Chapter 32: Asuma: My Home is Gone?
These past few days, elite jonin returning from missions one after another received shocking news.
In just three days—
"Lord Danzo is dead?"
"The Third Hokage was expelled?"
"The Hokage position went to Lady Tsunade?"
Even their ancestral clan grounds had been renamed Uchiha...
"What kind of joke is this!"
Asuma smashed a roadside stone pillar with his fist. As the Third's son, within half an hour of returning to the village, he'd received an "expulsion order" without even getting a chance to see his family home one last time.
He came to the Hokage's office burning with rage, where Tsunade pushed a scroll filled with bank notes toward him: "Go find your father."
Asuma slapped it away with one palm, bills scattering like snowflakes.
"On what grounds?!"
The cigarette between Asuma's teeth was ground to pieces.
Tsunade said helplessly: "I've already explained the circumstances. Your father has agreed to this."
"Where is that brat called Yu?!"
Asuma snarled in a low voice, his chakra blade instantly unsheathed!
Swoosh!
Several ANBU suddenly appeared, kunai pressed against his vital points. Most ironically, their leader was his former teammate.
"You...!"
"You bunch of traitors!"
Asuma's roar echoed through the corridor, but Tsunade only wearily rubbed her temples.
This was the who-knows-how-many-th one today. The Shimura clan members were better—those jonin seemed to have little emotional resistance to Danzo's death, taking their settlement fees and leaving obediently.
But the Sarutobi clan members all expressed fierce protests against this judgment. As the Hokage's family, they couldn't tolerate some young punk occupying their clan grounds.
Other jonin more or less still feared Tsunade's status as Hokage, but Asuma, as the Third's son, was a tough nut.
Tsunade sighed and walked around the desk to Asuma. This stubborn shinobi still smoking his cigarette was a child she'd personally taught taijutsu to years ago.
"Listen to me..."
She pressed down on Asuma's trembling shoulders, her voice rarely gentle: "Go see your father first."
"If the Third agrees to let you return..."
Her fingertips imperceptibly tapped ANBU code on his shoulder—Danger! Leave quickly!
"I guarantee as Hokage that your clan grounds will be immediately returned."
Asuma's cigarette fell to the ground. He stared at Tsunade in disbelief—this woman called one of the legendary Sannin now had... fear in her eyes?
Asuma's fists tightened and loosened, finally taking a deep breath.
He wasn't a fool. No matter how outrageous the information about that youth seemed, the rare gravity in Tsunade's eyes couldn't be faked.
After calming down, he decided to see his father first.
"If father gives a different answer, I'll be back for an explanation, Lady Tsunade!"
He ignored the scattered bills on the floor and left the office directly.
Tsunade nodded slightly, signaling the ANBU beside her with her eyes.
Several ANBU immediately followed silently, trailing far behind Asuma.
The moment the office door closed, she sank completely into her chair, picking up the tea on her desk and gulping down a large mouthful.
Finally some peace and quiet.
Being Hokage really wasn't a job for humans.
Knock, knock.
Just as Tsunade closed her eyes, the knocking sounded like a death knell. She sat up straight through gritted teeth: "Enter!"
A black-clad ANBU knelt on one knee, presenting an intelligence scroll.
Tsunade stood to receive it.
"Yesterday at 18:00, high-risk target Uchiha Yu accompanied by Uchiha Sasuko made contact with the Nine-Tails jinchuriki at Ichiraku Ramen."
"He ordered double char siu tonkotsu ramen for Naruko."
Tsunade frowned: "Reason?"
Why was this demon suddenly being so kind?
"According to the shop owner's account, the target may have mistakenly believed the jinchuriki couldn't afford the meal."
"I recall ANBU sends Uzumaki Naruko living expenses every month."
"The Sarutobi member originally responsible for disbursement left the village with the Third three days ago."
Those idiots!
They nearly let the Nine-Tails go hungry.
Smack!
Tsunade slammed the intelligence report on the desk.
"Why wasn't this reported earlier?!"
Cold sweat beaded on the ANBU's forehead: "The Sarutobi clan's withdrawal was hasty, unable to complete the handover..."
He suddenly fell silent mid-sentence.
Tsunade waved her hand dejectedly.
Indeed, too much had happened these past few days. Who would remember some blonde girl's living expenses?
"From today forward," she pulled out a mission scroll to allocate new funding, "you'll personally handle Naruko's living expenses."
After a pause, she added: "Double the previous standard."
"Yes, Lady Tsunade." The ANBU accepted respectfully.
"Go."
After dismissing her subordinate, Tsunade gazed out the window.
Was treating Naruko to ramen because of the Nine-Tails sealed within her?
Tsunade shook her head self-mockingly. When had she started habitually viewing everything through the darkest lens?
He was a monster who could casually slice through the Hokage Monument. If he truly had designs on the Nine-Tails, he could simply abduct Naruko like he'd controlled Danzo. Why bother with the unnecessary gesture of buying ramen?
——————
The setting sun's afterglow fell on the Uchiha compound ruins, where returning clan members were energetically clearing rubble and debris.
Hammering sounds and shouts from moving lumber wove together, finally bringing life back to the long-silent compound.
Shisui stood before the unfinished clan leader's hall, watching the busy crowd, though his brow never relaxed.
Since taking the clan leader position, the clan members' attitudes left him both gratified and helpless.
"Lord Shisui, the south wall has been raised according to your requirements."
"Lord Shisui, the training ground's sealing formation is complete."
"Lord Shisui, the east district housing framework is finished!"
Every clan member who came to report had eyes shining with near-worship.
Even though he repeatedly emphasized that all this was Yu's doing, those clan members who hadn't witnessed that crushing battle firsthand took it as their leader's humble virtue.
"I heard you dealt with two more Cloud Village scouts yesterday?"
"Truly worthy of Shisui of the Body Flicker!"
The clan members' excited discussions reached his ears as Shisui smiled bitterly and shook his head.
Those foreign village ninja attempting to infiltrate during the chaos—he had indeed driven them off. But compared to Yu's cognition-overturning power, his own strength was hardly worth mentioning.
Looking around, among the swaying tree shadows, Shisui's Sharingan caught a familiar figure.
He calmly dismissed the clan members: "I'll inspect the barrier."
Body Flickering to the ancient tree a hundred meters away, he indeed saw Yu leaning against a branch.
"You're doing well as clan leader."
Shisui shook his head: "I'm just borrowing your influence..."
"Don't underestimate yourself."
"By the way, let me ask you something."
"How come I haven't seen Itachi?"
Shisui sighed: "Itachi... took his own life."
"Heh."
"He really knew how to pick the easy way out."
After getting his answer, Yu's figure dissolved into white smoke.
***
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