Naruto - Leader of Kusagakure

The next morning, after a night of heavy drinking, Tsunade rubbed her aching head, staring blankly ahead. Her mind was foggy and confused, struggling to make sense of the previous night's events. She stood there, looking dazed and lost, trying to piece together what had happened. Muttering to herself, she groaned, "I feel like... I saw something unbelievable last night?"

As she stood there, still trying to make sense of things, a voice called out from behind her.

"Tsunade-sama, are you awake?" Shizune's cheerful tone broke through, "Breakfast is ready. Want some? They even offer room service, and the food's amazing. If you're still hungry, we can ask for more, or go downstairs to the restaurant. No wonder this place is so expensive—the service is top-notch!"

Shizune entered the room, noticing Tsunade's vacant stare, and raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong, Tsunade-sama? Did you drink too much and still haven't shaken it off? Should I get you something for the hangover?"

"No, I'm fine!" Tsunade snapped out of her daze at Shizune's words, rubbing her forehead. She muttered to herself, "I just… I don't know. I feel like I saw something strange last night... something between the Grass leader and Kushina. For a moment, I actually started believing that rumor from Danzo's Root Daily."

Tsunade, having been trained by the Third Hokage, knew all too well about Danzo's manipulative ways and didn't think much of Root's rumors, but still, something about last night had shaken her.

Tsunade stretched, forcing a laugh as she tried to shake off the strange feeling lingering in her mind. "It must have been a dream," she said, attempting to brush it off. "There's no way something like that could happen."

But as soon as she spoke, she caught a glimpse of Shizune's complicated expression. The younger woman opened her mouth as if to say something, but then fell silent, her words seemingly caught in her throat.

The silence that followed felt heavy, thick with unspoken thoughts. Tsunade's confusion only deepened as she stared at Shizune, trying to read her expression.

A flicker of doubt crept into her mind, and she couldn't help but ask herself, "Did I really see that last night?" Her voice was low, more to herself than anyone else.

"I don't know," Shizune said, shaking her head slowly, as if still unsure about what she'd seen the previous night. After a brief pause, she added, her voice tinged with curiosity, "But Kushina-sama and the Grass leader did seem unusually close last night. I mean, in the end, Kushina practically dragged him away in such a hurry..."

Shizune was about to continue when she noticed Tsunade holding her head, her expression clouded with confusion. "Tsunade-sama, are you okay?" she asked urgently.

"...I'm fine!" Tsunade waved her hand dismissively, but her eyes were wide, still blinking in disbelief. "Did I really see that last night?"

Her mind raced as she pieced everything together. No wonder Kushina had acted so strangely. No wonder she'd refused to let them stay with her. No wonder Kushina had been able to bail her out and afford such a luxurious room. Tsunade's mind swirled with all the strange contradictions.

Suddenly, a shudder ran down her spine, and her face twisted in a mix of disbelief and resignation. "I never thought Danzo's Root Daily reports were actually true," she muttered, her tone heavy with realization. "I always thought they were just trying to slander the Grass leader."

And then, as a thought hit her, she couldn't help but shake her head in quiet exasperation. Thinking back to the Uchiha Clan Leader's wife, she couldn't help but shake her head, tsking under her breath. Her mind reeled at the implications, and she silently hoped that what she was suspecting wasn't true.

However, as the implications of the situation dawned on her, Tsunade suddenly froze. A thought struck her with such force that she gasped, her eyes widening in shock. "Oh no!"

Shizune, startled by Tsunade's sudden shift in expression, rushed over to her. "Tsunade-sama, what's wrong? Why do you look like that?"

Tsunade was visibly shaken, her usual composure slipping as she stood motionless. Her face was a mixture of shock and confusion, a bewildered look that unsettled Shizune even more. The worried kunoichi's heart began to race as she approached her mentor. "Tsunade-sama! Tsunade-sama! What's wrong? Is it because of Kushina-sama? I know it's hard to accept, seeing a former Konoha ninja with the Grass leader, but we really shouldn't meddle in Kushina-sama's personal matters, especially given our situation here..."

Shizune continued, her voice a blend of concern and caution, trying to convince Tsunade not to get involved in matters that didn't concern them, especially with everything happening in Konoha.

But before Shizune could finish, Tsunade interrupted sharply, her voice tinged with frustration. "I couldn't care less about who Kushina likes; that's her business!" Tsunade waved her hand dismissively, though her shock was still palpable. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she added, "It's just... if the accusations from Root's Daily were true, then what about the stories from the Shinobi Times?"

