While this discussion was happening in an unknown loany other discussioaking p famous pces around the world.

  (Iwagakure – Tsuchikage’s Office...)

  “Is he still training?” Onoki asked.

  “Yes, Lord Third, he hasn’t taken a single break since he returned,” Onoki’s secretary said.

  “It’s good that he’s finally serious about his training, but the cost of his ge in attitude is too much,” Onoki said.

  The elder sitting in front of him seized the opportunity to voice his opinion.

  “Yes, Lord Third, the merts oached from Konoha are going back. Even the subtle threats we presented aren’t w anymore,” the elder said.

  “Well, they’ve had good retions with Konoha fes. It would be uo think they’d lose that, especially with better trade options and more favorable ditions—especially now that Konoha is showing it’s back to its previous strength,” another elder said.

  “That’s just it—they’re showing it. They just lost that cursed anization and one of their S-rank shinobi, Danzo. There’s no way they’re back to full strength,” another elder argued.

  “That anization isn’t dead, just assimited into other Konoha forces. As for Danzo, he was dangerous for his schemes, not his power,” another elder tered.

  “Even so, how could they possibly regain full strength? The damage from the ails was too severe,” yet another elder said.

  Onoki sighed as he listeo the debate.

  “You’re all uimating Konoha’s talent. Five years is not a short time—especially sidering the amount of talent Konoha possesses. If Hiruzen decided, he could personally train a few elite Jonin squads in that time alone.

  “With talents like Kakashi of the Sharingan, Jiraiya, and those s, it’s not an exaggeration to say they’re more powerful than any other ninja vilge—even ours.”

  One doesn’t grow this old in the ninja world by lying to oneself. Onoki had no illusions that Iwagakure could pete with Konoha alo never could.

  “Even so, Lord Third, are we just going to let this happen? We ’t allow things to return to how they were. Our eidition was finally improving. If all the merts leave, our financial situation will deteriorate again,” the first elder said.

  “We ’t directly target those merts, especially since Konoha will protect them. But there are plenty ue ninja out there who will do it. And if there aren’t, we always create some.

  “Make sure at least o of every five caravans tied to Konoha is attacked by ‘bandits.’ Target those who are unrespoo our threats first. If this doesn’t force them to return, increase the frequency of attacks,” Onoki instructed.

  “But, sir, Konoha will increase caravan security ohey sense our pn,” the third elder said.

  “Don’t worry. We’re not the only ones pnning this. Kumogakure will do something simir, albeit mgressively. Suna might attempt it, but I doubt they have the fidence right now. Kirigakure is out of the equation.

  “With just the two of us—potentially three, including Suna—we’ll stretch Konoha thin. That will give us a ce to inflict damage or seize some bes.

  “However, rely on actual rogue ninja as much as possible. Use our shinobi sparingly—I don’t want unnecessary casualties,” Onoki said.

  “Yes, Lord Third,” the elder replied, leaving to prepare the pn.

  ---

  As Onoki predicted, Kumogakure adopted a simir approach, albeit much mgressively. Along with merts, they alseted ninja squads, aiming to recover their lost reputation after the in Exams.

  Normally, such schemes would have been Danzo’s responsibility. But in his absence, Hiruzen and Shikaku had taken up the mantle—and they were handling it well.

  ---

  “How many merts have we ma back?” Hiruzen asked.

  “Twenty-one, Lord Third, and we’re still in discussions with ten more,” Shikaku replied.

  “The number is higher than I expected,” Hiruzen said.

  “Well, we’ve offered them better terms, safer routes, and enhanced security. bined with our longstandiions, it’s not surprising.

  “The main problem is the remaining merts. They’re afraid of retaliation from other vilges. Threats from those vilges aren’t helpiher,” Shikaku expined.

  “So they fear the other vilges but not us, huh?” Hiruzen remarked.

  “Well, we’ve maintained a good public image for decades. Danzo hahe dirty work. For others, Konoha is a ‘gentle giant’—powerful but passionate.

  “Because of that, they see other vilges as bigger threats, even though we’ve regained our full strength,” Shikaku said.

  “With Konoha’s darkness go’s time to shift our image from white to gray,” Hiruzen said.

  “That’ll help in the short term, but—”

  “o sider the long-term sequences. Vilges don’t spare us during wars because of ood image. We ’t maintain it at the cost of our ey and prosperity,” Hiruzen stated firmly.

  “As you wish, Lord Third. Also, Iwa and Kumo are being more active. They’re holdiings daily. Two of our spies have been caught. From the looks of it, the number of bandits in the Fire try is about to increase again,” Shikaku said.

  “Is that something we should worry about?”

  “If we didn’t have Yomi’s former Root ninjas under our and, yes. But with the number of Jonin we currently have, I don’t think it’s an issue. We handle a few bandits,” Shikaku replied.

  Hiruzen nodded.

  “Alright. Use Elder Homura and Elder Koharu’s help to form new border patrol teams. Increase security for the caravans tied to us.

  “Also, sult Fugaku—we’ll need Uchiha Jonin in each escort team fe caravans. Their Sharingan will be invaluable for ralizing bandits with minimal destru and reading memories to avoid traps.”

  “Should this be an official order or just a request?” Shikaku asked.

  “Either is fihe Uchiha aren’t in the same situation as a few months ago. They won’t back down from such orders now,” Hiruzen said.

  Shikaku nodded ahe Hokage’s office. He didn’t pin about Hiruzen delegating most of the work to him and the elders, knowing Hiruzen would soon be busy himself.

  As soon as Shikaku left, Hiruzen pulled out a world map along with various files and papers. With Shikaku addressing immediate s, Hiruzen turned his focus to tasks that were once Danzo’s domain—ing minor wars, orchestrating caravan attacks under false fgs, and increasing bandit activity along rival vilges’ trade routes.

  Fortunately, with Danzo gohere was no risk of entire vilges being wiped out in a single night by ‘enemy ninjas.’

  Konoha’s higher-ups became highly active in the shadows, even as the vilge maintained a peaceful facade on the surfabsp;