I, Uchiha: Split Konoha

Chapter 194 Blackmail

Konoha base.

"This is outrageous! They actually dare to threaten Konoha!"

"How dare they be so bold! Unbelievable! Unbelievable!"

Inside the Konoha camp, the Konoha Jonin all showed expressions of disbelief and anger, because what they saw was a blackmail letter.

Kakashi, holding the letter, had a gloomy expression, but he was completely bewildered.

After his initial shock, he reacted quickly and immediately came up with a solution. Kakashi, with a cold expression, said in a deep voice, "Because this letter concerns the safety of Shinnosuke-sama, I have only informed your Sarutobi clan. At the same time, I have also written to report to the Third Hokage."

"This matter is top secret, and I hope you will keep it confidential."

As soon as Kakashi finished speaking, all the Jonin in the tent were moved and showed kind smiles.

There weren't many Jonin in the tent, only ten people, most of whom were Special Jonin, but they all shared the same surname: Sarutobi.

Leaf.

Inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, puffed on a pipe, his face displaying a complex expression—shock, anger, and above all, frustration at his son's incompetence.

A blackmail letter! This is the first time in all the years that Hiruzen Sarutobi has been in charge of Konoha that he has felt so humiliated. Who the hell in the ninja world dares to blackmail me, Hiruzen Sarutobi?

[Shin-chan is in my hands. To save his life, he needs to hand over gold worth one billion yen plus 300 kilograms of chakra metal. If he's shortchanged even a little, Sarutobi Umeko will suffer the consequences. Hint: Sarutobi Umeko is very succulent.]

This is the true content of the letter, but at the end of the letter is a sinister smiley face, seemingly mocking his incompetence and threatening them, saying that if they dare to play tricks, they dare to kill him.

"Clan leader, Shinnosuke cannot be harmed."

Upon learning this news, two elderly elders from the Sarutobi clan came to the Hokage's office with such solemnity for the first time. For many years, in order to avoid suspicion, Hiruzen Sarutobi had almost never inquired about clan matters in the Hokage's office, but this time was different.

The two elders of the Sarutobi clan completely forgot Hiruzen Sarutobi's warning, while Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent this time.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke is not only his son, but also the one he is most satisfied with who has inherited the Will of Fire. This is no longer just a matter for the Sarutobi clan.

"Do you know the importance of one billion gold and three hundred kilograms of chakra metal?!"

Although he was his own son, Hiruzen Sarutobi was now the Third Hokage of Konoha, so his expression was extremely unpleasant.

"The village cannot afford to spend so much money on just one person like Sarutobi Shinnosuke."

His eyes gleamed with determination, but the pain he felt was still undeniable; behind the title of Third Hokage, he was still a father.

It would be painful for anyone to see their son trapped in a terrible situation, and for the father to coldly cut off his last chance of survival.

"What if it's in the name of the Sarutobi clan?"

The two elders of the Sarutobi clan spoke in deep voices. They had already guessed the outcome before they came, but upon hearing it, they still couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment.

Konoha! The Sarutobi clan has sacrificed so much for the village, and yet you can't even bear to part with this little bit?

They didn't seem to have much affection for Sarutobi Shinnosuke; rather, they clearly knew that Sarutobi Hiruzen was starting to decline, and that Sarutobi Shinnosuke was the most likely successor in Konoha at present.

If Sarutobi Shinnosuke can take that final step, he can extend the clan's glory for several more decades, and Konoha will still belong to the Sarutobi clan.

It was precisely for this reason that the two elders of the Sarutobi clan gritted their teeth and made a firm decision.

"Third Hokage, the Sarutobi clan is willing to pay the ransom."

This is a clash between the Sarutobi clan and the Hokage. The two elders represent the Sarutobi clan, while Hiruzen Sarutobi represents the Third Hokage.

Seeing that his family was willing to go to such lengths to save his son, the Third Hokage felt a surge of warmth in his heart, but he was even more aware of what he was doing.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath from his pipe, then lowered his Hokage hat, hiding his expression in the shadows.

A thick cloud of smoke slowly billowed out as the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, said hoarsely, "As one of the main forces of the village, the loss of so much funding not only weakens the Sarutobi clan but also weakens the village's fighting power. Therefore, I veto this."

