Tsunade Returns to the Village

Even though the Third Hokage intended to suppress the growing unrest, the Root's kidnapping incident had already spiraled out of control.

Initially, it was a group discussing how Princess Hinata of the Hyuga Clan was nearly kidnapped. Then, the conversation turned to the Uchiha Clan's annihilation. Some brilliant individuals realized someone was targeting Konoha from the shadows.

Next, a large group of villagers who had lost children marched to the Hokage's office, demanding an investigation into their children's disappearances. As they gathered, they chatted amongst themselves, and to their shock, they discovered that all the missing children were highly anticipated prodigies, and most were descendants of the Senju Clan.

This was serious!

People suddenly realized why the Senju Clan hadn't produced any prodigies in so many years. It turned out that the prodigies among the Senju Clan's commoner descendants had been secretly eliminated!

They were furious! Someone was plotting a complete annihilation strategy against them!

Just then, another piece of information emerged: the Uchiha Clan, which had existed for a thousand years, possessed the Sage's Eyes, while the Senju Clan possessed the ancient Sage Body.

They coveted the Senju's abilities and had kidnapped all the talented children of the Senju Clan.

They coveted the Uchiha's abilities and collected the Uchiha Clan's Sage's Eyes, thus annihilating the Uchiha Clan.

In the past, both the First and Second Hokage possessed immense chakra. The First Hokage could easily capture the terrifying Nine-Tails and seal it within his wife, Uzumaki Mito.

What remained of the Senju Clan today? Only a few insignificant individuals!

The Uchiha Clan was even worse off, with only Sasuke left after the massacre!

This was a shocking secret!

Someone had coveted the Uchiha's Sage's Eyes, and now they were coveting the Sage Body of the Senju descendants!

The thought of it sent shivers down their spines!

Suddenly, the commoner members of the Senju Clan were enraged, demanding answers from the Hokage and calling for a thorough investigation.

Having been integrated into the common populace, they lacked significant political standing in Konoha, so they urgently contacted Tsunade together.

The other clans couldn't sit idly by either. First the Senju, then the Uchiha, and now the Hyuga Clan's princess. Who would be next?

This plunged Konoha into even greater turmoil.

Public opinion could no longer be suppressed, just like the incident with Konoha's White Fang back then!

It was even more shocking than the White Fang incident!

When Kiyotaka returned to the classroom, he found that Hinata's security measures had been upgraded again.

For every kidnapping of Hinata, they lost a Hizashi. If another kidnapping occurred, they wouldn't be able to bear the consequences!

The Hyuga Clan was now under strict martial law, and the other major clans had convened family meetings.

As for the Third Hokage?

The major clans had already expressed their distrust in him.

Tsunade, who was in another country, finally received the news.

Ever since her brother's sacrifice and her lover's death, Tsunade had been devastated by the blows and heartbroken!

Coupled with her dissatisfaction with Konoha's higher-ups, Tsunade had distanced herself from the village center, indulging in gambling to pass her days.

However, she hadn't truly abandoned the village. With the title "Princess Tsunade," she was still Konoha's princess.

The commoner members of the Senju Clan still held her in high regard, and how could she truly ignore the Konoha village her grandfather had personally founded?

Upon receiving the news, she immediately rushed back to Konoha, filled with righteous indignation. The day she returned to Konoha, she kicked open the Hokage's office door.

"Old man! You owe me an explanation! What's going on with the missing prodigy children of the Senju Clan's descendants!"

The Third Hokage had been overwhelmed with work these past few days. Seeing Tsunade's accusation, his headache intensified.

Seeing that the Third Hokage was speechless, Tsunade walked up and slammed her palm onto the Hokage's desk.

"Bang!"

The violent gust of wind from her palm blew away the documents on the desk, and the Hokage's desk let out a pained groan, nearly cracking.

Tsunade growled, "My grandfather entrusted the Hokage position to you, and this is how you manage Konoha?"

"Tsunade, listen to me," the Third Hokage tried to explain. "I will thoroughly investigate this matter and give you a satisfactory answer."

Tsunade shouted angrily, "An answer? I want an answer now!"

"Tsunade, you've gone too far!"

A low reprimand came from Utatane Koharu, who was sitting nearby.

"Hiruzen is Konoha's Hokage, and he was your teacher! How can you speak to the Hokage like that!"

Mitokado Homura chimed in, "Hiruzen, you need to control your disciple!"

Tsunade gave them both a cold look. She usually respected them, but with such a major incident occurring, Tsunade no longer felt the need to show them deference.

"Hmph! With such a major incident happening in the village, what kind of Hokage advisors are you!"

Tsunade questioned their competence, as high-ranking Konoha officials, such a significant event had occurred.

"Tsunade!"

Utatane Koharu also became angry.

"You've participated in the Ninja Wars, how can you still be so naive? So many geniuses fell on the battlefield during the Ninja Wars, and even now, with the constant conflict between the various ninja villages, geniuses still fall and tragedies still happen. We have always been maintaining Konoha's peace!"