"Danzo wouldn't make it that easy for us to find evidence." Kitazawa pondered for a moment and said, "I suspect this ninja might have already been dealt with."
"Given Danzo's personality, he is indeed capable of such a thing." Tsunade rubbed her temples and said, "But we can't do nothing. We must investigate."
"Who do you plan to have investigate?" Kitazawa asked.
"Anbu," Tsunade replied after a pause. "Itachi it is."
The tasks she had given Uchiha Itachi before had all been completed excellently, leaving her with a good impression.
"Hmm." Kitazawa returned the portrait to her and asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"
"We'll see after the investigation results come out." Tsunade snorted coldly. "If we really find evidence, I will absolutely not let Danzo off!"
Danzo leaking Konoha Village intelligence to Yagura was an act of treason. No matter which ninja village, it was one of the most serious and unforgivable crimes.
Even if Danzo was a high-ranking member of Konoha, he wouldn't get off lightly.
"Hokage-sama might be swayed by old sentiment," Kitazawa reminded her.
"He is him, I am me," Tsunade said indifferently.
"As expected of Lady Tsunade, so imposing!" Kitazawa immediately gave a thumbs-up and praised her.
"Alright, this isn't the time for such nonsense," Tsunade said, lightly tapping the back of his hand.
"Besides that, we also need to guard against Danzo's desperate measures," Kitazawa said seriously, withdrawing his hand.
"Let him use whatever means he has!" Tsunade replied with a confident expression. She no longer had hemophobia, so theoretically, she had no weaknesses.
"Don't forget the precedent of the Fourth Mizukage," Kitazawa warned. "I think after returning to the village, you could temporarily find a ninja from the Hyuga Clan to act as your bodyguard."
"He doesn't have... You're right."
Tsunade originally wanted to say that Danzo didn't have a Sharingan, but on second thought, that might not be true.
The Uchiha Clan had existed for over a thousand years, and Danzo had always targeted them. If he ever encountered a Sharingan, he would definitely collect it.
Kitazawa felt more at ease hearing her agree. With a Hyuga ninja by her side, there would be an extra layer of security.
If Tsunade exhibited any unusual behavior, they could immediately use the Byakugan to examine her brain.
Hmm… when he had time, he would speak with Hiashi Hyuga and request a female Hyuga Jonin.
"I feel like you'd be quite suitable as a Hokage Advisor." Tsunade jumped back and sat directly on the table, gently swinging her calves.
Kitazawa subconsciously glanced — her rounded toes were neatly arranged within her high-heeled sandals, her toenails painted a vivid red.
"Then whose Hokage Advisor would I be?" Kitazawa asked, averting his gaze.
"I don't want to answer that question," Tsunade said, biting her thumb, her mouth twitching slightly.
"Lady Tsunade, still unwilling to accept reality?" Kitazawa chuckled softly.
"Why are you talking so much?" Tsunade huffed and nudged him with her calf — she was wearing shoes, so it didn't hurt.
"Be that as it may, Lady Tsunade still needs to make plans early," Kitazawa said, clearing his throat.
In truth, her ambiguous attitude already explained everything.
"I know," Tsunade sighed.
"Everyone else scrambles for the position of Hokage, only Lady Tsunade is reluctant," Kitazawa said with a small smile.
"Why don't you be Hokage, then?" Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"That's not realistic," Kitazawa replied, shaking his head. "Even if I were willing, Hokage-sama and the others wouldn't agree."
Although he had made great contributions in the war between Konoha and the Hidden Mist, it wasn't enough to change the course of the conflict. Theoretically, even without him, Konoha would still have won.
But Minato Namikaze was different. If not for him during the Third Shinobi World War, Konoha would have suffered a crushing defeat.
"How troublesome," Tsunade muttered, her tone showing irritation.
"Getting angry makes you age," Kitazawa teased with a smile. "How about I join you for a drink? To relax a bit?"
