Danzo Suspended by the Third Hokage!

"Mito-sama, dinner is ready."

Jingyi, who had been temporarily drafted into service, was still completely confused. What exactly did Mito Uzumaki want from him?

It couldn't be that she had just asked him to cook a meal, could it?

"Jingyi!"

Kushina jumped up in delight, while Nawaki, still grimacing as he rubbed his aching ears, watched curiously.

It had been a long time since there had been guests at home. What surprised him most was that this guest was actually Kushina's friend.

Nawaki couldn't understand how Jingyi had become friends with Kushina either. After all, there was quite an age gap between them.

"Are you happy?" Mito Uzumaki smiled kindly.

Kushina nodded excitedly. "Mm-hm! Grandma Mito is the best. I've wanted to invite Jingyi over for ages, but I was afraid Grandma Mito wouldn't be happy."

"Silly child." Mito Uzumaki hugged Kushina tightly.

Watching Kushina be treasured by her grandmother like a precious gem, Nawaki began to feel a little jealous.

"Jingyi, let me tell you! I met some new friends at school, and there was this Little Blondie who wanted to be friends with me too, but I ignored him."

At the dinner table, Kushina chattered away about school, even bringing up a certain Little Blondie.

"Don't talk nonsense."

Tsunade flicked Kushina on the forehead. "If he's Little Blondie, then what does that make your big sister Tsunade?"

At first, Tsunade had been curious about who this so-called Little Blondie was. Once she learned what it meant, she was furious enough to want to kick Jingyi twice.

So by your logic, I'm Old Blondie?!

"Hehe, Sister Tsunade is still Sister Tsunade." Kushina gave her a mischievous smile.

As time passed and Kushina gradually became part of the family, she grew more cheerful, and there were far more smiles on her face than before.

Mito Uzumaki found this deeply gratifying.

It proved that her choice had been right, and Jingyi had not disappointed her, even if he had turned Kushina into a hot-tempered little girl.

Mito Uzumaki did not think there was anything wrong with that.

She was just a girl. So what if she had a bit of a temper when she was young?

Mito Uzumaki had not had a good temper as a child either, and Tsunade was the same. With the two of them leading the way, Kushina's little bit of violence was nothing at all.

The Senju ancestral residence was lively, and so was the Hokage Office.

Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and the others had all arrived. Only Torifu Akimichi, who disliked getting involved in such matters, was still hiding at home and slacking off.

The three of them stared fixedly at the Third Hokage, their intentions obvious.

The Third Hokage was not impatient and continued handling official documents.

"Hiruzen, what exactly does Mito-sama mean by this? Does she expect us to take Jingyi Hyuga seriously?"

Mito Uzumaki's identity was too special, and her status was too high. Every move she made could have a major impact, like inviting Jingyi to the Senju ancestral residence.

That single move had made F4 unable to sit still.

If Tsunade and Mito Uzumaki merely approved of Jingyi, that would have been manageable. They could simply treat him as half one of their own—neither valuing him too much nor targeting him.

But now, he had gone to the Senju ancestral residence.

Was this sending some kind of signal?

Being stared at the whole time made the Third Hokage uncomfortable as well. Faced with Utatane Koharu's question, he could only put down the document in his hand, pick up his pipe, light it, and take several deep puffs.

"Koharu, let us not jump to conclusions. I believe Mito-sama is not an impulsive person. She will surely give us an explanation."

"Sarutobi, you are the Hokage of the village! As the Hokage, why are you just standing by and watching something beyond your control happen?"

What Mito Uzumaki? What special identity? The Hokage's authority was supreme!

If he had become Hokage, he would never have allowed such a thing to happen.

After being warned, Shimura Danzō had developed many grievances against Mito Uzumaki.

Good grief!

Had Danzo taken gunpowder or something?

You actually dared to say that?

The Third Hokage closed his eyes helplessly. Utatane Koharu was more direct, immediately rolling her eyes at Shimura Danzō and turning her head away in disdain. She clearly did not want to speak to him. Just looking at him made her uncomfortable.

Mitokado Homura could only shake his head.

He would not take the initiative to help the Third Hokage reprimand Shimura Danzō, nor would he take the initiative to speak up for Shimura Danzō.

"Enough!" Shimura Danzō was unwilling to let it go, but the Third Hokage's roar cut him off. "It is precisely because I am the Hokage that I trust Mito-sama. Danzo, is there nothing in that head of yours besides ambition?"

What did he mean?

Was he saying Danzo had no brains?

Shimura Danzō froze for a moment, and the rage on his face slowly darkened.

On the surface, aside from her own strength, Mito Uzumaki only had the identity of the First Hokage's wife.

But what about in reality?

Whenever the Daimyo of the Land of Fire encountered Mito Uzumaki, he had to hurry over and greet her first. They were genuine relatives, after all.

Why had the Daimyo bestowed the title of Konoha Princess upon Tsunade?

Besides currying favor with the great Hashirama Senju, it was because of their family ties through marriage.

To put it bluntly, if Mito Uzumaki expressed dissatisfaction with the Third Hokage, the Daimyo's Court could immediately put the Third Hokage in a chokehold.

If anyone wanted to know what it felt like to be choked by a Daimyo, the future Sunagakure would be the best example.

They would have to tighten their belts and scrape by.

Although the Land of Fire was prosperous, the taxes belonged to the Daimyo's Court and had nothing to do with Konoha. Konoha could not sustain itself on its own. Without support from the Daimyo's Court, life in Konoha would be extremely difficult.

Simply being choked financially would be bad enough. If the Daimyo's Court also handed all kinds of mission commissions to other villages, Konoha's finances would collapse.

Do not doubt that the Daimyo could do such a thing.

And would dare to do it, because a village's development could not be separated from the Daimyo's strong support.

Otherwise, there would not be a situation where Konoha needed the Daimyo's backing to replace its Hokage.

"Sarutobi, what do you mean?"

The Third Hokage frowned. "Danzo, you are tired. Go back and rest first. I will temporarily suspend your position as Hokage Advisor. Come see me again once you have thought things through."

As the Third Hokage's Hokage Advisor, he was basically just holding an empty title. The authority in his hands was even less than that of an Elder Council member.

But the Elder Council would not accept an ambitious man like Danzo.

Nor would the Third Hokage easily grant Shimura Danzō real authority, which led to Shimura Danzō having very little presence within F4.

And now, even his empty title was gone.

Were they really just going to let him act so recklessly?

The Elder Council had the authority to stop some of the Hokage's mistaken decisions, so Shimura Danzō placed his hopes on Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.

Because the Elder Council revolved around the two of them.

Unfortunately, Mitokado Homura had always stayed out of matters like this.