Chapter 589: Since I've Been Offline for So Long, I'm Still Forced to Work

"Hiruzen, isn't it a bit excessive for Danzo to do this?"

Inside the Hokage office, Uchiha Kagami, who was busy processing recent complaints from villagers, looked up with a conflicted expression and asked Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was puffing away on his pipe beside him.

"This Danzo, 'a bit' is an understatement—it's absolutely outrageous!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was also dealing with similar complaints, replied with a look of deep distress. As he spoke, he slammed the recruitment criteria for the Tailed Beast Knight, transcribed by the Anbu, onto the desk; his dissatisfaction was palpable.

"Don't get angry yet. We were all classmates; Danzo must have some diffi—"

Seeing this, Kagami prepared to offer a few words of comfort, hoping to avoid damaging the camaraderie between classmates over such a trivial matter.

But before he could finish, Hiruzen Sarutobi gritted his teeth and pointed to the two million ryo written in bold, enlarged font after the registration fee, his eyes flashing with undisguised greed.

"Damn it! Charging such a high registration fee and not paying taxes to my village—this is truly a heinous crime!"

"Uh..."

So the reason for the anger was because no taxes were deducted.

"Go and invite Elder Danzo over for me!"

The more he thought about it, the angrier Hiruzen Sarutobi became, and he immediately ordered the Anbu to go invite Danzo over for tea.

Before long, Danzo walked in, surrounded by several Anbu. Once the Anbu who had completed their mission left, he spoke with an unpleasant expression.

"Monkey, what is it? I'm very busy right now; I don't have time to chat with you."

"Busy? Busy abusing your power for personal gain, right?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi glared fiercely at his childhood friend. To be able to act so calm and composed after doing such a thing—he clearly didn't hold him, the Hokage, in any regard.

"Who snitched on me this time?"

Sensing his friend's hostile tone, Danzo frowned. Sure enough, being in a high position invited jealousy; every day, there were countless black pots being dumped on his back.

"Does this even need a snitch? Don't you know what kind of dirty deeds you've done yourself?"

Looking at Danzo, who showed no signs of repentance, Hiruzen Sarutobi was nearly driven to fury. He immediately grabbed the complaint letter from the desk and threw it over.

"I thought it was something else; so it's about this."

Danzo caught the complaint letter with a puzzled look and scanned it at a glance. After a few breaths, a look of realization appeared on his face.

It was a good thing it wasn't a report about the family selling watered-down pork.

"Since you admit it, what else do you have to say?"

"Spending two million ryo to exchange for a chance to admire the Tailed Beast Knight up close—is there any deal in this world more cost-effective than this?"

Danzo tossed the complaint letter aside and shook his head with disdain.

The two men in the office were stunned upon hearing this. If this recruitment selection were changed to a fan meet-and-greet, these two-million-ryo handshake tickets could indeed attract quite a few die-hard fans of the Nine-Tails Knight.

"If it weren't for my grand-uncle stopping me, I was prepared to add even more."

"Enough! In any case, you handled this matter inappropriately."

"Then should I go back and remove a zero?"

Since Hiruzen Sarutobi had already spoken, Danzo had to endure the pain and earn a little less; even a fly's leg is meat.

"Wait a moment. How many people have signed up and paid the fee so far?"

"Let me think, there are already about a thousand people, and the number is still rising."

This was only the first recruitment; if this time wasn't successful, there would be a second, a third...

"Ahem... changing orders as soon as they are issued might affect the authority of this recruitment. Let's leave it as is for this time; don't let it happen again, don't let it happen again."

After calculating in his heart, Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed a few times to hide his inner excitement. He looked up at the confused-looking Danzo and said earnestly, while subtly rubbing his fingers to hint at the other party.

"Then if there's nothing else, I'll be going."

Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi was, as always, all thunder and no rain, Danzo—who hadn't noticed the subtle gesture—curled his lip and lifted his leg to leave.

"Wait!"

"Monkey, if there's anything else, say it all at once. I'm busy collecting fees over there!"

Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who raised his hand as if to speak but hesitated, Danzo frowned slightly, his tone impatient.

"Kagami, I'm leaving work a few minutes early today. Please cut the power and lock the doors."

Seeing that the other party was so oblivious, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had changed out of his work clothes, decided to privately give Danzo a good lesson on what the Will of Fire meant.

"Remember to report your taxes."

How could the intelligent Uchiha Kagami not know about the shady business the two were about to engage in? But as a classmate and friend, he could only turn a blind eye. However, out of a sense of responsibility to the village, he still reminded them as they walked out.

"I am the Hokage!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's body stiffened at these words. The expression on his face changed rapidly, and finally, he turned his head and said with a righteous look.

"Even the Hokage has to pay taxes."

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi, already feeling guilty, stumbled, and awkwardly dragged Danzo away in a panic.

