CHAPTER 258: TRAP FOR DANZO!

After classes ended, Kitazawa returned home.

"Why are you so late?"

Kurenai glanced up from the sofa, one eyebrow slightly raised. "Did you have a meeting all day?"

"No, I stopped by the Academy this afternoon," Kitazawa replied, settling beside her.

"I see," Kurenai said thoughtfully. "Did your students miss you?"

"I just planned to check in for a moment," he said with a wry smile, "but they got too enthusiastic. So... I ended up giving them new training assignments."

Kurenai blinked, then laughed softly. "That sounds a lot like repaying kindness with more work."

"How is that wrong?" Kitazawa protested half-heartedly, lightly patting her smooth thigh.

Still, her words reminded him of something from his past life—those times when "rewards" from managers turned out to be extra work.

"Alright, I’ll make dinner," Kurenai said, stretching lazily before kicking him playfully. "What do you want tonight?"

"Anything’s fine," Kitazawa sighed contentedly. "After eating out for two and a half months, everything home-cooked tastes amazing."

"Home is always better," Kurenai said with a smile. She leaned down, brushed her lips against his cheek, and then headed to the kitchen.

After dinner, Kitazawa retreated to his room, resuming his research on Limb Regeneration.

The war had left Konoha filled with injured shinobi—many missing arms or legs. If Kitazawa could perfect his technique in time to heal them, his reputation and the renown of this S-rank medical ninjutsu would grow immensely.

And with that, perhaps his system’s mission rewards would become even more generous.

Dawn filtered through the window when Kitazawa woke early. Today, he was to assist Tsunade with official duties.

He glanced at Kurenai, still asleep beside him, and smiled faintly. The vitality of the Senju bloodline was incredible—his recovery rate far surpassed that of an ordinary ninja.

After changing and eating breakfast, he continued refining his limb regeneration research.

By nine o’clock, a firm knock sounded at the door.

"Finally," Kitazawa muttered, standing up.

When he opened it, Tsunade stood there with Shizune at her side.

"Let’s go," Tsunade said curtly, already turning toward the Hokage Building.

Hiruzen had arranged a special office for her there.

When the three arrived, two figures were already waiting—Shikaku Nara and Suzaku Nara, both Jonin of the Nara Clan. Their presence alone showed how seriously the Hokage regarded this meeting.

Suzaku wasn’t well-known—he only appeared briefly during the Fourth Great Ninja War in the original story—but here, he stood calmly beside Shikaku.

"Lady Tsunade," the two greeted respectfully.

Tsunade sat down without ceremony. "Let’s hear it. What’s the arrangement?"

Shikaku nodded and began outlining his plan.

A total of four thousand shinobi had participated in the war. He divided them into three categories based on merit.

First, those who simply fulfilled their missions—competent but ordinary—would receive standard rewards.

Second, those who had exceeded expectations in their missions—performing above and beyond—would earn special commendations.

Third, an elite few with extraordinary merit, including Lady Tsunade and Kitazawa himself, would be evaluated separately.

Shikaku proposed handling the first two groups’ rewards immediately, while the third category would be discussed in detail and approved by the Hokage.

"Excellent," Tsunade said with a rare smile. "You’re as reliable as ever, Shikaku."

"Just doing my job," he replied humbly.

"Good. Then let’s get started."

For once, Tsunade looked serious—after all, the sooner they finished, the sooner she could escape her paperwork.

Shikaku handed over neatly sorted files to Tsunade, Kitazawa, and Shizune.

Kitazawa flipped one open. Each contained detailed records of a shinobi’s missions during the war—their performance, results, and level of contribution.

His task was to make an initial evaluation. The final approval, of course, rested with Lady Tsunade.

The afternoon sun crept lazily across the Hokage Office windows.

A soft knock broke the silence.

"Lady Tsunade."

Itachi Uchiha stood at the doorway, but didn’t step inside.

"Kitazawa," Tsunade called out, already rising from her seat. "We’re heading out for a bit."

Kitazawa understood immediately why Itachi had come. With a quick word to Shizune and the others, he followed Tsunade out into the corridor.

"Let’s talk here," Tsunade said, halting mid-hallway.

After a brief pause, Itachi spoke. "Our investigation confirmed he was indeed a former Root operative, codename Tiger. After Root was officially disbanded, he entered the Anbu... but he’s already been killed—by Hidden Mist shinobi."

"Did he seek death on purpose?" Tsunade frowned deeply. "Was the body recovered?"

Kitazawa didn’t seem surprised. Danzo was far too cunning to leave behind usable evidence.

