Confrontation in the Hokage's Office

"Go get Danzō. I want to question him personally."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice echoed through the empty office.

A sudden clamor of footsteps came from outside, accompanied by the dull thud of something heavy hitting the ground.

Bang.

The heavy wooden door was violently shoved open, slamming hard against the wall.

Chiba walked in with his hands in his pockets.

He still had half a grass stem between his teeth, looking utterly nonchalant.

"No need to call him. Aren't I here already?"

Chiba said with a smile.

Tsunade followed behind him, along with Shizune carrying Tonton.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the three of them and set his pipe down on the desk.

Koharu Utatane slammed a palm onto the desk and rose to her feet.

"Senju Chiba, you faked your death during a mission, left the village without authorization, and now you dare swagger back here. You have no regard for military discipline. What punishment do you deserve?!"

Koharu Utatane shouted.

Chiba ignored her completely. He walked straight to the desk, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

He then pulled over another chair and patted its seat.

"Auntie, sit here. This chair's cushion is pretty soft."

Chiba said to Tsunade.

Tsunade glanced at him and obediently sat down.

Only then did Chiba turn to look at Koharu Utatane.

"Old hag, shut your stinking mouth."

Chiba picked at his ear.

"I went to bring back the backbone of the Senju Clan. Who the hell are you to be yelling here?"

Chiba looked at her sideways.

"How dare you! I am a Konoha advisor, yet you dare be so disrespectful to me!"

Koharu Utatane trembled with rage as she pointed at Chiba.

"Advisor? Can an advisor lord it over the Senju Clan? Or can an advisor go die on the front lines in place of the Senju Clan?"

Chiba sneered.

"When my great-granduncle founded the village, you were still playing with mud. And now you're here lecturing me about rules?"

Chiba's words turned Koharu Utatane's face livid.

"Chiba, watch your attitude. This is the Hokage's Office."

Mito Kadoyan pushed up his glasses and spoke in a grave voice.

"My attitude is great. Aren't I sitting here talking to you?"

Chiba shrugged.

"If my attitude were bad, Wood Release would have entered this room instead of me."

Chiba's words seemed to lower the temperature in the room by several degrees.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe and looked at Chiba.

"Chiba, you were indeed somewhat impulsive this time. The village assigned you that mission to temper you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed.

"Temper me? Sending over thirty Root shinobi to intercept and kill me halfway there is called tempering?"

Chiba asked with a cold laugh.

"I knew nothing about this matter. Danzō has always been somewhat extreme in how he does things."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shifted the blame onto Danzō.

"You knew nothing? You think one sentence of 'I knew nothing' can make this all go away? Do you take us for three-year-olds?"

Tsunade spoke coldly from the side.

"Old man, after sitting in the Hokage's seat all these years, have you decided that the Senju Clan has no one left, so you can bully us however you please?"

Tsunade looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with icy eyes.

"Tsunade, you misunderstand. I have never meant that."

Hiruzen Sarutobi hurriedly explained.

"A misunderstanding? The Senju Clan's ancestral land was taken back, and our clansmen died on the battlefield one after another. Was that a misunderstanding too?"

Tsunade demanded.

"They made sacrifices to protect the village. Every clan is the same."

Koharu Utatane interjected.

"The same? Then how many people have the Utatane Clan and the Mito Clan sacrificed? Why not bring out the lists and compare them?"

Chiba looked at her, his eyes filled with mockery.

"Why haven't we seen your descendants go to the front lines to become heroes? Instead, every one of them occupies a good position in the village, growing fat off the land."

Chiba's words were like a slap across their faces.

"Senju Chiba, you are driving a wedge between the village and its clans!"

Mito Kadoyan shouted.

"I'm merely stating facts. If you think I'm wrong, bring out the account books and let's compare."

Chiba sneered.

"Over the years, the Senju Clan's properties have been managed on your behalf. Where did all the profits go? Don't you know perfectly well?"

