The atmosphere in the Hokage's Office was heavy and still, broken only by the occasional birdsong outside the window.
The Akatsuki's existence was a major threat. In truth, it posed little real danger to Konoha itself, but it posed a considerable threat to the Hokage.
That might not have been obvious from Konoha alone, but it became clear during the later Five Kage Summit.
The Tsuchikage said the Akatsuki had close ties with Kumogakure, while the Raikage said Iwagakure often hired its members for missions.
Both villages had connections to the Akatsuki.
Yet Konoha had absolutely no intelligence on the organization. That alone showed just how disastrous the mess the Third Hokage had left behind was.
Even now, no one in the Konoha High Command dared dispute that the Third Hokage had turned himself in out of guilt. Nor did anyone dare deny that he had deliberately let Orochimaru go because people had criticized him.
Orochimaru was far from the only mess the Third Hokage had left behind. Even those who wanted to clear his name had no way to do it.
After learning about the Akatsuki, Tsunade told Jiraiya what had happened in Konoha over the past two years or so.
"You're saying the younger generation in Konoha has changed so completely these past two years all because of that Yūya kid?"
Disbelief crept into Jiraiya's voice. He really couldn't quite understand it.
"Putting pressure on everyone? Isn't that approach... a little too heavy-handed?"
Tsunade leaned back in the Hokage's chair, her hands folded on the desk, looking rather helpless herself.
"Heavy-handed? Maybe.
But the results are undeniable. That brat doesn't even let me off the hook."
Tsunade paused before continuing.
"Oh, there's something else. Sakura..."
Tsunade's gaze softened a little, though a trace of helplessness remained.
"Her chakra