The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, clutched the thin draft tightly.
One corner of the paper was already damp and slightly soggy from the cold sweat seeping from his palms.
A full two hundred million taels.
This enormous sum of money was like a red-hot branding iron, so hot that his wrist trembled slightly.
Will you agree to these two conditions?
That would mean that the Konoha High Command would have to bow down and compromise with not just a missing-nin.
Furthermore, he wanted to carve out a piece of land entirely within the heart of the village, a private territory belonging entirely to Senju Kenya.
That would be tantamount to placing a prehistoric beast that could suddenly attack and harm people next to one's bed.
But what if you refuse on the spot?
These two hundred million taels of real gold and silver will vanish in an instant.
Repairing the wrecked gate requires money, expanding and renovating for the Chunin Ninja Exams requires money, and appeasing the Daimyo requires even more money.
Even worse, Tsunade, standing to the side, would definitely seize the opportunity to completely break ties with Konoha.
The Third Hokage frowned deeply, the age spots on his face seeming to huddle together in worry.
He lived most of his life and weathered countless storms.
But he had never been in such a predicament and dilemma in his own office.
Tsunade crossed her arms and watched the old man's constipated expression with amusement.
The anger that had been building up inside me for years finally felt much better now.
However, Senju Kenya, sitting on the sofa, had clearly run out of patience.
"Hey old man, it's just a worn-out check, why are you staring at it for so long?"
Kenya slapped his thigh and stood up.
The flip-flops on their feet made a lazy "pat-pat" sound as they stepped on the wooden floor.
"Your old habit of being indecisive and hesitant hasn't improved at all over the years."
"With your indecisive nature, your second grandfather was probably forced to choose you as Hokage back then."
Kenya, while relentlessly mocking her, strolled leisurely to her desk.
The Third Hokage looked up, thinking that Kenya was urging him to sign and stamp the document as soon as possible.
He took a deep breath, just about to spout some official platitudes to stall for time.
" Kenya, this matter concerns the village's organizational structure; we need to convene Jonin meeting..."
Before he could finish speaking...
Kenya's figure suddenly blurred in the air.
quick!
It's almost reached an unbelievable level!
There was no sign of Chakra burst, nor any initial movement of Taijutsu.
It was purely the extreme speed unleashed by the body's physical functions.
"Whoosh!"
The Third Hokage only saw a black afterimage flash before his eyes, and didn't even have time to blink.
Immediately afterwards.
He felt a sudden lightness on his lips.
The white jade pipe that had been with him for most of his life and had almost become a part of him had vanished into thin air!
"Why?!"
The Third Hokage's mind went completely blank for a moment.
His two rows of old teeth snapped shut instinctively, making a "click" sound as they bit into the air.
The faint tobacco scent that used to surround his nose was now completely gone.
The Third Hokage's eyes widened suddenly as he looked down at his hands, which were empty.
"Where's my pipe?!"
A startled cry, distorted by its original tone, escaped from the mouth of this Shinobi World ninja.
Standing behind the Third, Shizune was completely dumbfounded.
She didn't even see how Kenya made his move.
At this moment, Kenya had already retreated to a distance of two meters.
In his right hand, he was leisurely twirling a fine white jade pipe that was crystal clear and had a warm, lustrous sheen.
"Tsk tsk, this is warm jade specially supplied by the daimyo of the Land of Water, and the carving is even a purely handmade wave pattern."
Kenya held the pipe in his palm for a moment, then clicked his tongue in amazement.
"It feels quite heavy in my hand, and it really does feel nice to hold."
The Third Hokage finally realized what was happening.
His manhood was brutally taken away right under his nose!
That was his most beloved treasure!
Even wiping them requires the finest silk, for fear of bumping or scratching the fur at all.
Now this greasy brat is holding it and messing with it at will!
" Senju Kenya! What are you doing?!"
The Third Hokage could no longer maintain the dignified image of the Hokage.
He braced himself on the table with both hands, almost leaping out from behind the desk.
His beard was puffed up, and his face was flushed red.
"Give me back my pipe!"
"This is an old item I've used for thirty years, how dare you act so recklessly!"
The Third Hokage stretched out his arm, as if to pounce and snatch it away.
But his aged movements were practically indistinguishable from slow-motion replays in Kenya's eyes.
Kenya simply shifted his body slightly to the side, easily dodging the Third Hokage's withered hand that reached out to grab him.
"Hey old man, don't be so stingy."
