"Yes."
Karin immediately accepted the order.
Land of Fire.
In a small town.
On their way back to Konoha, Tsunade and Jiraiya, accompanied by Shizune and Naruto Uzumaki, happened to pass through this town. Tsunade wanted to settle the gambling debts she owed in this town along the way.
As a result.
They saw casino personnel being pursued and killed.
A group of masked Root ninjas was searching for casino staff in the town, and upon encountering a casino henchman, they mercilessly dashed forward and killed him with a single slash!
"Lady Tsunade!"
The casino owner was fleeing under the protection of some henchmen!
Upon seeing Tsunade, the casino owner was tearfully kneeling before her: "Lady Tsunade, we don't want the money you owe us, please have your people stop..."
"Stop!"
Tsunade hurriedly halted the slaughter, standing in front of the Root ninjas, and spoke in a deep voice: "Whose subordinates are you? What on earth is going on here?"
"This is..."
Jiraiya recognized these people, and his expression became somewhat solemn: "These are Root ninjas, all subordinates of Kagura..."
"We are ordered to kill the creditors of the Fifth Hokage."
A red-haired girl wearing a dog-head mask coldly instructed: "To avoid affecting the reputation of the Fifth Hokage, anyone who might hinder the Fifth Hokage's reputation must be eliminated. Please do not obstruct us in fulfilling our mission!"
"I don't want it! I don't want it!"
The casino owner, frightened, hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, as if realizing something: "No, no, no, Lady Tsunade has never owed me money, I'm just talking nonsense!"
"Shut up!"
The red-haired girl leaped up and swung her ninja sword, but was directly blocked by Tsunade!
"Go back!"
Tsunade coldly stared at the girl in front of her, speaking in a deep voice: "I will pay back the gambling debts I owe myself; there is no need for the village to meddle..."
Karin watched Tsunade and softly retorted: "If Lady Tsunade hadn't succeeded as the Fifth Hokage, we could naturally ignore it..."
"But since Lady Tsunade has become the Fifth Hokage, for Konoha's honor, we must eliminate all adverse factors, and, anyway, these people's existence also threatens the lives of other villagers..."
"Everything..."
"Is for Konoha!"
As Karin said this, Chakra suddenly erupted from her body, and Vajra Lock Chains suddenly sprang from her back, quickly binding their bodies and twisting their necks—all of the casino personnel were killed!
"Karin..."
Naruto Uzumaki seemed to be frightened.
"Vajra Seal..."
Tsunade looked at Karin, somewhat surprised.
This masked red-haired girl was actually from the Uzumaki Clan!
However, Tsunade quickly reacted, her brow furrowing tightly as she looked at Karin: "Little one, didn't you hear what I just said?"
"This is for Konoha!"
Karin retracted the Vajra Lock Chains and continued in a deep voice: "To maintain Konoha's reputation, we will kill all the Fifth Hokage's creditors..."
"!!!"
Tsunade was shocked by Karin's words!
Although this method did clear her previously deferred gambling debts, what reputation could she have left in the Ninja World?
Would all the people who lent her money be killed by Konoha ninjas, and her reputation already be tainted in Ninja World before even succeeding the Hokage position?
"Return to report."
Karin jumped onto a house with a leap and left the town after several jumps; other Root ninjas immediately followed and left together.
"That little one..."
Tsunade watched Karin's back, feeling a bit gloomy and uneasy: "Seems about the same age as Naruto, that brat? So decisive in killing..."
"Root ninjas are mostly like that..."
Jiraiya nodded, thinking of his disciple: "Back then when I met Kagura, he was also plotting to kill every day..."
As he spoke, Jiraiya sighed when looking at Tsunade: "Now you see, just how extreme their actions are..."
"That child isn't suitable to stay in Root."
Tsunade shook her head, but she already had her own plans.
Seeing Karin use the Vajra Seal, Tsunade felt a surge of massive Chakra and life force, thinking that Karin might make a great Medical Ninja. She planned to find an opportunity to bring Karin to her side as soon as they returned, unwilling to let an excellent Medical Ninja become a tool for slaughter.
"Let's head back first."
Jiraiya glanced at Tsunade, urging: "When Danzo was leading Root, he wouldn't even obey the old man's orders... Perhaps because Danzo is still in Root, Kagura's actions are becoming more extreme."
However...
When they returned to Konoha, they realized the situation was more complicated than they had imagined.
Because Akihara Kagura had people deal with all the casinos in the Land of Fire, it resulted in significant losses to many of the country's nobility, who all wanted to come to Konoha to demand an explanation.
"Tsunade must not succeed the Hokage position!"
This became the consensus among many nobles and ministers in the Land of Fire!
Undoubtedly.
The man behind this action against the casinos was surely Tsunade, because she benefitted the most, with all her creditors eliminated.
This behavior...
Undoubtedly violates the rules of the Ninja World!
Debts must be paid, and murder must be answered, especially gambling debts should not be delayed!
Inside the Hokage Tower.
The two Hokage advisors felt overwhelmed.
Utatane Koharu sensed the hostility towards Tsunade from the Land of Fire: "Many ministers and nobles in the Land of Fire are questioning our choice for the new Hokage, asking if we can put forward a new candidate. They refuse to let Tsunade succeed as the Fifth Hokage..."
"The Daimyo hasn't expressed any opinion."
Mitokado Homura, however, found a piece of good news amidst the bad: "After all, Tsunade's noble status makes her the most suitable candidate. The Daimyo doesn't care much about these trivial matters, just advises Tsunade to act more cautiously and avoid being too extreme and untrustworthy..."
"This is an opportunity."
Akihara Kagura shrugged, as if it had nothing to do with him: "Test those nobles and ministers dissatisfied with the Fifth Hokage, clean them up too, and from now on there will be no opposition to the Fifth Hokage's proposals in the Land of Fire..."
"..."
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged glances.
Although Akihara Kagura was indeed trying to consider for the yet-to-be-completed Tsunade, this was undoubtedly pouring oil on the fire...
Mitokado Homura hurriedly stopped Akihara Kagura from taking excessive action: "Better not, cleaning up the casinos has already faced opposition from nobles and ministers. Recklessly killing nobles and ministers will provoke the wrath of all nobles in the Ninja World..."
"Whoever opposes, eliminate them..."
Akihara Kagura chuckled lightly, showing a very strong attitude: "Before the Fifth Hokage succeeds, eliminate all who oppose her, even the Daimyo can be killed..."
"This will cause internal chaos..."
Mitokado Homura scaredly argued with different reasoning to persuade Akihara Kagura: "Aren't you preparing for war with The Hidden Sand Village and The Hidden Mist Village? If the political situation in the Land of Fire leads to unfavorable warfare due to internal chaos, it's not good..."
"..."
Utatane Koharu felt a little strange.
At this time, the war they had been trying to prevent even became a reason to persuade Akihara Kagura not to kill recklessly in the Land of Fire...
It's just...
They really couldn't oppose Akihara Kagura.
Because Akihara Kagura was indeed thinking of killing for Konoha.
Just...
Seemed to be making things worse while trying to help.
At least Tsunade, the person involved, felt deeply troubled by this. The Fifth Hokage deeply felt the mess she faced was more troublesome than being chased for debts.
Akihara Kagura and the Root ninjas were willing to help maintain her reputation; perhaps their intentions were good, but doing nothing might have been better.