Chapter 78:
At three o'clock in the afternoon, the guard at Konoha's East Gate, Yamanaka Kenta, was startled awake by a wave of noisy commotion.
A line of people waiting to enter the village stretched over a hundred meters, already reaching the end of his sight.
Nobles dressed in luxurious attire sat in extravagantly decorated palanquins, impatiently waving their folding fans.
Merchant caravans' pack horses snorted, their backs loaded with heavy goods.
There were even ninja representatives from small countries, their forehead protectors gleaming in the sunlight.
"This… it's only this early…" Yamanaka Kenta frantically pulled out the registration ledger, only to find the ink had already dried up.
He hurriedly called to his companion: "Quick! Go notify the Police Force!"
"I was here first… Why should they go in ahead of me?"
"Do you know who my master is…? He's a cousin of the Fire Country's Daimyō!"
"Move aside… We're nobles… We have priority passes!"
Nobles, merchants, and ninjas from various countries crowded the entrance passage.
Meanwhile, Konoha's main streets were already packed to the brim, with noisy arguments breaking out everywhere.
Chūnin from the Police Force were sweating profusely as they tried to maintain order. The back of their uniforms was completely soaked through.
In front of Ichiraku Ramen at the street corner, Teuchi wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He kept bowing to the customers in line: "Sorry everyone, we've run out of tonkotsu broth for today…"
Before he could finish, an angry noble youth flipped the table in front of him: "Do you know who I am? My father is—"
"Bang!"
A figure suddenly descended from the sky and landed firmly on the overturned table.
Uchiha Inaka's cold voice instantly silenced the noisy street: "No matter who you are, in Konoha, you must follow Konoha's rules."
...
Inside the Hokage's office, the atmosphere was unusually heavy.
The Fourth Hokage, Uchiha Fugaku, stood by the window, staring at the bustling crowd below with tightly furrowed brows.
"Bang!"
His fist slammed heavily onto the desk, causing the teacup to jump and dark green tea to splash across the unfolded map.
Uchiha Fugaku turned and glared furiously at the Logistics Minister: "Kurama Tenjō! What did you promise me three days ago? That you would absolutely satisfy all the VIP guests' needs? And this is the result?!"
The Kurama clan leader kept his head lowered. Sweat beads slid down the bridge of his nose. He was angry but didn't dare speak.
Three days earlier, some nobles had complained to the Fourth Hokage about Konoha's poor accommodation conditions.
Uchiha Fugaku had ordered the Logistics Department to purchase high-end household goods. Following his instructions, they bought a batch of luxury items.
But nobles loved to compete with each other — satisfying them was never that simple.
They kept complaining to Uchiha Fugaku, demanding more and more purchases. In the end, the 3 billion ryō budget was quickly exhausted.
Kurama Tenjō then applied for more funds from Uchiha Fugaku, who approved it. However, when it reached the Finance Department under Uchiha Yatsushiro, it got stuck — because the Finance Department had no money left.
The thick stack of purchase lists in his hands had been crumpled: "Hokage-sama, I did purchase the high-end household goods according to your orders. But… those nobles keep comparing themselves. Today family A changes to silk bed curtains, tomorrow family B wants gold-thread embroidery… Some complain the beds and cabinets are poorly made… In the end… we ran out of money!"
Finance Minister Uchiha Yatsushiro cleared his throat lightly: "As you all know, the village's finances were completely emptied by Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others. The 3 billion ryō spent by Logistics was actually diverted from gambling house revenue and ticket sales. The village truly has no money left."
Nara Shikaku rubbed his temples and pushed a document to the center of the table: "Latest statistics show that 42,518 people have entered in the past five days. Another 30,000 or so are expected in the next three days. The village's reception capacity is already saturated. How to accommodate these extra 30,000 people is going to be a real challenge."
Veins bulged around Hyūga Hiashi's Byakugan: "I've already deployed every available Hyūga clansman, but because of food and lodging issues… there are at least seven or eight conflicts brewing on the streets right now."
The meeting room once again filled with endless bickering and discussion.
There were ways to solve the problem, but they were thankless tasks, so no one wanted to take responsibility.
Uchiha Fugaku felt somewhat helpless, so he shot a meaningful glance.
Uchiha Sanpō looked a bit reluctant but still stood up: "I have a proposal."
His voice wasn't loud, yet it instantly quieted the noisy meeting room.
"First, from now on, temporarily suspend civilian entry. Set up temporary residential zones on the north and south outskirts of the village, providing cheap accommodation and food."
"Second, among the former Root ninjas, there's a 13-year-old boy named Yamato who can use Wood Release to build houses. Have him construct some residences for the nobles and wealthy merchants."
"Third, on the day of the match, open limited tickets again and allow entry only with tickets."
Seeing someone step up, Nara Shikaku immediately chimed in: "Diversion and control… that is feasible. But building the temporary residential zones outside the village will require a lot of manpower and resources."
Logistics Minister Kurama Tenjō added: "After the war, many military tents are left over. They can meet the cheap accommodation needs of civilians. Food is also easy to solve — many villagers inside the village can sell food."
Uchiha Fugaku thought for a moment, then decisively declared: "We'll do it this way. Nara Shikaku will be in charge of overall planning, Kurama Tenjō will handle execution, and Sanpō… the Police Force will maintain public security."
After the meeting ended, Uchiha Sanpō had just walked out of the Hokage Building.
Uchiha Tetsuka hurriedly rushed over: "Minister, Asuma Sarutobi injured a noble and we've arrested him."
Uchiha Sanpō's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly: "What is the identity of the injured party?"
Uchiha Tetsuka handed over a brief report: "A noble from the Fire Country — the young master of the Hinokawa family, Hinokawa Hikaru, 18 years old. Three ribs fractured, slight spleen bleeding. He is currently being treated at Konoha Hospital."
"Where is Asuma now?"
"Locked in the Police Force interrogation room."
At that moment, Uchiha Inaka came running over in a hurry: "Minister, the Hinokawa family has complained to Clan Leader Fugaku and demanded severe punishment for Asuma Sarutobi. But Clan Leader Fugaku said that Asuma was sent by the Daimyō to inspect the safety of the temporary residence. He demands we release Asuma. What should we do?"
Uchiha Sanpō leaned back with his legs crossed, frowning slightly: "How many people did the Daimyō send in total to inspect the safety of the temporary residence?"
Uchiha Inaka thought for a moment and replied in a deep voice: "A total of 24 people — 4 officials, 8 ninjas, and 12 samurai!"
"What's there to worry about? Lock Asuma in the underground prison and guard him strictly! As for Clan Leader Fugaku's side, just reply: The Daimyō sent 24 people. It doesn't matter if one Asuma is missing…"
"Minister… Fugaku… is still the Hokage, after all…"
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