But when he heard that the hot springs were popular with girls—and that they were mixed bathing at that—his bottom line instantly vanished.
Sometimes, people need a break too.
Let's go enjoy a proper soak!
And so, the three of them dawdled for nearly a week before finally returning to Konoha.
The Third Hokage gave Tsunade tremendous face, arranging a welcoming procession worthy of a triumphant army returning from victory.
The news that one of the legendary Sannin had returned shook the entire village, but Uchiha Akihito didn't take it to heart at all.
In fact, he didn't even attend the welcome banquet the Third Hokage organized for Tsunade.
Akihito knew very well that bringing Tsunade back now was meant to pressure him.
If he knew he wasn't welcome, why would he go out of his way to make himself unwelcome?
Tsunade had left the village relatively early. Although Akihito had met her before, they weren't close.
When Tsunade had been at the height of her fame, he hadn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy yet.
Compared to Tsunade, Akihito had dealt far more with Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
It was a day off.
A slanting wind blew as fine rain drizzled down.
Rather than staying home to sleep in such weather, Uchiha Akihito summoned the Anbu under his command for a gathering at a tavern.
Aside from the four squad captains—Kakashi, Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, and Nono—
Gekkō Hayate, Genma Shiranui, Yugao Uzuki, Anko Mitarashi, and others were also present.
When Akihito recruited for the Anbu, he primarily targeted young people.
After a series of aggressive "poaching," nearly all the elite ninja of his generation had been gathered under his banner.
With them assembled in one place, it felt more like a class reunion for Akihito.
People of the same age naturally had plenty to talk about.
Cups were raised and clinked; laughter and conversation flowed freely.
Each of them carried dreams in their hearts, hoping to change Konoha through their own efforts.
Though the Third Hokage was hailed as the embodiment of light, the shadows beneath his rule were far from few.
Danzo could take the blame as the scapegoat, but Hiruzen Sarutobi was hardly free of responsibility.
Akihito didn't harbor grand ambitions. He simply wanted to step forward and sweep away the dust that had accumulated in Konoha.
He had no illusions about achieving everything overnight; he was prepared for long-term management.
Although the Uchiha massacre's history had already been altered, instability in the ninja world still remained.
Not to mention the Akatsuki, already stirring restlessly.
And beyond that, Uchiha Obito and Black Zetsu were still operating in the shadows.
Many trials still awaited Akihito.
The more influence he could secure, the better he could turn passivity into initiative.
He had already assembled his core team. Next came strengthening both himself and his subordinates.
As long as their foundation was solid, they could stand firm through wind and storm.
Though the future was full of challenges, Akihito—armed with his system—was confident he could face them.
Changle Street Tavern
The banquet organized by Akihito had officially begun.
Fine wines and exquisite dishes.
This high-end establishment offered virtually all of Konoha's signature cuisine.
Akihito spared no expense for his newly recruited subordinates.
When he took over Danzo's territory, he had confiscated a considerable fortune.
Now worth over a hundred million ryo, spending a mere hundred thousand for a bit of extravagance didn't trouble him at all.
Tsunade gambled away hundreds of thousands—sometimes millions—at a time.
Compared to her… Akihito was practically frugal.
Not long after the banquet began, someone suddenly pushed the door open.
A carefree voice drifted in.
"I'll be an uninvited guest."
"I assume no one objects?"
Tsunade entered with Shizune in tow.
Akihito let out a silent sigh.
He had deliberately been avoiding Tsunade to prevent trouble, yet she had come knocking anyway.
Since she was here, he would deal with it.
He was curious what exactly she intended.
Inside the tavern, Tsunade and Shizune's arrival didn't cause much of a stir.
Everyone continued drinking and chatting as if nothing had happened.
Among the Sannin, Jiraiya roamed the world freely, and Orochimaru kept others at arm's length.
Tsunade, though a princess of the Fire Country, was the most down-to-earth of the three. Many present were old acquaintances of hers.
As for Shizune, she had been in the same class as Akihito.
She blended naturally into the crowd without the slightest awkwardness.
Akihito quietly slipped into the circle of male comrades—Kakashi, Might Guy, and the others—giving Tsunade no opportunity to make trouble.
