The following day, the entire ninja world was rocked by an unprecedented announcement.
Sand Village had declared its dissolution of the contract with the Land of Wind, and as per the request of the Daimyo's office, the village was officially disbanded.
The revelation left the world in stunned disbelief. Sand Village—one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, a keystone of the ninja world—had disbanded overnight. How could such a monumental village collapse so suddenly? Even the Shinobi Times struggled to keep up with the rapid developments.
Speculation ran rampant. Had the Allied Shinobi Forces been so formidable that Sand Village had no choice but to surrender? Was their declaration of war so crushing that the village was compelled to capitulate? The sheer scale of the event left everyone questioning how such a cornerstone of the ninja world could fall so swiftly.
But the turmoil didn't stop there. Just as the ninja world was grappling with the shocking dissolution of Sand Village and people began to hope that the war, which was reshaping the very layout of the ninja world, might finally be winding down...
Another bombshell exploded onto the scene. The original Four Great Ninja Villages abruptly disbanded their alliance—only to have three of them reunite almost immediately. But instead of following through on their plan to attack Sand Village, they made an unexpected turn and set their sights on Konoha, their former ally.
Once again, the world was left in stunned silence. In a single night, the entire landscape of the conflict had shifted so drastically that no one could make sense of it. First, Sand Village had disappeared. Now, the former Allied Shinobi Forces had redirected their aggression, abandoning their original target to aim their swords at Konoha instead?
What on earth was happening? Was this the prelude to the Fourth Great Ninja War? Was the fragile peace that had only just been established about to shatter again? How could everything have changed so dramatically in just one night? What had transpired to upend the world so completely?
As the ninja world braced itself for what could be an even more devastating conflict than the previous three, with only four of the Five Great Ninja Villages remaining, there was a palpable anxiety over whether Konoha would face the same fate as Sand Village—utter annihilation.
Yet, what no one expected was the true, startling reason behind the sudden aggression of the three Great Ninja Villages toward Konoha. When the cause was revealed, it left the entire ninja world in stunned silence.
People scrutinized the information with a mix of disbelief and bewilderment, even questioning if this was some sort of elaborate hoax by the Grass Village. There was no grand ninja war or major reshuffling of alliances on the horizon. Instead, the reason was both mundane and shockingly simple.
The Shinobi Times' headline captured the absurdity perfectly: "Stunning Revelation: Konoha's Assistant to the Hokage, in his twilight years, has committed such a scandalous act?"
The three Great Ninja Villages accused Konoha of violating the shinobi code. They revealed that during the alliance, Konoha's Assistant to the Hokage, Danzo Shimura, had secretly embezzled thirty billion ryō from the funds pooled together by the Allied Shinobi Forces. The funds, meant for the alliance's war efforts, had been discreetly transferred under Danzo's orders.
In his quest for three billion ryō, Danzo had not only disgraced Konoha but had also sacrificed his own honor. The ninja world was left grappling with the absurdity of the situation—one man's greed had sparked a catastrophic chain reaction.
The three Great Ninja Villages jointly issued an ultimatum to Konoha, demanding the immediate return of the three billion ryō and a formal explanation for the theft. Additionally, they insisted that Danzo Shimura be handed over to face punishment for his actions. They warned that if Konoha failed to comply, it would face a declaration of war.
Though the cause of this tension was far from what anyone could have predicted, and the bizarre twists of the conflict against Sand Village were still fresh in everyone's minds, the threat of another terrible conflict loomed large.
Now, the entire ninja world was fixated on Konoha. How would the village respond to the Allied Forces' demands? What decision would the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, make? Would he choose to return the three billion ryō and sacrifice Danzo to preserve the village's safety, or would he resist, potentially plunging Konoha into war?
The oppressive tension was palpable. What began as a war of the Four Great Ninja Villages against Sand Village had rapidly transformed into a crisis that could reshape the fate of the entire ninja world.
Even the Shinobi Times almost couldn't keep up with the demand for updates. Reports flew off the shelves as everyone eagerly followed the developments, glued to every new piece of information. The world anxiously awaited Konoha's response, knowing that whatever decision was made could ignite the flames of war or restore a fragile peace.
And Finally, the Third Hokage made a statement. His statement was carefully crafted to diffuse the explosive situation. He began by expressing profound regret over the sudden disbandment of Sand Village, acknowledging the shock it had caused across the ninja world. However, he made it clear that the embezzlement of funds was solely the result of Danzo Shimura's personal actions, unconnected to the broader leadership or the intentions of Konoha.
In an effort to distance the village from Danzo's misdeeds, Hiruzen Sarutobi announced that Danzo had been stripped of his title as Assistant to the Hokage and had already faced severe reprimand and punishment for his actions. As for the alleged three billion ryō that had gone missing, the Third Hokage dismissed it as a baseless rumor, denying that such an amount had ever been in Danzo's possession.
Despite claiming that no substantial amount of money was involved, the Third Hokage recognized the need to make amends. He declared that Konoha would withdraw one billion ryō from its reserves as a gesture of goodwill to the Allied Shinobi Forces, hoping this would quell any lingering hostilities and restore peace.
