Chapter 34

Uzumaki Mito nodded firmly. "I made a deal with Uchiha Chisato. She restored some of my Life Force, enough to let me live a few more years."

"In exchange, she took the Flying Thunder God Technique, Tobirama's Water Release Ninjutsu, and some low- and mid-level Sealing Arts."

"Finally, she also had her son, Uchiha Xunjing, become Tsunade's apprentice."

These things could not be hidden, nor was there any need to hide them.

Uzumaki Mito laid her cards on the table.

And if the Third Hokage objected?

He could keep it to himself.

"What?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression changed at once. "The Flying Thunder God Technique, Master's Water Release Ninjutsu, and even Sealing Arts?"

"She even had her son become Tsunade's apprentice? What exactly is she trying to do?"

"Is she still eyeing the position of Hokage?"

"If I remember correctly, her son was born with a frail constitution. Becoming a ninja would be difficult for him, wouldn't it?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt the situation slipping out of his control.

It was a terrible feeling.

"He's completely recovered."

Uzumaki Mito shook her head. "Even Uchiha Chisato's severe condition could be cured completely. Why would you think Uchiha Xunjing's couldn't?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. "Then Uchiha Chisato really has recovered completely?"

"That's right."

Uzumaki Mito nodded firmly. "Not just her body. The visual power of her remaining Sharingan has been fully restored as well."

"So don't provoke her. Even I might not be able to beat her now."

That was a bluff.

With her Life Force fully restored, she was evenly matched with Uchiha Chisato.

But for now, she had only shown a slight hint of recovery. She could not let anyone see her hidden hand.

Utatane Koharu confronted Danzo to his face, leaving him thoroughly frustrated.

"Is she really that strong?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow furrowed deeply at her words.

Uzumaki Mito glanced at him. "Don't you already know? Back then, she put down the Uchiha's unrest single-handedly and brought the entire clan to heel. Could she have done that without real strength?"

"As for Uchiha Xunjing becoming Tsunade's apprentice, don't overthink it."

"She just wants to give that child a few more options and make his path growing up a little smoother, so certain things lurking in the shadows won't reach out where they shouldn't."

"Do you really think being Tsunade's apprentice, the Hokage's grand-apprentice, is enough to snatch the Hokage's seat?"

"It's not as though you're all dead."

If Xunjing still managed to become Hokage under those circumstances, then he deserved it.

They could not blame anyone else for their own incompetence.

At this point, Uzumaki Mito would rather have Xunjing become Hokage than let Hiruzen Sarutobi remain in that seat.

With Xunjing's master-apprentice relationship with Tsunade, the alliance with the Uchiha, and the future marriage arrangements, there were plenty of ties in place.

Even if Xunjing took power, things would only improve for the Senju and Uzumaki Clan compared with the present. They certainly would not become much worse.

At least the Uchiha would not need to suppress the major clans to consolidate power and establish their authority.

Only someone like Hiruzen Sarutobi, from a small clan lacking both strength and confidence, would resort to that.

Well, the Sarutobi Clan was not really a small clan.

It was a medium-sized clan.

Its main advantage was its numbers.

But its members had no particular abilities or strengths.

Relatively speaking, they were quite ordinary.

They had simply always known how to handle people and win them over;

outwardly, they always presented themselves as obedient, well-behaved, harmless people.

That was also why the First Hokage and Second Hokage had thought well of them.

But once the Third Hokage took office, everything changed.

The Third Hokage had not noticed that Uzumaki Mito's thinking had changed completely.

Hearing the implication in her words, he immediately understood that she meant Danzo.

"You're right. I'll remember that."

"I'll keep Danzo in check and be more cautious in matters concerning the Uchiha."

"If there are no further instructions, I'll take my leave."

After considering it for a while, Hiruzen Sarutobi answered respectfully.

That was right. If the Uchiha thought they could secure the Hokage's seat merely by having someone become Tsunade's apprentice, they were dreaming.