"No!" Just then, the door to the Hokage's office was pushed open, and Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane walked in with solemn expressions. It was Koharu Utatane who spoke first and directly refuted Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Koharu Utatane, who had just entered, frowned slightly. He glanced at the two elders of the Sarutobi clan, and then at his old friend Hiruzen Sarutobi's silent demeanor. He couldn't help but shake his head.

"Hiruzen, you're so foolish."

"Do I need to reiterate the importance of Shinnosuke Sarutobi? Konoha is currently beset by internal and external troubles, and there is a severe shortage of capable young talents. While it is true that both Konoha and the Sarutobi clan will suffer losses for the village, have you considered the consequences of losing Shinnosuke, Sarutobi?"

Koharu Utatane shook her head and sighed, "After the village loses Sarutobi Shinnosuke, the village will truly face a crisis. So, Sarutobi, do you have a candidate? Sarutobi Shinnosuke's existence is not just for our personal reasons, but for maintaining the balance of the village."

"Once Sarutobi Shinnosuke dies, it will take the village at least ten years to train another one, and none of them will have Shinnosuke's greatest advantage!"

At this point, Mitokado Homura sighed softly, "Stability. Shinnosuke is the only one who can keep the village's power stable."

After seeing Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado enter and offer their words of comfort, the two elders of the Sarutobi clan hurriedly nodded and said, "That's right. This time, all of Sarutobi Shinnosuke's ransom will be borne by the Sarutobi clan, and it will absolutely not affect the village."

"Sarutobi!"

Faced with the words of comfort from his two old friends, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, slowly raised his head, revealing his cloudy eyes, and then looked into the expectant eyes of the two elders in his clan.

Finally, he slowly removed the pipe from his mouth, and the Third Hokage said hoarsely, "The Sarutobi clan will bear all the responsibility for this matter."

Finally! Upon hearing this, the two elders of the Sarutobi clan nodded repeatedly with tears of excitement in their eyes. They were both veterans and knew how glorious it was to have a Hokage in the clan.

Even without saying anything, all departments will give them the green light. The Sarutobi clan has risen from the bottom of the family to its current status. Therefore, they understand even more that what they are paying now is nothing. As long as Shinnosuke returns, he will bring decades more glory to the Sarutobi clan.

"Third Hokage, and the two advisors, rest assured, the Sarutobi clan will take full responsibility for this matter."

The two elders of the Sarutobi clan patted their chests and hurriedly made their promises, fearing that Hiruzen Sarutobi might change his mind at any moment. After expressing their gratitude excitedly, the two hurriedly left the Hokage's office.

In the oppressive office, after the tobacco in his pipe had burned out, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally looked up at his two old friends and said quietly, "They're the ones who notified you, aren't they?"

Upon hearing Sarutobi's words, Koharu Utatane's face immediately darkened. "Sarutobi, Shinnosuke is no longer just a private matter of your Sarutobi clan, nor is he simply your son. If we hadn't come and something had really happened, do you know how serious the consequences would have been?"

"That's right. The frontline commander has been captured. This is no small matter no matter how you look at it. Sarutobi, you can't just do this because he's your son."

Mitokado Homura rarely showed a serious expression. "Sarutobi, this matter is not only a family matter of the Sarutobi clan, but also a matter of the village. My suggestion is that the Anbu join forces with the Sarutobi clan to prepare for the rescue of Shinnosuke."

"Block all information. Shinnosuke is now the only successor in the village who can stabilize the situation."

Looking at his two old friends, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, revealed a complex expression before saying in a hoarse voice, "Thank you."

"We are all doing this for Konoha."

Although he knew it was for political gain, Hiruzen Sarutobi was still his son, so he looked at the two of them with gratitude.

"The news of the frontline commander's disappearance has been completely blocked. The official explanation is that he was on a classified mission. At the same time, I intend to appoint Kakashi Hatake as the frontline commander to oversee everything."

The experienced Hiruzen Sarutobi made a calm adjustment in a short time, and Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado smiled with satisfaction upon seeing this.

This is the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, in their minds.

root.

In the dark, secret room, Shimura Danzo looked at the intelligence report in his hand, his face turning green. Finally, he slammed his fist on the table in frustration.

"Damn Sarutobi, and all of you! You only informed me after you had already made your decision, how infuriating!"

