Chapter 11: Chapter 11
The tension in the chamber crystallized as Tsunade strode forward, her footsteps echoing in the sudden silence. Behind her, Jiraiya lingered in the doorway, his expression a mixture of concern and resignation.
"Tsunade-sama," Minato began, rising from his seat. "We didn't expect—"
"Save the formalities," Tsunade cut him off, her voice carrying the weight of her lineage. "I'm here to take my rightful place on this council as the Senju Clan Head."
The proclamation sent ripples through the chamber. Political calculations visibly shifted across dozens of faces as they processed the implications of a Senju returning to power.
"Furthermore," Tsunade continued, her eyes sweeping the room, "I am hereby repealing Tobirama-sensei's decision to integrate the Senju Clan into the village structure."
The chamber erupted. Clan heads rose from their seats, voices raising in protest or support. Danzo's eye widened fractionally, while Hiruzen nearly dropped his pipe.
"This is unprecedented!" Koharu exclaimed, rising to her feet. "The integration was a cornerstone of village unity!"
"I'm not finished," Tsunade's voice cut through the chaos like a blade. "As of today, anyone with at least twelve percent Senju DNA is eligible to rejoin the clan. We will reclaim our identity and our strength."
The implications of this announcement hit the room like a physical force. Dozens of prominent shinobi throughout the village could claim that level of Senju heritage. The political balance that had held for decades threatened to shatter.
"Additionally," Tsunade pressed on, ignoring the growing uproar, "I am reclaiming my position as Director of Konoha Hospital, effective immediately."
All eyes turned to Minato. The Fourth Hokage stood perfectly still, his face unreadable as he processed these declarations. Hiruzen looked at his successor imploringly, silently urging him to challenge at least the clan reformation.
The political implications were staggering. A resurgent Senju clan could upset the careful balance between factions. Old allegiances would be tested as shinobi with Senju blood chose whether to remain with their current clans or answer Tsunade's call.
But Minato remained silent for a long moment, his tactical mind no doubt racing through scenarios and implications. Finally, he spoke.
"The council will take a ten-minute recess," he announced, his voice cutting through the murmurs and protests. "Tsunade-sama, please join me in my office. We have much to discuss."
~
The Slug Sage stared directly at The Fourth Hokage, with the two Shinobi of a nearly unparalleled caliber for two separate reasons staring at one another.
One of them was the Fastest Man Alive, a Shinobi that could kill a dozen men in about the same time it took someone to blink. The fact he could live a normal life with a brain that moves as fast of his was likely the greatest feet about him.
The other was the Strongest Woman Alive, and some would argue that she was the Strongest Woman Alive. Mountains and pebbles seemed all the same when dealing with a monster like her.
"Lady Tsunade, you know I respect you, but what you're asking will throw the entirety of the Village into disarray. Lord Second dispersed the Senju Clan for a reason, and it should not be up to us to decide-"
"Why the hell should a dead man decide what is best for my people!!" Tsunade spoke loudly, with her already growing irritated with the boy.
She could give a rat's ass about the fact that he was the Hokage, which mattered little to her, as she had lived through four of the bastards, and none of them seemed to be able to do anything after getting behind the desk.
Everyone that she loved who got the position either wound up dead or too corrupted by the true nature of their position that they could achive little. It was why she swore to never wear the cursed hat herself.
"Tsunade-sama." Minato began again, his voice calm but firm, "I understand your pain, but the decision to separate the Senju clan from the village structure is not one we can take lightly."
Tsunade's jaw clenched. "I've made my decision, Minato. The Senju will stand once more."
Minato stood, walking around his desk to face Tsunade directly. "And what of the consequences? The political fallout? The potential for other clans that integrated into Konoha like the Hagoromo or the Izato to follow suit?"
"That's not my concern." Tsunade shot back. "My concern is protecting what's left of my family, my legacy."
"It is your concern." Minato countered, his voice gaining an edge. "As a leader of this village, everything that affects Konoha is your concern."
Tsunade's eyes flashed dangerously. "Don't lecture me about leadership, boy. I've sacrificed more for this village than you can imagine."
The air in the room began to shift, growing heavy with the weight of chakra. Tsunade's anger was palpable, her chakra beginning to manifest around her in a dense, oppressive aura. The very walls seemed to groan under the pressure.
Minato stood his ground, his own chakra rising to meet hers. Where Tsunade's was a crushing force, Minato's was sharp and precise, cutting through the air like countless invisible blades.
"I'm not just a boy anymore, Tsunade-sama." Minato said, his voice low and intense. "I'm the Hokage. And it's my duty to protect this village and everyone in it."
Tsunade took a step forward, her chakra flaring even brighter. The floor beneath her feet cracked, spider-web fissures spreading outward. "And where was that protection when Shizune needed it? Where was the mighty Hokage then?"
