Kazekage Ninja-Chapter 39: The War Loan

"Ho! That old fox, the Third Raikage, really spared no expense this time. He sent three of the Alphabet Squad—this one, X; that one, W-Ai; and the other, Zed—all of them elite, quasi-Kage-level warriors that Kumogakure spent fortunes training over the years. And yet, none of them even lasted a single round against Minato. Minato, well done!"

Danzo Shimura rarely praised anyone, but this time, he didn't hold back in giving credit to Minato Namikaze.

Minato scratched the back of his head sheepishly and replied, "It's not that I'm much stronger than them; it's just that they weren't familiar with the tactics of the Flying Thunder God Technique. That's how I gained the upper hand."

"Minato, no need for modesty," Hiruzen Sarutobi interjected with a sigh of admiration. "It's truly gratifying to see Tobirama-sensei's technique perfected in your hands."

"Excuse me, gentlemen," Homura Mitokado cut in, pointing at the bodies strewn across the battlefield. "Shouldn't we focus on the aftermath instead of straying off-topic?"

"Hmm, what's your suggestion?" Hiruzen asked.

"Isn't it obvious? Kumogakure's vile act of kidnapping our Jinchuriki is a blatant provocation against Konoha. We must publicly expose their despicable actions and resolutely retaliate!" Homura exclaimed, clenching his fist.

Hiruzen didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned to Danzo. "Danzo, what's your take?"

"I haven't decided yet," Danzo replied coolly, his attention still fixed on the marked kunai on the ground.

"Minato, what about you? What's your opinion?" Hiruzen asked after a moment of contemplation, surprising everyone.

"Me?" Minato looked incredulous. Given his relatively junior status, he didn't feel qualified to voice his opinions in front of the Hokage and the senior advisors.

"Yes, you. You carried out the mission, and you dealt with the enemy. Why shouldn't you share your thoughts? Don't worry. Even if you're wrong, no one will hold it against you," Hiruzen teased with a smile.

Encouraged by the Hokage's words, Minato decided to speak his mind. "I believe it's not wise to make this incident public for now."

Hiruzen's eyes gleamed as he heard this. "Explain your reasoning."

Minato nodded and elaborated, "If we expose Kumogakure's actions now, it will undoubtedly push them toward war. At this moment, neither they nor we are prepared for an all-out conflict. Rushing into war would not benefit Konoha.

On the contrary, if we keep this incident under wraps, Kumogakure's leadership will be left in a state of uncertainty, hesitant to make any rash moves. This gives us the opportunity to calmly prepare for both war and diplomacy. When the time is right, we can reveal the incident, giving us the moral high ground and the advantage of striking first. This will provide us with significant leverage in any future conflict."

"Well said!" Danzo exclaimed, praising someone for the second time—and it was the same person.

"Minato, would you be interested in joining the ANBU?" Danzo asked, his desire to recruit the young prodigy evident.

"Save it, Danzo. Don't try to hoard every talent for yourself. I have other plans for Minato," Hiruzen cut him off sharply. Minato's exceptional skills, strategic mind, moral character, and psychological resilience had already been noted in Hiruzen's "talent pool." Minato was being groomed as a future successor, and there was no way Hiruzen would let Danzo waste him on covert operations.

"Let's proceed with Minato's proposal. Keep this incident confidential and let the father-and-son duo in Kumogakure stew over it. Danzo, focus on the Amegakure situation. I'll give you my full support!" Hiruzen declared, making no effort to hide the high-level decision-making process from Minato. It was clear he intended to bring the young ninja into the inner circle. At just 18 years old, Minato was already on track to become a "senior official," rising even faster than Jing Hang had in his time.

"Understood. I'll expedite the matter," Danzo replied.

"It's getting late. Let's head back," Hiruzen said, leading Minato and Homura away.

Danzo stood up, clapped his hands, and ordered, "Clear the area."

He then turned and left as well.

Shortly after, a group of ANBU operatives wearing masks emerged from the shadows. They swiftly and efficiently cleaned up the "battlefield," leaving no trace behind.

"Still no news from Konoha?" The Third Raikage frowned deeply.

"Indeed. Even if the mission failed, someone should have returned by now. And the fact that Konoha hasn't leaked any information is suspicious in itself," said Tsukikami Kouichi, his face filled with questions.

"This is my failing. But I can't understand it either. Twenty elite jonin, including three quasi-Kage-level fighters—X, W-Ai, and Zed—were sent on this mission. It's hard to believe they were all wiped out. Could it be that Hiruzen Sarutobi himself intervened?" Tsuchidai speculated.

"The specifics of the operation and its timing were known only to the three of us. There's no chance of a mole. Could the problem have come from within the task force?" Tsukikami suggested.

"That's unlikely. Those selected for the task force were all elite jonin, born and raised in our village…" Tsuchidai began.

"Tsuchidai, there's no such thing as 'impossible' in this world. Investigate thoroughly. We must uncover the truth behind this incident. Without clarity, we can't proceed with our next steps," the Third Raikage said. Despite his rough exterior, he was exceptionally cautious when it came to military matters, especially against a powerful opponent like Konoha. If there truly was a spy within their ranks, the consequences of a war would be catastrophic.

"Father, I think we need to approach this from two angles. On one hand, we should conduct internal screening and investigation. On the other, we must start making covert preparations," Tsukikami Kouichi suggested.

"Agreed. Preparations are essential. Do you foresee any challenges?" the Third Raikage asked.

"There are indeed difficulties. The Eight-Tails' rampage caused significant damage, and much of the village's war budget has been diverted to disaster relief efforts. If we were to initiate a war now, I'm afraid…" Tsukikami trailed off, his expression troubled.

The Third Raikage was well aware of the village's financial strain. As the saying goes, "An army marches on its stomach." Without adequate resources, waging war was unthinkable.

"How large is the deficit?" the Third Raikage asked.

"At least six billion ryo. Additionally, we'll need a substantial supply of medical supplies and ninja tools," Tsukikami replied.

The Third Raikage furrowed his brow. While six billion ryo wouldn't normally be an issue for Kumogakure, the village simply couldn't produce that amount on short notice given its current economic state.

"What's the Daimyo's stance?" the Raikage inquired of Tsuchidai.

"He's already stated that this year's harvest was average. The most he can provide is two billion ryo for military expenses," Tsuchidai reported.

After a moment of contemplation, the Third Raikage made his decision. "Contact the Third Kazekage, Jing Hang, and request a war loan of five billion ryo!"

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