Anko Mitarashi and Yugao Uzuki's words only strengthened the resolve in Kurenai Yuhi's heart.
Everyone had their own ideals.
Her ideal was simple—win Uchiha Akihito's heart!
The dishes were cleared, cups lay scattered in disarray.
The banquet was drawing to a close.
At that moment—
Tsunade, who had been drinking alone for quite some time, gradually edged closer to the girls' group.
Now that she had eaten and drunk her fill, it was time to figure out how to slip past the bill!
I'm one of the female guests too. It's only reasonable for Uchiha Akihito to pay, right?
For the legendary "Sannin of Konoha," Lady Tsunade, to grace this banquet with her presence was already giving Akihito plenty of face.
Hand over your savings obediently!
The more she thought about it, the better her mood became.
Beating Akihito so easily? This was almost too simple!
The old man had praised him to the skies, but he didn't seem all that impressive after all.
Tsunade looked completely confident, as if she had already eaten Akihito alive.
Akihito, meanwhile, gradually caught on.
So she kept quiet the whole banquet just to wait for this moment.
Trying to take advantage of me?
Let's see if I let you get your way.
Tsunade weaved skillfully through the crowd, striking up conversations everywhere.
"Yo, Kakashi!
You've grown taller!"
"Hey, Yugao—
You've developed nicely!"
…
She blended into the group with ease.
See? I'm with them. This is a group dinner, got it?
Watching her performance, even the tavern owner began to waver.
Could it be that Tsunade was also one of Akihito's invited guests?
Committed to being thorough and responsible, the owner respectfully approached Akihito.
"Lord Akihito, the total for the two private rooms comes to 180,600 ryo. I've rounded it down to 180,000."
"Additionally, Lady Tsunade's personal orders total 874,600 ryo. Shall I include that as well?"
Akihito glanced at Tsunade and asked calmly,
"Who ordered those items?"
The owner blinked, instinctively replying,
"Of course Lady Tsunade did."
A faint, ill-intentioned smile curved at Akihito's lips.
"Then you should ask her for the money."
The moment he finished speaking, Tsunade's face darkened.
I clearly blended into the group.
Why are you still singling me out?!
Tens of thousands of ryo meant little to her—but failing to take advantage of Akihito was infuriating!
She had planned to freeload.
Instead, she had to pay herself?
Her heart screamed in protest.
This can't end like this!
She turned toward Akihito, making one last attempt.
"Hey, brat.
Wasn't I your guest?"
Akihito rolled his eyes.
"Big sis, when exactly did I invite you?"
Tsunade pointed righteously at Shizune.
"She came with me.
Why treat us differently?"
Akihito smiled faintly.
"Shizune and I were classmates.
Were you?"
Tsunade froze.
The room was full of young people Akihito's age.
Crashing a reunion as an older single woman did make her stand out.
A tipsy Shizune staggered forward.
"Akihito-kun is right.
Lady Tsunade, you should pay your own bill."
Tsunade nearly burst a vein.
Her own disciple siding with an outsider?
How filial of you!
Though unwilling, she grit her teeth and paid.
She had recently fleeced ten million ryo from Jiraiya. Even after two casino visits, she still had several million left.
But spending hundreds of thousands on a single meal—
Just thinking about it hurt.
Freeloading attempt: failed.
Naturally, Tsunade pinned the blame squarely on Akihito.
That man was far too stingy!
I bet you'll never get a girlfriend in this lifetime!
After silently cursing him several times, she felt slightly better.
With a forced "pleasant" smile, she grabbed Shizune by the collar.
"Shizune. We're leaving…"
After sending off that troublesome woman, Akihito sighed inwardly.
With the Third Hokage bringing Tsunade back early, peace would likely be short-lived.
Tsunade bore no ill will toward the Uchiha—but she was firmly of the Hokage faction.
With just a little guidance from Hiruzen Sarutobi, she could easily end up at odds with Akihito.
Sitting at the top while letting ambitious figures below check and balance one another—this was the Third Hokage's habitual method.
