Konoha, the next day.
Tsunade sat in the Hokage Office, a report freshly submitted by the Anbu spread across the desk before her. After reading it, her expression remained grave for a long while. Then she slowly set it down and looked at Jiraiya, seated opposite her.
"The Root matter has been thoroughly investigated." Tsunade's voice was calm, but it carried a rare chill. "What Danzo did was far darker than I imagined."
Jiraiya leaned back on the sofa, unusually silent. He knew what Tsunade's words meant. Root, the organization hidden in Konoha's darkness, had carried out far too many unspeakable deeds under Danzo's leadership over the years. The erased records, sealed archives, and secretly disposed-of "unstable factors" were like layers of rotten scabs. Once peeled away, they exposed a horrifying truth.
"Maybe his intentions were good," Jiraiya finally said. "But those methods... had crossed the line."
"I know." Tsunade leaned back in her chair, her tone heavy with exhaustion. "Danzo always believed he cared about Konoha more than anyone else. He believed everything he did was for Konoha's stability and strength. But he forgot that Konoha could carry so many people's ideals not because of those methods in the dark, but because it represented a will that had never changed since the First. If even the people within the village cannot be trusted, if order has to be maintained through assassination and surveillance, then this village will eventually fall apart."
Jiraiya was silent for a while before slowly nodding. "What are you going to do?"
"Make it public." Tsunade's gaze was firm and clear. "I'll reveal the entire truth. Root's existence will no longer be concealed, and I'll publicly review some of the decisions made during the Third's term as well. Konoha needs a thorough cleansing before it can