Tsunade's Decision! The Incompetent Hokage! The Capable Uchiha!

Early in the morning, the sky had only just begun to brighten.

Tobirama promptly hauled Konan out of bed.

"Mm... Master... let me sleep five more minutes..."

Konan rubbed her eyes groggily, her blue-purple short hair sticking up in every direction like a puffed-up Koneko. She had only gotten a home yesterday, and she had slept so deeply that she did not want to get up at all.

"There are no lazy mornings in a ninja's world."

Tobirama did not indulge her. He directly pressed a hot towel onto her face.

"Wash up, eat breakfast, and special training starts in ten minutes."

Ten minutes later.

Konan obediently sat cross-legged on the carpet. Though she was still yawning, her gaze had already turned serious.

"Listen carefully. Chakra is the combination of physical energy and spiritual energy."

Tobirama moved behind her and placed one hand against her thin back.

"Close your eyes and feel my guidance."

A gentle stream of chakra flowed from Tobirama's palm and slowly entered Konan's chakra pathways.

It was warm, tingly, and numb.

Konan unconsciously shrank her neck, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Master's hand... was so big, so warm.

"Don't get distracted!" Tobirama barked. "Hold on to that feeling and try extracting it yourself!"

Konan jumped in fright and quickly focused her mind.

It had to be said, the future "Angel" truly possessed extraordinary talent.

Only five minutes passed.

"Buzz!"

A faint blue chakra fluctuation emerged from Konan's body on its own.

It was weak, but pure.

"I did it!"

Konan suddenly opened her eyes and jumped to her feet, looking at Tobirama as though presenting him with a treasure.

"Master! I did it! I have chakra now!"

Tobirama withdrew his hand, a trace of approval flashing through his eyes.

Ordinary people needed at least several days to extract chakra. This girl had done it in five minutes.

"Good job."

Tobirama smiled and rubbed her head, casually smoothing down her sticking-up hair.

"As expected of the disciple I chose. You didn't embarrass me."

Praised by Tobirama and treated to such an intimate head pat, Konan's face reddened like a ripe apple, though her heart was sweet with happiness.

This feeling of being valued and praised... was wonderful.

"Master... what are we learning next?"

Konan raised her head, her orange eyes sparkling with the desire to grow stronger.

"Don't rush. Learn the Three Body Technique first."

Tobirama pulled a basic scroll from the bookshelf and tossed it to her.

"Practice on your own first. I'm going to handle some official business."

"If you haven't learned the Transformation Technique by the time I return, tonight's delicious meal is canceled."

"Huh?" The moment Konan heard that her food would be taken away, her little face crumpled. Hugging the scroll, she retreated to a corner and began studying it desperately.

Amegakure, temporary command headquarters.

"Tobirama."

A man with a pineapple-shaped ponytail and several scars on his face walked over.

Shikaku Nara.

Konoha's strategist, and also Konoha's current frontline commander-in-chief.

"The Hokage's latest orders have arrived."

Shikaku handed over a scroll, his expression somewhat strange.

"Following the unanimous decision of the higher-ups, in light of your outstanding achievements on the front lines, you are hereby promoted to Anbu squad captain."

"You may choose your own codename. Return to the village immediately to report for duty and receive new orders."

Tobirama accepted the scroll, glanced at it, and a cold smile curled across his lips.

Anbu?

What a fine case of promotion in name, demotion in reality.

On the surface, he would be joining the elite force directly under the Hokage. But in truth?

Anbu wore masks, had no names, and could only carry out missions in the shadows.

And report back to the village?

They were clearly afraid that his achievements and reputation on the front lines would eclipse the Hokage, so they wanted to transfer him back to the village and keep him under watch.

Old Monkey, your calculations are quite thorough.

Tobirama understood perfectly well.

If it were an ordinary person, they would probably return in gratitude.

But he was different.

He had a cheat, and he knew the plot.

Hanzo might be dead now, but would the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth really let the juicy prize of the Land of Rain go?

A large-scale war was about to erupt. When the front lines came under pressure, Hiruzen Sarutobi would have to beg him to return.

Since that was the case...

"Senior Shikaku, I've received the order."

Tobirama casually tossed the scroll aside, his tone playful.

"However, I still have some personal matters to handle."

"As for returning to the village, I'll discuss it with the Hokage personally."

Shikaku Nara froze for a moment. "Personally? But the journey is long..."

"You don't need to worry about that."

Tobirama waved a hand and cut him off directly.

"You handle your own business first. There's no need to concern yourself with this."

Watching Tobirama's utterly confident demeanor, Shikaku sighed.

The Uchiha Clan's genius truly was not so easy to handle.

Hopefully, nothing went wrong.

Just as Shikaku left, Tsunade strode in energetically.

"I heard the old man wants you to return to the village and join the Anbu?"

Tsunade frowned. Clearly, she had also caught the underlying meaning.

"A place like the Anbu is best avoided. If you want to refuse, I'll talk to the old man."

