The astonishing development of the Grass Shinobi Village had exceeded everyone's expectations, including Danzo's own. In just over a decade, the village had surged to unprecedented heights. No one could have foreseen a small shinobi village evolving to a point where even Konoha had to acknowledge its significance. After all, Konoha had reigned as the strongest village for over fifty years, maintaining its supremacy since the era of the First Hokage. Though, in recent times, it has faltered, slipping into a state of decline.
During his extensive stay in the Grass and Rain villages, Danzo often found himself pondering the future of Konoha. The stark contrast between the burgeoning Grass Village and Konoha's stagnation was impossible to ignore. Therefore, upon his return, he wasted no time after recuperating and promptly set to work on formulating his plan.
Standing in a grey kimono with bandages wrapped around the right side of his face, Danzo held a specially designed pointer. His eyes were stern as he addressed the gathered, tapping the board behind him. "Based on my investigations during this period, the proliferation of Grass Village products has surpassed all our expectations."
The board depicted a simplistic map of the shinobi world, dotted with numerous red marks that elicited slight frowns from the audience.
"Particularly in the Land of Fire and within Konoha itself..." Danzo's gaze swept around the newly refurbished office, a hint of resignation in his sigh. In the aftermath of the Nine-Tails' rampage, the Third Shinobi World War, and his own personal endeavors, the village had incurred staggering expenses, leaving little opportunity for recovery. Consequently, the affordable Grass Village products have become the preferred choice for the village. Even this office was no exception; most of its equipment had been procured from the Grass Village.
Perhaps the aftermath of the fierce battles of the Third Shinobi World War had contributed to the widespread decline across the shinobi world, facilitating the rapid expansion of Grass products.
It's just… How could Grass Shinobi Village produce goods at such low prices? After all, If the Land of Fire were even to employ maximum cost-cutting measures to match Grass Village prices, they would still struggle to match their quality, no matter the effort.
"From this pie chart, we can see that Grass Village manufacturing is steadily encroaching on the market space of the Five Great Nations' domestic producers. This line graph shows a gradual decline in domestic production, while Grass Shinobi's production has been increasing rapidly. And from this bar graph, it's clear that Grass Village's products far exceed those of the Five Great Nations in various categories." As Danzo spoke, the room fell silent, everyone riveted by the unusual charts and his unexpected presentation.
Even the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, remained silent, hands clasped as he stared at Danzo. His face, however, twitched slightly. It wasn't the data that shocked him but rather Danzo's uncharacteristically detailed and organized presentation. When had Danzo ever been so meticulous? What the hell are these weird 'charts'? And Where did he get such strange data?
Danzo used to be straightforward, bluntly delivering his points without the support of detailed data and charts. He'd typically declare, "This threatens Konoha's safety, Hiruzen!" and, if rejected, storm out shouting, "You'll regret this, Hiruzen!"
The room's occupants were equally perplexed. They exchanged glances, bewildered by the transformation. Danzo, once known for his abrupt and forceful tactics, now stood before them with meticulously prepared visual aids.
Could it be that Danzo had secretly taken some classes? Clearly, Looks like age hadn't stopped him from learning something new.
As Hiruzen mused over Danzo's unexpected transformation, Danzo turned to him, his analysis seemingly complete. "So, Hiruzen. We must be vigilant. Relying on Grass Village for essential supplies is too dangerous for Konoha, especially... Hiruzen? Hiruzen!"
"Oh, yes, of course," Hiruzen replied, shaking off his reverie and meeting Danzo's gaze with a complex expression. After a moment of contemplation, he sighed deeply. "I understand your concern. What do you propose Konoha should do?"
Without hesitation, Danzo responded, "We must restrict and drive out Grass Shinobi manufacturing, encourage domestic production in the Land of Fire, and increase investments."
Before Hiruzen could respond, Mitokado Homura, Konoha's astute strategist, interjected with a serious expression. "That's impossible, Danzo! You're well aware of the village's current predicament. Our top priority now is recovery and the training of our ninjas. We simply don't have the extra funds to invest elsewhere."
Homura continued to press his point, emphasizing, "Consider the substantial profits our village gains from its dealings with Grass Village each year. Moreover, Given our strained relations with the Daimyo right now, any disruption in this arrangement would spell disaster for us."
"This is precisely Grass Village's ploy!" Danzo countered, his tone grave. "We must address it swiftly. If Grass Village ceases to supply us, the consequences would be catastrophic."
