Report Amid the Ashes

Konoha.

The Hokage Office was filled with the thick smell of smoke as smoke billowed out.

The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, solemnly handed the intelligence report to his three old friends, saying, "You should all take a look at the battle report from the Mist Ninja front."

It was clear that this battle report had caught Hiruzen Sarutobi's attention and even alarmed the higher-ups in Konoha. Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzō, the Konoha High Council F4, gathered together once again.

After everyone read the intelligence, Shimura Danzō was the first to frown, revealing a sinister glint in his eyes. "Sarutobi, the Uchiha Clan's strength should not be underestimated. After all, this kid is young. If left unchecked, he might become uncontrollable."

Shimura Danzō saw the threat posed by the Uchiha Clan, while Mitokado Homura remained calm, saying in a deep voice, "Sarutobi, are you worried about the Mist Ninja?"

Upon hearing Mitokado Homura's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi slightly and said in a deep voice, "Suikazan Fuguki, as the Fourth Mizukage's confidant, not only personally went to the front lines, but also devised Decapitation Plan. Although it failed, I'm afraid the Mist Ninja reinforced the front lines with at least two or three hundred ninjas, otherwise our various bases wouldn't have suffered such severe damage."

"Danzo, stop focusing on this young man, Uchiha Yoru. Look at the bigger picture. What's the attitude of the Mist Ninja towards reinforcing their forces?"

At this point, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Shimura Danzō with a hint of dissatisfaction. Danzo, seeing this, sneered, "What could it be? The Mist Ninja simply want to take this opportunity to annex the Land of Land of Whirlpools' territory. Not only can they seize vast resources, but they can also use it as a springboard for the future."

It was obvious that Shimura Danzō wasn't stupid; he had already seen through the Mist Ninja's intentions. However, he was more concerned about the Uchiha threat. As for the strategic location of Land of Whirlpools? How could Konoha possibly let it go? It was just a bunch of Mist Ninja.

Utatane Koharu shook her head at Shimura Danzō's expression and said, "Sarutobi, the Mist Ninja's intentions this time are not good. They've sent reinforcements, and we could send reinforcements too, but the problem is the Mist Ninja's attitude right now."

This really struck a chord with him, and Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded solemnly, saying, "That's right. If the Mist Ninja increases their troops, we'll increase ours too. The key issue is that the war situation has escalated. What will the Mist Ninja's attitude be? What if Mist Ninja continue to increase their troops? Are we supposed to continue as well? I'm afraid the Land of Whirlpools will become a huge Uzumaki."

"Because of the escalation of the war, there may even be open clashes between us and the Mist Ninja Village. The Third Shinobi War has just ended, and other ninja villages are recuperating. Konoha cannot afford to get bogged down in a war."

This is what they are worried about. The Five Great Ninja Villages suffered heavy casualties in the Third Shinobi Wars and now need to recuperate. If the fierce battle with the Mist Ninja continues, they are afraid that other ninja villages will recover and cause trouble.

Taking a deep drag on his pipe, Shimura Danzō exhaled a thick cloud of smoke that made him wince. He said in a cold, menacing voice, "Sarutobi, the key to the war situation in the Land of Whirlpools lies in the attitude of the Mist Ninja."

In short, even if you don't want to fight, the Mist Ninja on fighting, and there's nothing you can do about it. After all, the strategic location of the Land of Whirlpools is too important, and Konoha absolutely cannot stand by and watch it become an outpost for the Mist Ninja.

It's fair to say that Konoha of the Land of Whirlpools could watch helplessly as the land fell into the hands of the Rogue Ninja- ninja, turning it into a Land of Chaos, rather than wanting it to fall into the hands of the Mist Ninja.

"I have ordered the transfer of 430 ninjas from the Land of Lightning area to reinforce the Land of Whirlpools."

When the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, uttered those words, all three were startled. Utatane Koharu frowned and said in a low voice, "Sarutobi, isn't this too risky?"

"Yes, this means we now have Ninja legion of over a thousand men on the Land of Land of Whirlpools' territory. This is an extremely dangerous sign."

Even Mitokado Homura became somewhat cautious, and Shimura Danzō to the side, narrowed his eyes upon hearing this. Although he was Hawk Faction, he still had to consider the gains and losses. Just as he raised his head to say something, he saw Hiruzen Sarutobi's calm demeanor, and immediately swallowed back the words he was about to say.

"Sarutobi, are you trying to test the Mist Ninja?" As expected of his old buddy, Shimura Danzō instantly realized something when he saw Hiruzen Sarutobi's calm old face and couldn't help but blurt out.

Upon hearing Shimura Danzō's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded with a pleased smile, "Indeed, Danzo, you and I are of the same mind."

