ninjas started fighting like clueless samurai armies—launching positional battles and all-out wars?
Wasn't ninja warfare supposed to rely on speed and stealth, eliminating enemies through squad-based operations? How had Lightning Country's military direction turned into this head-on collision gambling style?
Thinking about how these developments contradicted everything he'd accumulated over decades of experience made Hiruzen feel a migraine coming on. Being forced to keep learning and adapting to new things dreamed up by younger generations really was too much for him at his age.
"Instead of chasing useless details, you'd better focus on figuring out how to handle what comes next!"
Seeing the old monkey's expression, Danzo immediately understood what he was thinking and bluntly pointed out: "We cannot continue the war any further. If Kumo actually gets wiped out, it will become a massive problem."
"Kumo got exactly what they deserved—and brought it upon themselves."
Though his thoughts were exposed, Hiruzen still refused to admit it verbally: "Besides, Sakumo leads the frontline forces. You know he doesn't easily compromise."
"Hmph!"
Danzo snorted with clear contempt.
If the old monkey hadn't added that last sentence, maybe he could've hidden his intentions better.
But since he'd voluntarily mentioned Sakumo Hatake, it only proved he wasn't being honest with himself.
Understanding clearly now, Danzo gave up arguing and continued on his own terms: "After this campaign, Sakumo's position has become unshakable. I'll need to adjust my original plan accordingly!"
"Yes... ever since the clans started causing trouble, Sakumo's growing power has been difficult to counterbalance."
Hiruzen sighed deeply, taking out his pipe and puffing away thoughtfully.
As the saying goes, when success outshines reward, problems follow. Now promoted to Jonin Unit Leader, and having achieved such a brilliant victory against Kumo, Sakumo Hatake had become Konoha's most dazzling symbol. Whether publicly or privately considered, Hiruzen simply couldn't—not even temporarily—set him aside.
Although Sakumo Hatake, a man who could be manipulated through moral means, could be assigned extremely important yet nearly impossible tasks deliberately sabotaged to create the impression of failure, and then public opinion could be mobilized to emphasize how much damage his failure brought to Konoha. This would pave the way for discrediting him and quietly placing him under protective custody—relegated to an organization like the ANBU where he could do no harm.
In short, it was a classic three-step strategy: lure in, cut down, and bring to heel. After all, no Kage of any intelligent Hidden Village would ever allow someone with the prestige of White Fang to roam freely beyond the ruling elite; they'd either absorb him into the inner circle or keep him as a weapon ready to strike.
But this entire chain of half-baked plans fell apart completely due to Sakumo Hatake's recent major victory on the border of the Land of Lightning!
Nothing could rival the glow of an externally won military triumph. Furthermore, Sakumo Hatake's reputation would inevitably skyrocket upon news of this great success, making him impervious to manipulation by mere so-called S-rank missions anymore.
More importantly, with rising status and popularity, Sakumo had gradually gathered around him a group of ambitious individuals whom Konoha's F4 viewed as schemers—each one a troublemaker not easily controlled, generally hoping that Sakumo might rise even further, thus pulling them upward alongside him.
Therefore, if those underhanded small tactics continued, there was a high likelihood these men would see through the schemes, leading to considerable embarrassment later!
"Sigh..."
The more Sarutobi Hiruzen thought, the more headache he got, even causing the pipe between his lips to accumulate carbon deposits from excessive and hurried puffing—[Fire Release] chakra seeped out involuntarily, a manifestation of emotional unrest.
Danzo saw everything but kept it to himself, maintaining a calm exterior while silently waiting for the old monkey's response.
"Sakumo is the pillar of the village, and recently achieved such a glorious victory,"
After a long pause, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally spoke slowly, yet left his sentence unfinished.
"What about that kid from the Hyuga house then?"
Danzo timely reminded him.
"He's linked with those restless elements among the ninja clans."
Hiruzen expressed hesitation.
Moreover, Hyuga Soushu's current position resulted from the compromise reached during the Ninja Clan Summit, symbolizing reconciliation between the Hokage faction and the Coalition of Ninja Clans. Acting recklessly against him could easily trigger massive backlash from the clans. If Sakumo Hatake's faction merged entirely with the clans, the Hokage faction would truly find itself in hot water.