"That's even more likely! Even during wartime, Grass Village has never withheld its support from us. These are individuals who prioritize profit above all else," Homura asserted, shaking his head resolutely.
"As long as there's profit to be made, they won't refuse us. And," he paused momentarily, his gaze piercing, "Danzo, remember your own words? These trivial things are unimportant to ninjas. What matters is their obedience to orders and their training. More importantly, their strength."
At Homura's words, Danzo's expression flickered momentarily as he recalled his previous disdain for Grass Village policies. However, he quickly regained his composure and retorted, "I, too, was deceived by Grass Village. We should have rejected their offer from the start."
Homura countered, "No! I believe you've fallen victim to the schemes of the Grass and Rain Villages, aiming to hinder Konoha's recovery!"
"Homura!" Danzo's frustration bubbled to the surface at Homura's accusation.
"Danzo!" Homura met Danzo's intensity with his own, refusing to back down.
The heated exchange escalated, each adamant in their stance, until they both turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi for resolution. "Hiruzen!" they appealed in unison.
Faced with their intense gazes, Hiruzen, who had been silently observing the heated exchange, felt a headache coming on. Both Danzo and Homura were his trusted aides, each possessing considerable influence and power within the village.
Homura, renowned as the village's sagacious strategist, was adept at assessing situations and devising strategies that best served Konoha's interests. His decisions were guided by what would benefit the village in the long term, and he had been instrumental in guiding Konoha's actions for years.
Danzo, on the other hand, led 'Root' and served as the Hokage's advisor, bearing the weight of the village's burdens and dealing with threats through a ruthless and decisive approach. If Hiruzen represented warmth and light as the Hokage, Danzo was the shadow executing decisions with precision. Together, they had worked tirelessly to restore Konoha's strength.
In many ways, both Danzo and Homura were akin to Hiruzen's left and right-hand men, indispensable to the village's governance and security.
However, as Hiruzen contemplated the situation, he couldn't ignore the practical realities facing Konoha. Homura's perspective aligned more closely with the village's current circumstances. With limited resources and a pressing need for recovery and ninja training, any rash actions could have dire consequences, potentially jeopardizing Konoha's standing with the Daimyo.
While he shared Danzo's concerns regarding Grass Village's activities, He also believed in the paramount importance of individual ninja strength.
Hiruzen clasped his hands together, deep in thought for a moment before addressing Danzo with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Danzo. The village's priority must be on recovery. Our actions are under scrutiny from the other four great ninja villages."
Danzo's reaction was immediate and intense. "You're choosing him over me, Hiruzen?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with shock and anger.
"I... you misunderstand!" Hiruzen stammered, taken aback by Danzo's sudden outburst, attempting to explain himself.
But Danzo, feeling deeply aggrieved by what he perceived as betrayal, wasn't convinced. "No, I didn't!" he retorted firmly, refusing to accept Hiruzen's explanation.
"Apologies, Danzo. While your concerns hold merit, they're not feasible for Konoha's current situation. And your methods, Danzo... they're too extreme," Hiruzen explained, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Though Grass Village is concerning, we can't afford to sever ties with them completely."
With that, Hiruzen made his stance clear. Danzo's expression turned ashen with rage. "You'll regret this, Hiruzen!" he declared sharply before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind him in his fury.
"I am the Hokage, Danzo!" Hiruzen asserted firmly, though inwardly feeling a sense of familiarity and reassurance at the old dynamic with Danzo.
"Danzo, really…" Hiruzen sighed, watching the closed door with a mixture of resignation and understanding. Danzo was, after all, always Danzo. Turning back to the remaining officials, he composed himself. "Let's continue the meeting. We need to discuss how Konoha will proceed with its recovery."
…
Meanwhile, Feeling misunderstood and enraged, Danzo stormed back to the laboratory adjacent to the Root base.
"Hiruzen, that stubborn old fool! Can't he see the Grass Shinobi Village's scheme?" His frustration bubbled over as he sighed deeply, his eyes flashing with resentment. The memory of Hiruzen siding with Homura left him with a painful sense of betrayal.
Had Hiruzen forgotten their agreement from years ago, when he had invited Danzo to help govern the village?
Muttering to himself, he clenched his fists. "It seems... only I can lead Konoha back to its former glory."
But before he could dwell further on his thoughts, a cold, mocking voice cut through the silence. "Tsk, tsk, tsk~ It seems your detailed plan was still rejected after all~"