The Hokage building, the building that stands in the center of Konoha and symbolizes the highest power, casts a long shadow under the afterglow of the setting sun.
The stairs leading to the top floor Hokage's Office are like a passage that separates two worlds. Downstairs is the roar of people, fanatical support and expectations; while above the stairs, every step on the red carpet is like stepping into an increasingly dense silence.
Tsunade walked in the front, the sound of high heels hitting the ground echoed in the empty corridor, crisp and rhythmic, like an announcement or a countdown.
The expression on her face had gone away from the softness she had when facing the villagers, and was replaced by an almost cold calmness. Those amber eyes were as deep as an ancient well at the moment, without any ripples.
Senju Chen was half a step behind her, looking around calmly. Hanging on the wall were portraits of Hokage from all generations, from his great-grandfather Hashirama Senju, to his second grandfather Tobirama Senju, to Hiruzen Sarutobi, and finally to the blond hero, Minato Namikaze.
Their gazes, whether gentle, sharp, or deep, seemed to have penetrated the frame at this moment, silently watching the person who was about to enter the office.
Yamato and Shizune stopped outside the office door with interest. They knew that the next meeting was not something they could participate in.
Tsunade didn't knock on the door.
She just stretched out her hand and pushed gently on the heavy wooden door.
"Squeak--"
The door shaft let out an overwhelmed groan, revealing everything in the room to them without reservation.
The office was as usual. The setting sun filtered through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, giving the entire room a warm orange color. There were fine dust floating in the air, flying up and down in the beam of light.
Hiruzen Sarutobi is sitting behind that familiar desk.
He did not wear the hat that symbolized Hokage's identity, but wore simple clothes, holding his iconic pipe in his mouth, but the pipe was not lit. He looked much older than a year ago, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were deeper, his gray hair seemed to be thinner, and his whole person showed a lingering tiredness.
Beside him, stood Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.
The two consultant elders of Konoha had the same complex expressions at this moment. They straightened their backs, folded their hands in front of themselves, and tried hard to maintain their dignity as high-level officials, but the slightly twinkling eyes revealed their inner unrest.
The moment Tsunade pushed Gate of Opening, all the sounds in the office disappeared.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes passed through the thin smoke and fell on Tsunade.
His eyes were extremely complicated.
There is the relief of seeing the apprentice return safely, the guilt that he was unable to save her and allowed her to sink for many years, and the regret that Minato died young and could not hand Hokage Position into her hands, but more importantly, it is a feeling of relief and loneliness.
He knew that when the girl he had grown up with stood in this office again, his mission as "Acting Hokage" would truly come to an end.
Konoha, will eventually return to the hands of Senju.
Tsunade did not speak, but stood quietly at the door. His eyes swept over Hiruzen Sarutobi, the two elders behind him, and finally landed on the empty Hokage desk.
Silence spread in the air, more oppressive than any fierce words.
In the end, it was Hiruzen Sarutobi who broke the silence first.
He slowly put down his pipe, stood up, and forced a smile on his face. His voice was hoarse and dry, as if it was squeezed out of a rusty throat.
"Just come back... just come back."
It was only four words, but it exhausted all his strength. These four words contained too many emotions, too much helplessness, and too many past events.
"Teacher, long time no see." Tsunade finally spoke with a cold voice. "It seems that a lot of things have happened in the village during my absence."
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura looked at each other and immediately took a step forward.
"Tsunade, you're finally back." Utatane Koharu said, her voice as rigid as ever, "It'll be nice to come back."
"Yes, your return is a blessing to the whole Konoha." Mitokado Homura also agreed.
The mood of these two calculating politicians can be described as mixed at the moment.
Fortunately, Tsunade is back. As the absolute core of Senju Faction, her return means that their faction will completely overwhelm all other voices and reach an unprecedented peak of power in Konoha. With Tsunade succeeds Fifth Hokage, and Hokage Faction, which originally belonged to Third and Fourth, will naturally be integrated and absorbed by them. The power structure of Konoha will undergo a complete reshuffle.
Worryingly, Tsunade is back, and the good days of the two of them have come to an end.
Before Tsunade was gone, they could justifiably take charge of the faction as "Elder Senju Faction" and advisor, and even pushed the young Senju Chen to the forefront as the flag of their control. But now, with the return of the real Princess Senju Clan, the power of these "regents" will inevitably be greatly withdrawn.
In front of Tsunade, they can always be helpers, not decision-makers. Because everyone understands that without Senju Clan, without Tsunade, the granddaughter of First, they are nothing.
However, this worry was only fleeting.
The two exchanged glances again. This time, there was a bit more relief and determination in their eyes.
The defection and death of Shimura Danzō was like a basin of cold water, which completely awakened their unrealistic ambitions. Especially when they learned that in just over a month, Public Security Department under Senju Chen When uprooted the "roots" of his influence all over Shinobi World and sent Danzo's body back to Konoha, the chill that rose from the bottom of his heart has not dissipated to this day.
They finally understood.
The Senju Chen next to Tsunade is no longer the young boy who could be at their mercy.
As Senju Chen's biological sister, Tsunade's skills are only stronger than his.
Instead of using those evil thoughts that should not be had and ending up like Danzo, it is better to be a minister of the dragon honestly. Tsunade has been Hokage for more than ten years, and their position is stable; when Tsunade retires, the successor will definitely be Senju Chen, and that will be another ten or twenty years.
In the next few decades, the entire Konoha will be their Senju Faction world.
What's not satisfying about this?
After figuring this out, the two elders looked at Tsunade and once again became extremely sincere and eager.
Senju Chen took in all of this, and the corner of his mouth raised a slight arc. He walked out from behind Tsunade, bowed slightly to Hiruzen Sarutobi, his posture was humble, but his tone had a hint of indignity.