"My head hurts so much."
Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose, an unnatural flush spread across her face.
"I told you to drink less, Lady Tsunade." Uchiha Sōgetsu spoke as he secretly glanced at Hikari, his face full of speechlessness.
Even if false memories had been implanted, making Tsunade drink continuously for two days was a little too exaggerated!
Only Yachihoko could have pulled that off. Anyone else might have been discovered long ago.
Little Hikari felt a little guilty. She lowered her head to avoid his gaze, her hands twisting together.
She would never tell Uchiha Sōgetsu that it was because she was jealous.
"Kid, I can't walk anymore." As she spoke, Tsunade climbed directly onto Uchiha Sōgetsu's back before Hikari's stunned eyes. She pinched the boy's cheek and giggled. "We're almost there anyway. Consider the rest of the way your medical fee. Carry me back!"
Ninjas did not wear much clothing to begin with, and Tsunade's bust was especially impressive.
The instant she pressed against him, he could feel the sense of oppression against his back. As expected of the queen of adult magazines, her assets were truly substantial!
"Speaking of medical fees, Lady Tsunade, you still owe me 500,000 ryo."
Uchiha Sōgetsu looked helpless. He could not exactly throw her off, so he could only continue on his way with Tsunade on his back.
Sometimes, he even wondered whether the Psychological Suggestion he had given Tsunade back then had included something unsuitable for children.
How to handle the relationship between doctor and patient was truly a headache.
"Ah~~~ I'm sleepy."
Tsunade found a comfortable position and fell asleep on the boy's back.
Creak, creak.
"Huh? What's that sound?"
Uchiha Sōgetsu was puzzled. Following the sound, he saw Hikari gritting her teeth, her eyes bloodshot as she stared at Tsunade.
Tch. He had almost forgotten.
There was another patient here with even more serious psychological issues.
In any case, the journey passed more or less safely. Under his full suppression, no accident occurred in the end.
As they neared Konoha, Uchiha Sōgetsu woke Tsunade.
He did not want rumors spreading again about a little horse pulling a big cart, or about him being kept by a rich older woman.
"Ah~ That felt so good!"
Tsunade stretched, making her chest sway. "Thanks, kid."
"No need." Uchiha Sōgetsu rolled his sore shoulders and said indifferently, "Just remember to pay back my 500,000 ryo."
"Tch, what a buzzkill. Isn't it just 500,000?" Tsunade curled her lips. "Once I get back and win big, I'll pay you right away!"
Once you win big?
Heh. If that day ever came, half of Konoha's people would probably be dead.
Uchiha Sōgetsu sneered inwardly, though he nodded perfunctorily. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll be waiting."
As they chatted, Konoha's gates came into view.
Eager to get rid of Tsunade as soon as possible, Uchiha Sōgetsu hastened his pace. He wanted to report the mission to the Hokage and go back to rest.
Naturally, none of their movements escaped Root's eyes.
Upon learning that Uchiha Sōgetsu and Tsunade had returned, Danzo had barely warmed his seat before rushing toward the Hokage's Office on his own two legs, not even bothering with the cane he usually used to put on airs.
These past days, he had nearly been unable to suppress the resentment within Root.
Ninjas were already in a high-risk profession, and Anbu were the highest-risk among them. When those Root Division ninjas suddenly learned that the Medical Ninjas had all refused to treat them, they nearly turned the place upside down.
But the key issue was that making trouble would not help them.
This time, all the Medical Ninjas had applied pressure together. Tsunade was not the only force behind it; the Hokage had even tacitly approved it.
Danzo naturally understood all of this perfectly well.
Root's growing influence and power had made Hiruzen Sarutobi, as Hokage, feel a trace of threat and unease.
He was using Tsunade to suppress and warn him that there were certain matters he was not allowed to interfere in.
Having prepared himself mentally for all possibilities, Danzo pushed open the door to the Hokage's Office. He covertly swept a glance over Uchiha Sōgetsu and sneered inwardly before turning his attention to the main person involved. "Ahem. Tsunade, I—"
"Shut up."
Tsunade coldly cut Danzo off. Treating him as if he were air, she continued speaking to the Third Hokage behind the desk. "Old man, this is my new disciple. Let me introduce her to you."
Danzo, having been ignored, was not angry. He had expected this before coming, so he simply waited quietly.
