https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-288-Danzo-You-re-Kidding-Me-I-m-Crying-/12932226/
Chapter 289: Confrontation!
Chapter 289: Confrontation!
"Now, now, Elder Danzo, calm down!" Fuyuki Namikaze quickly spoke up to diffuse the tense atmosphere.
Indeed, his role as the Fourth Hokage today was likely to be that of a judge and mediator.
"Since when did you become the Fourth Hokage, Danzo?" Dong Ping feigned confusion and asked.
This was hilarious!
Absolutely hilarious!
An opportunity like this to confront the Pot King face-to-face wasn't something that came around often.
If Danzo saw him as an enemy or a mortal foe, he would indeed be furious beyond measure.
But who was Dong Ping?
A joker, that's who!
Moreover, Danzo was his 'Number One Brother on the Leaderboard' and the 'best ally' for his faction's development. Seeing him as a clown, how could he possibly get angry?
So, when Danzo stubbornly stepped forward to play the bad cop, he not only didn't get angry but instead boldly confronted him.
Unfortunately, as the Fourth Hokage, he couldn't hear that iconic line, 'You regret being a shadow.'
"You... you're talking nonsense!"
Upon hearing this, Danzo's momentum faltered.
If it had been any other words, he might not have cared, but the Hokage position was crucial for his plan to restore the Leaf Village's glory. It was a dream he thought about day and night, so it was only natural for him to instinctively refute the claim.
However, the others didn't seem to take it to heart.
Except for Dong Ping, none of them had even considered that he wanted to become the Hokage. They thought he was just targeting Danzo with his words.
"The Hokage hasn't even spoken, and you're already jumping to accuse him. Are you above the Hokage?"
Dong Ping's words hit Danzo like a cannonball to the head.
Others might not know, but didn't he himself know that the Hokage position was Danzo's Achilles' heel?
The key point was that the Fourth Hokage wasn't the Third, and he wouldn't indulge him. If Danzo were to catch him off guard, he would undoubtedly suffer the consequences.
"Alright, stop arguing. The reason I called you here, Dong Ping, was to discuss having the village help you 'manage' the Celestial Guard. If you agree, you can return and take up the position of the Shadow Division Chief!"
Hari, seeing his good friend being ganged up on, spoke up to change the subject.
Yes, this was about sending people to bring him back multiple times.
Take over!
It sounded good, but it was basically a euphemism for annexation.
Who could blame them when the Celestial Guard had developed so well in such a short time?
In a short period, it had already gained such a significant presence.
Not only did it have over a hundred thousand residents, but its industries were also booming in various sectors.
Don't be fooled by its current state, which was still far inferior to the Leaf Village; anyone with a brain could see that it would undoubtedly surpass the Leaf in the future.
A coastal port city! Of course, this wasn't the main point.
The real focus was the hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile fields surrounding it, with incredibly well-developed irrigation systems.
Salivating!
This was the only way to describe the village's view of the Celestial Guard.
Previously, during the Great Shinobi War, they didn't want to stir up trouble, so the Konoha Council had joined forces to suppress such voices.
Don't think the Hokage was greedy; it was only because they were sitting on the Leaf's side.
Seeing such a good thing, it was natural to want to bring it under the village's control.
As for what they could gain after acquiring it, they didn't really care.
After all, the meat would rot in the pot anyway.
"The Shadow Division Chief... that's indeed a great position!"
Dong Ping's tone was playful as he looked at the others.
Apart from Fuyuki Namikaze's sincere expression, the others had their own thoughts.
Even Nara Shikaku couldn't hide his inner desires.
If the Celestial Guard were to be brought under the village's control, the 'Ino-Shika-Cho' clan wouldn't be left out.
As for Uchiha Fuyuki's mindset, it was even more apparent. Without the Celestial Guard, the Long House lineage would have to return to the clan, and their power would undoubtedly increase significantly.
However, the idea of exchanging the Celestial Guard for a mere Shadow Division Chief position was simply a pipe dream.
Shadow Division Chief!
It sounded like a high-ranking position.
But the authority of this role was severely limited.
Internally, the Security Division held most of the power, and externally, the Root Division had already seized a significant portion of authority. What matters he could manage depended entirely on who the Hokage was.
During the Third Hokage's reign, this position was still decent.
