"Give us our blood money!"
"Give us our blood money!"
A large group of people stood in front of the Hokage Building, shouting nonstop.
Their faces were filled with anger.
From small children to old men and women, countless people of Konoha had gathered there, shouting the same slogan.
"Everyone, back away! Otherwise, we'll have to use force!"
A group of ANBU stood in front of the crowd, trying to keep them under control.
"Try us, you dogs!"
"We won't leave!"
The crowd refused to back down.
They glared at the ANBU with furious expressions.
The people became even more agitated when several ANBU drew their swords to intimidate them.
"You bastard! Take this!"
Enraged by the ANBU's attitude, one man picked up a stone and threw it at them.
Clang!
The ANBU deflected it with his sword.
"You! Detain him!"
He immediately ordered his subordinate.
But the man didn't stop.
This time, he picked up a wooden plank lying on the ground and charged straight toward the ANBU without the slightest fear.
"You think I'm scared of you, bastard?!"
Before he could get any closer...
Another ANBU knocked him unconscious.
"Don't let them get away!"
Another furious voice came from the crowd.
Several more men rushed toward the ANBU.
Bang!
A figure suddenly landed between the crowd and the ANBU.
"Stop it!"
He looked at both sides as he shouted.
The crowd recognised him.
It was Jiraiya.
The people fell silent for a brief moment.
Then questions started pouring in from every direction.
"Jiraiya... has my son died for nothing?"
An old man stepped forward.
"Who's going to take care of his family?"
"What about my daughter?"
"She lost her hand in the war. Who's going to take care of her?"
"And my father?"
"Why did he die just so those elders could suck us dry?"
One question after another filled the air.
Jiraiya's arrival changed nothing.
"What does it mean we won't get any war reparations?"
"Who's going to take care of us now?"
The crowd showed no signs of calming down.
"Everyone... the Hokage will give you an answer."
"Please trust him."
Jiraiya tried his best to calm the crowd.
"Is that bastard even worthy of our trust?"
"We don't trust him!"
"We don't care!"
"Pay us today!"
"Otherwise, we won't leave!"
No one believed him.
The shouting only grew louder.
Jiraiya looked at the furious crowd with frustration.
It had all started early that morning.
Pamphlets about the peace talks had mysteriously appeared throughout the village.
They stated that there would be no rewards or compensation for the shinobi who had fought in the war.
According to the pamphlets, the Hokage and the elders had agreed to give up all war reparations in exchange for peace.
But the final lines...
Those were the real problem.
They claimed that the Hokage and the elders would use their authority to stop the shinobi from protesting, ensuring that no one dared question their decision.
At the bottom of the pamphlet, one final message was written.
"Your shinobi son, daughter, wife, husband, mother, or father may not be able to question the Hokage or the elders because of their status as shinobi... but can you stand by and watch this happen? This time, it is the families who must raise their voices for their loved ones. Otherwise, their blood will have been shed in vain."
Those words were filled with provocation.
And after the elders had returned from the peace talks yesterday...
Many people had already started doubting the rumours.
The families of the shinobi...
Along with retired shinobi who were too old to fight...
Quickly gathered together and rushed toward the Hokage Building in anger.
They had been waiting for compensation ever since the war ended.
But now...
After hearing they would receive nothing...
Everything changed.
Dragging the compensation issue on for months had already made many shinobi and their families uneasy.
The prices of necessities continued to rise every day after the war.
Yet every time they asked the higher-ups for answers...
They received the same response.
"Wait for the peace talks."
"Just endure a little longer."
"Do it for Konoha."
Those words, repeated again and again, slowly began to ignite anger in their hearts.
Then the truth about how the higher-up clans had been living finally came to light from the past.
While ordinary shinobi had been risking their lives for the village...
The higher-up clans had been living comfortably.
The anger had been building for a long time.
All it needed...
Was a single spark.
And that spark had finally arrived.
Not far from the crowd...
Two Uchiha quietly watched everything unfold.
"I didn't expect this many people to gather."
Kohaku looked over the restless crowd before turning to Toyoma.