"Just stick to the issue and not the person himself."
Once again, Danzo's sinister ideas started bubbling up inside him: "Besides, with Kumo's defeat, the original defensive responsibilities of the Northern Border Defense Force are no longer critical now. Perhaps we should consider reinforcing the Eastern Coastal Defense Garrison instead?"
"Isn't the eastern coast already—"
Instinctively, Sarutobi Hiruzen responded halfway before suddenly freezing.
Exactly right! Both the Northern Border Defense Force and the Eastern Coastal Defense Camp were commanded by the Hyuga clan—the former led by Branch House head Hyuga Soushu, while the latter directly controlled by the two sons of the Main House leader, Hiashi and Hizashi!
And perhaps there was room for a little maneuvering within that structure...
"What's your thinking?"
"Tell me about it!"
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi happily lit a fresh pipe filled with tobacco leaves, then motioned for Danzo to reveal his plan.
"Borrowing troops from the Northern Front and financial transfers!"
Danzo slowly revealed his strategy.
"Go on!"
Hiruzen's eyebrows lifted as his interest was immediately piqued.
"Even if Kumo survives this conflict, it will definitely suffer severe losses. It won't be a threat for several decades."
Danzo stated his assessment.
"Provided we stop Sakumo from advancing further into Raimei Canyon."
The old monkey added as a supplement.
"If that's the case, there's no need to maintain such a large Ninja Force on the Northern Border Defense Force."
Danzo ignored his old friend's remark and pressed on with his explanation: "Our eastern coastal regions now face Mist – a force that came out of the Great Ninja World War completely unscathed. Those water-loving folks have constantly eyed our fertile continent, creating enormous pressure on the Coastal Defense Camp."
"Continue!"
Hiruzen happily packed another bowl of tobacco and took a puff.
"Although according to previous agreements reached at the Ninja Clan Summit, in principle Konoha doesn't interfere with personnel establishment, operational structure, or troop deployments of the Northern Border Defense Force… With the eastern front in crisis, and both external headquarters belonging to the same village, shouldn't the Northern Front headquarters, which faces relatively less defense pressure, provide support to the Coastal Defense Camp?"
"You mean borrowing rather than transferring?"
Hiruzen picked up on Danzo's meaning immediately.
"Precisely!"
Danzo nodded. "Not only should we borrow troops currently stationed on the Northern Front, but also recall those originally under Northern Front command that have already been dispatched to support the Rain Country Frontline Army!"
"Of course, this would only be temporary. Theoretically speaking, these ninja forces still fall under the command structure of the Northern Front headquarters."
This would also quietly undermine the Northern Border Defense Force's strength. After all, once a unit is reassigned, even the strongest past ties won't last forever — loyalties tend to shift over time; especially considering Hyuga Soushu's recent appointment — how much authority and trust does he actually command within the Ninja Force?
"What else?"
Hiruzen pressed further. "Tell me about the transfer payments issue!"
"The Northern Front headquarters has directly taken over the mission quotas of the Northern Border Buffer State, and Konoha hasn't received revenue from them in quite some time."
Danzo subtly referenced the Northern Front Jonin's previously covert collusion with Kumo — a remark that clearly made the old monkey uncomfortable, especially since one of the main culprits was Aoba Sarutobi — a young clansman he had personally favored!
"With peace settling along the border, mission revenue is bound to surge," Danzo pointed out an obvious fact. "And again, Konoha will most likely never see this money!"
"Therefore, why not redirect the mission revenues originally allocated to the village directly to the Coastal Defense Camp, while deducting eastern expenses from the village budget? This way, everyone benefits!"
"Hmm…"
Hiruzen inhaled sharply through his teeth. "Do you think they'll agree?"
"You're going to try whether you agree or not. Not everything is guaranteed to succeed!"
Danzo let out a cold snort, clearly displeased.
He was just throwing out a suggestion. Did that old fool really think he was some kind of wish-fulfilling oracle?
"We've known each other for many years now, and as you know, I've always trusted you completely."
"Like hell," Danzo inwardly scoffed, but still managed to force a faint smile onto his face.