To further explain Danzo's actions, the Third Hokage painted a sympathetic picture of his former assistant. He recounted Danzo's humble beginnings, describing him as a child born into poverty, whose early life was marked by scarcity and hardship. Hiruzen explained that these early experiences had left deep scars on Danzo's psyche, scars that resurfaced when he found himself suddenly in the presence of vast sums of money.
In a bid to evoke understanding and leniency from the leaders of the three Great Ninja Villages, the Third Hokage described Danzo's actions not as malicious but as the tragic consequence of a life marked by deprivation. He claimed that during his flight, Danzo had been so consumed by fear and guilt that he had dropped all the money in the desert, leaving it scattered and unspent. Hiruzen's portrayal of Danzo as a man broken by his past, too terrified to even touch the money he had taken, was both vivid and sorrowful.
The speech was delivered with such emotion and conviction that it stirred the hearts of many who heard it. Some were moved to pity for Danzo, while others felt a begrudging respect for the Third Hokage's ability to handle such a delicate situation with both firmness and compassion.
The leaders of the three Great Ninja Villages were absolutely livid after hearing the Third Hokage's statement. The claim that Danzo Shimura, a prominent figure from the esteemed Shimura clan, had grown up in poverty was nothing short of insulting.
While the Shimura clan might not be on the same level as the legendary Senju, Uchiha, or Hyuga clans, they were far from poor. In fact, they were one of the most respected and wealthy families in Konoha, comparable even to the Sarutobi clan. To suggest that Danzo, a former genius and head of the Shimura clan, had lived a life of hardship was laughable.
The leaders were incredulous at the audacity of the Third Hokage, who they had once respected as a righteous and honorable figure in the ninja world. Now, it seemed that Hiruzen Sarutobi was willing to stoop to any level to protect his village and its interests, even if it meant fabricating such an absurd story.
The offer of one billion ryō as compensation only fueled their anger further. Originally, each village was set to receive approximately seven hundred million ryō, but now the Third Hokage expected them to accept less than four hundred million each? It was outrageous. Moreover, The excuse that Danzo was 'afraid' or 'feeling guilty' was also just as absurd.
That guy had managed to escape from their combined forces, evading capture with a speed that rivaled the legendary Yellow Flash himself. Danzo wasn't some frightened, trembling man—he was a cunning, ruthless shinobi who had managed to pull off one of the most audacious thefts in recent history.
With their patience wearing thin, the three Great Ninja Villages immediately rejected the Third Hokage's offer. They demanded that Konoha pay at least two billion ryō in reparations, or they would have no choice but to take more drastic measures. Their message was clear: Konoha had to take full responsibility for Danzo's actions, or face the consequences.
The situation was rapidly escalating, and the possibility of a new, devastating conflict loomed large. The ninja world watched with bated breath as tensions reached a boiling point. Would Konoha bow to the pressure, or would they stand their ground, risking all-out war with three of the most powerful shinobi villages?
However, Despite the intense pressure from the three Great Ninja Villages, Konoha remained defiant. They flatly stated that they could only provide one billion ryō and dismissed any further negotiations. The Third Hokage's position was firm: "Take it or leave it."
In response to the escalating situation, Konoha mobilized its ninja forces and positioned them along the border of the Land of Wind. This show of military readiness was intended to deter further aggression and signal that Konoha was prepared to defend itself, turning the Land of Wind into a potential battlefield. With Sand Village dissolved and its ninja forces scattered, the Land of Wind was vulnerable, and its strategic weaknesses became increasingly apparent.
Just when it seemed like the Four Great Ninja Villages were on the brink of full-scale conflict, both sides unexpectedly began to withdraw after only a day and a night of tense standoff. The official reason given for the withdrawal was to 'maintain peace in the ninja world,' but many understood that the underlying truth was more pragmatic.
It became evident that none of the Four Great Ninja Villages were prepared to plunge into a full-scale war at that moment. The sudden disbandment of Sand Village had thrown everyone off balance, and the Allied Forces realized that escalating the conflict further was neither practical nor advantageous.
In an anti-climactic resolution to the crisis, the three Great Ninja Villages settled for the one billion ryō offered by Konoha, splitting the amount among themselves. The tension that had threatened to ignite a new war dissipated. This strange resolution to what could have been a devastating conflict left many in the ninja world bewildered. The strange, brief conflict was resolved in a way that no one had anticipated, and the ninja world seemed to return to its precarious peace.
…
Meanwhile, back in Konoha, once the immediate crisis had subsided, Hiruzen Sarutobi regarded Danzo, who stood before him with his eyes closed. Observing the profound changes in his old friend's demeanor over the past few years, Hiruzen couldn't help but sigh. After a brief moment of hesitation, he inquired, "Danzo, you've changed so much over this time. Are you alright?"
As the question lingered in the air, Danzo slowly opened his eyes. Leaning on his cane, he rose carefully. With a soft tap of his cane against the ground, his gaze turned distant and melancholic. Lost in thought, he responded with a voice tinged with complexity, "I'm fine. It's just that I've been through a lot recently." He released a long, weary sigh.
The cavern echoed with his voice, carrying the weight of painful memories, akin to an old man laden with untold stories. Hiruzen's eyes betrayed a flicker of emotion as he reflected, 'It seems Danzo's experiences in the Land of Grass over these past years were far more intricate than we ever imagined.'