"Danzo, are you refusing to listen even to me now?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression turned cold.
"Not exactly..."
Shimura Danzō backed down in a heartbeat.
After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi had yet to become the coward he would be in later years. He was not that old yet.
Perhaps Shimura Danzō had only truly dared to openly defy Hiruzen Sarutobi after he handed over Hizashi Hyuga.
By then, he had already seen clearly that Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart had grown thoroughly old. He no longer needed to be afraid.
"How about this? I'll postpone it for a day. Go tell Tsunade I'll withdraw a day later. You can see how she responds, too. If she won't even do you that small courtesy, that would be utterly out of line."
"After all, you're her teacher!"
Shimura Danzō wanted to stall for a day first. Once Hiruzen Sarutobi saw that Tsunade did not dare act, he would naturally stop taking her words seriously.
Yes, Shimura Danzō did not believe for a moment that Tsunade would dare attack him. He was an elder of Konoha, and Root was an organization belonging to Konoha, wasn't it?
No matter how bold Tsunade was, would she dare attack an organization of the village?
Shimura Danzō certainly did not think so.
He simply wanted Hiruzen Sarutobi to see that Tsunade did not dare act. Then he would have succeeded.
"One day..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi thought for a while, then agreed to Shimura Danzō's proposal.
He also wanted to see whether he still had any authority as her teacher.
Although he always acted like an amiable old man, that did not mean he had no temper. Tsunade had challenged him time and again lately, and he wanted to see whether she still had any regard for him as her teacher!
"You can go. I'll talk to Tsunade."
Hiruzen Sarutobi waved a hand.
Shimura Danzō walked out, then gently closed the door.
"Go fetch Tsunade!"
Although Tsunade probably had not even reached home yet, Hiruzen Sarutobi no longer wanted to dwell on that. Whatever needed saying, he had decided to say it all tonight!
Tsunade's home
"Sis, you're back!"
Tsunade returned home looking exhausted. The moment she arrived, Nawaki darted over and hugged her.
"How did your studies at the Ninja Academy go today?"
Tsunade forced a smile and rubbed Nawaki's head.
"Really well! I came third at the Ninja Academy today!"
Nawaki tilted his head up, looking as though he was waiting for praise.
"That's pretty good! Keep working hard, Nawaki. I'll be counting on you to protect me someday!"
Tsunade smiled and stroked Nawaki's head again.
"Don't worry! Once I awaken Wood Release, I'll make you the happiest person in the whole world!"
Nawaki raised a fist, looking ready to give anything for his sister.
"So... Sis, I'm out of money. Could you give me some?"
After saying that, Nawaki rubbed his hands together.
"So this was what you were after?"
Tsunade looked speechless, but still gave Nawaki several tens of thousands of ryo.
That was enough pocket money for Nawaki.
Since Tsunade still had to work at the hospital, she did not spend that much time gambling these days.
Besides, she usually gambled in Konoha. How many people in Konoha really dared to fleece Tsunade?
As such, Tsunade did not lose money very quickly. Losing a hundred thousand ryo or so in a day was already a lot.
Compared with the inheritance the Senju Clan had left behind, it was a mere drop in the bucket.
"Thanks, Sis! You're the best!"
Nawaki jumped up with a cheer, then flopped straight onto the sofa.
"Honestly, this kid..."
Tsunade smiled and shook her head.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Who is it?"
Hearing the knocking, Tsunade opened the door in some confusion.
"Lady Tsunade, the Third Lord Hokage requests your presence at the Hokage's office."
Just as Tsunade was preparing to go to bed, an Anbu appeared before her once again.
Tsunade was a little puzzled, but prepared to go anyway.
The old man probably had something to discuss with her. Surely he would not call her over just to amuse himself.
Without even replying, Tsunade dashed straight toward the Hokage's office.
The Anbu froze for a second, then hurried after her, afraid of being left behind.
But he still could not match Tsunade's speed, and she ultimately reached the Hokage's office first.
"What is it?"
Tsunade pushed open the door and asked Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was sitting stiffly upright inside.
"Danzo needs some time to withdraw Root, so the Uchiha will have to wait a little."
Hiruzen Sarutobi got straight to the point.
"Lord Hokage, do you believe that yourself?"
Tsunade shot the question right back.
"Tsunade, won't you even show me some respect?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately tried to bring his authority as her teacher to bear on Tsunade.
Tsunade had challenged him far too often lately. He had to give her a warning.
"Where are you going?!"
Without saying a word, Tsunade pushed open the door and left. Her meaning was clear.
"Very well..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened completely.
He had not expected Tsunade to show him so little respect.
"Go tell Shimura Danzō that he must withdraw every last member of Root tomorrow!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressed his anger as he gave the Anbu his orders.
He was the village's Kage. He had to consider everything from the village's standpoint.
He could not put the village in an awkward position over a moment's anger.
Meanwhile, when Shimura Danzō heard the news at Root, he gave a disdainful smile.
Withdrawing was out of the question. He wanted to see whether Tsunade truly had the nerve to act.
Outwardly, however, he still agreed to the Anbu's message.
Seeing his old friend being so cooperative this time, Hiruzen Sarutobi breathed a sigh of relief, then went home to sleep.
The next day
"Father, they still haven't left!"
Uchiha Fugaku had been keeping watch in the Uchiha Clan Compound, but Root showed absolutely no intention of leaving!
"Are they really determined to drive us to our deaths?"
Uchiha Fugaku's underling stood beside him, his face flushed, looking ready to charge into battle at any moment.
"All we can do now is see whether Lady Tsunade will come help us..."
Uchiha Fugaku had already given up hope of that. He believed Tsunade had certainly spoken up, but he did not think she would personally step in to help them.
"What's the use of relying on others? Lord Fugaku, you have the Mangekyō Sharingan, and we Uchiha are the strongest clan. Let's just rebel!"
"Mere Konoha wouldn't stand a chance against the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
The underling beside Uchiha Fugaku clamored wildly, while Uchiha Fugaku sighed.
His clansmen could not even see the gap in strength clearly. If things were really as simple as they said, would he have endured until now?
"If Lady Tsunade really doesn't come to help us... then we'll have no choice but to..."
Uchiha Fugaku desperately did not want to take this road to ruin, but if there truly was no way out, they could only fight to the death.
"Root. Very good!"
Just as Uchiha Fugaku was brooding, a woman's voice reached his ears.
Tsunade arrived in front of the Uchiha Clan Compound and swung a fist at the members of Root!
"Lady Tsunade... she actually...!"
Uchiha Fugaku watched Tsunade, who seemed like a god as she sent dozens of Root members flying with one punch. The astonishment in his eyes was plain to see!
He had never expected Tsunade to actually fight for the Uchiha Clan, the clan that had once killed her grandfather!
The best outcome he had originally envisioned was for Tsunade to set aside their past grievances and say a few words on their behalf to settle the matter.
But now...
"There's a reason the Senju Clan is so beloved..."
Watching Tsunade, Uchiha Fugaku suddenly smiled.
He would fully support Tsunade as the next Hokage! Even if he had to stake the entire Uchiha Clan on it!