Chapter 192: Interfering In The Hidden Mist Village! Tsunade’s Hesitation
He… he actually said it out loud! Even when Uchiha Setsuna was still alive, he wouldn’t dare to openly say in front of me, a Konoha Advisor, that he wanted to replace the Hokage!
But Uchiha Ikeizumi showed no reservations!
After detecting that Hiruzen had blocked the path of Absolute Justice, the other party seemed to immediately entertain thoughts of “rebellion and coup.”
Doesn’t he know that if those words were overheard by someone with ears to the wall, it could become one of the means others use to attack him?
Uh…
The moment this idea popped into his mind, Homura Mitokado suddenly realized that Uchiha Ikeizumi truly wouldn’t care.
Moreover, even if others heard it, they probably wouldn’t be too shocked.
Because Uchiha Ikeizumi’s stance of pressing the Hokage step by step, showing no face to the Hokage at all, had already clearly told everyone that one day, he would make a move against the Hokage!
This moment.
The words Uchiha Ikeizumi said probably didn’t exceed some people’s expectations.
Homura Mitokado was silent for several seconds before he hesitantly said: “Hiruzen… has been Hokage for a very long time after all. It’s hard to find someone in the village who can compare to him. First, they need to have equally high, or slightly inferior, prestige. Second… they need sufficiently strong strength.”
Homura Mitokado had another sentence he didn’t say out loud—ideally, it should be someone not in the same faction as Hiruzen.
Otherwise, replacing the Hokage would be pointless, because Hiruzen could completely act as Konoha’s emperor emeritus from behind the scenes.
Of course.
If he said that out loud, he would truly be a complete traitor.
Homura Mitokado wasn’t that heartless toward Sarutobi Hiruzen yet.
He still leaned a bit toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.
“What about Tsunade?” But at this moment, Uchiha Ikeizumi suddenly named someone, stunning Homura Mitokado for a moment.
Because he realized… this candidate seemed truly quite suitable!
Tsunade, granddaughter of the First Hokage, also one of the Konoha Sannin, had saved many people through medical ninjutsu during the Ninja Wars, and her prestige among the ninja group wasn’t low at all.
And recently, she seemed to have fallen out with Hiruzen, clearly not standing on his side.
“Wait…”
Homura Mitokado couldn’t help turning to Uchiha Ikeizumi and saying: “Ikeizumi, why does it feel like… you’ve already decided long ago that Tsunade should take over Hiruzen’s position…”
A chill suddenly ran through his heart; he felt that Uchiha Ikeizumi wasn’t as simple as everyone imagined.
The other party seemed to have inscrutable schemes.
The other party seemed to have prepared various contingencies early on for Konoha’s current situation.
Uchiha Ikeizumi merely replied indifferently: “Simply because among Konoha’s current candidates, she’s the most suitable.”
“What about Jiraiya? He’s in Konoha too, he’s also one of the Sannin, he has high prestige in Konoha, and he’s not entirely on Hiruzen’s side either.” Homura Mitokado felt like he was going crazy, actually discussing replacing the Hokage with Uchiha Ikeizumi.
“But he’s on the side of unrealistic delusions.” Uchiha Ikeizumi said slowly: “A foolish person trying to find a savior to save and change the entire Ninja World—if he became Konoha Hokage, Konoha might end up even worse than it is now.”
Homura Mitokado really wanted to ask—is finding a booze-loving, good-for-nothing gambler to be Hokage really better than now?
But upon careful thought, he suddenly realized…
Recently, Tsunade seemed to rarely visit the Konoha Casino.
In the period right after Tsunade returned to Konoha, she visited the Konoha Casino several times almost every day, losing millions of ryō each day inside, becoming the Konoha Casino’s biggest gold（fat）main（sheep）.
But in the recent days, Tsunade’s visits to the casino had been decreasing. From several times a day to only once every three or four days.
And the reason wasn’t that she had run out of money.
It seemed because she had started to have other things to busy herself with.
For example…
Establishing a new medical team outside the Konoha system.
These past few days, Tsunade was reportedly running around for this, busy to the point of distress. But it was unknown what motivation was driving her, making her not slack off but grit her teeth and continue bustling about.
This change almost made Homura Mitokado unable to recognize Tsunade.
Hmm…
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t really a change, since the Tsunade before slacking off seemed to have such passion.
