Chapter 516: "I Hesitated for a Moment, and the Hokage Turned on Me?"

It's not the opposition to an idea that's dangerous; it's when allies suddenly shift sides that chaos ensues.

At the Sarutobi clan estate, the Third Hokage had officially retired and was now enjoying his golden years. Dressed in a loose robe, a pipe dangling from his mouth, he sat under the eaves, playing a game of shogi by himself.

Who would have thought that the former Hokage, much like the Nara clan, would indulge in such contemplative activities?

Normally, playing shogi alone was an exercise in frustration, but today his peace was interrupted—not by the front door but by the sound of someone vaulting over the wall.

Tsunade, ever impatient, had chosen the direct route into the estate. The Anbu stationed to protect the Third Hokage, upon recognizing her, wisely pretended she wasn't there.

"Is that you, Tsunade?"

The Third Hokage removed his pipe and placed it on the shogi board.

"Old man, I have something I need to discuss with you."

Tsunade, always forthright, plopped down cross-legged on the veranda without preamble.

Unlike other Hokage, even after assuming office, Tsunade refused to wear the traditional robes. Instead, she stuck to her combat shirt, draped with a long white coat—her preferred color after Takuya had relentlessly mocked her old green one.

"Something to discuss?"

The Third Hokage looked puzzled. As Hokage, Tsunade had the authority to make decisions without consulting him. Unless… what she was planning would have a significant impact—or worse, involved revisiting old grudges.

That thought made him uneasy.

"Tsunade, we agreed—no settling old scores."

This had been their arrangement: leave the past in the past. While Danzo was an exception, everything else was off-limits. In return, the elders Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado would relinquish control over key departments like the Medical Corps.

But if Tsunade was planning to go back on that agreement, he would have to intervene.

"It's not about that," Tsunade replied, waving dismissively.

"Sensei, I'm just here to give you a heads-up. Tomorrow, I'll be summoning all the clan heads to the Hokage's office to discuss a census of Konoha's shinobi.

"It seems that over the years, some clans have forgotten the village's foundation. I won't go into details about their heritage or traditions, but hiding shinobi? That's crossing the line."

"..."

The Third Hokage froze.

A census. While not technically revisiting old issues, the implications were enormous. Yet, there was no flaw in her reasoning—it was something the Hokage had every right to do.

The Sarutobi clan, of course, wouldn't be exempt.

"Is this truly necessary?"

The Third Hokage sighed, knowing he couldn't outright oppose her.

"It's necessary."

Tsunade's tone was firm. "This is only about shinobi who aren't on record. I don't care where they're trained, what resources are used, or how they're raised. I only want a complete count of the village's shinobi. Even privately trained retainers need to be documented."

"..."

Isn't that just semantics?

You claim not to care about the details, but once the numbers are out, others will start asking questions.

The Third Hokage rubbed his temples, already feeling a headache coming on. If Tsunade had been planning to revisit old grudges, he could have stopped her. But this?

How could he oppose something as straightforward as a census?

If you've got nothing to hide, why are you nervous? Unless you're challenging the authority of the Hokage?

After puffing on his pipe in silence, the Third Hokage finally spoke.

"There will be significant resistance."

"I'm aware," Tsunade replied confidently.

"Uchiha and the Ino–Shika–Cho families will start first. They won't refuse. As for the other clans, we'll take it one step at a time.

"Sensei, I'm here to let you know beforehand because I hope you'll make the right choice. This is for the good of the village's development, and it won't harm the clans' interests. Things will remain as they are."

The Third Hokage remained silent.

As Tsunade rose to leave, she added, "I hope you'll understand my perspective. Some truths can't be hidden forever."

Once again, Tsunade vaulted over the wall, clapping the dust off her hands before addressing the Anbu nearby.

"Send word to the Uchiha clan head and Choza Akimichi. I need to see them at the Hokage's office."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

From the empty street came the faint reply of an Anbu operative.

By the time Tsunade returned to her office, Fugaku Uchiha and Choza Akimichi were already waiting.

Fugaku sat stiffly, trying to contain his excitement. Tsunade summoning him could only mean one thing: the Uchiha were finally being welcomed back into the fold.

Choza, on the other hand, looked confused. He couldn't fathom why Tsunade would call for him at such a time.

"Tsunade, what's the occasion?"

Choza, ever jovial, chuckled and broke the ice. Fugaku, meanwhile, sat upright, serious as always. Choza might act casually, but Fugaku wasn't about to let his guard down.

"It's an important matter," Tsunade began, her expression serious.

"I need to conduct a census of all shinobi in the village, and I want the Ino–Shika–Cho families to lead by example."

A census…

In Konoha, shinobi were divided into two categories: clan shinobi and civilians.

Civilians were already accounted for, as every one of them was registered. Clan shinobi, however, were a different story.

Many clans maintained their own training programs and raised shinobi entirely within their estates, keeping them off the village's official records. These "hidden forces" weren't uncommon.

"Uh…"

Choza's plump face twitched, his usual smile faltering.

This was a bombshell.

"Look, Tsunade, it's not that I don't want to help, but—"

"I understand the implications," Tsunade interrupted. "But this needs to be done. Fugaku, what about the Uchiha?"

"No problem," Fugaku replied immediately.

The Uchiha were desperate to rebuild their reputation and regain trust. Fugaku wouldn't pass up an opportunity to cooperate.

As long as Tsunade wasn't asking for their sacred techniques, the Uchiha were more than willing to comply.

Besides, the Uchiha had no allies among the other clans. They were used to being isolated and had no reason to care about stepping on toes.

"..."

Choza hesitated, watching Fugaku's swift agreement. The contrast was striking—and not in his favor.

"Tsunade, I…"

"Please address me as Hokage-sama."

Tsunade's tone turned cold, her earlier patience evaporating.

If Choza wouldn't cooperate willingly, she had no qualms about resorting to formalities. The Ino–Shika–Cho alliance would do well to maintain its neutrality and keep its distance from her office.

Choza gawked, stunned by the sudden shift.

I only hesitated for a moment—was that really necessary?

Realizing there was no escape, he sighed and rubbed his face.

"The Ino–Shika–Cho families will cooperate with the Hokage's orders."

As Takuya had predicted, Fugaku was eager to comply, while the Ino–Shika–Cho families had no choice but to follow suit.

"Thank you, Choza."

Tsunade's expression softened slightly.

Though Choza's reluctance was obvious, at least he had agreed. That was enough for now.

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