He would never allow it.

"All right, go."

Uzumaki Mito had nothing more to say. She waved casually, signaling for the Third Hokage to leave.

The Third Hokage did not linger. He turned and left.

When he returned to the Hokage's office, Danzo and the other two immediately crowded around him and asked impatiently, "Well? What did those two talk about? Has Uchiha Chisato really recovered?"

"Yes."

The Third Hokage nodded and repeated Uzumaki Mito's words verbatim.

"What?"

"**!"

Danzo exploded on the spot, shouting at the top of his lungs, "How could Lady Mito do something like that? Trading the Flying Thunder God Technique, Master's Water Release, and Sealing Arts with the Uchiha?"

"Isn't that just fucking making them even more dangerous?"

"What gives her the right to decide?"

Danzo's face turned green with rage.

Once the Uchiha got their hands on those things, their strength would undoubtedly rise another notch.

Especially the Sealing Arts.

Once they set up a Sealing Formation in their Clan Grounds, there would be no chance of ** their internal movements.

The Flying Thunder God was a strategic-level technique, too.

If anyone in the Uchiha learned it, dealing with them would become even more difficult.

With that technique, wiping out the Uchiha would be all but impossible.

"Uh... Lady Mito certainly has that right."

Utatane Koharu looked at Danzo helplessly. "Those techniques belonged to Master in the first place. They're part of the Senju's inheritance."

"Although Master recorded them all in the Book of Seals and made them available in the village's Ninjutsu library, the Senju must have kept a copy for themselves."

She paused, then asked, "Tell me, what's wrong with that?"

"You..."

Danzo was left speechless, his entire face turning crimson. "Koharu, whose side are you on?"

Was she deliberately trying to infuriate him?

What the hell did this have to do with having the right?

They were feeding the enemy!

Had the Senju forgotten that the Uchiha were their sworn enemies, whom they had fought for a thousand years?

"Tch."

Utatane Koharu curled her lip disdainfully. "I'm just telling the truth."

"Besides, Lady Mito has already completed the deal. What good does throwing a fit now do?"

"You..."

Danzo was so furious it hurt.

Koharu's tongue seemed to have been smeared with ** today. Everything about her was irritating!

"Enough, Danzo."

The Third Hokage spoke up in time to interrupt their argument, his tone warning. "In any case, it's settled."

"Lady Mito also regained a considerable amount of Life Force through this deal. I think she can hold on for a few more years."

"For the time being, we should rein in our actions against the Senju, and even the Uchiha."

Danzo was about to say something, but the Third Hokage cut him off.

"If you dare touch Uchiha Xunjing, the consequences will be severe."

The Third Hokage stared into Danzo's eyes, lowering his voice. "That boy is now Tsunade's **, and more importantly, he's central to the deal between Uzumaki Mito and Uchiha Chisato. If you touch him, both women will come after you. When that happens, even I won't be able to protect you."

Danzo narrowed his eyes, a flicker of displeasure crossing his face. "Surely it wouldn't go that far?"

"It would."

The Third Hokage took a drag on his pipe and slowly exhaled the smoke. "Xunjing is the link in the deal between Lady Mito and Jiri. Touch him, and you'll cross both their bottom lines. If they join forces against you, don't say I didn't warn you."

Danzo fell silent for a few seconds before finally nodding. "Fine. I won't touch the boy for now."

He agreed aloud, but inwardly, he was seething with frustration.

Ever since hearing that Uchiha Chisato might have regained her strength, he had been plotting ways to suppress her. After turning it over in his mind, Uchiha Xunjing had seemed like the most direct opening. Yet before he could make a move, she had already blocked that path.

It felt as though someone had seen through his every thought, and it infuriated him.

Danzo gritted his teeth and thought, That woman, Uchiha Chisato, really is no simple opponent. Keeping the Uchiha Clan firmly in her grasp for so many years takes genuine ability.