Dark Phoenix of Konoha by White Angel of Auralon

Part 13 - Investigation Results

Investigation Results

Danzo and the Sandaime Hokage sat in the completely sealed Hokage office, looking over the results the investigation by the ROOT agents had had.

"This is more troubling than I thought. I was aware that you had overlooked quite a few decrees that weren't to the best of the village, but even I didn't know it were this many." Danzo said.

"Me too. And I suspect I didn't overlook all of them, but that somebody that had access to the stamp of the Hokage did get some passed secretly. As I didn't check all the decrees that went over my desk in detail because I simply didn't have the time, I'll allow to think that some were passed by me, but many of these here I would have stopped for sure. And if there had been an overly large amount of decrees that were placed on my desk I would definitely have got suspicious earlier. The stamp is kept in the Hokage's office all the time and the tower is guarded by the ANBU. So somebody inside the tower has got access or somebody copied the stamp and slipped the stamped decrees into the outgoing paperwork." The Hokage mused.

Danzo nodded. He had thought that Sarutobi had got senile in his old age, but even he would immediately say that those many decrees that were passed in the last twelve years that he hadn't been aware of were impossible. There was more wrong in the village than he had thought and had wanted to change by becoming Hokage himself.

"My ROOT have also found quite a number of listening devices all over the village and detected four probable spies. They are well-hidden, but we are keeping them under constant watch now. We hope to follow the small fishes we identified to the bigger ones. We also noticed a strange sealing array in the old Uchiha district. As far as I know Jiraiya is coming here next week. He should look at the seal and tell us what it is." Danzo said.

"Yes, that will be best." The Hokage agreed.

"How do you want to proceed with the problem with the shopkeepers that are overcharging on the taxes?" Danzo asked.

The ROOT agents had found out that over sixty per cent of the shop keepers demanded two per cent more taxes on the goods than the Hokage had allowed. With that great number nobody had ever detected anything when they just bought their normal groceries. They had just assumed it were the costs for delivery and the like that made them more expensive.

"Well, they'll get messages that massive additional payment on taxes plus a fee for tax evasion is to be paid to the village coffers. They can decide if they want to keep their prices like they are or lower them to the appropriate level. No matter what they do, they'll be exposed for their trickery publicly. I'll publish a list with all tax dodgers to make clear that I won't tolerate them. I'll also publish a list with the decrees that are voided as of now. That will take away a good part of power that the civilian council and the wealthy merchants that bribe them have in the village. And I'll make sure Naruto is out of the village when I do this. I'm relatively sure they will try to vent their anger on him and there is no possibility to say what he will do in retaliation." The Hokage said.

"You don't talk about pranks, do you, Hiruzen?" Danzo asked.

"No, I talk about at least broken bones and at worst massive damage from wind elemental jutsus. Naruto won't take the abuse anymore. He is too close to exploding. And he has the skill to back his threats up." The Hokage said.

"Shouldn't you keep him under close watch then?" Danzo asked, wanting to know the reason why the Hokage didn't do it.

"What do you think Kakashi is doing all day? I'm no idiot, Danzo. Kakashi is doing damage control before things get out of control. There is a reason I put him as the sensei of team seven and it's not Sasuke's potential sharingan." The Hokage said.