"You'd better take a look."
The advisor's expression was grim as he carefully retrieved a scroll and presented it to the Daimyo. The Daimyo, reclined with a lazy demeanor, barely glanced up and said indifferently:
"Oh? Let's have a look."
He shook the scroll nonchalantly and struggled for a moment before finally managing to unroll it completely.
However, the moment his lazy eyes scanned the contents of the back of the scroll, his pupils contracted. In a split second, the man who appeared to be boneless and lethargic jolted upright. His formerly drowsy voice surged into a sharp, almost trembling shout:
"H-He, how dare he?!"
"Where did this scroll come from? Was it planted by an enemy nation to spread false rumors?!"
The advisor was also startled by the Daimyo's sudden outburst, but he quickly recovered and explained:
"The source has been confirmed by our informants. It was purchased through the Bounty Club. The accuracy of their intelligence is said to be extremely high. The information even mentions Konoha's Root Division—its most clandestine faction. The source cannot be mistaken."
"Even if this were some kind of misinformation campaign, the fact that it points to Danzo still highlights a very serious problem. Daimyo-sama, do you remember how Shimura Danzo treated you during the selection of the Fourth Hokage?"
The Daimyo's face darkened. At first, he thought nothing of it, but as memories surfaced, his brows furrowed in horror.
Back then, when the Sandaime Hokage recommended Namikaze Minato to be the Fourth Hokage, Danzo had proposed Orochimaru. The Daimyo himself had favored Minato—a charming, talented young man with outstanding strength and a brilliant reputation. Compared to Orochimaru, who exuded an eerie aura and questionable ethics, Minato was the obvious choice.
So he agreed with the Sandaime's recommendation.
Danzo's glare at that moment—cold and filled with killing intent—still haunted him. The Daimyo hadn't forgotten those piercing eyes, eyes that seemed to strip away flesh and cut directly into his soul.
That look…
Danzo. That vile man Danzo. What is he trying to do? Does he intend to eliminate me and seize authority for himself?
The more the Daimyo recalled that moment, the more furious and terrified he became.
"Send word immediately—summon Sarutobi Hiruzen! What the hell are they doing in Konoha?! Are they really colluding to remove me!?"
In the shinobi world—plagued by assassinations, power grabs, and betrayal—the safety of a Daimyo should be paramount. And yet, no one truly worried about it, because none of the five great nations would dare assassinate a Daimyo.
Except for lunatics or traitors with no allegiance.
The daimyos of the five great nations were connected through alliances, marriages, and diplomatic pacts. They were the political pillars of their countries. No matter how fierce the fighting between shinobi villages, everyone respected one rule—do not kill a Daimyo.
Otherwise, given their weak personal security, daimyos would've been eliminated a hundred times over.
Chapter 26: The Daimyo's Mansion Delays Funding—Hiruzen Sarutobi Can't Sit Still
Among the classified documents sold by Hiko, one targeted the Daimyo himself.
After all, Shimura Danzo had already crossed lines before, even daring to threaten the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. Hiko didn't fabricate much—he merely pushed the truth slightly further.
It was a calculated move.
Unlike the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning—where their daimyos were closely tied to the Tsuchikage and Raikage—the Land of Fire's Daimyo had a strained relationship with Konoha. There was mistrust. There were walls.
Especially since Konoha's senior leadership constantly guarded against the Daimyo trying to interfere in internal village matters.
Add in Danzo's previous threats, and the ground was fertile for suspicion.
So Hiko planted the seed—a forged but plausible intel drop. Now it all depended on how much the Daimyo valued his life and how much he feared Danzo.
"Daimyo-sama, please... you mustn't act so hastily."
The aide's tone became urgent as he tried to pacify the enraged Daimyo.
"Even if the intelligence is accurate, we must not confront them outright. If you accuse them head-on, it might provoke Danzo to act rashly."
"Then what do you suggest!?" the Daimyo snapped, slamming his sleeve in frustration as he fell back into his chair.
The image of Danzo's chilling glare haunted him. What if that man really tried to eliminate him one night?
After a deep breath and wiping his forehead, the aide proposed carefully:
"We should pressure them subtly. Danzo might act if provoked directly, but we can apply pressure through other means. For example—delay this year's financial allocation to Konoha."
"Hmm?" The Daimyo's eyes narrowed.
"The village's growth depends heavily on that funding. While Konoha does generate income through missions, the costs of maintaining and training ninjas are astronomical. They can't operate independently forever."
"Take Sunagakure, for example. When their daimyo was dissatisfied with repeated losses, he slashed their funding. Sand Village had to cut ninja forces and go down the elite specialization route."
"We hold the same card. If we delay the funds, Hiruzen Sarutobi will have no choice but to come here and explain everything himself. Then, we pressure him to investigate Danzo personally."
The Daimyo's eyes gleamed with understanding. This wasn't a direct confrontation. It was leverage.
"If they don't comply... I'll leak the scroll to the public. Let the whole shinobi world see what Konoha has become!"
The higher someone's status, the more they feared death. The Daimyo's instincts were already screaming danger based on that one document. After all, Danzo had already made threats before. He was capable of acting on them.
"Alright! Let's proceed. If Sarutobi Hiruzen can't give me a satisfactory explanation, I will expose everything!"
Konoha's financial struggles had worsened ever since the Third Great Ninja War. The devastation was followed by the disaster of the Nine-Tails' rampage, further draining their resources. Even years later, the village hadn't fully recovered.
Every single day, Hiruzen Sarutobi was weighed down by financial strain.
Konoha was broke. Deeply broke.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Come in."
Hiruzen put down his reports and rubbed his sore eyes. When he looked up, he saw an old friend.
"It's you, Koharu. What brings you here today?"
"I just wanted to ask—why hasn't the funding from the Daimyo's Mansion arrived yet?"
They were longtime comrades, so the question was posed casually, like asking whether one had eaten yet.
"Still not transferred?" Hiruzen frowned. The Daimyo's allocations had never been late.
"Maybe something's held it up. If nothing arrives in a few days, I'll send someone to inquire."
"Please do. The village can't afford any more delays," Koharu said, leaving briskly. As an elder, she had plenty on her plate—unlike Danzo, who had far too much free time.
What Hiruzen hadn't anticipated was the silence.
No word. No funds.
Half a month passed. Koharu's repeated follow-ups grew more pressing, and it finally dawned on Hiruzen—this wasn't a simple delay.
The Daimyo was applying pressure.
Meanwhile, back in the Uchiha District, Hiko—who had been on mandatory rest—finally returned to work after a half-month break.
"Half a month ago, they said they'd begin negotiating reforms in the Police Department. Yet nothing's changed."
Typical. Unreliable leadership.
Hiko could already imagine the clan patriarch, Fugaku, being bogged down by self-serving elders who argued endlessly, achieving nothing.
Truly, being clan head wasn't easy.
"Captain, should we resume patrols?"
Even Itachi, quiet as she often was, seemed restless.
And Hiko—after all this time—was more than ready to move.