Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

"...Hokage-sama, Shiki... can fly! And if Lady Tsunade wanted to leave, we couldn't stop her at all... ╥﹏╥"

The ANBU underling in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi said with extreme grievance.

Although they deployed a large number of additional personnel to the border, all of them were substitutes. Even he, the leader, was just a slightly more important rotating member. Let alone guarding against the Golden Lion, they couldn't stop him even if he walked in step by step. What's more, he can fly. They only realized that the Golden Lion had come to the Land of Fire again when they saw that Lady Tsunade and Nawaki had a Golden Lion by their side when they left.

Besides, if Lady Tsunade was determined to leave, they couldn't stop her. Even their department head wouldn't dare mess with Lady Tsunade's fists...

"Hey... you should go back first and tell Sakumo to come over."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took two deep drags on his pipe, puffing out a cloud of smoke that billowed around him. After calming down, he realized he'd misjudged his underlings; Shiki the Golden Lion could fly, and there was simply no way to defend against him!

Almost everyone in the ninja world who can fly is a formidable opponent, let alone Golden Lion Shiki. However, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't just watch his prized possession being devoured by someone else's pig, so he had no choice but to send his top lieutenant into action.

Everyone in the world knows that there aren't many people in the ninja world who can stop Golden Lion Shiki, and Sakumo happens to be one of them.

However, he did feel somewhat ashamed. Lord Ito risked his life to cover their retreat back then, and Sakumo had also helped him through many years. Now that the man had a son, he couldn't give him more time to spend with his son. When his younger son was born, his older son was so sensible and outstanding that he had overlooked this issue. It wasn't until his younger son was born that he realized the importance of companionship. If he had spent more time with his younger son as he grew up and given him proper guidance when he was confused, his younger son wouldn't be so irresponsible all day long, relying on his father, the Hokage, to become the boss of Konoha.

However, he didn't really care. With such a top-tier main character, a weaker one was no big deal. The Hatake clan had passed down their essence through a single lineage for over a dozen generations, all concentrated in this one person. Kakashi's talent was undeniable; whether he could surpass his father in twenty years was uncertain, but achieving the rank of Double Flower Red Rank was certain. If Kakashi lacked Sakumo's guidance and support, and something went wrong, ending up like his youngest son, he couldn't even imagine Kakashi recruiting henchmen and collecting protection money...

Many times, he didn't want Sakumo to go, wanting him to spend more time with Kakashi and train another Double-Flower Red Staff for the village. However, things often didn't go as planned. Many times, without Sakumo, the others simply couldn't kill anyone. Moreover, with Tsunade gone and that idiot Jiraiya still not back, the village only had Orochimaru and Sakumo as Double-Flower Red Staffs. Orochimaru had to observe Danzo's recovery every day, and sending Orochimaru wouldn't be of any use. Orochimaru was indeed a Double-Flower Red Staff, but he was still a bit inferior to Shiki. Besides, in his memory, Orochimaru and Shiki didn't have much of a relationship, so sending Orochimaru wouldn't be effective. It would be better to let Sakumo, who had a better chance of success, persuade Tsunade to come back.

"Lord Hokage!"

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was deep in thought, Sakumo Hatake appeared beside him.

"You know the situation. Shiki came to the Land of Fire and tricked Tsunade out of the Land of Fire. Judging from their direction, they should be heading to the Land of Wind. You should chase after them and try to persuade Tsunade to come back, or bring Nawaki back too. Sigh...! He's been wandering outside for a year, and I heard he's lost a lot of weight. We can't let him stay outside any longer."

In front of the leader, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately switched to a compassionate expression, instantly getting into character with moist eyes and tears, showcasing the demeanor of a veteran actor.

Based on this scene alone, if he doesn't get the Best Actor award this year, there's definitely something fishy going on...

"What about Danzo, the advisor...?"

Honestly, Sakumo Hatake really didn't want to do this. Whether he persuaded Tsunade to come back or brought Nawaki back, Danzo was still alive, so Nawaki would still be in danger. Unless Danzo was killed and the problem was fundamentally solved, it wouldn't be safe for Nawaki to come back even if the entire Anbu were sent out to be his bodyguards 24 hours a day. As the saying goes, the strongest defense is offense. The defender is always on the defensive. It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. Who knows if Danzo will attack Nawaki again? Rather than guarding against him every day, it would be better to let Tsunade take him away. Now, with Shiki the Golden Lion protecting him, Nawaki would only be safer.

