The elder's strange tone made Tsunade's forehead twitch with irritation. Even though she was technically a junior to the Daimyo, she wasn't someone to be casually patronized.
"If I hadn't returned, both the Daimyo's estate and Konoha might've plunged into chaos," Tsunade said with a sigh.
There was indeed a political relationship at play, but Tsunade would never be foolish enough to fully align herself with the Daimyo's faction over the interests of Konoha.
Hearing her words, the Daimyo's smiling face contorted into anger as he cursed, "It's all because of Danzo, that insidious snake! He actually dared to plot to assassinate me!"
Danzo wasn't present, and currently, all of Konoha's decisions were being scrutinized. The Daimyo had become emboldened, and it seemed that blaming Danzo had become his new favorite pastime.
The Daimyo's rant was, if nothing else, emotionally satisfying for him.
Although Tsunade was somewhat amused by the righteous anger, she furrowed her brow and tried to reason.
"My lord, perhaps there's been a misunderstanding. Even if Danzo is bold, he wouldn't dare go so far as to commit treason. Perhaps this is a deliberate provocation—someone attempting to sour relations between Konoha and the Daimyo's estate."
"Impossible!!" the Daimyo snapped.
He wasn't buying any excuses.
"If someone intentionally leaked the intel, how did they get such detailed information about Root's operations? Only someone from within Konoha could know such things. Are you telling me there's treachery inside your own ranks?"
"..."
Tsunade had no good answer. The old man—Sarutobi—had tried investigating, but they'd come up with nothing conclusive. Root's secrecy made it difficult to distinguish between loyal operatives and potential traitors.
After pondering a moment, Tsunade decided to lay her cards on the table.
"Daimyo-sama, there's no sense in dragging this conflict out any further. Danzo is already under surveillance. He can't so much as sneeze without us knowing. Continuing this standoff only serves to weaken both sides—and invite ridicule from our enemies. If the other Daimyos sense discord here, they may unite to pressure Konoha."
The Daimyo nodded, his expression hardening. "The old man isn't blind, Tsunade. I know how the world works. These so-called allies only help when it suits their own interests. If they push me toward breaking with Konoha, it's only because they want a weakened Fire Country."
Despite his earlier outburst, he hadn't lost all sense of reason.
"Many hope for an irreparable rift between Konoha and the Daimyo's estate. They came to this gathering hoping for that outcome," he continued with a sneer. "But why should I let Danzo off so easily? When the Fourth Hokage was being selected, he threatened me. Sarutobi promised he'd deal with him. And yet here we are—Danzo still sits in the upper ranks as Hokage's advisor."
His voice rose as his indignation mounted.
"No explanation, no consequences. Now he's conveniently 'retired.' Who's to say he won't reclaim power later? I've had enough of Sarutobi's empty words. If he values Danzo so much, let Danzo fund Konoha himself! Don't come to me for support anymore. And don't try to deceive me—my estate has plenty of ways to gather intel from inside Konoha. I won't tolerate any more of your lip service."
Tsunade found herself nodding silently. It was a fair grievance. Even she couldn't comprehend why the old man valued Danzo so highly, especially after everything that had transpired.
"Then what are your conditions, Daimyo-sama?" she asked diplomatically. "I've come here representing Konoha in the hopes of resolving this smoothly. Both our sides have too much at stake. Let's show each other some sincerity."
"Otsunade…"
"Stop."
Veins bulged on Tsunade's forehead. That diminutive version of her name gave her goosebumps. The way the old man said it—like a spoiled elder teasing a child—was utterly disconcerting.
She shuddered.
"State your conditions," she said flatly.
The Daimyo fell into silence, pretending to mull things over, before finally declaring, "I don't ever want to see Danzo again!"
The hatred he bore for Danzo was deeply rooted.
Although Tsunade sympathized, she knew this was a non-starter.
