After reading the dossier, Kosuke Maruboshi was livid.
His temperament brooked not a grain of sand.
With strong assistance from the Hyūga, related evidence was quickly gathered.
It was Danzō's Gozu Tennō experiment.
"Grandpa Kosuke, thank you for your hard work."
Natsume took the files. "I'll report to the Hokage. We may trouble you to make the arrest."
"It's no trouble."
Kosuke spoke righteously. "This involves Shimura Danzō. If the Hokage finds it inconvenient to act, leave it to me. I'm not afraid to offend."
He'd lived long; his wisdom was not lacking.
Danzō might be a mere jōnin now, but as a long-time Hokage aide and head of Root, his roots in Konoha ran deep.
Even as Hokage, Tsunade would have to think twice to deal with him.
But Kosuke was different.
He was old, with few years left. To remove a menace for Konoha with his last strength would be a bargain.
He did suspect this was Tsunade's deliberate power play.
But even if it was, it was still a good thing.
Because Danzō's experiments were egregiously callous.
Kosuke didn't mind being "used."
"Thank you."
Natsume showed genuine respect.
This was the true Will of Fire.
Not Hiruzen's embellished version, which had lost its purity.
After leaving the Police Department, Natsume didn't immediately hand the files to Tsunade.
He waited for Koharu and Homura to move.
He didn't wait long. That afternoon, through Katsuyu's shared vision, he saw one of them enter the Hokage's office.
…
"Tsunade."
Koharu felt a flicker of disgust but wore a kindly smile. "Hiruzen has matters to discuss with you. If you're free, come with me."
"Why are you delivering the message?"
Tsunade asked evenly.
"Hiruzen called not just you, but us two Advisors and Danzō as well."
Koharu explained unhurriedly. "The Sarutobi messenger went to Danzō. Your office is closer to me, so I came to convey it."
The story had no obvious holes.
Tsunade pondered a moment, then asked, "Where? The old man's house?"
"At the Valley of the End."
Koharu secretly breathed out—first hurdle passed.
"So far?"
Tsunade was surprised.
"I don't know."
Koharu wasn't surprised by the question. If it was hard to answer, she wouldn't answer.
"Maybe Hiruzen's been out clearing his head. At such a special place, he was reminded of the past and called us there."
Blame it on Hiruzen.
He indeed hadn't been in a good mood lately.
Tsunade frowned. Instinct said something was off, but it was her teacher—there was still sentiment.
Most importantly, she couldn't imagine Danzō and the others being so bold.
She picked up the Hokage cloak to leave when a knock sounded.
"Come in."
Tsunade sat back down.
Koharu didn't rush her, so as not to betray anything.
"Sensei, there's something you need to see."
Natsume walked in with a file, ignoring Koharu.
Her face darkened. As expected of teacher and student—same temper.
"If it's not urgent, leave it there."
Tsunade waved. "I'll see the old man and handle it after."
"It'll only take a few minutes."
Natsume blinked.
Tsunade paused.
She knew Natsume very well.
Even the smallest cues conveyed what he meant.
"Advisor Koharu, please go on ahead. I'll be along shortly."
Tsunade turned and smiled. "I don't think the old man will mind waiting a few minutes, right?"
Koharu's face stiffened. She didn't know what had happened, but at this point pushing would seem forced.
If their plan was exposed, it would be disastrous.
"Of course."
Koharu left the office.
"How'd it go?"
Waiting outside, Homura stepped up. "Did she agree? Why isn't she out?"
"She had something to handle, but she agreed."
Koharu stared at the closed door and spoke low. "Notify Danzō to be ready. I'll wait here for her."
"Got it. If anything changes, signal me."
Homura nodded and hurried off.
…
"Sis, you really do understand me."
Natsume stepped forward with a smile, set the file on the desk, and spread his arms for a hug.
"Business first."
Tsunade slipped off her heeled sandals, lifted a bare foot, and pressed it to his abdomen to stop him.
Then she picked up the file. It didn't take long before fury clouded her face.
"Danzō!"
She had known Konoha had done Hashirama cell experiments.
But those were overseen by Hiruzen, aiming to reproduce Wood Release, and participants had volunteered.
Later, because the mortality rate was too high, they were halted.
Three or four years ago, somehow, Hashirama cell implantation resurfaced.
Because it involved Hiruzen, Orochimaru, and Danzō, Tsunade couldn't intervene.
She'd thought it ended there, having already produced a number of Wood Release users.
Though far from Hashirama, it was a breakthrough.