Kenya took a half-step back with a grin and stuffed the cigarette holder into his mouth.
"Slurp--"
Kenya took a deep drag on the remaining smoke.
Then, under the Third Hokage's gaze, which was practically spitting fire.
Kenya puffed out his cheeks and suddenly exhaled a puff of white smoke.
"Call--"
The thick smoke rapidly changed shape in mid-air.
It transformed into an extremely standard, perfectly round, and full heart-shaped pattern.
The heart-shaped smoke rings drifted slowly away, finally landing perfectly on the tip of the Third Hokage's iconic Hokage hat.
This extremely insulting and mocking scene plunged the entire office into a deathly silence.
"Yes, jade really does absorb heat well; it's not hot to the mouth at all."
Kenya clicked his tongue and gave a very fair assessment.
"But old man, the tobacco you've mixed is of very low quality. It's so soft and mushy, like cotton candy."
"I'll have someone send you two boxes of the finest cigar leaves from overseas later, to broaden your horizons."
After saying this, Kenya stood under the Third Hokage's glaring, bloodshot eyes.
Extremely natural, extremely effortless.
He stuffed the incredibly valuable white jade pipe directly into the pocket of his floral-patterned trousers.
"You... you actually put it in your pocket?!"
The Third Hokage felt a surge of blood rush to his head.
He clutched his violently heaving chest, his trembling finger pointing at Kenya, barely able to speak.
"This is robbery! This is blatant robbery of the Hokage!"
"Stealing the Hokage's things from Hokage office?! Do you even have any respect for the law?!"
Faced with the Third Hokage's almost frantic roar.
Kenya rolled his eyes indignantly.
"Old man, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want."
Kenya patted his bulging pockets, his tone very serious.
"What I'm doing is a reasonable and legal civil claim. Don't you understand the law?"
"Those masked Root lackeys under your command activated the barrier at the gate for no reason."
"They scared my precious cart-pulling beasts so badly their hearts were racing, and they're still foaming at the mouth."
"Plus the calories I burned and the mental strain of smashing down the door."
Kenya extended a finger and waved it in front of the Third.
"This secondhand, broken pipe can barely be considered the first installment of compensation for my emotional distress from Konoha."
"Keep the change, I'm being generous."
This set of fallacies and heresies has completely refreshed the Third Hokage's understanding of the limits of the word "shameless".
You're the one who blasted the gate to rubble!
You're the one who buried the hidden sentry Root the ground!
Now you're actually turning around and demanding compensation for emotional distress?!
The Third Hokage was so angry that he trembled all over, making strange "gurgling" sounds in his throat, and almost fainted on the spot.
But he simply couldn't refute it.
He couldn't win a fight, and when he tried to reason with the other party, they resorted to thuggery.
What's more, that two hundred million taels of silver bill was actually lying on his desk right now.
"Alright, old man, you can keep feeling sorry for yourself here."
Kenya yawned and lazily turned around.
"You'd better get those two conditions settled before Tenten."
"If the seals on the Senju compound aren't completely removed by now, I'll personally lead a demolition team tomorrow to renovate the Hokage Building as well."
He dropped this blatant and undisguised threat.
Kenya grabbed Tsunade, who was already struggling to suppress her laughter.
"Let's go, Auntie, I hardly recognize the streets of Konoha anymore. Let's go buy some good food."
"Bang!"
The two pushed open the office door and Earth Flow out.
The heavy footsteps faded into the distance in the corridor, leaving only a messy office.
The room fell completely silent.
The Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood motionless in place, like a sculpture weathered for a thousand years.
He stared blankly at his empty palms.
He subconsciously licked his dry, shriveled lips with his tongue.
That warm, smooth touch that I'd been used to for decades is truly gone.
His pipe, a symbol of the Hokage's authority and a witness to countless historical moments.
Just like that, a junior wearing floral shorts stuffed him into his crotch like a trophy.
humiliation.
An overwhelming sense of frustration and absurdity instantly overwhelmed the old man.
Behind the desk.
Shizune hugged the chubby Tonton tightly in her arms, burying her face in the pig's fur.
"Pfft... Pfft..."
Despite her best efforts to suppress laughter, it still leaked uncontrollably from between her fingers.
Shizune huddled in the corner, covering her mouth tightly, her body convulsing violently.
She watched the Third Hokage's comical, dejected figure disappear into the distance.
Thinking:
So the dignified Third Hokage...
So this day has come too.