Just as Tsunade and Kawasaki were discussing how to arrange the venue, Keimei came in to report that Jiraiya had arrived.
Well now, Jiraiya was actually back.
Kawasaki had been so busy hosting Tsunade that he wasn't up to date on the latest news from Konoha. Could it be that Jiraiya had come because he heard Tsunade was here? Tsunade hadn't bothered to hide her movements; after all, she planned on visiting the Third Hokage later. Konoha must have known the moment she set foot in the Uchiha District.
He just hadn't expected Jiraiya to join the party.
Ah, Jiraiya. Konan's master.
Kawasaki's eyes narrowed slightly. He prepared to pull Jiraiya into the anti-Danzo faction as well.
…
"What wind brings Lord Jiraiya here today?"
With Fugaku blind and Itachi having returned in secret, it fell to Kawasaki to personally welcome their guest. Jiraiya looked at Kawasaki, who was leaning lazily against the doorframe, and found it difficult to reconcile this image with that of the new Uchiha clan head.
"Kawasaki, is Tsunade here with you?"
Kawasaki nodded. "She is. When Obito attacked, two of our clan members were critically injured. Only Tsunade could save them."
"I see." Jiraiya nodded with a frown, wondering if Tsunade had overcome her hemophobia.
A faint smile touched Kawasaki's lips. "You're here to see Tsunade, aren't you? Come on, I'll take you to her."
With that, Kawasaki started walking inside. Jiraiya sniffed the air. For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that Kawasaki's smile was a little odd.
Kawasaki led Jiraiya to a room adjacent to the treatment ward, where Tsunade and Shizune were discussing a treatment plan. When Jiraiya entered, Tsunade glanced up, shot him an annoyed look, and went back to her discussion with Shizune without so much as a greeting, detailing what equipment the medical room would need.
Jiraiya was at a loss. Shouldn't this be a joyous reunion between old friends? What had he done to upset Tsunade?
"Alright, it's settled. If we can get all this equipment, Oura and Rikuto's surgeries will be much easier." Tsunade finalized the plan with Shizune and sent her to find Keimei to procure the necessary medical supplies.
Then, Tsunade and Jiraiya were left staring at each other. The atmosphere was incredibly strange.
Kawasaki clicked his tongue. "Lady Tsunade, shall I arrange a room for you two?"
Tsunade nodded. "That would be helpful."
Kawasaki stood up and led them to a quiet room.
…
Inside the Uchiha compound, Kawasaki saw the two into the room and tactfully departed.
Left alone, Tsunade glared at Jiraiya. "What are you doing here?"
Jiraiya scratched his head. "Haha, I heard you were back, and I was so happy I just had to come find you."
"Cut the act. Tell me, what do you want?" Tsunade had never been one for beating around the bush.
Jiraiya's expression turned slightly more serious. "You're back. Why didn't you go see the old man in Konoha first?"
Tsunade crossed her arms. "I'll see him, of course. But there were two injured people here who needed my help, so I came."
Jiraiya was silent for a moment. "Just to treat two injured shinobi? Couldn't Shizune handle it?"
Tsunade snorted. "There's more to it than that. The Uchiha have hired me as their Medical Advisor. I'll be based here from now on."
Jiraiya's heart sank. It was just as he had feared. "Why so sudden? I thought you didn't like being tied down."
Tsunade spread her hands. "I couldn't help it. Kawasaki's offer was too generous."
Jiraiya was speechless. It was common knowledge that the Uchiha were now immensely wealthy, and Tsunade's love for money was equally well known. He supposed it made sense.
"What do you think about Kawasaki's recent inauguration ceremony?"
Jiraiya had crossed paths with Kawasaki years ago and had assured the Third Hokage that Kawasaki was not an ambitious man. But years had passed, and he couldn't be sure if Kawasaki had changed. Now that Kawasaki had roped Tsunade in, Jiraiya felt a pang of anxiety for Konoha.
Tsunade scoffed. She had just examined Fugaku and Itachi and learned the truth: the Mangekyo Sharingan eventually leads to blindness. From her perspective, Konoha's wariness was nothing more than the paranoia of small-minded men judging a gentleman by their own petty standards. The Uchiha had been forced to break away from Konoha by the village's own leadership.
"Relax. The Uchiha have no ambition to overthrow Konoha. Instead of worrying about them, you should be more concerned with that parasite, Danzo." Tsunade seemed to be defending the Uchiha, but she knew she was only speaking the truth.
"Danzo..." Jiraiya's most vivid memory of Danzo was related to the infant experiments. He had always carried the guilt of failing to bring Orochimaru back. Later, he had dragged his feet on the matter of capturing Orochimaru, and it wasn't until the Third Hokage was in peril that he realized Orochimaru might not be as evil as he thought. Since then, Jiraiya had been traveling between Otogakure and Konoha, trying to convince Orochimaru to return.
Tsunade was naturally furious about this, as the body Danzo had used for his experiments belonged to her grandfather, the First Hokage Hashirama.