What angered Danzo Shimura was that Hiruzen Sarutobi had made the decision behind his back, and it was a decision he made together with Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado. In fact, Danzo was the last person to know after the order was issued.

It was obvious that the last person to know the news was someone who had already made the decision and informed him, which angered Danzo, the dark figure of the ninja world.

"Shinnosuke Sarutobi, you're such an idiot! As the commander of Konoha, you got captured alive! Why don't you just die?!"

Danzo Shimura, you're utterly useless! You're more trouble than you're worth. I haven't even made a move yet, and this is all you've got? You've just ruined your own life.

"grown ups."

Just then, a trusted confidant of the Root appeared, respectfully holding a piece of intelligence with both hands.

Looking at the intelligence in his hand, a sinister glint appeared in the one eye that was exposed by Shimura Danzo, and he also revealed a satisfied smile.

"It seems this might be my chance; someone has just stirred up this mess."

The intelligence records in his hand contained information about something extremely important to him at the front lines, which even Danzo Shimura inquired about again.

"Is the intelligence confirmed?"

"My lord, according to intelligence from the front lines, the Uchiha clan's dispatch of elite troops to the front lines this time was secretly led by Uchiha Fugaku. This information was obtained from Uchiha Itachi."

Upon hearing this answer, Shimura Danzo narrowed his eyes and then said in a deep voice, "Keep a close eye on him. I need to know for sure whether Uchiha Fugaku has really gone out. If he has, then make preparations on his way back."

"yes!"

"It is highly likely that Fugaku Uchiha awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan. Here is some information about the Mangekyou Sharingan."

Danzo Shimura was filled with desire for the Mangekyou Sharingan. He hoped that Fugaku Uchiha would not disappoint him, but he also hoped that the other party had not awakened it, after all, the existence of the Mangekyou Sharingan was too daunting.

……

The Land of Whirlpools.

In a valley, ninjas appeared one after another.

Covered in bandages, Uchiha Yoru squinted at the approaching figure and asked in a hoarse voice, "Did you bring the things?"

The person leading the group opposite them was Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki from the Hidden Cloud Village. At this moment, he wore sunglasses and showed a rare solemn expression.

"Five hundred kilograms of chakra metal, and this is gold worth one billion."

Behind them, the Cloud Ninja pulled out scrolls and simultaneously broke the seals, revealing the gleaming gold and the jet-black chakra metal.

"Where are they now!" Killer Bee asked, staring intently at the other side. Uchiha Yoru, who was also wearing sunglasses and had his face covered, smiled upon seeing this.

He gently moved half a step aside, revealing Sarutobi Shinnosuke, who was pale and unconscious behind him.

"Send your men over with the gold and chakra metal, inspect them thoroughly, and then proceed with the transaction."

Killer Bee looked at the mysterious man and nodded to himself. At the same time, he gave a signal to the people behind him, and a Cloud Ninja stepped forward and put away all the scrolls.

"Check carefully and send the person over after confirming everything is correct."

"Yes."

Uchiha Yoru doesn't care what tricks the people of Kumogakure are up to. What he sees is making use of waste, which not only helps him get rid of a troublesome matter but also makes him a lot of money—a win-win situation.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke is a hot potato in his hands. Although he did this for Kakashi and Shisui, there are too many strange ninjutsu in the ninja world. If he really extorts the people of Konoha, he will suffer a huge loss if he reveals even the slightest flaw.

"I am coming."

After a person from Kumogakure arrived, Uchiha Yoru, whose face was covered, calmly nodded slightly. "You are responsible for checking if the person is correct, and I will check the payment."

"it is good."

Both sides began to check simultaneously, but the subtle movements of the Cloud Village on the other side did not escape his eyes. The Mangekyou Sharingan hidden behind his sunglasses saw everything clearly, and Uchiha Yoru couldn't help but slowly curl the corners of his mouth.

As expected of the Hidden Cloud Village, they are adept at using such underhanded methods. But I'll let it slide this time.

Two smoke bombs suddenly exploded, emitting thick white smoke. The ninjas from the Cloud Village in the distance exclaimed in surprise upon seeing this.

"not good!"

However, as the smoke dissipated, the figures had long since disappeared, but when they saw Sarutobi Shinnosuke's figure, they all immediately showed joy.

My brain is still not fully recovered after I got back; I need to take a break.

(End of this chapter)