The longer the war lasted, the greater the economic toll on the Daimyo's government.
No matter the outcome—victory or defeat—the war would inevitably leave a significant mark. The only party truly enduring the brunt of this was Konoha.
"Give me a moment to think it over," muttered the Third Kazekage.
He was torn, unable to decide.
Meanwhile, Shinki and his party returned to Konoha.
The Third Hokage immediately headed to the Hokage's office. Having been away for some time, he knew the village's administrative matters would be piling up.
Although Tsunade had been helping oversee things, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew her well enough to predict that she'd handle the major decisions but leave the smaller, more tedious issues for him to sort out.
A Pile of Paperwork
Sure enough, when the Third Hokage walked into his office, he was greeted by a mountain of scrolls and forms.
With a resigned sigh, he sat down, lit his pipe, and began sifting through them.
News of his return spread quickly. Before long, Mitokado Hamura entered the office with several documents in hand.
"Hiruzen, how did the Kage Summit go?"
"..."
It had gone well—at least, in a manner of speaking.
The Third Hokage recounted the events of the summit, keeping his explanation succinct.
When he finished, Mitokado Hamura's eyes widened.
"You're telling me this summit was initiated because of Shinki's puppets?!"
Since the founding of the ninja villages, no one had ever received such treatment.
"Just to address Shinki's puppets?"
Hamura was almost in disbelief.
The Third Hokage sighed.
"Yes. The entire purpose was to restrict Shinki's puppets. The other villages were so concerned they even agreed to compensate him—to the tune of 100 million ryō per village."
"Wait... all that money?"
Hamura could barely contain his shock. If the funds went into Konoha's treasury, it would significantly improve the village's financial situation.
The sheer amount was staggering—and undeniably tempting.
"It's Shinki's money."
Hiruzen's firm tone cut through Hamura's thoughts.
Any compensation given by the other villages belonged to Shinki. Diverting it elsewhere would only create animosity and risk reigniting tensions.
"Hamura, while the money is substantial, it's not worth risking our current progress with the other villages. Shinki agreed to certain restrictions on puppet use, and in return, we avoid further targeting."
Hiruzen tried to reason with his old friend, fearing that greed might cloud his judgment.
"Convincing Shinki won't be easy," Hamura muttered.
"Perhaps not, but convincing the other Kage to focus their efforts on restricting him instead of Konoha would've been even harder. Without such an agreement, Konoha would've faced coordinated targeting from the other villages."
Hamura finally nodded, though he chuckled nervously.
"Hiruzen, you should probably keep an eye on Koharu. If she finds out about this, she might try to siphon some of that money into the village coffers."
"I'll deal with her directly," the Third Hokage replied firmly.
Restrictions and Wealth
"By the way..." Hamura hesitated. "Do you think Shinki can truly hold his own against the Third Raikage?"
The Third Hokage exhaled a puff of smoke, his gaze sharpening.
"Shinki has mastered the powers of repulsion and gravity. These abilities are particularly effective against taijutsu users. The Third Raikage is cautious. He knows better than to risk exposing himself further or being drawn into a prolonged battle against Shinki. Until a method to counteract those abilities is found, he'll avoid direct conflict with him."
Hamura sighed in relief, feeling grateful for their previous decisions.
"It seems this kid is about to become very wealthy," he remarked, half-jokingly.
The Third Hokage shook his head.
"Iwa and Suna can't pay their share in full. They've offered ores and materials as substitutes. Shinki plans to use those resources to craft more advanced puppets. The actual money will come from the Cloud and Mist Villages. The payments should arrive in the village soon."
Hiruzen didn't plan to handle the funds himself. It was better to let Shinki deal with it directly and avoid complications.
As for Koharu, he'd have to have a word with her to prevent further friction within the leadership.
Tsunade's Reaction
That day, Tsunade wasn't at work. When Shinki arrived home, he found her lounging lazily on the sofa.
"You're back?" she greeted, sitting up with sudden interest.
"What exactly happened at the Kage Summit?"
The summit had taken place abruptly, and no information had leaked during or after the meeting. The villagers were still in the dark, leaving Tsunade eager for answers.
"What else? Suna was terrified of getting bombed again, so they convened the summit. The whole thing was essentially about me."
Shinki flopped onto the sofa next to her.
"Wait... the summit was about you?"
Tsunade was dumbfounded.
Since when did Kage Summits revolve around a single individual?
"Yes," Shinki confirmed, amused by her reaction. "Suna was worried I'd send my puppets to their battlefield or use them to attack their village. So they pulled the Cloud, Stone, and Mist Villages into a united front against me. After some discussion, it was agreed that puppets couldn't be used for surprise attacks on villages, and I'd receive compensation for the restrictions."
"Unbelievable!"
Tsunade's frustration flared at the thought of Suna rallying the other villages just to target Shinki.
"But wait..." She narrowed her eyes. "Why would they unite against you and still compensate you?"
Shinki laughed, recounting the details of the agreement.
Tsunade's initial anger quickly transformed into astonishment. Her eyes sparkled with excitement when she learned that Shinki would receive 400 million ryō in compensation.
"So much money?"
Her mood shifted completely. Tsunade now viewed the situation as an incredible windfall.
"What are you planning to do with all that money?" she asked, barely able to contain her enthusiasm.
Shinki smirked, knowing full well how much Tsunade loved the idea of wealth.
>>>>>
200 Chapters ahead available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
50% discount code (DDBFC)
Gimme power stonesssss
Also, leave a review please and check out my new story
[Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki]