Chapter 207: Recommendation Privilege
Kiiroinu and Yoru arrived at the Hokage’s Office.
On the Third Hokage’s desk, there was a stack of documents over a meter high.
On the ground nearby, there were six baskets of scrolls.
This was the first time Yoru had seen scrolls stored in baskets.
After the Second Ninja War, the Third Hokage had too many things to handle.
Ninja compensation for sacrificed ninja, Ninja Academy expansion plans, reconstruction of stronghold fortresses at the Land of Fire Border, guardian ninja quotas from the Daimyo of Various Countries, liaison receptions for chamber of commerce presidents everywhere, post-war missions for Nobles of the Land of Fire, extremely troublesome.
The Third Hokage was blocked by the documents, and a voice came from behind them: “Kiiroinu, is there something wrong?”
Kiiroinu said: “Hokage, the Fox scouted some important information, about the Hidden Cloud Village Jinchuriki.”
The Third Hokage stood up, twisted his fatigued neck, walked to the sofa, took the scroll, and sat down.
He carefully read the scroll and said:
“The Hidden Cloud Village Two-Tails Jinchuriki Ryuuha, staying in partial tailed beast transformation for a long time, yet still able to maintain rationality?
After the battle ended, she could independently seal the tailed beast chakra and smoothly withdraw?”
Every ninja village has a tailed beast.
In most cases, ninja villages are extremely cautious when using tailed beasts, one major reason being that tailed beasts are easy to release but hard to retrieve.
The Hidden Sand Village keeps the One-Tail Shukaku sealed in a teapot year-round, and the Hidden Rain Village allows the Three-Tails to hide in a large lake year-round, precisely because they cannot control the tailed beasts’ berserk power.
A jinchuriki who can freely release and retrieve a tailed beast, doesn’t that mean the Hidden Cloud Village has stable Kage-level or even Super Kage Level combat power?
The Third Hokage’s expression was serious. As he just looked up, Kiiroinu timely handed over the pipe, and the Third Hokage comfortably took a puff of smoke before continuing to look down at the scroll.
“The Fox did well, this intelligence is very valuable.” The Third Hokage thought for a moment and said:
“Fox, go invite Senju Hanaki Clan Head to my office.”
“Yes!”
Yoru saw that the window of the Hokage’s Office was open and used Body Flicker to leave.
In the newly built outpatient building of Konoha Hospital, Senju Hanaki was leading several young medical ninja on rounds.
She suddenly turned her head and noticed the Anbu to the side.
“Senju Hanaki Clan Head, the Hokage requests you go to the Hokage Building now.”
Senju Hanaki saw the Fox Mask and knew he was a squad leader after the Anbu reform.
The Anbu squad leader personally coming to call her, she didn’t know what major event had occurred.
Senju Hanaki arrived at the Hokage’s Office, and the Third Hokage stood up from the pile of documents again, gesturing for Senju Hanaki to look at the scroll first.
Seeing the performance of the Two-Tails Jinchuriki Ryuuha, Senju Hanaki was also very surprised.
The Third Hokage said: “Hanaki Clan Head, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is cultivated by your Senju Clan.
There is evidence proving that the Hidden Cloud Village’s development of tailed beasts is chilling.
What about you?
Does your Senju Clan have a mature Nine-Tails development plan?”
Senju Hanaki frowned and said: “Hokage, when mother Mito was the jinchuriki, the village didn’t need the Nine-Tails to win wars, and mother rarely used the Nine-Tails’ power.
Regarding Nine-Tails development, we have no plans, temporarily focusing on ensuring the seal’s safety.
If the village needs it, I can go back and formulate a plan.”
Senju Hanaki thought to herself, formulating a plan is simple, but whether to execute it depends on assessing if the Nine-Tails Seal is stable.
Facing Konoha High Command, Senju Hanaki’s attitude was non-resistance and non-execution, using delay tactics to resolve everything.
The Third Hokage said concisely: “We need a Nine-Tails development plan, and the Nine-Tails development must not harm the village.”
Senju Hanaki said: “Kushina still has two years before graduating from the Ninja Academy.