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face revealed a calm and composed demeanor as he said in a deep voice, "The losses suffered by Mist Ninja in the Third Shinobi War were definitely not small. Moreover, with the implementation of the Bloody Mist Policy, although the Land of Water is under blockade, everyone knows the situation of Kirigakure. Therefore, if Kirigakure wants to recuperate, choosing to start a war in the Land of Whirlpools at this time will only Mist Ninja into the quagmire of war."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's plan was simple: it was a test of Mist Ninja. The Konoha were no match for Konoha in that regard; did they dare get bogged down in a war?

After listening to Hiruzen Sarutobi's analysis, Utatane Koharu thought about it carefully and realized it made sense. She nodded in approval and said, "Sarutobi, you're right. After Mist Ninja implemented the Bloody Mist Policy, they have always adhered to the principle of elite ninjas. It can be said that the number of ninjas in the Five Great Nations is only slightly stronger than that of Sunagakure."

The Sunagakure was forced to implement an elite ninja training program due to the heavy losses suffered by the defeated nation and the budget cuts imposed by the Daimyo of the Land of Wind. In contrast, the Sunagakure Kirigakure's Elite Plan was purely born from the bloodshed.

"That's true, but Kirigakure is still a big village, so we'll give them plenty of face."

Mitokado Homura's words made Hiruzen Sarutobi nod with a smile, saying, "I will send this reinforcement to the front lines under the pretext of replenishing supplies after suffering heavy losses. We'll give the Mist Ninja face. If the Mist Ninja chooses to negotiate peace, or if they intend to keep the war under control, then this reinforcement will simply go to the front lines for an inspection and then return."

Upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's plan, Shimura Danzō's face darkened. He snorted coldly and said with dissatisfaction, "Sarutobi, since you've already done everything, why did you call us here?"

Seeing Danzo's dissatisfaction, it was as if everyone had returned to the past. Hiruzen Sarutobi even showed a rare smile and said, "Danzo, if you have any opinions, you can raise them. This is because the plan has not yet been implemented."

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's magnanimous demeanor only Shimura Danzō's resentment. "You monkey, you're a real scoundrel! You've reached the highest position of Hokage, and now you're spouting these sarcastic remarks? Magnanimous! I'd be magnanimous even if I were in this position."

In a short time, the Konoha High Council F4 formulated a plan to deal with the Mist Ninja, preparing to use oppressive force to compel them to negotiate Mist Ninja, or rather, to return the battle to a small skirmish with fewer than a thousand people involved.

Just as the Konoha High Council F4 were envisioning things moving towards their planned outcome, they were unaware that the Fourth Mizukage Mist Ninja no longer in charge of the Mist Village. Any village leader facing this situation would at least agree to contain minor skirmishes within a certain range, if not negotiate peace. Unfortunately, the Fourth Mizukage was being controlled.

A brief period of peace emerged between Konoha and Mist Ninja in the Land of Whirlpools, but an eerie atmosphere permeated the air.

Despite their resounding victory, which nearly resulted in the capture of Mist Ninja's commander Suikazan Fuguki, the Konoha Ninja were filled with a sense of frustration.

The entire frontline is buzzing with the news that the Mist Ninja have reinforced their forces and attacked their supply depots, putting them on edge. If the Mist Ninja make any further moves and attack a few more times, they could really run out of supplies.

The situation with the Mist Ninja was even more bizarre.

Inside the oppressive tent, Suikazan Fuguki, his arms wrapped in bandages, revealed a frustrated expression. The mission failure and heavy losses were nothing to him; it was others who died. But the loss of his Great Sword: Samehada made him restless. At least half of his strength came from Samehada.

"Damn it, what on earth is that Konoha Gourd up to?!"

Even though Konoha, they kept saying their own supply depot was burned down and suffered heavy losses, without any mention of them stealing Samehada.

To put it in perspective, a ninja stealing the Great Sword: Samehada from the battlefield is a truly enormous achievement, yet none of the Konoha ninjas knew about it.

"Could it be that Konoha intends to resolve this matter privately and doesn't want the situation to escalate?"

Suikazan Fuguki seemed to have thought of something, and a look of sudden realization appeared on his fat face. Yes, that must be it. After all, Konoha didn't want the friction with Mist Ninja to escalate.

Despite having achieved a resounding victory, Konoha now appears to have suffered a pyrrhic victory, clearly giving face to the Mist Ninja and preparing for a private settlement.

Thinking of this, Suikazan Fuguki gritted his teeth and said, "Damn Uchiha brats, this time you Konoha are wise to be sensible."

Having figured this out, he immediately decided to conceal the news of Great Sword: Samehada's disappearance. After all, it would be embarrassing for him if it got out, and he would be back soon anyway. He decided to keep it a secret for now, since the Konoha ninjas wouldn't deliberately publicize it if they wanted to mediate.

