"Even Sensei can't get past that place, what qualifications does Shin have?" Koharu said confidently.
"Besides, over the years, we've reinforced the barrier multiple times. There's absolutely no way he could have had a chance."
"To be safe, Homura, take the barrier team and inspect it immediately," Hiruzen said with a sharp look in his eyes. "I want to make sure this operation is flawless."
The Konoha strategic supply warehouse was a massive underground facility.
Above the warehouse stood a modest building. At that moment, the building was completely surrounded by thousands of tents, leaving not a single space unoccupied. Many of the people present had come of their own accord.
The citizens of Konoha were actually quite simple at heart. Most of them deeply loved the village, and so they sincerely wanted to see it improve.
But it was precisely because of that love that they couldn't tolerate even a speck of sand in their eyes, meaning they couldn't overlook any corruption or wrongdoing, and their behavior sometimes leaned toward the extreme. And they didn't see anything wrong with their actions.
"We just want the truth, is that so wrong?"
"Why has the Hokage not given us any explanation to this day?"
"Are you really going to protect Koharu at all costs, ignoring the will of the people?"
At this point, it had been ten full days since Tsunade had started her vigil in front of the warehouse gates.
Over those ten days, many of the villagers had grown increasingly agitated, it was a chorus of complaints and unrest. They had gone to the Hokage's office to demand answers, and even organized protests. But all they got from the Hokage's building was one statement: "The matter is still under investigation."
And then, nothing more.
By now, no one even questioned anymore whether Koharu had actually been selling off Konoha's strategic resources. Because in everyone's eyes, it was already an ironclad fact.
Many even believed that Hiruzen himself was involved. Otherwise, why would he go to such lengths to shield her?
Was it because she was beautiful? Or because she was kind?
Another day passed, and finally, the situation began to shift.
Ryohei couldn't sit still any longer. He secretly contacted Fukuyama, Torifu, and others to join him in meeting with Hiruzen and urging him to address the situation. Ever since the Hyūga clan had taken over the Police Force, things had gone fairly smoothly at first.
The branch house members had been given strict orders: no matter how much trouble someone caused, they had to remain polite and composed, never rude or harsh. This naturally won them some goodwill among the villagers.
However, Konoha was simply too big, and it was inevitable that some strange or difficult people would appear. Incidents began to arise.
The Hyūga branch members, upon receiving reports, had no choice but to act. And now, they finally understood the suffering the Uchiha clan had once endured.
No matter how courteous and respectful they were, someone would always be dissatisfied and cry out about unfairness. This was the flaw of not having a clear and effective set of rules in place.
Yes, so as not to appear as though he was targeting the Uchiha, Hiruzen had also rejected Ryohei's reform proposals.
The only difference was, he didn't invoke the Second Hokage to scold anyone. But Ryohei was clever. He punished some of the branch members harshly, quelled the unrest, and showed that the Hyūga were different from the Uchiha. However, in these ten days, the unrest among the villagers had only grown more intense. And yet, the Police Force had no choice but to handle them.
After all, those affected were swarming the Police Force in protest, could they really just pretend not to see? This led to a rapid escalation of tension between the Police Force and the villagers.
Ryohei continued punishing many members of the Hyūga branch house. However, as his punishments became increasingly indiscriminate, dissent began to emerge within the branch house.
Some members outright turned against him, declaring that even if it meant death, they refused to endure such torment any longer.
"If you have the guts, Ryohei, go ahead and kill me!"
Though Ryohei had never truly regarded the branch house members as equals, he wasn't stupid, he realized things couldn't go on like this. That was why he secretly reached out to Fukuyama, Torifu, and the heads of several other major clans, leading a delegation to meet with Hiruzen.
The Hyūga delegation marched toward the Hokage's office full of righteous fury, determined to force the Hokage to take a stance. But the moment they pushed open the Hokage's office doors, Ryohei's attitude changed instantly. He began pouring out his grievances, playing the victim as though he had been terribly wronged.
He kept emphasizing how difficult things had been lately, how the work was becoming unsustainable, and so on.
By rights, someone of his status shouldn't have needed to grovel before the Hokage.
But the problem was, he really wanted to become an elder.
One of the conditions he agreed to when aligning with Hiruzen was a seat on the Konoha Council. Now that he had clearly picked a side, backing out would make him a laughingstock.
In fact, he hoped to use the elder seat as a stepping stone to even greater power.
Whether he had been blinded by ambition or simply misunderstood Hiruzen, no one could say, but the very thought was dangerous. Let alone rising higher, even if he did get the elder seat, how much real power would he hold?
Wasn't Torifu also an elder? And look at him now, retired at home, playing with his grandchildren and savoring gourmet food.
If Ryohei only wanted a ceremonial title, things would be fine. But if he reached further, he might not even know how he died. After all, he didn't have the strength of Shin or Tsunade, enough to make Hiruzen hesitate.
Once he finished airing his grievances, the other clan leaders began to speak up one after another, voicing their own frustrations over the past few days. Only Torifu and Fukuyama remained silent in the corner, like decorative mascots.
"I understand what you're all saying," Hiruzen finally sighed. "Since everyone is here today, it's clear we need to bring this matter to a conclusion. But does anyone have any suggestions on how to proceed?"
The moment he asked that question, everyone fell silent.
It wasn't just the villagers who distrusted Hiruzen, even members of Konoha's clans harbored doubts. Otherwise, how could anyone explain his series of questionable decisions?
But no one wanted to be the one to speak up and offend the Hokage, no one wanted to be the target of his wrath.
"Investigate! It must be thoroughly investigated!"
Suddenly, a voice rang out, startling everyone. They quickly turned and saw that it was Torifu who had spoken.
"I trust that you and Koharu would never engage in corruption or actions that harm the village. This whole situation must be a conspiracy by Iwa. Right now, the entire village is desperate for the truth, it's time we gave it to them."
His words were well-crafted, but everyone knew the message was directed at Hiruzen. The room fell silent again, and some even began watching with a sense of curiosity, as if enjoying a spectacle.
Hiruzen's expression shifted slightly. He turned to the others and asked, "What do the rest of you think?"
"Investigate! It must be thoroughly investigated!" Another voice rang out, repeating Torifu's words exactly.
It was Fukuyama, who added, "Anyone who harms the village's interests is a scoundrel, a beast, a parasite. But the Hokage is certainly none of those things. We must get to the bottom of this, for the sake of the Hokage's good name."