Although Konoha had officially announced the village's closure, the implementation of such a drastic measure was far from simple.
Once the largest and most influential ninja village in the world, Konoha has seen a decline in recent years, driven by various factors. Despite this, the village continued to receive a steady stream of mission requests. Konoha's mission services, which spanned across multiple countries, were highly sought after. Known for its competitive prices, exceptional quality, and an extremely high success rate, Konoha remained a popular choice among the ninja community. In fact, after the Third Shinobi War, the Land of Wind had entrusted all its national missions to Konoha.
However, due to the turmoil in recent years, the Land of Wind had fallen into financial chaos. As a result, they began redirecting their mission requests to the more affordable Sand Village.
As the Third Hokage thought about this shift, a surge of frustration overwhelmed him. Having spent most of his life surrounded by god-like ninjas such as the First Hokage and his own teacher, and witnessing the rise and fall of many great forces in the shinobi world, he never imagined the world could change so drastically in such a short time. The events of the past few years have been nothing short of eye-opening.
In the end, after all the turmoil surrounding the dissolution of the village, it turned out that the Sand Village had simply shifted its position within the Land of Wind, moving from one end of the country to the other.
Of course, the Third Hokage had given the matter of closing Konoha careful thought. The village could no longer endure the turmoil it had been facing. He had found solace in the significant recovery Konoha had achieved in recent years, and for a brief moment, it seemed that the dream of restoring Konoha's former glory was within reach.
However, all of that came crashing down with Danzo's factory project. In one disastrous move, Konoha was set back to square one—perhaps even worse than before. A staggering 15 billion ryō had been wasted, and a portion of that was his and Biwako's five hundred million ryō, gone without a trace.
But the greater concern wasn't just the money. It was that if Danzo's reckless behavior continued, Konoha might eventually be doomed. Even if it didn't completely collapse, a few more incidents like this would push the village beyond its limits.
The Third Hokage realized that he could no longer afford to stand by idly. Konoha still needed him. The village depended on his leadership to survive. Therefore, closing the gates and halting everything was the only viable option.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, as the Third Hokage, had always hoped for a peaceful life. Unlike Danzo, he didn't dream of grand ambitions. All he wanted was to preserve what was left of Konoha and protect its people.
After a sufficient period of rest, Hiruzen discharged himself from the hospital and called for a meeting to address the closure of the village.
"Alright, that's all for today's meeting. Konoha must close its gates as soon as possible," Hiruzen declared, taking a slow drag from his pipe. His eyes lingered over the downcast faces of the village's higher-ups, the leaders of the ninja clans. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
As he gazed at their weary expressions, Hiruzen couldn't help but think back to the past. He recalled the shareholders' meeting when Danzo had confidently stated, "Follow me, and I'll guarantee you billions in return."
At that time, the clan leaders had eagerly handed over their money, believing Danzo would lead them to unprecedented prosperity. But despite all the careful planning, the business had collapsed the moment it launched. For the ninja clans, a loss of several hundred million ryō was no trivial matter. For the smaller clans, even tens of millions was enough to break them. Now, that money was gone, along with their hopes. It was no wonder that their spirits were so low.
Hiruzen himself wasn't immune to the sting of this failure. Every time Danzo even mentioned the word 'business', it sent a shiver down his spine. Just thinking about it made his body tremble. The weight of those failures was too much, and it was clear—he was getting old. Gone were the days when he had the ambition of youth. Now, he only sought peace, and the survival of Konoha was all that mattered.
Hiruzen let out a soft sigh. "Everyone, bear with it for just a few more days. After the village closes... We'll see better days." He paused, looking over the gathered group, then added, "Dismissed."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," came the collective reply. Though the words were compliant, a heavy sense of resignation hung in the air. The clan leaders and higher-ups sighed but nodded in agreement before turning to leave and carry out their tasks.
Once the room emptied and the heavy silence returned, Hiruzen's expression softened with contemplation. He gazed absentmindedly at the door before turning to a nearby Anbu, who had been waiting in the corner, motionless.
He pondered for a moment, then asked, "What is Danzo doing right now?"
...
The sudden announcement of Konoha's closure sent shockwaves through the ninja world, a world where Konoha had once been the undisputed powerhouse. How could the village, which had been at the pinnacle of strength and influence, close its gates simply due to a series of setbacks?
It was one thing to condemn Shimura Danzo for his involvement in illegal factories and the horrific human experimentation, but to go to the extreme of closing down the entire village? What could drive Konoha, the pride of the shinobi world, to such a drastic measure?
