Yellow Dog and Yōkō arrived at the Hokage's office.
On the Third Hokage's desk, documents were piled over a meter high.
There were also six baskets of scrolls on the floor nearby.
This was the first time Yōkō had seen scrolls stored in baskets.
After the Second Great Ninja War, the Third Hokage had too many matters to handle.
Compensation for fallen ninjas, the Ninja Academy expansion plan, reconstruction of border stronghold fortresses in the Land of Fire, Guardian Ninja quotas for the Daimyō of various countries, liaison and reception for chamber of commerce presidents from various places, post-war missions for Land of Fire nobles – all extremely troublesome.
The Third Hokage was blocked by the documents. A voice came from behind the files: "Yellow Dog, what is it?"
Yellow Dog said: "Hokage-sama, Fox has gathered important intelligence regarding Kumogakure's Jinchūriki."
The Third Hokage stood up, stretched his tired neck, walked to the sofa, took the scroll, and sat down.
He read the scroll carefully and said:
"Kumogakure's Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Ryūjin, can maintain rationality even while in a prolonged state of Partial Tailed Beast Transformation?
After the battle ends, she can also reseal the Tailed Beast chakra on her own and withdraw smoothly?"
Every ninja village had Tailed Beasts.
In the vast majority of cases, villages used Tailed Beasts extremely cautiously, largely because Tailed Beasts were easy to release but hard to control.
Sunagakure permanently sealed the One-Tail, Shukaku, in a teapot, and Amegakure permanently allowed the Three-Tails to remain hidden in a large lake precisely because they couldn't control the Tailed Beasts berserk power.
A Jinchūriki who could control a Tailed Beast freely – didn't that mean Kumogakure had a stable Kage-level or even super-Kage-level combat asset?
The Third Hokage's expression was serious. As soon as he looked up, Yellow Dog opportunely handed him his pipe. The Third Hokage took a comfortable puff and continued reading the scroll.
"Fox did well. This intelligence is very valuable." The Third Hokage thought for a moment and said:
"Fox, please ask Clan Leader Senju Hanaki to come to my office."
"Yes!"
Yōkō saw the Hokage office window was open and left via Body Flicker.
Inside the newly built outpatient building of Konoha Hospital, Senju Hanaki was making rounds with several young medical-nin.
She suddenly turned her head and noticed the ANBU member to her side.
"Clan Leader Senju Hanaki, the Hokage-sama requests your presence at the Hokage Building now."
Senju Hanaki saw the fox mask and knew he was a division captain after the ANBU reforms.
For an ANBU division captain to personally summon her, she wondered what major event had occurred.
When Senju Hanaki arrived at the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage stood up again from the pile of documents and gestured for Senju Hanaki to read the scroll first.
Seeing the performance of the Two-Tails Jinchūriki Ryūjin, Senju Hanaki was also surprised.
The Third Hokage said: "Clan Leader Hanaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki is being nurtured by your Senju clan.
There is evidence that Kumogakure's development of Tailed Beasts is alarming.
What about you?
Does your Senju clan have a mature plan for developing the Nine-Tails?"
Senju Hanaki frowned and said: "Hokage-sama, when my mother Mito was the Jinchūriki, the village could win wars without needing the Nine-Tails, so Mother rarely used its power.
Regarding the Nine-Tails' development, we have no specific plan yet. For now, ensuring the seal's safety is the priority.
If the village requires it, I can return and formulate a plan."
Senju Hanaki thought to herself, Creating a plan is simple, but whether to execute it depends on assessing the stability of the Nine-Tails' seal.
Facing the Konoha leadership, Senju Hanaki's attitude was one of non-resistance and non-implementation, using delaying tactics to solve everything.
The Third Hokage said succinctly: "A Nine-Tails development plan is needed, and the development must not damage the village."
Senju Hanaki said: "Kushina still has two years before she graduates from the Ninja Academy.
She is too young. Once her strength increases a bit, our Senju clan will begin work on developing the Nine-Tails."
The Third Hokage's expression was stern as he said:
"This matter is urgent, Clan Leader Hanaki.
