Tsunade had only been in the Pharmaceutical Department for five minutes when Elder Koharu's angry shouts rang out: "Tsunade, this is extortion! This is utterly irresponsible!"
"How am I extorting? How am I being irresponsible?" Tsunade retorted, standing her ground.
"I worked so hard to make these medicines; I just want to collect a small fee for my efforts. Is that not allowed?"
"A small fee? Is that what you call it?" Elder Koharu trembled with rage. "You're asking for 40% of the profits! This is the Village's wealth; how can it go into your private pocket?"
"When did I ever say it would go into my private pocket?" Tsunade shot back, clearly annoyed.
"I plan to use this money to establish a Medical Ninjutsu Research and Development Department, specifically to research various Medical Ninjutsu. This is a good thing for the Village, so why can't I?"
"I said no, and that's final!"
"Heh heh, Elder Koharu, don't forget, if it weren't for me, Tsunade, you wouldn't be able to produce those medicines!"
"I never thought you, Tsunade, could be so arrogant." Elder Koharu was fuming. "Without you, Tsunade, the Pharmaceutical Department would still be the Pharmaceutical Department, and not one less medicine that needs to be developed would be missing."
Tsunade sneered: "Heh heh, really? I don't believe it!"
"Hmph, Tsunade, just you wait!" Elder Koharu instructed the guard beside her, "See her out!"
"There will be a day when you beg me; I'm waiting for it!" Tsunade strutted out of the Pharmaceutical Department, feeling completely refreshed.
She hadn't expected Uchiha Dan to truly have a way to break the deadlock, and it wasn't even that difficult.
A simple display of arrogance and domineering behaviour directly forced Elder Koharu into an alliance with Uchiha Dan.
And indeed, compared to Uchiha Dan, Elder Koharu now detested Tsunade even more.
So she absolutely could not let this greedy fellow succeed.
In contrast, Elder Koharu still felt Uchiha Dan was better; he had helped her for five years and never asked for a single penny.
At most, she'd be a little more polite to him in the future.
What's the big deal?
It was much better than that one who wanted money; that wasn't just wanting money, that was wanting her, Elder Koharu's, life.
In fact, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Elder Koharu were not unaware that Uzumaki Mito and Tsunade were intentionally protecting Uchiha Dan.
But profit came first.
Just as the desire to eliminate Uchiha Dan was for profit, temporarily sparing his life was also for profit.
While the two of them temporarily compromised, someone else was not having it.
In the Hokage Office, the door was suddenly pushed open, and an angry figure stormed in.
"Hiruzen, I need an explanation! Why did you suddenly change your mind again?" Danzo Shimura demanded, clearly displeased, as soon as he entered.
"Danzo, what are you referring to?" Hiruzen Sarutobi feigned ignorance, asking curiously.
"Don't play dumb with me!" Danzo Shimura said coldly. "How many times have I told you, Uchiha Dan is a menace if he's left alive, and you agreed to let me eliminate him! Why are you not allowing it now?"
"First you didn't agree to me forming Root, and now even something that was decided, you go back on your word? What do you take me for?"
Danzo Shimura was truly upset.
Did he really want Uchiha Dan to die?
Among the higher-ups, Danzo Shimura had always been the strongest advocate for eliminating Uchiha Dan, even more so than Elder Koharu, but in reality, he was the one who least wanted Uchiha Dan to die.
What he truly wanted was Uchiha Dan himself.
This was also why he had to find every possible way to force Hiruzen Sarutobi to let him make the move.
Because only then could he make Uchiha Dan disappear without anyone knowing.
But in fact, what he truly wanted was to make Uchiha Dan serve him.
As an ambitious man, Danzo Shimura had always coveted the position of Hokage.
However, as the Hokage's advisor, his power was tightly restricted by Hiruzen Sarutobi, leaving him with very little he could do.
In his desperation, he could only find alternative paths: on one hand, he wanted to establish Root, and on the other, he wanted to secretly build his own power base.