"The Third Hokage's and the elders' reputations have completely collapsed now..."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Toyoma silently watched the scene before him.
"Not yet."
"They're still family members only."
"If we want a real response..."
"The shinobi have to step forward."
He glanced toward Jiraiya, who was standing in the middle of the crowd, trying his best to calm everyone down.
After watching for a few moments, Toyoma looked back at Kohaku.
"Forget it, we will not wait."
"Tonight..."
"Distribute those pamphlets also."
"And make sure the shinobi from those clans receive them."
Kohaku frowned.
"Are you sure?"
"The ANBU and the higher-ups will be on high alert after today."
Toyoma's expression didn't change.
"We're simply informing the villagers."
"Think of them as an advertisement."
Kohaku nodded.
Toyoma muttered, "They are deep in the water and still trying to drag us."
"Humph"
After Elder Setsuna and Kohaku had informed Toyoma about Orochimaru and Tsunade's actions...
And how the Noble Houses had begun targeting the Uchiha's businesses...
His mood had remained gloomy for days.
The news of the peace talks.
To everyone else...
It was a chance to end the conflict.
To Toyoma...
It came as an opportunity.
A slow smile appeared on his face, thinking about tomorrow.
"Konoha targeted the Uchiha's business..."
"So now..."
"We won't let them breathe peacefully to target anyone."
Toyoma and Elder Kohaku quietly left the area.
Jiraiya watched their backs disappear into the distance.
From the very beginning...
He had sensed their presence.
He knew today's unrest hadn't happened by chance.
The Uchiha had given it a push.
But...
What could he do?
The failure of the peace talks had already spread throughout the village.
It wasn't a lie.
Now every clan...
Every shinobi...
And every family...
Was waiting for Konoha's answer.
He looked back at the crowd.
Their anger hadn't disappeared.
But at least...
They were finally willing to listen.
"Please..."
"Give the village a few more days."
"We'll do everything we can."
After several of the older villagers stepped forward and persuaded the others...
The crowd slowly began to disperse.
Jiraiya let out a tired sigh.
"Sensei..."
Minato walked over.
"Is there really nothing we can do?"
"Maybe..."
"We could ask the Fire Daimyo for help."
Jiraiya slowly shook his head.
"Tsunade selling those prescriptions to the Noble Houses has eased our burden a little."
"But the Daimyo..."
"He won't help us after everything that's happened."
With a heavy sigh...
He pushed open the door to the Hokage's office.
Inside...
The atmosphere was suffocating.
Hiruzen.
Danzo.
Homura.
Koharu.
Tsunade.
Everyone was there.
And judging by their expressions...
No one had received good news.
"Have they calmed down?"
Hiruzen asked quietly.
"For now."
Jiraiya nodded.
Tsunade broke the silence.
"The Uchiha have begun retaliating."
She wasn't surprised.
After targeting the Uchiha in the Capital...
She had expected this sooner or later.
Hiruzen looked at her.
"It's not your fault."
"We never expected the other villages..."
"...to act so shamelessly."
The room fell silent again.
Homura finally spoke.
"Our first priority should be compensating the shinobi."
"But..."
He looked toward Hiruzen and Danzo.
"The village treasury is nearly exhausted."
"This war has drained almost everything."
Those words made everyone's expression grow heavier.
After a long silence...
Hiruzen finally spoke.
"If it comes to that..."
"The Sarutobi Clan will bear the cost."
His voice was unusually quiet.
"This responsibility..."
"Is mine."
As he spoke...
His eyes drifted toward the Hokage Monument outside the window.
Only two stone faces remained.
His own...
Had already been removed.
No one spoke.
Everyone simply looked at him.
For the first time...
The Third Hokage no longer looked like the leader who had guided Konoha through decades of war.
He looked...
Like a tired old man carrying a burden that had finally become too heavy.
Danzo quietly broke the silence.
"My clan..."
"Will contribute as well."
He snorted.
"You don't have to carry everything alone."
Homura and Koharu exchanged glances.
Then...
They both nodded in agreement.
Silence once again filled the Hokage's office.
**********************************************************************
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