He had actually considered that if Tsunade really did fall for Shiki, it wouldn't be so bad. In terms of social standing, one was from a prestigious family in Konoha, and the other from a prestigious family in Sunagakure; they were a good match. As for strength... it seemed only Shiki could withstand Tsunade's powerful punches. With anyone else, Tsunade might become a widow the day after their wedding...

As for the obstruction between the two villages, didn't the First Hokage advocate that the ninja world should be a loving family? If Tsunade really marries Shiki, perhaps in the next few decades, Sunagakure will become Konoha's most loyal ally, just like the relationship between the Uzumaki clan and Konoha back then.

"...I will warn Danzo."

Hiruzen Sarutobi could see through Touma's thoughts. In fact, he had thought about it sometimes. Shiki was powerful, and if Konoha and Sunagakure formed a more progressive alliance, the ninja world could enjoy peace for decades to come.

However, this was merely wishful thinking on their part. If the First Hokage were still alive, this might have been possible. Back then, everyone was still developing, and there wasn't any deep-seated hatred between them. If Tsunade and Shiki had been born a few years earlier, there might have been a chance. But now it's impossible. After World War I and World War II, how many people from Konoha died at the hands of Sunagakure, and how many Sunagakure members were wiped out by Konoha? Although he could abandon the hatred for his younger brother, his subordinates wouldn't forget the hatred for their family. He strongly stopped Shiki from flirting with Tsunade not only for the sake of the reputation that the First and Second Hokage had built up over the years, but also to protect the reputation of the Senju clan in Konoha. If Tsunade were really seduced by that bastard Shiki, unless Nawaki awakened Wood Release and brought back the glory of the Senju clan to stir up a new wave in the ninja world, the reputation of the Senju clan in Konoha would truly be ruined.

Over the years, how many people from Konoha have died at the hands of the Golden Lion? Even a single drop of saliva from one of their relatives could turn the Senju clan into a new ocean...

489. Hiruzen Sarutobi: Danzo, being Hokage is tough!

"...I'll go right away."

Although his boss had already warned Danzo, and although he was still worried, his boss had already said so much, and his good professionalism prompted him to nod and disappear from the Hokage's office.

Although the boss was a bit lecherous, indecisive, and too sentimental, he couldn't say anything more since the boss had already made his point. As long as he could ensure that Danzo wouldn't harm Nawaki, what was wrong with him going? Besides, even he might not be able to bring Nawaki back. If Tsunade didn't want to come back, he couldn't just force her to come back, could he?

He was already struggling with just one Golden Lion, let alone Tsunade's punches the size of sandbags...

......

The Shimura clan of Konoha suffered a blow from Danzo's handouts during World War II, and their descendants have been incompetent, excelling at all sorts of shady dealings except killing. Once a powerful clan in Konoha on par with the Sarutobi clan, they have almost completely declined. While the Sarutobi clan isn't much better off, it's only thanks to Hiruzen Sarutobi's eldest son's success that the Sarutobi clan is likely to remain in decline for the next few decades.

Walking through the Shimura clan's compound, watching the Shimura clan members come to greet him in twos and threes, Hiruzen Sarutobi was filled with endless emotions. He recalled how lively the Shimura clan had been back when he secretly came to study human anatomy, and how desolate it was now. The Shimura clan members had completely lost their former vigor; each one, young as they were, had become bloated and obese. If it weren't for the faint resemblance to familiar figures, he would have thought his best friend had turned the Shimura clan into a pigsty...

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi's determination to protect his best friend became even stronger. Previously, regarding his best friend's injuries and Tsunade's return to the village, he had sided with Tsunade's return, which is why he assured Sakumo that he would warn his best friend not to cause any more trouble and to look for targets in the Uchiha clan.

However, considering that the Shimura clan's decline was largely due to his best friend's incompetent leadership, but his best friend's intentions were to protect Konoha, those who sacrificed their lives were, in a sense, heroes of Konoha. And his best friend, who had personally pushed his clan to ruin, even if he had done some foolish things, could not erase his contributions to Konoha. So, after much thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi decided that when he saw his best friend later, he must persuade him to stop. So what if he's just a Hokage?

