"Is this brat the Fifth Hokage who made you bow down to him?"
Inside the Hokage Office in Konoha, Tsunade brought Naruto and the others before Madara Uchiha. Taking in Madara's youthful face, she gave Jiraiya a teasing pat on the shoulder.
"Well, I wouldn't go so far as bowing down to him. I merely acknowledged him as the Fifth Hokage."
Embarrassed by Tsunade's remark, Jiraiya scratched his head, hoping to brush the matter aside.
"Shikaku, has your Nara Clan thrown in its lot with the Uchiha Clan too?"
As Madara's assistant, Shikaku Nara was naturally also in the Hokage Office. Judging by how familiarly Tsunade greeted him, the two were clearly old acquaintances.
"Lady Tsunade, I am merely following the Third Hokage's will. I believe the Fifth Hokage is not someone bound by clan loyalties. If you insist on calling it allegiance, then my allegiance is to the Fifth Hokage alone."
Once Shikaku made a decision, he would not go back on it. Faced with Tsunade's probing about his loyalties, he stated his current position without servility or arrogance, while keeping his clan out of it.
"You will have full command of the Medical Corps. As Medical Department Director, you will also have the right to take part in every decision concerning the village. Of course, the final say rests with me."
Ever since entering the room, Tsunade had been chatting with everyone except Madara. Clearly, this member of the Sannin was waiting for him to make her a promise in person.
Madara disliked wasting words with Tsunade, so he laid out his terms directly.
"Deal! Jiraiya, this Lord Hokage from the Uchiha Clan is far more straightforward than you! Hahahaha!"
As a medical expert, Tsunade had plenty of ideas of her own. What she hated most was having