"No need."

Tobirama walked up to Tsunade and reached out to straighten her slightly crooked forehead protector.

The movement was as natural as if they had been an old married couple for years.

"Going back is fine. I also want to rest for a couple of days."

"Besides, joining the Anbu may not be a bad thing, as long as the price is right."

Tsunade looked into his deep eyes, her face flushing, but she did not avoid his hand.

"As long as you know what you're doing."

"Oh, right, tonight..."

Tobirama suddenly leaned closer and lowered his voice.

"To celebrate my promotion, how about a drink tonight?"

Tsunade's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

The implication in those words could not have been more obvious!

"You..."

Tsunade bit her lip, wanting to refuse, but her mind was filled with images of that night in the tent.

"Hmph... I'll see how I feel!"

She turned around haughtily and hurried outside, though her retreating figure looked very much like she was fleeing in panic.

"Remember to bring the alcohol!"

Tobirama's laughter rang out behind her.

Tsunade stumbled slightly and walked even faster.

With Tsunade settled, the next person was the Third Hokage.

Tobirama returned to an empty corner.

He took a specially made Flying Thunder God Kunai from his ninja tool pouch.

After obtaining the Flying Thunder God Technique, he had long used summoned beasts to scatter Flying Thunder God markings throughout the Ninja World. The Land of Fire had naturally been completely covered long ago.

"Flying Thunder God Technique!"

Whoosh!

Tobirama's figure vanished instantly.

Konoha, Hokage Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, dealing with various documents.

Suddenly.

The air rippled.

Without any warning.

A figure appeared out of thin air before the desk and dropped onto the pile of documents with his backside.

"Yo, Lord Hokage. What are you looking at so intently?"

"Tobirama?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils shrank slightly.

The front lines were several days away from Konoha!

Even though the intelligence reports mentioned that he could use the Flying Thunder God developed by the Second Hokage, seeing it with his own eyes still left him shaken.

So this was his Flying Thunder God?

It was truly identical to his Second Hokage teacher's!

No, it was even faster!

"How did you get back? Shikaku just sent word that you had only just received the order..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressed the shock in his heart and put on the appearance of a benevolent elder.

"Ahem, it's good that you're back. Very good."

"This time, you rendered great service on the front lines. You destroyed the Land of Rain and brought glory to Konoha."

"Having you join the Anbu is also for your own training. After all, you're still young..."

The old monkey had begun making empty promises.

He was very familiar with this routine: praise first, suppress afterward, then talk about dedication.

Unfortunately, Tobirama was not buying it.

"That's enough, Third Hokage."

Tobirama directly interrupted his lengthy speech and casually picked up the pipe on the desk to play with it.

"Everyone is busy, so let's skip the empty talk."

"You want me to join the Anbu? Fine."

"You want to suppress my reputation? No problem."

"But..."

Tobirama leaned forward, his black eyes instantly transforming into the Three-Tomoe Sharingan as they stared directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

His presence was overwhelming.

The smile on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face froze.

The air in the room instantly congealed.

Several Anbu guards were about to reveal themselves, but Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped them with a wave of his hand.

He narrowed his eyes at the twelve-year-old boy before him.

Too sharp.

This blade truly was not easy to wield.

But he had no choice now.

"What do you want?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked in a low voice, a trace more wariness in his tone.

This brat actually dared to negotiate terms with him directly?

Since becoming Hokage, this was the first time a Genin had dared to do such a thing!

Tobirama smiled.

"Very simple."

He held up three fingers.

"First, I want absolute autonomy over the Anbu. My squad answers to me."

"Second, I want absolute freedom. No one in the village may command or restrain me, and no one has the right to question anything I do."

"Third..."

Tobirama paused, his eyes turning amused.

"I want the village to recognize my position as head of the Police Force. At the same time, the Uchiha Clan's Konoha Military Police Force must have its enforcement authority expanded. The Uchiha Clan may act first and report afterward in any matter."

"As long as you agree to these three conditions."

"I will be the sharpest blade in your hand."

"Otherwise..."

Tobirama rose to his feet and patted the documents beneath him.

"I will refuse every order from Lord Hokage. As for what else I might do, I make no guarantees."

A threat!

A blatant threat!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's grip on his pipe tightened.

Every one of those three conditions trampled on his bottom line.

Especially the expansion of the Konoha Military Police Force's authority. That was tantamount to loosening the leash on the Uchiha Clan!

But...

Could he refuse?

Tobirama was simply too powerful. Hiruzen had no way to restrain him.

Moreover, they were at war. If this turned into internal strife, Konoha could suffer devastating losses or even lose the war. He could not bear that responsibility.

And the strength Tobirama had displayed, along with the Flying Thunder God, truly was the strategic deterrent Konoha urgently needed right now.

After a long silence.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag from his pipe, his expression shifting uncertainly.

At last, he exhaled a cloud of stale smoke, seeming to age ten years in an instant.

"Fine."

"I agree."