It doesn't matter who does the job, brother or sister. I've been doing it for decades, working myself to the bone like a dog. What's so great about it...?

"Danzo, how are you feeling?"

Entering Danzo's room, Hiruzen Sarutobi saw Danzo lying on the bed with his entire body wrapped in bandages, only one eye showing. His nose stung with tears. What a tragedy!

A person might retire after suffering a major injury in their career, but Danzo has suffered three major injuries so far, almost all of which were career-ending injuries. However, he has persevered in order to protect Konoha. This dedication deeply moved Hiruzen Sarutobi. How many people in this world can think of such a good friend?

So Hiruzen Sarutobi's tone softened without him even realizing it.

"Cough cough... I'm... I'm not dead yet. Did you come to see if I'm dead or not? Now you can see."

Although Danzo, who had recovered half his life, was unable to move or speak, he saw Hiruzen Sarutobi's face. This was the first time he had seen Hiruzen since waking up, and he thought the guy had come to mock him. Danzo was tough enough; he knew that his plan to kill Nawaki had failed, completely exposing his ambition. The victor is king, and the loser has no reason to argue. So he simply went all out, saying it irritably and closing his eyes as if waiting for Hiruzen Sarutobi to read his verdict.

"Sigh...! Why do you have to do this! We grew up together, what's mine is yours, and what's yours is mine. There was a reason why our teacher designated me to succeed as Hokage. You've seen it all these years, being Hokage is tough! If I could, I wouldn't want to be Hokage... Danzo, just give up. Nawaki is the First Hokage's grandson, the future of the Senju clan. You can't harm him anymore..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew his best friend was in a bad mood but didn't mind. He said earnestly, "It would be strange if anyone was in a bad mood, no matter who it was."

"You... cough cough cough...!"

Danzo, who was already awaiting judgment, suddenly opened his eyes upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's Versailles-like words. He was so angry that he almost died. His chest heaved violently, pulling on the internal organs in his hands, and he coughed violently.

Danzo was furious!

If he could get out of bed now, it would be far better than dragging this bastard onto the ring to sign a life-or-death contract!

Was this bastard deliberately showing off to him before he was sentenced?

You're tired? I wish I could be tired for decades too! (▼へ▼メ)

Why? I was only a few seconds too slow, you didn't even give me a chance...

Danzo once again recalled the scene of him and Versailles... ugh! He was just a few seconds away from becoming Hokage, and decades later, the scene was still in Blu-ray quality. He could even clearly see how many pimples Hiruzen Sarutobi had on his face back then. The more Danzo thought about it, the more unwilling he became, his chest heaving more and more violently. Suddenly, his blood surged, and he kicked his legs!

He successfully fainted.

"Danzo... Danzo... Ah! Why did you do this...?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed helplessly as he looked at the unconscious Danzo. He believed his persuasion skills were quite effective, but Danzo was simply too stubborn...

........

"Oh my, isn't this Lord White Fang? We're so sorry to have come all this way to see us off!"

At the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind, just as they were about to enter the Land of Wind's territory, Sakumo Hatake, who had been speeding and running red lights, finally stopped the three before Shinto and his companions could step into the Land of Wind's territory. Shinto looked at the sweating and panting Sakumo and teased him, saying that he had come to the Land of Fire cautiously, flying under the cover of night. Apart from the Hyuga clan's 360-degree all-seeing eyes, even a ninja skilled in sensory perception would have a hard time detecting him. The ninja that Hiruzen Sarutobi sent to guard the border wouldn't be such an elite, so no one would have noticed him when he came. Only when he left did he leave openly with Tsunade and the others. Tsunade and Nawaki were Hiruzen Sarutobi's top protection units. If he didn't have someone watching them, Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't be able to sleep well. Moreover, he had heard Nawaki say that he and Tsunade had been living on the run for the past year, but they had never been chased down to collect their debts.

490. White Fang: Danzo died, who will take the blame for the Hokage?

He was certain that it wasn't that the creditors were being kind and lazy by not bothering to collect the debts; rather, someone had paid them off the moment they left. He had even used his Observation Haki to detect that several Konoha ANBU members had been following them within his Observation Haki range. He hadn't deliberately concealed his meeting with Tsunade, so the Konoha ANBU naturally noticed. However, he hadn't expected that Hiruzen Sarutobi, the best defensive player, would send White Fang to block their way. Now that Tsunade had left Konoha, and Jiraiya was probably still in the Land of Rain training future professional rice carriers—the big boss who could carry a bag of rice up several floors—Konoha only had Orochimaru and White Fang left. Now that White Fang was out there, the defenses at home were weak, and if someone broke into their house, they would be devastated.