This misunderstanding led to differing opinions on both sides, and sowed the seeds for future conflicts.

The Land of Whirlpools, the Konoha Ninja Base.

Inside the tent, Uchiha Yoru sat upright. His tired eye had recovered considerably. The Mangekyo's abilities were indeed terrifying, but the side effects were also significant. He had to restrain himself from using it and take good care of himself regularly, or he would end up like Sasuke, known as the Mangekyou Sharingan user who went Mangekyo the fastest in Uchiha history.

"Night, this is the loss this time."

Hatake Kakashi handed over the damage report, and when Uchiha Yoru read it, a strange expression appeared on his face. He looked up at Kakashi.

No one expected that the Hatake Kakashi would be so skilled in this art, and with a single burst of fire, many debts were instantly settled.

"Kakashi, there seem to be quite a few losses reported this time."

Hearing Uchiha Yoru's words, Hatake Kakashi calmly nodded and said, "I secretly pawned Chakra Metals, Fine Iron, and some medical supplies this time, which will make the bill look better."

Good heavens!

As Hatake Kakashi calmly explained how he had made the embezzled accounts appear impossible to verify, Uchiha Yoru hadn't said anything yet, but Hizashi Hyuga and Uchiha Shisui, who were standing nearby, couldn't help but twitch at the corners of their eyes.

As the head of the Branch Family, Hizashi Hyuga had naturally been involved in some political affairs at a young age. He was well aware of the saying "too much clarity leaves no room for fish," but his skillful and untraceable methods were truly astonishing.

After Hatake Kakashi finished his report, when it was Hizashi Hyuga's turn, he looked somewhat embarrassed and a little ashamed. After all, he came from a prestigious family and had never done anything like this before. The fact that the Hyuga Clan was once the main Main Family and Branch Family made the Branch Family dare not even think about such things.

"Lord Yoru, this is the loss I'm in charge of at the Camp. Thanks to timely rescue efforts, we managed to salvage about 30% of the baggage and supplies."

As expected, Hizashi Hyuga's courage is no match for Kakashi's; he actually managed to leave 30% behind. Look at Kakashi's report, it's almost a total loss.

The report clearly states that the Mist Ninja used a large number of Explosive Tags and Fire Release Ninjutsu to burn everything to ashes. To prevent being lured away from their stronghold, Kakashi specifically issued this order after the battle began. As a result, the ninjas obeyed the order and watched helplessly as the warehouse burned down, but they all held their ground and no one went to rescue them.

Although Kakashi wasn't at the Camp at the time, the order still held true.

When it was finally Uchiha Shisui's turn, he said firmly and solemnly, "Brother Yoru, all our supplies, medical resources, and other reserves were attacked by the Mist Ninja. We only managed to salvage less than 10%, and the rest were completely destroyed."

Good heavens, all the areas they were responsible for were ambushed by the Mist Ninja, and the losses were extremely heavy, especially in the area Kakashi was in. Although Kakashi was away from the Camp due to his important duties, it has to be said that this was really ruthless.

No one knows exactly how much was burned, but the reason for the extra records in the warehouse is also unknown. In any case, the fire brought all the troublesome and tangible bills to light.

One sentence, and it's all gone in a flash.

Seeing that the three understood, Uchiha Yoru silently tapped the table lightly, then lowered his voice and said to Hizashi Hyuga voice, "Hizashi, you are under a lot of pressure as the head of the Branch Family, so I don't know about your share. First, stabilize the family's expenses."

Hizashi Hyuga had a powerful family behind him, so the pressure was immense. Upon hearing this, gratitude immediately appeared on his face, and he nodded firmly, saying, "Lord Yoru, I understand."

Once this debt was in their pocket, it was practically a death sentence for the Hyuga Branch Family to be tied to the Uchiha Yoru, but Hizashi Hyuga had no choice.

The Hyuga Branch Family; no one in Konoha dares to touch it, because doing so would offend the Main Family. Only Orochimaru's forces, who have followed them from the beginning, can find refuge there. And it seems to be doing alright now; at least he sees hope.

Kakashi truly lived up to his reputation as the future Hokage. Not only did he possess the talent of a ninja, but he was also self-taught in this area, calmly embarking on his plan to embezzle public funds.

Are there problems with the accounts? Are you afraid of being caught? After a fire, they won't be responsible for covering the losses, and that way all the accounts will match up.

Thanks to: 'Baiye Guichen' for the 1500 points, 'My World My Way' for the 500 points, and 'Pretty Uchiha Snuggle With Me' for the 500 points.

Thank you to all the brothers who supported the Jinli! Those of you with monthly passes, don't rush, there's a double monthly pass event at the end of the month.