Danzo's words were shocking—almost outright rebellious!
But in reality, the higher-ups of Konoha would not condemn anyone on moral or ethical grounds over such matters. This was a high-level meeting, where anything could be discussed. Whatever was said here would never be known to the outside world—only the final decisions would be.
"If we reject Lady Mito's decision, then we lose our foundation for claiming the Uzumaki treasure," Hiruzen Sarutobi stated bluntly, getting straight to the point.
"And Uzumaki Kushina as well!" Danzo glanced at Hiruzen. "She is still young. The treasure may belong to her, but Konoha should hold it in trust!"
"That reasoning might work for outsiders, but does it hold up within our own ranks?" Hiruzen countered. "Haruto Saito was the one who discovered and excavated the treasure, all while being hunted by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, risking his life to bring it back! We can't afford to alienate him..."
Hiruzen's stance was clear—he did not wish to continue disputing the Uzumaki treasure issue with Haruto. The cost of doing so was simply too high.
First and foremost, it would mean opposing Mito Uzumaki's decision—a nearly insurmountable obstacle. Even if one argued that the treasure did not belong to her now that she bore the Senju name, she was still the legal guardian of Kushina Uzumaki.
More importantly, using the treasure to restore peace to the Land of Whirlpools was a matter of great significance.
From a strategic perspective, if the Land of Whirlpools could achieve stability and rebuild a strong ninja village, it would serve as a buffer against Kirigakure's aggression. Even if it only prevented one large-scale military mobilization due to the turmoil in the Land of Whirlpools, the savings in military expenses would amount to billions.
The meeting gradually approached its conclusion amidst debate.
"What qualifications does Haruto Saito have?" Danzo nearly stood up in his agitation. "You expect him to establish a ninja village? With just that bit of money? Is he even capable? It's a complete waste! It might even bring trouble to Konoha! The Mist Village wants him dead more than anything—if he dares to openly appear in the Land of Whirlpools, his survival is far from guaranteed..."
Danzo had a point. Establishing a powerful ninja village required immense resources, and a few billion was nowhere near enough. It was a near-impossible task.
"That is Haruto's promise to Lady Mito," Hiruzen glanced at Danzo. "If the money isn't enough, Haruto still has more! Do you understand what I mean?"
Danzo froze.
He suddenly understood.
Hiruzen was being ruthless.
The billions from the Uzumaki treasure wouldn't be enough to establish a strong ninja village. When Haruto ran out of those funds, what then? Abandon the project? Of course not—he would have to invest his own money...
From a logical standpoint, this meant Haruto would personally finance Konoha's southeastern defense.
"He will fail!" Danzo insisted, unwilling to back down. To him, this plan was absurd. Even Konoha itself could not establish a viable ninja village in the Land of Whirlpools with just a few billion. If it were possible, Uzushiogakure would never have fallen in the first place. If such a plan were feasible, the Fire Daimyo would have funded it long ago.
Danzo could not accept the idea of Haruto possessing the Uzumaki treasure and then squandering it.
"Enough, the meeting is over!" Hiruzen, unwilling to argue further, stood up and vanished.
******
In the deepest section of Konoha's Anbu base, inside an ultra-luxurious two-story VIP prison cell...
"You little brat, you've grown some nerve... You need a beating... Stop it... Shut up... Mmph..."
Haruto Saito and Tsunade had engaged in a "friendly scuffle." Nothing serious—just some teasing, touching, and stealing a few kisses. Haruto was not someone who thought with his lower body; he felt he had excellent self-control!
The cell finally fell silent.
Tsunade sat on the soft couch, her face flushed with frustration as she adjusted her clothes.
Haruto grinned at her. "Had dinner yet?"
"Nope. Why? You're a jailed brat—are you inviting me to dinner?" Tsunade's tone was laced with sarcasm. "Alright then, let's go out and eat!" She was being deliberately provocative, knowing full well that Haruto couldn't leave.
"We can eat here. Why go out?" Haruto chuckled, flipping his wrist. A small hot pot stove appeared in his hand. Then, with another move, he produced a large bowl of vegetables, followed by an uncut leg of lamb, meatballs, noodles, dipping sauces...
Everything was laid out on the table. Finally, he took out charcoal, loaded it into the stove, and lit it.
"Where did you pull all that from?" Tsunade stared at him, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Come on, let's eat hot pot and chat..." Haruto warmly invited her.
And so, the two of them started eating and talking.
Not long after...
The seal on the cell door glowed, and then the door swung open. A masked figure with a deep presence stepped inside—it was White Fang!
"Oh, Lord White Fang, perfect timing! Come, have a bite!" Haruto cheerfully invited him to the table.
White Fang removed his mask, glanced around at the setup, and let out a helpless chuckle.
He was impressed.
Haruto had turned imprisonment into an art form.
Accepting the invitation, White Fang sat down. It wasn't against the rules; after all, Haruto wasn't truly a prisoner. White Fang also knew that Hiruzen had confined Haruto partly for his protection. Too many people wanted him dead—Kirigakure's 50-million-ryō bounty had top-tier assassins seeing red.
The three of them ate and chatted.
Naturally, they discussed the Land of Whirlpools—exchanging mission updates, analyzing the region's situation. Since both Haruto and Tsunade were Hiruzen's personal students, White Fang spoke freely; classified information only applied to lower-ranked shinobi, not them.
Eventually, Haruto brought up his "extortion" by Hiruzen.
"Two hundred and sixty million ryō! Lord White Fang, tell me, is that even a legitimate fine? It's highway robbery!" Haruto fumed.
White Fang coughed lightly, choosing not to comment. He had heard about the fine earlier that day but couldn't afford to take sides.
"Too shameless!" Tsunade shook her head, sighing. She glanced at Haruto. "Even I wouldn't rob you like that! But it's your fault for being so rich. Hey, how about this? Give me a hundred million ryō, and I'll help you fix this. Deal?"
Haruto flipped her off.
This woman just wanted to swindle him. He'd have to be a fool to trust her!
"I'm done eating," White Fang said, setting down his chopsticks and rising. "You two enjoy. I have to meet with the Hokage."
"Wait a moment, Lord White Fang." Haruto stopped him.
"What is it?" White Fang turned back.
"Can you do me a favor?" Haruto asked.
White Fang hesitated, eyeing Haruto warily. "What kind of favor?"
He didn't trust Haruto—because Haruto never played by the rules.
"Can you bring someone here for me? Just for a visit," Haruto said.
"Who?"
"Namikaze Minato!"