With the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, dead, the Third Hokage growing old, and the Sannin having left the village, Konoha's prestige among the Five Great Shinobi Villages had fallen considerably. Kumogakure's attempt to secretly abduct Hinata, who carried Konoha's Byakugan bloodline, made that clear enough.
If the Sannin returned, they could naturally ease this decline, but unfortunately, Orochimaru, one of the three, had become a rogue ninja.
After losing her younger brother and her lover, Tsunade had been overwhelmed by grief, closed off her heart, and lost herself in gambling.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya, who seemed the least reliable, had become the most dependable of them all. But his pursuit of intelligence on Orochimaru and the Akatsuki kept him away from the village for years at a time.
Under these circumstances, Chinatsu's arrival had given the struggling Konoha a lifeline, but that same lifeline could also become the last straw that broke its back.
"Please, don't become a rogue ninja."
As Hiruzen Sarutobi said this to Chinatsu, tears actually glimmered in the corners of his eyes. But just as they were about to roll down his cheeks, Chinatsu fired a Rag Projection Cannon, slapping a rag straight onto his face.
"If we're discussing business, let's discuss business. Don't get sentimental just because you can't win the argument. If you were a gorgeous beauty, that would be one thing, but do you really think some decrepit old man's sob story will work on me?"
Chinatsu folded her arms, her expression screaming, "No emotional manipulation!" In her previous life, soap operas had been everywhere, with one or even two tearjerker scenes every two or three episodes. Even perfectly good comedy sketches ended in tragedy.
Was that really necessary?!
Go ahead and tug at people's heartstrings, but don't do it so carelessly.
*You can give