Helpless

These anonymous letters were all accusations that Shuichi abused his power to embezzle and accept bribes, but in reality, they were all baseless slanders, which the administrative personnel had already investigated and found to be true.

However, they also discovered that Shuichi had built Luxury Villa there, but there was nothing in the whole process that needed to be reported to his superiors. It did not harm the village and was completely legal, so why would they risk offending Lord Purple Aurora by reporting it?

The Third Hokage stared at the exquisitely detailed Villa in the photo with utter dismay, speechless for a moment.

Seeing that the scene had quieted down, Keita could only dutifully continue his report, "Besides the housing transaction tax in the reconstruction area, there's been a surge in sales of goods like cigarettes, alcohol, and tea, and even entertainment and leisure venues in the village..."

Mokui, listening nearby, was dumbfounded. Even the Geisha House and Hot Spring Inn had seen a surge in visitors, and many of the service girls were exhausted from the overwhelming number of customers. Could this also be an effect of Shuichi's influence?

"I understand. Please keep an eye on changes in the village's financial revenue. You can report any issues directly." The Third Hokage couldn't think of a solution. Konoha hadn't seen anything like this in 50 years, so he could only ask Keita to step down.

Even as he was busy until he finished work in the evening, the image of that Luxury Villa was still flashing through his mind.

When he arrived at his home, seeing how "shabby" the Hokage Residence, where he had lived for many years, was, the Third Hokage had the idea of spending money to renovate it.

"Um?"

Hearing a faint sound coming from inside, Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately lightened his steps and quietly slipped in like a ghost, displaying his outstanding ninja skills.

Following the faint light that had just appeared, he quickly found the source of the problem: a figure was crouching by the backyard window, half of its head sticking out, and its arm trembling slightly from time to time.

Asuma took a deep drag of his cigarette, occasionally sipping his liquor from the bottle in his right hand. He felt he had found true love; he was incredibly refreshed and invigorated. He thought that if he continued training, his condition would likely improve even further...

"What are you doing here?" Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind, scaring him half to death. "Bang!"

"Dad..."

Asuma panicked. He hadn't expected the Third Hokage to leave work early today. He had secretly taken out his father's cigarettes and alcohol, but he was caught red-handed after only enjoying them for a short while.

Although I was a little annoyed by the old man's constant lecturing, the psychological shadows I had carried for so many years were not so easy to erase.

"I... I'm trying to find the feeling of cultivation." Asuma quickly came up with a reason. "Yes, I'm practicing Sage Mode. Didn't you tell me about Shuichi? This is the cultivation technique he taught me. First, relax and sense Natural Energy. There's also a matching mantra: 'Wine and smoke, boundless power!'"

Sarutobi Hiruzen: "..."

The moon was exceptionally round tonight, but the Anbu guards responsible for protecting the Hokage's residence heard a lot of noise inside.

"The Third Lord has really had a tough time. Lady Biwako's departure must have been a huge blow to him, but now he's finally come out of it. He'll soon regain his former glory as Shinobi Hero," thought the Shadow Guard member codenamed Elephant.

The next morning, many Konoha got up early to go to work were very surprised to see the Lord Hokage appear on the street. Passersby greeted him, and the Third Hokage returned a kind smile and exchanged a few words with a few people.

After walking through several more streets to the edge of the village, he could already see the Luxury Villa of Shuichi from the photo.

It must be said that, under the slanting morning light, the houses with large windows are Naomi, their surfaces reflecting a myriad of colors, creating a stark contrast with the many dilapidated wooden houses in the village. The difference in their sophistication is like night and day.

"Such a large area, completely covered with Barrier Spell Formula, it's simply..." Before even getting close, the Third Hokage sensed chakra fluctuations emanating from there. It seemed that Shuichi had been preparing for the move for quite some time.

Upon arriving at the main entrance of the Takeda Family, a large wooden plaque hung on the gate. It depicted a large, somewhat cartoonish hand with its index finger pointing to the right side of the door, along with the words, "No soliciting, please ring the doorbell if you are a visitor."

The Third Hokage and the hidden Anbu were speechless. Did the most talented ninjas have the most quirks? How could a normal person possibly conceive of such bizarre quirks...?

"Ding-dong!"

Shuichi has a regular sleep schedule, had actually woken up earlier. Moreover, ninjas can't really sleep to death. He had just sensed someone coming over because the various seals on the Villa were connected to his bedroom, and their strength far exceeded what ordinary ninjas could imagine.

"Swish swish..."

Wearing his pajamas, he darted to the balcony. Seeing that the visitor was the Third Hokage, he prepared to greet him personally. He leaped to the front door in a few quick bounds and politely said, "It's an honor to have such a distinguished guest so early in the morning, Lord Hokage. Please come in."

The Third Hokage was helpless against him. No one could interfere with how a ninja spent his own money, and he even brought in taxes for the village. But he still felt very uncomfortable.

"You're so young, yet you've acquired such a large plot of land and spent all your money on houses. Are you trying to retire early?" Sarutobi Hiruzen followed behind Shuichi, looking at the beautiful scenery around them, and couldn't help but feel annoyed.

"Oh, please forgive my foolishness. I've just discovered a unique characteristic of mine..." Shuichi explained casually, "When I'm in a relaxed and cheerful mood, my Mental Energy surges. So, building this house is crucial to my future! I haven't lived here long, but I already feel like I've become stronger!"

Well, this is tantamount to a direct statement that if the Villa is demolished, he will become "a weakling," and now that the die is cast, there's no way to change it.

Stepping into the Villa, the Third Hokage was also taken aback by the luxurious decorations inside, and then immediately complained, "You really don't mind the trouble. Managing such a big house by yourself not only wastes a lot of time, but you'll also have a lot of trouble later if problems arise."

Sarutobi Hiruzen Jiraiya and Shuichi Tsunade ran away from the village? So now he could only keep finding fault with the Villa, hoping to curb the spread of the trend of luxury and indulgence in the village.

"You don't need to worry about that." Shuichi smiled slyly. "Lord Hokage hasn't had breakfast yet, has he? If you're feeling tired, you can stay for some tea... Hmm, coming!"

Suddenly, three identical Shuichi emerged from the kitchen, spreading a lavish breakfast across the table. He proudly explained to the Third Hokage, "These are my Earth Clone servant teams. If it's just chores, I could easily field a hundred a day. They'll take over all my daily needs."

One of the Earth Clone chimed in, "Although our lives are all short, we are originally one with our main body. The more diligent we are, the more comfortable he feels, and he instantly becomes full of motivation to work."

"The main body must enjoy our share too!"

The Third Hokage: "..."