Chapter 703: Sacrifice
Inazuma's voice quivered as he questioned Ay. Others in the room could feel the pain he was feeling due to the losses Kumogakure had just suffered. Everyone else was feeling the same. As the leaders of Kumogakure, most were well-connected and had someone close to them in the camps. Even if they didn't, the loss was just too painful for Kumogakure.
Ay didn't reply and just stayed quiet. The opportunity had come suddenly when he least expected it. He didn't have the time to consult others as any opposition would have resulted in the opportunity slipping away. In addition, the manner in which the military camps were cleared by Fujin meant that even if he had involved others, it wouldn't have made much of a difference.
In fact, had Shikaku and Hiruzen known about Fujin's Fuin Battlefield, they would have changed their plans drastically. There was no need to lure Ay and Bee out. Fujin could have silently eliminated all 10 bases over a couple of days before Kumogakure realized what was happening because they wouldn't have been nearly as alert as they were. Their losses would have been even higher in that case.
Of course, no one knew how the camps were eliminated. Even if they did, it didn't take the blame away from Ay. After all, he was the leader of Kumogakure. He was the one responsible for the village's protection. And, he had failed miserably at his job.
One of the council members muttered, "This will cause a great upheaval in the village. The family members of the dead will grieve. The family members of the missing ninjas will be troubled until we can find them. And…"
She paused for a moment before continuing grimly, "And, if we can't find them, then this would be one of the greatest tragedies that the village has suffered since the foundation! The longer we go without finding them, the more unstable the village will become."
Everyone stared at Ay as the council member shared her thoughts. Even though she painted a solemn picture, there was another hidden message in her words which was caught by everyone. Bee's expression became serious and Mabui barely managed to restrain herself. She asked as calmly as she could, "What are you implying?"
An underlying threat could be perceived from her words. It made the council members nervous, but all of them stood their ground. Suddenly, Ay said, "Mabui, calm down. As the Raikage, I have to accept responsibility for this matter."
The loss of close to a thousand elite ninjas was something that threatened Ay's seat! The fact that he carelessly left to hunt Fujin without consulting anyone made it even worse. Needless to say, this was one of Shikaku's goals as well.