I am the most popular character in Naruto!

The village has gained a beautiful and attractive woman; that's good.

"Old man, stop smoking, you've been smoking too much."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow. She knew perfectly well that Hiruzen Sarutobi was secretly watching Chiaki from behind the smoke, and immediately gestured to Chiaki.

"Qian, take his pipe away."

Chiaki nodded obediently and moved to stand in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"excuse me."

Her delicate, white hand slipped into the smoke, precisely pinching the pipe in Hiruzen Sarutobi's mouth with two fingers. "Third Hokage, you'd better smoke less."

Chiaki subconsciously looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with concern, gently blinking her left eye, exuding a charming allure.

"Stop! We absolutely have to! We're quitting smoking today!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi wiped his nose and promptly handed the pipe to Chiaki.

She's too strong! She managed to injure and bleed the strongest ninja in the world in just one move. This woman is terrifying!

We must reuse him!

Chapter Sixty-Nine: I'm willing to do anything

"Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade, in recognition of your outstanding performance, you are hereby awarded the title of 'Konoha's Legendary Sannin.' From now on, you will represent Konoha in public and serve as role models for Konoha ninjas in private. Please be sure to set a good example and take the lead."

Hiruzen Sarutobi cleared his throat and pulled three scrolls from his drawer, tossing them to Jiraiya and the other two. “The rewards will be distributed later. For the next few months, you will need to stand by and try your best to raise your strength to Kage level.”

"Yes!"

Chiaki stood aside, watching with pride as the three accepted the awards, officially recognized as the new generation leaders and representatives of Konoha.

The legendary Sannin of Konoha: one was her older sister and personal master, one was her mentor, and one was her personal therapist. Wow, Chiaki took care of them all by herself.

"Haha, Qian, look!"

Tsunade excitedly jumped to Chiaki's side, hugged her, and spun her around.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Jiraiya exchanged a glance, clicking their tongues as they watched the interaction between the two.

"How about it?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi gestured to Jiraiya with his eyes, and Jiraiya returned his gaze with a regretful look.

"Is that so? It seems your skills have declined recently."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, and Jiraiya shrugged helplessly.

Orochimaru glanced at the master and disciple, then turned away, bored.

What's the point of women? They're so emotional, it can slow down their research. I really don't understand these guys.

"Let's move on to the next topic."

After Hiruzen Sarutobi and Jiraiya exchanged glances for a while, Danzo suddenly spoke up in a low voice.

"Thousand Hands, a pink witch, interesting."

"???"

Chiaki, who was standing next to Tsunade with her face close to hers, looked up in bewilderment. How did she end up getting caught in the crossfire?

Speaking of...

What the hell is a witch?!

"Hey, what do you mean?"

Tsunade raised her head in dissatisfaction, looking at Danzo with a predatory glint in her eyes.

"Tsunade, don't be rude!"

Koharu Utatane looked at Tsunade with displeasure and said, "This title was passed down by Chiyo. Why are you taking it out on Shimura?"

"Chiyo?"

Tsunade clenched her fist. That old hag, this time our feud is really serious.

"Having only studied ninja knowledge for a few months, Senju Chiaki is already able to demonstrate such great value on the battlefield. He truly lives up to his reputation as a ninja who inherited the First Hokage's cells."

Danzo said with admiration in his tone, without any hesitation, "Come to my Roots, and I will give you the best resources."

"Shimura."

Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped the table at the opportune moment, "Chiaki Senju is a member of the Senju clan. Don't try to take advantage of her."

“Sarutobi, get this straight, I’m just extending an invitation.”

Danzo glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Isn't it a good thing that excellent ninjas join Konoha's Root, making Konoha's foundation more stable?"

"Moreover, Senju Chiaki's identity is very sensitive, so going into hiding is the best option for her."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned; Danzo's words made sense.

To be honest, Chiaki's growth rate was too fast. Even with the endorsement of Jiraiya and the other three Sannin, the pink life force he displayed made Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitate.

This system is not part of the conventional ninja system; it can be considered a half-finished product created by Tobirama Senju.

