As Danzo delivered his speech in a formal, almost antiquated tone, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
This is amusing. I wonder if the jonin present can even follow what he's saying.
Once Danzo finished, Hiruzen, with a faint but unreadable smile, said, "Well, that's the situation. Everyone, feel free to share your thoughts."
The revelation that the Shimura and Utatane clans, along with some smaller clans, had been secretly siphoning off the village resources left the major clans feeling a mix of frustration and blame. How could they have been so reckless? If they were going to take advantage of the village, they should have at least been discreet about it. Getting caught like this was so embarrassing.
Despite their irritation, everyone spoke up, each with their own clan's interests in mind.
Hyuga Hayato, representing the Hyuga clan, was the first to react. "The Shimura and Utatane clans have acted with shocking audacity! Such actions cannot be tolerated—they must be severely punished!"
Uchiha Setsuna followed immediately. "I agree with the Hyuga clan. This is a grave matter. The village deserves an explanation, and those responsible must be held accountable."
With Konoha's two largest clans taking a firm stance, the message was clear. The Hyuga and Uchiha had their own thriving industries in the village. They had no need to seize the village resources, let alone collude with nobles to undermine Konoha. After all only reputation mattered to them.
In the past, perhaps due to the Second Hokage's policies, these clans had maintained a close relationship with the village. But in recent years, with the security department gaining more influence, their priorities had shifted. Strengthening ties with the Third Hokage and securing their own standing within Konoha seemed like the smarter move.
The leaders of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio exchanged glances before Nara Shikatsu finally spoke. "As representatives of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, we firmly support the village's interests and the Hokage's decision. We are prepared to reorganize and take decisive action against anyone who harms or betrays the village."
It was a carefully worded statement—neutral yet firm. They stood with the village, supported the Hokage, and would follow his orders, whatever they may be.
However, Uchiha Setsuna misinterpreted Shikatsu's words, thinking he was calling for military action. Not wanting to be left behind, he immediately declared, "Lord Hokage, just give the order! The Uchiha clan has 800 ninja ready for deployment. Anyone who dares betray the village—we will hunt them down to the ends of the earth!"
Hyuga Hayato, head of the Hyuga clan, quickly followed suit. "The Hyuga clan can also mobilize an army at any time."
Not wanting to be left out, the Inuzuka clan, which had gained considerable influence in the guard force, and the Aburame clan also voiced their readiness to send troops to suppress any rebellion.
Among the major clans, only the Sarutobi clan remained silent. But they didn't need to speak up—the Hokage was from their own family. Whether they voiced support or not, it was a given that they would stand by him.
Meanwhile, some ninjas from the smaller clans who hadn't been involved also took the opportunity to show support. They saw this as a chance—if one of the larger clans was taken down, there might be room for them to gain influence. Their ambitions were obvious.
On the other hand, the smaller clans that had participated in the scheme were now terrified. Their survival, along with that of their families, was at the stake. All eyes turned to Shimura Hiroshi, the clan leader of the of the Shimura clan, looking for guidance.
Hiroshi was starting to panic. What is happening?
A full-blown purge? Since when did our Shimura clan betray the village? Are they really planning to destroy us? The Shimura clan had been a part of Konoha since its founding. It was unthinkable that they could be cast aside so easily.
He glanced at Sarutobi Masaki for support, but Masaki simply spread his hands, indicating there was nothing he could do. Left with no choice, Hiroshi forced himself to speak.
"Esteemed clan leaders, I urge you not to single out our clan. Mistakes have been made, and we are prepared to accept the consequences. However, we appeal to the village for fairness—let those among our kin who played no role in this matter be spared of the punishment." As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward Danzo, hoping for his support.
Danzo, however, simply turned his head away, refusing to acknowledge him. 'This is your mess. Don't expect me to take the fall for you.'
The Utatane clan leader, Utatane Izawa, found himself in a difficult position. With Koharu absent, he had no clear direction. Lacking his own strategy, he chose to follow the Shimura clan's lead.
"I agree with the Shimura leader's request," he stated hesitantly.
This effectively meant he was leaving the fate of his clan in the hands of the village.
Hiruzen knew he had almost achieved his goal. With a glance at Danzo, he signaled for him to announce the punishment.
Danzo was unfazed. Standing up, he declared in a firm voice, "This incident is severe.
"This act has flagrantly violated the village's order, severely strained our ties with the Fire Daimyo, and, in the end, betrayed the village itself. It reveals deep discontent with our policies, dismisses the Will of Fire, and shows blatant disregard for the ideals upheld by the First Hokage. Such actions cannot be forgiven."
"According to Konoha's regulations, those who betray the village are to be declared traitors and pursued as rogues. All individuals involved in this incident should face life imprisonment."
"However, upon investigation, we found that many of the participating ninjas were unaware of the full extent of the scheme, and most of those who did know about it were the high-ranking members of their respective clans. In order to prevent innocent lower-ranked ninjas from being unfairly affected, and in accordance with the principle of humanitarian consideration, the following punishments will be enforced:"
° Those with full knowledge of the operation will be classified as traitors and sentenced to life imprisonment.
° Those who embezzled village funds must repay three times the amount to Konoha's treasury.
Hiruzen had anticipated this situation and prepared multiple plans for punishment. However, Danzo chose the harshest one, showing no mercy even to his own clan.
Originally, Hiruzen had devised three different responses:
° Severe Punishment (The Chosen Plan) – Those who knowingly took part were condemned as traitors and sentenced to life imprisonment. Those unaware of their involvement were stripped of their ninja status and permanently barred from future service. As for those who embezzled village resources, they were required to repay double or even triple the stolen amount. This decisive course of action was designed to eradicate all opposition, using sheer authority to deter any defiance from discontented Jonin.
° Moderate Punishment – The planners and those aware of the scheme would be expelled from the ninja class and banned from employment, while those unaware would be stripped of their rank and required to relearn the ninja code. If they wished to return, they had to pass the ninja assessment again, starting from Genin. This plan offered a path to redemption.
° Lenient Punishment – Those involved would only need to pay fines and fully compensate for the village's losses. This option was a last resort in case all the ninja clans united against the punishment. If there was overwhelming opposition, enforcement would become impossible.
Now that the Uchiha, Hyuga, and the other major clans had already declared their intent to eradicate those who betrayed the village, the guilty parties had no choice but to submit. Their fear prevented them from making any reckless moves. Since he had already secured the support of the larger clans, Hiruzen saw no need to apply for the first option since doing so would only corner the smaller clans and potentially push them toward open rebellion.