Minato's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of guilt passing over his features before his resolve hardened once more. His chakra surged, meeting Tsunade's head-on. The clash of their energies sent papers flying off the desk, pictures rattling on the walls.
"I grieve for Shizune too, as she was a talented Shinobi of the Village who chose to serve her master." Minato said, his voice carrying the weight of his conviction. "But tearing apart the village structure won't bring her back. It won't make anyone safer."
"You speak of duty." Tsunade snarled, her chakra coalescing around her fist until the very air began to warp. "But what good is duty when everyone you love dies serving it? When every promise of protection proves hollow?"
The wooden floor beneath her feet didn't just crack - it cratered, the impact of her barely restrained power sending fractures racing up the walls. The legendary strength that had reshaped battlefields during two of the three great wars now threatened to tear apart the very symbol of the village's authority.
Minato stood unmoved, his chakra a brilliant network of impossibly sharp edges that met each wave of Tsunade's power and divided it like light through a prism. His eyes, usually warm and kind, now held the cold calculation that had earned him flee-on-sight orders in every bingo book across the nations.
"And how many more will die if we let grief tear apart what generations built?" His voice was soft but carried steel beneath it. "The village structure exists to prevent exactly what you're proposing - the splintering of our unity into individual clan interests."
"Unity?" Tsunade laughed, but there was no humor in it. The sound was harsh, broken. "Where was that unity when my brother died? When Dan bled out? When Shizune-" Her voice cracked, and with it, another surge of chakra pulsed outward, strong enough to shatter the remaining windows.
Minato's response was instantaneous. His chakra formed a lattice of such intricate precision that each shard of glass froze in mid-air, caught in the web of his power through Wind Release.
ANBU agents descended around Tsunade instantly, each with their weapons drawn if things got dangerous.
"I am not your enemy, Tsunade-sama. But I cannot let personal grief, no matter how justified, threaten the stability of the village."
"You dare-" Tsunade took a step forward, the floor buckling under her foot. Her chakra manifested visibly now, a corona of blue-white power that made her appear more force of nature than a human.
Minato's response was equally impressive but utterly different. His chakra didn't flare - it sharpened. The air around him stilled as he calmed even further. This was the power that had slaughtered armies, that had ended a war in minutes.
Tsunade raised her fist and was about to wipe the blonde off of the brat in front of her.
Yet before the two could inevitably clash, multiple presences intervened between them.
On one side, Jiraiya held Tsunade's fist while Orochimaru held a hand of Tsunade's shoulder in a bid to calm her down.
On the other, Hiruzen stood in front of Minato alongside Fugaku Uchiha, with them both guarding the Fourth Hokage in the event that Tsunade did not stop her attack.
To the side, Danzo sat on the couch, drinking the cup of tea that Minato's assistant had brought into the office, yet the man had not yet been able to drink it.
"Enough. Are you two trying to cause a national crisis? What would the Villiage think if one of the Three Legendary Ninja had an altercation with the Hokage. Use common sense!!" Hiruzen yelled at them both before turning towards the amused Danzo, who watched on calmly while slurping his tea.
"Is this amusing, Danzo?" Hiruzen asked his old friend.
"Yes. Because it isn't that big of a deal. The worst that can happen is that the other Villages view this as Konoha attempting to remilitarize." Danzo stated before slurping his tea again.
"That's exactly why we must not allow it. Alarming the other Villages could lead to a small war. One that eventually sparks the next Shinobi World War." Jiraiya said solemnly, yet his words only got Tsunade to snatch her hand out of his, with him wincing.
"While highly unusual, I find myself agreeing with Tsunade. Far too many skills, techniques, and resources possessed by the Senju Clan have been inactive for far too long. If this is the spark the Village needs to make a new golden era, then allow it. Aren't you all always calling me the stagnant old fool? Prove you all aren't as deluded as I thought you were and do something beneficial to this Village." Danzo spoke before he stood and left on his cane.
He honestly care very little about the issue, only being surprised that Tsunade made an action that had not occurred in the Canon.
'I wonder if I should go tort-visit my students?' Danzo thought to himself with a smile.
On a ROOT training grounds, 4 individuals simultaneously had a shiver go down their spines.
Author's Corner:
I probably do a Double or Triple Release today, since it is officially Finals Season and my full focus will be going towards that. So stay tuned throughout the day.
The first Person to answer this question correctly (In my perception) will get a free gifted membership to one of my P@treon tiers.
What is the official ranking of the Hokage in terms of Leadership capabilities.
Factor in War Potential, Village Strength, and any other factors you see fit.
Winners will be announced Tuesday.]
Read Chapters Ahead on P@treon.com/KillerDJ2023
Read Chapters Ahead on P@treon.com/KillerDJ2023
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