The next day, in Konoha's high-level meeting room.
It was a small chamber with an unusual design—there were no windows at all, making it impossible for sunlight to enter. The interior was dimly lit by yellowish lamps.
At the moment, four people sat around a wooden table—three men and one woman, all middle-aged, roughly forty years old.
One of them wore the Hokage robe, his eyes sharp and commanding an air of authority. This was naturally the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Another man had eyes as piercing as a hawk's, filled with coldness, and his face bore a particularly gloomy expression—he was among the top brass of Konoha.
The remaining two middle-aged individuals included a man wearing glasses and a woman with her hair tied in a bun. These two carried the sharpness of seasoned leaders.
These two were the other two Elders of Konoha, also high-ranking members of the village—Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.
At this moment, the Third was staring sharply at the other three, clearly brimming with fury, speaking continuously about recent combat situations involving Konoha forces.
Among these, he especially mentioned the previous battles against Iwa Ninja and Suna Ninja.
After recounting every detail of these wars, his gaze had turned extremely furious. Naturally, the other three Konoha leaders could sense the implications in his tone.
The ambush on the Konoha Reinforcement Squad by the Sand Ninja made it not difficult to determine that intelligence had been leaked.
As for this intelligence, within Konoha, aside from the Third Hokage, only the remaining three high-ranking officials—including Chiyoha Sarutobi, commander of the reinforcement squad—had knowledge of it.
"Hiruzen, are you saying there's a traitor among us? That's absolutely impossible!"
Koharu slammed the wooden table before her. They, along with the Third Hokage, had once served under the Second Hokage, which is why they gradually gained their current status.
As high-ranking members of Konoha, they had contributed greatly to the village; how could they possibly betray its interests or turn on their own ninja?
Homura adjusted his glasses and added, "There's absolutely no possibility that someone among our leadership betrayed us either. Perhaps Chiyoha Sarutobi—who had already passed away—was the one who betrayed the village, or maybe he revealed the intelligence to spies among the Suna infiltrating the Reinforcement Squad..."
His words made it clear there was no traitor within Konoha's leadership.
The Third simply listened quietly without much comment. After Homura and Koharu were done, he shifted his gaze toward Danzo, who remained silent until now, asking, "Danzo, do you have nothing to say?"
Danzo's eyes were still as a pond untouched by wind. He looked at the Third and said, "Since you are the current Hokage and are responsible for all wartime matters, if intelligence was indeed leaked, then naturally, you hold responsibility too. Are you trying to shift the blame onto us three?"
This statement immediately caused Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado to break into a cold sweat.
The Third, however, remained extremely calm as he said, "I naturally will take responsibility for what's mine. But I hope incidents like this won't happen again. As for who leaked the information, I'll personally investigate thoroughly!"
The Third's voice turned serious. His gaze swept across the three elders, and under his intense stare, all three gave in with silent nods.
"Also, do any of you have objections to the rewards plan I arranged for Konoha forces?" the Third continued, moving on to the next agenda of today's meeting.
Danzo spoke up again. "Minato Namikaze graduated from the Ninja Academy less than half a year ago, and now you want to promote him directly to Tokubetsu Jonin? That seems unreasonable."
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane also voiced agreement; after all, Minato was simply too young. Though not quite equal to Jonin rank, Tokubetsu Jonin ranks above Chunin. Never before in Konoha had anyone been promoted directly from Genin to Tokubetsu Jonin.
"Elder Danzo, I must correct you on one point. Although Minato did graduate from the Ninja Academy six months ago, he was actually promoted to Genin a full year earlier—by direct order of the Fire Daimyo himself, as you are both well aware."
After the Hot Springs Country Mission, the Daimyo of the Land of Hot Springs personally visited the Fire Daimyo to request recognition for several Konoha ninjas who helped the Hidden Hot Spring Village defeat the Evil Cult followers.
In particular, Minato played a crucial role in defeating Tachiyama Shinsaburo. Therefore, the Fire Daimyo personally issued an order promoting the nine-year-old Minato to Konoha Genin.
"Even so," Danzo continued, "Genin and Tokubetsu Jonin are entirely different ranks. Appointing a child barely eleven years old to such a position won't earn respect from other ninja."
Yet the Third simply smiled at his remark and replied, "In two battles alone, he killed six enemy Jonin, nineteen Chunin, and helped Sakumo Hatake, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya repel Chiyo—the Suna Elder. Even many Jonin would struggle to match these achievements. If an eleven-year-old can accomplish something like this, then why shouldn't he become Konoha's Tokubetsu Jonin?
"In the world of ninja, strength speaks. Even if he were seven, Minato's accomplishments still justify his promotion to Tokubetsu Jonin.
"As for concerns about other ninja being upset, don't worry—you should know this decision came from a joint recommendation by Sakumo Hatake, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and several other representative Konoha ninja. This decision was not made solely by me."
The Third added, his anger having cooled slightly. The little guy Minato had exceeded all expectations on the battlefield.
No one could possibly have foreseen how quickly this child would grow.
"In that case, we have no objections," said Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado without further argument. If these events were indeed done by this young man, regardless of age, he certainly deserved the rank of Tokubetsu Jonin.
After all, without him, not only would Konoha lose the Reinforcement Squad and Sakumo Hatake, but the entire front line could collapse.
The consequences of his actions were far too severe.
Seeing that the other two had already agreed, although Danzō strongly disagreed, he knew there was nothing more he could do.
Among the four Elders, a three-to-one majority was decisive enough.
"I agree."
Danzō gritted his teeth and spoke, finally beginning to take seriously the Boy he had once dismissed as insignificant.
If it weren't for this Boy interfering, his plan might have actually succeeded...
...
...(to be continued.)
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