The next morning, Tsunade arrived at the Hokage's office dressed in her sharp ninja attire.
"I already told him about my grandmother yesterday."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Tsunade and felt a headache coming on.
"Who? Told who?"
"Uchiha Chiya!"
Hiruzen immediately stood up.
"You told Uchiha Chiya about Lady Mito's situation?"
Hiruzen's mouth twitched, and his expression became agitated.
The Nine-Tails jinchuriki was the village's most closely guarded secret. How could something like this be told to someone from the Uchiha Clan?
"What is wrong, old man? You do not seem very pleased."
Tsunade looked at Hiruzen staring her down, yet her fair face remained perfectly calm.
"The Uchiha are also members of the village. Isn't that what you told me a while back?"
She turned Hiruzen's own words back against him.
For a moment, all he could do was fume and glare.
"Besides, Chiya has already agreed."
As Tsunade spoke, her gaze shifted away slightly.
She thought back to the previous night, when she had been sitting in that girlish posture.
The payment had already been made. How could she turn around and say she did not need his help after all?
Not to mention, when it came to her grandmother's situation, in Konoha as it stood now, only the Uchiha had the ability to do anything about it.
Seeing Hiruzen fall into silence.
Tsunade continued to reassure him.
"Relax, old man. I trust Uchiha Chiya quite a bit. He takes the village very seriously. The things you are worried about will not happen."
Hearing Tsunade say it with such certainty.
Hiruzen was quiet for a moment, then sat back down in his seat.
"Tsunade, you were too reckless!"
Hiruzen took a deep breath and sighed.
Tsunade's purpose, in Hiruzen's eyes.
Was nothing more than wanting her grandmother to live a few more years.
Using the Sharingan's genjutsu to control the Nine-Tails, so that the Nine-Tails would not erode or disturb Lady Mito for a period of time.
If Lady Mito's vitality was not being drained as heavily as before, her physical condition would naturally be much better.
But, when all was said and done.
Including himself, all those in the Hokage's circle were reluctant to involve anyone from the Uchiha Clan in something like this.
Now, after Tsunade had handled things this way.
The situation had already come to this point.
If he were to obstruct the Uchiha at this moment, that would be as good as openly telling everyone in the village that he did not trust the Uchiha.
The Uchiha Clan held a position that was rather different from the other clans in the village.
They could even be considered on a level directly comparable to the Senju Clan.
If it were now openly declared to the village and to all the clans that Konoha's ruling authority, the Hokage, did not trust the Uchiha.
What would the other clans think?
If the Uchiha became a cautionary example, and another clan was later distrusted as well, would that clan not end up following the same path as the Uchiha?
Under that kind of crisis of trust, how could all the clans remain united in protecting the village?
Once seeds of suspicion and being targeted were planted, Konoha would sooner or later fall apart.
That was not something the Third Hokage wanted to see.
On matters concerning the Uchiha Clan, the Third Hokage had always taken things very seriously every single time.
The Senju Clan was now like a clan that had "disbanded."
Right now on the surface, only the Uchiha remained.
If the Uchiha were also to lose the village's trust, what would the other clans think?
As long as the Uchiha were still in the village and still "settled," not openly opposing or defecting from the village, there was always room to maneuver.
The village did not trust the Uchiha now, but that was something being handled only in the shadows. It could not be placed out in the open.
Hiruzen took a long draw of smoke and slowly breathed it out.
"Let me think it over a little more."
Hearing the old man soften his stance, Tsunade said nothing more.
She let out a quiet huff, turned, and walked out of the Hokage's office.
Tsunade left without looking back, but Hiruzen's deeply furrowed brow looked as though it could crush a fly.
After Tsunade stirred things up like this.
He could not focus on the scrolls in front of him at all.
The most important thing right now was the stability and peace of the village.
The Nine-Tails jinchuriki was the single most destabilizing factor in that.
The Uchiha Clan was also a previous destabilizing factor.