"It was recovered," Itachi said quietly. "But the body was heavily damaged. The analysis team reports that most of his memories are unrecoverable."

"How troublesome," Tsunade muttered with a sigh. Without solid proof, she couldn’t take direct action against Danzo. As much as she wanted to, Hiruzen and others in the council would block her.

"Is there anything else you need me to do?" Itachi asked, his calm tone hiding a spark of frustration.

In truth, part of him longed to end Danzo with his own hands—for Shisui’s sake. But Danzo, once again, had slipped through untouched.

"Not for now. You’ve done enough, Itachi. Thank you."

Itachi bowed slightly. "Yes, Lady Tsunade." Then, turning silently, he disappeared down the corridor.

Watching him leave, Tsunade exhaled slowly.

As long as she stood in the Hokage’s seat, there was still hope—one day, Danzo would answer for his sins.

"Lady Tsunade," Kitazawa spoke up, his tone thoughtful. "Maybe it’s time we take the initiative."

Tsunade arched a brow. "What are you implying? Don’t tell me you plan to assassinate Danzo."

"Of course not," Kitazawa said, blinking innocently. "That would go against Konoha’s rules."

"Then speak plainly," Tsunade snapped, glaring.

"Danzo’s fixation on you comes from his obsession with power," Kitazawa explained. "If the process to select the next Hokage begins, he won’t be able to sit still. He’ll make the first move."

Tsunade gave a half-laugh, half-sigh. "You’re really that desperate for me to become Hokage?"

"Once you’re Hokage, I can finally walk around the village with confidence—under your protection," Kitazawa said honestly.

Tsunade stared at him, speechless for a beat. Somehow, it sounded like he would be the one reaping all the benefits.

"Lady Tsunade, hesitation doesn’t suit you," Kitazawa teased lightly.

"Do I need you to teach me how to decide?" Tsunade shot back, swatting him on the head in mock irritation.

"Of course not," Kitazawa chuckled. "I’m only offering a suggestion—from the heart."

Tsunade studied him quietly for a long moment before letting out a soft laugh at herself. When had she become so cautious?

"Fine," she said at last, turning on her heel. "Come with me to the Hokage Office."

Her tea-green haori, marked with the bold kanji for Gamble, fluttered dramatically as she strode ahead.

Kitazawa couldn’t help but grin. So, it was finally happening.

Bang!

The Hokage Office door swung open under Tsunade’s decisive kick.

Hiruzen barely looked startled. "You two again? What is it—problems with your duties?"

"Old man," Tsunade said bluntly, "when are you planning to retire?"

Hiruzen froze mid-pipe puff. If anyone else had asked that, he might have suspected treason. But coming from Tsunade... he wasn’t sure what to make of it.

"Why the sudden question?" he asked, tone cautious. "I’m still Hokage. And a Hokage doesn’t retire until a successor has been chosen."

"Then start the Hokage selection process," Tsunade said firmly.

Hiruzen blinked. "You mean...?"

"I’ve made myself clear," Tsunade cut him off. "Don’t make me repeat it."

Her gaze drifted to the window, where the carved faces on the Hokage Rock loomed in the sunlight. Her chest tightened with conflicting emotions. She’d never wanted this—her dream had always been for Nawaki to become Hokage. But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

"Good!" Hiruzen said suddenly, standing up with renewed energy. "I’ll have someone notify the Daimyo immediately!"

The Hokage selection had three stages: Daimyo approval, the Jonin vote, and the villagers’ support.

Officially, the first step was the Daimyo’s consent—but in truth, it all began with the current Hokage’s will. Once Hiruzen approved a candidate, the rest was mostly ceremony.

"I’ll go myself," Tsunade decided. "It’s the perfect time to invite the Daimyo to the victory banquet. The timing couldn’t be better."

Hiruzen nodded, smiling faintly. "Excellent idea. If the Daimyo’s in good spirits, next year’s budget might even see an increase."

Konoha’s coffers, after all, relied not just on mission income but largely on funding from the Land of Fire.

That was why the Daimyo of the Five Great Nations still held sway over even the strongest ninja villages.

Money, after all, spoke louder.

And so, the final step toward a new Hokage began.

"When are you leaving?"

Hiruzen folded his hands, his tone steady yet thoughtful. "I’ll have Shikaku select a few to accompany you."

"No need for that."

Tsunade waved her hand dismissively. "Kitazawa and I will go alone."

"Just the two of you?" Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "That’s... rather irregular, isn’t it?"

"The Daimyo won’t mind," Tsunade replied, her expression calm.

