The air in the underground Special Care Unit was thick as clotted blood.
The shrill alarms had stopped, replaced by an even more suffocating silence.
Medical ninja hurried about with their heads down, carefully skirting the wreckage as they treated the wounded and carried away damaged equipment.
No one dared speak loudly. They even slowed their breathing.
Room 3, requisitioned for the occasion, stood not far from the ruins.
Smoke hung thick in the room.
This was no formal meeting. There was no oval table, no nameplates, not even tea.
A few of Konoha's most powerful figures had found chairs and sat down. More chose to stand, packing the small room.
Fugaku Uchiha stood by the window, staring at the cordons outside without a word.
Tsunade leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, her face dark as thunder.
Ito, the envoy from the Daimyo Residence, had been "invited" to take the seat of honor. He fidgeted there, cold sweat streaming down the face that usually knew nothing but comfort.
Baishi sat opposite Ito, holding a preliminary damage assessment ANBU had just delivered from the scene.
He read slowly, running a finger along each line as though it were some inconsequential routine document.
Shikaku Nara stood behind Baishi, pen and notebook in hand, ready to record everything.
"According to the preliminary tally, the Special Care Unit's core life-support system was completely destroyed. Direct financial losses are estimated at over 730 million ryo."
Baishi's voice was calm, as if the figure had nothing to do with him.
"Three Chunin-level medical ninja suffered irreversible contamination of their Spirit Seas. Recovery is impossible."
"Indirect losses include rebuilding the facilities, acquiring replacement technology, compensation for personnel, and the worsening of Namikaze Minato's condition... Those cannot yet be estimated."
He set down the report, raised