I founded the "Bragging Cult" in Naruto.

Chapter 422 Do not lean on the railing alone; the boundless landscape is easy to leave but hard to meet again.

Akimichi Torifu is one of the most unique people in Konoha. With his resume and status, he could have become a member of the Konoha Elder Council much earlier, but he did not do so.

Instead, he chose to retire at the peak of his career and power. He not only did not become an elder in the village, but also stopped going on missions, and only held a sinecure in Konoha's security department.

It can be said that he avoided decades of detours and entered retirement life early. However, if he wanted to, he would still have considerable influence because he was the bodyguard of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and one of the people entrusted with important responsibilities in the future by Tobirama Senju.

Tatsuma didn't interact with him much. Apart from visiting him during the New Year as Tobirama Senju and the heir of the Senju clan, there was almost no other communication. The only time they communicated alone was three years ago at Mito Uzumaki's funeral.

It was during that incident that Tatsuma gained a certain understanding of Akimichi Torifu's status, realizing that he could do things he wanted, things that even Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura couldn't stop him from doing.

And after it's all over, Hiruzen Sarutobi won't hold him accountable, provided it's not excessive.

Most importantly, from that conversation, Tatsuma understood that Akimichi Torifu was an unwavering member of the Senju faction, and now that Hatake Sakumo said he wanted to take over Akimichi Torifu's work, he had almost made his stance clear.

This is why Tsunade took Sakumo Hatake's plan so seriously.

Sakumo Hatake has always been part of the Hokage lineage, or to put it more directly, the lineage of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, because his path of growth and advancement was all provided by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Tatsuma had a good relationship with him before, but that doesn't mean that Sakumo Hatake's stance will change. This visit can also be considered a formal invitation.

Moreover, the information he revealed was not only his personal desire to become a member of the now-extinct "Senju lineage," but also a message that there are still people in the village working hard to restore the glory of the Senju lineage.

Akimichi Torifu is one of them; whether there will be more remains to be seen.

And perhaps the person who knows better than Tsunade, the Senju, is Akimichi Torifu, a senior who has remained unknown for twenty years.

Therefore, Tsunade decided to involve Tatsuma, because this disciple of hers would be the true spokesperson for the Senju clan in the coming era.

As for herself, or Nawaki who shares the same bloodline as her, they all lack strength, ability, temperament, and methods to varying degrees. Moreover, Tatsuma is the person in charge appointed by Mito Uzumaki.

If it weren't for Tatsuma, the name of the Senju would have disappeared long ago. How could Tsunade, as their teacher, ignore what Tatsuma did for the Senju?

Apart from Nawaki and Kushina from Kuku's fan club, and Shizune who hadn't graduated from the Ninja Academy yet, everyone else present could hear that Hatake Sakumo's gaze had also fallen on Tatsuma, waiting for his response.

Tatsuma didn't make excuses or give an ambiguous answer. Instead, he nodded and said, "I understand. Just let me know when the time comes, Lord Sakumo."

Tsunade breathed a slight sigh of relief. She was actually very afraid that Tatsuma would refuse, because this time she was not only trying to win over Akimichi Torifu and Hatake Sakumo, but also sending a signal to the outside world.

In the past, although Tatsuma also managed all the affairs of the Senju clan, his identity was always unclear, and everyone assumed that if the Senju clan had a clan leader, it should still be Tsunade.

But after this incident, it means that Tatsuma is the one who... In the past, this would have been a good thing, since the Senju clan was powerful enough, but now... it is also a heavy burden.

If the Senju clan fails to rise again, then Tatsuma will have to bear this burden. Of course, if the Senju clan does rise again, then Tatsuma should also enjoy all the benefits.

However, as things stand, replacing Tsunade's position among the Senju clan would undoubtedly do more harm than good, and no one would easily agree to it, yet Tatsuma did.

With a smile, Tsunade pushed her cup towards Tatsuma and said, "You're not going to use the Three Ninja Taboos to avoid drinking again today, are you?"

Tatsuma gently shook his head, picked up the wine that had been placed on the table but which he would never normally drink, and said, "What can I do? I'm following you as my teacher."

"You brat, hahaha~"

Tsunade ignored Tatsuma's sarcastic remarks, and after finishing her drink, happily joined the group showing off their food. Seeing that Sakumo Hatake was also about to raise his glass, Tatsuma quickly said:

"Lord Sakumo, your injuries are not yet healed, so you must not drink too much."

"At once"

Sakumo Hatake held up one finger, which Tatsuma interpreted as a glass. He reluctantly drank a glass with Hatake, but as soon as he put it down, Hatake poured more drinks for both himself and Tatsuma. Tatsuma had a bad feeling and asked:

"Didn't you say it was just one cup?"

"I mean just tonight."

Chenma never imagined that even in a different world, he would be persecuted by this vicious drinking "culture." Whether it was "massive capacity" or "unending capacity," it didn't make his drinking capacity truly massive and endless.

