Sure enough, the next moment...
" Hatake Sakumo, since you've already investigated, why don't you stand up and let my Senju Clan suffer the village's criticism!"
Tsunade slapped Hatake Sakumo across the face without hesitation. The slap was delivered with superhuman strength, sending Hatake Sakumo flying and crashing into a wall.
Although Tsunade usually respected Hatake Sakumo, the situation is different now.
As the Anbu Captain, Hatake Sakumo had already investigated the Senju Clan Members and found no evidence of collusion, yet he remained silent, watching the situation in the village slowly escalate.
Even if Hatake Sakumo himself had no intention of harming the Senju Clan, his actions were tantamount to pushing the Senju Clan to the brink of disaster.
Seeing Tsunade's fury, even the most foolish Hatake Sakumo realized what was happening.
I've really messed up.
So Hatake Sakumo covered his swollen face without saying a word, lowered his head, and dared not fight back.
"Damn it! Did our people commit suicide in vain?!"
" Shima, Yōma, Kazemori, Nawaki... did you see that underground? No one from our Senju Clan secretly colluded with Kumogakure. You died in vain!"
"Damn it! Why, why do they keep forcing the Senju Clan to do this again and again?"
Not only Tsunade, but also the Senju Clan Members, led by Senju Kazami, angrily questioned the Konoha High Command.
The Senju Clan's powerful Chakra leaked out, causing the ground to crack.
"Old man Sarutobi, Hatake Sakumo is the Anbu Captain. Since he has already investigated the truth, he must have told you. Why do you still question the Senju Clan?"
Tsunade knew that Hatake Sakumo was just a subordinate, and the real decision-making power lay with the Konoha F4.
The Konoha F4 wouldn't let him make a sound, and Hatake Sakumo didn't dare to either.
" Tsunade, Hatake Sakumo has only undergone the first round of investigation. There's still a second round. If the Senju Clan passes the test, they'll clear your names sooner or later. What's your rush...?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was left with no other choice but to lie through his teeth.
"Hmph, by the time you've truly investigated and found out, my Senju Clan Members will probably all be wiped out!"
"Also, why are we being given missions with inaccurate intelligence Senju Clan after another?"
"Why? What did the Senju Clan do to offend you?"
Tsunade erupted in unprecedented rage, bombarding him with questions, completely disregarding the presence of high-ranking officials from Kumogakure.
Tsunade also knew that if Yeyue Ziyun hadn't been there to question him, Hatake Sakumo wouldn't have been able to tell the truth, and then the matter would have been covered up by the Konoha F4 for the sake of Konoha.
Faced with Tsunade's questioning, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent.
" Tsunade, step back! This is an important occasion. No matter how wronged you are, we will definitely give you justice in the future!"
At this point, Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu had no choice but to speak up.
"Fairness? Fine, then revive the Nawaki, and revive those Senju Clan Members who committed suicide due to the unbearable pressure of fishing boats! Can you do that?"
Tsunade roared in fury, having completely lost faith in the Konoha High Command after Nawaki's death.
"You...! This is the village your grandfather founded! You need to consider the consequences!"
The two were speechless at Tsunade's words and didn't know how to respond, so they could only bring up Hashirama Senju in the end.
As expected, Tsunade's expression changed; she began to soften.
A few minutes later.
"Let's go, Kazami. Konoha is not the Konoha it used to be. There's no need for us to stay here. Staying here will only lead to our extermination."
Now Tsunade understands why the Senju Clan has been declining ever since her great-uncle died.
It must be the Konoha High Command interfering.
Now he has even caused the death of Nawaki. If he doesn't lead the Senju Clan away from Konoha, the Senju Clan will be wiped out sooner or later.
Although Konoha was a village founded by her grandfather, Tsunade felt that protecting the bloodline of the Senju Clan Members was more important.
I could never do what my grandfather did, sacrificing the entire clan for the sake of the village.
" Tsunade, are you sure you want to leave Konoha? This is the village your grandfather built with his own hands."
Upon hearing that Tsunade was leaving, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but ask.
"Why not leave? Are you suggesting we stay here and risk exterminating our entire clan?"
Tsunade snorted coldly. After today, her master-disciple relationship with Hiruzen Sarutobi would come to an end.
"Leave? Tsunade, you seem to have quite the nerve. No wonder the once-greatest clan in Konoha has declined to this state."
Seeing that the Senju Clan was preparing to leave, Ziyun knew it was time.
" Fourth Raikage, what do you mean by this?"
Upon hearing this, Tsunade, who was about to leave, froze.
"What do you mean? Have you ever considered how many people in the Shinobi World covet the Senju Clan's bloodline and talent?"
