NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 109: CHAPTER 110
Who could explain this—
As one of the legendary Sannin, Tsunade-sama…
Why did she suddenly appear beside their Captain Mingyu?!
And why… why is she acting as Captain Mingyu's personal bodyguard?!
Wouldn't the entire Anbu now be seen as "playing favorites" by assigning such a high-profile shinobi to protect their captain?
If Tsunade, the same woman who once dared to punch Hiruzen Sarutobi in the face during an argument, ever found out what they were thinking just now… wouldn't she just slap them across the village walls?
For a moment, the hearts of every Anbu member in the room felt like they were about to burst from the pressure.
Captain Mingyu!
Why didn't you mention this sooner?!
And then the realization struck them all—
If Tsunade, the Slug Princess herself, could be assigned as a bodyguard...
Then what level of existence was Captain Mingyu really operating at?
---
"Cough… cough…"
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a long drag from his smoking pipe. Wisps of smoke drifted upward, veiling his face, while his brows furrowed sharply.
He had planned tonight's events meticulously, expecting everything to unfold as he intended.
But now, things had spun completely out of control.
Even Tsunade had appeared—in his office, no less.
The situation had escalated far beyond what he anticipated.
"…Tsunade, don't worry. I will personally oversee the investigation and make sure you receive a full explanation," he said with calm authority.
Then, turning toward the masked Anbu, he asked:
"Has the Torture and Interrogation Unit submitted their report?"
A kneeling Anbu agent answered respectfully:
"Reporting to Lord Hokage, the Torture Department has concluded its preliminary findings."
Sarutobi's gaze sharpened.
"Summon Ibiki. Have him report to me directly."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Moments later, the office door opened.
A tall figure with a scarred face and a black trench coat entered. It was Ibiki Morino, head of the Interrogation Division.
He bowed and spoke with measured seriousness:
"Hokage-sama, the information has been extracted. The individuals who attempted to steal the Scroll of Seals tonight… most were formerly affiliated with Root."
He paused.
"Unfortunately, all of them had cursed tongue seals placed on them, preventing deeper interrogation. However, from what we recovered from memory scans, some of the unknown assailants were exiled shinobi from the Land of Fire."
"Exiles?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
Ibiki nodded. "Yes. They've had numerous off-the-record transactions with members of the Shimura clan in recent years…"
With that, the picture of tonight's event grew crystal clear.
Shimura Danzo—and the Shimura clan behind him—could no longer claim ignorance.
---
"Hey, old man, why are you still playing dumb? This was obviously Shimura Danzo's doing!" Tsunade snapped, slamming her palm on the desk. Her voice thundered across the office, her honey-blonde hair trembling with fury.
Sarutobi frowned but responded in his usual diplomatic tone.
"If this truly involves the Shimura clan, then I will summon Danzo immediately and get to the bottom of this."
"Tch," Tsunade scoffed coldly.
Even in the presence of her former sensei, the Third Hokage, Tsunade's temper didn't waver. She offered him no grace.
Tonight's turn of events had been unprecedented, and within Sarutobi's mind, countless calculations raced by in silence.
Still, his face remained composed—a man trained to hide his thoughts after years of political maneuvering.
Outside, in the deep stillness of night, the once-darkened lights of the Hokage's office were now blazing.
The entire room bustled with tension.
Tsunade stood at the forefront, accompanied by members of the Anbu Second Tactical Squad. They had returned with the Scroll of Seals, and with it, the corpse of one of the enemy shinobi.
They would not leave until this incident was resolved.
---
Just then, the doors creaked open.
A voice, calm yet filled with subtle menace, echoed into the room:
"Sarutobi, you called for me?"
Shimura Danzo walked in, his cane tapping rhythmically on the wooden floor.
But to those with a keen eye, it was clear—his posture was stiff, his steps faintly unsteady. Sweat beaded along his temple, and his normally pale complexion was a shade paler than usual.
Though he had escaped death earlier by using Izanagi to nullify the fatal Ice Release attack during his fight with Tianyu, the energy sealed within that jutsu had still inflicted internal damage.
And now, before he could fully recover, he'd been summoned here by Anbu command.
As his eyes scanned the room, his gaze stopped at the giant scroll strapped to an Anbu's back.
His face darkened instantly.
What…?
He had used the decoy strategy to lure Tianyu away…
So why had the operation still failed?
Worthless.
Every last one of them—trash.
Danzo's eyes glinted with restrained fury.
Then Sarutobi spoke, measured but probing:
"Danzo, do you know anything about what happened tonight?"
Danzo scoffed. "Tonight? What are you referring to?"
Crack!
Tsunade's palm struck the table again.
She stood abruptly from her chair, her amber eyes glinting like fire.
"Don't play dumb with me, old relic!"
"I personally fought the ones trying to steal the Scroll of Seals. The Interrogation Division confirmed it—they were Root members. Many even belonged to your Shimura clan! Explain that!"
Danzo's expression didn't falter.
He had already realized—the plan had failed.
So, in typical fashion, he began damage control.
But in the back of his mind, a single question echoed:
Why was Tsunade there tonight?
Was it really a coincidence?
No. There was a variable he'd missed. Something… someone.
Still, no time to dwell.
He had to go on the offensive.
"Heh," Danzo chuckled. "So? You say they're Root? And Shimura? Do you have any proof I ordered it?"
"Tsunade, out of respect for your lineage—being the First Hokage's granddaughter—I'll overlook your baseless accusations this time. But I suggest you control your temper."
Danzo's smirk was shameless.
This was why he had lasted so long in the politics of Konoha—his skill at denial and manipulation was unmatched.
"You…"
Tsunade was shaking with anger.
If they weren't in the Hokage's office, she would've decked him right through the wall.
Just looking at his smug face made her sick.
His ilk was the very reason she left Konoha in the first place—after Hashirama and Tobirama passed, Konoha's leadership fell into the hands of schemers like Danzo.
If it wasn't for that brat Tianyu catching her attention…
She never would have returned.
With venom in her voice, she shot back:
"Heh. Danzo, the entire village knows you created Root. Every last shinobi in that division answers to you. The Shimura crest was all over their uniforms! And you're telling me… this has nothing to do with you?"
Danzo's eyes flashed dangerously.
But Tsunade, despite her fury, still looked like the younger shinobi compared to the decades-hardened warhawk.
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