Shizune looked visibly confused by Tsunade's sudden mention of the Shinobi Times. Before she could voice her confusion, Tsunade continued, her thoughts spilling out rapidly. "No wonder I always thought Sensei had an unusual relationship with that guy!"

Tsunade's mind raced as she recalled the past. Despite all the wrongs that old bastard Danzo did, her sensei, the Third Hokage, always went easy on him. Even when she herself criticized Danzo, her sensei would defend him, saying it was 'all for Konoha' and that Danzo was his close friend.

"I always thought it was just the friendship of old teammates, but looking back... It was too much. Too much for it to have been just that." Tsunade muttered, staring blankly ahead, ignoring Shizune's puzzled look. "Now that I think about it, their relationship was indeed too unusual."

The implications of it all hit her like a wave. Could it be that the reports from the Shinobi Times weren't just rumors? Had they been revealing secrets all along, not slandering one another as she'd once believed? Was it all true? Could her teacher's connections with Danzo have been deeper than she ever realized?

Realizing this, Tsunade felt a swirl of emotions and sighed deeply. "Sensei... Sensei really...!"

Her thoughts couldn't help but turn to Lady Biwako, the Third Hokage's wife. How would she handle this revelation?

…

"Achoo! Achoo!" The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, rubbed his nose, a frown forming on his face. A sudden chill swept over him, causing him to pause for a moment. "Could it be that the weather's turned colder?"

But no, that couldn't be right. Spring had already arrived, and the air should be warming up. So why this sudden chill? A thought crossed his mind, and he frowned even deeper. Could it be... that he was actually unwell?

Letting out a wry chuckle, Hiruzen shook his head and picked up his pipe, taking a long drag. He didn't need to dwell on that. It made sense, after all. The years had been hard on him—so much had happened, so many struggles and losses. The weight of it all was beginning to take its toll, mentally and physically. Even the village's medical ninjas had been urging him to rest properly, to take care of his health.

But how could he rest? How could he, as Hokage, step back when Konoha was teetering on the edge? The village was at a critical juncture—Konoha, once a dominant force, was now in recovery. The major villages were regaining strength, and Konoha was struggling to keep up. If he were to take a break now, what would happen to the village's future?

Not with everything that had happened in the past few years—especially after the wars. Konoha had been left at a disadvantage, and Hiruzen couldn't afford to show any weakness. Not now.

Hiruzen sighed deeply, his gaze distant as he murmured to himself, "The only thing I can truly be thankful for right now... is that Danzo is still here, and so far, we haven't faced any issues from Grass Village."

He knew well about Danzo's ambitious factory project. The reports had been promising, and it seemed that the project was progressing smoothly. Danzo had managed to secretly acquire the necessary materials from Grass Village, and only the final stages remained. While it was a delicate operation, Hiruzen couldn't help but feel a small sense of relief.

It was unfortunate, however, that the money from the project couldn't be directed toward rebuilding Konoha. Still, there was a part of him that felt a bit of optimism about the whole thing. At least it seemed like Danzo had his own plan, and for once, it appeared as though he might actually succeed in something.

"Speaking of which..." Hiruzen's voice trailed off, his brow furrowing in thought, "It's been quite some time now. Danzo's factory... It must be nearing completion. I wonder when the opening will be."

…

"The factory is about to open?!" Akihiko's voice thundered through the Grass Village meeting room, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the intelligence report in his hands. His frustration was palpable as he slammed the table in front of him, his expression twisted in anger. "How is this possible? Does he really think he can challenge our Grass Village market with so little capital?"

His face flushed with indignation, and he continued, his voice rising with every word. "Where is his vision? Where is his scale? It's far too small! He's thinking too small for this! Does he really believe a few billion can stand up to us? To the market, we've carefully cultivated over the years?"

Akihiko's hands clenched into fists, and he shook his head in disbelief. "Only with meticulous planning and preparation can he hope to compete with the reach of our Grass Village. Our manufacturing network spans the entire shinobi world. And he thinks he can waltz in with just a few billion—without any real groundwork?!"

He let out a deep sigh, his tone dripping with disappointment. "What is Danzo even thinking?"

A thick silence settled over the room, the other leaders exchanging confused glances. It was clear that they didn't understand what Akihiko was getting at. What was he planning next?

Finally, Akihiko slammed his hand down on the table again, his voice sharp and commanding. "Mubuki!" He turned to his subordinate, eyes burning with determination. "Send a message to Gato immediately. Tell him to teach Danzo a proper lesson on how to do business."