Never Mind Rumors and Slander

In March of Konoha Year 41, the weather gradually began to warm.

Nearly three months had passed since that attack. With the great machine of the Land of Fire set in motion, Konoha also began large-scale repairs.

The turmoil of the ninja world did not disrupt Konoha's operations too much.

After all, life had to go on.

The Kirigakure ninja who had been detained for several months were finally released. In return, the Hidden Mist Village would compensate Konoha with a substantial amount of supplies.

But the Three-Tails... remained in Konoha.

The Hidden Mist Village simply did not have the money to ransom back this exorbitantly priced Tailed Beast, so they could only mortgage it to Konoha and leave it to fend for itself.

There was nothing else they could do.

The Hidden Mist Village itself had suffered a village-destroying attack even more terrifying than Konoha's. They had only just managed to rebuild, and now they had to pay another huge sum in war reparations.

Because of the Bloody Mist Policy, the village's economy had shown no improvement for years. Under such circumstances, where could they find the money to redeem a Tailed Beast?

Wasn't that asking for their lives?

But they could not simply abandon it either. After all, it was a Tailed Beast.

Thus, the Hidden Mist Village drafted an agreement to "temporarily" mortgage the Three-Tails to Konoha.

Of course, with such a dangerous thing kept in the village, the Konoha Ninja were afraid as well. So every year, the Hidden Mist Village had to pay a storage fee and compensation for emotional distress.

Another massive expense!

Now the Hidden Mist Village could only tighten its belt, perhaps living even more frugally than the Hidden Sand Village.

The ninja world was just that strange. After one attack, the