When the White Fang shone too brightly, he elevated Danzo.
When his beloved student Orochimaru grew rebellious, he supported the Yellow Flash instead.
When the Uchiha proved unruly, he pushed the Hyuga forward.
Now, with Tsunade's early return, the intention was obvious—pressure Akihito.
He sighed.
The days ahead would not be peaceful.
Sure enough, once the holiday ended, the Third Hokage personally accompanied Tsunade to visit the elders of Konoha's major clans.
Though retired from the front lines, these elders still wielded considerable power.
Even the Uchiha were no exception.
However, most Uchiha elders were hawks. The Third Hokage had no chance of winning them over.
Let hawkish elders rein in a hawkish clan head? That would be desperation at its finest.
With the Third Hokage taking the lead, Tsunade quickly gained widespread support.
The Sarutobi, Inuzuka, Aburame, and Shimura clans directly aligned with the Hokage faction.
The Ino–Shika–Cho trio clans positioned themselves neutrally, hedging their bets.
The Nara were famously shrewd—backing both sides was standard practice.
No matter who won, the Nara would remain the Hokage's strategists.
The saying that the Ino–Shika–Cho only recognize the Hokage was not unfounded.
The Hyuga's response surprised many.
Though the elders urged caution, Clan Head Hiashi Hyuga overruled them and firmly sided with Akihito.
Thus, two major factions emerged—one led by Akihito, the other by Tsunade.
Competition flared across multiple domains.
With the Third Hokage's tacit approval, Tsunade acted aggressively.
Anbu restructuring.
Medical reforms.
Fiscal austerity.
All were set in motion.
Her sweeping reforms touched many vested interests.
The Uchiha were the first to feel the blow.
Take the Police Force—its annual budget of eighty million ryo was cut in half overnight.
The Anbu salaries were slashed as well.
Both departments effectively under Akihito's control were suppressed.
The Uchiha were outraged.
"Akihito, we can't let this stand!"
"Clan Head, when do we strike back?"
He heard such appeals daily.
Yet instead of confronting Tsunade directly, Akihito convened an emergency clan meeting.
There, he proposed an unexpectedly dovish policy:
As long as Tsunade did not cross certain bottom lines, the Uchiha would support her unconditionally.
Though doubtful, the clan complied.
Akihito's prestige was immense. If he called for a coup, most would follow without hesitation.
The Uchiha could tolerate it.
Not everyone else could.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, Konoha's two advisors, were furious.
The Medical and Finance Departments had long been within their sphere of influence.
Now Tsunade had seized them outright.
How could they let it go?
If she continued, they wouldn't just lose the cake—they wouldn't even get crumbs.
They had agreed to target Akihito.
Instead, they themselves were collateral damage.
Unbearable!
Filled with indignation, they stormed into the Hokage's office.
After hearing their complaints, the Third Hokage felt a headache coming on.
After all, he too benefited greatly from the Finance Department—how else could he maintain the Sarutobi clan's private forces?
But balancing Tsunade against Akihito had been his idea.
He couldn't abandon it halfway.
After careful thought, Hiruzen decided to endure the pressure.
Danzo's death had been a wake-up call.
Even at the cost of heavy losses, the leadership needed to show Akihito some color.
After much persuasion, the two advisors swallowed their anger.
Konoha's leadership needed someone to counterbalance Akihito.
Aside from Tsunade, there was no better candidate.
As they left, they grumbled like Danzo once had.
"Keep indulging Tsunade."
"It'll cause trouble sooner or later."
The Third Hokage smiled as always.
"As long as I'm here, rest assured."
Despite fierce resistance, Tsunade's reforms continued—thanks in part to both Akihito and the Third Hokage.
Having grown up around two Hokage grandfathers, Tsunade was no mere pretty face.
Beyond her formidable strength, her political acumen was sharp.
Previously restrained under Hiruzen, she now unleashed herself fully.
In the long run, her reforms were more beneficial than harmful.
If they proceeded as planned, Konoha's economy and overall strength would improve dramatically.
