"My head… it hurts."
Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose, cheeks an unhealthy pink.
"I did tell you to cut back on the drinking, Lady Tsunade," Uchiha Sogetsu said, sneaking a glance at Hikari and suppressing a sigh.
Yes, he'd had Hikari plant a false memory—but making Tsunade drink for two straight days to keep it stable was pushing it.
Good thing it was Hikari handling the implant; if it had been anyone else, Tsunade would've noticed.
Hikari ducked her head, fingers twining together, avoiding his eyes. She wasn't about to admit the truth—that she'd done it because she was jealous.
"Brat, I can't walk anymore." With that, Tsunade flopped onto Sogetsu's back right in front of a wide-eyed Hikari, pinched his cheek and teased, "We're almost there anyway. Think of the rest of the way as your medical fee—carry me home."
Shinobi clothes didn't have much fabric to begin with—and Tsunade was… abundantly endowed. The instant she pressed against him he could feel the weight.
No wonder she's practically the poster queen of certain books. The assets are… undeniable.
"Speaking of medical fees, Lady Tsunade—you still owe me five hundred thousand ryō."
Sogetsu could only keep walking with her on his back. He couldn't exactly dump her on the roadside.
Sometimes he wondered if that hypnotic suggestion he'd planted had accidentally included some… not-safe-for-work subtext.
Managing the doctor–patient relationship was turning out to be a real headache.
"Ahhh… sleepy."
Tsunade found a comfortable spot and promptly fell asleep on his back.
Creak, creak.
"Huh? What's that noise?"
Sogetsu followed the sound. Hikari was grinding her teeth, eyes red and glaring daggers at Tsunade.
…Right. Almost forgot.
There was another patient here with a much worse psychological profile.
Even so, they made it through without incident—barely—thanks to his constant suppression.
As they neared Konoha's gates, Sogetsu woke Tsunade. The last thing he needed was rumors about a "toy cart hauling a luxury carriage," or about being "kept by a rich older woman."
"Ahhh, that was comfy." Tsunade stretched, chest swaying. "Thanks, brat."
"Don't mention it." Sogetsu rolled out his sore shoulders. "Just remember to pay back the five hundred thousand."
"Tch, such a buzzkill. It's only five hundred thousand." She waved him off. "Once I go back and wreak some havoc, I'll pay you right away."
You? Wreak havoc?
Heh. If that day ever comes, half the village will be dead.
Sogetsu only nodded perfunctorily. "Sure, sure. I'll be waiting."
The village gates came into view.
Happy to be rid of his "load," Sogetsu quickened his pace toward the Hokage's office to file the mission report and then finally rest.
Of course, Root's eyes missed nothing.
The moment word reached him that Sogetsu and Tsunade had returned, Danzo scarcely warmed his chair, even forgot his usual posturing with the cane, and hustled straight toward the Hokage's office.
He'd barely contained the unrest within Root these past days.
Shinobi was a high-risk profession; ANBU even more so. When Root operatives learned that nearly every medical-nin in the village had refused to treat them, the backlash was explosive.
And yet… it accomplished nothing.
This collective pressure from the medical corps wasn't only Tsunade's doing; the Hokage's tacit approval lay behind it.
Danzo knew that well.
Root's growth had begun to make Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Hokage—uneasy.
This was the Third borrowing Tsunade's hand to check and warn him: there are lines you don't cross.
Prepared for a reckoning, Danzo pushed open the office door. He spared Sogetsu a covert glance and sneered in his heart, then focused on the main target. "Ahem. Tsunade, I—"
"Shut up."
Tsunade cut him off cold and treated him like air as she addressed the Third behind the desk. "Old man, this is my new disciple. Thought I'd introduce her."
Being ignored didn't faze Danzo. He'd expected it and simply waited.
"H-hello. My name is Hikari," the girl murmured from behind Tsunade's sleeve, peeking out with half her face. "You can call me Hikari."
"Heh heh… in the blink of an eye, even you have a disciple." Hiruzen stroked his beard, eyes warm with nostalgia. "She looks like a good kid. But I have to say, Tsunade—since you're a teacher now, no more gambling. Don't you go setting a bad example for her."
"All right, all right—spare me the lecture." Tsunade dug at her ear, impatient. "Just giving you a heads-up. If there's nothing else, I'll go."
"Wait." Hiruzen lifted a hand, then glanced at Danzo. "Don't be in such a hurry. You stirred up quite a mess; we should settle it."
"Hokage-sama, I'll take my leave then," Sogetsu said, sensing it was time to exit.
"Mm. Go on." Hiruzen, ever the indoctrinator, added, "I'll see to it that Danzo gives you all a satisfactory explanation. We're one village—no one gets shorted under me."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
On his way out, Sogetsu flicked Danzo a frigid look.
Expressionless, Danzo sneered inwardly: Just an Uchiha whelp. Once this blows over, I'll have plenty of ways to erase you.
Sogetsu read that intent as he stepped into the corridor, the corner of his mouth quirking. "Erase me? Heh. I look forward to it—don't disappoint me."
Back inside the office.
Hikari had been escorted away by ANBU at the Hokage's request. Only the three of them remained.
Knock, knock.
Hiruzen tapped out ash from his pipe, packed fresh tobacco, lit up, and drew deep. "Let's hear it. How do we resolve this? Letting it drag on hurts internal stability and the village—especially now, with other villages testing the waters. If this explodes, we all lose face."
Tsunade crossed one leg over the other on the sofa and didn't spare Danzo a glance.
When the person who mattered stayed silent, Hiruzen's head began to ache. His eyes went steely as he turned to Danzo. "It started with you. What do you propose?"
Knowing he'd have to pay, Danzo inhaled and said evenly, "Hiruzen, I won't meddle in the upcoming Hokage selection, and I'll cede a portion of Root's personnel. Will that do?"
It wasn't crippling, but it was heavy.
Hiruzen nodded, satisfied enough, then looked at Tsunade. "And you?"
"He tried to have Uchiha Sogetsu killed." Tsunade's eyes were ice. "We're just… letting that go?"
Hiruzen's brows knit. Those who knew him knew this meant displeasure. Even so, bound by who Tsunade was, he said, "I'll compensate the Uchiha for Sogetsu's case, and I'll warn Danzo not to move against him again. Will that suffice?"
"That's it?"
At the same old "keep the peace" solution, Tsunade's temper snapped. "Danzo colluded with outsiders to assassinate a Leaf jonin, and he faces no punishment?"
"Tsunade, I'm acting for the greater good. Try to understand." Hiruzen, nettled at last by his student's defiance, raised his voice. "Danzo has served Konoha, too. The shinobi world isn't calm—we need Root's strength. If I deal with Danzo rashly, I'm weakening us."
"The greater good! Always the greater good!"
Tsunade shot to her feet, fury boiling over, and stared at the master she'd once revered. "You say it's for the greater good—then what about White Fang—"
Those two words stabbed straight into Hiruzen's heart.
"Enough, Tsunade!" His palm slammed the desk; his face went black with anger. "That settles it."
Looking at the hard, predatory eyes of the man before her, Tsunade felt the last ember of hope go out. The once-familiar face turned utterly strange.
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