After saying those final words, Hiruzen slowly closed his eyes.
His hand fell weakly beside the bed.
Tsunade lowered her head, her expression complicated as she looked at Hiruzen's corpse.
Jiraiya straightened up and remained silent for a long time.
"Homura... is an amateur..."
…Old man, was that really your final lingering thought before death?
Jiraiya let out a bitter laugh, then turned around and walked toward the door.
As he passed by Tsunade, he stopped, reached out, and patted her shoulder.
"Let's go."
"The current Hidden Leaf is a complete mess. There's still a lot that needs to be done."
Outside the hospital room, rain had begun falling at some unknown point.
...
Hiruzen's funeral was hurriedly held beneath the rain.
A temporary memorial altar had been erected beside the Hidden Leaf Memorial Stone, with a black-and-white portrait of the Third Hokage Hiruzen hanging above it.
Unexpectedly, all the major ninja clan heads personally attended the funeral.
Shikaku, Inoichi, Choza, Hiashi, Tsume...
These people whom Hiruzen had been unable to move no matter what over the past several years were now all standing beneath the rain with solemn expressions.
Perhaps because the man was already dead, all grudges should drift away with the wind.
Or perhaps because they understood that Hidden Leaf had already reached the brink of life and death. If they continued fighting internally, none of them would meet a good end.
Koharu stood beside the memorial altar, her expression gloomy, no one knowing what she was thinking.
Tsunade stood at the very front without an umbrella, allowing the rain to soak her hair and clothes.
After the funeral ended, Tsunade officially succeeded as the Fifth Hokage.
There was no grand inauguration ceremony, no cheering crowds, no fluttering ribbons.
She simply walked into the office that belonged to the Hokage, cleaned away everything Hiruzen had left behind, and thus completed the transition of power.
"Gather all the major ninja clan heads. We're holding a meeting."
She spoke to Kakashi at her side.
...
Inside the conference room, both sides of the long table were filled with people.
The clan heads of every ninja clan had arrived.
Neither Homura nor Koharu had received invitations as advisors, yet the two who refused to relinquish the power in their hands still shamelessly came to the conference room anyway.
Tsunade sat in the main seat and swept her gaze across everyone present. Her eyes paused briefly on the two advisors before she decisively spoke:
"Report the battlefield situation."
Kakashi immediately stepped forward.
"The northern Hidden Cloud battlefield has collapsed. More than half of Lord Homura's forces were lost, and the remnants have withdrawn back to Hidden Leaf. Raikage A personally led the main force southward."
Despite the gazes directed at him from every direction, Homura acted as though he noticed nothing.
"The northwestern Hidden Stone battlefield also collapsed after the Third Hokage was severely injured and the troops lost command. Hidden Stone's Five-Tails Jinchuriki remains active, and our casualties are severe."
"As for the western Hidden Sand battlefield, they are still engaged in bitter fighting. However, after learning that the other two fronts had collapsed, the commanders have already begun abandoning their positions and slowly retreating toward Hidden Leaf. They are expected to return within the next few days."
The conference room fell silent.
After listening, Tsunade remained silent for a moment.
"So in other words, Hidden Leaf currently no longer possesses any organized resistance force on the front lines?"
No one responded.
Tsunade stood up, bracing both hands against the table as she leaned forward.
"Everyone, Hidden Leaf has reached a life-or-death crisis. There's no need for me to explain the principle that when the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact."
Sweeping her gaze across the room, Tsunade continued:
"I know there have been many unpleasant conflicts between the village and the major ninja clans over the past few years."
"That said, with my succession, all of that ends now."
"As the newly appointed Hokage, I need every ninja clan to set aside past grievances, mobilize their clan ninja, reorganize the forces, and resist the invasion."
"Hidden Leaf was founded by my grandfather, the First Hokage. It is also the home that successive Hokage and countless ninja protected with their lives. It must not fall in our generation."
The conference room remained silent for a moment.
Shikaku was the first to speak.
"Lord Fifth Hokage, the Nara clan is willing to cooperate!"
"The Yamanaka clan as well."
"The Akimichi clan, count us in."
"The Hyuga clan is willing to fight for Hidden Leaf."
Tsume nodded her head.
Shibi Aburame also gave a nod.
"Good!"
"As compensation, future mission commissions in Hidden Leaf will be distributed according to how much each clan contributes in this war. The more you contribute now, the more you will profit in the future!"
Upon hearing this, displeasure appeared on Koharu's face.
Those ninja clans had not even started working yet. How could Tsunade already promise them benefits now?
Koharu opened her mouth as though wanting to say something, but after seeing Tsunade's icy gaze, she ultimately did not dare speak.
Naturally, the major ninja clans had no objections whatsoever.
Shikaku spoke on behalf of everyone:
"We will later submit the list of ninja each clan is willing to mobilize."
Tsunade nodded in satisfaction.
However, she knew that relying on defense alone would not solve the problem.
Her tone shifted:
"Other than the necessary defenses, if we want to force the three enemy shinobi villages to retreat, relying solely on Hidden Leaf's current military strength is nearly impossible."
"We must use necessary diplomatic measures to resolve this crisis."
"Does anyone have any ideas?"
