Chapter 137

"It's a caravan responsible for purchasing on behalf of the village," the Third Hokage stated vaguely.

Shinki was unfazed and responded bluntly, "I'm sorry, Hokage, but since the outbreak of the war, the Anbu has sustained heavy losses from gathering intelligence and protecting key personnel. We have not yet replenished our ranks."

He continued, "For something as crucial as procuring materials, the village should deploy its own ninja troops rather than relying on a caravan, which is unreliable. In critical moments, we must rely on our own strength."

Akimichi Norifu pulled at Shinki's sleeve, signaling him silently. The caravans responsible for procurement were backed by the Sarutobi and Shimura clans, which profited greatly from them.

Ignoring Norifu, Shinki pressed on, "I don't agree with delegating such an essential task to a caravan. The village should take direct responsibility for it. As for protection, the Anbu simply doesn't have enough personnel."

Sending Anbu to protect your families' caravans so you can make money? Not a chance. Get real.

The Third Hokage's face darkened, but Shinki was indifferent. No meant no. If they wanted to profit, they could handle their own security. Otherwise, they shouldn't take on the task. Expecting Anbu to protect their profits was absurd.

"If the current caravan arrangement isn't reliable, I suggest changing it. Konoha may not have endless resources, but it does have many ninja clans. We can assemble a team from different families. With that, enemies will think twice before attacking," Shinki said confidently.

Hyuga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku, attending their first high-level meeting, felt tense as Shinki's gaze swept over them. Both clans could easily spare ten skilled jonin each, and it would be a formidable caravan indeed.

If the village truly organized such a caravan, it would be beneficial for the selected clans. Uchiha and Hyuga would easily meet these demands, unlike the Sarutobi and Shimura clans, which lacked the deep foundations of their more established counterparts.

The Uchiha and Hyuga were strong before Konoha's founding, boasting generations of powerful ninjas. The Sarutobi and Shimura clans, however, were comparatively smaller and rose in status through their connections with the Third Hokage. Even so, they could not match the Uchiha's might.

The Third Hokage ended the discussion abruptly. "That concludes today's meeting."

He stood and walked out, frustrated. He had asked for Anbu support, but Shinki had deflected the issue to the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, subtly undermining the Sarutobi and Shimura factions.

Akimichi Norifu sighed and muttered, "Shinki, could you please trade places with Tsunade and head to the front lines? I'm begging you."

He had thought Tsunade was tough, but compared to Shinki's confrontational nature, she was tame. Tsunade at least gave the Third Hokage some respect. Shinki, however, was openly defiant, disrupting proceedings without hesitation.

"Senior, don't joke like that. I couldn't handle it," Shinki laughed.

"If this is you not handling it, then I don't know what to say. I thought I was going to have a heart attack," Norifu said, patting his chest.

Shinki shrugged. "When I was weak, I had to stay quiet. Now that I'm strong, why should I keep pretending? If I keep pretending, I'll stay weak forever."

Norifu didn't know whether to scold or laugh. "Fine, fine, you're no weakling. But what if this blows up and leads to serious conflict?"

Shinki's expression remained firm. "Then let it. If others refuse to let me live peacefully, why should I endure it?"

Norifu shook his head. Shinki's boldness was unmatched. "You young ones really are fearless."

As Norifu walked off, Shinki turned to Hyuga Hiashi, who was still seated. "Clan leader, is there something else?"

Hiashi had wanted to talk privately but was reminded of Shinki's boldness during the meeting. He swallowed and said, "I wanted to discuss the clan's compensation."

"Let's talk while we walk," Shinki said, inviting Hiashi to join him. As they left the meeting room, Shinki called out to Uchiha Fugaku, "Please give my regards to the old clan leader."

Fugaku blinked in surprise and nodded, though he felt uneasy. Why would Shinki suddenly reach out to the Uchiha?

Is he trying to build an alliance?

"Thank you for your concern," Fugaku said as he hurried out of the Hokage building. People around them exchanged curious glances. Everyone knew the Hokage's office and the Elder Council's strained relationship with the Uchiha. But Shinki's unexpected move raised eyebrows.

If Tsunade's faction began aligning with Uchiha, the political landscape could shift significantly.

Winning over Uchiha was hardly difficult—they had long sought a powerful ally. If Tsunade's faction made the first move, the Uchiha would gladly reciprocate, possibly even making concessions.

The marginalization of Uchiha had been a longstanding issue since the time of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, and had intensified under the Third Hokage. It would only become worse during the events surrounding the Nine-Tails incident.

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