"Did you know one of the subjects from those experiments survived?" Tsunade demanded sharply.
"What? Someone survived those experiments?" Jiraiya was stunned. The last time they spoke, the Third Hokage had only said that Danzo was responsible for the infants' deaths. He had never mentioned a survivor.
Seeing that Jiraiya's surprise was genuine, Tsunade snorted. "So you didn't know either."
Jiraiya was about to say more, but Tsunade cut him off. "Let's go. I was just about to see the old man anyway. There are some things I need to ask him."
"Alright." This was Uchiha territory, after all. It wasn't the place for such a conversation.
The two of them walked out together, where Shizune came running up to them.
"Lady Tsunade, Oura and Rikuto's conditions are stable. I plan to wait until the medical room is fully equipped before performing the surgery." Shizune was a capable individual, and Tsunade nodded in approval. "You've done plenty of surgeries like this. You'll be fine. The decision is yours."
Tsunade discussed a few more details with Shizune as they walked toward the compound's exit. Kawasaki was leaning against the doorframe.
Seeing them approach, he asked, "Lady Tsunade, will you be staying for dinner tonight?"
Tsunade paused, then smiled. "I will. I'd like some clear-stewed cabbage."
Kawasaki laughed heartily. "Done. You can count on it, Lady Tsunade." Then, turning to Jiraiya, he said, "Lord Jiraiya, things are busy in the clan, so I won't be able to entertain you properly. Please come again when you have the time."
Kawasaki gave a casual wave and turned to leave. Jiraiya had seen this side of Kawasaki years ago, so he wasn't surprised. However, judging by the aura Kawasaki now exuded, the man had certainly grown much stronger.
…
As Tsunade and Jiraiya left the Uchiha District, Tsunade noticed that the entire area was teeming with eyes. Whether it was ninja crows, ninja cats, or surveillance devices, the Uchiha compound was protected like a fortress.
While Tsunade marveled at how much the Uchiha had changed, Jiraiya began to explain the clan's transformation over the years. Though both of them had wandered the world, one was addicted to gambling and drinking, gathering information passively; Tsunade often knew less than Shizune. Jiraiya was different. He traveled the world with a keen focus on intelligence gathering. As a staunch protector of Konoha, he never missed any information related to the village.
…
Through her conversation with Jiraiya, Tsunade finally understood the reason for the Uchiha's recent changes. It was all because of the sudden emergence of a man named Kawasaki. His various policies were designed to keep the Uchiha away from Konoha's power struggles, allowing them to focus on their own development. While other ninja clans had their own industries, Tsunade had never seen one that had grown to such a massive scale.
Jiraiya also revealed that the Uchiha had even struck a deal with Orochimaru, which was why their business in the Land of Rice Paddies was thriving. The Uchiha provided culinary recipes, while Orochimaru provided loyal, discreet operatives. They promoted the restaurant business together and shared the profits.
At that moment, Tsunade's image of Kawasaki suddenly became blurry. Could the man who always seemed so casual really possess such a shrewd mind?
The two of them passed the fragrant Uchiha food street. Watching the bustling crowds, Tsunade finally understood how the Uchiha clan could live so well even without taking on missions. Running a business on this street, even an ordinary person could earn more than a ninja, and without the risk.
The Uchiha District was not far from the main village, and with their speed, they soon arrived back in Konoha. They headed straight for the Hokage's office. Jiraiya instinctively moved to enter through the window but stopped when Tsunade shot him a glare as she walked toward the main entrance. He awkwardly jumped down and followed her.
…
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage was already waiting for Tsunade. He felt a mix of emotions knowing that after so many years, her first stop upon returning was the Uchiha District.
Bang!
The door was thrown open. Tsunade strode in, with Jiraiya following behind to close the door.
"Old man, I'm here to ask you something." True to form, Tsunade dispensed with the pleasantries and got straight to the point.
Seeing that she had no intention of catching up, the Third Hokage could only say, "What is it you want to ask?"
"That experiment back then, did an infant survive? A boy named Tenzo?"
The Third Hokage nodded wearily. "Yes. He's in the Anbu now." There was no point in denying it; Kawasaki must have told her. Kawasaki had directly intervened in that incident years ago and even helped Tenzo.
Tsunade snorted and slammed her palm on the desk.
Crash!
The entire desk split in two.
"Why did you use my grandfather's body for experiments without my consent!?"
The Third Hokage could only shift the blame. "I was not aware of the matter. It was only after I sent people to capture Orochimaru that I learned of it."
"Then why didn't you hold Danzo accountable?" Tsunade asked, her voice laced with displeasure.
The Third Hokage sighed. "At the time, Orochimaru had defected, and we all believed he was solely responsible. You weren't in the village, so I had Jiraiya investigate. We never managed to catch Orochimaru, and the matter was delayed."