But now, with the Fourth Hokage having just taken office and not yet fully in control of the Hokage's authority, being his Shadow Division Chief would make him nothing more than a pawn and enforcer, with numerous disadvantages and few benefits.
So, the position of this enforcer is extremely delicate.
If you say he has power, it's true, as long as the Hokage is strong enough and trusts you.
But if you say his power is small, it's also true. If the Hokage doesn't trust you, then even as the head of the Shadow Division, you can't do anything.
The key is that the Hokage can appoint and dismiss this position at will, without any need to explain to others.
Unless Dong Ping's intelligence goes offline and he's under the influence of the Flame Will, it's impossible for him to agree.
"So, do you agree?"
Hari was pleasantly surprised and asked again.
He didn't have much thought; he just felt that with Squad 404 returning to the Leaf Village and those assets becoming the village's property, it would be a good thing for the village.
"No, I refuse!"
Dong Ping shook his head.
"Why?"
Hari was a little confused.
Any Leaf Ninja would want to return to the Leaf Village, right?
Take his two disciples, for example; one went into self-exile due to too many setbacks, and the other is constantly on the move because of prophecies. Even though they are not physically in the village, they still consider the Leaf Village as their top priority.
"Because the Leaf Village is too corrupt!"
Dong Ping openly criticized.
In the past, he had kept a low profile due to his lack of strength, so he naturally didn't speak out of turn.
Now that he has reached the rank of Strong Shadow, and with no weaknesses for the village to exploit, he feels a sense of relief in speaking out.
What he despises the most is those powerful cross-world travelers who dare not even vent their frustrations when facing the village's upper echelons.
"How dare you!"
"Impudent!"
"You've gone too far!"
"Dong Ping, you..."
...
Several reprimands sounded one after another.
There were also Nara Shikaku and Uchiha Fuyuki's distorted expressions.
Because they were forcibly controlling their expressions.
Whether the Leaf Village is corrupt or not is an obvious fact that cannot be spoken of.
Even though Fuyuki Namikaze agreed to some extent, he still felt that Dong Ping was a little too impudent.
After all, the Third Hokage and several advisory elders had worked hard for so many years, and even if they didn't have any achievements, they still had their struggles. It's not right to speak of them like that.
Well, even if he became the Hokage, because of his civilian origins, he still relied on several advisory elders to carry out his orders. So the current Fuyuki Namikaze was truly grateful to the Leaf Village ANBU Team.
"Is that so..."
A mocking look flashed in Dong Ping's eyes.
Whether the village is corrupt or not is an obvious fact; he doesn't need to emphasize it.
Most of the upper echelons are from the Hokage's faction, and there is no clear promotion channel internally. Everything needs to be considered, from funding to the unclear distribution of funds, the superiority of the Shinobi clan, and so on... Do they think others are blind?
If these issues weren't already suppressed, you, Hari, wouldn't have specifically chosen a civilian ninja to rise to power.
"The Heavenly Fortress must be managed by the village, and you are a Leaf Ninja!"
Danzo directly used the village's authority to pressure him.
If it were someone brainwashed by the Flame Will, they might have agreed immediately.
But Dong Ping is not one of them.
"Elder Danzo, don't forget that it's my territory, not the village's garrison!"
He brought out his trump card.
Yes, this was the ultimate move he had prepared.
Territory!
Strictly speaking, he is a 'Lord', and he has turned the former Tea Mountain City and the surrounding area of the Heavenly Fortress into his private property.
Previously, that place had no value at all, so no one cared about it.
But now it has become an incredibly tempting piece of fat, naturally attracting countless covetous eyes.
If it were an ordinary person, the Leaf Village or the Fire Country could easily take it by force, and there are countless ways to manipulate the situation.
But it's troublesome because it's Dong Ping's territory.
Not only is he a Strong Shadow-level powerhouse, but he also has a Strong Shadow-level follower, Yamagakai Kousuke.
Most importantly, he has the support of the Uchiha Nagahouse lineage and many civilian ninjas.
If you want power, he has power; if you want subordinates, he has subordinates. That's why they need to negotiate with him instead of forcefully confiscating it.
"Alright, let's not rush this matter. We have another issue to discuss today!"
Fuyuki Namikaze saw the tense atmosphere and spoke up to change the topic to another matter.
(End of Chapter)
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