Tsunade's eyes lit up, and she subconsciously licked her rosy lips. She hadn't had a drink in two and a half months and was practically craving it.
But after two seconds of hesitation, she shook her head.
"Drinking now isn't appropriate. We'll drink when we return to Konoha Village."
Tsunade paused, then said, "Go pack up. We'll depart at 2 PM this afternoon and arrive at Konoha tomorrow morning."
"Hmm." Kitazawa turned and left the main tent.
Tsunade looked at his retreating back, lost in thought.
---
"Kitazawa, where did you go?"
Kurenai heard footsteps and immediately stopped practicing Wind Release: Rasengan, looking up to ask.
"I went to see Lady Tsunade," Kitazawa said, sitting cross-legged in front of her.
"Here's the lunch I made for you," Kurenai said, handing him a bento box.
"Thank you." Kitazawa now understood what she had woken up early to do.
Kurenai shifted closer and leaned against him, focusing again on channeling Wind Release Chakra into her Rasengan.
"Do you want some?" Kitazawa asked as he opened the bento.
"I've already eaten, but if you're going to feed me, I'll eat," Kurenai said with a teasing smile.
"Alright, I'll feed you." Kitazawa bit into a fried shrimp and looked at her.
Kurenai turned her head, their eyes meeting. After a brief pause, she understood his intention.
Kurenai gave him a glare, but still leaned forward.
"The fried shrimp tastes much better today — very soft," Kitazawa said with a smile.
"Eat properly and don't disturb my training," Kurenai muttered, face slightly flushed as she licked the corner of her mouth.
"I forgot to tell you something," Kitazawa said suddenly. "We're departing at 2 PM this afternoon to return to Konoha Village."
"Finally, we can go back!"
Kurenai stretched, her face bright with joy.
Kitazawa nodded.
After being away for so long, he also missed his students.
After lunch, they began to pack their things. There wasn't much to prepare — just dismantling the tents and cleaning up the camp.
When the time reached 2 PM, the Konoha ninja had already lined up in the now-empty main camp.
A moment later, Tsunade appeared. With a wave of her hand, she set off toward Konoha Village.
The other Konoha ninja quickly followed.
Kitazawa walked alongside Kurenai and Kabuto. Their pace was not fast, as many of the ninjas were still injured.
By evening, they had barely covered half the distance. Kitazawa estimated that arriving by tomorrow morning was impossible — it would likely be around noon instead.
After a night's rest, the Konoha forces set off again.
---
Time passed slowly.
By 10 AM, Konoha Village was already bustling with excitement.
Villagers and ninja stood densely packed on both sides of the main road, gazing into the distance.
On the left side of the street, Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Ino were squeezed together.
Today was supposed to be a class day, but Kosuke and Kakashi had given them the day off.
"So many people!" Naruto exclaimed, glancing left and right in amazement.
"Kitazawa-sensei is very famous now," Shikamaru explained lazily. "And Lady Tsunade's fame is even more terrifying than Kitazawa-sensei's."
"I've never seen a scene like this before — Hokage-sama, the two Hokage Advisors, and so many ninja and villagers all standing at the village gate!" Ino said in awe.
"Me neither," Sakura added, looking around curiously.
"I hope I can also receive a welcome from the entire village like Kitazawa-sensei in the future!" Naruto said with longing.
"It'll definitely be me first," Sasuke said abruptly.
Naruto's dream was to earn the recognition of the entire village, but Sasuke's goal was different. For him, such admiration was befitting of the Uchiha name — a matter of pride and display.
"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, eyes lighting up. "Want to make a youthful bet?"
"Now's not the time for a bet," Kiba said, putting his arm around Naruto's shoulder.
"When Kitazawa-sensei arrives, we can hold a youthful welcome ceremony for him!" Rock Lee declared, striking a dramatic pose.
"Absolutely not necessary!" Ino immediately objected. "Hokage-sama and the others are present — we can't steal their thunder!"