Hiruzen Sarutobi might consent to house arrest, but he'd never agree to eliminate Danzo outright. To do so would be political suicide. Outsiders would mock Konoha for sacrificing one of its senior leaders to appease the Daimyo. Worse still, it could spark unrest within the village itself.
"This is impossible," Tsunade replied firmly. "Danzo may be controversial, but he's still a high-ranking shinobi. Disposing of him outright would destroy Konoha's credibility and could even trigger internal chaos."
"We can monitor him—but not execute him."
The Daimyo's brows twitched. "This doesn't work. That doesn't work. What does work then, Tsunade? You're not showing any sincerity."
Though she stood her ground on Danzo's life, Tsunade recognized that a compromise was necessary. She took a deep breath and proposed Konoha's bottom line.
"Daimyo-sama, Danzo cannot be eliminated—but I can promise you that he will never return to Konoha's leadership. He'll remain under strict surveillance, confined within the village indefinitely.
Furthermore, Root will be dismantled in stages. And if there are any other reasonable terms you wish to discuss, Konoha is willing to cooperate."
"Boring."
The Daimyo's face twisted with dissatisfaction. He wanted a clear victory, not lukewarm concessions. He wanted blood.
Since Danzo couldn't be offered up as a scapegoat, he shifted gears.
"In that case," the Daimyo said with a glint in his eye, "I want Konoha's full support in reestablishing the Twelve Guardian Ninja. This time, the Daimyo's estate must have full autonomy, and Konoha must provide substantial backing."
Since you won't get rid of Danzo, he thought, I'll create my own loyal power base instead.
"..."
Tsunade's eye twitched.
The Guardian Twelve again?
The Daimyo had been trying to revive that group for years. Konoha had previously blocked his attempts, forcing him to scrape together a makeshift team of mercenaries and minor clansmen. The result had been a laughable squad of misfits—unruly and barely competent.
Fine, Tsunade thought. If we can't purge Danzo, we'll make sacrifices elsewhere.
"Alright," she said through gritted teeth. "Konoha will support your efforts. But I hope the Daimyo's requests won't become unreasonable. For instance, Uchiha Shisui cannot be stationed at the Daimyo's estate permanently."
"..."
The Daimyo's hopeful expression froze.
He liked Shisui—admired his strength, his poise, his loyalty. Unlike the others, Shisui didn't indulge in internal politics. He simply followed orders and performed impeccably.
But Tsunade had crushed his plan before it could fully blossom.
That was non-negotiable. Hiko had explicitly forbidden Shisui from becoming a political pawn, and Tsunade would never allow it.
Had this been Sarutobi, the Daimyo thought, he might have considered it. But not Tsunade. No chance.
He felt his irritation surge.
Even though Tsunade had yielded somewhat, it felt insufficient. His eyes narrowed. He leaned back in his chair, lips curling in a sardonic smile.
"Hehehe…"
His laughter was slow and mocking, full of restrained venom. He saw Tsunade's unwavering stance and knew she wouldn't yield further.
"Fine then," the Daimyo muttered. "If you won't give me Shisui, give me that Hatake Kakashi instead."
His voice turned more playful—and vindictive.
"And while you're at it, send me Sarutobi Hiruzen's son. I hear he's a real troublemaker in the village. I'd be glad to discipline him properly."
A twisted smile formed on his lips. If I can't humiliate the father, I'll brainwash the son.
Poor Asuma had no idea he was being traded like a pawn.
Tsunade found this a convenient solution. Asuma had been getting on her nerves for a while. He wasn't insubordinate per se, but he carried himself with an entitled attitude.
Sending him to the Daimyo could serve as a cautionary tale to other would-be troublemakers.
"Very well," she replied. "But Kakashi is currently embedded in Anbu. He'll need time to transition his responsibilities. He'll report to the Daimyo's estate once the handover is complete."
Satisfied with the trade, Tsunade considered the discussion concluded. The Daimyo had shown some willingness to compromise, and she'd made concessions without compromising Konoha's core values.
But she couldn't shake the feeling that this fragile alliance might collapse at any moment…