The next morning, a notice stamped with the Hokage's seal was posted next to the Knight recruitment announcement. Seeing the content of the notice, the group of complainants who had been waiting for a fair ruling from the Hokage felt as if the sky had collapsed.

【This recruitment activity is authentic and valid. We hope all aspiring individuals will participate enthusiastically. As for the high registration fee that everyone is concerned about, after an investigation by the organization, the flow of funds is clear, and the Shimura clan has not engaged in any abuse of power for personal gain.】

【PS: Limited-time benefit: with the payment receipt, you can exchange it for half a side of high-quality wild boar meat at the Shimura Pork Shop.】

"Damn it! The officials actually stepped in personally to endorse him. In the end, we still lost to capital..."

Many villagers whose families were not well-off felt their resentment overflowing. They originally had a chance to become the ten-thousand-admired Nine-Tails Knight, but the Third Hokage and the Shimura clan had conspired to rig the game, causing their path to knighthood to collapse halfway, leaving them to fade into obscurity.

"Phew... two million, huh?"

Although the figure of two million ryo seemed unattainable, for a ninja, it was actually within an acceptable range.

The reward for a D-rank mission ranged from ten thousand to one hundred thousand. After deductions, one could earn an average of fifty thousand ryo per D-rank mission. Even for the lowest-level genin, after daily expenses, they could accumulate a significant amount of wealth after working for a few years.

"I'll risk it!"

Take a gamble, and a bicycle might turn into a motorcycle. Rather than living a mediocre life, it was better to give it a try; perhaps they were the chosen child of destiny selected by the Tailed Beast card.

Thus, after the clarification notice personally written by the Third Hokage was released, the number of applicants began to grow exponentially. Danzo, who bore the insults, counted money until his hands went soft, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing behind him, also got his fill.

"Monkey, just as we discussed, a fifty-fifty split."

In the secret room, a reluctant-looking Danzo handed a heavy box to the smiling Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"It's really good to be Hokage; just by moving your lips, you can take away half."

Watching his friend carefully counting the banknotes, Danzo said with a sour tone.

"Danzo, you can't say it like that. I took a risk in this matter too, didn't I?"

Smiling, Hiruzen Sarutobi stuffed the box into a storage scroll, stood up, and shook his head.

"By the way, take out another ten percent to report to the village, otherwise Kagami will definitely get anxious with me."

Before leaving, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to recall something and turned back to instruct him.

"Huh?"

One sentence, and he had to cough up another ten percent.

Did organizing this recruitment not cost money?

Was the manpower and resources provided by the Shimura clan free?

Did asking the Sealing Team to help reinforce the seals around the Tailed Beast cards not require tea money?

Did the half-side of pork given upon registration fall from the sky?

Are you treating me, Danzo, like a Japanese person?

"Danzo, why is it only ten percent?"

Inside the Hokage office, Kagami picked up the tax return form sent by Danzo, his brow furrowing unconsciously.

Your Shimura clan raised the mission commission to thirty percent on your own, so why do you start playing deaf and dumb when it's your turn to pay taxes?

"Hasn't it always been ten percent?"

Facing his foster father, Danzo replied with a fawning smile, rubbing his hands.

"That won't do. The village provided you with a platform to make money; is this how you give back?"

Kagami shook his head with an unpleasant expression. Seeing this, Danzo revealed a bitter smile.

"Then... twenty percent?"

"Thirty percent. I'm just following the rules. Danzo, as an advisor elder, you should set an example."

Hearing the words "thirty percent," Danzo's heart was bleeding. So he was busy running around just to work for free for Konoha?

By the end of the calculation, not only did he not make money, but he also ended up paying for half a side of pork.

"Phew... thirty percent it is. Compliance with rules and discipline starts with me."

Danzo took a deep breath, squeezed a smile that was uglier than crying from his face, and nodded to accept the matter.

"That's more like it. As expected of a good elder of Konoha, I give you a thumbs up."

Kagami smiled and extended a thumb, giving Danzo a big thumbs up.

"I will definitely vote for you for this year's 'Most Touching Konoha' figure."

"Young Clan Leader, the statistics..."

"Call me Advisor when we're outside!"

Outside the tent of the temporarily established Tailed Beast Knight Management and Command Headquarters, a spirited Shimura clansman rushed in holding a stack of registration forms. The moment he opened his mouth to say "Young Clan Leader," Danzo, who was resting with his eyes closed, frowned.

"Uh... yes, Advisor-sama. The registration list to date has been compiled. There are a total of 3,144 people, including 369 jonin, 721 chunin, 1,426 genin, and 628 civilians."

The clansman held the list and reported the series of extremely accurate numbers to Danzo.

"The total registration fees collected are..."

"No need to say that."

At the thought that this small change had nothing to do with him, Danzo didn't even want to hear it and directly took the registration list from the other party to browse through it.

"Huh?"

At first, he didn't pay much attention when he saw some familiar names on the list, but as he continued browsing, a look of confusion gradually appeared on his face.