"Indeed," Neji echoed calmly.
He couldn't even imagine how people would look at them if Rock Lee actually performed such a 'youthful ceremony' — especially in front of more than half of Konoha's villagers and ninja.
Except for Naruto and Rock Lee, the rest of them would probably have to flee the village overnight.
"Yes, don't mess around!" Tenten said quickly. She didn't want her ninja career to end before it even began.
"I see Kitazawa-sensei!" Hinata suddenly said, her eyes lighting up.
"Where? Why don't I see him?" Naruto jumped up immediately, looking toward the village gate.
"Of course you can't see him," Ino said, glancing at Hinata. "Hinata saw him with her Byakugan."
"Since the Byakugan spotted Kitazawa-sensei, that means they're close," Shikamaru said, clasping his hands behind his head. "Just a few more minutes."
Hearing that, Hinata lowered her head slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"They're here!" Kiba shouted excitedly after a moment.
Naruto instantly turned toward the gate — and saw Tsunade and the others walking in an orderly formation toward the village.
"Lady Tsunade!"
Deafening cheers erupted from both sides of the road. The wave of sound was so strong that Naruto and Sasuke couldn't even hear each other.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
The livelier the crowd became, the more excited Naruto grew. He waved frantically at Kitazawa, who was walking beside Tsunade.
Sasuke, on the other hand, remained relatively calm — until he noticed Uchiha Itachi walking behind Tsunade.
Even though Itachi wore an Anbu mask, Sasuke recognized him immediately.
After not seeing his brother for two and a half months, he felt an overwhelming urge to rush forward — but he restrained himself, knowing this was neither the time nor the place.
Hinata spotted her father, Hyuga Hiashi, but her gaze soon returned to Kitazawa.
Ino, Rock Lee, and Kiba waved enthusiastically, following Naruto's lead.
Meanwhile, Shikamaru, Shino, Yakumo, and Neji stood quietly, observing the scene with calm composure.
Kitazawa noticed them and waved back in acknowledgment — though he couldn't go over to greet them now. After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other elders were waiting ahead.
"Again with these unnecessary welcoming ceremonies," Tsunade muttered, pouting slightly.
She had already guessed Hiruzen's intention — this was all meant to build her momentum.
Now, her prestige in the village had reached its peak. Perhaps even Hiruzen's own influence was slightly overshadowed.
"Hokage-sama also means well," Kitazawa said quietly, walking closest to her and hearing her complaint.
"Means well? Do you really believe that?" Tsunade shot him a sharp glare.
"Ahem."
Kitazawa leaned closer and whispered, "Hokage-sama is coming. With so many people around, please consider his dignity."
He was genuinely afraid that with Tsunade's temper, she might just turn around and leave.
"Who's the teacher here, you or me? Why do you have to meddle in everything?" Tsunade said, narrowing her eyes with a fierce expression.
"This is a student's duty," Kitazawa replied calmly, meeting her bright amber eyes without fear.
"What are you two talking about?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen walked forward with a light chuckle. Behind him were Homura Mitokado and a group of Jonin.
"Nothing," Tsunade replied, shaking her head. "Let's go to the Hokage Building."
The cheers around them were too loud for proper conversation anyway, and walking to the Hokage Building would also serve as a gesture — a way of showing appreciation to the villagers and ninja who had come to greet them. After all, they couldn't let everyone gather here for nothing.
As Tsunade smiled and waved to the crowds on both sides of the street, Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction. Her attitude made it clear that something had changed in her heart.
If Tsunade were still firmly against becoming Hokage, she wouldn't have stayed. She would have simply left after a brief appearance, minimizing the impact of the ceremony.
Kitazawa followed quietly behind her.
To him, it didn't feel like he was walking on an ordinary road — it felt like he was walking along the path leading directly to the Hokage's seat.
A sense of relief filled him. After working so hard for so long, he had finally secured a stable place in Konoha.