If war breaks out with Kumogakure, they will deploy two Tailed Beasts onto the battlefield.
Konoha, however, would have to use the flesh and blood of ordinary ninja to oppose the Tailed Beasts. Do you know what that means?"
Senju Hanaki thought, No matter how urgent the village is, I cannot possibly let Kushina, who hasn't even graduated from the academy, take such risks.
"Hokage-sama, we will pay attention to the Nine-Tails," Senju Hanaki said.
"There is another more pressing matter. The Special Jōnin recommended by me and Konoha Hospital, and the Jōnin recommended by Tsunade – I wonder how the village's consideration is progressing?
Konoha Hospital needs to supplement a large number of personnel to handle the post-war wave of injured personnel rehabilitation."
Not only did Yōkō want his subordinates to become Special Jōnin, the Senju clan also hoped to have more Special Jōnin and Jōnin within their clan.
Tsunade, as deputy commander on several battlefields, was qualified to recommend Jōnin.
Besides Tsunade, the Senju clan currently had 6 Jōnin. Three Jōnin were enough to recommend a Special Jōnin.
The Third Hokage turned and pointed at the piles and baskets of documents, saying:
"The recommendations for Special Jōnin and Jōnin are being reviewed one by one. Clan Leader Hanaki, please go back and wait for news."
Not only could Senju Hanaki stall; Sarutobi Hiruzen could too.
After Senju Hanaki left, Yellow Dog said: "Hokage-sama, Fox and I wish to recommend Purple Cat, White Sheep, and Flower Deer for promotion to Special Jōnin."
"Oh? Have Fox fill out the recommendation forms. If you bring them today, I will approve them today."
"Understood."
This was double standards.
The Hokage would block quite a few of the Senju clan's Jōnin and Special Jōnin recommendations.
ANBU recommendations were different; this was the Hokage rewarding his own people.
People disliked privilege because the privilege didn't belong to them.
When privilege belonged to oneself, one would only praise it.
The Third Hokage said: "Yellow Dog, when the Golden Eagle division monitors the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, focus on monitoring whether the Senju clan is conducting Tailed Beast chakra special training with her."
"Understood, I'll see to it."
After returning to the ANBU base, Yōkō had Purple Cat bring the Special Jōnin recommendation scrolls.
He filled out the scrolls, planning to tease Purple Cat a little:
"Purple Cat, your combat strength is inferior to White Sheep and Flower Deer's.
Recently is the post-war turbulent period. ANBU missions are still very dangerous, even more dangerous than during the war.
During the war, frontline forces could provide a safety net for ANBU missions. Now when we go on missions, there might be only us for hundreds of kilometers.
After we get through this turbulent period, I'll find a way to help you get promoted to Special Jōnin."
"I understand, Captain. I'm not in a hurry for promotion. Being able to serve as the division's assistant is already very satisfying for me.
Even if you don't recommend me, Captain, I won't feel wronged."
Purple Cat was highly valued within the Yamanaka clan.
The better and more important Purple Cat's performance was in the ANBU, the closer it indicated the Yamanaka clan was to the Konoha leadership.
"Huh?"
Purple Cat noticed the Captain wrote a second form, and then a third scroll! Her eyes grew brighter and brighter!
Being promoted to Special Jōnin within the ANBU carried completely different weight compared to being recommended by the Yamanaka clan!
"How could it not include you? Of course it includes you."
After finishing the recommendation scrolls, Yōkō went through the same process he had undergone during his own promotion to Special Jōnin.
Only this time, Yōkō was the recommender, just like Yellow Dog had been before.
The two division captains, Black Ant and Golden Eagle, jointly reviewed Purple Cat, White Sheep, and Flower Deer.
After the review passed, Yōkō took the three to the Hokage Building.
The Hokage personally instilled the Will of Fire in the three, filling them with such fervor that they felt ready to go through fire and water for the village right then and there.
After returning to the ANBU base, Yōkō said:
"White Sheep, Flower Deer, you two must seize every moment to improve your own strength.
After becoming Special Jōnin, I will assign you more difficult missions. Without sufficient strength, you cannot complete ANBU missions."
"Understood!"
***
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(End of Chapter)