"Is this the entire list?"

He raised his head to ask the clansman waiting before him.

"Yes, my lord advisor."

"Something's not right. Why are there no Uchiha?"

Having looked over the entire list several times, Danzo even found the name of his own teacher's daughter on it, yet strangely, he hadn't discovered a single Uchiha.

"In reply to my lord advisor, among those who signed up this time, we indeed did not find any members of the Uchiha clan."

The clansman responsible for the statistics recalled carefully.

"How can those guys remain so calm? This is their clan leader's 'legacy'."

Unable to figure out the reason, Danzo scratched his head and handed the list back with great regret.

Just the thought that he hadn't managed to fleece the Uchiha clan made him feel miserable all over.

"Lord Izuna! Why won't you allow us to participate in the recruitment for the Tailed Beast Knights? That is the clan leader's property; how can we let that bunch of ants lay a finger on it?"

At the weekly Uchiha clan meeting, the radical faction led by Setsuna Uchiha stepped forward without permission, kneeling in unison before Izuna Uchiha, questioning him while suppressing the anger in their hearts.

The moment Danzo issued the announcement, the first to boil over was the Uchiha clan.

Originally, the clansmen screened by Gin Uchiha to remain in the Hidden Leaf Village were the emotional, radical type—eccentric and tyrannical in nature, believing themselves to be superior to others. The moment they saw that the Tailed Beast card belonging to Madara Uchiha was being publicly displayed by the village, they felt as if they had been severely humiliated and were eager to form a group to go and seize it.

"The Tailed Beast Knight system was never the private property of the Uchiha; it belongs to the village. This is something Big Brother often kept on his lips, and you should all be very clear about that."

Sitting cross-legged in a high position, Izuna Uchiha lowered his head and eyes, his tone revealing a faint chill. It was evident that the presumptuous behavior of Setsuna Uchiha and the others displeased him.

"But what if the clan leader returns and sees that we couldn't even protect his driver? How disappointed he would be!"

Intimidated by the aura inadvertently exuded by Izuna Uchiha, Setsuna Uchiha swallowed hard and chose a more tactful excuse.

"That is not for you to worry about. If Big Brother returns, I will ensure he gets back everything that is his, without a single thing missing."

Hearing this, Izuna Uchiha slowly opened his eyes, which had been feigning sleep, and a predatory scarlet light escaped from them. Setsuna Uchiha and the others kneeling below instantly broke into a cold sweat, as if a butcher's knife were hanging over their heads.

So... so strong.

Setsuna Uchiha's pupils shrank slightly, and he involuntarily lowered his arrogant head, his black eyes filled with terror.

Under the deterrence of the Mangekyo Sharingan, he didn't even have the courage to activate his Sharingan.

"Withdraw."

Closing his eyes to disperse the scarlet light, Izuna Uchiha waved his hand. As if granted amnesty, Setsuna Uchiha and the others scrambled away on their hands and feet, retreating back into the ranks of the clansmen.

"Setsuna, you are still too young. Lord Izuna must have his reasons for doing things that way."

Looking at the panting Setsuna Uchiha beside him, his elder and superior, Kagami Uchiha, offered a word of advice.

"I am not reconciled! Clearly, the Uchiha are the pillars of the village, yet Lord Izuna lets that bunch of clowns ride roughshod over us."

At the thought of those members of the Ninja Clan Alliance, who usually saw him like a mouse seeing a cat, actually daring to walk with their heads held high in front of him, the nameless fire in his heart burned fiercely.

"You are overthinking it yourself."

Kagami Uchiha rolled his eyes in speechlessness. Those guys were busy carving up benefits; where would they find the time to target you? Are you so obsessed with the fantasy of being plotted against?

The reason those members of the Ninja Clan Alliance used to avoid Setsuna Uchiha was because of his status as a city official; to avoid unnecessary trouble, members of the Ninja Clan Alliance would take a detour whenever they saw a city official.

But because of the night raid incident not long ago, Setsuna Uchiha not only had his official position stripped but also spent time in the slammer. After coming out, he was forced by pressure to issue a public apology, which was the only thing that prevented the conflict between the Uchiha and the Senju from escalating.

"Alright, since no one has anything to report, it is my turn to speak."

After Setsuna Uchiha and the others retreated, Izuna Uchiha looked at the clansmen who had no intention of speaking and slowly stood up. Hearing this, the crowd below, though puzzled, pricked up their ears to listen.

"I have accepted the guard duty for the Uchiha Chamber of Commerce stationed in the Land of Waves and will be leaving the Hidden Leaf Village for a long time."

As soon as these words were spoken, the venue was in an uproar. Izuna Uchiha paused, swept his gaze across the crowd, and finally landed on a drowsy, white-haired elder.

"During this period, clan affairs will be managed by the elders. That's right, stop sleeping; I'm talking about you, Elder Lu Cha."