Inside the Military Police Force Chief's office, Hashirama, brought back by Edo Tensei, had already used the Transformation Technique to appear as an ordinary Konoha ninja.
He had short brown hair, a common face, and the only thing unchanged was his deep-set eyes.
Shun took out the large amount of property and signed documents registered by the four clans when they left, from a drawer.
He handed the documents to Hashirama, his voice low and restrained. "First Hokage-sama, please look at these. These are the property lists and signed confirmations of the assets the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans registered to take with them when they left Konoha."
Hashirama took the documents, his fingertips chilling slightly the moment they touched the paper.
His gaze swept over the first page where countless items were neatly arranged.
Sarutobi clan cash 37.36 billion Ryo, Utatane clan cash 13.78 billion Ryo, Shimura clan cash 19.53 billion Ryo, Mitokado clan cash 12.98 billion Ryo, a total registered cash of 83.67 billion Ryo, an astonishingly large sum.
Each amount of money had a ninja's personal signature, the handwriting bold and arrogant, as if mocking something.
Shun walked to Hashirama's side, his long finger pointing to one line. "This is evidence of their betrayal of Konoha. Hiruzen alone registered 24.7 billion Ryo in cash, 110,000 Ryo in gold, and 1.59 million Ryo in silver. However, through a gamble, I retrieved 20 billion Ryo from Hiruzen, he took the rest. All this money was embezzled from Konoha's public funds."
Hashirama's brows gradually furrowed, a vein throbbing on his forehead.
When he turned to the last page and saw the total sum, the temperature in the office seemed to drop several degrees.
"Why let those cancerous clans leave? Wouldn't it be simpler to execute them directly and reclaim Konoha's property?"
Hashirama's voice was no longer gentle but filled with suppressed murderous intent.
Shun smiled bitterly and shook his head, walking to the archive cabinet in the corner of the office and taking out a thick casualty roster.
"First Hokage-sama, do you know how much fighting strength Konoha had left after the Third Great Ninja War?"
He opened the roster, the countless names arranged like ants.
"12,597 ninjas killed in action, only 6,652 remaining. The ninjas from the Sarutobi Clan, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans combined total 3,556 people, more than half of Konoha's remaining fighting strength."
"If we had forced a war then, Konoha would have become a ruin. Even more terrifying, spies from Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure were constantly lurking in the Land of Fire, waiting for our internal strife to invade again."
The office fell into a brief silence.
Hashirama walked to the window, looking at the Hokage Rock in the distance. Next to his own statue were the faceless statues of the Second and Third Hokage.
Hashirama murmured in a low voice, filled with weariness, "No matter the era, there will always be war. If only I had agreed to Madara's plan back then. Perhaps, the outcome would have been different."
Shun walked back to the desk and took out a roll of blueprints from the drawer. "Today is not the time to discuss this, First Hokage-sama, please look at this."
This was a new blueprint for Konoha. It was marked with the words "Konoha Clone Center," with detailed architectural structures and a list of medical equipment next to it.
"After the war, over 2,000 ninjas were permanently disabled, and traditional Medical Ninjutsu can't give them a new life. Through research into cloning technology, we might be able to help them stand again."
Hashirama carefully examined the blueprint, his expression gradually softening.
Shun took out several other documents and said, "This is the construction plan for a cultural school, so children without Chakra can also receive an education. This is the construction plan for orphanages and nursing homes... But all of this requires funds."
He pressed his finger heavily on the stack of property lists. "And this money is now being used by those traitors to enjoy wealth and luxury in the Daimyo's Mansion."
Hashirama put down the blueprint, his gaze sharpening. "What is your plan?"
Just then, Shun pointed to the main road outside the window. "Hashirama-sama, did you sense it? Tsunade just got off work. Do you want to go see her?"
Hashirama turned sharply, his powerful perception instantly locking onto the figure several hundred meters away.
Through the window, he saw a blonde woman crossing the street, her white medical ninja coat swaying in the wind, the green crystal pendant on her chest sparkling in the sunlight.
On Hashirama's disguised face, genuine emotional fluctuations appeared. "Little Tsunade... she's grown so big."
Shun stood silently to the side. "Tsunade has had a very hard time these past few years. After her brother Nawaki and her lover Dan were killed, she left the village, spending her days with alcohol and gambling. She had bad luck with gambling, accumulated a pile of gambling debts and wandered everywhere."
Hashirama's hands involuntarily clenched, the wooden window frame groaning under his grasp.
Shun continued, "I only recently brought her back to the village. She is now Konoha's advisor and also serves as the Medical Department Chief. But the trauma in her heart still needs time to heal."
On the street, Tsunade stopped, seemingly sensing something, and looked up at the Military Police Force's window.
Hashirama subconsciously took a step back, avoiding her gaze.
Shun, however, gave Tsunade a suggestive look and whispered, "Tsunade still misses you very much."
Hashirama took a deep breath. When he spoke again, his voice was cold. "Take me to the Daimyo's Mansion. I can't wait to teach those bastards a lesson."
Shun's expression was serious. "Hashirama-sama, we need a plan. The Daimyo's Mansion is heavily guarded, and we also need to consider the political implications. If we directly attack, it will give the four great nations an excuse, and it could very likely lead to war."
Hashirama's movements stopped, his brows tightly furrowed.
Shun seized the opportunity to continue, "The four clans can be killed at any time, but we still need to use their power now. I suggest a secret operation, disguising our identities and infiltrating the Daimyo's Mansion. We'll beat up all the ninja from the four clans and retrieve the money they embezzled."
Outside the window, a dark cloud covered the sun, and the office immediately darkened.
Hashirama pondered for a moment, finally nodding. "Do you have a specific plan?"
Shun breathed a sigh of relief, quickly taking a map from the bookshelf and spreading it on the table.
"During the Third Great Ninja War, Kirigakure and Sunagakure invaded the Land of Fire, and 7 cities were plundered, causing heavy losses for some nobles."
"The Daimyo recruited the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans for two reasons. One was to balance Konoha, and the other was to protect the capital's safety, so he placed the four clans in the southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest corners of the Daimyo's Mansion."