"Takuya Yagami and Nawaki are close friends, and there's also Kushina. Because of them, Tsunade has grown closer to him over time. We should stay out of this. Crafting a new weapon isn't easy either—there isn't much chakra metal left in the village," said Homura.
"What? How can that be?" Koharu's eyes widened. She clearly remembered there was plenty left the last time they checked.
The Third Hokage hadn't been handing out chakra metal to Shinobi for any rewards or weapon crafting lately, so how did it run out?
"Ahem," Homura coughed lightly, glancing toward Konoha Hospital.
Realization dawned on Koharu's face as her expression tightened.
Danzo. It was him again. He had been quietly diverting chakra metal resources. If the Hokage ever found out that these vital supplies were gone, they would both be in serious trouble.
"What does he even need all that chakra metal for?"
Chakra metal was incredibly expensive. Even a small piece cost millions of ryo, and it wasn't the kind of material you could just go out and buy—connections and influence were needed to acquire it.
Konoha had a decent stockpile of chakra metal, but now it had mysteriously disappeared, diverted by Danzo.
This was outrageous.
It was one thing for Danzo to misappropriate funds or medical equipment from the medical department, but now he was dipping into their precious supply of chakra metal.
What was he thinking? Equipping Root's shinobi with upgraded weapons? Most of Konoha's elite Jonin didn't even have chakra-infused weapons, but Danzo was decking out his private army with them?
"Who knows? Why don't you ask him yourself?" Homura replied, making it clear he had no intention of taking the fall for Danzo's actions.
If the Hokage started looking into the matter, Danzo would have to answer for it. Homura wasn't going to cover for him.
Not long after, they arrived at the hospital and entered Danzo's private, luxury ward. Looking at the man who was bedridden and unable to move, Koharu wasted no time with pleasantries.
"Danzo, you've diverted most of the chakra metal from the logistics department. What are you using it for? This is a serious issue. If Hiruzen finds out, he'll be furious."
Danzo opened his one good eye, his voice indifferent. "I have my reasons."
As for what those reasons were, he didn't bother to explain.
"You—!" Koharu was already fuming after her earlier confrontation with Tsunade, and now Danzo's dismissive attitude pushed her over the edge.
"Danzo, you know how precious chakra metal is. If this gets out and Hiruzen learns about it, we're not going to cover for you."
Danzo closed his eye again, ignoring her, leaving Koharu trembling with frustration.
"Fine! Have it your way, Danzo!" she spat, storming out of the room in anger.
She swore that if this mess ever came to light, she wouldn't lift a finger to help him. She was done with Danzo's reckless behavior. If he kept acting like this, he'd bring the whole house down.
"Danzo, you…" Homura sighed, caught between a rock and a hard place. He could only follow Koharu out of the room, leaving Danzo behind.
Once they were gone, Danzo opened his eyes again, and two Root operatives quietly appeared in the room.
"Lord Danzo, we've received a letter from Orochimaru," one of the shinobi reported.
"I see. Leave it here. Send a reply in my name. Tell him the chakra metal he needs has been secured, and I look forward to a successful collaboration," Danzo ordered.
"Take the materials to Orochimaru at the camp in the Land of Rivers. Make sure no one else handles them—deliver it to him personally."
"Yes, Lord Danzo." The Root operatives swiftly left the room.
The hospital room returned to its quiet state.
Danzo had funneled most of the chakra metal to Orochimaru, hoping to win his favor and form a partnership. What Orochimaru planned to do with it was a mystery to Danzo, but he didn't care. He had the resources, and now he had something valuable to offer.
As for whether or not the Hokage would eventually discover the missing materials, that was a problem for another day.
Even if it did come out, what could the Hokage really do to him? Strip him of his rank? Danzo scoffed at the thought.
Koharu could claim she wouldn't help, but when push came to shove, she'd cover for him. If she didn't, then when her own skeletons came out, she'd be on her own too.
Later that evening, Tsunade came to visit, looking displeased after a rough day at the gambling tables. She took one look at Danzo and was ready to leave. She wasn't in the mood to deal with him today—his treatment could wait.
"How much longer do I need to stay in this hospital?" Danzo asked, opening his eyes as she turned to go.
"How should I know? Maybe a few days, maybe a few months," Tsunade replied casually, barely paying attention as she scribbled something in her notes.
"Oh, by the way, how's your condition today, Lord Danzo? Are your hands or feet numb? Any pain in your face? How about the back of your head? Any dull ache there?" she asked with mock concern. "You're a patient, after all. You can't hide your symptoms—if something happens, it'll be on you."
Danzo gritted his teeth. "No. I'm fine."
He was sick of lying around in this hospital bed. If it weren't for the risks, he'd have left long ago. But Tsunade had made his condition sound so dire that he was too cautious to leave.
What if he felt fine now, but as soon as he left the hospital, things took a turn for the worse? He couldn't afford to gamble with his health. Getting Tsunade to treat him after the fact would be nearly impossible.
The Hokage had been pressing for Tsunade to go to the front lines for weeks now. If it weren't for her working on his treatment, she would've left already.
"Good," Tsunade said, jotting something down in her work log. "In that case, just rest for a while longer."
"Wait!" Danzo called out, growing desperate. "Weren't you supposed to start my treatment today?"
"Yeah, that was the plan," Tsunade replied with a shrug. "But I've got other things to do, so we'll push it back a bit. Hope you don't mind, Lord Danzo. See you tomorrow."
Danzo was left speechless as Tsunade walked out. The frustration from his encounter with her in the Land of Rain had finally come back to bite him. He had made her life difficult back then, and now she was making sure he paid for it.
In a foul mood, Tsunade poured herself a drink back into her office, slamming the door behind her.
Meanwhile, Danzo was fuming, tempted to leave the hospital right then and there. But he didn't dare. As much as it infuriated him, he couldn't risk leaving without proper care. Only Tsunade could handle his condition, and no one else in the village could help him.
Outside the village, on a secluded path, a small white fox perched on a tree branch, gazing up at the full moon. It was Snowy's time to roam freely.
Takuya didn't restrict Snowy's movements, and she often went out to explore the village on her own when there was nothing else to do. While Konoha's patrols and gate guards rarely detected her, Snowy moved silently and unnoticed.
She could easily sneak in and out of the village without anyone being the wiser. If trouble ever came her way, Snowy could simply retreat into Takuya's body, avoiding any danger.
As for the village's security barriers, they posed no threat to her.
Tonight, the moon was bright and beautiful, though Snowy found herself wishing her master was there to enjoy it with her. Sensing that it was about time to return, she prepared to head back when something caught her attention.
Her keen senses picked up a small disturbance in Konoha's barrier. It had been opened slightly, allowing two figures in ANBU uniforms to slip out.
Snowy was familiar with ANBU shinobi. After all, they constantly shadowed Kushina wherever she went, so it was nothing new to her.
But these two didn't feel quite right.
"Are they Root operatives?" Snowy thought to herself.
Being by Takuya's side, she knew how much he disliked the Root. Root operatives served Danzo, and in Takuya's words, they were nothing but trouble.
In his opinion, anyone who joined Root was bound to turn rotten sooner or later.
**********
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