Yōkō scanned the shocked expressions of the Jōnin, finding it quite amusing.
Before today, the Senju clan had always been the ones who fought the most desperately on the battlefield.
Whether in the First Great Ninja War or the ongoing Second, the Senju were always at the forefront of the charge.
From Jōnin to Genin, the Senju clan had lived up to the village and the Will of Fire.
The ninjas who became Jōnin were no fools.
The Senju clan's proposal to strengthen the village's medical system was, in reality, an attempt to withdraw from the combat roster.
More importantly, it represented a significant signal: Sarutobi Hiruzen's political credit with the Senju clan had collapsed.
The Senju clan would no longer support Sarutobi Hiruzen unconditionally.
By laying everything out on the table – Senju Hanaki and Tsunade presenting the clan's ninja numbers explicitly – they demonstrated just how much the Senju, once Konoha's largest clan, had sacrificed for the village.
Simultaneously, any future large-scale casualties among the remaining Senju ninja would be meticulously recorded, every single one.
Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately said:
"Transferring over 150 Senju ninja to become medical ninja would have too great an impact on the village.
Tsunade, don't be willful. You are already an Elite Jōnin, and you, alongside Orochimaru and Jiraiya, forced a stalemate with Hanzo of the Salamander, earning the title of Sannin.
The Senju clan is one of Konoha's founding clans. Surely you don't want to leave behind a reputation for fearing battle?"
This was practically an insult.
Tsunade angrily slammed her fist on the table:
"Third Hokage! To say the Senju clan fears battle is going too far!
Over seven hundred of my clansmen sacrificed their lives in the First Great Ninja War.
My grandfather died prematurely due to his fight against Uchiha Madara.
My father, my mother, my grandmother, and over seven hundred clansmen all died for the village's Tailed Beasts!
Not counting the Nine-Tails transfer seal, over three hundred of my clansmen have died in the Second Great Ninja War.
My younger brother died for the village in the Land of Grass!
My granduncle sacrificed himself to protect you few on this very platform!
And you tell me the Senju clan fears battle?!"
In terms of the Will of Fire, the Senju clan, with only over 200 ninja left, were practically burning violet with it.
Tsunade's retort was scathing.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face visibly darkened.
Especially upon hearing that the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had died protecting those on the platform, the Jōnin couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
The fate of the Senju clan made the Jōnin feel a sense of shared peril.
Some looked at the high-ranking officials on the platform with unfriendly and scrutinizing eyes.
Yōkō recalled the original story. Sarutobi Hiruzen's political credit had collapsed with Tsunade, which was why she never returned to the village until after his death.
His political credit had collapsed with the Hyūga clan; Yōkō didn't believe the Hyūga hadn't noticed something during Orochimaru's invasion.
His political credit had gradually crumbled through repeated internal consumption.
In the end, he faced his student-turned-murderer, Orochimaru, alone.
The simple-minded Might Gai tried several times to rush to the rooftop to rescue the Hokage but was repeatedly stopped by Kakashi.
It was hard to say how much political credit Sarutobi Hiruzen still held with Kakashi.
A politician's death does not occur on the day they die physically, but on the day their political credit is lost.
The Jōnin's murmurs made Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others' expressions even uglier.
Even Danzō, usually impassive, had a twitching eyelid.
Tsunade hadn't stopped her storm-like offensive. She continued shouting:
"The Senju clan has sacrificed so much. Has the village grown stronger?
When the Senju clan helped found the village, the clan had over three thousand ninja, plus over two thousand in-laws from the Uzumaki clan.
Now the Senju clan has only over two hundred ninja left, and the Uzumaki clan only has Kushina remaining.
Has Konoha, built upon the sacrifices of the Senju clan, properly protected its own villagers?
My brother, Nawaki, died on the frontline at age 12.
Are even half of Nawaki's classmates still alive today?
Third Hokage, I do not approve of your method of protecting Konoha!
I admit what you said is true; during wartime, there's little that can be done.
I lack the power to change Konoha's current order. I will devote all my efforts to supporting Konoha's medical system, protecting Konoha in our own way!"
The Jōnin understood. This was a firm notification, not a discussion with the Third Hokage.
The Senju clan remained the clan that loved Konoha the most. However, continuous death had shattered their perseverance.
The blood remains hot, but it's hard to keep it from cooling.
Entering the medical system was this clan's final resistance, their ultimate decision.
Yōkō suddenly remembered a conspiracy theory from his previous life.
It was said that many emperors of the Ming dynasty died at the hands of the imperial physicians.
One renowned imperial physician, Liu Wentai, was credited with 'double-killing' two emperors – Emperor Xianzong Zhu Jianshen and Emperor Xiaozong Zhu Youtang – both allegedly 'treated to death' by him.
The Jiajing Emperor purged the entire Imperial Medical Institute and lived past sixty.
If the Senju clan controlled Konoha Hospital and the frontline medical departments, their influence wouldn't decrease but might instead increase.
Yōkō had saved some Senju clansmen on the night of the Nine-Tails transfer. Now, the Senju clan's counterattack had arrived.
Tsunade used her storm-like assault to shatter the false facade meticulously maintained by the higher-ups.
And they could do nothing to Tsunade. Be it her status, strength, or personality, she was not someone they could easily control.
In this Jonin meeting, Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other elders lost face, thoroughly slapped.
Tsunade's accusation that the villagers weren't being properly protected was something Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't refute.
Too many villagers had died, so many that people were already discussing when the cemetery behind the Memorial Stone would need to be expanded.
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath and said, "Tsunade, won't you even call me 'sensei' anymore?"
Tsunade yielded not an inch:
"Third Hokage, this is a Jonin meeting, not a place for reminiscing!
During official business, please refer to yourself as the Hokage!"
Yōkō sucked in a sharp breath. As expected of Tsunade, the number one true female lead in Naruto, second only to Sasuke.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, facing another rebuff, said:
"The matter regarding the Senju clan's proposal to strengthen Konoha Hospital and the frontline medical departments involves significant complexities and will be discussed in detail later.
Today, we first discuss the more pressing matter: the war in the Land of Rivers.
Sunagakure has declared war on Konoha. Konoha has just experienced two major conflicts in the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Grass, the latter also involving the Land of Rain battlefield.
In the face of Sunagakure's declaration, Konoha must not show weakness.
Now, announcing the Commander and Deputy Commanders for the Land of Rivers battlefield."
Seeing the Third Hokage change the subject, Tsunade did not delay official matters and sat down.
Her goal was achieved. The Senju clan's goal was achieved.
Nara Shikaku took out the previously prepared list and glanced at the Third Hokage.
On this list, one of the Deputy Commanders was Tsunade.
Receiving no further instruction from the Third, Nara Shikaku read according to the list:
"Commander of the Land of Rivers battlefield: Nara Shikaku.
Deputy Commander Princess Tsunade, concurrently responsible Jōnin for the Frontline Medical Department.
Deputy Commander Hatake Sakumo, responsible Jōnin for the
Top Action Squad.
List of remaining mobilized Jōnin Battalion Commanders includes..."
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(End of Chapter)