If the Four Kage heard Hiruzen Sarutobi's complaints, they would surely shout in exasperation:
"You gluttonous bastards! Hand over the bountiful Land of Fire so our ninjas can all eat their fill, and of course we can love peace too!"
As the sky began to lighten, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō gathered in the Hokage's office, bringing intelligence from across the village.
Mitokado Homura reported first. "The Ino-Shika-Cho Clans can mobilize ten Ino-Shika-Cho squads. One is made up entirely of Jōnin, while the other nine are all Chunin."
"Additionally, the Yamanaka Clan has mobilized twenty-two more ninjas, including two Jōnin and four Special Jōnin. The rest are all Chunin."
"The Akimichi Clan has mobilized thirteen more ninjas, including three Jōnin and one Special Jōnin. The rest are all Chunin."
"The Nara Clan has mobilized fifteen more ninjas, including one Jōnin and four Special Jōnin. The rest are all Chunin."
Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, "With so many scattered ninjas among the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, haven't they tried forming new Ino-Shika-Cho squads?"
Mitokado Homura replied, "They've tried. Half of the ten Ino-Shika-Cho squads are newly formed. The others simply can't develop the necessary teamwork."
Utatane Koharu reported, "The Inuzuka Clan has mobilized forty-five ninjas, including four Jōnin, six Special Jōnin, twenty-three Chunin, and twelve Genin."
"The Aburame Clan has mobilized forty-one ninjas, including five Jōnin and three Special Jōnin. The rest are all Chunin."
"Most importantly, the Hyuga Clan has mobilized 133 ninjas, including twelve Jōnin, twenty-four Special Jōnin, fifty-eight Chunin, and thirty-four Genin."
"Other small clans, such as the Kurama, Shiranui, Yamashiro, Arakawa, and Fukuda, have mobilized a combined total of 255 ninjas, including fourteen Jōnin, eleven Special Jōnin, and 113 Chunin. The rest are all Genin."
Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could say anything, Shimura Danzō spoke up. "It's not enough. It's nowhere near enough. There are far too few Genin."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a worried frown, "That's right. We don't have enough Genin, even though they're needed in the greatest numbers and may suffer the highest casualties."
"But if we keep recruiting more ninjas, we'll have to lower the minimum age for Genin again."
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura sighed in unison.
"We can only have the students at the Ninja Academy graduate early," Utatane Koharu said.
Mitokado Homura added, "We have no choice. Otherwise, the clans wouldn't send their talented children into battle."
Grief welled up in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart, and tears streamed down his face. "I've failed Konoha. I've failed my teacher and the First!"
Shimura Danzō sneered. "Enough, Hiruzen. Koharu, Homura, stop putting on a show in front of me."
Utatane Koharu flew into a rage. "Danzō, how can you be so heartless?"
Mitokado Homura tried to explain. "We're not putting on a show. We're worried and heartbroken for the children!"
Shimura Danzō rolled his one eye. "How ridiculous!"
"How many children have you and the other two personally ordered to graduate early by force and sent to the battlefield over the past few years?"
"As far as I know, there have been more than ten thousand Genin under the age of ten alone. Fewer than three percent survived."
"I know you and Hiruzen have sent tens of thousands of children to the battlefield. No matter how sorrowful you act in front of me, I can't believe you're sincere. You just seem hypocritical!"
"Shut up!" the two of them shouted.
Shimura Danzō paid no heed to Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura's angry shouts.
Homura might have risen to the occasion when facing the Nine-Tails, but at most, he'd stood to Hiruzen Sarutobi's left, unfurled a scroll, and cast a few harmless ninjutsu.
As for Utatane Koharu, well, she hadn't even shown up on the battlefield.
She was no longer the fierce yet incredibly brave Konoha ninja she'd once been.
"What?"
"You say Shimura Danzō never faced the Nine-Tails either?"
"Don't worry about that!"
He'd gone to suppress the Uchiha Clan, who were controlling the Nine-Tails. The risks he'd taken were greater than those faced by the Third Hokage and Fourth Hokage combined!
So Shimura Danzō felt fully entitled to look down on all his old classmates equally, including Hiruzen Sarutobi, who'd landed a blow on the Nine-Tails.
As for whether the Uchiha Clan had really controlled the Nine-Tails, and whether Danzō had really risked anything, well, don't worry about that either!
Unfortunately, Shimura Danzō had served as Hiruzen Sarutobi's underhanded enforcer for too long. Obedience and fear had sunk deep into his bones.
Even though Danzō looked down on Hiruzen Sarutobi, when the Third Hokage glanced over at him, he still shuddered violently, giving himself an indescribable jolt, and obediently fell silent.
But after Danzō's interruption, the mood in the Hokage's office had changed completely.
There was no longer any grief or sacrifice, no more heroism or helplessness. There was only the cold difference between the number of expendable soldiers needed to fill the lines and the number of ninjas available.
Anyone who often did math problems knew that once you knew how to solve one, it could be finished quickly.
In just half an hour, a new plan for requisitioning and distributing ninjas was ready.
Then the Konoha F4 set out together to discuss ninja mobilization with the various clans.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, also went in person to persuade the Hyuga Clan to provide more people and arrange for the Ninja Academy to prepare for mass early graduations.
Shimura Danzō showed admirable courage and chose to go directly to the Uchiha Clan to demand people.
Under Danzō's deliberately rude, domineering, and uncompromising orders, Uchiha Fugaku was thoroughly enraged and angrily rejected the plan to send more people.
Danzō hadn't said that the plan came from the Third Hokage at all. He deliberately misled the Uchiha into thinking it was his own abuse of power.
And Shimura Danzō pulled another little trick.
He deliberately stayed away for two extra hours before returning to the Hokage's office with news of his failure, creating a sharp contrast with the joy of the other three, who had completed their missions.
In an instant, the Third Hokage and the other two thought much less of the Uchiha Clan.
Even if Uchiha Fugaku had suddenly realized the possibility and rushed to the Hokage's office to explain everything, he still wouldn't have been able to restore the Uchiha Clan's standing in the Third Hokage Faction.
Shimura Danzō had an astonishing talent for internal power struggles, tattling, and spreading rumors.
Even in the history of the Dragon Kingdom, among groups of treacherous officials who were good for nothing but sabotaging things, he would have ranked among the best.
He was truly despicable!
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened as he puffed furiously on his pipe, finally making up his mind.
"No, the Uchiha Clan absolutely cannot stay out of this. They have to provide people and show that they're loyal to Konoha!"
"I, the Third Hokage, will personally visit the Uchiha Compound. Even if I have to swallow my pride, I'll make them send more ninjas!"
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