"Two hundred million? You're actually paying that?!" In the Hokage's office, Mitokado Homura's face twisted in disbelief.
"Konoha's entire annual revenue is only a little over eight hundred million! You can really bear to part with that much?"
"I know. But this is Danzō we're talking about." Sarutobi Hiruzen, pipe between his lips and brows slightly furrowed, said, "If we don't pay, are we just going to watch him die?"
"I doubt Hanzō the Salamander would actually dare kill Danzō, he's still a Konoha elder" Homura snorted. "Is he not afraid of the full army of the hidden leaves showing up on his doorstep?"
"It wouldn't be a justified war." Hiruzen sighed and shook his head.
The letter Danzō sent was essentially a written confession of his invasion.
Umbrella Corporation now belonged to the Land of Waves' sphere of influence. If Konoha went to all-out war with them, what would the neighboring nations think?
"We'd be in the wrong. And the other hidden villages? They wouldn't just sit by and watch.
Worst-case scenario, we don't rescue Danzō and our diplomatic strategy goes up in smoke."
'Obviously a terrible trade.'
"Danzō… you've been an idiot." Utatane Koharu had just finished reading the letter too. Her expression twisted.
"Swaggered in thinking you'd grab an easy win, and instead you lost the chicken and the rice. And after pulling such a boneheaded stunt, you've got the gall to beg for help?"
"I think he was forced into it," Homura stroked his beard, speaking seriously. "Knowing his temperament, he's not usually the type to fear death."
"Not necessarily. People change," Koharu said lightly, shaking her head. "Yesterday he might've been a fearless warrior. Doesn't mean today he isn't a coward."
"Danzō…" Hiruzen exhaled again, like a man lamenting a lifelong friend's stupidity.
"Even if he's begging for help, that doesn't mean we have to just fork over the ransom," Koharu said, frowning at Hiruzen. "Why not try sending some elite shinobi to rescue him?"
"Hanzō isn't some small fry. He's probably already guessed we'd try that." Hiruzen tapped the desk with his right hand, his expression serious.
"I'm sure Danzō is surrounded by airtight defenses right now. And…"
"And what?"
Both advisers leaned in, curiosity piqued.
"And… Hanzō's got some… photographs that can't see the light of day," Hiruzen said reluctantly, taking a deep drag from his pipe. "If we make a move, Hanzō will spread them across the ninja world."
"…Huh?"
"'Can't see the light of day'… what kind of photos?"
Both advisers looked at him, eyes wide.
'Just how bad could these photos be, for the Hokage to look this concerned?'
Hiruzen didn't hide it from his old friends. He pulled open a drawer and laid the photos on the table.
"See for yourselves."
Hisssss—!
Just as Hiruzen predicted, the very first picture made them both suck in a sharp breath.
Their friend… the man known as "The Darkness of Konoha"… was dressed in a scandalously revealing bunny girl outfit, posing coquettishly at the camera.
'Who the hell could endure that image?'
"This—this is a disgrace to our entire Village!"
"Unbelievable! Hanzō's a veteran shinobi, a respected name in the ninja world—how could he stoop this low? Shameless! Absolutely shameless!"
Koharu and Homura's faces flushed red with rage.
"At this point, paying the ransom is the most sensible choice." Hiruzen stood, his tone flat. "That's enough for today. We'll deal with Danzō when he's back."
"…Fine."
"…Guess we have no choice."
The two advisers nodded, frustrated but resigned.
Night deepened, stars scattered across the sky.
Leaving the office, Hiruzen let out a heavy sigh, looking up at the glittering night.
He regretted it now.
He never should've indulged Danzō all these years—this was where it led.
'If Tobirama sensei could see this, he'd probably be disappointed.'
Shaking his head, Hiruzen's gaze shifted toward a warmly lit old house down the street.
'Tsunade isn't asleep yet?'
'As her teacher, maybe I should talk to her—convince her to stay in Konoha.'
With that thought in mind, he headed toward the house.
And then he froze.
Tsunade, his proud, haughty student… was on all fours, crawling.
And some young man in black-rimmed glasses… was sitting on her back like he was riding a horse.
Hiruzen's pipe dropped from his mouth with a thunk.
Tsunade and the young man both turned to look at him. The air instantly thickened with awkward silence.
*Land of Waves, Pig Farm*
"9948, here's your feed." A dark-skinned, broad-shouldered man hefted a bucket toward Danzō, giving his shoulder a casual pat.
"Remember—feed them in batches. Don't give them too much at once!"
Danzō's face was dark as a thundercloud. He stared at the white pigs in the pen, his mouth twitching.
9948—that was his prisoner ID. Everyone here had one.
He didn't like it. Just like he didn't like Umbrella Corporation's "labor reform" policy.
He was a Konoha elder. A Hokage adviser. And they had him feeding pigs?
Where was the dignity? Where was the courtesy?
This was an insult to his very being.
He clenched his fists, ready to destroy everything in sight—
—then saw the chakra-suppressing device on his wrist, and deflated like a wilted vegetable.
With a deep breath, he picked up the feed bucket and prepared to work.
"9948! Over here!" The same man came running back, grabbing his sleeve. "Hold off on feeding the pigs—we've got a more urgent problem!"
"Let go." Danzō shook him off, his voice icy. "What problem?"
"The tricolor sow next door's about to give birth, but she's too fat—having trouble!" The man's voice was frantic.
Danzō blinked. "What's that got to do with me?"
"You're a Konoha elder, right? You must be an educated man!" the man said earnestly. "Can't you think of a way to help her?"
"You… you want me to deliver a piglet?!" Danzō jabbed a finger at his own nose, eyes bulging.
"What, you can't?" the man sighed, disappointed. "Here I thought Konoha elders were big shots. Guess even pig-delivering is beyond you."
Oh, the mockery.
If Hanzō insulted him, fine. But a random farmer? Unforgivable!
Danzō's temper flared instantly. "Nonsense! Who says I can't?!"
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