Chapter 162: Exasperation
"If this is true...those who bear the title of Ascendee will become the pillars of the worlds they originate..." remarked Hiruzen, his skin slightly clammy after perusing the document Vahn had provided, a list detailing the conversion ratio for various agricultural and material goods such as rice, wheat, iron, silver, gold, and, most notably, Chakra Metal, a material more commonly known as Mithril.
"The Tower only sends invitations to those who are destined to or already have a meaningful influence on the flow of fate within their world..." stated Vahn, seated alongside Azazel at the end of the conference table, directly opposite Hiruzen. Then, as everyone shifted their gazes to him, he added, "In other words, even if Minato hadn't accepted the Tower's invitation and become an Ascendee, the only thing preventing him from leaving his mark on this world is the amount of effort he's willing to put in. The same holds true in the Tower."
"Preposterous..." muttered Danzo, drawing everyone's gazes to him as he firmly asserted, "Namikaze Minato is extremely capable; no one here or in any other village can deny that. However, it is obvious why he was chosen to become an Ascendee despite his lack of standing and background. You aim to undermine the authority of this here Council and elevate him to the position of Hokage to promote some hidden agenda..."
"Oh? Well, if you say so, it must be true..." droned Azazel, making a show of rolling his eyes before meeting Danzo's gaze with a challenging smile and asserting, "It's either that or you're butthurt that you weren't chosen, preventing you from promoting your own hidden agenda."
"A baseless accusation that further proves my claim...!" exclaimed Danzo, bringing his left fist down atop the table, causing it to shudder and spilling several people's tea.
"Enough, Danzo. You will be silent, or you will leave..." warned Hiruzen, staring the one-eyed man down with a withering glower. Nearly everyone else present gave him similarly disapproving looks, but while they weren't buying into his assertions, they also found it difficult to believe Vahn didn't have an agenda. Shinobi were taught to look for hidden meanings within hidden meanings and to never trust a situation that seemed too good to be true because, far more often than not, those who sought to aid you outside of your immediate family or squad were trying to get you to lower your guard.
Noticing Vahn sporting a disinterested look, Hiruzen smiled apologetically and said, "Excuse Danzo. He and I have fought through and survived two wars and are presently weathering a third. He is simply being cautious, as his station requires."
Shaking his head, Vahn calmly asserted, "That's something for you to discuss and solve amongst yourselves. His blustering has no bearing on whether we end up collaborating, as it's your side seeking benefits from us. If you still seek them, you will find a way to prevent him from making a fool of himself. If you don't, it doesn't matter, as we are harmed in no way by not collaborating with you."
Having grown weary of the interaction, Vahn surprised everyone except Azazel by rising to his feet, his expression and tone neutral as he added, "Regardless, I have better things to do than sit here at your convenience. If there is a matter that requires my attention, you can request my time at my palace."