As Konoha's ally, Grass Village felt the impact deeply. Their first response was one of shock and regret. The Grass Village leader quickly called for a meeting, where he emphasized the longstanding bond between the two villages—a relationship that had been formed in the very early days of the shinobi world. Despite their sadness over Konoha's decision, the leader expressed their unwavering support for Konoha during this difficult time.
With sincerity, the Grass leader solemnly declared that regardless of when Konoha reopens, Grass Village will never forget the bond they share. He always welcomes his dear friend Danzo to visit the Land of Grass again. And despite everything that has transpired, He firmly believes there is a deeper reason behind his actions.
The meeting was a genuine reflection of the 'strong friendship' between the two villages, prompting a spontaneous round of applause from everyone in attendance.
However, some of the attendees were left somewhat puzzled. What exactly was the leader trying to convey? What was the core message?
As the audience reflected on this, Grass Village's leader, Akihiko, clasped his hands thoughtfully in front of his chin and spoke with a serious expression. "We will send people to Konoha. To demonstrate our friendship, Grass Village is willing to buy back the batch of equipment and raw materials at a premium price."
"A premium price? Just how high are we talking?" one of the attendees asked, curious.
"Five billion ryō," Akihiko replied nonchalantly, as if doing them a great favor.
The room fell into stunned silence. Everyone was speechless. Akihiko's offer was a perfect example of Grass Village's spirit—he was offering a mere fraction of the original cost. The audacity of such an offer left the room in disbelief. Wouldn't they be torn to pieces the moment they set foot in Konoha?
Despite the mix of admiration and incredulity in the room, Akihiko remained unfazed. He seemed to recall something and turned to Mubuki, asking, "By the way, where is Gato? Why hasn't he returned yet? Is something wrong?"
...
Meanwhile, in the Root base, the two individuals discussed by the village leaders were in a very different setting. Danzo, leaning on his cane, stood in the dimly lit cave, staring blankly at the stone walls as he waited for gato. His posture was calm, but there was a quiet tension in the air.
Gato, on the other hand, was feeling increasingly uneasy. His eyes darted nervously around the narrow, shadow-filled hallway. Surrounded by Root ninjas, he had no opportunity to escape. He had originally planned to flee, to vanish before Danzo could summon him, but the ever-present security had made that impossible. Now, with no choice but to comply, Gato was being escorted to Danzo, and a deep sense of foreboding settled in his chest.
Just as Gao stepped inside, Danzo's voice, drained of its usual authority, echoed through the room. "You... have come?" he said, his tone heavy with weariness.
Before Gato could respond, Danzo continued, "I know you're angry. After all, your seven billion ryō was part of this disaster. But because of my position, I couldn't reveal the truth to you."
'No, why would I be angry?' Gato was stunned by Danzo's words. He suddenly reacted, and a deep sigh suddenly escaped him as he lifted his eyes, which were filled with complex thoughts. "I didn't expect you to find out, Lord Danzo."
Danzo gave a faint, knowing smile. "You are a smart man." He stood up slowly with the support of his cane, his gaunt face expressionless as he regarded Gato. "And smart men fear death, just as I do."
Seeing the look of despair on Gato's face, Danzo sighed again. "I'm grateful for your efforts. Despite this failure, the strength of our strike only shows that the Grass Village is afraid. Our plan, though it didn't succeed, proved it was sound." He paused, then added, "It was still a valid approach."
Gato's eyes twitched as if he was about to speak, but the words never came. In his mind, he wanted to say, 'No, this was never going to work, and I'm actually a spy for the Grass Village'. Of course, he wouldn't certainly respond like that, but before he could say anything, Danzo's regretful tone filled the silence.
"It's a pity," Danzo murmured, "I didn't expect things to turn out like this."
Shaking his head, Danzo looked at Gato with a somber expression. "You must have heard about the village's decision. Yes, sealing the village. That's the Hokage's decision, and I..." He sighed deeply, his voice filled with defeat. "For the sake of the village's stability, Hiruzen will never allow me to leave. So, I have decided..."
Suddenly, his demeanor shifted. The defeated tone vanished, replaced by a sharpness in his eyes and a coldness in his voice. The dark aura of the Root leader emerged as he locked eyes with Gato. "I am entrusting everything from the factory to you."
Gato, caught off guard, stood frozen, completely stunned by this unexpected turn of events. What the hell? He thought, unable to process the bizarre and sudden decision.