Naruto: Power in Play

Chapter 39

A thick puff of smoke curled from the Hokage's lips, momentarily clouding the air of his new office. A neat stack of documents lay in front of him, untouched, while a group of high-ranking shinobi sat around the long table.

Hiruzen took his time, tapping the embers from his pipe before finally addressing the room.

"Well then, let's begin." He started, "Izumi-san, if you could distribute the documents."

At his words, Izumi, a middle-aged woman dressed an office attire nodded. She began distributing the documents stacked before the hokage to the room's occupants--Konoha's highest-ranking officials, including the heads of the major clans, ANBU commanders, senior jounins, and key civilians. The room remained deathly silent, save for the faint rustling of parchment and the occasional creak of a chair as the officials accepted their reports.

"These are the relevant information regarding Konoha's state after the recent turmoil that we have faced." Hiruzen said, allowing them a moment to skim through the contents.

"As you can probably see... we're in serious trouble." His voice was steady, but the weight behind his words was unmistakable. "From a military standpoint alone, we're suffering from a severe lack of manpower. That, in turn, forces us to miss out on crucial missions—missions that could bring in the funds needed to rebuild the village and support its people. And without those resources, malnutrition is spreading. Dissatisfaction is growing. And unrest is just around the corner. And the Daimyo... I suppose there's no need to tell you all about what his stance about this matter is, right?"

He took another slow drag from his pipe, letting his words settle before delivering the final blow.

"In short... we're knee-deep in shit."

The council members stared at the Hokage. In their years of service, they have rarely heard Hiruzen Sarutobi openly swear. No one spoke immediately, there was no point in arguing over how they had reached this state. They have lived through it all. They all knew the answer.

Finally, Shikaku Nara broke the silence with a weary sigh. He ran a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair. "Troublesome... but expected." He glanced at the folder in front of him. "At this rate, we won't be able to keep up with even half the missions coming in. We'll have to start refusing requests."

Hiashi Hyuuga nodded in agreement. "We should prioritize defensive assignments—protection of trade routes, reinforcement of village patrols. We cannot afford to appear weak, not when our enemies are surely watching."

Shibi Aburame adjusted his dark glasses. "Agreed. The loss of shinobi has left our scouting networks compromised. If we don't reestablish our surveillance, we won't see the next attack coming until it's too late."

The abrupt assault form the Sky Village was still heavy in their heart. And it showed.

Hiruzen let the room settle, his pipe resting idly in his fingers. The initial discussion had addressed the surface issues, manpower and missions. But those were symptoms, not the disease. Konoha's foundation had been shaken. If they only reacted to immediate concerns, the village would remain in a perpetual state of vulnerability. They needed long-term solutions.

Hiruzen took another slow drag, letting the smoke curl from his lips before finally speaking again.

"This is not just about survival," he said, his voice cutting through the lingering tension. "We must look beyond the immediate crisis. We're too focused on putting out fires," he muttered, fingers tapping idly against the edge of the document in front of him. "Short-term fixes aren't going to cut it. We need a real plan."