The news of Tsunade's disappearance caused a huge uproar on the frontlines. Aside from a few people like Orochimaru and Minato who felt helpless, everyone else was in a frenzy. Some even speculated that it was the work of Suna.
Negotiation? After what the Third Kazekage did, he still has the face to propose negotiations?
More than one person requested that Orochimaru lead them to attack directly.
If they couldn't hand over Tsunade, then just destroy the entire village, let everyone understand the price of laying a hand on her.
Fortunately, Orochimaru had enough authority, and Minato also stepped forward to explain that she had left due to an emergency to carry out a secret mission. She was only temporarily out of contact, not necessarily missing. Only then did the situation stabilize.
It wasn't just the frontlines, back in Konoha, things had also exploded.
Danzō and Homura rebelled together and killed Hiruzen in public, causing massive losses to the village. So why was the village still stable now? It was only because everyone was holding on to hope.
News of the great victory on the frontlines reached Konoha even earlier than Hiruzen's return.
So everyone eagerly awaited the army's return, firmly believing that once the troops were back, all the current troubles facing Konoha would be resolved, and they could finally lift their heads high again.
You're telling me that the biggest hero of this war and the next Hokage is missing?
What's more, the timing of Tsunade's disappearance is incredibly suspicious.
Just one day earlier, Danzō had suddenly posted a public announcement as the interim Hokage, claiming that his actions against Hiruzen were not personal, but based on principle.
He went on to reveal that Hiruzen, despite being Hokage, had colluded with external enemies, sold village secrets, plotted to eliminate Tsunade and others, and conspired with Koharu in acts of corruption. After his crimes were exposed, he silenced people by killing them.
Homura also co-issued this statement with him.
In the same announcement, Homura stated that the Second Hokage originally intended to pass the title of Hokage to Danzō.
It was only because Hiruzen kept interrupting his teacher's words and aggressively promoting himself while Tobirama was severely injured that Tobirama was forced to choose him due to time constraints.
However, Tobirama also said that people like them should supervise Hiruzen. If he proved to be an unfit Hokage, they had the authority to choose another.
And in this announcement, the person jointly chosen by Danzō and Homura was Tsunade.
This announcement helped Danzō regain a good amount of reputation. At the very least, it stabilized the village's situation and even won him some public favor.
After all... so you supported Tsunade all along?
People even came to believe that Danzō's repeated failures on the frontlines weren't his fault, it was because Hiruzen had long sidelined him and was directing things from afar.
As the Hokage's aide, he had no choice but to follow orders. Even while gravely injured, he had to take the fall for Hiruzen.
But this goodwill only lasted for a day, Tsunade's disappearance wiped it out completely.
Given yesterday's announcement and today's news of Tsunade going missing, anyone with a bit of sense could smell a conspiracy.
The people of Konoha didn't care that much about Hiruzen's death, after all, they'd long since been disappointed in him.
But the one who killed him was you, Danzō.
Even if what you said about him is true, your actions were clearly premeditated. And are you clean yourself? Who doesn't know that you and Hiruzen used to be thick as thieves?
So now, nearly everyone believed that Tsunade's disappearance was tied to Danzō.
But Danzō had already gone all-in.
That person who claimed to be Madara was right, reputation and prestige were temporary. They could be rebuilt over time.
For him, the most important thing now was to seize the position of Hokage.
Of course, being Hokage wasn't just about holding a title or position. Sitting in that chair didn't automatically mean you could govern the village or command everyone. In addition to prestige, one also needed real strength.
But he wasn't worried about that at all.
Did they really think he was some pushover?
During the past six months on the frontlines, the majority of his efforts weren't focused on the war itself, but rather on working tirelessly to finally gain Orochimaru's support.
That was the true source of his confidence.
Everyone knew that once Hiruzen stepped down, the person most likely to become Hokage was Tsunade.
But if Tsunade were no longer around, then there would only be one other viable candidate, Orochimaru, who had also gained immense prestige during the war.
If not for his relatively low profile in the earlier days, he might have been able to rival Tsunade as a candidate.
And now, with Tsunade taken by that person, and Orochimaru fully backing him, Danzō couldn't imagine how he could possibly lose.
Still, the immediate priority was to stabilize the situation within the village.
He wasn't afraid of the army returning from the frontlines, in fact, he couldn't wait for them to come back.
What he feared was that before they returned, others inside the village might start following his example and launch their own rebellions.
"Hokage-sama!" A ninja wearing a Root mask entered the Hokage's office and bowed respectfully.
Hearing that title, Danzō felt a rush of clarity and satisfaction throughout his body.
He had to admit, his subordinates really knew how to act appropriately. Unlike Homura's clansmen, who still called him Interim Hokage.
Do I need you to remind me that I'm just interim Hokage? You think I don't know?
Once I officially become Hokage, if Homura crosses me again, I'll say it out loud…
I am the Hokage!
Just imagining that moment made him feel refreshed and invigorated.
"What is it?" Though he was thrilled inside, he kept a completely neutral expression, pretending to be calm and composed.
"According to your instructions, we've been closely monitoring certain clans and the ninjas who stayed behind. So far, there's been no suspicious activity, except…"
"Except what?" Danzō raised an eyebrow and asked coldly, "Speak clearly."
The reporting ninja swallowed nervously and said, "Except that just now, quite a few of them went to the Senju compound. Right now, they're meeting with Lady Mito."
"Hm?" Danzō's brows furrowed even deeper.
Meeting with Mito… What are those people up to?
Could it be that the recent commotion upset her and now she's planning something?
Or maybe the news of Tsunade's disappearance has reached her, and she, too, mistakenly thinks I had something to do with it?
To be honest, of all the people still left in Konoha, the one Danzō feared the most was indeed Mito.
Even though she held no official position in the village, her status had nothing to do with titles or duties.
Over the past few days, he had tried every means to compete with Hiruzen over legitimacy, but no matter how hard he tried, none of it could match up to a single sentence from Mito:
"I support you."
If you said it was inappropriate for her to bypass official channels and summon ninjas directly, that it broke the rules?
Sorry, she was the rule.