Konoha's situation is different from the other four villages. As the center of the ninja world, it is rich in resources, far surpassing Sunagakure, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure. Even if those three villages were left undefended, they would be fine; even if their homes were raided, there wouldn't be much to steal, so the losses wouldn't be too great. However, if Konoha were left unguarded and raided, it would probably take them at least ten years to recover.

It's clear how much Hiruzen Sarutobi values ​​him, or rather, how much he values ​​Tsunade and Nawaki. The older generation isn't all dead yet, the Senju clan's legacy still shines, and the Senju clan remains a symbol of Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi simply can't afford to be indifferent.

"...Tsunade, go back. The Hokage has already warned Danzo and assured him that Danzo will not harm Nawaki again..."

Ignoring Masato's winks and glances, Hatake Sakumo turned to Tsunade beside him and said that he could tell at a glance who was in charge among the three of them. Although Shiki had tricked Tsunade into going to the Land of Wind, he still had to follow Tsunade's wishes, so he had no say in where Tsunade went. As for Nawaki... Nawaki was just an outsider.

Rope Tree: ...╥﹏╥

"Hmph! You don't need to persuade me anymore. Now that I've come out, I have no intention of going back. The village is no longer the village I want to protect. Sakumo, you should go back."

If it were anyone else, she would have punched them if she said something wrong. But if it were Sakumo, Tsunade would have given him face and not hit him, after all, Sakumo was the one who brought the Sannin out of the game, so she would give him some face as the eldest brother.

However, it was impossible to persuade her to go back now that she had only been gone for a year, as she had finally made up her mind to leave Konoha. Moreover, according to Sakumo's words, Danzo was really lucky to survive. He was hit by her unstoppable punch and no one came to his aid. Furthermore, it seemed that her Hokage teacher did not want to deal with Danzo, which made Tsunade very upset.

"White Fang, listen to your brother, you should go back. You can't persuade a woman when she's angry. Besides, this whole thing was Danzo's doing, so why is it being made to look like Nawaki's fault? Hiruzen Sarutobi is really going too far in protecting Danzo. Being loyal is fine, but you have to know what's important. Nawaki may have gained some wealth, but he's still a member of the Senju clan. The Senju clan risked their lives for Konoha all those years, and his two grandfathers and his father devoted themselves to Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi's actions are truly disheartening. I advise you to go back and retire immediately, away from the center of this vortex, lest one day this fire might burn you too. Five-Five... cough, little White Fang is still so young. It's already miserable enough not having a mother, if he doesn't have a father either..."

Seeing Tsunade's resolute attitude, Shinto breathed a sigh of relief. If it were anyone else trying to persuade Tsunade, even if Hiruzen Sarutobi came in person, he wouldn't be worried. Tsunade's determination to leave Konoha clearly showed that she had given up on Konoha. After all, Konoha was founded by her two grandfathers, and almost all of her clansmen had died for it. It takes immense courage and determination to leave a place where her family had dedicated their lives. Hiruzen Sarutobi was one of the core members who led Konoha's transformation, so he definitely wouldn't be able to persuade her. But White Fang was different. He was a pure ninja who had never been involved in the power struggles among the higher-ups. Moreover, White Fang had been at the forefront of Konoha for so many years. To put it bluntly, even Tsunade's father's achievements were not as great as White Fang's. In addition, it was White Fang who led the Sannin when they debuted. So when he saw White Fang come, he was really worried that this guy would persuade Tsunade to return to Konoha. Even if Tsunade was angry, it wouldn't affect White Fang, who didn't participate in the power struggles among the higher-ups.

Considering the many layers of mutual growth they've shared, and also to give White Fang a heads-up, after so many years in this world, he's completely forgotten many details. He's forgotten exactly how White Fang died; he vaguely remembers it was shortly after Wu Wukai started school. Wu Wukai was about five years old when he started school, and now he's four. He estimates White Fang will get into trouble within the next year or two, but he really can't remember what it will be. He wonders if Danzo was involved. After all, they've been friends for decades, and even if Danzo is from Konoha, he really doesn't want to see him die such a pathetic death. He wants him to die a glorious death, like the Third Raikage single-handedly defeating tens of thousands of Iwa ninja, to make his life worthwhile...

