The daimyo felt like he had been publicly humiliated.
He had accepted the gifts sent by the Sand Ninja Village and assured everyone that there would be no problems in the peace talks.
But the outcome?
The Third Kage slapped him in the face with a backhand.
"When did your opinion start deciding wars? Step aside."
The daimyo, embarrassed and angry, swallowed his pride and ignored the Third Kage's slight.
For someone like the daimyo, face was everything. Public humiliation would surely become fodder for ridicule by other daimyo, a shame he couldn't tolerate.
Though furious, the daimyo wouldn't confront Konoha directly over this.
"I've tallied all the supplies multiple times," Mitokadu Hamura said confidently. "Unless something unexpected happens—like supplies being stolen, burned by the enemy, or Orochimaru wasting them recklessly—the shipments sent to the front lines are enough to last two to three months."
How many ninjas were on the front lines? How much did they consume daily? Adding a buffer, it was possible to estimate the numbers fairly accurately.
While exact precision was impossible, having a reliable approximation was enough.
It also showcased Mitokadu Hamura's strong management of the logistics department.
Hearing this, the Third Kage nodded in satisfaction. This was the outcome he wanted to see. His gaze shifted from Mitokadu Hamura to Koharu, lying in bed.
Koharu immediately spoke up. "Since this isn't an all-out war, the number of medical ninjas on the front lines is sufficient. The village doesn't need to send additional manpower. As for medicine..."
She shot an unkind look at Shinki.
Though Koharu managed the village's medical systems, she had no control over the pharmaceutical department, which was Shinki's domain. This imbalance left her feeling powerless.
Without control of the pharmaceutical department, even the best medical systems would be crippled.
Shinki, unbothered, responded lazily, "The required medicines and supplies have already been discreetly delivered to Orochimaru. As long as he doesn't misuse them, they're enough to last over three months."
The pharmaceutical department, once staffed by village ninjas, had become almost fully automated by puppets under Shinki's control. Only a few critical positions remained manned by humans.
The entire department was so tightly secured that even the Third Kage couldn't intervene.
Shinki added casually, "All other village supplies are adequate. The real question is whether the Ministry of Finance can keep up. Don't forget, after the New Year, a new pension round will be due."
"This isn't a small expense. And with the relationship between the daimyo's palace and the village at a freezing point, I suspect funding will be delayed—or even reduced."
His pointed comment left the room silent.
Among those in the Kage's office, only Mitokadu Hamura remained calm. The Third Kage, Koharu, and the chubby Torifu Akimichi all wore uneasy expressions.
Koharu finally broke the silence. "Hiruzen, how long can the village's finances last before we receive funding from the daimyo's palace?"
The Ministry of Finance was directly under the Third Kage's control. None of them had insight into its exact state, and questioning it would imply distrust.
The Third Kage sighed heavily. "Not long. Especially after paying out pensions..."
In the past, financial stability had been maintained because the daimyo's allocations always arrived after the New Year. But now?
The daimyo, angered by the slap to his dignity, might delay funding indefinitely or provide it in smaller, irregular amounts.
The war demanded funds. The village's maintenance and development needed funds. Ninja salaries required funds. And pensions were non-negotiable.
Any delay in pensions would lead to immediate protests from the families of fallen ninjas.
The Third Kage hesitated. "Without support from the daimyo's palace, can we stabilize the village's finances?"
His question was met with heavy silence.
Torifu Akimichi avoided eye contact. Koharu remained quiet, unable to offer a solution. Even Mitokadu Hamura sighed deeply.
The high-level meeting ended with a tense and awkward atmosphere.
After leaving the Kage's office, Torifu shook his head. "It's a tough situation. Financial issues are hard enough without the daimyo complicating things."
Shinki, however, shrugged. "That's the price of victory."
Unlike the others, he wasn't concerned. This was a mess someone else would have to clean up.
>>>>>
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: Maelstrom Of the Uzumaki]