Naruto: Tenseigan Eye

Finished!

At this moment, a single thought lingered in the Third Hokage's mind: desperation.

He couldn't imagine what would happen if the contents of the scroll were to spread throughout the village. It wasn't just him—Koharu Utatane, Mitokado Homura, Danzo Shimura, and even the families supporting them were all implicated.

If any of it came to light, none of them would escape unscathed.

"Hiruzen, what happened?"

Koharu's voice broke through his dazed thoughts. His expression after reading the scroll was frozen in shock. Koharu bent down to pick up the scroll, her curiosity piqued. However, the moment her eyes fell on its contents, her entire body stiffened.

Mitokado Homura glanced at the scroll over her shoulder. The words misappropriation of funds stood out, and he immediately understood. The Third Hokage's embezzlement of village finances had been exposed.

If this information reached the villagers, everyone in the room would be condemned as criminals.

"Someone's coming!"

The Third Hokage snapped out of his stupor and shouted urgently.

"Shadow Guard! Quickly!"

The Shadow Guards rushed into the office.

"Send word to the police department and have them assist in dispersing the crowds protesting against the war outside. If anyone refuses to leave…"

The Third Hokage's voice turned cold.

"Arrest them all and interrogate them."

The Shadow Guards hesitated. Was this really the solution?

Forcibly dispersing the protesters would undoubtedly tarnish the Third Hokage's reputation. But leaving them there posed a greater risk.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" The Hokage's tone became even harsher.

Despite understanding the reputational damage this might cause, he had no choice. News of his embezzlement was already circulating in the village. If the protesters continued gathering, the situation could spiral out of control.

The Third Hokage couldn't afford to let that happen. His focus was now on damage control—dispersing the crowd, identifying the source of the leak, and eliminating the conspiracy against him.

If he delayed, his reputation wouldn't just be damaged—he could lose everything, even his position as Hokage.

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

The Shadow Guards snapped to attention, quickly leaving to execute his orders.

"Damn it!" the Hokage muttered under his breath. "Who's behind this? Are they trying to overthrow the leadership of Konoha?"

Koharu scowled. "Hiruzen, you're acting as though you don't know why this is happening. Don't feign ignorance now."

"Tsunade, has ANBU begun investigating suspects?"

Ignoring Koharu's complaints, the Third Hokage turned to Tsunade, who was lounging on a nearby sofa, arms crossed.

"Shinki gave me the report," she replied curtly. "ANBU is already investigating. Don't worry—they'll do their job, even if they don't agree with your methods."

The Hokage felt a small measure of relief. His biggest concern was whether Shinki might be involved in the leak. If ANBU refused to act due to internal conflicts, he'd be in serious trouble.

"That's good," he murmured.

Tsunade, however, rolled her eyes and sneered.

"Let me make something clear, old man. If Shinki wanted to expose you, he wouldn't waste time leaking the news in the village. He'd spread it beyond Konoha. Once it's out in the ninja world, how would you stop it?"

"Ahem… That's not what I meant," the Third Hokage said awkwardly.

Tsunade wasn't impressed. "You'd better mean it, Hiruzen. And prepare yourself. Whoever spread this news already has evidence. If they didn't, they wouldn't be this bold."

Her tone sharpened, and she added with disdain:

"You had the gall to embezzle village funds, but no plan to clean up after yourself? Pathetic. You've really let me down, old man."

The Third Hokage had no choice but to endure her scolding. Koharu and Homura remained silent, knowing Tsunade's words weren't wrong. They, too, had benefited from the misappropriated funds.

The Third Hokage frowned deeply. What's the worst-case scenario?

Losing his position as Hokage?

Becoming a pariah in the village?

Both seemed inevitable.

"Koharu, notify the elders and clan leaders. Have them come to my office immediately."

The Hokage's indecision had vanished. If the situation worsened, he planned to send Sarutobi and Shimura clan ninjas to ally with Sand Village and attack Rock Village. This would hopefully distract from the scandal and restore some of their reputation.

"Understood," Koharu replied hastily, eager to leave.

She could feel Tsunade's judgmental gaze and wanted to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the Hokage's office.

"Mitokadu, the war effort falls on you," the Hokage said, turning to Homura.

Homura nodded solemnly. Leading the ninja forces to the battlefield was an opportunity to avoid the storm of public outrage in the village.

The Third Hokage sighed heavily as the weight of the situation settled on his shoulders. Prepare for the worst…

Because the worst was already knocking at the door.

>>>>>

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[Naruto: Maelstrom Of the Uzumaki]