She hadn't expected Danzō to still be conducting Hashirama experiments and to develop a weapon fueled by human lives.
It was betraying teacher and village—treason to Konoha.
"Hmph. I will not spare him."
Tsunade stood, killing intent surging. "Since the old man called us, I'll ask him to his face—is this worthy of Konoha?"
"Sis, do you really think this is a coincidence?"
Natsume took her clenched fist. "The Police Department's investigation likely tipped them off. I just asked ANBU—they haven't seen Sarutobi messengers delivering anything."
"You mean it's a trap?"
Tsunade frowned deeply. "Would the three of them really dare?"
"Why not?"
Natsume stroked her hand, trying to calm her. "If they kill you, their problems are solved in one stroke."
"How do they get past the old man?"
Tsunade reversed her grip, feeling the warmth he passed to her, and calmed notably.
"Suppose they kill you. What would the Third do? Nothing. Because if he then kills the three of them, Konoha will have been crippled."
Natsume wasn't slandering Hiruzen—this was very possible.
If Tsunade died, and then Danzō, Homura, and Koharu died, leaving only an aged Hiruzen—wouldn't that broadcast to the other four villages:
We're weak—come hit us.
Hiruzen no longer had grand ambition; he wouldn't gamble.
Tsunade fell silent.
She knew her teacher well.
In the original story, Orochimaru deemed Hiruzen decayed—a wind that no longer blew—and launched the Konoha Crush Pan.
Jiraiya and Tsunade both ran off.
Aside from personal reasons, they likely also wished to avoid Konoha's political strife.
They didn't want to watch a former mighty shinobi fall so far.
"Then let's meet them."
As Hokage, Tsunade wasn't ordinary. After a brief silence, resolve lit her eyes.
"I'll go alone. You take the Hokage Guard and the Police Department and follow. If it's confirmed they intend to kill me, you come out."
Though there was plenty of evidence, the three were Konoha's top brass. She couldn't arrest them on that alone.
Her plan was the best option.
Natsume nodded.
How to put it?
With this setup, Tsunade would be the biggest beneficiary.
Fresh to the Hokage seat, she'd handle a major case beautifully.
Her prestige would soar.
Even Hiruzen would find it hard to force her to step down.
Natsume thought this "raising" feeling was quite nice.
Tsunade was already a max-level character, but Hinata and Ino still had a long road.
There'd be plenty of fun along the way.
With Natsume's strength, he could easily kill the two Advisors—but then it wouldn't be Tsunade's feat.
Raising a cripple wouldn't be fun.
After Tsunade left, Natsume notified the Police Department and then went to the Hokage Guard office.
Before he opened the door, he heard Might Guy's hot-blooded slogans.
He lacked talent in ninjutsu, but in taijutsu he was unparalleled.
The Eight Gates—A forbidden art from entry to the grave.
To learn it required both talent and temperament.
To this day, only Might Duy and Might Guy had mastered it.
Might Duy had fought the Seven Ninja Swordsmen alone—an astonishing feat.
Hiruzen had once tried to promote the Eight Gates on a small scale, but no one else learned it.
At most the first two gates.
It improved strength, but not to a transformative degree.
And the effort required wasn't worth it—too time-consuming.
Natsume knocked and entered.
Five pairs of eyes in the office turned to him.
Yamanaka Ino looked pleasantly surprised and happy.
The other four were calm.
"Natsume, what's up?"
Shizune asked casually.
"It's a direct order from the Hokage."
As soon as Natsume spoke, Might Guy leaned in, excited.
"What is it?"
"Arrest the rogue ninja Shimura Danzō."
Natsume smiled.
All five were stunned.
Kakashi closed his Icha Icha and asked, "Are you sure you said Shimura Danzō?"
Though Danzō's reputation wasn't great, his loyalty to Konoha was indisputable.
None of them thought he'd betray the village.
Not even Might Guy.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have applied to join Root back then.
"It's true."
Natsume produced Tsunade's written order. "Everyone but Ino—come with me."
"Yes!"
Kakashi and the others answered in unison.
Ino hesitated but said nothing.
She really couldn't be involved—she could only look worried.
"There won't be a problem."
Natsume smiled at her.
Ino was dazzled by his looks for a few seconds. After he left, she snapped back.
"I wonder if Natsume-kun noticed my new hairstyle."
She twined a finger around her golden bangs.
The long fringe that used to cover her eyes had been swept to one side.
Still a single ponytail, but with a fringe more like Konan's—prettier.