It was only after her loved ones and lover died one after another.
That Tsunade fell into the quagmire of life’s confusion.
“Maybe…” Homura Mitokado knew he didn’t have to answer Uchiha Ikeizumi’s question, but for some reason he spoke: “Tsunade is indeed quite suitable… at least as a backup candidate for Hokage. Um… actually, Elder Koharu and I selected backup candidates for the next Hokage long ago, one of whom was Tsunade, and the other was Jiraiya.”
After speaking, Homura Mitokado hurriedly left the Uchiha Police Force without stopping, afraid he couldn’t help saying more.
That would be too disloyal to Hiruzen…
His conscience wouldn’t allow it.
That would truly make him a traitor.
Homura Mitokado comforted himself in his heart, thinking he was only considering the Mitokado Clan and Konoha’s future.
He was forced to do this.
“…This guy seems to be some big shot in your Konoha, right? If I remember correctly, his name is Homura Mitokado? I saw his name and portrait in the bounty list at the Ninja World underground black market; he seems to be wanted for 25 million ryō.”
As a voice sounded.
Juzo Biwa walked out from behind a screen in the Captain of the Police Force office— from the moment Homura Mitokado entered, he had been hiding here concealing his presence.
Juzo Biwa sighed: “Uchiha Ikeizumi, you’re not planning a coup in Konoha, are you? I just wanted to join you, and you pull off such a big show; did I just voluntarily step into a vortex of trouble?”
Hearing Juzo Biwa’s self-mocking tone.
Uchiha Ikeizumi said indifferently: “Konoha matters don’t need your involvement; what you need to focus on is Hidden Mist Village in the Land of Water.”
Juzo Biwa narrowed his eyes, asking with some eagerness: “Are you already preparing to make a move on the Land of Water? But…”
Juzo Biwa asked suspiciously: “You haven’t even finished your business in Konoha, and next you’ll have to confront Konoha’s Hokage. In this situation, can you still spare attention for the Land of Water?”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said: “Konoha’s matters, I’ll leave to Tsunade to handle. If she can’t even take down Sarutobi Hiruzen, then she’s not suitable to be the next Konoha Hokage.”
Juzo Biwa was dumbfounded: “Has that Konoha Sannin Princess Tsunade already become your subordinate?”
“No.” Uchiha Ikeizumi said frankly.
Juzo Biwa asked doubtfully: “Then why are you so certain she’ll do exactly as you say?”
“She will.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said calmly.
Juzo Biwa couldn’t figure it out. However, he read another meaning from Uchiha Ikeizumi’s words—since Uchiha Ikeizumi was leaving Konoha Hokage to Tsunade, it meant he might personally head to Hidden Mist Village!
This…
At this moment, Juzo Biwa suddenly felt a bit lost: could the Bloody Mist Policy that put Hidden Mist Village in such a state really be ended one day? And by an outsider?
…
Afternoon.
Tsunade looked at the expressionless Uchiha Ikeizumi in front of her with shock, nearly giving up thinking for a moment.
“Ah? What?!!”
Tsunade took several seconds to recover; she stared at Uchiha Ikeizumi’s face for a few more seconds.
Then she couldn’t help pacing back and forth a few times, appearing hesitant to speak, then stopping.
Finally sorting out the chaotic thoughts in her brain, Tsunade faced Uchiha Ikeizumi and said: “I only said I would try to go around the old man and create a new Konoha medical team myself.”
“Then the ninjas in this medical team can provide certain medical treatment to the Police Force ninjas, and both sides can cooperate, so justice can continue long-term and avoid too many irreparable casualties.”
“But the problem is…”
“I never said I wanted to be Konoha Hokage! This position that makes one’s scalp tingle just hearing about it—once sat upon, there probably won’t even be a day of rest?”
Looking at the somewhat frantic Tsunade, Uchiha Ikeizumi said calmly: “If you want to create a new medical team, you can’t avoid the Third Hokage. Especially if you’re targeting students from the Ninja Academy, it’s even more impossible to avoid him.”
“And…”
Uchiha Ikeizumi paused, then said: “If you become Konoha Hokage, the progress of Absolute Justice in the Land of Fire will be even faster.”
“The speed at which justice rectifies the Land of Fire’s distorted and deformed moral thoughts will also be faster and more effective than we anticipated.”
