Chapter 55

"How strong is the dissatisfaction?" Sarutobi frowned.

Such news did not particularly please him—this could easily lead to a vote of no confidence in the village council, making it more than problematic to hold onto his beloved seat.

"So far, just hints that my people manage to smooth over in time, but such a trend is worrisome," Danzo replied. "We can soon send the main troublemakers to the front with Iwa or even better—with Ame, where their chances of perishing will be somewhat higher."

"Perhaps that's what we'll do, but only after some rest—otherwise, there will be even more dissatisfied," the Hokage nodded. "What else?"

"Since the beginning of the war, medicine procurement has decreased almost fivefold by decision of the civilian council, and the hospital simply lacks medications for proper treatment and recovery of the wounded. You can imagine the consequences," Homura reported promptly.

"The reason?"

"A deficit in the village budget."

"What deficit, if this expense item is covered by the reserve fund?" Hiruzen looked surprised at the kunoichi.

"Which has bottomed out, although it was supposed to provide financial support to the hospital for at least three more years," Koharu nodded, "but the civilian part of the council spent that money on their own projects."

"Execute the merchants and confiscate their property!" Danzo slammed the armrest of his chair. "They've completely run wild during our absence!"

"We cannot start internal strife within the village while there's a war going on," Sarutobi frowned, taking a drag from his aromatic smoke. "Hold the accountable parties responsible for the amount spent and issue a warning that there won't be a next time. Let them remember that this is a village of shinobi, not the domain of a daimyo where lawlessness can thrive."

Koharu quickly began jotting something down in her notebook.

"Anything else?"

"Nothing particularly urgent or important right now, and the rest can be discussed at the general council meeting," Homura shrugged. "Right now, our forces need a break, and then we can finally deal with Iwagakure first, and then Ame."

"What about the jinchuriki?" Danzo interjected. "My watchers report that Uchiha and Nara are constantly hovering around her."

"Hmm, Uchiha Mikoto was one of the best friends in the academy, and Ryo Nara is a student of Mito-sama," Sarutobi informed.

During this time, he had already skimmed through ANBU reports and was therefore aware of the situation.

"We need to remove them from the vessel and urgently find a suitable candidate to increase our influence on the weapon, or at least reduce the influence of clan representatives," Shimura grimaced irritably.

"Nothing can be done about Uchiha until she graduates from the academy, and showing excessive interest is dangerous, but as for Nara, I've already taken care of it," Sarutobi flicked ash from his pipe, setting it aside and folding his hands on his stomach, looking attentively at the advisors. "As for influence—Mito-sama's presence complicates our options significantly, but thanks to Jiraiya, I already have a suitable candidate in mind."

"That's good, but I hope your method isn't too radical?" Homura worried, immediately clarifying. "We already have few talented medical-nin, and depriving the village of talent on the level of Tsunade would be too extravagant!" Mitokado modestly omitted that it was thanks to Nara's talent that they managed to save a kunoichi who was important to him, earning quite a few points from the advisor's side.

"Level of Tsunade?" Koharu raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Isn't that a bit presumptuous? Senju is a true genius in medicine, and comparing her to some newcomer?"

"Newcomer?" Now it was her neighbor's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Considering the fact that he started working in the hospital at the age of seven, when Tsunade at that age wasn't even an apprentice, not to mention the beginning of a full-fledged medical-nin career, then here we can argue with the statement—who is a genius."

"Ryo Nara will simply be sent to the front with Iwa," Hiruzen interrupted the brewing argument. "And everything will be in his hands there."

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