Danzo had been in an excellent mood lately.
Especially after publicly stripping Hatake Sakumo of his commander status and taking the position for himself. The overwhelming sense of power had gone to his head.
The stalemate on the Rain Country front was ongoing.
But as the newly appointed supreme commander, he felt the need to assert and solidify his authority every day.
For instance:
Even if there was nothing new to report, he would still call for daily meetings, spewing irrelevant nonsense just to show he was in charge.
Today was no exception.
Staring at the composed Hatake Sakumo, the yawning Tsunade, and the obviously distracted Jiraiya, Danzo knocked on the table.
A supreme commander deserved proper attention!
Though others might not catch it, his gaze was locked onto Sakumo, filled with veiled amusement.
Heh.
Frustrated, aren't you?
Go ahead, show it.
If you do, I can collect proof of your dissatisfaction with the village's decisions and provoke your old allies into scheming!
Konoha's White Fang?
A joke. You really thought you were Konoha's hero?
Sensing Danzo's stare, Sakumo shifted slightly, feeling a little uneasy.
Truth be told, although he had been shocked when stripped of his position, he quickly accepted it. As long as Konoha won this war, it didn't matter who commanded.
He was never fond of power struggles.
Even if he was a bit naive, he knew too much credit could be dangerous.
But what was with that look?
Frowning, Sakumo chose to stay silent.
"Hey."
Sakumo might be holding back, but Tsunade wasn't the type to tolerate nonsense.
Among those present, she was probably the only one bold enough to challenge the supreme commander outright.
Scowling at Danzo, she slapped the table.
"You just bored or what? Dragged us here for a silent meeting with no substance?"
An insult?
Senju scum!
Danzo's expression turned cold.
The Senju clan wouldn't be strutting around for much longer.
He was here on orders from Hiruzen.
"I am the supreme commander! When I say wait, you wait!"
"Tsunade..."
"Call me Senju Tsunade!"
She cut him off sharply, staring him down.
She was no longer the naive girl who believed in a peaceful bond between the village and the Senju.
After reading Yukika's reports and witnessing firsthand how the Senju clan was being ground down in this war, she now saw clearly:
The Senju were in direct opposition to the upper ranks.
"Senju?"
"Do you really think anyone respects that brat's orders?"
Restoring the Senju name was a joke.
At least in Danzo's eyes.
People like him, or Hiruzen Sarutobi, had lived long under the Senju shadow. Just the sight of their clan crest annoyed him.
"What did you say?!"
Danzo's words were practically a public rejection of Senju Yukika's authority as clan leader.
Furious, Tsunade stood up, ready to remind Danzo of the Senju clan's strength.
Just then, the door to the war room creaked open.
Yukika, Orochimaru, and Nawaki entered.
Yukika gave Tsunade a reassuring glance before turning to face the room...