"Minato, you worked hard this time. Don't take the villagers' attitude to heart."
"They were just blinded by anger for the moment. We'll clear your name—you're still the village's hero."
"The Nine-Tails inside you isn't very stable right now. You should return to your hiding location for the time being."
Danzo Shimura patted Minato on the shoulder, his tone gentler than ever before.
Even he didn't dare treat Minato the way he used to at a time like this.
If Minato were to truly fall into darkness as well, then both he and Konoha would really be finished.
Minato was like a puppet, offering no response, allowing the Anbu to lock him back into the dungeon.
For the first time, he began to doubt the Will of Fire he had always believed in.
He needed time—time to properly think about what path he should walk in the future.
Bang!
As the heavy door slammed shut, Danzo Shimura's expression turned cold once more. "Strengthen the seals on Minato. Add some calming and sedative medicine to his meals. Report to me immediately if there's any unusual movement."
"Yes!"
Only after arranging everything did Danzo Shimura head outside.
The Hokage Building.
By the time Danzo Shimura returned to the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado were already waiting.
The moment he stepped inside, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado spoke up with grief-stricken expressions. "Danzo, our losses this time are far too great!"
"We have to think of a way to recover what we've lost."
After so many years of rule, their assets had spread into nearly every corner of Konoha.
But now, everything had turned into ruins. Decades of accumulation—gone in an instant!
It was heart-wrenching.
Hearing this, Danzo Shimura said displeasedly, "The most important thing right now is to pacify the villagers and count the casualties. Everything else comes later."
Koharu Utatane retorted, "What you said doesn't conflict with our concerns. I think it would be best if you handed the post-disaster reconstruction to Homura and me."
Danzo Shimura's expression stiffened as he looked at the two with anger.
"Everyone has just gone through a disaster. Many villagers in Konoha have lost everything. Can't you show a bit of restraint?"
Although, in his eyes, the villagers of Konoha were merely expendable resources when necessary.
As the one currently controlling Konoha, however, he still had to consider their feelings.
Homura Mitokado said coldly, "Even if those villagers lose everything, it's just a house. We're different."
"Our losses this time are immeasurable. We must find a way to recover at least part of it."
Danzo Shimura was so enraged that his chest heaved violently. He pointed toward the door. "I understand your intentions. You two can leave for now."
"Then arrange it as soon as possible."
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado left the office, thoroughly satisfied.
Danzo Shimura glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was standing off to the side with a suppressed smile, and couldn't help but say, "You still have the mood to laugh?"
"Now you understand what I've been dealing with all these years, don't you?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered a complaint before turning serious. "Uchiha Yuzuru demanded that we prepare one hundred billion Ryō and deliver it to Kumogakure within a month. What are you planning to do?"
"What else can we do? Pay up."
Danzo Shimura sighed.
Even he couldn't afford to remain tough after witnessing the power Uchiha Yuzuru had displayed.
Hiruzen Sarutobi said solemnly, "That guy clearly won't let this go. In a few years, he'll definitely come again."
Danzo Shimura snorted. "Have you forgotten that we still have a trump card?"
"Edo Tensei?"
"That's right." Danzo Shimura said calmly. "Before Orochimaru defected, he had already improved the Edo Tensei technique. Over the years, I haven't stopped refining this forbidden jutsu either."
"Taking advantage of this opportunity, we can collect the bodies of those fallen ninja."
"In a few years, we'll have a massive, undying army of the dead."
"Uchiha Yuzuru would never imagine that by killing so many of our ninja, he's actually helped us immensely!"
"And with the First Hokage and Second Hokage added in… I truly don't know how we could possibly lose."
After hearing Danzo Shimura's plan, Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "But one hundred billion Ryō isn't a small amount. How do you plan to come up with that much money?"
"Have Koharu and Homura each contribute ten billion Ryō as the condition for handing reconstruction over to them."
"The ninja clans of Konoha will collectively pool together thirty billion Ryō."
"As for the remaining fifty billion Ryō… the entire Land of Fire will bear the cost."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Then you need to immediately send people to seal the borders. We can't allow anyone to escape. Also be careful of betrayal—be prepared to suppress it at any time."
"I will."
After thinking for a moment, Danzo Shimura continued, "This time, our strength has been severely depleted. You should take people to the ninja clans and conscript more ninja into Anbu."
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated. "But wouldn't that provoke resistance from the clans?"
"Hmph! As long as you, me, Koharu, and Homura stand together, those clans won't dare tear things apart with us."
"Anyone who doesn't listen—use them as an example to kill the chicken and warn the monkeys."
Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi was still hesitant, Danzo Shimura said heavily, "If Konoha truly falls in the future, those clans can simply change masters and continue to survive. But for us, there's only death!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi finally made up his mind. "Then leave this matter to me. I'll make sure it's done perfectly!"
Dealing with outsiders, he wouldn't dare boast.
But dealing with people from his own village—this was right in his wheelhouse.
————
————
The Land of Lightning.
Kumogakure.
Uchiha Yuzuru held a pork leg in each hand, biting into them with great gusto.
In front of him was a table piled high with leftover food scraps.
Seeing Yuzuru eating so heartily, Mikoto, Kushina, Karura, and the others all showed worried expressions.
"Yuzuru, won't you get sick eating that much?"
Yuzuru shook his head. "It's fine. I'll be full after these two pork legs."
The battle in Konoha had drained him too much—he needed to eat more to recover.
Kushina couldn't help asking, "Yuzuru, what exactly did you do in Konoha to end up like this?"
Not long ago, Yuzuru had appeared directly in the courtyard and immediately asked them to prepare food.
They hadn't dared ask questions at the time. Only now, seeing that Yuzuru seemed fine, did they finally have the chance.
After such a fierce battle, his clothes and hair were covered in dust, giving him a travel-worn appearance.
In all the time they had known him, they had never seen their man look like this before.
Yuzuru swallowed the last bite of meat and let out a satisfied burp.
Looking at the women gathered around him, he spoke calmly.
"I destroyed Konoha."