"Not to mention the Senju Clan's bloodline, even their Sealing Jutsu are coveted by many, who have resorted to force to seize them, almost wiping out the entire clan."
"A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime; you surely know this principle, don't you?"
Upon hearing this, Tsunade was stunned.
He certainly knew what Ziyun meant.
She had certainly heard about the near extinction of the Uzumaki Clan, after all, her grandmother was Mito Uzumaki, and the Uzumaki Clan and Senju Clan were considered to have a close relationship.
"Given the Senju Clan's current strength and influence, if they step outside Konoha without finding a reliable power to rely on, isn't it only a matter of time before the entire clan is wiped out?"
Ziyun stared directly at Tsunade and said indifferently.
As long as the Senju Clan leaves Konoha, the Konoha High Command leadership won't even need to take action. Just by spreading the news, given the abilities of Ōnoki and the Third Kazekage, even Hanzo of the Salamander will likely take the initiative to attack.
Who in the Shinobi World wouldn't be envious of the Senju Clan's talent?
Who wouldn't want to study it thoroughly? Once the Senju Clan leaves Konoha, the other ninja villages will immediately send Senju Clan to wipe them out without even the Konoha High Command.
" Fourth Raikage, what are you trying to do?"
Just then, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally couldn't hold back any longer.
Is Yeyue Ziyun recruiting Senju Clan right in front of Konoha High Command?
" Third Hokage, since the Senju Clan is preparing to secede from Konoha, then the Senju Clan no longer belongs to Konoha. As the Fourth Raikage, I uphold the principle that all talents in the Shinobi World can be used by Kumogakure, so of course I must recruit the Senju Clan."
"What, do you have a problem with this?"
Ziyun shouted angrily at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his tone as if he were reprimanding his subordinate.
Ziyun has absolutely no need to be polite to this kind of person.
Faced with the Kumogakure threat emanating from Ziyun, Hiruzen Sarutobi gritted his teeth but ultimately held back.
Now that Konoha's fists aren't as powerful as Kumogakure's, what can I do?
I just hope Tsunade doesn't agree, so that after she leads the Senju Clan away from Konoha, I can use other people to eliminate the Senju Clan.
" Fourth Raikage, thank you for recruiting us. The Senju Clan has no plans to join any other ninja village at the moment."
After careful consideration, Tsunade still left with the Senju Clan Members.
Although she hated the Konoha High Command, she had no desire to join any other faction.
She believed that with her own strength, she could eventually lead the Senju Clan to a place in the Shinobi World.
Seeing that Tsunade did not agree to Ziyun's request, the Konoha High Command secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing that Tsunade rejected him, Ziyun was not in a hurry.
Tsunade, who grew up under the loving care of her grandfather Hashirama Senju, was later taken in as a personal disciple by the Third Hokage. The entire Konoha treats her with great respect because she is Hashirama Senju's granddaughter.
It's fair to say that Tsunade was raised in a pampered environment, meaning she never experienced the harsh realities of life.
Once she's experienced the harsh realities of society, she'll immediately understand how fortunate she was to have joined the Kumogakure.
At that time, the Thousand Hands clan will be able to better serve the Kumogakure.
"Alright, the show's over, Uncle Raikage. Let's go. Next, we need to develop the land we obtained from the Land of Fire and make it work for our Kumogakure."
Ziyun left with the Kumogakure high-ranking officials and others.
Seeing the departing figure of the Kumogakure, the Konoha members finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, we got rid of this plague.
Next, Konoha should also focus on rebuilding and restoring its vitality.
After all, Konoha now has fewer than 9,000 ninjas, so it must increase its efforts in cultivating geniuses.
" Hiruzen, how should we deal with the Senju Clan issue?" After confirming that the Kumogakure high-ranking officials and the main force of the Kumogakure had left, the Konoha High Command immediately began to discuss how to handle the Senju Clan problem.
"We don't need to do this ourselves. Just spread the word that the Senju Clan has left Konoha, and someone will naturally be unable to resist taking action."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe, then summoned several Anbu and ordered them to spread the news that the Senju Clan had left Konoha.
" Ziyun, are we really just going to let the Senju Clan leave like this?"
"If the Senju Clan joins other villages, they will be a major threat to our Kumogakure. If necessary, we can eliminate them now."
At the same time, after leading the Kumogakure away, the Third Raikage still felt a little regretful.
The Senju Clan... they were so close to serving the Kumogakure. It's such a pity.
"Uncle Raikage, there's nothing to regret. The Senju Clan will serve Kumogakure sooner or later."
Ziyun said with a smile.
See that? This is the Shinobi World.
Even the Third Raikage harbored murderous intent towards the Senju Clan; what will happen to the other villages? Is there even a question?