The joint questioning by the daimyos of various countries is far more severe than the criticisms of other shinobi villages. One wrong move, and Konoha could become the first village to offend all of the daimyos simultaneously.
At that point, the entire development of Konoha—be it economic progress or military strength—would be strangled at the source.
In such a situation, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, wouldn't need to step down—he might as well be directly dismissed and told to return home and live in retirement.
"Damn it!"
For someone with the composure and restraint of the Third Hokage, swearing aloud was rare. But this time, he couldn't restrain himself.
Not only did he curse, but he also slammed the message scroll onto his desk with uncharacteristic aggression, and his aged face flushed with anger.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, the long-time elder advisors sitting quietly at the side, exchanged glances and sighed at the display.
Since the situation erupted, the Third Hokage's emotional control had noticeably declined.
Realizing that he'd lost his temper, Sarutobi drew in a deep breath. It was unacceptable behavior. As Hokage—the leader of Konohagakure—he had to remain calm, decisive, and composed, regardless of the crisis. Allowing personal emotion to interfere was a failure of leadership.
Gradually, Sarutobi brought his emotions under control.
"There's news from the Daimyō's mansion. The Daimyō has extended an invitation, and the daimyos from all countries will be gathering at the mansion for a political banquet. Konoha is required to dispatch ninja guards to ensure their security."
Such summits occurred once or twice a year.
Ordinarily, this would have been routine, something the Hokage's Office would manage without much fuss. But this time, there was a bitter difference. The message didn't come as a request—it came as a directive. Worse still, the Daimyō had specified the Uchiha Clan's Police Force by name to undertake the protection detail.
"The Daimyō doesn't trust us. He's directly called upon the Uchiha to handle the protection."
"…."
No wonder the Hokage was furious.
Koharu Utatane sighed deeply.
"In the past, missions like this would be delegated by the Hokage's Office. For the Daimyō to bypass us entirely and appoint the Uchiha directly—this is unprecedented…"
She trailed off, her expression darkening with unease.
The situation was spiraling out of control. To keep the Daimyō appeased, Konoha could only continue yielding ground.
"This year's summit…" Homura Mitokado hesitated. The implications were too dangerous.
They had never wanted the Uchiha to entrench themselves too deeply in national affairs. If the Daimyō grew too comfortable with the Uchiha, he might begin relying on them more than the Hokage's Office. The possibility of the Daimyō aligning with the Uchiha was an unacceptable threat.
But with no funding and increasing pressure from the Daimyō's office, they had no choice but to bow their heads and compromise.
Meanwhile, the Uchiha Police Force had caught a man peeping at bathers—none other than Jiraiya himself.
"Without notifying the Uchiha, there's still a window of time before the daimyos from other countries arrive. I've already contacted Jiraiya and instructed him to locate Tsunade."
The Third Hokage couldn't tolerate the idea of handing such a vital mission to the Uchiha. At the same time, he didn't wish to escalate tensions with the Daimyō.
His solution was to bring Tsunade back.
If Tsunade returned, she could defuse the situation with her natural charisma, noble lineage, and her personal relationship with the Fire Daimyō. The gathering could proceed peacefully, and Konoha could secure further funding and influence without alienating the Daimyō.
Tsunade was their ace in the hole.
She wasn't simply the granddaughter of the First Hokage and grandniece of the Second. Tsunade's rapport with the Daimyō's family had been nurtured since her youth. Her title of "Princess of Konoha" was not merely honorary—it signified political capital and closeness to the court.
If Tsunade stepped forward, many complications could be solved with minimal confrontation.
The real problem was locating her.
Tsunade had gone completely off-grid, hiding from debt collectors and the village alike. She had no desire to return, especially after years of heartache and loss.
Still, Sarutobi hoped that everything would go smoothly.
Koharu and Homura exchanged another helpless look.
Despite being highly respected elder advisors, their influence extended only as far as Konoha's borders. Beyond that, they had no sway.
Homura had recently visited the Daimyō's mansion himself, only to be coldly ignored by the angry nobles. The damage had already been done.
Surveillance over the Uchiha Clan had also quietly decreased. The village's internal politics were shifting.
In the meantime, Hiko had resumed his regular duties—patrolling, investigating, and maintaining order.
Due to disagreements over the restructuring of the Police Force, Shisui's old unit had been transferred under Hiko's command. Together, they formed a larger-than-usual patrol division.
As Hiko led the group down Konoha's bustling streets, villagers gave them a wide berth. The sight was... odd.
He couldn't help but think back to the absurd memes from his past life—images of Uchiha with active Sharingan, dressed in suits, carrying machetes, and looking like gangsters from a cheap street flick.
Behind Hiko walked Uchiha Itachi, assigned to this patrol under orders from the clan head—his father, Fugaku. Itachi watched Hiko's movements with a seriousness that exceeded his age. Occasionally, he attempted a stiff smile toward the villagers they passed.
But the attempt backfired.
Instead of reassuring them, his sudden, awkward smiles unsettled the onlookers. Most flinched and backed away.
Itachi had taken Hiko's earlier advice to heart. He was practicing smiling, believing it would help his public image.
Unfortunately, someone who had maintained a blank, stoic face for years suddenly flashing a crooked grin came off... terrifying.
When Hiko smiled, people felt welcomed and calm. When Itachi smiled, they questioned their life choices.
"This is the patrol sector assigned to our joint unit," Hiko explained to Itachi. "The clan head wants to reform the Police Force. Once that happens, we'll likely work together as a permanent team."
"It's important to build trust and camaraderie between all members, regardless of background."
He paused and looked Itachi in the eyes.
"Even though you're the clan head's son, don't expect special treatment. I—wait."
Hiko suddenly stopped.
Something was off.
As part of their expanded patrol route, they passed the rear of a well-known hot spring inn. At the corner of the building, lying on the ground with his backside pointed skyward, was a man... laughing in a very familiar, very perverted way.
The entire patrol stopped with Hiko, following his gaze.
"Captain… is he…" someone began.
"This is a hot spring hotel. He's peeping!" another whispered.
"I can see that," Hiko said, his voice sharp with disgust.
He folded his arms and called out loud enough for half the street to hear:
"Take a good look, everyone. The man leering through the fence over there—salivating, grinning like a degenerate—is none other than the legendary Jiraiya of the Sannin."
"Once celebrated as one of the strongest ninja in Konoha, now reduced to a peeping tom with a perverted grin."
"As law enforcement, we must remember: no matter your rank, no matter your fame—despicable behavior is despicable behavior."
From his hiding spot, Jiraiya looked up in disbelief.
He had just returned to the village after receiving Sarutobi's summons—but instead of reporting to the Hokage's Office, his first instinct was to visit the hot springs "for research purposes."
Barely five minutes into his mission, he was already caught red-handed.