"Are you treating the village's safety as a joke?"
Was Chiba saying that not only to the three elders, but to me as well?
After watching Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō—the three elders—leave, Minato Namikaze gently rubbed the bridge of his nose as the door to the Hokage's Office shut with a bang. He let out a long breath and sat down.
Information reported directly to the Hokage had actually contained deliberate misinformation, and it had happened in full view of everyone. This report claiming that "Chiba had openly betrayed the village" was no different from making fools of all Konoha.
Something unprecedented like this had happened during my term. It was a failure of my management. Thankfully, it hadn't led to anything serious.
If I had truly punished Chiba, it would have become the biggest joke in Konoha's history. The damage to my reputation would have been immense.
It might even have shaken the villagers' trust in me.
It was fortunate that Chiba had been able to clear his own name. Otherwise, this matter could have become either minor or catastrophic.
What Chiba said really was...
After sitting down, Minato Namikaze could not help but draw in a deep breath. A lingering fear rose in his heart.
He was now Konoha's Hokage. If his authority were shaken—shaken badly enough—his early resignation would be the least of the problems. Causing unrest would be far more serious. Chiba's words had clearly been a reminder: the cause of this entire matter, the report that had led to him clearing his name today, was something that endangered the village's safety.
The situation inside and outside the village appeared to be stabilizing, but undercurrents were surging beneath the surface. If something like this happened now, it truly could endanger the village.
No