The Envoy Sent by the Daimyo!

Mu Ye Village.

Hokage Office.

"Hiruzen."

"What exactly are you plotting?"

Mitokado Homura's voice trembled slightly.

They had held the double-edged sword of power for far too long. They simply could not bear to let it go.

"Qianye is just a teenage brat."

"What does he know about politics?"

"What does he know about running a village?"

"All he has is that terrifying brute strength and the supposed righteousness of the Senju Bloodline!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.

Behind the smoke, his aged face was hidden in shadow, unreadable and grim.

"But he has Wood Style!"

"The villagers are all talking about Danzo now. People are panicking!"

"If this keeps up, public opinion will be completely impossible to suppress!"

Utatane Koharu's voice was frantic.

The gossip she had heard on the streets today had utterly shaken her.

Those lowly commoners actually dared question the High Command's decisions!

That would have been absolutely unimaginable before.

"What are you panicking for?"

"Mu Ye's Hokage cannot be chosen on strength alone."

"They must also gain the trust vote of the Jonin and possess enough prestige to hold the situation together!"

"What does Qianye have?"

"A troublemaker who just returned to the village. Other than causing destruction, what else can he do?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen snorted coldly.

"You mean..."

"Transfer the prestige?"

Mitokado Homura seemed to have grasped a hint of the idea.

But he still had no clue how it would work in practice.

"That's right."

"It is fine if this old man does not become Hokage."

"But the person who takes my place must be someone this old man can trust."

"And someone no one in the village can find fault with."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded.

A glint of certainty appeared in his eyes.

"Who?"

Hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen's words,

Utatane Koharu hurriedly pressed for an answer.

"Jiraiya."

Jiraiya!

One of the Sannin, a hero renowned throughout the Ninja World.

He possessed immense prestige among civilians and low-to-mid-ranking ninja.

More importantly,

he was the Third Hokage's direct disciple!

"Brilliant!"

"If Jiraiya is willing to return and take the position, Qianye will have no excuse to oppose it!"

"In terms of seniority, military achievements, and reputation, in what way does Jiraiya not crush that little bastard?"

Mitokado Homura slapped his thigh.

He broke into laughter, his face full of excitement.

"Exactly!"

"Jiraiya's mind is occupied with writing books and traveling. He has no interest in power whatsoever."

"If he becomes the Fifth Hokage,"

"won't the village's actual power still remain in our hands?"

Utatane Koharu's expression also brightened.

Push a puppet into office and continue maintaining their rule.

As long as Jiraiya sat in that position, Sarutobi Hiruzen would be the power behind the throne.

Qianye?

What right did a Chunin have to compete with one of the Sannin?

"This must be done quickly."

"This old man will issue orders tonight and have the Anbu search for Jiraiya with all their strength."

"We must bring him back to the village before Qianye makes his move."

Knock, knock, knock.

Just then,

rapid knocking shattered the three men's reverie.

"Lord Hokage!"

An Anbu ninja appeared out of thin air and dropped to one knee.

"Have you found the source of the rumors?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned.

"No."

"The rumors have already spread throughout the village. Even the taverns and bathhouses are discussing them."

"The civilians' trust in the High Command... is plummeting."

The Anbu lowered his head, his voice tense.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression darkened.

Those damned rumors were spreading like a plague.

Qianye's move had struck directly at Konoha's weak point.

In political struggles, public opinion came first.

How did that brat understand such schemes?

Could Tsunade be advising him from behind the scenes?

Very likely!

After all, Tsunade had once been part of Konoha High Command. She knew exactly how to disgust people most effectively.

"Enough."

"Set the rumors aside for now."

"Focus all efforts on finding Jiraiya. This is the highest order!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hand impatiently.

The Anbu had just been about to accept the order and leave.

Whoosh!

Another Anbu ninja appeared in the room in a Body Flicker.

His face was pale, and clear panic filled his eyes.

"Report!"

"Lord Hokage, two honorable Advisors!"

"The Daimyo's envoy... has arrived outside the building!"

The Daimyo's envoy?

The three people in the Hokage Office rose to their feet at once.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance, each seeing unease in the other's eyes.

Though Konoha was self-governing, its financial funding relied entirely on the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.

The Daimyo sending an envoy at a time like this was certainly not a good sign.

Qianye had only caused trouble the day before yesterday, and the Daimyo sent someone today.

The timing was far too coincidental.

"Quick, receive him!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen straightened his Hokage robes and headed outside first.

Even the High Command's arrogance had to be restrained before an absolute financial power.

After all,

without funding from the Daimyo Palace,

Ye could not even pay the ninja salaries for next month.

The three had just reached the corridor

when a group of attendants in luxurious clothing approached them.

At their head was a fair-skinned middle-aged official with an arrogant expression.

He was Fujiwara, a favored cabinet minister at the Daimyo of the Land of Fire's side.

"Lord Fujiwara."

"You have traveled such a long way. Forgive us for failing to welcome you properly."

Sarutobi Hiruzen piled a kindly smile onto his face.

He looked like a benevolent old man, with no trace of the viciousness he had displayed moments ago.

"Third Hokage, let us skip the pleasantries."

Fujiwara closed his folding fan and cast Sarutobi Hiruzen a sideways glance.

His attitude was cold, carrying even a hint of condescending scrutiny.

Seeing this,

Utatane Koharu's heart skipped a beat.

This had never happened before.

Whenever the Daimyo's envoys came to Konoha, which one of them had not been courteous?

This was bad.

Things were about to go wrong.

Beside her, Mitokado Homura also held his breath.

"Lord Fujiwara."

"Please come into the office so we can talk. This old man has some excellent tea."

Sarutobi Hiruzen gestured invitingly.

But Fujiwara remained where he stood.

"That will not be necessary."

"By the Daimyo's order, I have an important matter to announce."

He shook his wide sleeve and produced an Imperial Decree stamped with the Daimyo's golden seal.

"Third Hokage."

"Immediately gather every Jonin within Konoha."

"In half an hour, I will read the Daimyo's decree."

Every Jonin?

Sarutobi Hiruzen froze.

What major undertaking required gathering all the Jonin?

Normally, such a grand mobilization only happened when a Hokage was being replaced or a Ninja World war was being launched.

What was the Daimyo trying to do?

Was he interfering in Konoha's internal affairs?

"Lord Fujiwara."

"Is this... not a little hasty?"

"Many Jonin are still carrying out missions or recovering from injuries..."

Mitokado Homura spoke tentatively.

Fujiwara gave him a cold look.

"Call everyone who can move."

"My time is valuable. I have no leisure to waste in Konoha."

As he spoke,

Fujiwara paused.

His gaze swept over the three high-ranking officials' faces, and a meaningful, icy smile curled at his lips.

"Also."

"That Chunin named Senju Qianye must be present."

Ye!

At the sound of that name.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other two's pupils suddenly contracted.

Utatane Koharu nearly cried out.

The Daimyo's envoy had specifically requested to see Chiba!

What did that mean?

Ye's name had already reached the Daimyo's ears?

No.

That wasn't right.

It was more than simply reaching him.

The one behind this was definitely Tsunade!

That crazy woman Tsunade had actually used her status as the Princess of the Land of Fire to petition the Daimyo!

Cold sweat seeped into Sarutobi Hiruzen's palms.

Ye had only just displayed Wood Style in the village, and the Daimyo's decree arrived immediately after.

That one-two punch had caught them completely off guard.