"...I will go back and report to the Hokage."

If it weren't for the exhaustion from the long journey, White Fang would have stabbed that bastard twice.

Couldn't you say something nicer, like wishing me a long and healthy life?

However, seeing that Tsunade was determined, he knew that he couldn't persuade her otherwise. Tsunade hadn't done anything wrong, and there was no conclusive evidence that Danzo had attacked Nawaki. Danzo, after waking up, refused to mention the matter. Their understanding of Danzo's personality alone couldn't serve as evidence, so it was impossible to sentence Danzo. Moreover, if Danzo died, who would take the blame for the Hokage?

Danzo's value as a living person far outweighs his value as a dead person. It is precisely because of this that he obeys the Hokage's orders, given his upright and incorruptible nature. However, he cannot say this outright, especially now that Tsunade harbors deep resentment towards the leaders of Konoha.

Seeing that there was no hope of dissuading him, Sakumo Hatake could only sigh and disappear into the wind and rain, returning home in a worse state.

Although what that bastard said next sounded like a joke, for some reason, it gave him the creeps. He thought back to how his son had never seen his mother since he was old enough to understand. He was always busy with work, and it was kind of pitiful. He'd been through the same thing, so he knew how unbearable that loneliness was. He'd been in the industry for over twenty years; it seemed like he was old enough to apply for retirement…

491. Is White Fang going to leave the Dark Side?

"puff!"

"What?! You want to apply to leave the Dark Division?! Σ(⊙▽⊙a)"

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared wide-eyed, completely bewildered, at his loyal horse who had been with him for decades.

The air in Konoha was exceptionally fresh in the early morning. For two weeks in a row, Hiruzen Sarutobi went to talk to his best friend every day, explaining how tough it was to be Hokage. Finally, last night, his best friend softened a bit and stopped pretending to be dead to listen to him finish speaking. Hiruzen was excited all night. This was a great start. If he persisted for a while, he would be able to convince his best friend.

I arrived at the office happily today, and coincidentally, Hiruzen Sarutobi also returned. Although Tsunade and Nawaki didn't come back with him, Hiruzen was prepared. If he were so easily persuaded, he wouldn't be Tsunade. So his mood remained unchanged, as good as ever. Even though Tsunade and Nawaki left, they still have Konoha blood flowing in their veins, and they will return someday. Thinking about it, forming an alliance with Sunagakure doesn't seem so bad. It doesn't matter if the Senju clan's reputation is ruined in this generation. We can find Nawaki a girl so he can have children. In the future, someone will awaken Wood Release, and then we can restore the Senju clan's glory...ヾ(^?^)?

But the first thing Toastmaster said when he returned left him completely dumbfounded.

he!

They are the pillars of Konoha!

He was Hiruzen Sarutobi's most trusted man, his beloved general who had paved the way for him all these years.

The leader of the Anbu, the core of Konoha's defensive system, and Konoha's most popular superstar.

Leaf White Fang

He actually told him he wanted to leave the Anbu?

Hiruzen Sarutobi pinched his thigh hard, as if he were imagining that he was dreaming.

But the stinging pain in his thigh told him unequivocally that this wasn't a dream, it was real!

His beloved general is really leaving the Dark Division!

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt as if he had been hit by a critical strike, unable to breathe for a long time. He looked at his beloved general as if to say, "Tell me this isn't real!"

Leaving the Anbu is not retirement; one is still a Konoha ninja, albeit a Jonin with little power. Although his reputation and status remain, White Fang, without real authority, is at best a top-tier fighter, much like his traitor Jiraiya, who takes on missions and then spends his time in public bathhouses.

It's such a waste for someone like Sakumo to be a top-tier double-flower red stick as a henchman. No matter how Hiruzen Sarutobi thinks about it, he feels like he's going to have a meltdown. He already had enough of Jiraiya, who was doing nothing, and the thought of Sakumo becoming that traitorous, lazy bum is unacceptable to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Not only did Tsunade and Nawaki not return, but Sakumo is now leaving the Anbu after just one trip... This...