Chapter 93.3- One Thousand Hands

“Now that that is concluded, we can move on to the next subject matter— revenge” I said.

“Revenge?” Toshiro echoed the word.

“Indeed. Suna might not have ordered Chiyo to do this, but they harbored her. They platformed her and allied with her. Suna must suffer for this to set an example for all the other villages. If you attack Konoha then it must be met with equal or greater force” I said to nods from all around the room.

“We’ll meet again in three days. I expect everyone to have an idea or two about how we strike at Suna with the least risk” I said.

“And if that will be all, dismissed” I said, and the room emptied itself out almost instantly. Being busy was expected these days. The attack had left everyone with multiple things to do to aid the recovery. Even those who were less than fully involved due to their specializations like Toshiro had taken on other duties in the village to help the recovery.

The room emptied until Uzume to my right, and Shikahime to my left were all that remained.

“Yes Shika?” I asked, seeing her hesitant.

She took out a scroll from her sleeves and bent the knee before placing it on the desk before me.

“What?”

“My resignation, Hokage-sama”

“Resignation? For what? I haven’t asked you to resign” I said.

“Yes, Hokage-sama. Perhaps because of the relation we share. But I have failed you. You appointed me to see things like this coming from a mile away.” She said.

“No one could have seen that coming. Who would have expected Chiyo to be that kind of mad woman that would stretch her vendetta against me to civilians”

“Yes, but evne if that were the case, I should have pushed for an evacuation the second we knew the Kazekage was coming.”

“You know well as I do why we did not order an evacuation immediately.”

“It would have been preferable to this. To the losses we have taken.” She said.

“And yes. And that was as much my fault as it was. Are you asking me to resign, Shikahime? Is that what this is for?”

“No. Of-of course not. You would make a fantastic Hokage. Quitting because of one mistake is illogical” She said. I gave her a look, and enjoyed the way the flush crept down her face.

“Touche, as you would say”

“Touche indeed” I agreed.

“So are you going to get up now?” I asked.

“You won’t accept my resignation?”

“If you feel you are to blame for this, then it means you should be atoning for it with your service, not languishing away in an early retirement. If you think it was your fault that Konoha took this loss, then that should be all the more motivation for you to do better and see to it that it never happens again, and that we rise to higher heights even”