"What else can we do? Isn't it Danzo who tried to take Yamanaka Ino and Hyuga Hinata as hostages to force Kaito into joining Root?" Hiruzen Sarutobi said grimly.
"If he hadn't taken the daughters of two clan leaders without permission, would any of this have happened? Do you know what Kaito said? Danzo tried to use Ino and Hinata to threaten him…"
"The Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi clans, along with the Hyuga clan—those four families united immediately, without needing to say a word to each other!" Hiruzen's face darkened further.
He had painstakingly positioned Asuma to become the junior head and instructor of the Ino-Shika-Cho formation, hoping to build long-lasting ties with the clans through him.
But today, Danzo ruined everything.
"You're saying that because of this, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and the Hyuga clan have now formed an alliance?" Koharu Utatane asked, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"Exactly. That's why I let Kaito go."
The Hyuga are now the most powerful family in Konoha. And the Ino-Shika-Cho trio have been here since the village was founded. If those four join forces… to be blunt, nearly a third of Konoha's combat power comes from them.
"And don't forget what happened with Hiashi back then. The Hyuga were humiliated by the village. Now Danzo tries to take Hinata too? What do you think they'll do? What will that alliance do?"
"The Ino-Shika-Cho have always been loyal to the Hokage. We've treated them and the Hyuga fairly over the years. They wouldn't rebel…" muttered Homura Mitokado.
"Yes… unless someone leads them. And now, there's someone strong enough to obliterate the Root base in an instant. He has close ties with all four clans. What do you think they'll do?"
"If you kill him, the daughters of those clan leaders become widows. Then what? And don't forget—Danzo forced their strongest youths into Root by leveraging his authority as a Konoha advisor. You think they have no resentment?"
Hiruzen's words left both Homura and Koharu speechless.
They understood instantly how deep this ran.
"Well… what do we do now?" Koharu asked.
"I'll step down as Hokage after the Chunin Exams. Kaito was right. We're old… it's time we acted like it."
"We need to appoint a Fifth Hokage before the Exams begin. That way, at least we show the Hyuga and the Ino-Shika-Cho clans that we're listening."
Hiruzen sighed, a look of weary resignation in his eyes.
---
Short Book Street – Tsunade's Villa
After leaving Konoha, it took Kaito only a few minutes to arrive.
Since he left her care, Tsunade had settled down here.
In a small, detached villa, Kaito appeared in a flash.
As he opened the door, he saw Tsunade and Shizune preparing for bed.
Even after five years, Tsunade hadn't changed. She was still stunningly beautiful, not even her figure had shifted—thanks to the eerie preservation granted by the Strength of a Hundred Seal.
"What brings you here, brat?" Tsunade asked with a spark of joy in her eyes.
She pulled Kaito into a crushing hug.
Kaito grunted under the weight. Not again… If not for his tolerance, he might've passed out by now.
"Um… Tsunade-sensei… I might need to crash here for a few days," Kaito said, a little awkwardly.
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Alright, spill it. What kind of mess did you make in Konoha this time?"
Though they hadn't seen each other in a while, Tsunade still understood him well. Kaito was calm and polite on the surface—but once pushed, his temper could be worse than hers.
Even Shizune looked uneasy.
Kaito scratched his head. "Well… nothing big. Just destroyed the entire Root base and killed Danzo."
"What?! Did you just say… killed Danzo?" Tsunade's eyes widened.
"Yeah… razed Root, killed Danzo. That's it."
"Holy—!" Tsunade blurted.
She immediately hugged him again, squeezing with both arms and laughing as she did so.
Her face lit up with glee, eyes crinkled with joy.
A few minutes later—just as Kaito was on the verge of blacking out—she let go and stared at him with interest.
"Alright, talk. Did that old bastard hurt you?"
Kaito gave a full and honest account of what had happened.
Tsunade listened intently, then looked at him with an amused smile. "Not bad, kid. Married already, huh?"
"But don't worry. As long as you're under my roof, no one in Konoha will dare lay a hand on you," she said, giving his shoulder a firm pat—exuding her usual overwhelming presence.
"Nope! I'm in a good mood today. Time for a drink!" Tsunade declared, bolting toward the door. "Don't wait up, just head to bed!"
Watching her disappear down the street, Kaito exhaled. He knew she probably wouldn't come back tonight.
After all, Danzo—one of the masterminds behind the Senju clan's downfall—was finally dead.
As for the other one… that was a more complicated story. Because that person… was his teacher.
He wanted to kill him.
And he didn't.
It was complicated.
That contradiction was why Tsunade had left the village after the Third Shinobi War.
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