Tsunade crossed her arms. "What do you plan to do about the Uchiha? Kawasaki specifically came to me and asked me to testify for them. I already sent my handwritten letter back, so why hasn't the village cleared their name?"
The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe. "So much time has passed. Many things needed to be re-investigated, which takes time... The investigation is now complete. A statement regarding the Night of the Nine-Tails Attack will be released soon."
Tsunade rolled her eyes. The Uchiha's side of the story was already known throughout the ninja world. Konoha was only finishing its "investigation" now? More likely, they were being forced to announce it.
"Was there only one survivor from that experiment?"
The Third Hokage frowned. "As far as I know, only Tenzo survived."
Tsunade stared into his eyes. "Then why can Obito and his accomplice also use Wood Style?"
The Third Hokage fell silent. He had confronted Danzo before, and from his words and behavior, he knew Danzo was hiding something.
"Old man, arrest Danzo immediately! We must find out how many other secrets he's hiding!" Tsunade's voice was sharp.
The Third Hokage hesitated. "Arresting Danzo so suddenly would not be appropriate."
Tsunade stared at him, saying nothing for a long moment. She was deeply disappointed. How had her teacher become like this? When did he adopt this indecisive way of handling things? Or perhaps... perhaps he had known about everything all along and simply chose not to stop it?
A wave of weariness washed over Tsunade. She turned and walked toward the door. "I'm leaving. Going home for dinner."
The Third Hokage's words caught in his throat. "Tsunade, where are you going?"
Tsunade didn't answer him, simply walking down the corridor and descending the stairs.
"Where is Tsunade staying?" The Third still didn't understand why she had gone to the Uchiha.
Jiraiya gave a bitter smile. "Kawasaki invited her to be the Uchiha clan's Medical Advisor."
"What!?"
The Third Hokage nearly tore out his beard. Orochimaru falling under Kotoamatsukami was one thing, but how had the Uchiha convinced Tsunade as well?
"Old man, I think we really need to investigate Danzo thoroughly."
The Third Hokage frowned. "First, release the announcement about the Uchiha's deployment during the Nine-Tails attack. As for Danzo... let me think about it."
When Kawasaki had retrieved Tsunade's letter, the Third had thought the matter was settled. He never imagined Kawasaki would bring Tsunade herself back. He had every reason to suspect that Jiraiya would be the next one Kawasaki poached.
In truth, the Third had already considered abandoning Danzo; he was just making preparations. Now, the situation had become extremely urgent.
The words of his teacher, Tobirama Senju, echoed in his mind: "Ah, the Uchiha clan..."
The Third Hokage's gaze slowly sharpened. If that's how it is...
…
In front of Konoha's bulletin board.
The board was rarely updated in the past, reserved only for major announcements. But recently, updates had been coming one after another. The last one was about the Uchiha clan; this one was about the Anbu.
"For a long time, some villagers have held misconceptions about the Uchiha clan. During the Night of the Nine-Tails Attack, they did not shirk their duty. Under the command of Elder Danzo, they assisted in the evacuation of non-combatants. The claim that the 'Uchiha Police Force did nothing' is purely a rumor. The Uchiha clan has always been an indispensable part of Konoha and has served the village diligently for many years. Please cease all baseless speculation and prejudice against the Uchiha clan."
A crowd of villagers gathered, scrutinizing the notice.
"So, the Uchiha were protecting non-combatants during the attack?"
"How come no one ever mentioned that? And why haven't any of those non-combatants come forward to clarify?"
"This notice is a joke. Why not post it sooner?"
"Exactly! Weren't there rumors that the Uchiha caused the Nine-Tails' rampage?"
"And they had to find the evidence to prove their own innocence."
"This notice doesn't even say if Obito was the real culprit or not."
"Do you really think they'd write that?"
"If they did, wouldn't that mean they were wrong to target the Uchiha all these years?"
"How did they target the Uchiha?"
"After the Nine-Tails incident, the Uchiha were forced to move their residential district to the edge of the village..."
…
Shortly after Konoha released the announcement, Kawasaki received a message from the Hyuga clan. He glanced at it with a look of utter disdain.
Even now, Konoha was still playing word games. But that was to be expected from the higher-ups. They never admitted their mistakes, and even if they did, they would downplay it. They put on a show by releasing a statement, shifting all the blame. Kawasaki had seen such tactics countless times in his previous life. It seemed things were the same everywhere.
But Kawasaki wasn't in a hurry. He had plenty of ways to apply more pressure on the Third Hokage and make him give up on Danzo sooner.
Just then, a paper crane on his desk came to life, flapping its wings and flying over to him. Kawasaki left a shadow clone in his room to handle his affairs while he followed the crane through the window, all the way to the outskirts of the Uchiha settlement.
Konan was already waiting for him in a tree. The paper crane circled in the air before landing gently on her head, transforming into a paper flower.
"That's an interesting paper flower you have."
Kawasaki arrived just behind her.
"If you like it, Mr. Kawasaki, I can give you a couple." Konan smiled gently, her expression quite playful.