Konoha Notes

Chapter 230 Before departure
Koharu Utatane spoke up: "Danzo, do as Shuji says."

Mitokado Yan nodded: "Go back and get some rest."

The fact that the two elders of the advisory group, who had remained silent until now, have spoken out means that the opinions within the senior management have reached a consensus, which can be considered a final conclusion on this matter.

Danzo gripped the cane tightly, then released it.

"Since the village has made its decision, I will naturally comply."

"Kakashi," Tsunade immediately gestured.

The silver-haired Jonin silently stepped forward and gestured for Danzo to proceed. Danzo didn't look at anyone else, and, leaning on his cane, followed Kakashi out of the office with steady steps.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, knocked the ash out of his pipe, and packed his things. He stood up, nodded slightly to Tsunade, and then left with Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.

In an instant, only the two of them remained in the Hokage's office.

Tsunade let out a long breath, which she had been holding for a long time. She looked around and her gaze fell on Shuuji.

Shuji took a half-step back without making a sound, and sincerely suggested, "I can buy you a new sandbag at my own expense and put it in your office."

"I'm furious!" Tsunade spat out the word through gritted teeth, then slammed her fist on the table again. "Do you really think he'll obediently hand the person over?"

Shuji looked at the crack on the table and calmly analyzed, "Whether we hand it over or not, it will become new information in itself."

“If Danzo refuses to hand over the keys, or deliberately delays, or even tries to replace them with unrelated people, then it means that the core of his real plan lies with Yakushi Nonou and Yakushi Kabuto.”

He looked at Tsunade: "You should be more careful about your own safety."

Tsunade scoffed: "If your goal is to kill me, then I'd like to see how much preparation Danzo has made."

She paced back and forth behind her desk, the sound of her heels hitting the floor particularly clear.

In the end, we decided that we couldn't just sit and wait for Kakashi to receive the spy.

"Immediately replace all personnel stationed at those suspicious outposts! At the same time, increase the number of Anbu (secret agents) and resume 24/7 surveillance of Shimura Danzo!" Tsunade said, thinking to herself, "Even when they go to the toilet, they'll follow them!"

Consider it as providing two full-time personal caregivers for the former advisor who has become disabled for the sake of the village.

Princess Thousand Hands gritted her teeth, thinking about how restless she was day by day.

Then his gaze turned to Shuuji.

Shuji decisively pulled the door open and left: "Let me know if there are any further arrangements. I still have things to do at the Ninja Academy."
-
With the order issued, all the personnel from the four outposts were summoned back to the village for quarantine and investigation. Kakashi also obtained a contact list from Danzo.

The initial interrogation results were quickly compiled.

Most of the outpost members who were brought back looked bewildered. They were just grassroots executors, simply providing basic logistical support to the front lines according to established procedures.

As for further information, these people knew nothing.

Only the commander of the outpost in the Land of Rivers, where the most activity took place, revealed more information under interrogation. He was a former subordinate who had been under Danzo's command, often on the front lines, and also distrusted Sunagakure.

He firmly believed that now that the village had escaped the diplomatic predicament of the past few years, it should no longer be too lenient with an unfaithful ally.

Therefore, when he received Danzo's order, he immediately provided maximum support to the "ninjas lurking in Sunagakure" he mentioned.

But that's all he knows. The spy's specific identity? He doesn't know.

The exact objective of the mission? It's unclear.

Where did those supplies that exceeded the normal rations end up? He had no idea either. He was simply carrying out Danzo's orders and firmly believed that he was eliminating a potential threat to Konoha.

The situation is equally dire for Kakashi.

Attempts to contact Yakushinonou through the channels handed over by Danzo were unsuccessful, with no response received.

As for Kabuto, after several days, he sent back a very brief message: "Mission in progress." Then, communication was lost again, and no matter how Kakashi tried, there was no further news.

"That's how infiltration missions are." Facing Kakashi's question with a result in mind, Danzo's one eye was half-closed, and his tone was calm and unwavering. "Going deep behind enemy lines is fraught with danger. Long periods of silence are the norm, and it's impossible to respond to every call from the village in a timely manner."

"Sometimes, untimely and urgent contact from the rear can significantly increase the risk of exposure, forcing the infiltrators into a deeper, unreachable lie-in."

"Kakashi, if you want to take on the responsibility in the darkness, you must know that impatience is a major taboo."

Kakashi listened in silence without offering any rebuttal. However, after that, another ANBU squad was added to monitor this former advisor.
-
It was under these circumstances that Shuji was summoned to the Hokage's office again.

Meanwhile, Samui had already returned to Kumogakure with Konoha's reply. On Konoha's side, having just suffered a defeat at the Genin level during the August exchange event, their attitude towards the joint Chunin Exams to be held in November was becoming more conservative.

Having just experienced a defeat at the Genin level, Konoha was unwilling to gamble on their home turf.

They may not necessarily play the second move, but they still retain this option.

This answer wasn't exactly generous, but it was honest enough. After all, Konoha still had quite a few former Root members in their ranks, and their tournament history was very clean.

Moreover, their ages are all reasonable, around fifteen, sixteen, or seventeen, which is the peak growth period for a ninja. They have also graduated for more than three years, so it's common for them not to participate in the August event.

Samui expressed his understanding in the face of Konoha's lenient response.

Before leaving, she said to Shuji, "Mr. Shuji, at least for now, or rather, until a greater, uncontrollable change occurs, Kumogakure will be an ally of Konoha."

She probably sensed something, since Shuuji had been going back and forth between the Ninja Academy and the Hokage's office a lot lately.

A tense atmosphere has also arisen within Konoha Village.

Therefore, she made the most explicit commitment within her authority.
-
“Shuji,” Tsunade’s voice pulled him back to reality, “you’ll probably have to go out for a while.”

"Destination? The Land of Rivers, or Sunagakure?"

Tsunade replied, "Lead the team and conduct an investigation in the border region of the Land of Rivers."

“Although there seems to be no problem with Sunagakure, I’m not comfortable with you going there right now.”

"Find out exactly where the excess supplies allocated to that outpost went and what they were used for."

"Kakashi will continue to follow the channels through which he received replies before, trying to locate the whereabouts of Yakushi Nonou or Yakushi Kabuto."

"We need to advance from both sides simultaneously. I need to know exactly what Danzo is up to!"

(End of this chapter)