He wasn't afraid of her.
He simply didn't want to fall into the Third Hokage's scheme.
With Tsunade's return, Hiruzen had surely whispered plenty in her ear.
Even if she originally had no prejudice against the Uchiha, who knew what misunderstandings might arise after constant prompting from her old teacher?
If you can't afford to provoke someone, avoid them.
That was Akihito's attitude toward Tsunade.
The Third Hokage might be adept at emotional manipulation, but Tsunade would never be as deranged in targeting the Uchiha as Danzo had been.
As for the position of Hokage, Akihito wasn't particularly obsessed with it.
If Tsunade wanted it, he wouldn't mind yielding.
What he truly wanted was independence for the Uchiha clan.
As long as the Uchiha were strong enough, he would always wield substantial influence within the village.
Fame was meaningless. Strength was what truly mattered.
Spending day and night buried in paperwork in an office was not the life he desired.
The moment Shizune appeared, she was pulled into the girls' group by Kurenai, Anko, Yugao, and the others.
Tsunade, despite having many acquaintances, felt somewhat out of place.
The atmosphere resembled a youthful class reunion—hard for an older single woman to slip into seamlessly.
She glanced toward Akihito, her brows knitting slightly in displeasure.
As the Fire Country's princess, she was usually the center of attention wherever she went.
Yet here, at Akihito's gathering, she was being coldly ignored!
She snorted and retreated to a corner to drink alone.
If no one would pay her attention, she would drown her frustration in food.
"Ten deep-sea lobsters."
"Five imported steaks from the Land of Lightning."
"Three jin of Nara clan specialty venison."
Holding the menu in one hand, she slapped the table with the other.
She radiated the air of someone unconcerned about money.
Before coming, she had already confirmed that Akihito was footing the entire bill.
Outwardly calm, inwardly malicious.
That brat from the Uchiha clan dares ignore me?
I'll eat you into bankruptcy today!
After ordering dozens of signature dishes in one go, Tsunade still felt unsatisfied.
"Don't you have limited-edition wine?"
"Bring me two bottles!"
The tavern owner looked conflicted.
Though Tsunade was a high-born "princess," her finances were notoriously terrible.
Back when he ran a street stall, he'd often heard rumors of Tsunade borrowing money everywhere to gamble in Konoha's casinos.
The once-great Senju clan had long since declined by her generation.
If she couldn't pay later, it would be troublesome.
But refusing to serve her would offend the Fire Country's princess.
One of the famed "Three Sannin" wasn't someone a tavern owner could afford to anger.
The owner hesitated.
Then he reconsidered.
Even if Tsunade couldn't pay, wasn't the Third Hokage backing her?
Judging from the grand welcome ceremony days ago, he valued her highly.
If necessary, he could simply send the bill to the Hokage Tower.
Surely the Third Hokage wouldn't let news spread that his disciple had dined and dashed.
With that thought, the owner smiled knowingly.
A single meal costing hundreds of thousands of ryo—Tsunade was a rare big spender!
The customer is king.
Of course he'd make a handsome profit!
Beaming, he personally delivered the two limited-edition bottles to Tsunade.
"Please enjoy, honored guest."
"If you need anything, just say the word."
His enthusiasm pleased her greatly.
As expected of a businessman—far more perceptive than a certain clueless brat!
She waved him off and began feasting heartily.
"Chomp, gulp."
"Mm, not bad."
"Konoha's cuisine really does taste best!"
Oil glistened at the corner of her lips as she ate with relish.
The dishes were high quality—but best of all, she didn't have to pay.
What could be more satisfying?
Imagining Akihito's pained expression when settling the bill filled her with smug delight.
Pretend you don't know me, huh?
I'll be the biggest spender here!
Before coming, Tsunade had heard plenty about Akihito from the Third Hokage.
Anyone who could give Konoha's higher-ups headaches—even her—naturally intrigued her.
She had originally planned a direct confrontation.
Instead, she found herself freeloading at a banquet.
She cast a resentful glance at Shizune.
Chatting happily with her old classmates while ignoring her own teacher.
All these years of teaching for nothing!