"H-Hello, my name is Hikari." Little Hikari promptly put on a timid appearance, clutching her sleeve as she hid behind Tsunade, revealing only half her face. "You can call me Little Hikari."
"Hehehehe, I never expected that in the blink of an eye, even you would have taken on a disciple."
Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his beard, a nostalgic look appearing on his face. He said kindly, "Not bad. She looks like a good child. But I have to say something to you, Tsunade. Now that you're a teacher, you can't keep gambling anymore. What if you lead Little Hikari astray?"
"Alright, alright, stop nagging me."
Tsunade dug at her ear and said impatiently, "I only came to tell you. If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."
"Mm, wait." Hiruzen Sarutobi raised a hand to stop her. He glanced at Danzo beside him and said, "Don't be in such a hurry to leave. Such a huge matter has been stirred up; it has to be resolved."
"Lord Hokage, then I'll take my leave first."
After reporting the mission, Uchiha Hikari immediately spoke tactfully upon seeing this.
"Mm, alright, go ahead."
Hiruzen Sarutobi did not forget to continue his indoctrination. "Danzo will give you all an explanation for this matter. Don't worry. We're all from the same village. I won't treat you unfairly."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
As Uchiha Sōgetsu left, he did not forget to cast Danzo a cold glance.
Danzo remained expressionless, sneering inwardly. Just an Uchiha. Once this matter is over, I'll have plenty of ways to kill you.
Seeing through his thoughts, Uchiha Sōgetsu curled his lips after stepping out of the Hokage's Office. "Kill me? Heh. I'm looking forward to it. Don't disappoint me."
The scene returned to the Hokage's Office.
Little Hikari was led away by the Anbu arranged by the Hokage, leaving only the three of them behind.
Knock, knock!
Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped his pipe, refilled it with tobacco, and lit it. He took a deep drag. "Tell me, how should this matter be resolved? Letting this continue is bad for internal stability, and even worse for Konoha. Especially now, when the other Hidden Villages are all stirring. If this blows up, it won't look good."
Tsunade sat on the sofa to one side with her legs crossed, not even sparing Danzo a proper glance.
Seeing that the main person involved would not speak, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not help but feel a headache. His gaze then carried a trace of pressure as he looked at Danzo. "This matter began because of you. How do you intend to resolve it?"
Knowing he would have to pay a price, Danzo took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Hiruzen, I will not interfere in this Hokage election, and I will transfer part of Root's personnel. Is that enough?"
This price could not be called crippling, but it was certainly heavy.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in relative satisfaction before looking at Tsunade. "What do you think?"
"He intended to kill Uchiha Sōgetsu." Tsunade's gaze turned icy. "Are we just letting this go?"
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, his gaze darkening slightly.
Anyone familiar with him knew that this was a sign of extreme dissatisfaction. However, because of Tsunade's status, he still said, "As for Uchiha Sōgetsu, I will compensate the Uchiha Clan myself and warn Danzo not to act against him again. Is that acceptable?"
"That's all?"
Hearing that it was once again this kind of stability-preserving method, Tsunade immediately became furious. "Danzo joined forces with outsiders to assassinate a Konoha jonin, and in the end he receives no punishment at all?"
"Tsunade, I'm considering the bigger picture. You need to understand my difficulties!"
Having been contradicted by his disciple, Hiruzen Sarutobi also became angry. "You need to spare a thought for me. Danzo has rendered meritorious service to Konoha, and the Shinobi World is unsettled everywhere right now. We need Root's strength. If we rashly punish Danzo, we'll only be weakening our own power!"
"The bigger picture! The bigger picture! It's always the bigger picture!"
Tsunade slammed the table and rose to her feet. Filled with disappointment, she looked at the teacher who had once been hailed as a hero of the shinobi. "You keep saying it's for the bigger picture, then what about White Fang—"
Those two words were like steel needles stabbing deeply into Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart.
"Enough! Tsunade!" He slammed his palm down on the table, his face extremely grim as he said coldly, "This matter is decided!"
Looking at her teacher, whose fierce eyes seemed ready to devour someone.
The final trace of hope deep within the heart slowly cooled. That familiar face also became incomparably strange.
December 22, sunny This morning, I met a fortune teller who said I was a dragon among men. Deeply moved, I asked my editor: "Do I have the makings of a platinum author?" My editor was silent for a long time before replying: "I think you look like an idiot."
Before you continue