NOVEL NEXT Chapter 144: 140
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I won't give up!!
Hyuga Hiashi's hands, hidden in his sleeves, were tightly clenched.
Hokage's Office
After the meeting, the Third Hokage, Koharu, and Mito Menen gathered in the office.
The three sat in silence, each seeing the helplessness in the others' eyes.
"It seems that conventional methods cannot bring the pharmaceutical sector back," the Third Hokage finally spoke after a long pause.
"Yes, this kid is young, but he's even harder to deal with than Tsunade," Mito Menen sighed, rubbing his temples. He had thought Tsunade was difficult enough, but he hadn't expected Shigeru to be even more stubborn.
To regain control of the pharmaceutical department, the Third Hokage had used the casualties on the front lines to pressure Tsunade, knowing she would go to the battlefield for the village.
The plan had gone smoothly—Tsunade handed over Anbu to Shigeru and left for the front lines.
The next step was to create an excuse to interfere and take back the pharmaceutical department.
However, the Third Hokage had not anticipated that instead of quietly complying, Shigeru would expose the logistics department for withholding medical supplies.
The head of the Shimura clan had been publicly scolded and humiliated.
"This has to be dealt with. Without the pharmaceutical department, the village's medical system is like a person with a broken leg—or worse!" Koharu said, looking displeased.
People were naturally greedy. After finally regaining control of the entire medical system, she did not want to see the pharmaceutical department slipping away.
With outsiders controlling the pharmaceutical sector, the entire medical system would be at their mercy.
"This damn kid actually dared to contact Uchiha Fugaku in front of everyone. Was that a warning to us?"
Neither Tsunade nor Shigeru had any prior connections with the Uchiha.
Shigeru must have been warning them—if you keep pushing, I'll bring Uchiha into this.
Once Uchiha was involved, things would get much more complicated for the Hokage faction.
"Koharu, don't let anger cloud your judgment," the Third Hokage interrupted. "The plan failed. We need to step back and wait for another opportunity. We can't rush this."
"Should we continue withholding supplies?" Koharu asked instinctively.
Mito Menen wanted to roll his eyes. After all this, you still want to block supplies? Do you think the villagers and frontline ninjas won't hold a grudge?
"We can't afford to withhold supplies any longer," the Third Hokage said firmly. "Give them everything they need. The war takes priority."
Koharu was reluctant, but she didn't dare to go against the Hokage's direct order.
As for the pharmaceutical department, they would have to wait for another chance.
Anbu Office
As soon as Shigeru returned to the Anbu office, someone arrived with a report.
"Sir, the pharmaceutical department reports that all materials have been released."
"That was fast," Shigeru sneered.
"I see. Send word to the pharmaceutical department—tell them to ramp up production of all the medicine needed for the front lines.
However, once the medicine is produced, it will be stored in the warehouse. No one is allowed to take any supplies without my direct order."
You like blocking supplies? Fine—I'll block the finished products. The delay is your fault for withholding raw materials in the first place.
Nara Luxin, who had been listening, chuckled. "Seems like today's meeting really pissed you off."
"It sure did," Shigeru admitted with a laugh.
"The Hokage's office sent the Shimura clan to try and take back the pharmaceutical department. I stopped them. Then they demanded I assign Anbu to protect the caravan handling supply purchases. I refused again."
"The family's caravan?"
"What else? The village's official caravans never needed Anbu protection before, but suddenly, when Sarutobi and Shimura families run a caravan, they need Anbu escorts? It's ridiculous."
Tsunade had turned a blind eye to this kind of thing before.
No matter how much profit the families made, as long as the supplies reached the village, she tolerated it.
Materials were as crucial as manpower in a war. Even Konoha, with its vast resources, couldn't survive on stockpiles alone. Purchases were necessary, and disrupting enemy supply chains was equally important.
"You may leave," Shigeru dismissed the Anbu ninja.
"Yes, sir."
"Wait!"
The Anbu ninja paused.
"Go to the archives and bring me all records related to the Shimura clan. I need them."
"Yes, sir."
The ninja hurried off.
Nara Luxin sighed. The Shimura clan is in trouble.
Shigeru wouldn't request their records for no reason.
The question was: when he made his move, would the Third Hokage protect them?
The Shimura clan had acted as enforcers for the Hokage faction. Even if they didn't gain much, they had certainly made enemies.
Would the Third Hokage protect them when it mattered?
Even Nara Luxin wasn't sure.
He recalled the Hyuga clan's past experiences and wondered if the Hokage would abandon the Shimura clan just as easily.
"Sir, here are the files you requested."
A stack of documents was placed before Shigeru.
He flipped through them, searching for something useful.
The one who dares to stand out will always be the one who gets hit first. If they weren't dealt with now, they'd keep coming back.
"Ah, what's this? Someone in the Shimura clan was involved in an accidental killing?"
Shigeru paused at one particular file.
Nara Luxin put down his own papers and thought for a moment.
"I remember this case. The Hokage handled it personally. The victim's family was heavily compensated, and since the Hokage intervened, the matter was quickly settled."
As the former Jōnin class monitor, Nara Luxin had been involved in many cases and had some recollection of this one.
Shigeru studied the file closely. "Senior, are we sure it was really an accident?"