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In the current ninja world, only Konoha and Kumogakure could provide Iwagakure with sufficient support. If they couldn't be persuaded, even if the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and the Land of Fire and Lightning pitied Iwagakure and wanted to help, it wouldn't matter. Because such matters couldn't be decided by a Daimyo's agreement alone.
The Land of Lightning's Daimyo and Kumogakure were inseparable; if Kumogakure refused, the Daimyo wouldn't agree. The Land of Fire's Daimyo was even trickier, being heavily reliant on Konoha. As long as Konoha didn't nod, hoping for aid from the Land of Fire was pure fantasy.
"First, send envoys to the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire to negotiate the purchase of some supplies. We'll figure out the rest later."
"Lord Tsuchikage..." A high-ranking official stood up, wanting to bring up previous suggestions.
However, Ōnoki cut him off: "No rush. First, secure a batch of supplies. At the very least, we need to settle the villagers. I have already considered the matter and will provide a reasonable solution." This statement brought smiles to the faces of many Iwagakure leaders, including the Land of Earth's Daimyo, who had hurried to Iwagakure.
It wasn't that he didn't want to support Iwagakure; it was that the "landlord" himself didn't have much spare cash. Managing to scrape together an emergency fund was already a significant effort. The rest would have to rely on Iwagakure's own ingenuity. After all, the Daimyo's court also had substantial expenses, and the Daimyo didn't have absolute authority. Various factions were busy bickering and shirking responsibility—mentioning money was a surefire way to provoke conflict.
Contrary to outsiders' expectations, Iwagakure did not lash out in humiliated fury, condemning the Akatsuki or issuing statements. Instead, they somberly focused on rescue efforts, not even seeking aid from other villages. Something feels off. It's too quiet.
Iwagakure's reaction was somewhat unexpected. Normally, after such a major incident, even if they genuinely didn't need other villages' help, they should at least go through the motions. Yet Iwagakure hadn't. From start to finish, they remained quiet, handling their own disaster, eerily silent—like the calm before a storm. Beneath the surface calm, a terrible tempest was likely brewing.
*****
Knock, knock, knock!
"Enter."
Kazuki pulled his thoughts together, responded, and sat back in his chair.
"Lord Advisor, this is a letter from the Daimyo."
"Give it to me." Kazuki took the letter from the Intelligence Division ninja and glanced at it. It was unopened, sent directly to him. After a moment's thought, he opened it directly, without sending it to Tsunade first.
Scanning the contents, Kazuki's brow furrowed slightly. The letter was from the Daimyo. The cause: the Land of Earth's Daimyo had sought to purchase a substantial quantity of supplies. Given the unstable situation in the ninja world, the Land of Fire's Daimyo dared not sell indiscriminately, fearing it might constitute aiding an enemy. So, he had immediately sent a letter to Konoha to gauge the village's stance. If Konoha didn't object, he would happily sell. If Konoha refused, he'd have to reluctantly decline, despite his mercantile desires.
The Daimyo is becoming more and more compliant and sensible. Kazuki gave him a silent nod of approval. Picking up the letter, he headed for the door, telling the Intelligence ninja, "Thank you for your trouble. You may return for now. If anything is needed, I'll send an ANBU operative to communicate with your division."
"Yes, Lord Advisor." The messenger left the Hokage's office building.
Carrying the envelope, Kazuki went to the Hokage's office, knocked once, and opened the door to enter.
Inside, Tsunade, Shizune, and Izumi were huddled together, chattering excitedly about shopping and what to buy. They were so engrossed they didn't even glance back at him.
Kazuki's mouth twitched. Of course. Regardless of age, women all seem to love shopping and chatting about it. These three from different generations can still hit it off famously. It had a similar vibe to men gathering to drink and shoot the breeze. Before the alcohol, there might be a huge age gap; after a few drinks, they'd be calling each other "bro."
"Iwagakure wants to use the Daimyo's channels to purchase a batch of supplies from the court. The quantity is significant, so the Daimyo specifically asked us, wanting to know the village's position and stance." With mild annoyance, Kazuki tossed the letter onto the desk, interrupting their shopping spree chatter.
Of the three, Tsunade was essentially fantasizing. She was interested, but her funds were limited. Shizune had some savings, but not much, especially with Tsunade constantly eyeing them. Izumi's personal treasury was comparatively well-stocked.
"No offense, but the combined wealth of you two probably doesn't match Izumi's. Doesn't discussing what to buy seem a bit redundant?" Kazuki felt Tsunade and Shizune were getting carried away and needed a reality check.
"..." However, his "reality check" was a bit too effective. Tsunade and Shizune froze in place, their smiles stiffening. They exchanged a look, then slumped in unison, expressions crestfallen.
"Pfft—" Izumi beside them burst out laughing.
To be fair, the Hokage and the Hokage's secretary's salaries were quite high, among the top in Konoha. Unfortunately, with Tsunade—the financial black hole—present, Tsunade and Shizune's wallets couldn't compete with Izumi's. One was steadily growing, showing signs of becoming a minor heiress; the other two were growing progressively poorer.
'I feel like punching you to death. If you don't know how to talk, you can keep quiet!' Tsunade clutched her chest, fuming—her chest were practically aching with rage.
Shizune's eyes had lost their sparkle. She hadn't anticipated her savings diminishing. In the past, being poor could be justified by their nomadic, debt-ridden lifestyle where earning was difficult. Now that excuse was gone. The debts were paid off; she thought they could finally save properly. Yet, her purse never seemed to fatten. 'Wah... it's all my fault for indulging Lady Hokage too much.' Shizune felt the urge to cry.
Shopping chatter was over; official business remained. Tsunade opened the letter and read it. Soon, she looked up, puzzled. "Purchasing a batch of supplies isn't an issue. Besides, the supplies would come from the Daimyo's side. As long as the Daimyo agrees, we can't very well refuse. But... does Iwagakure still have that much money?"
Iwagakure wasn't a primary belligerent in the current war. As long as they weren't directly involved in the conflict, coming to the Daimyo's court to buy things was reasonable. Konoha couldn't arbitrarily find excuses to refuse them. The biggest question was: did Iwagakure have the funds for supplies? Given their village's state, even rescue efforts were a struggle.
"Probably scraped together by their Daimyo. But don't you find it odd?" Kazuki sat directly on the edge of the desk, tapping the map on it. "Iwagakure is being far too quiet."