Once Tsunade officially became Hokage, his own position would rise as well. Combined with his steadily growing strength, his future truly looked bright.
Of course, he couldn't afford to lower his guard.
Danzo for now, and Nagato and Uchiha Obito in the future — each one was a greater threat than the last.
For the moment, he could only say he had achieved temporary success.
Lost in thought, Kitazawa arrived at the Hokage Building.
The surrounding villagers and ninja began to disperse in an orderly manner.
Even the "Genius Class" students were led back to the academy by Kosuke and Kakashi — though none of them wanted to leave.
Meanwhile, in a distant corner, Danzo stood silently, his hand gripping his cane tightly.
He had not expected Hiruzen to pull such a move.
After this grand welcoming ceremony, it would be almost impossible for Tsunade not to become Hokage.
Hiruzen's intentions were now crystal clear — he was determined to hand over the title to her.
"Hiruzen… you'll regret this," Danzo muttered through gritted teeth.
A grim realization dawned on him.
Even if he managed to control Tsunade into supporting him, Hiruzen would never agree to make him Hokage.
Unless he controlled Hiruzen as well. But Danzo had no confidence he could do that.
What troubled him most now was the Byakugan.
He had learned the real reason for the Mist's surrender — Yagura had been under a genjutsu that made him declare war on Konoha, and once the illusion was dispelled, the war had ended instantly.
The Byakugan could see through genjutsu. And though Kotoamatsukami was a Mangekyō Sharingan dōjutsu, it was still a form of genjutsu.
If Tsunade or Hiruzen fell under its control, could the Byakugan detect it? If it could, his entire plan would collapse.
But could he afford to back down now?
No — giving up now meant losing his only chance.
He wouldn't live long enough to see Tsunade retire.
"If all else fails… I'll just have to kill her," Danzo whispered, his face twisting with murderous intent.
Tsunade was powerful, and with the Yin Seal, she was nearly impossible to kill.
But with Kotoamatsukami, he could control her first — then kill her.
Once Tsunade was dead, she could never become Hokage.
The only problem was how to do it without alerting Hiruzen and the others… and without leaving solid proof.
He would be suspected, of course — but suspicion was fine, as long as there was no evidence.
Danzo stood silently, lost in his dark thoughts.
—
At the Hokage Building.
"Everyone has worked hard! Without you, there would be no victory for Konoha!" Hiruzen stood before Tsunade and the returning ninja, his voice strong and full of pride.
"Each of you has contributed greatly, and each of you will be rewarded accordingly!"
"Thank you, Hokage-sama!"
The crowd immediately burst into excited cheers.
"Because so many are involved," Hiruzen continued, his tone softening into a smile, "we won't issue your rewards today. Return home for now — your rewards will be delivered later."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" everyone answered in unison.
"Jonin, report to the conference room for a meeting," Hiruzen added.
After the Chunin and Genin departed, the plaza before the Hokage Building quickly emptied.
After all, among the four thousand Konoha ninja who had participated in the war, the majority were Chunin and Genin.
Kitazawa followed Tsunade into the Hokage Building's conference room.
The meeting began.
Nara Shikaku stood up and reported the casualties of the war.
"Every ninja who sacrificed their life for Konoha must be given full compensation," Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered. "Shikaku, I'll leave that matter to you."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Shikaku responded immediately.
"Besides compensation," Hiruzen continued, "the most important thing is to reward merit properly."
His gaze shifted toward Tsunade. "Tsunade, I'm entrusting this task to you."
"Rewarding according to merit has always been the Hokage's duty," Tsunade said, frowning slightly.
"You were the frontline commander," Hiruzen replied with a smile. "You know better than anyone how much credit each ninja deserves. And besides, Konoha has no rule stating the Hokage must handle it personally."
Many Jonin exchanged subtle glances at those words.
It was clear to everyone — Hiruzen was already letting Tsunade perform the duties of a Hokage before officially giving her the title.