“Once you sit in that position, some things that others wouldn’t listen to even after saying them a hundred or ten thousand times… you’ll only need to say them once, and they’ll do it.”
Looking at Tsunade whose expression suddenly froze, Uchiha Ikeizumi continued: “Since you’ve chosen to stand on the side of Absolute Justice, it means you hope to make this Ninja World a bit better. Sometimes, you must clear all obstacles blocking justice’s path; only then can the seeds of justice be sown throughout the Ninja World.”
Tsunade’s expression was complex: “If I don’t become Hokage, is Konoha Village and the Land of Fire beyond saving?”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said: “You can see what the Third Hokage has done.”
This one sentence blocked all the words Tsunade wanted to say.
“What about Jiraiya?” Tsunade asked.
“Do you think he’s suitable?” Uchiha Ikeizumi simply threw the question back at her.
“…Tch, that guy really was fooled lame by Mount Myōboku’s toads.” Tsunade irritably scratched her hair messily: “Is it really necessary to drive the old man off the stage? He’s so old; he might be gone any day.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said indifferently: “You should know what the words ‘dragging feet’ mean to justice.”
“Yes, yes, I know! It means delayed justice! Innocent victims! Villains sheltering perpetrators! Deepening distorted and deformed thoughts! In serious cases, it could… replay Nawaki’s tragedy…”
Tsunade took a deep breath.
As she spoke, for some reason, she suddenly fell silent.
After an unknown time of silence, Tsunade looked up and met eyes with the close Uchiha Ikeizumi; she asked somewhat blankly: “Does changing the Hokage to someone else really change a lot?”
“Can’t guarantee 100%.” Uchiha Ikeizumi answered slowly: “Because it depends on how determined you are.”
Tsunade narrowed her eyes: “Wait… you’re not trying to use me as a tool against the old man to make me the next Konoha Hokage, are you?”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said: “If you like to understand it that way, then you can.”
Tsunade “tch”ed and said: “Alright, alright! I’ll think about it.”
After seeing Uchiha Ikeizumi off, Tsunade slowly exhaled a turbid breath.
And behind Tsunade, Shizune had been trembling with fear listening to the two’s conversation topic.
Shizune swallowed hard secretly; only after Uchiha Ikeizumi’s figure completely disappeared did she weakly ask: “Lady Tsunade, are you really going to compete with the Third Hokage for the Hokage Position? This… isn’t this a bit too outrageous? You know, although the Hokage is a bit old, his physical condition is still pretty good.”
“And… and the Hokage is still your teacher!”
Hearing Shizune’s worried words, Tsunade glanced back at her speechlessly: “I didn’t agree to Uchiha Ikeizumi; why are you panicking? Why is your voice shaking?”
Shizune said weakly: “Because with Lady Tsunade’s personality, if you wanted to decisively refuse, you would have already said strong words of rejection. But you said you’d consider it, which actually means you’ve already decided what to do.”
Tsunade: “…”
…
A while later.
Land of Rain.
“Wasn’t it agreed to meet alone? Bringing two guards behind you without permission seems to violate the original agreement, doesn’t it?” Koharu Utatane stared at the woman in the black-bottomed red cloud robe in front of her, a flash of displeasure in her turbid eyes.
The person in front of her was none other than Konan, and behind Konan were two Six Paths Puppets that Nagato had assigned to guard her.
Konan said expressionlessly: “You have no right to demand that I must come alone to meet you. You’ve also arranged quite a few people hiding nearby in the shadows, right?”
“Let me guess how many… a total of eleven, all elite ninjas from Konoha Root. Am I right?”
Konan’s calm tone made a trace of barely perceptible shock flash across Koharu Utatane’s face.
Her eyes hid even deeper wariness.
At this time, Konan asked: “Elder Koharu of Konoha Village contacting the Akatsuki organization—is it to hire us for something? If it’s to fight a proxy war, our Akatsuki can act as Konoha’s perfect vanguard. However… our price is very high; I hope you can afford it.”
Koharu Utatane said sinisterly: “Konoha won’t proactively start any war; I want to hire you to join Konoha Root in eliminating one person.”
“Who?” Konan was a bit curious inwardly, her expression unmoved.
“Uchiha Ikeizumi!”
…
…