"Chiba, those funds were all used for village construction. None of it was embezzled."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said.

"Used for construction? Did they build up Konoha, or did they build up the private gardens of your few clans?"

Chiba shot back.

"We came back today to reclaim what belongs to the Senju Clan."

"The Senju Main Residence, South District Commercial Street, and the profits from all these years. Not a single thing can be missing."

Chiba tapped the desk.

"That is impossible. South District Commercial Street is an important source of tax revenue for the village. We cannot give it to you."

Koharu Utatane immediately refused.

"If you won't give it to us, we'll take it ourselves. Let's see who can stop us."

Chiba leaned back in his chair, looking utterly confident.

He rested an arm on the back of Tsunade's chair, his fingers inadvertently brushing her shoulder.

Tsunade shifted slightly but did not move away. She only turned her head aside with some awkwardness, and the red mole on the tip of her ear stood out even more vividly.

She could feel the warm chakra emanating from Chiba. That power gave her an inexplicable sense of security.

"Chiba, this matter needs to be discussed. You cannot decide it alone."

Mito Kadoyan said.

"Discuss it? What is there to discuss with you? Are you even worthy?"

Chiba sneered.

"How insolent! You brat, do you really think awakening Wood Release means you can do whatever you want in the village?"

Koharu Utatane slapped the desk in fury and pointed at Chiba's nose.

"Doing whatever I want is an exaggeration. But taking back what belongs to me is only right and proper."

Chiba answered calmly.

"When the First Hokage founded Konoha, it was not so old fossils like you could throw your weight around here."

"Chiba, the village has its own difficulties. You should try to understand the village too."

Mito Kadoyan sighed, trying to pressure him with the greater good.

"Understand? I understand you, but who will understand the Senju Clan?"

Chiba's voice rose.

"When my parents died on the battlefield, where were you?"

"When I was alone in a rundown apartment, chewing on bread, where were you?"

"And now you come talking to me about understanding? Your skin really is thick."

Every word Chiba spoke cut to the bone, plunging the office into a brief silence.

Shizune watched Chiba from behind, a strange glint flashing through her eyes.

She had never expected Chiba, who usually seemed so frivolous, to possess such overwhelming presence when facing Konoha's highest authorities.

Tsunade was also looking at Chiba, her feelings complicated.

This guy she had always treated as a little brat was now using his own shoulders to shield her from the storms coming from Konoha's upper ranks.

[Detected a change in the mindset of the first beauty, Tsunade. Favorability increased.]

[Tsunade favorability +10. Current favorability: 55.]

The system notification sounded in Chiba's mind.

Chiba was delighted. This round of humiliating them was not only satisfying, but it also raised her favorability. It was a win-win.

"Chiba, if you want the Senju Main Residence, I can decide to return it to you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly spoke, attempting a compromise.

"But South District Commercial Street and those funds... the village truly cannot produce them right now."

"If you can't produce them, then use something else to settle the debt."

Chiba said.

"What do you want?"

Mito Kadoyan asked warily.

"Control of Konoha Hospital, along with half of the medical department's funding."

Chiba named an outrageously high price.

"That is impossible! The medical department is of utmost importance to the village. How can it be handed over to a mere chunin like you?!"

Koharu Utatane cried out.

"What's wrong with being a chunin? My aunt is one of the Legendary Sannin, and her medical ninjutsu is unmatched in the world."

Chiba pointed at Tsunade beside him.

"Wouldn't she manage the medical department better than a bunch of amateurs like you?"

"This..."

Koharu Utatane was momentarily speechless.

"Chiba, the medical department's ties are deeply tangled. It is not as simple as you think."

Mito Kadoyan said.

"Whether it's simple or not is our business. You only need to sign."

Chiba pulled an agreement from his clothes and slapped it onto the desk.

"If you don't sign today, none of you should even think about walking out that door."

Chiba looked at them.

"Old man, save that Will of Fire brainwashing spiel for someone else."