She’s too young. Once her strength grows a bit, our Senju Clan will start Nine-Tails development.”
The Third Hokage’s expression was serious, and he said:
“This matter brooks no delay, Hanaki Clan Head.
Once war breaks out with the Hidden Cloud Village, they will send two tailed beasts onto the battlefield.
Konoha can only use ordinary ninja’s flesh and blood to confront the tailed beasts. Do you know what that means?”
Senju Hanaki thought to herself, no matter how urgent the village is, I can’t let Kushina, who hasn’t graduated from the Ninja Academy, take risks.
“Hokage, we will prioritize the Nine-Tails.” Senju Hanaki said:
“There’s an even more pressing matter. The special jonin I and Konoha Hospital recommended, and the jonin Tsunade recommended, has the village considered it?
Konoha Hospital needs to supplement a large number of personnel to handle the post-war injured rehabilitation surge.”
Not only did Yoru want his subordinate to become a special jonin, the Senju Clan also hoped for more special jonin and jonin in the family.
Tsunade, as deputy commander in several battlefields, was qualified to recommend jonin.
Besides Tsunade, the Senju Clan currently had 6 jonin, and three jonin could recommend a special jonin.
The Third Hokage turned his head and pointed to the piles and baskets of documents, saying:
“The recommendations for special jonin and jonin are being reviewed one by one. Hanaki Clan Head, you go back and wait for news first.”
Not only would Senju Hanaki delay, Hiruzen Sarutobi would too.
After Senju Hanaki left, Kiiroinu said: “Hokage, Fox and I want to recommend Purple Cat, Aries, and Hanashika to become special jonin.”
“Oh, have Fox fill out the recommendation forms properly, bring them today, and I’ll approve them today.”
“Got it.”
This was double standards.
For the Senju Clan’s jonin and special jonin, the Hokage would hold up quite a few.
Anbu’s recommendations were different; this was the Hokage’s reward to his own people.
Disliking privilege is because the privilege doesn’t belong to oneself.
When privilege belongs to oneself, one only praises privilege.
The Third Hokage said: “Kiiroinu, when the Golden Eagle Squad monitors the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, focus on monitoring whether the Senju Clan conducts tailed beast chakra training on the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.”
“Got it, I understand.”
After returning to the Anbu Base, Yoru had Purple Cat fetch the special jonin recommendation scroll.
He filled out the scroll, preparing to tease Purple Cat:
“Purple Cat, your combat strength is not as good as Aries and Hanashika.
This is the post-war turbulence period, Anbu missions are still very dangerous, even more so than during the war.
During the war, Anbu missions had frontline troops as backup. Now when we carry out missions, there might be only us within hundreds of kilometers.
Once we pass the turbulence period, I’ll find a way to help you promote to special jonin.”
“I understand, Captain. I’m not in a hurry to promote. Being the squad’s assistant already satisfies me greatly.
Even if you don’t recommend me, Captain, I won’t feel aggrieved.”
Purple Cat was highly valued in the Yamanaka Clan.
The better and more important Purple Cat performed in Anbu, the closer it represented the Yamanaka Clan was to Konoha High Command.
“Hm?”
Purple Cat noticed the captain wrote two copies, then a third scroll, and her eyes grew brighter!
Promoting to special jonin in Anbu was completely different in weight from being recommended by the Yamanaka Clan to become special jonin!
“How could there not be you? Of course there is.”
After writing the recommendation scrolls, Yoru went through the process he had followed when he himself was promoted to special jonin.
Only this time, Yoru was the recommender, just like Kiiroinu before.
The two squad leaders Kuroari and Golden Eagle reviewed Purple Cat, Aries, and Hanashika together.
After the review passed, Yoru took the three to the Hokage Building again.
The Hokage personally passed the Will of Fire to the three, making their blood surge; they wished they could go through fire and water for the village right now.
After returning to the Anbu Base, Yoru said:
“Aries, Hanashika, you two must seize every moment to improve your own strength.
After becoming special jonin, I’ll give you even more difficult missions. Without strength, you can’t complete Anbu missions.”
“Understood!”
