The Hypocrite's Mask

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

Chiba looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his tone filled with blatant mockery.

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up the pipe that had fallen onto the desk and wiped the dust from it with his sleeve.

He put the pipe in his mouth, lit it with a match, and took a deep drag.

Pale blue smoke spread through the office, obscuring the expression on his face.

"Chiba, your misunderstanding of the village runs far too deep."

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a cloud of smoke. His voice softened, and a kindly smile appeared on his face.

"The village assigned you missions not to exclude you, but to temper you."

"You awakened Wood Release. That is the glory of the Senju Clan and a blessing for the village."

"I have always wanted to find an opportunity for you to gain more experience through missions, so that you could shoulder the responsibility of reviving the Senju Clan sooner."

"Now that Tsunade has returned, let the unpleasantness of the past be left in the past."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Chiba with the tolerance and concern characteristic of an elder.

He looked exactly like a benevolent elder who had worried himself sick over the younger generation.

Watching his performance, Chiba felt his stomach churn.

"Tempering? Old man, you said that so convincingly I almost believed it myself."

Chiba sneered and pulled something from his robe, tossing it onto the desk with a slap.

It was a white mask stained with blood, engraved with the special emblem of the Root Organization.

Then Chiba pulled out a slightly yellowed sheet of paper and threw it onto the desk as well.

"Go on, explain what this says."

Chiba pointed at the paper.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression shifted as he looked at the mask and paper on the desk.

Mito Kadoyan also leaned over. When he saw the contents of the paper, his expression turned equally ugly.

It was an internal secret order from the Root Organization. It clearly stated: Kill Senju Chiba on the spot and bring back the corpse.

At the bottom was Danzo Shimura's personal seal.

"Tempering? You sent over thirty elite Root operatives to ambush me on the road with nanoscale venomous insects. Is that part of the Will of Fire too?"

Chiba stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi, every word cutting to the bone.

"If I hadn't been lucky, my corpse would already be sliced up for research in Danzō's laboratory."

"Old man, you call that tempering? You call that good intentions?"

Chiba's accusations echoed through the office, making the window paper rustle.

Koharu Utatane looked at the secret order, opened her mouth, but could not say a word.

"Th-this matter... I truly had no knowledge of it. Danzō made this decision on his own."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, trying to pin all the blame on Danzō.

"Danzō has always been somewhat extreme in his methods. For the village's safety, he has become overly suspicious."

"After I return, I will certainly punish him severely and give you an explanation."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Chiba, his tone sincere.

"An explanation? What are you going to use for that, your old face?"

Chiba curled his lip disdainfully.

"Danzō is your old comrade-in-arms. How could you not know what he's been doing? Do you really take us for fools?"

"Chiba, you cannot doubt the Hokage like this. Danzō's actions do not represent the village."

Mito Kadoyan chimed in from the side.

"Doesn't represent the village? Then where did the money for mobilizing Root ninjas come from? Wasn't it allocated to him from the village treasury by you people?"

Chiba sneered.

"On one hand, you use the Will of Fire to fool us into going off to die. On the other, you fund Danzō from behind the scenes so he can assassinate us."

"You play this double act quite well. What a waste that you didn't become actors."

Chiba's words made Hiruzen Sarutobi's face go completely dark.

Just then, Tsunade, who had been sitting to the side and watching coldly, suddenly stood up.

She looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, her eyes filled with disappointment and fury.

"Old man, I always thought you were merely old and muddleheaded."

Tsunade's voice trembled slightly.

"But I never thought you could be this hypocritical."

"Chiba is the last hope of the Senju Clan. Danzō wants his life, yet you're standing here talking to me about a misunderstanding?"

"Tsunade, calm down. I will handle this matter properly."

Hiruzen Sarutobi panicked slightly and hurried to persuade her.

"Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down?!"

Tsunade roared and slammed a palm onto the desk.

Monster Strength erupted.

Boom.

The solid mahogany desk was smashed apart by half with a single blow, sending wood chips and papers flying everywhere.

"If you don't give Chiba an explanation today, if you don't hand over that old dog Danzō, then I'll tear down the Hokage Building today!"

Tsunade's voice echoed down the corridor, making the entire building tremble faintly.

Chakra surged wildly around her. Blue light enveloped her whole body, radiating a terrifying pressure.

Standing beside her, Chiba looked at the enraged Tsunade and felt somewhat moved.

This woman, who usually seemed so listless and tsundere, was actually willing to completely fall out with her own mentor for his sake at a critical moment.

Chiba reached out and gently placed a hand on Tsunade's shoulder. Warm chakra passed through her clothes.

"Auntie, calm down. It's not worth getting angry with these old fossils."

Chiba spoke gently.

Tsunade turned to look at Chiba's smiling face, and the violent chakra around her gradually subsided.

She turned her head away somewhat awkwardly. The red mole at the tip of her ear had become an alluring shade of red.

"Brat, mind your own business."

She muttered under her breath, but she did not brush away Chiba's hand.

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

[Tsunade Favorability +10. Current Favorability: 70]

The system prompt sounded again, and Chiba felt delighted.

"Tsunade, you are being far too presumptuous! This is the Hokage's office, yet you dare to attack someone here!"

Koharu Utatane pointed at Tsunade and shouted.

"So what if I did? Say one more word, and I'll hit you too."

Tsunade looked at her coldly, her clenched fist cracking loudly.

Koharu Utatane shrank back in fright and did not dare speak again.

"Chiba, Tsunade, the village will consider your demands. But today's matter must first be brought to a conclusion."

Mito Kadoyan looked at the wood chips scattered across the floor, his expression extremely ugly.

He shouted toward the door.

"ANBU, seize this traitorous disciple who defies village rules!"