Hiruzen paused, then nodded slowly. Indeed, the Daimyo had always been on friendly terms with Tsunade—one of the few Hokage candidates who could boast such a relationship, aside from Hashirama himself.

"I’ll leave on Friday," Tsunade decided after a moment of thought.

She had taken on the task of awarding merits; she wasn’t the type to back down once she’d given her word. The schedule was tight, but Shadow Clones could handle the paperwork.

"Friday, then?" Hiruzen mused aloud. "In that case, I’ll postpone Saturday’s funeral to Sunday."

It wouldn’t be right for the two heroes of Konoha’s recent victory to miss the memorial.

"Mm." Tsunade nodded. "The Jonin vote will take place next week."

"No problem," Hiruzen replied readily.

Once the process concluded, his long tenure as Hokage would finally come to an end. The thought of stepping down, after carrying the weight of the village for decades, filled him with quiet anticipation. He was old now. It was time to pass the burden on.

"Alright," Tsunade said, waving her hand. "We’ll head back to finish up the reports."

She left the office with Kitazawa in tow, her steps brisk but her air as unbothered as ever. Even after deciding to become Hokage, some habits—like shirking tedious work—died hard.

As they walked down the corridor, Kitazawa asked, "Lady Tsunade, are you expecting Danzo to make a move on our way to the Capital?"

"Yes," she replied without hesitation.

"But just the two of us?" Kitazawa rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe we should bring Itachi. If something goes wrong, he can intervene."

Tsunade glanced sideways at him. "You doubt my strength?"

"Not at all," Kitazawa said quickly. "I just prefer being cautious. We don’t know how many people Danzo might send."

"...Fair enough," Tsunade admitted after a pause. "Have Itachi lead an Anbu squad to shadow us in secret."

"I’ll inform him," Kitazawa nodded.

Hokage Office

"Haru," Hiruzen called softly once they had left.

"Hokage-sama."

"Send word to the villagers and ninja," Hiruzen ordered. "Announce that the Hokage selection process will begin next week. Tell them to prepare for the vote."

Haru blinked in surprise. "The... Hokage is being replaced?"

Her mind raced. Could it be Lady Tsunade? She had just left the office—and frankly, no one else in Konoha matched her qualifications.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Haru said quickly, bowing before retreating.

The change in leadership would ripple through the Anbu as well, though less drastically. Traditionally, the new Hokage chose a few Anbu to serve as direct subordinates. He himself had once been handpicked by Hiruzen.

"Wait," Hiruzen said suddenly. "While you’re at it—summon Danzo."

"...Understood."

Haru bowed again and left quietly.

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, eyes half-lidded. He knew Danzo all too well. The man’s hunger for power had never faded. But no matter his ambitions, Danzo would never be fit for Hokage.

Now that Tsunade was stepping forward, Hiruzen wanted to give his old comrade one last warning—to stop before he crossed a line that couldn’t be uncrossed.

"Hiruzen."

Danzo entered, his cane tapping lightly against the wooden floor. His single visible eye watched the old Hokage warily.

"How have things been at home lately?" Hiruzen asked with a faint smile.

Danzo froze for a split second. After decades of friendship, he could tell something was off. Hiruzen had never started a conversation with small talk.

"...Fine," Danzo replied curtly.

"It seems you’re adjusting well." Hiruzen nodded. "After I retire next week, we’ll finally have more time to talk."

"Retire?" Danzo’s eye widened slightly, his grip tightening on his cane. "You’re stepping down?"

"Yes." Hiruzen smiled. "I’m too old for this. It’s time for me to rest—and for Tsunade to take over."

"Hiruzen!" Danzo’s voice rose, anger and disbelief bleeding through. "This matter requires careful consideration!"

"Consider what?" Hiruzen’s tone sharpened. "Tell me, Danzo—who in Konoha is more qualified than Tsunade to be Hokage?"

Danzo fell silent. He wanted to say me—but even he couldn’t deny the truth. In strength, lineage, and recognition, Tsunade surpassed him on every front.

Still, the bitterness burned in his chest.

"Danzo," Hiruzen said softly, his voice heavy with weary affection, "we’re both old men now. It’s time to let go."

"You’re old," Danzo snapped. "I’m not."

He turned on his heel, storming out of the office.

Bang!

The door slammed shut behind him.

Hiruzen sat quietly for a long time, gazing at the closed door.

He sighed. He had said what needed to be said.

If Danzo still chose to walk a dangerous path—then it would no longer be his problem.

It would be Tsunade’s.

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