Having two destabilizing factors come together like this, this was truly...
The wrinkles on Hiruzen's brow deepened further. After a moment.
He slapped the desk.
"Have Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado come here."
Danzo had already been suspended, and Root had temporarily been handed over to Homura.
And Hiruzen knew that Danzo had some friction with Chiya.
On matters concerning the Uchiha, he would naturally not make the "correct" judgment.
There was no need to call Danzo this time.
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
The Anbu ninja departed swiftly.
Before long, the two advisors arrived.
Both of their gazes settled on Hiruzen as they saw his face dark as still water.
They exchanged a glance.
"What is it, Hiruzen?"
Homura asked.
"Tsunade..."
Hiruzen took a deep breath, steadied his mood, and continued.
"She told Uchiha Chiya about Lady Mito's situation and sought his help."
Koharu's expression changed immediately.
"Is Tsunade not just causing trouble?"
Homura, however, was taken aback upon hearing this.
Before, they had been trying to keep this matter hidden from the Uchiha.
And yet Tsunade had chosen to simply lay all the cards on the table?
He had considered before what might happen if the Uchiha found out about this, whether it would breed resentment.
Well, now it was done.
She had gone too far in the direction of trust.
"Hiruzen, did you agree to it?"
Koharu turned and looked at Homura with confusion.
What was going on?
Why would Homura ask that?
Hiruzen also glanced at Homura with some surprise.
"Things have already come to this point. I have decided to give it a try."
Both of their eyes went wide.
Homura quickly realized what this meant. If this truly succeeded.
The Uchiha would be only one step away from the center of power.
"Someone, come in."
"Hokage-sama!"
An Anbu ninja entered the office quickly.
"Have Captain Hatake Sakumo come here."
Both of their gazes sharpened.
Hatake Sakumo, as the captain of the Anbu, was now the only one with the strength and ability to ensure that this matter proceeded without incident.
Konoha's White Fang, a name known throughout the entire ninja world.
Using him to keep the Uchiha in check was not a bad choice.
The two advisors calculated this in their minds.
"Third Hokage-sama, both advisors."
Hatake Sakumo, with his white hair and resolute face, walked in from outside.
Hiruzen gestured toward the sofa.
Sakumo nodded and walked straight over and sat down.
He sat with his back straight, looking at the three of them with a serious expression.
"This matter is somewhat complicated."
Hiruzen considered for a moment, then looked toward Sakumo.
"Lady Mito's health has been getting worse and worse over the years. The Nine-Tails chakra inside her has also been unconsciously leaking outward because of her deteriorating condition."
Upon hearing that it was about Lady Mito.
A look of gravity flashed through Sakumo's eyes.
Lady Mito, he was of course no stranger to her.
The wife of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, and a jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails as well.
Whether measured by her standing or her identity.
She was at the absolute core of the village's most guarded secrets.
"What does the Third Hokage-sama require me to do?"
Sakumo did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point.
Hiruzen took a draw and slowly breathed it out.
"Tsunade has already contacted Uchiha Chiya of the Uchiha Clan to use the Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails and keep it in check."
"That way, Lady Mito can buy us more time."
"It should be said, the new Nine-Tails jinchuriki is still too young after all. Problems could arise very easily."
Sakumo nodded, but his gaze was a little puzzled.
So much had been said, but what mission was he being given? Why had the Third not said?
It seemed Hiruzen noticed what he was thinking, and cleared his throat.
"Your mission is to lead the Anbu in keeping watch over Uchiha Chiya. If he shows any sign of wrongdoing, kill him on the spot. The Nine-Tails must not be allowed to bring disaster to the village. That is the bottom line."
Sakumo's expression shifted. Uchiha Chiya, a hero of the battlefield.
How could he possibly do anything wrong?
He stood up immediately.
"Third Hokage-sama, I trust Chiya. He would not do something like that."
Seeing his reaction, the three of them felt a sinking feeling in their chests.