The room was thick with tension as the Third Hokage's voice fell heavy upon the ears of Utatane Koharu. Her brows furrowed with displeasure, her aged face tightening into a frown. Despite being momentarily silenced by Hiruzen's stern words, resentment flickered in her eyes.
Tsunade... that ignorant girl.
Even now, she couldn't understand why the descendant of the Senju, a direct disciple of the Third Hokage, would choose to associate so closely with Uchiha. It was, to her, a betrayal of loyalty—a misstep that disregarded the broader needs of the village.
But the subject had been closed for now. All she could do was grind her teeth and hope Tsunade would come to her senses.
Days passed, and news finally arrived from the Daimyō's mansion.
The latest grant had been approved and sent. When the Third Hokage reviewed the amount, his eyes widened in surprise. It was larger than expected—much larger.
For the first time in what felt like months, Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled.
Konoha's financial drought was over.
Meanwhile, Danzo Shimura's situation had taken a sharp turn—for the worse.
It wasn't because of torture, or lack of food. No, the torment came in the form of a single individual who now visited him daily—more punctually than the Police Department's morning roll call.
Andrew Uchiha.
Every day, without fail, Andrew would arrive at Danzo's cell, often just to talk—or worse, observe. He'd discuss the news from the outside world casually, like an old friend sharing gossip over tea. He'd mention things like:
"Oh, Tsunade's back in the village. She's working with us now."
"The Root base has been sealed off. Can you believe it? All your files confiscated."
"The Hokage? He's counting money again. Doesn't even seem to care you're down here rotting."
Each word was like a dagger, twisting deeper with every visit. And to make it worse, Andrew was collecting feedback points the entire time—siphoning off Danzo's seething hatred, confusion, and rage into power.
Danzo didn't just return to square one. He had fallen into a deeper hell.
In the Daimyō's mansion, Tsunade had finally finished her rounds, having successfully mended the fragile political ties between Konoha and the feudal court.
Thanks to her presence—and her surname—the Daimyō had agreed to a tentative peace. He still harbored reservations about Konoha, especially after Danzo's prior manipulation, but Tsunade's reputation and sincerity helped avoid further disaster.
It wasn't trust. It was tolerance. But for now, that was enough.
During her stay, Tsunade had taken the time to examine Uchiha Itachi, who was stationed as one of the daimyo's protectors. She had assumed it would be a routine check-up. But...
"Your condition is more complicated than I expected," she told him, frowning deeply as she unrolled the final scan of his chakra system. "The conditions here are too crude. I can't make a conclusive diagnosis. You'd be better off returning to Konoha for further testing."
Itachi, calm as always, gave a faint nod. "Understood. I'll wait for Shisui before departing."
Though the daimyo had accepted the presence of Uchiha, Itachi had remained as a constant protector—not just of the feudal lord, but also of his comrades stationed with him.
Tsunade tilted her head slightly. "You're worried about your squad? They're elite Jōnin. They can handle themselves."
"Perhaps. But as you've seen yourself, Uchiha is a clan that draws attention. Even here, the risk remains. There's no telling what some may try behind closed doors."
It was a subtle reference. Not long ago, Danzo had sent assassins to the daimyo's side—disguised and cunning. If not for Andrew's intervention, the consequences could have been dire.
Tsunade didn't reply immediately. She merely stared at Itachi for a moment, thoughtful. Then she spoke softly:
"You and Mingfeng… you're something else."
She meant it. In all her years, she had rarely seen such unity in a clan. Mingfeng's intelligence and fiery resolve, combined with Itachi's calm brilliance—it was no wonder Uchiha had risen so fast.
A pang of sorrow struck her heart. What happened to my Senju? The once-dominant clan was now reduced to nothing but memories. Her surname no longer carried weight. Even her own family... gone.
Returning to the Uchiha compound, Tsunade reported Itachi's condition. Her final verdict?
"I won't sugarcoat it—he may not recover. But I'll do what I can."
"That's enough," Fugaku said firmly. "Even if the odds are slim, we'll exhaust every option. Whatever it takes, we'll support him. And if medical treatment fails... we'll resort to using your grandfather's cells."
Tsunade blinked. "My grandfather's cells? What are you talking about? The First Hokage's tissue samples were sealed and research was halted after Orochimaru fled."
Andrew scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "You... didn't know?"
"Know what?" Tsunade snapped, her eyes narrowing.
"Well, uh... Danzo was secretly collaborating with Orochimaru before the latter defected. Their goal was to recreate Wood Style using the First Hokage's cells. And... they succeeded."
"You're saying Jiraiya knew about this? And he didn't tell me?" Tsunade's voice dropped in pitch. The air pressure around her shifted instantly—oppressive and volatile.
Andrew raised both hands in defense. "Hey now! Don't shoot the messenger. Why don't you ask Jiraiya directly?"
Boom.
Tsunade turned on her heel and stormed out of the compound.
Andrew didn't say a word. He simply clasped his hands together and whispered a silent prayer.
Rest in peace, Jiraiya. May your bones remain intact.
And sure enough, the moment Tsunade found Jiraiya, she exploded.
"You mean to tell me Danzo was experimenting with my grandfather's cells?! With Orochimaru?! And you knew?!"
Jiraiya hesitated for a moment—just long enough to give her cause to punch him in the face.
He staggered back, nose bleeding, but managed to hold up his hands in defense. "It's not that I didn't want to tell you! I didn't have proof until recently!"
Tsunade's expression didn't soften. If anything, it hardened further as she hissed, "And what about the rumors of war orphans being used in those experiments?"
Jiraiya sighed. "That... I'm afraid is likely true. I found scattered documents in the abandoned Root labs. Nothing conclusive, but... strong indications. Danzo didn't just use your grandfather's cells—he used children as lab rats."
A long silence stretched between them. Jiraiya looked away.
Tsunade didn't cry. She didn't scream. She clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails drew blood.
"That bastard," she whispered. "He doesn't even deserve to be called human."
Without another word, she turned and marched toward the Hokage's office.
Inside the Hokage Tower, Sarutobi Hiruzen was reviewing the Daimyō's new decree when the door slammed open with the force of a hurricane.
He looked up and froze.
Tsunade stood in the doorway, her chest heaving. Her eyes were locked onto him like a predator sizing up its prey.
"Tsunade?" he said cautiously. "What brings you here?"
"I want to see Danzo," she said, voice cold and clipped.
Hiruzen straightened. "Danzo... is being detained. Why—"
"Don't play dumb with me, old man." Her tone dropped an octave. "I know everything. The experiments. The war orphans. The collaboration with Orochimaru."
Hiruzen's face paled.
"You supported him," she said, marching forward, eyes burning. "Even if you didn't participate directly, you allowed it. You looked away while he butchered children in the name of protecting the village."
"Tsunade, I—"
"No more excuses!" she barked. "No more silence! I want to interrogate him personally. And I want the Council to be there. Everyone deserves to hear what he did."
"Tsunade, listen—"
"Either give me access to him... or I'll tear down the entire tower with my own hands."
For a moment, Hiruzen glimpsed her grandfather's fury in her eyes.
He had no choice.
Back at the prison, Danzo shivered slightly in his cell.
Something had shifted.
The air tasted different. The shadows grew darker.
And he had the sinking feeling his time was finally up.
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