They were both mature adults who had known each other far too long. They knew each other better than anyone else ever could. There was absolutely no need to resort to these emotional tactics filled with insincere niceties.
However, putting on a performance when necessary was an essential skill for any leader. Therefore, Danzo dutifully offered appropriate displays of agreement.
After a moment's contemplation, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi lifted his head to directly face Danzo and asked, "If this task were entrusted to you, how confident would you be?"
"Thirty percent!"
Danzo dryly offered what was clearly a very conservative estimate.
"In that case, why don't we give it a try?"
Third Hokage Sarutobi didn't take offense and promptly made the decision.
Whether it succeeded or failed didn't matter much to him anyway. As long as it could further insert yet another thorn between the already deeply estranged Hyuga Clan's Main House and Branch House, he would consider himself satisfied.
"In that case, I will depart for the Lightning Daimyo's court tomorrow!"
Danzo nodded his head before preparing to leave.
"Remember, your official purpose this time is to pay respects to Lord Lightning Daimyo; don't go being disrespectful!"
Third Hokage Sarutobi reminded him immediately.
"I understand!"
Danzo replied gruffly, "And most importantly, gaining control over those southern military jurisdictions in the Land of Lightning, right?"
He'd already offended the Fire Daimyo's courtiers from the Land of Fire. Now there was definitely no reason to provoke yet another major nation's daimyo.
Besides, under current circumstances, having Konoha's Hokage's second-in-command visit the Lightning Daimyo's court actually helped ease the latter's concerns, preventing unnecessary suspicions about Konoha ninja storming the palace to stage a regime change.
As for war reparations, however, that was a separate and much grimmer issue altogether.
After all, Konoha shinobi were still human beings, and humans naturally desired power and wealth. With Konoha's forces already at their doorstep, if the Lightning Daimyo still refused to surrender after all this, there'd be no excuse left.
To put it bluntly, the Lightning Daimyo was basically paying for peace with his own gold. Konoha was practically broke by now, unable to reward its battle-hardened shinobi according to past standards. For the sake of the Lightning Country's survival and Konoha's dignity, the Lightning Daimyo would simply have to bear this slight inconvenience.
As for the inevitable criticism? Danzo had already decided to let Sakumo Hatake and Hyuga Soushu shoulder that burden!
"Withdraw the forces under my command and set up new defenses?!"
Following Kumo Ninja Force's complete annihilation, Hyuga Soushu received a second secret message from Sakumo Hatake.
The contents within also caused Hyuga Soushu to furrow his brows.
"It does seem somewhat suspicious, and..."
Mahiru Uchiha also glanced at the letter, nodding in agreement with obvious confusion.
From what I remember, Sakumo Hatake doesn't seem like someone who'd fight for credit!
"It shouldn't be his own opinion."
With a casual twist of his hand, Hyuga Soushu used his chakra to crush the letter in his palm into fine dust. Mahiru Uchiha gave a gentle puff and sent the paper fragments scattering into the air.
"That?"
Mahiru Uchiha looked puzzled.
If it's Sakumo's personal letter, then whose intention could possibly be reflected in it if not his?
Could it be that sneaky old monkey back in Konoha pulled some strings from afar?
"Mind if I use the Uchiha Clan's channels to look into this?"
Hyuga Soushu asked.
"I can use my Ninja Cat to get in touch with Father," Mahiru replied without hesitation, though she couldn't promise results. "But Soushu, exactly what are you trying to find out?"
"Check whether any of the village's top leaders have suddenly left recently. And since you're with the Policing Department, investigating something like this should be fairly convenient, right?"
"No problem at all!"
Now that it was just something like this, Mahiru Uchiha immediately patted her chest confidently. "Don't worry! Those useless pencil-pushers in Hokage Tower have been under our watchful eyes all along—just like how they send Anbu to monitor our clan grounds. There's no secret about what they're up to either!"
"Oh, and also check Rain Country. Isn't Danzo, that maggot, stationed there now? Might as well look into his movements too."
Hyuga Soushu casually added.
"Easy peasy!"
Mahiru Uchiha thought it was just an extra favor on the way, so she readily agreed.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>