According to the original agreement, the Daimyo's Mansion cannot interfere with the village's military operations or any related activities. Similarly, the village cannot interfere with the taxation policies of the Daimyo's Mansion.
Thus, the decision by the Suna Ninja Village to bypass Konoha and directly approach the Daimyo was undeniably a slap in the face for Konoha. This explains Koharu Utatane's anger during the meeting.
"The Daimyo has no right to directly interfere in the war, but they can exert pressure on us," Mitokado Hamura calmly reminded Koharu. "After experiencing the Great War, the village requires a significant capital injection, and most of our funding comes from the Daimyo's province."
While the Daimyo cannot halt the village's military operations, they can withhold financial support. They won't say outright that they refuse, but they might give only a token amount—just enough to create complications.
Not to mention the missions that sustain the village's economy depend heavily on the Daimyo's goodwill. These are powerful bargaining chips in the Daimyo's hands.
A Difficult Decision
"Let's put the Daimyo's role aside for now," the Third Hokage interjected, steering the discussion back to the main issue. "What we need to discuss now is whether the war should continue."
As long as Konoha refuses to agree to peace talks, there isn't much the Daimyo can do. But the real question is: Should this war continue?
This was the dilemma weighing on the Third Hokage's mind.
Akimichi Torifu sat deep in thought, while Shinki leaned back on the sofa, crossing his legs and yawning with boredom.
This kind of meeting was always dull for him.
The Third Hokage noticed Shinki's lack of interest, his eyelid twitching in irritation.
"Shinki, do you think the village should continue this war?"
Shinki was startled, momentarily caught off guard. Quickly, he deflected:
"Sorry, Hokage-sama, ANBU cannot interfere in war decisions."
Deciding whether to continue fighting or not was a matter for the Hokage's office, not ANBU. Shinki couldn't cross that boundary, and he had no intention of getting involved.
While his response was tactically correct, everyone at the meeting understood he was dodging responsibility. Shinki's attitude made it clear: he was here to observe, not to contribute.
The Fat Man Speaks
Seeing Shinki pass the question back, the Third Hokage turned to Akimichi Torifu for an answer.
"Fat Man, what do you think?"
Torifu, caught off guard, pointed at himself in surprise. After the Hokage confirmed, he let out a bitter laugh.
"Honestly, this isn't my area of expertise. Whether the war continues or not depends on your decision, Hokage-sama."
The Third Hokage's lips twitched in frustration, while Mitokado Hamura and Koharu Utatane exchanged helpless looks. Koharu's disdain for Torifu's nonchalant response was evident.
Realizing he couldn't avoid the topic, Torifu reluctantly provided an analysis:
"First, it's important to assess whether the village has the resources to continue the war. Sand Ninja Village is already at its limit, but what about us?"
"Second, by appealing directly to the Daimyo, the Sand Ninja Village is clearly attempting to use political pressure to avoid defeat and the burden of heavy war reparations. If we want to ensure the Daimyo remains neutral, continuing the fight is our best option."
Torifu paused to catch his breath before adding, "However, if we choose to prolong the war, we risk offending the Daimyo. That could complicate future funding."
His explanation left the ball back in the Third Hokage's court. It was now up to him to decide whether to take the risk of angering the Daimyo for a decisive victory or accept the peace talks to appease their financial backer.
Divided Opinions
The Third Hokage turned to his old friends for their input. Koharu Utatane, ever the hardliner, spoke firmly: "Fight!"
Though not as extreme as Danzo, Koharu was among the more aggressive voices within the leadership.
Mitokado Hamura, on the other hand, was more cautious. After a moment of thought, he suggested:
"Maintain the status quo and wait for news from the Daimyo's Mansion."
Pulling out of the war was unthinkable, but outright defiance of the Daimyo's preferences was also risky. The only viable option was to keep fighting selectively while awaiting the Daimyo's reaction.
The Sand Village's appeal to the Daimyo might even backfire. After all, the Daimyo had suffered considerable losses during the initial invasions, and they might not be sympathetic to the Sand Village's plight.
Post-Meeting Reflections
Late that night, Shinki and Akimichi Torifu left the Hokage's office together. On the way, Torifu couldn't help but ask:
"Why were you so quiet today? That's not like you."
Shinki smirked and replied, "In a meeting like this, why should I bother? I'm not the Hokage."
These political discussions were exactly the kind of headaches that made him glad he wasn't in charge. No wonder Tsunade despised attending these meetings.
Yawning repeatedly, Shinki muttered, "I'm exhausted. Time for some sleep."
Torifu, equally drained, nodded in agreement. This meeting had been a long, tiresome exercise.
>>>>>
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A/N: Hey Guys,
I was going over the discount code and saw that it wasn't toggled on for all the tiers. I fixed it now, sorry about that. ;)