At the same moment Namikaze Minato's voice rang out, the crystal covering Mitokado Homura shattered as well.
"I do not agree with the advisors' view. Konoha will absolutely not bow its head to Kumogakure."
"Nor will we hand over anyone!"
Gekko Chizan smiled, and Mitokado Homura also stepped back from the gates of death.
Just now, the chakra erupting from Gekko Chizan had already made his resolve clear.
If Minato could not become his backing, then he would directly kill this damned old bastard in front of him and take his whole family away.
Damn Mitokado Homura—did he really think Chizan had a good temper?
Family had always been his bottom line. Whether it was his wife, his son, his daughter, or his younger brother—no one was allowed to touch them!
"Chizan, you!"
After recovering, Mitokado Homura flew into a rage and pointed at Gekko Chizan, about to start cursing.
But the moment he saw Gekko Chizan's vicious glare, along with another gaze that seemed to see straight through him, he swallowed the rest of his words.
Hyuga Hiashi had already stood up, his Byakugan activated.
His tightly clenched fists showed how full of fury this young clan head was.
"The Hyuga will absolutely not bow its head!"
"Mitokado Homura, I respect you as an advisor—don't push your luck!"
A string of angry rebukes made Mitokado Homura so furious that smoke practically rose from his head.
But the situation left him unable to continue speaking, and he could only sit back down in his seat in frustration.
"Chizan, Hiashi, I know how you feel."
"But at present, the village truly isn't suited to experience another war."
"You don't want to destroy the peace we just gained, do you?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't smoking—probably because he wasn't the one in charge of the meeting anymore.
Still, his usual village-first rhetoric surfaced again.
The next second, however, he was sent flying.
Completely lacking the dignity of an old man, with a leap and a flip, he left his original position.
His seat instantly turned into a crystal throne after he left, making him so angry that he exploded.
"Bastard! Chizan, you little punk—you actually dared to attack me!"
"I treasured you so much back then! How dare you!"
Facing Sarutobi Hiruzen's furious shouting, Gekko Chizan performed a classic response—picking his ear.
Then he said calmly:
"Don't spout nonsense. I just thought your chair didn't quite match your status, so I specially beautified it for you."
"Look, isn't a crystal chair much nicer?"
"You could even sell it and make a lot of money!"
Toward Sarutobi Hiruzen, Gekko Chizan really didn't harbor that much malice. Back then, the old man had indeed taken good care of him.
His teacher was Orochimaru. Although Orochimaru had defected, the teacher–student bond remained.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was Orochimaru's teacher—his grand-teacher, in other words. That relationship alone meant Gekko Chizan would not lay a hand on him.
Turning his chair into crystal was merely to annoy him a bit.
How could Sarutobi Hiruzen not understand all these twists and turns? He was angry simply because this brat had zero sense of occasion.
"Alright, Chizan. Advisor Sarutobi."
"Since Kumogakure has already spread out its formation, we need to come up with a response."
"Going to war is only the last option."
"Chizan, tell us your thoughts."
Namikaze Minato remembered that very night, Gekko Chizan had sent a black snake to Kumogakure. He knew Chizan must already have a plan.
Otherwise, he wouldn't do something so pointless.
"I've been waiting for you to say that."
"Kumogakure dared to make a move on my daughter. You don't need to lift a finger—I'll handle it myself."
"But the pressure thrown over by the Lightning Country daimyo's residence—you'll have to hold that off."
"As for my actions, don't interfere. Just wait for the news."
A cold smile appeared on Gekko Chizan's face. Black Mamba had already scattered his coordinates across every city and town in the Lightning Country.
Since Kumogakure wanted to play, then they'd play big.
He wanted to see just how a village could survive once its entire economic chain was cut off.
For that reason, he planned to live in the Lightning Country for the next few months.
"Alright. As long as you have a plan."
"I'll hold off the pressure from the daimyo's residence for you."
"If you need helpers, just tell me."
Gekko Chizan first shook his head, then suddenly thought of something and nodded.
"After thinking about it, just my four disciples. They're more familiar with how I operate."
"With them around, my efficiency will be higher."
Four disciples?
Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, Nohara Rin—that was only three.
Who was the other one?
Hyuga Neji??? That was still a four-year-old child.
"Uchiha Shisui! Although he didn't kowtow to me, I still accept him as a disciple."
"Alright, no problem. I'll have them go to your place to find you later."
Namikaze Minato nodded. Leaving the operation to Gekko Chizan put him completely at ease.
Just looking at the intelligence network made that clear—Konoha's intelligence sources now all came from it.
The massive amount of information even shocked him.
It was hard to imagine that such an intelligence organization had been perfected in less than two years.
"Although the operation has been decided, Gekko Chizan suddenly taking action against the higher-ups—"
"This matter cannot go unaddressed."
"I suggest stripping him of all positions in Konoha, including Anbu captain and head of the intelligence network."
Just as everyone thought the matter was over, Danzō spoke up again.
His words made many people frown.
Although this old bastard wasn't popular, what he said was well reasoned. Even Mitokado Homura nodded repeatedly after hearing it and echoed:
"Danzō is right. Without rules, there can be no order."
"Gekko Chizan openly attacked me and Sarutobi Hiruzen. This must be dealt with!"
Namikaze Minato frowned slightly.
Stripping Gekko Chizan? That was basically asking him to cut off his own arm.
Since Minato became Hokage, how much had Gekko Chizan helped him?
The Anbu were trained by him. The intelligence network was built under his responsibility. Even the ninja academy classes were taught by him.
Such a talent—and you say strip him just like that? Who the hell do you think you are, Danzō?
"This level of punishment is excessive."
"I will decide Gekko Chizan's punishment. It will mainly be a fine."
"Mm, let me think… fifty million ryō."
Originally, Minato had only planned to fine a few million ryō, but when he thought of how much money had been spent establishing the intelligence network, his heart ached.
Suddenly, he felt that Danzō was actually a good person—using roundabout ways to help him recover the losses.
The corner of Gekko Chizan's mouth twitched as his eyes locked firmly onto Danzō. In his mind, another plan had already begun to take shape:
Alright, Danzō, so you're screwing me over for money, huh? Fifty million ryō—good, very good!