Freshly returned, she had already accomplished something major.
Her prestige rose rapidly—soon rivaling Akihito's.
Some even dubbed them the "Twin Pillars of Konoha."
Tsunade scoffed at the title.
Praise me all you want—but why mention him alongside me?
She had expected a fierce duel of wits.
Yet Akihito constantly avoided direct confrontation.
It felt like punching cotton.
Gradually, she began to look down on him.
Defeated the Cloud's strongest duo? Forced Danzo to death? So what?
In front of me, you're still a turtle hiding in its shell.
The more he yielded, the more she itched to defeat him openly—to make her teacher see her in a new light.
No matter her age, Tsunade still craved recognition from Hiruzen.
He praised Akihito endlessly.
She wanted to slap him in the face with proof.
Everyone knew that "filial piety" ran deep in Konoha's lineage.
Orochimaru had been "filial" enough to nearly kill the Third.
Nagato had been "filial" enough to kill Jiraiya.
And Obito had been "filial" enough to doom Minato.
Compared to such notorious disciples, Tsunade's brand of "filial devotion" was mild indeed.
Regardless of her reluctance, villagers continued to gossip.
"With Lady Tsunade and Lord Akihito around, Konoha will surpass even its historic peak."
As Konoha flourished, outside forces grew wary.
Including the Akatsuki, led by "Tobi" and Nagato.
The Akatsuki had recently reorganized.
Nagato and Konan were recruiting extensively.
Kakuzu of Takigakure and Sasori of the Red Sand were being approached.
Orochimaru of the Sannin and Jūzō Biwa of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were also under consideration.
Behind the scenes, Tobi played the hands-off boss, leaving recruitment to Nagato and Konan.
With time to spare, he once again turned malicious thoughts toward Konoha.
Since Rin's death, he occasionally sought to bring disaster upon the village.
The Nine-Tails Incident years ago had been one example.
Having inherited Uchiha Madara's legacy, Tobi knew many hidden secrets—including forbidden Uchiha techniques and the altered Six Paths tablet in the clan's shrine.
His goal was clear: cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi and create a world where Rin lived.
To achieve it, he had to gather all the Tailed Beasts.
For now, he had no plans regarding the Nine-Tails.
Though Minato and Kushina were dead, the Nine-Tails remained under tight Anbu surveillance.
While he could slip in and out of Konoha's barriers freely, abducting the Nine-Tails was unrealistic.
Besides, according to the Six Paths' tablet, the Nine-Tails had to be sealed last.
The time wasn't right.
At Kannabi Bridge, he had given one eye to Kakashi.
Though implanted with White Zetsu cells, he remained one-eyed.
With Konoha recently shaken by turmoil, harvesting a few Sharingan seemed like a fine opportunity.
Decision made, Tobi donned his mysterious mask and began operating near Konoha once more.
After two days of observation, he set his sights on a rising prodigy—
Uchiha Itachi.
Graduating the Academy at seven, awakening the Sharingan soon after, and now only eight years old—Itachi already possessed strength surpassing most Chunin.
If not for age restrictions, he would have passed the Chunin Exams already.
Following graduation, he joined a standard four-man squad under a Jonin instructor, handling D-rank missions—finding lost cats and dogs.
Itachi's performance was exceptional.
Their instructor, Mizunashi, praised him endlessly.
Fugaku was deeply gratified.
Akihito, however, felt a headache coming on.
Itachi's talent was unquestionable.
But whether his loyalty lay with the clan remained uncertain.
Uchiha Shisui had already fully sided with Akihito.
Itachi, however, had been deeply indoctrinated with the "Will of Fire."
Akihito wasn't confident he could change that.
The Third Hokage, aside from Tsunade, paid particular attention to Itachi.
In his words, he hoped Itachi would become like Uchiha Kagami—a bridge between the village and the clan.
As Fugaku's eldest son, Itachi's influence rivaled Shisui's within the Uchiha.
When Shisui refused to comply, the Third Hokage promptly shifted focus to Itachi.
In governance, he remained as cunning as ever.
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