What if one day it goes berserk like a tailed beast...?

"Heh, you kept saying you wanted Qianqiu to show her value, but she did, and now you want to sideline her?"

"Great Lord Shimura, what are you up to?"

Jiraiya then said sarcastically, "Without Chiaki, Tsunade and I would have died in this war. She protected both of us. If you were to keep such a great contribution hidden, wouldn't that discourage all the Konoha ninja?"

"That's right!"

Tsunade stepped forward and said disdainfully, "Root? Sen has no need to go to a place like that!"

"She has exceptional talent, and possesses the same powerful physique and mental fortitude as her grandfather. Given the current situation in Konoha, only with Chi's strong growth can we better deter other ninja villages!"

"Qianqiu's health is fine."

Although Orochimaru didn't say anything, he succinctly resolved Hiruzen Sarutobi's hesitation.

Danzo frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but Hiruzen Sarutobi simply tapped the table.

"Alright, Shimura, I understand what you mean."

"Tsunade's meaning is very clear: Chiaki is a member of the Senju clan, and we must respect the Senju clan's opinion. Let's leave it at that for now."

"Sarutobi! As per your orders, the Root organization must ensure the safety of Konoha's interior!"

Danzo said in a sinister tone, "If Senju Chiaki causes any internal problems later, your decision might be questioned. Do you understand this?"

"What problems might arise with Qianqiu? Tell me!"

Tsunade, with her fiery temper, was immediately displeased by Danzo's sarcastic remarks.

Jiraiya and Hiruzen Sarutobi exchanged a glance; both of them understood exactly what Danzo wanted.

He was still not satisfied with the Root organization and would inevitably try every means to cause trouble. Even if Chiaki himself was not wrong, he would forcefully pin problems on him to prove that Hiruzen Sarutobi's decision was wrong.

If a decision is flawed, then adjustments must be made.

The result of the adjustment was that Danzo broke away from Root and climbed back up to become the head of the Anbu.

"I was just suggesting a future possibility, Your Highness, please don't be so nervous."

Danzo looked at Tsunade with a forced smile. Tsunade gritted her teeth in resentment. She really couldn't do anything about Danzo; he was truly hateful.

"I'm willing to do whatever you need me to do!"

At this moment, Qianqiu suddenly stepped forward.

She knew she could no longer remain silent. Tsunade and Jiraiya had always protected her, but they could only protect her for a time.

To achieve a permanent solution, one must demonstrate their value to Konoha and deeply win over Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"As long as I can show that I have no ulterior motives and won't go berserk, that's fine, right?"

Chiaki looked directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi and said earnestly and sincerely.

"Anything is fine."

"I'm willing to do anything to prove myself and to gain the recognition of everyone in Konoha!"

"Ho..."

Orochimaru curled the corners of his mouth and stood silently to the side with his arms crossed.

"thousand……"

Tsunade clenched her fist. Even if everyone else disagreed with Chiaki, she absolutely agreed with him, and that would never change!

"Um……"

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent. If he could, he also wished he could directly believe in and acknowledge Chiaki.

However, as the Hokage, one must consider all circumstances and not rely solely on subjective feelings to make judgments.

knock knock

Just then, there was another knock on the door to the Hokage's office. A man opened the door and walked in with a cold expression.

Chapter Seventy: The Riddler Was Myself

"Oh, so you're waiting for me?"

Why is the atmosphere so oppressive? Am I not welcome?

"Then I'll go?"

With a familiar, flat tone laced with sarcasm, a white-haired man carrying his beloved short sword on his back ignored the atmosphere in the Hokage's office and casually strode in, standing at attention in front of the Hokage's desk.

"Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang of Konoha, reporting to the Third Hokage!"

Sakumo Hatake bowed slightly, and Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded with relief, "It's good that you're back."

"White Teeth!"

Jiraiya and Tsunade looked at Sakumo Hatake with surprise, while Orochimaru was clearly somewhat surprised. After calculating the time in his mind, he looked thoughtfully at Hiruzen Sarutobi.