If he were to say who in all of Konoha he most wanted to serve him, the Uchiha Clan would be at the top of the list.
Having personally witnessed the power of Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Kagami, and other Uchihas, Danzo Shimura had long been filled with longing for it.
How he yearned to recruit a genius from the Uchiha Clan and train him to be his right-hand man.
He even fantasised about one day, through this genius, and the Tongue-Tying Curse Seal and brainwashing jutsu he created to control Root (which was not yet permitted to be established), secretly controlling the Uchiha Clan.
But the Uchiha Clan members were too arrogant; they simply wouldn't give Danzo Shimura face.
The hateful Uchiha Kagami was like this, and others were no better.
And Uchiha Dan, this fellow who had been expelled from the Uchiha Clan, was precisely the talent he had always wanted.
After much analysis, Danzo Shimura firmly believed that his teacher, even on his deathbed, did not forget to issue the order to monitor Uchiha Dan and strictly forbid him from cultivating, it must be because this fellow's talent was too high, reminding him of Uchiha Madara, otherwise, why go to such lengths?
And precisely this kind of person, if he disappeared, no one would care.
Moreover, this was not only his intention but also the intention of Orochimaru, who was secretly cooperating with him and had already demonstrated extraordinary research talent; the two hit it off perfectly.
Originally, Danzo Shimura had intended to wait until Root was established before making a move on Uchiha Dan, as he didn't have a suitable place to house Uchiha Dan.
After all, such matters were confidential and absolutely could not be known by anyone else.
But Orochimaru's words not long ago changed his mind, making him want to quickly achieve this goal.
At that time, as long as Uchiha Dan was brainwashed, this person would become his Uchiha Kagami.
No, according to Orochimaru, his usefulness would even far surpass Uchiha Kagami's.
Danzo Shimura had originally been smug because Hiruzen Sarutobi had agreed just one day ago to let him make his move soon.
But who would have thought that Uzumaki Mito and Tsunade would suddenly intervene, strongly protecting Uchiha Dan, and these two useless people, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Elder Koharu, actually changed their minds as well.
Especially Elder Koharu, who just a day ago was clamouring that Uchiha Dan absolutely had to die, but today stated that Uchiha Dan could not die yet, making Danzo Shimura curse them as useless teammates.
"Hiruzen, I'm asking you a question! Is it so hard to answer?" Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi remain silent, Danzo Shimura grew even angrier and questioned him again.
"Danzo, you must understand, everything I do is for the Village. The reason I changed my mind is the result of weighing the pros and cons."
"Before, we wanted to eliminate Uchiha Dan simply because keeping him alive was not in the Village's best interest, but now that Uchiha Dan is alive, it is more beneficial to the Village, that's all."
"Only you are for the Village? Am I not?" Danzo Shimura could not stand Hiruzen's self-righteous words and snorted coldly.
"Danzo, I hope you understand, some things, once decided, are decided. After all, I am the Hokage." Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression had already turned somewhat displeased.
This Danzo Shimura was extending his reach further and further, which made him very unhappy.
Danzo Shimura froze at the words, an unidentifiable rage shooting straight to his head.
It's that line again, that line!
Isn't it just because you're better at flattery? The teacher clearly valued me more; how could you, Hiruzen Sarutobi, compare to me?
But he could only rage impotently!
"Hiruzen, you will regret this!" Throwing down a final remark, Danzo Shimura could no longer suppress the fury in his heart and slammed the door shut as he left.
Fine, since you don't agree, then don't blame me for not giving you face; I'll do it myself.
Having long understood Hiruzen Sarutobi's personality, he knew that if he acted first and reported later, making a fait accompli, Hiruzen Sarutobi would at most scold him a few times, and the most severe consequence would only be confining him at home to reflect for a period of time.
Compared to the gain, this level of punishment was simply negligible.
Wasn't it the same when he plotted to kill Uchiha Kagami?
As long as I flatly deny it and you can't produce evidence, what can you do to me?"