Shikaku pondered for a moment before slowly speaking:
"Lord Fifth Hokage, in the current shinobi world, there is one force that possesses great strength and has not participated in this war."
"If we can form an alliance with them, or even persuade them to send troops and create a pincer formation together with Hidden Leaf, we will definitely be able to repel the enemy."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"You mean... the Uchiha of Hidden Gento Village?"
"Exactly."
Shikaku nodded.
"The Uchiha's strength was already proven three years ago when they repelled Hidden Cloud."
"Although they left Hidden Leaf, they do not have any fundamental conflict of interests with the Land of Fire."
"If we can persuade Gento Uchiha to send troops, the Hidden Cloud threat on the northern front could be resolved."
Tsunade recalled the young man who had paid off her gambling debts outside the casino several years ago.
At that time, he had only just begun to rise to fame in the shinobi world.
Now, he was the lord of Hidden Gento Village whose reputation shook the entire shinobi world.
Just as she was about to nod–
"This is outrageous!"
Homura suddenly slammed the table and stood up, his face red.
"The Uchiha not only assassinated Hidden Leaf high-ranking official Danzo Shimura, they also betrayed Hidden Leaf and defected from the village!"
"If you want to form an alliance with Hidden Gento Village, this old man absolutely refuses to accept it!"
The conference room erupted into an uproar.
The major ninja clan heads exchanged glances. Some sneered, some shook their heads, while others lowered their heads to drink tea as though they had heard nothing.
Tsunade's expression darkened.
She stared at Homura, her voice carrying a chill.
"Advisor Homura, your incompetent command and battlefield desertion on the northern front led to the deaths of many Hidden Leaf ninja. I haven't even settled that account with you yet, and you still think you have the right to slam the table here?"
Homura's face alternated between pale and red, his lips trembling, yet he could not utter a single word.
Tsunade took a deep breath and patiently said:
"Forming an alliance with the Uchiha is for Hidden Leaf's survival."
"The enemy has three forces while we only have one. If we don't seek allies, how are we supposed to fight this war?"
Seeing Homura being suppressed, Koharu immediately stepped in to support him.
"Lord Fifth Hokage, the Uchiha harbor wolfish ambitions. Forming an alliance with them is no different from seeking a tiger's skin!"
"Enough!"
Tsunade slammed the table, her voice suddenly rising.
"Advisor Koharu, what exactly have you done for Hidden Leaf all these years?"
"Other than attending meetings, signing papers, and enjoying the privileges of an advisor, have you made any substantial contribution to Hidden Leaf?"
Koharu's face turned the color of pig liver.
"Y-You!"
"While Hiruzen was alive, you people clung to power, sidelined the Fourth Hokage, drove away the Uchiha, and turned Hidden Leaf into a total mess."
"Now that Hiruzen is dead, you still want to continue?"
"I, Tsunade, will be the first to refuse!"
She turned around to face everyone.
"I hereby announce: effective immediately, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane are removed from their positions as Hidden Leaf advisors!"
"How dare you!"
Koharu screamed as she shot to her feet.
Tsunade smashed her fist into the table before her.
Boom!
The long table shattered beneath a single punch. Wood splinters flew everywhere, and documents scattered across the floor.
The conference room instantly fell silent.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at the table that had been reduced to pieces.
Tsunade withdrew her fist, brushed the wood splinters from her hand, and calmly said:
"Does anyone else have objections?"
Homura and Koharu's faces turned deathly pale, yet neither could say a word.
They looked around, hoping someone would support them, only to find the exact same expression written across every clan head's face: Serves you right!
Seeing the situation, Homura could only leave the conference room resentfully.
Koharu also slunk out behind him, disappearing through the doorway.
Scattered applause began to ring through the conference room before gradually growing louder and louder.
Tsunade returned to the main seat and sat down once more.
"The meeting continues."
...
After the meeting dispersed, only Tsunade and Jiraiya remained inside the Hokage's office.
Leaning against the window, Jiraiya said:
"I didn't expect you to remove those two old fossils so decisively. I thought you'd at least leave the old man a bit of face."
Sitting behind the desk, Tsunade snorted.
"Hmph. I would never allow something like that to continue."
Jiraiya nodded.
"So what are you planning to do next?"
As Tsunade flipped through the documents in her hands, she replied:
"First, finalize the new ninja forces. We'll use ninja from the major clans to replenish the Anbu losses from all these years."
Jiraiya nodded.
Seeing that Hidden Leaf's internal affairs had more or less settled down, Jiraiya, who had not revisited his old home in many years, intended to wander around Hidden Leaf's women's hot springs.
Just then, Tsunade seemed to sense something and raised her head to glare at him.
"You're not allowed to run around. Stay in Hidden Leaf and help me!"
Jiraiya's face filled with resistance.
"But I..."
"Hm?!"
Tsunade had already clenched her fist.
Seeing this, Jiraiya immediately forced a flattering smile.
"Well, I'll listen to you then. After all, you're the Hokage."
Only then did Tsunade lower her fist and continue:
"Besides..."
"After handling these most urgent matters, I plan to personally visit Hidden Gento Village and speak face-to-face with Gento Uchiha."
---
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