Especially since this was the first time his body had been harmed by alcohol, and his tolerance to alcohol was not high, he became the first person to get drunk at the banquet, which was extremely embarrassing.

In the dead of night, in the deserted Root Base, Danzo stood alone by the railing of the corridor. The quietness of the Root Base in the past was due to its highly orderly management and superb infiltration skills.

Now, it is truly empty and quiet. The official members of Root were conscripted by Sakumo Hatake and died one by one in the operation, while the trainees were taken over by other departments of the village.

In truth, there's no need for Danzo to come to the Root base now; even thieves would curse him as a poor wretch. But Danzo still can't bear to part with this base, which he witnessed being built brick by brick; it's his life's work.

Whenever he had free time, Danzo would come here to reminisce about his lost youth, not to mention that he had important business to attend to today.

"Why is it so slow?!"

Suddenly, he spoke angrily, and a figure appeared from the shadows, wearing an ANBU uniform. The person bowed and said, "Lord Danzo, this operation involves too many departments, and since Sakamoto Tatsuma did not give a unified report, each department spent a long time sorting out and integrating the reports."

I obtained this report from the analysis class only after using my personal connections.

Danzo narrowed his eyes. "This isn't even firsthand intelligence!" He had never suffered such humiliation before! To be reduced to relying on secondhand information, damn Hatake Sakumo!

"Give it to me!"

Even though he resented it, Danzo had no choice but to accept it without an intelligence network. In fact, he couldn't even blame this Root-born ANBU.

Because of Sakumo Hatake's almost overt targeting, not only did Root suffer a devastating blow, but even the Anbu from which Root originated were wiped out. This guy in front of them wasn't talented enough; Danzo hadn't taken a liking to him back then.

Therefore, he did not participate in any of the dark operations of the Root, was fortunate enough to be spared by Hatake Sakumo, and did not have the Tongue Disaster Seal planted on his body, which Danzo had commissioned Orochimaru to research not long ago.

If he were to offend him too badly, the secret service might very well turn its back on him as their former leader.

The ANBU presented the intelligence, but as Danzo grasped the report and tried to pick it up, the ANBU member gently pulled it back, and under Danzo's increasingly dangerous gaze, said:

"Lord Danzo, please do not contact me unless absolutely necessary. I had no choice before, but from now on I just want to be a good ANBU ninja. If people find out that I am still in contact with Root and with you..."

"roll!!!"

Unable to contain his anger, Danzo snatched the report, flicked his sleeve, and turned to enter his office.

"Bang!"

A loud bang echoed from the office door, reverberating throughout the empty base. The ANBU ninja didn't linger; he stood up, brushed the loose dirt off his knees, and disappeared back into the darkness.

He didn't know if Danzo would retaliate against him, but he had to seize this opportunity.

All three secret squads, and all three candidates who should have been eligible to run for minister, have died in the past year or so, leaving only Tatsuma Sakamoto as the new squad leader.

The other two squads are still without leaders. In addition, there are rumors that the Dark Division will soon form a fourth Dark Division to replace the original structure. In other words, there are three squad leader positions waiting to be filled.

Moreover, with Hatake Sakumo about to retire, there is no suitable candidate for the new head of the Dark Division, except for one: Sakamoto Tatsuma.

Whether it's the squad leader position or the seemingly unlikely ministerial position, both are extremely attractive to him. He can't let Danzo delay his promotion, even if it means offending Danzo.

Inside the office, Danzo was panting heavily. He knew the saying that a tiger fallen into the plains is bullied by dogs, but he never imagined that one day he would become the tiger in the plains.

After calming down, Danzo opened the report sent by the Anbu ninja and began to read it carefully.

Seeing Tatsuma annihilate over a thousand Iwa ninja, Danzo's anger vanished, replaced by a broad smile. He murmured, "As expected of a good child who inherited Tobirama's darkness; enemies should be dealt with severely!"

As for Minato, who accomplished this feat with Tatsuma, in the report, Danzo completely ignored it.

Seeing that Tatsuma had severely injured Rōshi and Han, Danzō proudly said, "As expected of the successor I value. How can a qualified Kage be controlled by a Tailed Beast? A Kage must have absolute control over the Tailed Beast!"

However, there was still some womanly compassion, allowing the tiger to return to the mountain. If it were me, I would have killed them both, and taking advantage of Iwagakure's weakness, I would have pressed in with my army, directly attacking the Daimyo's residence and Iwagakure in the Land of Earth, allowing Konoha to reach an unprecedented peak!

However, Danzo's emotions, which he had just managed to regain, suddenly plummeted again, and he soon revealed his anger once more.

"All of this was to save that damned Hatake Sakumo, Hiruzen Sarutobi. This must be another instance of you putting your own interests above the future of Konoha!"

Fortunately, Tatsuma is a good kid. If anything had happened to him, Hiruzen Sarutobi would have been in trouble.

"Bang!"

Danzo slammed his fist on the table, roaring in the empty office, "I will not let you off easily!"

(End of this chapter)