Starting with rogue ninjas, building the insect kingdom.

Chapter 147 Danzo's Ambitions

At the same time, a strange phenomenon has emerged across the country: local officials are collectively doing practical things for the people for the first time, and various infrastructure renovations and people-benefiting decisions are being carried out rapidly.

That efficiency is more than ten times higher than before.

Of course, the various taxes generated this month have also flowed into the pockets of these people, but they did not embezzle them; instead, they used them for local construction.

Several days later, after some of the ninjas had disappeared, they finally relaxed.

Konoha Village, Hokage's office.

For the past two months, the lights in this office have never been turned off before midnight.

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the main seat, flanked by the Jonin representatives of Konoha.

Everyone's face was etched with exhaustion, but the solemnity in their eyes was even greater than their weariness.

"I've summoned you all today for three matters," Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was hoarse, yet it maintained the composure befitting a Hokage. "First, how to settle those nobles; second, how to restore order to the Land of Fire; and third—who exactly was it that attacked that night?"

silence.

No one could answer the third question. The mysterious person was like a ghost, appearing and disappearing without a trace, leaving no clues.

The only clue was the words left in the empty Daming Prefecture: "It's best not to lower your bottom line, and don't make me lower my bottom line either."

Everyone has seen this sentence countless times, yet its meaning remains uncertain.

"Could it be the Land of Rain?" a Jonin tentatively asked. "After all, what happened at the border..."

"Impossible," another person immediately retorted. "If Hanzo of the Salamander had that kind of power, the Fourth Shinobi World War wouldn't have ended the way it did. Besides, he always acts alone; it's impossible for him to mobilize such a massive force to make an entire capital disappear overnight."

"The Land of Nataki? It is said that their leader, Naoto, was extremely angry at the time..."

"Having strength and acting discreetly are two different things. We are well aware of the strength of Takigakure."

The discussion reached a stalemate. All the top ninjas in the ninja world had made their guesses, but no one considered the possibility of a rogue ninja, nor did anyone think of Aburame Shisei.

Because he acts so discreetly, no one knows his true strength to this day.

It can be said that apart from Orochimaru seeing him make a move once two years ago, no outsider has ever seen him make a move.

In fact, even among his own people, none of them had ever seen what Aburame Shisei looked like when he went all out.

Just then, the conference room door was violently pushed open. Shimura Danzo strode in, followed closely by Root ninjas, who confronted the ANBU guarding the door.

"Danzo, this is not a place for you." Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his head and rebuked him in a low voice.

Danzo Shimura paid no attention to the expression on his old friend's face, but instead said with great excitement, "Hiruzen, can't you see that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?"

He walked to the center of the conference table and looked around at the Jonin present: "In the past few months, Konoha has sent ninjas to appease the people in various places and restore order, which has won widespread support."

Those nobles now crowd into our village, relying on our protection. The Land of Fire has no daimyo!

Without a daimyo, there is no court, no ruler. We can easily elect a puppet from among those orphans, and from then on, the resources of the Land of Fire will be under our control. Konoha will no longer have to worry about funding.

Shimura Danzo spoke very bluntly, showing no reverence whatsoever, only an eagerness to seize the benefits that could be gained after the daimyo was usurped.

How could the other Jonin not understand? But none of them reacted. Their silence was, in effect, tacit agreement.

"Danzo, do you know how much effort Konoha will have to put in by doing this? Putting aside how many people are needed to manage a country, and whether Konoha can handle it, the most important thing is that the wealth is in the hands of nobles and big merchants, and running a country requires continuous resource support."

Shimura Danzo was blunt and made no attempt to hide his ambition: "Then let's establish a tax system. What the daimyo can do, we can do as well, and even better."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, "No one would agree, and no one would be willing to pay taxes to ninjas. This has been a consensus in the ninja world for thousands of years. Besides, we are just ninjas. Our duty is to carry out missions, earn commissions, and protect the country when necessary."

"You're so stubborn, Hiruzen! You've got a golden opportunity right in front of you, but you don't know how to seize it. Since you won't do it, then let me do it!"

"Sigh, Danzo, won't you admit your mistake? It was you who broke the line between ordinary people and ninjas, which brought about this disaster and caused such a huge problem. Now you want to spread this fire to Konoha... It seems you are no longer suitable to be the Hokage's assistant. Take Danzo away and keep a close watch on him."

As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of ANBU ninjas emerged from the shadows; they had been lying in ambush there all along.

The crowd swarmed forward and immediately subdued Danzo. Even the Root ninjas behind him who attempted to resist were instantly injured.

There was no other way; these ANBU members were all elite Jonin, and their strength far exceeded that of ordinary people.

Danzo stopped arguing with Hiruzen Sarutobi and was taken away to the Hokage's personal prison. Before leaving, he turned back and said, "You'll regret this, Hiruzen!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "I am the Hokage. Danzo, I cannot let you make the same mistake again."

With such enormous benefits at stake, how could Hiruzen Sarutobi not know?

But there are some things that cannot be touched upon or done. If they are done openly, it will be to make an enemy of the entire ninja world, and Konoha will become the target of everyone's hatred.

And all the Konoha ninjas will become blades in the hands of that mysterious ninja, because he knows very well that the fact that the other party can easily slaughter daimyo and nobles shows that he has no respect for daimyo and nobles, nor for the traditions of the ninja world.

This person can do it, but they, the people of Konoha, cannot, otherwise there would be no difference between them. And once ninjas lose their principles, the world will become a hell.

In the end, they will find that their power can easily enslave ordinary people, and they can obtain everything they want, such as money, power, and beauty, through the power in their hands.

That would be the most terrifying disaster.

Following the dismissal and investigation of Shimura Danzo, congratulatory letters from the other four great daimyo of the four major countries arrived in Konoha within a few days. They all expressed:

The Third Hokage's handling of the situation was appropriate and wise.

This person has violated the rules of the ninja world and should be severely punished.

[We urge the Hokage to select a new Daimyo for the Land of Fire as soon as possible. The selection must be fair and impartial.]

Actually, all the praise before was useless; the last point is the key.