Though Shizune's talent was limited, Tsunade had instructed her carefully because of Kato Dan.
And Shizune, in turn, was devoted to Tsunade.
She was Tsunade's blind admirer.
When Tsunade later became Hokage, Shizune would serve faithfully as her secretary.
They had been away from Konoha for a long time. Seeing so many old friends at once, Shizune's distraction was understandable.
With Tsunade likely to inherit the Hokage position, reconnecting with classmates could also be seen as networking on her behalf.
Though Shizune had once admired Akihito during their academy days, when it came to the Hokage position, she would undoubtedly support Tsunade.
The banquet at Changle Street Tavern continued.
Aside from Tsunade drinking alone, the men and women in the hall formed distinct groups.
Male Section
Kakashi, Might Guy, and Genma had drunk quite a bit.
With no missions tying them down, drinking freely was one of life's simple pleasures.
Slightly tipsy, Might Guy seemed ready to unleash himself.
First, he proposed performing a passionate dance.
Then he loudly declared he would gift everyone a set of "youthful" outfits.
Kakashi was the first to refuse.
The eye-searing dance aside, he might reluctantly humor Guy in private.
But those dark-green bodysuits?
Absolutely not.
Wear that in public by day, and you'd socially die by night.
Genma, toothpick in mouth, kept up a stream of commentary.
He was already talkative—drunk, even more so.
Though Akihito had drunk plenty, he remained sober.
With Tsunade as an unstable variable, he couldn't relax.
She hadn't caused trouble yet—but who could guarantee she'd stay quiet?
With her temperament, she'd beat up Jiraiya without hesitation.
Akihito doubted she'd be intimidated by his title as Hokage's aide.
Of course, she would need a proper reason to pick a fight.
Peeping in the women's bathhouse? Jiraiya would be guilty every time.
Akihito? That wouldn't stick.
These days, countless young women in Konoha were eager to throw themselves at him.
Like Naruto after becoming the "Hero of Konoha," he was absurdly popular.
Popularity could serve as a shield.
Targeting a public figure wasn't so easy.
Female Section
Shizune chatted animatedly with Kurenai, Anko, and Yugao.
Back in their academy days, they had all been members of Akihito's fangirl club.
Reuniting now, they had no shortage of shared topics.
"So you all joined under Akihito—still have feelings for him?"
Shizune grinned, clearly fishing for gossip.
The girls blushed slightly.
Most of them were still single.
To claim they'd lost interest would be self-deception.
Anko bit into a skewer of her favorite dumplings and shot back:
"You're the one who came back asking about Akihito right away. Aren't you the one who can't forget him?"
"Orochimaru betrayed the village. Right now, all I want is to help Konoha eliminate that traitor. I don't have time for romance."
She meant it.
In the Forest of Death, she had attempted to use the forbidden technique Twin Snakes Mutual Death to perish alongside Orochimaru.
But as only a Special Jonin, she was worlds apart from him.
Even giving her all, she posed little threat.
After Anko spoke, Yugao added her thoughts.
She admitted she had liked Akihito in their academy days—but Gekkō Hayate had recently been pursuing her fervently.
From her tone, she seemed inclined to give up on Akihito and confirm a relationship with Hayate.
Kurenai's gaze flickered subtly.
A famed beauty of Konoha, she had never lacked suitors.
The strongest contender was Asuma Sarutobi, son of the Third Hokage.
Asuma had pursued her for a long time, but she had always held a torch for Akihito.
Recently, Asuma had left Konoha to serve as one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja protecting the Fire Country Daimyō.
He had repeatedly warned Kurenai to keep her distance from the Uchiha.
Yet she had ultimately chosen to join Akihito's direct Anbu unit.
With Asuma—the devoted pursuer—gone from the village, Kurenai devoted all her attention to Akihito.
There was no doubt she liked him deeply.
She had simply never received a response.
In recent years, Akihito had been consumed by concerns over his clan's fate, causing him to overlook many things.
He should have lived the vibrant life of a young man.
Instead, he was dragged into the power struggles of Konoha's leadership.
In the jianghu, one is often not master of one's own fate.
As the saying goes: only the fish knows whether the water is warm or cold.
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